Alvaro Carvajal sends us his report from his tour of the Hasbro Offices at the recent BotCon convention, including TONS of pictures and Transformers info, including prototypes, blueprints and canceled products.

Alvaro Carvajal reports from the Hasbro Offices in Pawtucket, RI!

One of Botcon 2007's activities I was most interested in was the opportunity to visit Hasbro's headquarters on Pawtucket, RI. As some of you know, currently the creation of new Transformers toys is a collaborative process between Hasbro and Japanese company Takara-Tomy. On the side of Hasbro the process is started by picking the central theme of a new Transformers line, sketching preliminary designs for the future figure's looks, their colors, the line-wide gimmicks are decided, alternate modes for the robots are chosen, etc. On Takara's side they work on the engineering of the figures, how they will transform, how many plastic pieces will a given figure need, etc. Due to that, a visit to Hasbro's headquarters was a one in a lifetime oportunity to get to see a very important view of how the Transformers are born.

Fun Publications (Botcon organizers) offered the tour only for 500 Botcon '07 attendees. The first 400 who registered had a guaranteed spot, while the others 100 spots were drawn from those who didn't make the first 400. I was lucky to be among the first 400.

My turn to go to Hasbro's HQ was on the 7:00am tour on June 29th. We gathered outside of the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, and there we were taken by tour buses to Hasbro's offices in Pawtucket (a 25-30 minutes ride). During the bus ride, our tour guide ran a trivia contest, with Transformers the movie beach balls as prices. I didn't know the first toy ever advertised on TV was Mr. Potato Head, so for me even the trivia was informative.

We got into Hasbro's premises through their back door, the one next to their parking lot. There, several Hasbro employees were expecting us. They were going to guide the tour groups.

We were divided in several tour groups (I believe there were 9), each group was assigned to two Hasbro employees. Our group was guided by a man who works on G.I.Joe Marketing Department, and by a lady (Valerie, I believe) who works on Mock Up Packaging for the Transformers' brand. Then we proceeded to visit each of the 9 stations that were set up by Hasbro employees all around the main building. Each station was dedicated to a particular area of the Transformers toy making process.

On the first station, we were led to a conference room where it was shown several videos provided by Paramount and Dreamworks relating to Transformers the movie. The mission in this station was to show the collaboration between Hasbro, Paramount and Dreamworks to properly market the movie and its products with synergy. On the second station, we were shown several Transformers test-shots.

We were told there that the test-shots are used to test the molds to be used in future toys and to get a physical example of how the final product could look and transform. Also, test-shots are used to physically see how the product will look in the different proposed package for the line.

(Look there! Masterpiece Starscream and Leader Brawl!)

The Hasbro guys also told us some bits about the process needed to pick the design for the packages, blisters and cards for a given line; they always try to pick colors for the packaging that are useful to best show every product on the line, no matter what base color that product is. They said that there are excellent packaging designs that get rejected because some of the products from the line would look dull over the color chosen for said packaging, which would in turn make the final product less appealing and not a good seller at retail. Very technical stuff. :)

Once the talking part of the presentation was over, they let us take a lot of pictures! :)

Recon Barricade

Classics Prime, Movie Arcee, Blackout, Cyberslammer Ratchet, Cybertron Menasor

Leader Brawl, FAB Bumblebee, Dropkick, Recon Barricade

Dropkick, Payload, Dreadwing, Barricade, FAB Frenzy

After that, we continued our walk through Hasbro HQ's halls towards the next station. On the next station, we were led to a conference room. This station was manned by Greg Lombardo, Hasbro's Marketing Director for the Transformers brand. Greg told us how in these same conference rooms is where the design and marketing teams meet with the management to present new toy ideas for the different brands Hasbro own. Many ideas are approved right away, while others are rejected; though there's always the possibility that a rejected idea can be used later in the same brand or another. As an example, Greg showed us this:

You can see there the prototype for the Voice Changer Optimus Prime helmet made for the Transformers movie ... and also a more G1 version of it. As it turns out, the G1 version was proposed several years ago, but it was a marketing decision to not produce it as it was, because they didn't feel it would be a good seller. Then came the movie, and voila! The helmet evolved into what we know now.

