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Old 06-26-2006, 05:31 PM   #7
DrSpengler
Foot Elite
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 4,842
Unfortunately, Hasbro lost the rights to numerous Transformer and GI Joe names over the years. If they don't release a product using a certain name, they can lose the rights to it and another company can acquire them.

That doesn't apply to certain names, like Optimus Prime, Megatron, Cybertron, etc., but do apply to less creative names like Bumblebee, Tracks, Jazz, etc.

Hence why we get variations like Side Swipe, Autobot Jazz, Battle Ravage and Shockblast. In some cases, they even just go "screw it" and slap on the alternate Japanese name that only hardcore fans will recognize.

Alternators Meister is actually Jazz (he's called Meister in Japan).


The rights issue is also why, during some lines, Hasbro assigns names to random characters in order to maintain the use of the name. Hence the reason they named a steam-shovel Grimlock in the Robots in Disguise line.
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