Mythic Messenger #27 - “Transform and roll out!"

Hey there! This week we bring you... GIANT FIGHTING ROBOTS! You’ll be pleased to hear that Transformers and Gundam are both in the news this week, for all the reasons you’d hope.

Oh yeah - before getting carried away we should also remind you about our first trading day over at Mythic Markets next Tuesday, April 20. Make sure you have your account set up for trading in advance so you’re all clear to pick up your shares in an Alpha Black Lotus or historic first-issue Spider-Man comic!

It does take a few days for your application/funds to process, so we can't 100% guarantee your account will be ready on the first trading day - but at the very least you'll be all set for the second trading day next month!

We officially live in the future; new Transformer actually transforms

There are certain moments in each of our lives that represent the loss of innocence; when the pure wonder we experience as fresh-eyed children crashes into the harsh, disappointing facts of real life. For many of us that moment came when we first got our hands on a toy Transformer, only to realize that the robot was inert and dull as every other plastic action figure. Far from springing into action at a moment’s notice, turning that firetruck into Optimus Prime was laborious, tricky work. At some point, kids just give up on transforming them - and on their optimistic view of the world.

But thanks to an announcement at this week’s Hasbro Fan Fest, those long-disillusioned kids might find some of that wonder returning to their world. I can only imagine fists pumping in front of computer screens worldwide as the presentation showed an Optimus Prime toy transforming from vehicle to robot by itself, thanks to advanced new robotics technology woven throughout his shiny red frame.

This is the Optimus Prime Auto-Converting Programmable Advanced Robot, and it is no one-off prototype; this will be a real production model to grant the wishes of Transformers fans around the world.

Granted, you might not want to be buying this one for your kid cousin’s birthday - the OPACPAR (how did they not just wrangle the acronym to be OPTIMUS) will cost you a cool $699.99 thanks to the 27 servo motors and 60 microchips packed into this 19 inch figure.

This is a guy playing with Robosen’s unauthorised toy in their promotional video, and this is the face he makes when his son refers to it as a “TRANSFORM-ing robot”.

The immensely complex device was created by Robosen Robotics, a specialist company which previously spent over a decade creating very Transformers-like robots. Their advertising is so self-aware that it comes off like some SNL satire on brand knockoffs, or perhaps a blushing teenager trying to wave at Hasbro from across the dance floor.

All that flirting with IP infringement has paid off, at least - this thing is like a childhood dream made real. It doesn’t just transform back and forth unaided, it can walk on two legs, speed around on wheels as a truck, and even enter a “race mode”.

Even more exciting, Hasbro’s product page teases the ability to “program” the robot, adding new instructions to its control app. Presumably within a week there will be fan-created options which make Optimus salute, throw right hooks, and other thrilling activities. But most importantly, the OPACPAR can recognize voice commands - so you can finally, finally, command your autobot to “Transform and roll out!”

Tesla stock to be emulated by crypto-backed token, because of course

The push to digitally deregulate our economy has taken an entirely expected turn, with Elon Musk’s perennially popular tech firm now available to trade for cryptocurrency - on a phantom, alternative version of the stock market, that is. Crypto exchange site Binance is issuing a run of tokens representing shares in Tesla, complete with matching returns and dividends.

Unlike NFTs, which claim to grant nebulous rights to some other object, these tokens are not actually tied to a specific share trading on the “real” NASDAQ - but they will have their value tied to those shares, essentially creating a second pool of TSLA shares for cryptocurrency investors to trade in outside the tightly controlled stock market.

To emulate the real stock as closely as possible, Binance is pricing and settling these tokens using a “stablecoin” cryptocurrency called Binance USD. As the name unsubtly suggests, that’s a cryptocoin which is pinned to the same value as the Dollar is at any given time, backed by a stash of actual US currency. So you’re using a digital, unregulated dollar to buy digital, unregulated Tesla shares; albeit ones you can fractionalize to trade at a much lower increment of value, down to buying 1/100th of a share.

The hubbub around NFTs has been largely driven by a desire for cryptocurrency tycoons to spend their Bitcoin and Ethereum. All the cryptocurrency in the world is worthless if it can only buy more cryptocurrency, or digital objects like NFTs that are largely only sold to other cryptocurrency holders.

The idea of investing crypto in stocks is an enticing one, because a popular stock like Tesla will at least bring more partners and capital into these closed cryptocurrency economies, and at best might offer a way to “cash out” crypto wealth into conventional currency.

That dream won’t be achievable with this specific Binance project, but creating a token that’s tied directly to the value of Tesla stock, and purchased with a cryptocoin tied directly to the US dollar, is a great pitch for those who desperately want to bridge the gap between their new mirror-world economy and our familiar one.

Fast fandom

As always, there is a ton going on in the interconnected world of pop culture and fan media. Here are a few of the stories that caught our eye:

Netflix turns heads with acquisition of Gundam movie rights

A 42-year-old media megalith, Gundam is among the richest franchises not yet overexposed to western audiences. Popularizing the idea of giant robots with human pilots, Mobile Suit Gundam and its successors remain popular to this day and have been imitated everywhere from Power Rangers to Pacific Rim.

So Netflix announcing they bought the rights to it is a huge win for both the streaming service itself and fans around the world. A high-budget Gundam adaptation has potential to be serious and gritty without betraying the source material, touching that blend of mature themes and fantastical subject which has been the X-factor for hits like Game of Thrones, The Witcher, and The Mandalorian. Generations of fingers will be crossed hoping Netflix can pull it off.

Attack On Titan final chapter looms over media landscape

It’s the show (and the viral theme song) which set off a breakthrough decade for anime and manga: Hajime Isayama’s horror/action hybrid Attack On Titan. The image of military cadets rappelling around their heavily-walled city to defend against gigantic humanoid monsters captured a global audience in the early 2010’s, propelling western anime purveyors like Crunchyroll and Adult Swim to unprecedented success. There was even a surreal crossover comic where the titular Titans clashed with Marvel’s Avengers!

Despite years-long delays in the anime adaptation and occasional controversy, the final issue of Attack On Titan is about to bring resolution to millions of fans, and bring the property back to mainstream relevance. With the demand for established action franchises higher than ever, it seems likely that the door may now open for other spin-offs and adaptations, ensuring we never escape those creepy Titans’ gaze.

Siri's surprise announcement heralds anticipated Apple livestream

Apple has confirmed its next product presentation is taking place on the 20th, showing off next-gen technology to a digitally-distanced audience. The date was actually “leaked” by Siri, who spilled the beans when iPhone users asked about future Apple events, prior to the presentation actually being announced. It’s a cute marketing tactic, at least.

In the tradition of their famous, brand-making Steve Jobs presentations this media bonanza will likely be showing off multiple new products at once to wow Apple-heads worldwide. Insiders have hinted at smaller and more powerful iPads featuring a wider range of interconnectivity and utility features. We could also see the new AirTag tracking devices, designed to prevent theft and locate your valuables similar to current bluetooth trackers like Tile or Samsung’s SmartTag.