Masterpiece MP-20 Clarification & Speculation thread.

[BWprowl]

Also a bit surprised Bumblebee will be #21, but I knew he wouldn't be #20.

*High-fives Sparky* Gotta love being right on a technicality.

[Shockwave]

I will shit a brick if this turns out to be true.

Aaaaaaaand turns out it was Bumblebee after all.

And I'm off to the restroom. This is gonna hurt.

[Tigermegatron]

MP G-2 Sideswipe looks really awesome. I gotta say the black colors & newer parts/weapons/accessories really takes this mold to the next level. If Hasbro releases this at their much lower USA low prices,Then I'd gladly buy one.

[Onslaught Six]

I love how MP10 was out less than a year or two ago, and now we're suddenly up to twenty. I think this line definitely jumped the fucking shark.

[BWprowl]

I love how MP10 was out less than a year or two ago, and now we're suddenly up to twenty. I think this line definitely jumped the fucking shark.

How so? It's not like they're running out of Geewun dudes that people want, and haven't even gotten around to re-trying to make 'satisfactory' versions of guys like Megatron and Ultra Magnus that people won't shut up about.

The only reason the numbers got so high so fast was because of Soundwave's minions and the fact that they were crazy enough to assign each one of them their own individual MP number, even though they're really just glorified accessories.

Now, when they're asking people to spend Masterpiece money on, like, Cosmos, or Triggerhappy, or Tow-Line or something, then you can call the line out on shark-jumping.

[Dominic]

I would argue that all of the 1984-85 cast could credibly be made in "Masterpiece" form. (I would not buy many of them. But, the market exists.) And, there are more than a few characters from 86 and later that could be made. (I am personally hoping for, but hardly expecting, "Armada" Optimus Prime.)

The numbers have also gotten high because of the recolours/retools. Sideswipe is getting triple dipped (G2, Red Alert and Tiger Track). Prowl and Bluestreak. That is two moulds leading to 5 toys.

.....re-trying to make 'satisfactory' versions of guys like Megatron and Ultra Magnus that people won't shut up about.

What is your problem with making good toys of G1 characters?

The best G1 Megatron was the Masterpiece figure from a few years ago. And, that thing had enough significant engineering problems that it was arguably not even close to worth the triple-digit asking price. (There is no reason for a toy of that size and cost to have had that many fragile parts.)

And, unless one counts the "Titaniums" figure (hardly compatible with any other figures) or the "Heroes of Cybertron" PVC figure (which sets a low bar for quality), they have never made a good G1 Magnus.


My "seriously considering, money allowing" list:
-Prowl
-Bluestreak
-Sideswipe
-Red Alert
-Tiger Track
-Wheeljack
-Soundwave w/tapes

I would not normally consider that many recolours, especially given the ~$75+ prices. But, I like most of the characters. And, Tiger Track (the character I care least about) just appeal at an odd level.


-Dilemma prone Dom.....

[BWprowl]

(I am personally hoping for, but hardly expecting, "Armada" Optimus Prime.)

That's kind of an odd choice. Any particular reason why?

Spoiler

You know Star Saber's pretty much got a lock on that thing anyway.

...re-trying to make 'satisfactory' versions of guys like Megatron and Ultra Magnus that people won't shut up about.

What is your problem with making good toys of G1 characters?

I don't necessarily have a 'problem' with it, I just wanted to clarify that even though you could consider those things that they 'need' to make, they weren't things that I specifically was asking for. Granted, that's because I'm waaaaaay outside the target audience for Masterpiece anyway. I'm happy with my Classics Megatron as a general G1 Megatron figure, I don't need it to be huge or Geewun-cartoon-accurate or turn into an actual gun or anything, but I recognize that a whole bunch of people who are older than me *do* need that, and a Masterpiece Megatron who isn't standing on stilts made of breadsticks would be a thing Takara might want to make for those people.

A Full-Armor Masterpiece Magnus would probably look pretty awesome, but it would also probably cost upwards of $300, and I sure as hell don't like Magnus THAT much. (I genuinely don't think I have ever spent more than $70 on a single toy. Granted, that'll probably change once Metroplex comes out, but still.)

My "seriously considering, money allowing" list:
-Prowl
-Bluestreak
-Sideswipe
-Red Alert
-Tiger Track
-Wheeljack
-Soundwave w/tapes

I would not normally consider that many recolours, especially given the ~$75+ prices. But, I like most of the characters.

