Flame Toys Deletes Tweet Announcing ‘Sexy’ Windblade Transformers Figure After Backlash Over Design
Spencer Baculi
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High-end Transformers figure manufacturer Flame Toys has deleted a recent tweet announcing a new figure of the female Autobot Windblade after facing complaints and accusations of sexism from users claiming to be defending the best interests of women in the Transformers fandom.
On February 19th, Flame Toys debuted three new figures that would round out their display items at the upcoming New York Toy Fair.
That’s see [FuraiModel] Optimus Primal from BEAST WARS!
Stay tuned for more new information!!#FLAMETOYS #TRANSFORMERS #FuraiModel #風雷模型 #OptimusPrimal #BEASTWARS pic.twitter.com/finSqLgxNm— FLAMETOYS (@flametoys_staff) February 19, 2020
And…… [FuraiModel] Rodimus is now in progress!!!#FLAMETOYS #TRANSFORMERS #FuraiModel #風雷模型 #Rodimus pic.twitter.com/Y8qFkWpyE6
— FLAMETOYS (@flametoys_staff) February 19, 2020
Alongside figures of Rodimus and Optimus Primal, a protoype figure of a ‘sexy’ Windblade was shown on the toy designer’s Twitter account:
This version of Windblade was designed by well-known adult artist Bansan, who was excited to share the first prototype designs of their figure:
＞RT デザインを描かせていただきましたFLAMETOYSさん（@flametoys_staff
）プラモブランド「風雷模型」のウインドブレードも原型公開となりました。まだ可動とギミック検証用なのでラフ画と一部やや違いますが、何卒よろしくお願いいたします！ pic.twitter.com/Lgf0s86E5N— ばん！ (@bansanv3) February 19, 2020
Immediately following the debut of these images, Flame Toys was flooded with backlash from outraged fans who believed Windblade’s design to be inappropriate, for reasons ranging from it being “over-sexualized” to the sheer fact that an adult artist provided the design:
Archive link: https://archive.fo/HfF8J
Be honest @Hasbro how can you say you listen to us women when this is what you do to Windblade
How dare you take one of the few strong, beautiful, healthy, inspiring women characters and turn her into this… pic.twitter.com/nP4jAi5bQV
— Bee 💛🔪 (@Alienkittypaws) February 19, 2020
I think what makes Flame Toys Windblade especially silly is that it’s made for a demographic that’s not representative of the TF fandom.
— 🐱Brrentserker🐱 (@Brentosaur) February 20, 2020
Archive link: http://archive.is/pb46B
One fan even declared that anyone who enjoyed these designs were “not representative of the TF fandom”:
I think what makes Flame Toys Windblade especially silly is that it’s made for a demographic that’s not representative of the TF fandom.
— 🐱Brrentserker🐱 (@Brentosaur) February 20, 2020
Ultimately, the backlash led to Flame Toys deleting the announcement tweet. While some have speculated that this outrage may have led to the figure being cancelled, this currently remains unconfirmed speculation.
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