Soundwave D-01 & D-02 Anime Transformers Missing Link Official Images

The Transformers Missing Link line has been steadily building out the Autobot roster with some gorgeous anime-accurate takes on the classic G1 molds, but collectors have been waiting for the Decepticons to finally get their turn, and now we have our first proper look at what that looks like. Massive thanks to TFW2005 for posting official images of the Soundwave D-01 and D-02 Anime Transformers Missing Link figures, and these are shaping up to be exactly the kind of release this line needed. We first caught wind of Soundwave joining the lineup when the D-01 and D-02 designations were revealed, and even before that there had been rumors swirling about Soundwave alongside Ironhide and Ratchet potentially joining the line, so seeing full official images now feels like watching the puzzle pieces finally snap into place. What I love about the approach here is that Takara Tomy isn’t just giving us one version and calling it a day. We’re getting two distinct releases, each one featuring the full complement of original accessories and parts along with headphones, a cassette case, and cables, but the real differentiator is that each version comes packed with a brand new different cassette, which gives collectors a genuine reason to pick up both rather than it feeling like a simple repaint cash grab. Soundwave has always been one of the most iconic Decepticon designs in the entire Transformers franchise, and seeing him rendered in that clean anime-accurate Missing Link style with all the trimmings is the kind of thing that hits the sweet spot between vintage nostalgia and modern presentation. The fact that he’s the opening salvo for the Decepticon side of this line sets the bar high, and I can’t wait to see who follows him through the door.

Soundwave D-01

Soundwave is shown in both his microcassette recorder alt mode and robot mode, with the recorder featuring a deep blue and silver deco, a Decepticon insignia on the cassette door, and detailed button labeling across the front panel. The robot mode carries that same cassette door as the chest piece, complete with a shoulder-mounted cannon and his concussion blaster.

Two Soundwave figures are displayed side by side, one in robot mode and one mid-transformation, with a small white and blue car figure sitting between them. The Decepticon insignia on the chest cassette door is framed by yellow and orange panel line details, and the white hip and thigh sections break up the blue nicely.

Soundwave is shown in robot mode from two angles alongside his microcassette recorder alt mode, with the concussion blaster held in one view featuring a detailed barrel with segmented ridges. The cassette door on the recorder alt mode has the Decepticon insignia flanked by two reel hubs, and the labeled button panel across the bottom matches the vintage toy’s layout closely.

The included cassette figure, Scout Robo, is shown through its full transformation sequence, starting from its microcassette form nestled inside a clear cassette case and progressing through several mid-transformation steps into a compact spacecraft mode. The spacecraft’s nose cone and the small wrench-like manipulator arms give it a lot of personality for such a tiny figure.

The original 1984/1985 Soundwave is shown alongside the new Missing Link D-01 Soundwave for a direct comparison. The D-01 version has a Decepticon insignia centered on the cassette door, slightly refined proportions in the legs and arms, and crisper silver and red detailing on the torso panels compared to the vintage release.

Soundwave’s full accessory spread is laid out here, with the microcassette recorder alt mode joined by a headphone set with foam earpieces, a pair of cylindrical battery accessories, a sprue of four missiles, and a microcassette with its clear case. A coiled cable with a connector plug rounds out the set alongside two small metallic thruster-like pieces.

Soundwave is shown alongside the included Scout Robo in its purple and blue spacecraft mode, which features a small wrench-like manipulator arm and a compact cannon on top. The chest cassette door is open, with “REC” and “STOP” button labels printed cleanly on the torso just below it.

Soundwave’s microcassette recorder alt mode is shown with the headphone set draped over the body, the foam earpieces resting against the sides and the cable running up to a connector plug at the top. The “REC/BATT” indicator and “STEREO MICRO CASSETTE RECORDER” labeling on the front panel add a convincing real-world electronics feel to the sculpt.

Soundwave D-02 Anime

Soundwave’s robot mode and microcassette recorder alt mode are shown side by side, with the robot mode featuring the shoulder cannon, concussion blaster, and the chest cassette door displaying the Decepticon insignia. The yellow framing around the cassette door window and the red accent striping on the shoulders and lower legs tie both modes together with a consistent anime-accurate color scheme.

Two Soundwave figures are displayed together, one from the side and one from a three-quarter front view, with a small white and blue car figure positioned between them. The chest window on the front-facing figure has a printed graphic showing a Decepticon emblem and cassette reel artwork inside the yellow-framed door, a nice touch that reads as a loaded tape rather than an empty compartment.

Soundwave’s transformation sequence is shown across three stages, with the mid-conversion step revealing how the recorder body unfolds into the robot’s torso and legs. The concussion blaster is displayed separately between the two completed modes, its segmented barrel ending in a forked tip.

Laserbeak’s Cybertron mode is shown through its full transformation sequence, starting from the microcassette form stored inside a clear cassette case and unfolding through several intermediate steps into both a bird-like condor mode and a four-legged beast mode. The condor mode sports a Decepticon insignia on its back and a pair of small yellow thruster fins near the tail, while the beast mode tucks those same wings tight against the body.

The D-01 Soundwave and D-02 Soundwave Anime Ver are placed side by side for a direct comparison, with the D-01 on the left featuring a darker, more muted cassette door window and gold-toned framing, while the D-02 Anime Ver on the right has a brighter yellow border and a cleaner, more saturated Decepticon insignia on the chest. The D-02’s overall deco leans into the animation model with smoother color blocking and less of the sticker-heavy detailing found on the D-01.

Soundwave’s full accessory layout is spread out here with a focus on the D-02 Anime Ver’s included pieces. Condor’s Cybertron mode microcassette sits beside its clear case, and two small gray thruster pieces and a pair of hand weapons are arranged alongside the headphone set and coiled cable.

Soundwave’s D-02 Anime Ver is shown with Condor in its Cybertron mode, the small companion featuring a compact bird-like body with red and white panels and yellow accents near the tail. The chest cassette door on Soundwave is open, showing the compartment ready to receive Condor’s microcassette form.

Soundwave’s microcassette recorder alt mode is displayed with the headphone set wrapped around the body, the foam-padded earpieces flanking the cassette door window where a Decepticon insignia graphic sits behind the yellow-framed panel. A headphone cable with a standard audio jack connector plugs into the top of the recorder, while a separate coiled cable with a small pronged plug trails from the bottom.