ALL THINGS TRANSFORMERS!!!!

[Bakasana]

Takara keep on makin' 'em... I'll keep buying 'em. So far so good... the aesthetics, the character selection etc., has been fine. Takara isnt going out of business anytime soon, and 3rd party companies better make characters that are out of left field, because that's how they will survive. They won't win making Wheeljack, Prowl, UM and fighting the market w/ Takara. Phoning it in... a minor opinion and one that isnt in the majority, as Takara keeps on chugging along.

 

[karamazov80]

While I am certainly happy to see 3rd party companies pushing for new characters, and trying to make them look as good as possible, I think the MP aesthetic Takara has nailed for the most part is the most appealing design type for any Transformers toys yet. So, I'm most happy when the 3rd party guys try to emulate that style, as with Appolyon. But of course, any nice, modern-ish Inferno, Grapple, Trailbreaker, etc. beats the hell out of nothing! And the way things have been going with the 3rd party guys recently, everyone is trying to one-up everyone else (as with the Dinobots), so it seems to only increase the probability that we'll see someone else taking a shot at these guys.

I don't mind this Inferno's alt mode so much. I think it will be less noticeable once we see a colored prototype.

 

[dedguy]

I think MakeToys' Chromedome looks better.

 

[dedguy]

Inferno seems to be a little over detailed but I think Chromedome is just right.

 

[karamazov80]

That one does look good. Unfortunately, I have zero connection to the character.

 

[thecorsair]

I think MakeToys' Chromedome looks better.

It's easily the best of their first 3 attempts at Masterpiece style figures, but he falls well outside my area of intrest as I'm only after characters I have a strong connection to via the original toys from the first year or two.

EDIT
Badcube Warpath has some extras,


The shield and weapon are apparently some kind of nod to a cartoon episode. The shield can also be used as an optional part to improve the underside of the tank mode but is not necessary for transformation.

 

[dedguy]

A lot of people are like that it seems. For me it's mainly the Decepticons that appear in the movie that really get me going. I watched the movie a lot but was never really into the show.

 

[dedguy]

Man I do not like the color on Warpath there. He looked much better in previous pics.

 

[karamazov80]

I think I like him better now. Somehow, he looks less clunky and busy when he's painted up that way.

 

[thecorsair]

A lot of people are like that it seems. For me it's mainly the Decepticons that appear in the movie that really get me going. I watched the movie a lot but was never really into the show.

Nostalgia is usually a factor, I have very little for the cartoon as I barely saw anything outside of the '86 movie and the later series were never even shown here in the UK. I mainly remember the toys that me and my friends had.

karamazov80,
I think grey prototypes can sometimes be a bit of a false indicator of what the end product will be like. I've seen other figures which looked overly busy in terms of sculpted detail that were fine once they were finished, the color tends to make things blend in better....which bodes well for that Inferno.

 

[karamazov80]

Yeah, that's why I'm not getting to worried about Inferno just yet.

 

[karamazov80]

Warpath was probably the second most annoying Transformer of them all, though. . .after Wheelie, of course.





Seaspray gets third place.

 

[thecorsair]

A couple of nice digibashes I found at TFW,



If Inferno's final coloring looks something like that I reckon it'll fit into a MP display pretty well, certainly in robot mode.

Alt mode still isn't great but is toy accurate so not a complete disaster.

I paid for Perceptor before Christmas and am really looking forward to getting it.

 

[Ra88]

Takara are content to remain in their safe little bubble whilst companies with far lesser resources are expanding the roster of Masterpiece style characters.

Granted the 3rd parties don't always get it right, but I'd sooner see companies showing some ambition and having a go instead of phoning it in.

Takara phoning it in? Wot? I can understand not being happy with their offerings but that's just being harsh for the sake of it.

 

[dedguy]

I don't think phoning it in is the right phrase. Takara definitely is playing it safe and unwilling to venture too far outside what was already successful.

 

[franpincho]

And they are very successful at what they do.

Figure this, it Takara announces a complete redesigned Grimlock tomorrow, followed by the other Dinobots (newly scaled) FansToys and GIGA (to a lesser degree) are done for. At least with their Dino offerings.

These 3p companies have zero licensing issues to deal with, they just see something and make it. Granted, there's work involved in that, but nowhere near as much as getting a Nissan license or whathaveyou.

Some people (understandably) love to crap on TT because of the character choices, and put 3P on some sort of pedestal.

Megatron being the single, most desirable release, I really don't know what goes on in TT's meetings that this is not addressed. Is it the whole "gun issue"? Are they focusing on something else at the moment? No idea.

 

[dedguy]

I have been told Takara doesn't think Decepticons sell well, at least in Japan.

 

[soundwave]

I'm not sure I wholly agree on TT just phoning it in either.
I do definitely feel that they are resting on their laurels & not willing to take risks like the 3P's do & I can see the point in the comments that get levelled at them because of it but what TT do, they do supremely well...when they have been on they are really on but when they are off & this reluctant to do anything risky then they deserve to be taken to task

I have been told Takara doesn't think Decepticons sell well, at least in Japan.

I can see that statement being true if I'm honest & also worrying if it is.

Inferno looks much better in Photoshop colour, it helps disguise the busy nature of the mold & like that I'm more inclined to consider him for my line up.

Liking Perceptor too but not 100% convinced I really need him...Reflector feels more important than him if I'm brutally honest

Neil

 

[teemu]

Inferno is definite buy...I don't see takara touching him for years! and I am not waiting forever to get him considering how slow moving Takara is..

We might be hearing some MP news this weekend on upcoming figs as there is supposed to be some show going on in Japan

 

[thecorsair]

dedguy, soundwave,
Maybe it wasn't the best choice of words, but thanks all the same for responding without feeling the need to resort to the sort of snide remarks and potshots that others chose.

The bottom line is that the official MP line is no longer my cup of tea, I got several of my most wanted characters so it served it's purpose for the most part.

Now I'm finishing off my collection with 3rd party figures as I don't believe it's worth waiting around for official alternatives that may never even materialise.