ALL THINGS TRANSFORMERS!!!!

[thecorsair]

Re: Picky picky transformers collectors

Here's a topic I think would be interesting to discuss: why do ya'll think Transformers fans have gotten so much pickier and critical of figures in the past six years, particularly when it comes to Masterpiece and 3rd party offerings?

Case in point: Masterpiece Sideswipe was and still is heralded as some kind of picture of perfection. While no doubt a great figure, when measured by the same standards people are now holding MP-28 Hot Rod to, Sideswipe is a hot mess. Compared to his cartoon model: his chest is twice as large as it ought to be, his legs way too chunky and his backpack of kibble so thick it doubles his depth. Hot Rod is arguably closer to his cartoon model than Sideswipe ever was, yet has faced a level of criticism Sideswipe never saw.

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Masterpiece Ironhide has been all but panned by many people just because of a couple hip panels, when the MP-11 seeker mold has the exact same hip panels and so much cartoon-inaccurate leg and wing kibble than it's nigh unposable from the waist down.

3rd party companies reveal jaw-dropping offerings like TransForMission's Menasor, and people say they're passing because the torso's a half-inch shorter than they'd like or they don't care much for the feet.

Do we just have too many options now? Are people buying so many figures that they need to be pickier and rule things out? Has Takara-Tomy raised the bar with their Masterpiece line to the point where we no longer accept any departures from cartoon accuracy? Discuss!

During Shogo Hasui's run on the MP line ( MP10 and MP12-21 ) the cartoon was not the sole source of reference for the figures.

He has stated in several interviews that have been translated on sites such as TFW2005 that he felt that using just the cartoon wasn't the best approach so he also looked at other sources when designing his figures including the original toys, comics and also the real world vehicles, particularly when it came to the fully licensed ones.

Sideswipe's chest looks the way it does because it's impossible to cheat physics and shrink it like the cartoon, Seeker kibble cannot be vanished into thin air in real life either.

Hasui is also on record as saying that the iconic status of the Lamborghini Countach was one of the main reason MP Sideswipe was green lit as Takara felt they could possibly get some sales from outside Transformer fandom. Compromising the alt mode just to make the robot mode more cartoon accurate was never an option.

Since Hironori Kobayashi took over as lead designer for the majority of new molds ( MP22 onwards except for Hisashi Yuki who did Star Saber ) the design direction has clearly shifted to "cartoon only" which hasn't been something I'm willing to support so I've been voting with my wallet.

There's definitely a balance to be found between cartoon accuracy & adding just enough details from other sources to make an idealised version of each character and that's what I think Hasui did so well during his run on the MP line.

Not many 3rd parties get that balance right but Fans Toys, Badcube & MMC do and XTransbots/KFC and Make Toys are getting there.

I think more options for collectors is generally a good thing, it does get a bit silly when several companies all jump on the same character but it's better to have 2-3 versions to choose from than none at all.

 

[Spanbauer]

You HAD to repost those pics, didn't you?

Couldn't resist and ordered him. I guess it was just a matter of time, really. I look at other pics as well (yours being among the best, really) and he displays extremely well with the MP line (except Magnus, maybe)!

I do agree that, while he's great out of the box, TT could've better. What bothers me most is Mixmaster's tiny cab, that makes for a very tiny feet look on Devy. I'll definitely look for some 3p Add-ons later down the road. Even after all is said and done, it will, still be about 1/5 of the cost of the other 3p Devys floating around.

Will it be too much to ask to pose him next to Prime?

Lol, sorry. And thanks! Here's a few shots of him with Prime. Not my usual photo-taking spot and so the light and color isn't as good, but you get the idea.

 

[generalgrevious]

prepare for termination . he looks great mp style some what but a lot closer then the other combiner wars set`s

 

[franpincho]

Lol, sorry. And thanks! Here's a few shots of him with Prime. Not my usual photo-taking spot and so the light and color isn't as good, but you get the idea.

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Thank you!

Considering the animation was all over the place regarding "scale", he does indeed scales perfectly with him IMO.

There's absolutely no way you can have a Devastator that is able to hold MP10 in his hand, like it happened sometimes in the cartoon. It would have to be human sized.

 

[MxBxM]

Thank you!

Considering the animation was all over the place regarding "scale", he does indeed scales perfectly with him IMO.

There's absolutely no way you can have a Devastator that is able to hold MP10 in his hand, like it happened sometimes in the cartoon. It would have to be human sized.

The inconsistencies in size in G1 have always bothered me. One of the many things I hate from the cartoon.

