Maybe in part it is the difference between those of you who collect other Japanese collectibles and those of us who don't, and who are still after premium figures that look as though they could be real world robots? Although, as I said above, I do actually like Zambot's examples, and it's mainly the pearl on Inferno I don't like (although I do want a silver Megatron and object to the trend of using matte whites and greys over silver in general; didn't you paint your Bumblebee's face silver, in fact?).

But honestly, to me a Masterpiece is something like your custom Skids - if someone wanted to mass-produce that I'd be very happy. That captures exactly what I was talking about - cartoon accuracy without ignoring other media; the G1 cartoon didn't exist in isolation. Megatron is mostly there aside from the colours; Inferno will be sold as soon as I get around to it. But bah, it looks as though I am alone in my curmudgeonliness.  

 

So we know that, the barrel can be rotated on the side like the g1 toy, now the thing that all we need it's the trigger on the crotch (sarcasm) and the silver paint to be perfect toy accurate.

 

BEST.POST.EVER... saved & will be backed-up somewhere

 

I'm sad to hear you are getting rid of Inferno. He's amazing. Grapple looks even better in that striking yellow. My only slight nitpick with Inferno, the head tuck. Clearing that chrome hose is a bit finicky. Rest of the transformation is brilliant and intuitive.

It's about as annoying as tucking Sideswipes feet into the roof area and getting everything to sit flush. Sideswipes transformation is not fun. I know you mentioned you liked it, but I'm not a fan. From the head split and tuck, to the razor thin hood plastic it's just nowhere near the joy that is Bumblebee or Ironhide. Most of the carbots in fact are not what I'd call "fun". The new Hotrod is actually quite fun and intuitive.

Any MP that I can pick up after 6 months of not looking at it and transform it without having to look back at the instructions is a win in my book.

 

Haha, I'm just another adult manboy over obsessing about plastic robot toys. But thanks!  

 

Maybe that is the difference. For the record, I also like figures that look like real world robots...if that's what the source material calls for. Maybe that's the difference too...I'm definitely a "screen accurate" guy through and through. If that means simple and basic old school, then that's what I want the figure to reflect..if that means modern, super detailed CG, then that's what I want that figure to reflect.

But I definitely agree with you on the silver vs white/light grey argument. And in fact, despite the pearl white on Inferno being a very pretty color, I'd have preferred silver, or metallic grey (honestly, the color of Ironhide's face woulda been great). But with Megatron, I feel differently. I think I woulda been fine if he was silver, but I really, really like the grey; I am hoping for a little metal flake though. I think, on the others, it's because the silver/grey is an accent color, and somehow it just makes more sense to me, whereas it's Megatron's main color. Or maybe it's because pretty much every toy of him has been silver, and finally seeing him in a nice, solid grey color has made me appreciate how good he can look in that color? I dunno, but I like it   And nope, never got around to painting BB's face...was gonna do it in the same color as Ironhide, but just got lazy and never bothered.

Haha, you're definitely not alone. But at least you're pleasant to talk to about it, and can respectfully articulate why you don't like what you don't like. For the record too, If I were to build Skids now, he'd sway a lot closer to cartoon accuracy, but with a 100% authentic car mode. His thighs, face, and guns would totally be silver though  

That's very interesting to read...I personally find pretty much every carbot very fun and intuitive to transform, especially Sideswipe. But BB, Ironhide, and Inferno absolutely top the "fun" chart.

 

Yeah, for me, I've been so impressed by SH Figuarts and Bandai's various Chogokin lines (I also visited Bandai when I was in Japan and got to hold/play with the new SOC Voltron! It's hefty!) as well as companies like Sentinel, that it's great to see Takara combining their technical engineering prowess with modern action figure touches. Masterpiece Transformers and really Transformers in general are still probably the biggest bang for your buck in the market.

 

Ya know, I'm going to sit down with Sideswipe, Prowl and Wheeljack this weekend and see how I feel. I will report back. (Bumblebee is the engineering pinnacle still though.)

 

I'd love to transform the vanettes more because you're right about it being fun. But the paint on the arms keeps flaking off. That and a giant scratch on the side of inferno's head make me not transform my toys. And that bothers me. I wish I could sand that pin down on Inferno that keeps scratching the paint but I am scared to take things apart. Ahh it's basically the only thing I hate in life right now hahaha. Lucky me  

 

Sideswipe is still my favourite carbot to transform, fun and intuitive. Bumblebee is too although the Van bros are up there though.

