Ace Toyz reveal 1/6 scale MMPR Red and Green Rangers
 

Preorders opening next month, cited to cost around $110 each.

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Are they poseable or statues?

Apparently Bandai got word of this so these likely won't come out.

I think we need only look at the 3rd party Transformers online market to see that these things could easily be released without much issue. I'm sure Saban/Bandai will pursue it, but who knows. Hasbro hasn't curtailed 3rd party transformers much.

Bandai though could step in and warn certain retailers against selling them.

That's because their are literally thousands of bootleg sellers of TFs so it's like a hydra.

This though all Bandai has to do is slap a lawsuit on Ace Toyz.

Funny to see that getting the right colour for Green is an issue across the board.
I'm not really feeling these and I'll be surprised if this makes it to market.

There's always the possibility, but remember what Saban did with Chroma Squad. They're so full of themselves they actually think they own the concept of team-based Toku and were willing to take legal action over it. I can't see them not going after something this blatant.
Now whether or not they can do anything is a whole other issue.

The black lines on Red's helmet kinda kill it for me. It looks almost dirty.

After looking at green i can see tell these third part statues or hot toy like figures but green coin is off

Everyone remember - this is an unofficial, unlicensed third party production. Much like the third party Transformers, for these to be able to be sold in the USA by online retailers, they cannot be 100% exact replicas of actual Power Rangers. Thus, you will see some changes, some minor differences, and not be identical to any product currently for sale (else they would be knock offs and not their own product).

Thus, the coins are different and the helmets just slightly different.

At least this company got the Red Ranger's helmet shape right.
Your move, Bandai America.

These interest me quite a bit honestly. All summer long I spoke with some individuals involved with 3rd party companies that work on Transformers-type products and asked why they've never ventured in to other areas, such as Power Rangers.

Honestly - they basically said there's no money in it.

So to see this pop up immediately got my interest. I was very curious if these were modeled after the cancelled 12" Legacy figure that an online retailer listed over a year ago (the same time we found out Zeo and Dino Thunder would be the "Wave 4" Legacy figures before PMC). I am not sure if that ever got past a design stage or a possible prototype stage. Because if it did, I am curious if that molding was repurposed for Acetoyz (since, you know, everything is made in China).

So many questions, waiting for so many answers.

Why don't we just call them what they are, bootlegs.

A real third party product is licensed, hence the whole third party thing to denote it's separate from the official product but not consumer-made, but still legally produced. Those TF Prime-1 statues for example or real third party, Peru Kill is not. I know TF fans don't like calling them bootlegs but that's what they are, and that's what these are.

EDIT: And for clarity, there's nothing "wrong" with bootlegs. They're just bootlegs, albeit high quality. Like these. I own "Third Party" bootlegs TFs myself, but I fee it's like some kind of subtle insecurity that TF fans don't want to acknowledge that they are what they are, and would rather pretend they're something they're not. Just own it and be done with it. It's like calling extortion "exchange of sensitive material for favours" or murder "encouragement of unlife" or something.

Really? Looking up "bootleg" on Wikipedia redirects me to counterfeit merchandise, which is explained as "To counterfeit means to imitate something. Counterfeit products are fakes or unauthorized replicas of the real product."

So how can this be a bootleg if there's no real product it replicates? As far as I know, there aren't any 1/6 scale cloth Ranger figures.

Aren't "bootlegs" what a collector would call a "Knockoff / KO"?

When a Transformers fan says 3rd Party they mean "3rd Party Unlicensed," I think. Because unique items which are not directly based on an existing product aren't bootlegs or knockoffs. It's an unlicensed use of copyrighted ideas. And they avoid legal actions by not using trademarked symbols or names to make it harder to work against them.

So looking at these figures I'd say they are unlicensed 3rd Party figures. Not bootlegs knockoffs since they didn't copy existing figures.

I don't know, maybe it's splitting hairs, I'm just interested in this because I wouldn't call a unique figure a bootleg just because it uses an existing design.

Are... are you serious?

The product it's replicating is Power Rangers. It doesn't have to be an illicit reproduction of a specific toy, it's still a bootleg because it is replicating a product (more specifically an IP, but that's still a product) the creator does not own.

Maybe "knock off' is more accurate, but if I saw a 'super transform car' that's clearly Bumblebee at Dollerama I'd still call it a bootleg even if it's not technically accurate to any existing figure. It's still not "third party" because again, that's for a third party who's producing the license that's not the license owner or consumer.

Oh trust me, it doesn't make it harder at all. Bandai could easily go against these. The only reason Hasbro doesn't (for the most part, Fanstoys Grimlock) is because 3P practically makes no dent in their revenue and they've repeatedly stated their fine with 3P because they target a different market.

Bandai, however, I feel is less secure than that and could easily go after these. Maybe they won't (and I hope they don't because I'm sure plenty of people out there would like some high quality PR statues) but they absolutely can if they deemed it worth their while.

It's absolutely splitting hairs, because one way or another, they're not official, and third party in the grander world outside toys refers to something official. "Unlicensed third party" is a misnomer of sorts, akin to saying "unlicensed official."

Seems like it has to, going by the definition. If you don't think that's the case then that's fine, I think if it's newly sculpted and isn't reusing parts featured on an official product then it's "just" unlicensed merchandise from a third party.

It's still illegal, or at least a very shady gray zone that can exist in China because the local authorities don't care, but I wouldn't really call it a bootleg.

Except it doesn't, because unless they've highjacked the factory and are using the same moulds and materials, no bootleg is ever going to be an exact replica. They will always technically be unique items. And again, they are replicating a product. Power Rangers is an owned IP, you realise that counts as a product, right?

Also, Wikipedia as a source isn't exactly one you want to die by. Ignoring the nature of how its information is aggregated, they make mistakes as well.

It would especially be a kick in the teeth to your argument if it turned out these were made using the cancelled 12" Legacy moulds TokuChris mentioned. It is a little convenient that not long after we caught wind of those these suddenly spring up.

We can also go by the Cambridge dictionary, which reads "bootleg adjective (ILLEGAL) - illegally made, copied, or sold" which I guess would count? So technically they are bootlegs.

I just think it's the wrong term to use as it isn't copying an existing figure. It definitely is illegally made though.

I am becoming a fan of 1/6 scale stuff. $110 isn't that bad. I am in. but need more info on accessories.

.........................................................wrong time for a ‘Power Rangers is bootleg Sentai’ joke, yeah?



It’s cool, I can read the room.

This is really no different than the third party market that exists for Transformer figures, guys.

Except that Bandai is more likely to sue these guys.

On the one hand, I hope these come to the UK.

On the other hand, if they do, my poor wallet...

Yeah, I mean if Saban had issues with Chroma Squad there's no way that they'd be willing to let this pass.

On the other hand, if it means Saban gets officially involved in the project I think it'd only be for their benefit.

Except that Power Rangers is licensed.

For what this is though, looks pretty cool to me. Like Kiwami, I would call this an unlicensed third party product. Technically it is bootleg, but there is a negative connotation of cheapness or low quality associated with that term.

Maybe they can bootleg us some Legacy figures like a Gold ranger that gold.