Greg also showed us a packaging sample made for the movie about a year ago. This sample was used to show to management an example of what the movie products would look like.

As you can see, that's a Cybertron Repugnus on a Transformers: The Movie card. The final design for the movie line dropped the "The Movie" bit, when word got back to Hasbro that the movie official name would be just "Transformers".

The conference room was decorated with a bunch of different Hasbro brands. I found that amusing.

Monopoly

Clue and Scrabble

The next "station" was the Hasbro's Picture Alley. Nothing to do with toy making, but a lot to do with the promotion of the brands. This area at the end of the hallway has several props used to promote Hasbro brands - and also movies for which Hasbro holds the license to produce its toys - in conventions such as Botcon or SDCC, movie theaters, Toy Fair, etc.

Tonka

Transformers

Spiderman 3

Star Wars

Monopoly

Mister Potato Head

Then, we followed our guides to the next station. There, we were shown prototypes of unproduced Transformers, and also photos of the working offices of Hasbro and Takara's designers.

And many prototypes, including a proposed line of real looking military vehicles. Just imagine Alternators, but bigger and military-based.

There were also protos of new 6 inch Titaniums. Sadly those were cancelled.

War Within Bumblebee/Cliffjumper and Classics Cosmos

Arcee and Shockwave

I hope those are produced as part of Universe/Classics 2.0 next year.

And there were also very advanced versions of Transformers that were going to be produced, but then were canceled because the outlet where these pieces were going to be sold through, decided against them, or simply folded.

OTFCC'04 Defensor (canceled because 3H didn't have the funds to order its production)

Toxitron (cancelled because either Wal*Mart or Toys r'Us didn't want it in the end)

Other protos in the case included Alternators Jazz with a Porsche alt mode:

And some mini-Alternators in 1:32 scale that were proposed.

... I don't remember what this was. I think it was a base-to-vehicle playset.

At the end of the station, there was a display with almost every Optimus toy in existence!

On the following station we were shown how do the different Hasbro divisions license Hasbro's brands to other companies in order to produce related merchandise such as T-shirts, statues and busts, R/C vehicles, comics, books, etc.

These two sirs told us about how their team develops and approves reference materials that are later sent to different licensees so Hasbro-branded related products are made. They even showed us some of the reference materials for the Transformers movie.

And also from Generation 2, this Roadblock piece was the last design drawn by the man in the left side of the picture, before changing the department he worked for. :)

T-Shirt approved designs:

And licensee-made products:

Also on that station, they had a product catalog from 1986, used over 20 years ago by Hasbro to show toy stores across the U.S. the type of products that were going to be available to order on that year. A very interesting book ... I was able to take several pictures of it.

Jem on the cover

Inside: Mini Bots

Constructicons

Predacons

We were then led to the station manned by Aaron Archer. There he shown us through pictures, the design process for the movie transformers. Aaron told us that it all started with Dreamworks'designers working on the different designs based on the original script (take a look at Arcee there!)

Then Aaron's team took those designs to take them from their generic robot look, into Transformers. Aaron said that his mission was basically to try to infuse into the movie designs the famed "Transformers Aesthetic", and that he focused on what he considered iconic from each character. He said some of his "battles" were related to Optimus Prime's face, Megatron's face, Jazz's visor, Bumblebee's color, etc.

(Look on the last picture, Bumblebee's original face.)

From there, Hasbro developed reference materials to show how to "evolve" the original movie designs, into the Transformers that appear on the movie.

Weapon's study:

Part's study:

The next station showed us the evolution of several Cybertron figures, from early design, to final product; while also showing some of the in-between steps such as prototype. You can see in the following picture how are the plastic parts identified on the plastic spruces, and on what color are those spruces molded in.

