TakaraTomy gave us our first look at actual samples in full deco.

As part of the month’s batch of preorders, TakaraTomy has solicited for both the Deluxe Bumblebee and Elita-1 retools that we’re expecting later this year as Walmart exclusives. The two figures will be available to general retail in Japan in January of 2021, but as is the custom, preorders begin now. Thanks to that, we actually get to see several photos of both toys as actual production samples, showing us what the toys will really look like.

Elita-1 is a retool of Earthrise Arcee, with heavy changes to the robot mode, while Bumblebee is a similarly extensive remodeling of Earthrise Cliffjumper, with the vehicle mode now being that of a licensed Volkswagen Beetle. Both look better than expected based on just the initial renders, but in my opinion at least Bumblebee is leaps and bounds better than it first appeared. Walmart.com gave an expected ship date of mid-October for the second wave of Netflix WFC figures, so we’ve still a little while to wait before a real hands-on. But this might drive up a bit more excitement for these mostly-new toys which are delightfully devoid of damage detailing.

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