In case you don't know, the above is in reference to the long running Trix cereal ad campain.  The basic premis is that a rabbit keeps trying to eat kids cereal.  His polts are always foiled, and sombody always says,"Silly Rabbit, Trix are for kids!"

There's a simple reason for bringing this up.  We collectors often forget that kids are the primary driving force behind the sale of all given toy lines.  Over the course of the years the collectors have complained about toys not having die-cast parts anymore.  They've also complained that the shows weren't layered deap enough, there should be more complicated story lines.  Well we got what we wanted in both cases and then whined that it wasn't good enough. 

Think I'm wrong?  The toy.  For all the fantastic improvements in plastics technology and paint durabilty, we wanted die-cast.  We got the 6" Titanium line.  We whined about the limitations of the line.  Limitations that came due to the high cost of the die-cast itself.

The show.  We had what has been recognized as the single best series to date in Beast Wars.  We wanted more.  We wanted adult level stories.  We got Beast Machines.  While it did have adult level story lines, it lost all the magic of Beast Wars.

Today.  Now we have arguably the best of both worlds.  But, many collectors (myself included) can lose perspective as to where we belong on the food chain.  Currently we have Transformers Animated on the air.  The show has a LOT of wonderful references to that which came before it, all for us ever so important collectors.  Add to that, the story line is easy enough to follow that even if you didn't know what those references were it's a good show. 

What do collectors do?  Complain they don't like the style of animation.  The shows good.  The story is good.  The script is good.  The voice acting is good.  The concepts are good.  But, some collectors say the animation style stinks.  I passed this off as people just looking for something to complain about until I bought IT.

It is the toy that singularly displays the problem with things being geared to kids.  Let me explain.  I like many am collecting at least some of the TFA line, as well as some of the Universe line currently on store shelves.  Like with the cartoon, there's something for the collector, and something for the kids.  The Universe line is in truth ment for collectors.  Yes kids will buy it because it's a Transformer, but lets be honest the entire line is made up of figures that pay homage to figures that were never for sale in the lifespan of the kids. 

Then, there is the TFA toy line.  It is for kids.  Yes we collectors are/will buy at least some of them, but this if for the kids.  It is ment to be geared for them, not us.  These are toys that look like the "junk" (according to some) that we see on screen. 

Let me "close the loop" now.  I collect mostly Prime & Megatron molds.  I was very impressed with all the Deluxe figures I've picked up.  Then you get to the Voyager Class.  Gimicks abound.  Primes spining legs, Megatrons chest, Starscreams everything.  Things didn't improve as the toys got larger either Leader Megatron has a moving mouth, syncronized chopper blades, lights and sounds.  Then I bought IT.  The single worst figure a collector could happen upon Supreme Roll Out and Command Optimus Prime.  This figure is so gimick loaded that you efectively can't pose him (except standing upright)  in bot mode dispite good quality and plentiful joints.

My problem wasn't the toy.  The toy is just fine, when you realize it's ment for an 8yr old (not a 33yr old father of two :)).  My problem was me.  I lost perspective on what the toys were, who they were for, why they were made.  Is Supreme Prime on par with Supreme Unicron or Primus?  Nope.  But, it wasn't ment to be.  And realizing that, made the loss of the $50 I spent not feel like a waste rather an additon to an ever growing collection.  It also makes me much happier to have my Supreme(ly gimicked out) Prime.