FA+
Shop
Hasbro and problems with it's toylines!
a year ago
WARNING: This is nothing of hateful or insulting intentions, but I'm trying to make a point.
While Hasbro has had it's postiives over the years, I feel that by being too nationalist and NOT thinking about the wider audience, I feel that they went from decent to just plain lazy and even to an extent, RACIST, in recent years, by not thinking enough about international appeal.
With too many bad toy designs, Jada Toys is doing MUCH better in the toy industry, in comparison!
But as far as overall media goes? I'll compare franchises, to show franchises with things in common, that in my opinion, do it PRETTY MUCH BETTER! (I'm also listing STRICTLY toy based franchises...NOT franchises based on board games!)
Iconic Hasbro Franchise: "Transformers"
While "Transformers" has had it's clever moments, likable cast, and interesting writing now and then? I feel that some reboots are kinda dry, even compared to the "Gen 1" continuity.
And let's face it; while the cartoons and comic adaptatiosn of this franchise are usually decent? I feel that the toyline is in a MUCH more gray area; either being decent, or terrible.
Besides; do we HAVE to bring up Michael Bay? XD
Unowned franchise that does It Better: "Gundam"
I will admit it; it does have it's model kits in the past that aren't well done, but typically speaking? Model kits from this franchise are actually NOT BAD. And any action figures I remember from this franchise? The ones I remember my older brother getting are actually WELL BUILT; imperfections and all!
But seriously; with a lot of more color to this franchise, I know the writing of it's anime & manga are ALSO in a gray area; being about the same as the "Tranformers" franchise.
But as far as ALL other products other than comics and cartoons go, within this franchise? "Gundam" typically does it BETTER...typically putting the "Transformers" franchise to SHAME!
Iconic Hasbro Franchise: "G.I. Joe"
The way it apparently tried to "brainwash" a generation of children into buying toys? Uh...Hasbro did a bad move, there...suddenly making COBRA look like the good guys, here! (Makes me wonder in most alternate universes, DO WE HAVE IT MOSTLY BACKWARDS?!?)
With most of it's later cartoon reboots gotten bad? I think I'd much rather stick with alternatives.
Unowned franchise that does It better: "Small Soldiers"
The first movie was just plain AWESOME! With more memorable characters, better writing, and not to mention a GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR! (And didn't feel like a mere excuse to sell toys and games, either!)
Honestly? Maybe Dreamworks should hire a good third party indie game developer, to make a BETTER video game adaptation, that doubles as a SEQUEL to the movie?
Iconic Hasbro Franchise: "Power Rangers"
Technically? It's just the American side of the Japanese "Super Sentai" franchise, but as it's own continuity...which I feel was a bad move. (Long story.)
While I will admit that the American series had some GREAT ideas? (Including "The Morphin Grid", which was VERY creative, actually...same for some ENTIRELY ORIGINAL characters they made, including the WONDERFULLY AWFUL Ivan Ooze!) I feel that Saban has just made an excuse to waste even MORE money, back then, and should have waited to make a sequel to the Japanese series that it took footage from, instead.
Fortunately? There's always fan-fiction that does it better!
Unowned franchise that does It better: "Super Sentai"
Again; "Power Rangers" is technically just PART of this franchise, but part of it that is CURRENTLY owned by Hasbro.
If Saban was even SMARTER back then? They would have simply localized "Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger", (and used some degree of footage editing, some bits of the episodes removed with minor plot changes if ANY, and minor differences to dialogue, and re-named certain characters just in case) and then decided to make a new SEQUEL series with NEW characters taking on the mantles of the said Zyurangers, afterwards! (Focusing on an ENTIRELY NEW opposition filled with newly made villains, as the threat...with 6 teens from the United States battling against them, with Zordon being the NEW team's mentor!)
While American made "Power Rangers" began as good stupid fun? It got REALLY downhill in recent years...with too much bad writing and questionable decisions, to the point where in comparison? It feels more like nationalist propaganda, rather than a believable story...hence why I actually made a SMART decision; since I lived in a free country? I DO have the right to choose for myself! And so? I switched to the better written Japanese continuity, which has MOSTLY better writing, an even BETTER sense of humor, and on top of that? Also more thought provoking.
