Bad News: Takara Transformers no longer official!

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Time Traveller
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Bad News: Takara Transformers no longer official!

Post by Time Traveller »

So, we got this notice from the auction site's VeRO (Verified Rights Owner) program notifying us that our Japanese G1 Black Zarack and Music Label Soundwave are not official Transformers, and it is inappropriate to use the Transformers name in our listings for them.

What could this mean for the Transformers community? Did Hasbro sever their decades-long partnership agreement with Takara and subsequently TakaraTomy, and retroactively un-officialize all Japanese-market Transformers dating back to at least 1988? Will we no be able to buy and sell these Japanese knock-offs like Overlord, Grand Maximus, or even Star Saber? Will the upcoming Masterpiece-G Raiden have to be cancelled due to TakaraTomy operating on stolen intellectual property? Or does allowing mega-corporation rightsholders to make their own rules, file numerous spurious claims with no consequences, and provide no timely avenue for legitimate appeals lead to vast, unaccountable overreach by the largest companies in media and products?
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Ultra Magnus
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Re: Bad News: Takara Transformers no longer official!

Post by Ultra Magnus »

I can see why you posted this in general discussions as opposed to Toy Talk or Non-Transformer Toy Talk.

Until this serious matter is resolved, it would be hard for the moderators to determine if it was on topic for either forum.

I'll allow it.
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Re: Bad News: Takara Transformers no longer official!

Post by Time Traveller »

The corporatocracy is always a relevant discussion. I used to hate "the auction site", but now that I have to deal with them for a big chunk of my living, I really hate them. In this case, Hasbro is acting under the perverse incentives set up in that system. However, I shall forever take it as a statement of fact and treat all Japanese converting robot toys by Takara and TakaraTomy as unofficial. Grinding repetitive irony is my favorite form of humor for dealing with the hellscape.
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Re: Bad News: Takara Transformers no longer official!

Post by Ultra Magnus »

This is probably more a case of Hanlon's razor.
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Re: Bad News: Takara Transformers no longer official!

Post by Time Traveller »

I'm not saying it's necessarily malice, but a web of perverse incentives leading to abusive behavior towards parties with less or no power. It enables and empowers the stupidity.
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Re: Bad News: Takara Transformers no longer official!

Post by Ultra Magnus »

Any updates?
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Re: Bad News: Takara Transformers no longer official!

Post by Time Traveller »

Nope. We are not able to use the name Transformerland on ebay, despite the company being incorporated as such, and having been so for over a decade.
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