Still, that is a very appropriate size for him. Even if you look at sizing charts online, they fall pretty close to the size of these toys compared to the MPs.

Metroplex would have to be human sized.

 

[Spanbauer]

Thank you!

Considering the animation was all over the place regarding "scale", he does indeed scales perfectly with him IMO.

There's absolutely no way you can have a Devastator that is able to hold MP10 in his hand, like it happened sometimes in the cartoon. It would have to be human sized.

Welcome! Yeah I agree I think the scale works and matches the cartoon except in the instances where they totally exaggerated his size.

It's a really difficult set to do in terms of scale, and I'd be interested to see what direction they'd go if they ever do an actual Masterpiece set. Because technically, the vehicles should be much larger; Mixmaster's cab ought to be at least 2/3 the size of Prime's cab, but at that scale the individual Constructicons would of course dwarf their Decepticon comrades (when they should really be no taller than the Seekers). But I suppose they'd just do as they've done with the Seekers and cheat the scale to make the robots properly sized.

This seems to be the scale they shot for with the Unite Warriors set:

 

[MxBxM]

Yeah, and looks nice besides the MPs. If they do an MP Devastator with all the individual Constructicons, they really only have to fix and improve a few things on the CW/UW ones.

 

[teemu]

I kinda hope Takara does a Devastator...I just can't seem to pull the trigger on Toyworld's

 

[franpincho]

I kinda hope Takara does a Devastator...I just can't seem to pull the trigger on Toyworld's

Get the UW. It's actually pretty nice and won't break the bank like the $600+ 3P options.

 

[teemu]

Get the UW. It's actually pretty nice and won't break the bank like the $600+ 3P options.

Its cool,but I don't feel the UW is on that Masterpiece level that I want in which TW kinda has

 

[--Nightwing--]

for me, CW Devastator is hasbro's style of "testing the waters"...like what happened to the MP seekers who were improved on later release and yet
with MP Starscream the chest lock wasnt addressed, then came the Hasbro version who did it right on the same 2nd mold.

There will be another version of this combiner and probably most issues even the size and height maybe improved, just have to wait.

MP Ironhide is around the corner, ETA for our local toy shops are at february, then my next target MP Shockwave by april or may here.

 

[DarthMagnus]

Hey fellas just dropping in to spread some review love!

DX Tyrant aka MP Galvatron


Badcube Sunsurge aka Sunstreaker


And the cherry on top!

MP27 IRONHIDE!!!!!

 

[Furyan]

Thanks for the Ironhide review yo.

 

[Bakasana]

Hey fellas just dropping in to spread some review love!

DX Tyrant aka MP Galvatron


Badcube Sunsurge aka Sunstreaker


And the cherry on top!

MP27 IRONHIDE!!!!!

You the best, Mike!!! Props... love both reviews, love the pops in the IronHide video. Keepin' it real!!! I'm back in, yo'.

 

[franpincho]

I refuse to watch any Ironhide reviews (not because I think they are bad, unless you are optibotimus, then they absolutely suck)

Wanna experience that without any spoilers.

 

[thecorsair]

Badcube Sunsurge aka Sunstreaker

Nice review, are you planning on getting the red Diaclone version of Sunsurge that's just been announced?

XTransbots have revealed full color samples of Windcharger and Tailgate,

 

[Furyan]

I refuse to watch any Ironhide reviews (not because I think they are bad, unless you are optibotimus, then they absolutely suck)

Ouch lol. Was gonna pass on Ironhide but after seeing reviews i grabbed him,face looks so much better now. Think you'll be pleased.

Nice review, are you planning on getting the red Diaclone version of Sunsurge that's just been announced?

XTransbots have revealed full color samples of Windcharger and Tailgate,

Liking these,might grab one

 

[karamazov80]

Windcharger looks great. Hopefully Xtransbots' products will have improved in quality by the time he's released. I've gotta re-enact this on my shelf:

 

[MxBxM]

Good to know that Ironhide is now liked. I always liked him from the beginning. Anyways, ill be getting him along with Tracks this week since I had my loot shipped.

Now to wait for Shockwave.

 

[franpincho]

Ouch lol. Was gonna pass on Ironhide but after seeing reviews i grabbed him,face looks so much better now. Think you'll be pleased.

I really think Ironhide looked the same once the Proto pics surfaced, it's just that Takara has monkeys as photographers. Eventually, everyone panicked and said Takara was "done".

Can't wait for Him and every other TT release this year!