I realized that after watching episodes of the said Japanese series? I've been missing out on A LOT...including the fact that when it comes to "Gosei Sentai Dairanger"? It's hilarious, because the White Ranger's own sword is ACTUALLY his own character, with his own personality and clever dialogue, even! (Take THAT, Hasbro!)
Iconic Hasbro Franchise: "My Little Pony"
The toyline has it's ups and downs.
When it came to MOST of it's cartoons? They weren't really good, but they sometimes had their moments that were worth seeing.
When it came to "Friendship Is Magic"? It started off as the reboot we needed...until writing MUCH LATER, got a bit questionable and not exactly suitable for younger viewers. (And no; I am NOT talking about violence, more tragic moments, or "darker" episodes, either.)
But the worst part? Hasbro HATES fangames and is super strict against them...especially when Hasbro is ALREADY making plenty of money! (I get that some of the bosses of Nintendo are very concerned about fangames at times, but hey; they probably don't MEAN anything bad; I think they're just confused and don't get that a lot of these fangame developers should instead, be given the chance to be HIRED into their company, instead...perhaps Nintendo should make some of these fangames into REAL OFFICIAL video games!)
Anyways...in other news? Hasbro tends to think more about ADULTS rather than children in recent years.
Unowned franchise that does It better: "Klonoa"
When it comes to anthropomorphic characters, "Klonoa" ALWAYS had more heart and soul, as an overall franchise! (Although I personally DO think "Klonoa Heroes" could have some censorship within dialogue, to keep the plot and dialogue STRICTLY PG rated, and appeal better towards a wider audience...possibly through an enchanced remake, later on!)
While very different, lore-wise? I personally think that it's overall games and characters are much more interesting...I mean, I'd LOVE to see "Klonoa 3" happen! (And hopefully? Bandai Namco will make it as a co-op action experience, for old and new gamers, alike...as a good, clean, PG rated experience for a wider audience!)
I was going to list "Them Fighting Herds" on this list, but...I never actually PLAYED that game, yet. (I also know that NEITHER are toyline based franchises, but...that's not the point; we need better QUALITY in media; not just an excuse to sell toys, games, and the like, either!)
Iconic Hasbro Franchise: "Nerf"
Nerf had great ideas over the years, but getting a PROPER toy weapon (not a real one) from this brand? That depends on what you're talking about.
When it comes to "Nerf Rival"? No cigar, due to the fact that those foam balls REALLY HURT when fired from these...even to the point where they're LITERALLY air soft guns!
When it comes to some of those motorized ones? They're usually NOT VERY GOOD...and BARELY WORK!
Unowned franchise that does It better: "Boom Co."
The Nerf competitor that DID IT RIGHT!
ALWAYS promoting a good quality toy products BEFORE mass producing it? EXCELLENT move!
EXCELLENT range from these, in a way that DOESN'T HURT? AWESOME WORK, Mattel!
Safe AND with excellent air flow to the toy darts; SOLD! (The only problem is? I don't know if Mattel even MAKES these, anymore. (But if you're fortunate? You can find some of these in thrift stores for cheap prices!)
Iconic Hasbro Franchise: "Kre-O"
Actually? This is just a rip-off of the "Lego" toy brand.
The only real upsides about it is, it's earlier toylines had well made minifigs with more posing capability, compared to Lego's minifigs...and of course, having head-parts that are compatable with Lego minifigs! (Combined with fair prices.)
When it comes to the later building block sets (without the "Kre-O" logo) newly sold by Hasbro that we see in stores today, based on the "G.I. Joe" and "Power Rangers" franchises? They're TERRIBLE and LAZILY PRODUCED; DO NOT BUY THEM!
Unowned franchise that does It better: "Lego"
When it comes to imperfections, at least Lego TRIES to put quality before quantity in their products...ALWAYS! (Even with some obsolete Lego sets that are not very well made and some often overpriced for what we got.)
Plus, Lego is known to have a GREAT sense of humor, too!
====
You see? When it comes to cartoons and comics, the problem is bad or obsolete writing.
As for the toys? They're not always as well built.
To Hasbro; if you're reading this? If you REALLY care about the children, THINK ABOUT THE WIDER AUDIENCE, across the world...also promote DECENT QUALITY, within toys, too! (Toys don't have to be perfect; all I ask if you is to make a good quality product, so you can do BETTER in the toy industry!