Yeah, all the Autobot cars on that list are pretty interchangeable to me. About the only one who would appeal on a character level would be Prowl, and I absolutely hate the way that toy looks. Just hate everything, the aesthetics, the proportions, the details, nothing about the looks of it appeals to me. Ugh.

Soundwave, on the other hand, looks snazzy as hell, and I'm eagerly anticipating his stateside arrival.

And, Tiger Track (the character I care least about) just appeal at an odd level.

I kinda get this. I'm thinking about getting MP Acid Storm for what I feel are similar reasons. Plus I've been wanting to check out that mold, since it doesn't seem as...Masterpiece-y as a lot of the other Masterpieces, which is good, and we're never getting the Sunstorm version over here, so.

[Dominic]

About the only one who would appeal on a character level would be Prowl, and I absolutely hate the way that toy looks. Just hate everything, the aesthetics, the proportions, the details, nothing about the looks of it appeals to me. Ugh.

Prowl looks more or less like the original control art. What more do you want?

How are these Autobots "interchangable"?

-Prowl: Autobot tactician, and iconic character across both the cartoons and comics and several iterations of the series.

-Bluestreak: Solid "Autobot soldier" type, had a chance to be useful in early episodes of the cartoons and in scattered comic appearances over the nearly 30 years the franchise has been around. And, Bluestreak had one of the better written character profiles in the original series.

-Sideswipe: As has been pointed out, Sideswipe never really did much of anything in G1. Even his "Autobot soldier" gimmick is undermined by Bluestreak. But, the character has (inexplicable) staying power.

-Red Alert: Was the focuse of one of the more memorable episodes of the cartoon, and was used in the UK.

-Tiger Track: The biggest cipher of the bunch.

-Wheeljack: First character to transform on screen. Played a significant role in both the comics and cartoon. Wheeljack actually would have survived the movie (as evidenced by both Japanese episodes and relatively late drafts of the script) if Sunbow did not make a (completely sensible) push to reduce the need to have Chris Latta around. (Latta's booze and drug habits made scheduling recording sessions difficult.) Wheeljack has played a significant role in multiple iterations of the franchise. And, G1 Wheeljack is arguably the character on this list most in need of a good toy. ("Generations" is a good figure. But, it does not look like the '85 control art. The only good toy G1 Wheeljack got was a "Heroes of Cybertron" PVC a decade ago.

That's kind of an odd choice. Any particular reason why?

I always liked the concept for "Armada" Prime, though not the execution. (The Deluxe was better than the Leader class toy. That was a problem.)

A proper Masterpiece toy (balancing complexity with elegance) would more or less fill that void. And, it would be a chance for Takara/Hasbro to design and produce a Masterpiece with a trailer that was a base *and* armour. An "Armada" Prime set would also mean a Masterpiece Minicon. (And, you know how I love Minicons.)

A Powermaster Optimus Prime would also be good. (But, as you point out, neither is likely, let along guaranteed.)

I'm happy with my Classics Megatron as a general G1 Megatron figure,

"Classics" Megatron is a good toy (better in gun mode than in robot mode), but a terrible Megatron. The colours, while obligatory for safety reasons, do not work with the sculpt.

It is not even purely generational. I do not have any nostalgia based reason to want a good "Armada" Prime. But, I always saw that figure as being a poor effort at something that should have been much better. (I got the PLX recolour on serious discount or in a very favourable trade. And, I still ended up trading/selling it off later because I could not justify having a toy that big that was so poorly executed.)


-Dreamin' Dom......

[BWprowl]

Prowl looks more or less like the original control art. What more do you want?

Well I'm not the biggest fan of that original control art, for one thing. S'what I mean when I say I'm not really the target audience for these things. But specifically, I can't stand his proportions, specifically his legs/feet, being all huge and rhombus-y, made entirely out of flat surface areas. It throws his upper body off balance, which is made worse by how 'long' his hood-chest is, and the shoulders feel too close to the body, and his head seems a bit too small to boot. Like I said, this is all stuff that makes it unappealing to *me*, specifically. You can like it, that's fine, but for whatever reason, looking at that toy actively irritates me.

How are these Autobots "interchangable"?

-Prowl: Autobot tactician, and iconic character across both the cartoons and comics and several iterations of the series.

