Transformers Beastformers: White Leo

In preparation of Takara Tomy's new Beast Saga toys that just hit retail shelves in Japan I decided to take a closer look at White Leo (Pirate Lion in the U.S. Battle Beasts series). The original beasts were brought into the Japanese Transformers G1 continuity during Headmasters. Granted they played a small role in the series, the toys none the less are very cool. For more in depth information head on over to TFWiki.net

Personally one of the aspects I found so appealing of the Beastformers was the packaging...at least the first handful. Being that the beasts were aligned with both the Autobots and Decepticons it made sense for Takara to use red and purple G1 style boxes. These small boxes are approximately the same size used for the individual Headmaster heads and Godmaster engines. The plastic on all of my boxes are pretty brittle so they are stored (empty) in my closet with the rest of my Japanese G1 boxes.

I found White Leo (and several others I purchased) at BigBadToyStore's table at Botcon back in 2002. I believe I paid $10 each. Now, if you can find them, I would imagine command much more than $10. That said it's been a few years since I've been able to add any more packaged Beastformers to my collection.

The back of the boxes were pretty much the same from what I can tell. You have the group shot at the top along w/ the fire, wood, water chart. You even get 1/5 robot points! 

On one side of the box we have a Sharkticon! Some of the other boxes depict some of the Autobot Monsterbot toys which makes sense since Rodimus left the Monsterbots on Planet Beast for protection. I don't ever recall hearing the Sharkticons being associated w/ Beastformers. Can anyone shed some light on this?

Inside the box you'll find this black and white "pouch" that has a weapon taped on. Also inside this pouch is a catalog and tech spec card. The pouch comes in both Autobot and Decepticon versions.

Sorry for the grainy photo...it's all I could dig up from my old scans at the moment.

Why were the Destrons / Decepticons always so outnumbered?! I always heard that the toys of the "bad guys" never sold as well in Japan as the "good guys"...

The back of the catalog is printed in a monochromatic green ink and I presume tells the Beastformer story.

The other panel of the catalog depicts the chart from the back of the box. Again, not sure of the Sharkticon's appearance.

White Leo is the leader of the Autobot aligned Beastformers. His figure is nice looking, but I much prefer some of the others figures in the line. You'll see more of White Leo and his comrades (and enemies) in a few days...