While Hasbro has had it's postiives over the years, I feel that by being too nationalist and NOT thinking about the wider audience, I feel that they went from decent to just plain lazy and even to an extent, RACIST, in recent years, by not thinking enough about international appeal.
With too many bad toy designs, Jada Toys is doing MUCH better in the toy industry, in comparison!
But as far as overall media goes? I'll compare franchises, to show franchises with things in common, that in my opinion, do it PRETTY MUCH BETTER! (I'm also listing STRICTLY toy based franchises...NOT franchises based on board games!)
Iconic Hasbro Franchise: "Transformers"
While "Transformers" has had it's clever moments, likable cast, and interesting writing now and then? I feel that some reboots are kinda dry, even compared to the "Gen 1" continuity.
And let's face it; while the cartoons and comic adaptatiosn of this franchise are usually decent? I feel that the toyline is in a MUCH more gray area; either being decent, or terrible.
Besides; do we HAVE to bring up Michael Bay? XD
Unowned franchise that does It Better: "Gundam"
I will admit it; it does have it's model kits in the past that aren't well done, but typically speaking? Model kits from this franchise are actually NOT BAD. And any action figures I remember from this franchise? The ones I remember my older brother getting are actually WELL BUILT; imperfections and all!
But seriously; with a lot of more color to this franchise, I know the writing of it's anime & manga are ALSO in a gray area; being about the same as the "Tranformers" franchise.
But as far as ALL other products other than comics and cartoons go, within this franchise? "Gundam" typically does it BETTER...typically putting the "Transformers" franchise to SHAME!
Iconic Hasbro Franchise: "G.I. Joe"
The way it apparently tried to "brainwash" a generation of children into buying toys? Uh...Hasbro did a bad move, there...suddenly making COBRA look like the good guys, here! (Makes me wonder in most alternate universes, DO WE HAVE IT MOSTLY BACKWARDS?!?)
With most of it's later cartoon reboots gotten bad? I think I'd much rather stick with alternatives.
Unowned franchise that does It better: "Small Soldiers"
The first movie was just plain AWESOME! With more memorable characters, better writing, and not to mention a GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR! (And didn't feel like a mere excuse to sell toys and games, either!)
Honestly? Maybe Dreamworks should hire a good third party indie game developer, to make a BETTER video game adaptation, that doubles as a SEQUEL to the movie?
Iconic Hasbro Franchise: "Power Rangers"
Technically? It's just the American side of the Japanese "Super Sentai" franchise, but as it's own continuity...which I feel was a bad move. (Long story.)
While I will admit that the American series had some GREAT ideas? (Including "The Morphin Grid", which was VERY creative, actually...same for some ENTIRELY ORIGINAL characters they made, including the WONDERFULLY AWFUL Ivan Ooze!) I feel that Saban has just made an excuse to waste even MORE money, back then, and should have waited to make a sequel to the Japanese series that it took footage from, instead.
Fortunately? There's always fan-fiction that does it better!
Unowned franchise that does It better: "Super Sentai"
Again; "Power Rangers" is technically just PART of this franchise, but part of it that is CURRENTLY owned by Hasbro.
If Saban was even SMARTER back then? They would have simply localized "Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger", (and used some degree of footage editing, some bits of the episodes removed with minor plot changes if ANY, and minor differences to dialogue, and re-named certain characters just in case) and then decided to make a new SEQUEL series with NEW characters taking on the mantles of the said Zyurangers, afterwards! (Focusing on an ENTIRELY NEW opposition filled with newly made villains, as the threat...with 6 teens from the United States battling against them, with Zordon being the NEW team's mentor!)
While American made "Power Rangers" began as good stupid fun? It got REALLY downhill in recent years...with too much bad writing and questionable decisions, to the point where in comparison? It feels more like nationalist propaganda, rather than a believable story...hence why I actually made a SMART decision; since I lived in a free country? I DO have the right to choose for myself! And so? I switched to the better written Japanese continuity, which has MOSTLY better writing, an even BETTER sense of humor, and on top of that? Also more thought provoking.
