In a discussion with Toy Migos, Juhn Lim from Jada Toys revealed that once Wave 5 reaches retail, the classic series Mega Man toyline will go on a pause while the team evaluates its future direction.
"Realistically, if we do continue [Mega Man] it will probably be saved for a San Diego [Comic-Con] reveal maybe. The direction we go doesn't necessarily have to go the way it's been going," said Juhn. "I feel like there are so many different options to go, roads to go down. I think trying to veer away from what we're doing and other options might be a fun way to take the line."
He continued, “I’m not really interested in revisiting iterations and versions that have already been developed. There are several companies doing, for example, Mega Man X. So realistically, I don’t have an interest in doing X. I can say that for sure.”
It’s a fair point. With Kotobukiya, ThreeZero, and Hiya Toys all tackling the X series, it makes sense for Jada to avoid an oversaturated corner of the market. There’s still a wealth of untapped Mega Man characters out there, so the line’s future could go in almost any direction. We may find out what's next sometime closer to SDCC 2026.
Would love to see them make the stardroids into figures
ReplyDeleteOh yes. I know someone who would love that.
DeleteHonestly, I think Juhn’s comments could easily mean something like this. De-confirming X seems like a clue that we shouldn’t be looking as far as different series. The vagueness actually has me kinda excited.
DeleteAw man, BUT with the X series you could do stuff the other companies haven't done/been doing which would be do X and Zero in the SNES styled artwork as well as the Maverick bosses.
ReplyDeleteThey'll likely do Legends next since not many figures from that series. Or ZX or Zero or something.
Battle Network would be the smarter choice, its fans are going into their 30s now and no one other than Kotobukiya's made figures for it past Megaman himself for over the past 20 years. Plus it had a lot of great designs in its own right that need justice like Beastman, Chargeman, and the heelnavis.
DeleteI feel like doing SNES variants is not the best use of resources. It'd be better to stick with Maverick bosses.
DeleteHe may tackle legends or more specifically Tron bonne. I can see him doing that line of figures next. Beyond that it'll probably be different versions of megaman like the 11 design and such
ReplyDeleteI appreciate wanting to give attention to classic mega man. These figures have been looking so good 😫 I can’t wait to get rush and proto man and guts man, this wave is so peak
ReplyDeleteNot sure what this means, but immediately de-confirming X is promising, since that would be my first guess. And I appreciate the self-awareness that so many companies are doing X now, haha.
ReplyDeleteI definitely want more classic Mega Man robot masters. We’ve never really had too many of them overall. I will buy them as long as they make them. Honestly while some of the robot master redesigns are cool, I’m not really interested in any Battle Network figures. It’s pretty much classic series or bust for me.
ReplyDeleteI get not jumping into the X series, but on the flip side, there are tons of mavericks they could make figures for that people would absolutely buy up.
Honestly if they aren’t going to continue the classic series and are staying away from the X series, they are really capping their potential sales. I don’t think it’s a wise move, but not my call.
Either way I am super happy with the figures that I have purchased from them, am super excited about the ones they are working on, and hope to see more classic Mega Man robot masters produced in the future.
I think Heatman.exe is funny, but that's about it. Dude looks like he's straight outta hell.
DeleteI have a feeling they'll do either side characters, or side game characters not seen in mainline games.
ReplyDeleteGate figure never, but maybe... mythical Pandora and Prometheus figures...?
ReplyDeleteOr Asura Basura (it'd be funny)
If being serious, I like how Jada's figures focus so much on being accurate to artwork, it's a very unique angle and there are many characters across all series that would be cool to see in that style. It's a shame that since the X series is already done by so many, something like artwork-accurate Gate, Kraken or Mijinion are absurdly unlikely. But maybe we really will get propane someday...?
I like their foray into figures. I am happy with my Street Fighter buys.
DeleteI am not a fan of the elbows on the Mega Man line... It looks right only in particular poses.
Y'know what I'd like to see figures of? the mavericks that you fight in the X games. I don't think any companies have made figures of them, at least posable figures. And I'm talking about guys like spark mandrill, boomer Kuwanger, sting chameleon, hell give me a figure of sigma
ReplyDeleteIn other words it's over after wave 5
ReplyDeleteThis does not sound good for the future of this line if they are already talking about doing something else.
ReplyDeleteBut, if I had to give em a wish list wave: Zero, Copy X (No Armor) and Ciel. That would be nice.
Keep this in mind: Wave 3 was announced in July 2023. It's almost 2026.
They were never going to do dozens of Classic Robot Masters as much as we wanted them to. I think it only makes sense to jump around to different series in order to keep the momentum/sales going. I like the fact that they charting their own course with being the only ones to release certain characters, instead of doing the same ones everyone else is.
DeleteI do agree with you about the announcement-to-release timeline, it's definitely frustrating considering they're talking 3 waves ahead of what has actually come out.
@MatureMMFan
DeleteIt makes sense for Jada to use the “keep as many people on the hook for as long as possible” approach. That’s what Hasbro’s doing with Transformers. It sucks and I don’t like it, but it’s smart business.
There are indeed a lot of companies doing X, but even so I would love some Maverick bosses from Jada.
ReplyDeleteNo! Just keep making robot masters!!! I KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN! This is what always happens when a toy company gets NO advertisement, recognition and only makes three toys in a series a year!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope Jada makes Dr. Light, Dr. Wily and Roll as a three pack for SDCC!
ReplyDeleteHopefully, Jada decides to make all the Mega Man variants online exclusives and have the regular waves filled with Robot Masters.
ReplyDeleteJust GIVE ME BASS AND TREBLE, I'm begging!
ReplyDeleteHe hasn't gotten much since the D-Arts one, has he?
DeleteKinda sad that Bass.EXE totally eclipses 20XX Bass in the merch department. But that’s what happens when you debut in the first game and not the seventh…
DeleteI was lucky to be able to buy some of Wave 1 when I visited the USA in January, and have fallen in love; they're really great little figures. I've taken to putting them in my camera bag with me, for when inspiration strikes. I'm comforted about the wording in the interview of continuing with things that people are not currently working on; it's been really good to get such high-quality figures of characters who haven't seen toy releases since the 90's, if ever. It sounds like they do plan to continue, just randomly... I wonder what we'll see. I wonder if they'll go to stage enemies, it'd be cool for photo oppertunities after the Metall set and the Pen-Pen accessory, but I'm not sure, I'd still like to see some of the lesser loved robot masters such as Junk Man
ReplyDelete