Soundwave D-01 & D-02 Anime Transformers Missing Link Preorder
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After we first caught wind of these two when Takara Tomy pulled back the curtain on the Missing Link Soundwave reveals, and then got a much closer look when the official images dropped with all the fine details on display, collectors can now actually put their money where their excitement is because both the D-01 and D-02 Soundwave figures are up for preorder at BigBadToyStore. The D-01 version, priced at $209.99 with an April 2027 ship date, is the one that’s been generating a ton of conversation thanks to the inclusion of Scout Robo, a previously unproduced Cassettetron character that alone makes this release feel like a genuine deep cut for G1 completists, and it comes loaded with accessories including the Electric Launcher, Concussion Blaster, headphones, microphone, and a secret emblem with heat-reveal technology that calls back to the vintage toy experience in a way that just hits the right notes. The D-02 Animation Type comes in at $174.99 with a May 2027 window, capturing that clean G1 cartoon aesthetic while still packing in the die-cast zinc alloy construction and the ability to convert into both the microcassette player and the Cybertronian streetlight mode, and this one ships with the Condor Cybertron Mode cassette figure instead. Both figures stand 6.7 inches tall with modern articulation and display stand compatibility, and the fact that Takara Tomy committed to two distinct approaches for the same character, one leaning into the toy heritage and the other into the animation style, gives collectors a real choice rather than just a repaint situation. At these price points the die-cast construction and sheer volume of included extras feel proportional to what you’re paying, and BigBadToyStore is a solid place to get these secured since they don’t charge until shipment. You can preorder the D-01 Soundwave here and the D-02 Animation Type here.
Where to Buy
You can preorder the figures at the following retailers below


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.