I realized that after watching episodes of the said Japanese series? I've been missing out on A LOT...including the fact that when it comes to "Gosei Sentai Dairanger"? It's hilarious, because the White Ranger's own sword is ACTUALLY his own character, with his own personality and clever dialogue, even! (Take THAT, Hasbro!)
Iconic Hasbro Franchise: "My Little Pony"
The toyline has it's ups and downs.
When it came to MOST of it's cartoons? They weren't really good, but they sometimes had their moments that were worth seeing.
When it came to "Friendship Is Magic"? It started off as the reboot we needed...until writing MUCH LATER, got a bit questionable and not exactly suitable for younger viewers. (And no; I am NOT talking about violence, more tragic moments, or "darker" episodes, either.)
But the worst part? Hasbro HATES fangames and is super strict against them...especially when Hasbro is ALREADY making plenty of money! (I get that some of the bosses of Nintendo are very concerned about fangames at times, but hey; they probably don't MEAN anything bad; I think they're just confused and don't get that a lot of these fangame developers should instead, be given the chance to be HIRED into their company, instead...perhaps Nintendo should make some of these fangames into REAL OFFICIAL video games!)
Anyways...in other news? Hasbro tends to think more about ADULTS rather than children in recent years.
Unowned franchise that does It better: "Klonoa"
When it comes to anthropomorphic characters, "Klonoa" ALWAYS had more heart and soul, as an overall franchise! (Although I personally DO think "Klonoa Heroes" could have some censorship within dialogue, to keep the plot and dialogue STRICTLY PG rated, and appeal better towards a wider audience...possibly through an enchanced remake, later on!)
While very different, lore-wise? I personally think that it's overall games and characters are much more interesting...I mean, I'd LOVE to see "Klonoa 3" happen! (And hopefully? Bandai Namco will make it as a co-op action experience, for old and new gamers, alike...as a good, clean, PG rated experience for a wider audience!)
I was going to list "Them Fighting Herds" on this list, but...I never actually PLAYED that game, yet. (I also know that NEITHER are toyline based franchises, but...that's not the point; we need better QUALITY in media; not just an excuse to sell toys, games, and the like, either!)
Iconic Hasbro Franchise: "Nerf"
Nerf had great ideas over the years, but getting a PROPER toy weapon (not a real one) from this brand? That depends on what you're talking about.
When it comes to "Nerf Rival"? No cigar, due to the fact that those foam balls REALLY HURT when fired from these...even to the point where they're LITERALLY air soft guns!
When it comes to some of those motorized ones? They're usually NOT VERY GOOD...and BARELY WORK!
Unowned franchise that does It better: "Boom Co."
The Nerf competitor that DID IT RIGHT!
ALWAYS promoting a good quality toy products BEFORE mass producing it? EXCELLENT move!
EXCELLENT range from these, in a way that DOESN'T HURT? AWESOME WORK, Mattel!
Safe AND with excellent air flow to the toy darts; SOLD! (The only problem is? I don't know if Mattel even MAKES these, anymore. (But if you're fortunate? You can find some of these in thrift stores for cheap prices!)
Iconic Hasbro Franchise: "Kre-O"
Actually? This is just a rip-off of the "Lego" toy brand.
The only real upsides about it is, it's earlier toylines had well made minifigs with more posing capability, compared to Lego's minifigs...and of course, having head-parts that are compatable with Lego minifigs! (Combined with fair prices.)
When it comes to the later building block sets (without the "Kre-O" logo) newly sold by Hasbro that we see in stores today, based on the "G.I. Joe" and "Power Rangers" franchises? They're TERRIBLE and LAZILY PRODUCED; DO NOT BUY THEM!
Unowned franchise that does It better: "Lego"
When it comes to imperfections, at least Lego TRIES to put quality before quantity in their products...ALWAYS! (Even with some obsolete Lego sets that are not very well made and some often overpriced for what we got.)
Plus, Lego is known to have a GREAT sense of humor, too!
====
You see? When it comes to cartoons and comics, the problem is bad or obsolete writing.
As for the toys? They're not always as well built.
To Hasbro; if you're reading this? If you REALLY care about the children, THINK ABOUT THE WIDER AUDIENCE, across the world...also promote DECENT QUALITY, within toys, too! (Toys don't have to be perfect; all I ask if you is to make a good quality product, so you can do BETTER in the toy industry!
