Transformers ROTF Toy Launch Visit

30th May was the date of worldwide Transformers toys & products launch, and Malaysia also involved (But mostly handled by Toys R Us a.k.a TRU). Since I'm a fan of this live-action + CGI movie, I'll take this chance to see this toy launching event! So, I thought that I sould go to rare places (which I haven't been before), and 1Utama is my first choice. Why? Because the main attraction was Optimus Prime mascot appearance! So, I began my "wanders" that day... with a reason "to buy Umi's and Ati's handphone's 'rubber cover' " (That was the last thing I do!) to my mother.



To 1Utama!

I got off from my home at 2 p.m., according to TRU Malaysia's website, that Optimus Prime mascot would appear there at 3 p.m., and I thought that Kelana Jaya was not very far due to the public transports available in Malaysia, I thought that I would never be late. But the truth is, it was veeerrryyy looonggg...

First I had to ride the LRT from Cempaka station to Masjid Jamek station. From there I jumped into the Kelana Jaya LRT line to Kelana Jaya, but this one was veeeeerryyy far! It took 1 hour to reach Kelana Jaya station. Upon reaching, I took a taxi ride to 1Utama. The driver said that 1Utama was quite near, but I don't think it was really near. This was because of traffic jams!



So I finally reached 1Utama, and the time was... 3.30p.m., which means I was late...
But I didn't regret this, because I already learned the ONLY way to reach 1Utama (according to the taxi driver) and I had a chance to visit 1Utama for the first time & with my own way!



After 5 minutes I made it to TRU 1Utama which was located at Level 2 of the building. Banners and fliers decorating the entrance of TRU, which shows the ROTF toys are already available. The ROTF toys was available in the middle of the shop, and I find amusing to see even makcik also interested to buy Transformers toys! There was also a diorama-in-glass beside it featuring Bumblebee vs Sideways and Scorponok (from 1st movie) vs Sideswipe & Skids. The only dissappointment was the lack of Leader-class Optimus Prime... probably sold out?
[More news here.]



Also dissappointed was about the Optimus Prime mascot, but when I want to went out from TRU, I saw some people wearing pink & yellow costumes at the entrance, coming from no where. Huh? It's Power Rangers! What the fun?! Lain yang nak, lain yang dapat...



Then I wandered around to see other shops available in 1Utama, including Jaya Jusco, which was oddly never had any new Transformers toys. I went to the higher floor level, and I saw Anime-Tech shop! Oh, another branch was also here! But still, the toys were as same as in Mid Valley... But the shop next to it, a comics shop, had a bunch of figurines displayed, including Doraemons! Cute!

As I thought I want to "say goodbye" to 1Utama, I thought that maybe I should check back TRU again... before I could reach there, I saw so many people crowding in front of TRU. What happened? When I came near...

"Optimus Prime" and "Bumblebee" (Huh? It wasn't stated in the website) had apppeared! (Dream come true... but 1 hour late, duh...)




So these people were very excited seeing these mascots, and the mascots show-off their "weapons". I find that it is very funny that they really acts like a robot - standing and seeing people senseless. Even kids & TRU staffs tease their backs without the mascots noticing their actions! The costumes were good enough to identify them as the real characters in the movie, but still didn't really accurate to actual movie design. Now, thinking about these costumes, no wonder last month I read a news about why Hasbro trying to find Optimus Prime ad Bumblebee cosplayers in past Transformers conventions...

So now I leave 1Utama to my favourite location...

Berjaya Times Square & Low Yatt Plaza!

Once again I went back to ride the LRT, but in reverse. In Star LRT line, before going into Ampang line, I stopped at Hang Tuah station. From there I walked to Berjaya Times Square first. Heh, before I want to do my mother's "mission", I want to "enjoy" first by "hunting" new Transformers toys at the usual hobby & toy shop near Anime Tech Mid Valley (Not XLShop, unfortunately didn't went there). Surprisingly, there WAS Optimus Prime figure (In retail price, no increase!)! Sheer awesomeness!!!!



I am really proud for seeing this new awesome figure in person (with my own eyes too!) and even had a chance to touch it (at that "Try Me" hole...). But the new "Mech Alive" feature wasn't very impressive... and also the only phrase it said was "I am Optimus Prime" only, unlike other Animated leader-class figures (3 phrases in one!). Also what I hate was the colour applications, the blue was a bit brighter than last movie's toy. There was this Chinese guy who was probably a worker of the shop, told me that he was also dissappointed with the paint problem. I told him that the only best thing about this new figure was his near-to-real design, but instead the guy suggest me to wait at the end of this year for Premium repaints, similar to last year's movie. But I read some news from BotCon 2009 panel that "there is no line complete with repaints", so would that Premium repaint happen?

So what I bought? Legends-class Jetfire (RM15) from Anime Tech shop. Damn, there's no Legends Optimus Prime yet! I want to do the awesome Prime/Jetfire combo! When it would be available retail in Malaysia?

As I want to leave Mid Valley to went to Low Yatt Plaza via escalators, I saw an over-sized replica of Saidina (Malaysia equivalent of Monopoly game) board! Wow, there was a game event actually! But I had not much time to waste!



So I went to Low Yatt Plaza to "hunt" for my mother's and sister's handphone's "rubber cover". I didn't know what it was actually called, until I found one at a shop (forgot the name) where the guy at the shop called it "Silicon case". Unfortunately, only for Sony Ericsson S302 (my mother's phone) was available, not for my sister's LG GB110. Probably due to the handphone being very new, or it was really rare to find accessories for LG phones (Malaysians mostly used Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Motorola brands, so most shops provided accessories for popular brands). The price is RM12.

Next, to Sungei Wang Plaza...
(Boy, sure I'm almost exhausted now, but strangely I hadn't any appetite to eat or drink!)

I tried to find new Transformers figure here, but sadly no luck (the comics & anime shop available only had toys as same as Anime Tech, minus Scouts & Legends sized figures). But surprisingly there was an event I couldn't resist to see...

GUNDAM!!!



(Damn, should take more pictures, but my phone's battery was already out!)

I do love Gundams, before the live-action Transformers craze. Currently the event was about to promote SD Gundam BB Senshi (Cute version of Gundam, but this one had traditional Japanese design, even I didn't understand the story yet!) model kits, but there are also showcases of custom dioramas of Gundams proudly made by Malaysians. Mostly customized was from Gundam 00 and SD Gundam BB Senshi series. These are realy awesome too! Once I wished to participate in this customizing competition, but sadly it maybe just a dream now...

Alright its already 6.45 p.m., time to get home... Continue to LRT Ampang Line...

Rezeki before home...

Upon reaching th Pandan Indah station, it was already Maghrib. I arrived at the usual masjid I always prayed jemaah with my brother and/or father, but strangely they are not there. After I finished performed Maghrib prayer, I went out from the masjid and saw a box of several plastic bags. Of course, those are a bag of free foods! Alhamdulillah... and I brought one home... Then it was revealed it was nasi minyak and some gulai!

Oh yeah, about my mother's silicon case, she was really happy so much seeing it fits very well with her handphone, but was depressed about unavailabality of silicon case for LG handphones. She tried to fit my sister's phone into the case, but found it was really NOT compatible. My mother said that I should seek a silicon case which was as same size as my sister's but want me to customized it...

Oh well... end of today's adventure...