All of that work wouldn't be possible though, without the work described on the next station. The lady in that station showed us using Movie Voyager Evac as an example (a future repaint of Movie Voyager Blackout with a new head), how her team is tasked with the painting of a prototype to be used as reference material for the factories, and also for catalogs and other ads. That type of prototypes are also used to determine the number of paint applications (paint masks) that would be required by the production piece, and the tampographic details such as faction symbols; those painted prototypes are also used to let the factories in China know the colors of the plastic to be used in the molding of the pieces. All that information is then used to determine the individual cost of producing a single figure.

She also had there the prototype of Movie Voyager Incinerator, a figure based on a V-22 Osprey:

Finalized Evac:

Detail of the Evac new mold head

Leader Brawl Redeco

We followed our guides to the next station, which was located further inside Hasbro's HQ. This "station" was actually a cubicle located next to a parts and toys storage room, those parts are used as reference material. Also next to the cubicles, there were several machines such as 3D printers, injection molding machines and other equipment used to produce prototypes. Surprisingly, we were shown that even in this day and age, some protos are made in wood!

That was the last station of the tour. Since we had to wait for the buses to come back, I stayed in Hasbro's HQ halls taking pictures of several displays there.

G.I. Joe

Mr. Potato Head

Monopoly

Transformers

And then I got out of the building and took a couple of snapshots from the outside.

[Editor's Note: Many thanks to Alvaro for sending us his report! This first appeared in Spanish on the Venezuelan Transformers Yahoo!Group, which can be seen here. Also, please see the gallery for over 135 images!-Nekrodave]

In late February we had a chance to visit the Bandai Museum in Matsudo, Japan. This multi-floor museum is a shrine to all things Bandai. Chances are most of the toys in your collection were made by Bandai. If so, coming to the Bandai Museum is like your journey to Mecca.

In late February we had a chance to visit the Bandai Museum in Matsudo, Japan. This multi-floor museum is a shrine to all things Bandai. Chances are most of the toys in your collection were made by Bandai. If so, coming to the Bandai Museum is like your journey to Mecca.

Bandai Museum Commercial (.wmv)

Our Bandai Museum Gallery has almost 200 images

To get to the Bandai Museum, take the Joban line to Matsudo Station. Once you are in the station, you will see signs for the Bandai Museum. Follow them out into the plaza, and you will see the Bandai Museum on the right.

Once in the building, you have to take an elevator up to the Museum. You will come to an area that looks like a courtyard in the middle of some apartment buildings. Jumbo Machinders are hidden on small windowsills, while a large blue mechanical alien thing moves back and forth across the ceiling. Go up the stairs and you are on the main floor of the museum. This floor has the gift shops that sell all kinds of Bandai product, save Gundam. The Gundam toys are all sold in the G-Shop.

There are actually 2 museums in the Bandai Museum, and they require separate admission. I believe each is around 500 yen. In typical Japanese fashion, there are vending machines to buy the tickets. The Gundam museum has a deluxe ticket, but we will talk about that later. First - the Character Museum, named "Character World".

The first section you enter is the Ultraman section. They have a re-creation of the filming of the first episode of Ultraman, and a wall case featuring the heads of different Ultramen over the years. There are also many cases of toys - all relating to Ultraman. Jumbos, Chogokin, and vinyl are all represented.

Next up is the Kamen Rider section. They have a chained in area with mannequins dressed in the original costumes, along with their motorcycles. There are more cases in here, with toys from the original series to the current, including the transforming disc animals.

Sentai has the biggest area in the Character World. Cases upon cases of Sentai toys, all organized by series. While they don't have every Sentai toy ever made, they are close to it. Among the cases are some rare items, such as the actual models used in the show, and unproduced toys like the Jumbo Machinder Goggle Robo prototype. The main robot of each show is spotlighted above a video screen playing a clip from that robot's show. The clip is the transformation sequence of that robot - they are all playing at the same time. The cacophony is so beautiful'¦

Once out of the Sentai area you enter the area with the classic super robots. In this area, each set of toys is grouped by character. Mazinger Z, Combatler V, Gaiking, Raideen and more are all represented here. Later day chogokin, including the Soul of Chogokin line, are also represented.