-Bluestreak: Solid "Autobot soldier" type, had a chance to be useful in early episodes of the cartoons and in scattered comic appearances over the nearly 30 years the franchise has been around. And, Bluestreak had one of the better written character profiles in the original series.

-Sideswipe: As has been pointed out, Sideswipe never really did much of anything in G1. Even his "Autobot soldier" gimmick is undermined by Bluestreak. But, the character has (inexplicable) staying power.

-Red Alert: Was the focuse of one of the more memorable episodes of the cartoon, and was used in the UK.

-Tiger Track: The biggest cipher of the bunch.

-Wheeljack: First character to transform on screen. Played a significant role in both the comics and cartoon. Wheeljack actually would have survived the movie (as evidenced by both Japanese episodes and relatively late drafts of the script) if Sunbow did not make a (completely sensible) push to reduce the need to have Chris Latta around. (Latta's booze and drug habits made scheduling recording sessions difficult.) Wheeljack has played a significant role in multiple iterations of the franchise. And, G1 Wheeljack is arguably the character on this list most in need of a good toy.

See, you have all this about these guys because you, uh, give a shit about the cartoon, which I seriously don't (it's easily the most overrated piece of Transformers media. There, I said it). The most frame of reference I have for these car-form box-bots with shoulder-mounted-missile launchers is the Marvel Comics, which I liked, but tended to make a different stable of characters relevent. Furthermore, Masterpiece toys are obstinately cartoon-based, so my enjoyment of the characters in the comics has little relevence to them.

("Generations" is a good figure. But, it does not look like the '85 control art. The only good toy G1 Wheeljack got was a "Heroes of Cybertron" PVC a decade ago.

I find it continuously amusing that you actually consider the PVCs 'good toys' or even 'toys' period. They don't transform, are pre-posed, and generally have less useful articulation than the 80's toys of the guys they're based on. They're neat as trinkets, as merchandise, but I would never consider a PVC of a given character as counting as them 'getting a toy', any more than I would consider a poster or a statue or bust of a character as counting that way.

A Powermaster Optimus Prime would also be good. (But, as you point out, neither is likely, let along guaranteed.)

I would kill and eat a hobo to get a Masterpiece Ginrai. It would actively stop me from poking around on eBay for an affordable version of the G1 toy. And this is me, not even liking Masterpiece that much! The fact that I think he's got the second-best shot at this thing, after Star Saber, gives me some hope, too.

"Classics" Megatron is a good toy (better in gun mode than in robot mode), but a terrible Megatron. The colours, while obligatory for safety reasons, do not work with the sculpt.

Says you, I think the colors look quite nice. I wouldn't mind the Japanese Henkei or United versions, with their snazzy red and black, but the one I have is fine. Of course, the one I have also came out of the box with the 'brow' broken, so I've always had a mild pining for a 'new' version of that mold, but what ya gonna do.

[Tigermegatron]

As far as the debate going on in page 2 goes............ I too find it un-necessary for Takara to be creating all of these smaller scale MP TF's for the 1984-1985 Autobots cars/bots---->I'd much rather see generations cover this area than MP.

I ain't spending Takara's $74 price for a glorified MP TF Voyager toy---> I'll show some patience,wait for Hasbro & pay a much lower Hasbro USA retail/site price. Worse scenario if Hasbro doesn't import these toys,IT'S NO BIG LOSS AS THESE WERENT ON MY TOP 20 MP TF WISH LIST ANYWAYS.

I prefer the MP TF toy line be the area that covers perfection super poseable toys for the much bigger/Higher command ranking Transformers like as follows: G-1 Galvatron,G-1 Cyclonus,Vicrtorysabre,Dia atlas,Masterforce Overlord,smaller scale 9.5 inch leader sized G-1 Megatron. Create a car carrier armor trailer for ultra magnus & color the MP-10 mold white.

IMO,If The MP TF line must change course from the bigger scaled/higher ranking command guys---->I'D PREFER THEY STARTED MAKING NEW MOLD FOR THE G-1 COMBINERS TEAMS.

I don't want to see the MP TF toy line doing other TF toy lines like armada until all mt Top 20 G-1 wish list cast gets MP TF toys.

From that Takara MP TF 30TH anniversary list,I feel Starsabre would make the best candidate. As I feel theirs too many optimus molds out their regardless if their in different alternate universe toy lines or not. I think any new mold fortress maximus should get made in a generations titan sized toy not a MP TF toy.