Soundwave Transformers Missing Link D-01 and D-02 Anime Type Reveal
After months of speculation and rumors swirling around which Decepticon would be next to join Takara Tomy’s Missing Link lineup, we finally have our answer, and it’s the one collectors have been hoping for. Soundwave is officially making his Missing Link debut with not one but two releases, D-01 and D-02 (Anime Type), and the fact that Takara Tomy is giving him the dual treatment right out of the gate tells you everything you need to know about how significant this character is to the line. We’ve been tracking the Missing Link Soundwave rumors for a while now, and seeing those whispers materialize into official reveals is exactly the kind of payoff that makes following the intel so rewarding. The D-01 version leans into that pure G1 toy aesthetic, recreating Soundwave as he might have existed on shelves during the original Transformers era but with the kind of modern articulation and engineering that the vintage mold could only dream of, while the D-02 Anime Type takes the same foundational concept and pushes it toward that clean, cel-shaded animation look that has made the Anime Type variants such a hit across the rest of the Missing Link series. What I love about the Missing Link philosophy is that it doesn’t try to reinvent these characters or modernize them beyond recognition; instead it asks the question of what these toys could have been if the technology of today had existed in 1984, and Soundwave feels like the perfect candidate for that approach because the original toy was already so iconic in its design that it really just needed refinement rather than reinvention. Both versions are set to go up for pre-order on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, so mark your calendars now because if the demand for previous Missing Link releases is any indication, these won’t sit around for long.
Soundwave D-01
Soundwave D-01 is shown in both his microcassette recorder alt mode and robot mode, with the full accessory spread laid out below, including the Electric Launcher, Vibration Blaster Gun, missiles, headphones, a command microphone with cord, and electronic surveillance pods. A small companion figure, identified as Scout Robo, is displayed in both cassette and robot form in the lower corner.
As a Takara Tomy Mall exclusive purchase bonus, Missing Link D-01 Soundwave includes an original illustrated Cassettebot collection card by Yufumi Ichikawa. The card features Scout Robo (Scoutorobō), the Japanese name for Scout, Soundwave’s blue reconnaissance cassette introduced in the original Japanese G1 continuity. Buyers will also receive a separate collection card featuring Soundwave himself, making this an exclusive bonus for collectors.
Soundwave D-02 (Anime Type)
Soundwave D-02 (Anime Type) is displayed in both robot and microcassette recorder modes, with the anime-styled deco featuring a cleaner, more saturated color scheme across the navy and grey sections, and a chest window showing a Decepticon insignia graphic. The accessory layout in the lower left includes the Electric Launcher, Vibration Blaster Gun, missiles on a runner, headphones, a command microphone with cord, and a battery case, while Condor is shown in both cassette and bird modes in the lower right.
As a Takara Tomy Mall exclusive purchase bonus, Missing Link D-02 Soundwave (Anime Type) includes an original illustrated Cassettebot collection card by Yufumi Ichikawa. The card features Condor, the Japanese name for Laserbeak, Soundwave’s iconic avian spy cassette from the animated series. In addition to the Condor card, purchasers will also receive a separate collection card featuring Soundwave, making this an exclusive bonus available only through Takara Tomy Mall.