Pass the initial cases on the left is the case most likely to give Jumbo collectors a heart attack. The Jumbo Machine display features the most sought after toy - the Jumbo Machinder Garada K7. Originally Garada was thought to be a myth, until a specimen was shot for a magazine called Gangu Jinsei. For the longest time, this was thought to be the only specimen, until one showed up at the Bandai Museum, hanging from the rafters by wire. Supposedly this specimen was found in a closet or backroom at Bandai. It now is properly displayed among the other Jumbo Villains.

It is an odd experience, being so close to a thing of legend. All the Jumbos in that case are really nice; all the other villains are exquisite pieces in their own right. But the Garada overpowers them all. Up close you can see how real it is. Every paint chip, every scratch. The hand-painted details on the head tell of a time long gone. This is ground zero.

Looking back now, I hardly remember the other toys in that case. I remember the broken Doublas, but honestly, when I look at the pictures I took, I feel as though I am seeing them for the first time.

You might need a few minutes to collect your thoughts, but as you leave the Jumbo and Chogokin area, you find yourself in the realm of Godzilla.

There really weren't that many Godzilla toys present. The exhibit focused on the Big G himself. A wall display features a poster for every Godzilla movie. There is what looks to be an actual suit used during one of the films, and a prop foot used to smash a miniature village. There is one small case of toys, and another of model kits.

At the end of Character World, look for a small case that features non-character toys, such as trucks and board games. It serves as a reminder that Bandai has had a whole history of making toys that are not character related.

You now find yourself back in the lobby, so it is time to check out the Gundam Museum.

At the entrance to the Gundam Museum you are greeted by a person in a Gundam officer's costume. There are different levels of admission here. 600 yen gets you in, but there is a combo ticket that includes a booklet, and a ticket for all three of the attractions. You can also buy admission in front of those attractions, so we decided to wait. Admission also gets you a small souvenir film strip.

The first room features a scale model of the colony, and lots and lots of text on the walls, in both Japanese and English. If you care about the history of Gundam, you may spend some time in here, but it is likely information you already know.

The next room features a life size Zaku head. Every minute or so the head lights up and the eye moves back and forth. In the same room, there is a conveyor belt set up like an assembly line, with Jumbo Grade Zakus going by; all green except for one pink one'¦

The next corridor is full of video screens talking about different Gundams, but no toys. This is very much about the Gundam Universe as if you are IN the universe. There's no behind the scenes stuff here.

The last room in the exhibit is the biggest. It features the life size RX-78 Gundam, as well as a few attractions. Each attraction costs 500 yen. You can choose from:

- Zaku Shooting Range - fire a pellet gun at a paper target
- Gundam Cockpit - Sit inside a Gundam cockpit and get a picture taken
- Gundam Lift - Try on some Gundam universe clothes, stand on a platform, and get lifted 5 feet in the air to get a better look at the Gundam.

They all seemed like rip-offs, so we didn't do any of them. You could easily walk up the stairs next to the Life sized Gundam to get a better look.

At the end of the exhibit you are dropped off in the G-Shop - the Bandai Museum Gundam Store. This has to be the single largest concentration of Gundam merchandise I have ever seen in one place. Gundam freaks will have a field day in here. This is also where they sell the Museum Exclusive Gundam merchandise.

From here, you can take an elevator back down to the lobby.

That's the whole museum. If you are ever in Tokyo, and you are a toy fan, I highly recommend it. One thing that I thought was really cool about the museum was the sheer amount of children there with their parents. It was really heartwarming to see parents explaining to their kids about what the shows were, and what toys they used to have. (at least, that's what I assume they were saying'¦). They also had arts and craft areas for the little kids and a meet and greet area where kids could meet Kamen Riders.

Our Bandai Museum Gallery has almost 200 images

I took a lot of video in the museum. I've offered it here for you, but be aware, it is large; 200mb. Please save this to your computer before playing it. It's 12 minutes of pure Bandai goodness, and it covers most things described above.

Bandai Museum Video (200mb mpg, 12 minutes)

Disclaimer - I'm not an expert on all of these areas, especially the Gundam stuff. If I've made an error, let me know.