 

He's just not to my tastes, that's all. I recognise the brilliant engineering, but I don't like the over-all look of the figure in either mode. I also think I need to rein in this hobby a little, as my collection is getting out of hand, so I'm planning on sticking to S1 'bots plus favourite characters from other seasons rather than just getting *everything*, and Inferno isn't a character I particularly care for anyway. Perhaps I'd feel differently about the figure if I had a particular love of the character, who knows.

Does. Not. Compute.   Hot Rod's transformation is okay, but I *love* Sideswipe's transformation! I love how complicated it felt the first time through, but then it became second nature after three or four transforms. He's still one of the quickest car-bots to transform (other than Bumblebee). I do agree that other car-bots aren't all that "fun". I've never liked how you have to wiggle the Datsuns' legs out, as great as those figures are otherwise. And I do agree that Bumblebee is still the engineering pinnacle of transformations.

I guess that's where our differences lie at the end of the day. My version of "screen accurate" is one that encompasses what we added to the screen versions with our imaginations as kids, based on the toys we had and our knowledge that cartoons are simplified versions of reality. So my "screen accurate" is a figure that looks like a real-world version of the cartoon character, whereas yours (and Zambot's), if I understand correctly, is one that looks like a 3D cartoon character. The MP-10-style MPs were (where a real vehicle existed) based 100% on the real world vehicle in alt mode and in robot mode were based about 90% on the cartoon and 10% on the toy and other media. I loved that. These days MPs are based more like 100% on the cartoon in robot mode and a mix between cartoon and real vehicle/object in alt mode. Others love that. Fair enough.  

What colour would you use? Mix a bit of grey up with silver? I might try it on one of mine...

Ha, well, believe it or not, despite my kvetching, I love these figures in general and come to these forums for fun and a break from work; I enjoy the discussions and different perspective.  

If they keep the authentic car modes for the "Real Cars" line, I'll mostly be happy. Skids looked pretty terrible in the cartoon, though, so I'm not sure about that one!

Anyway, I look forward to seeing in-hand pictures of Megatron. Maybe the grey will win me over and I won't be left loving the figure but wishing for some better colours, like many feel about Shockwave.

 

Re-made my old splitty using this time the pic of one of the latest scans    

 

He does look damn fine, no doubt about that.

 

You've written something that I agree with wholeheartedly. It is eloquently verbose. I've reread it numerous times. Thanks for your insight

 

Ah crap, I think I'm in. Still have to get used to the way he pulls up his pants and I don't like his shoes and back. But that laughing face and those poses have won me over. He just looks like a lot of fun!

 

I'm appreciating the thoughtful, non-argumentative conversation in this thread!

I, for one, love mpsideswipe's transformation. I think it's the most fun of all the carbots so far. But I also dig variety: I enjoy the extra challenge of the datsuns' legs, or even more complex third party products like Willis or sunsurge. I agree that bee's engineering is very good, though my enjoyment of that toy is hindered by the inconsistencies in the yellow paint.

Inferno has some great engineering, but for me, he's held back quite a bit by his alt-mode. A huge part of the "magic" of transformers for me is watching a robot disappear into a vehicle. Inferno just doesn't quite do that, so I find myself less "awed" by it.

Still, I'm grateful for what the mp line has been doing. It's like watching an artist try different styles and develop in their craft over time. I very much agree with the person who talked about simplicity: while I dig sunsurge, takara has done some really impressive things while keeping the transformations elegant. (Sunsurge is most decidedly NOT elegant!)

Take shockwave for example: I have my problems with that toy; but for years people gave quakewave a pass on his partsforming because it was taken for granted that it was impossible to make a shockwaves that DIDN'T partsform. Then takara came along and made the backpack all-in-one transformation look totally simple.

As for this megatron: this article has me excited. It looks like they went all out, being really thoughtful on every part of his design. I'm especially excited that they haven't sacrificed his posability: looks like every joint is going to have 90-degrees or more of articulation. I love that they've learned to make joints that bend more than 90-degrees with just one joint (like inferno's elbows). (Prowl's limited hips, tracks' elbows and knees, tracks/hotrod/sideswipe's crotch plates have always been disappointing.) sounds like megatron might even have an an crunch if I'm reading the article right. Can't wait to get him in hand!

 

I've been thinking about this for a while. The Diaclone Car Robots and larger Microchange toys that formed the core of the pre-movie Transformers lineup were products of the "Real Robot" trend of the early '80s. They were intended to represent real-life objects, within the design and cost limitations of childrens' toys. The earlier Masterpiece line, focusing on perfecting those '80s toys, preserved the Real Robot aesthetic sensibility. The recent design shift to 3D renderings of the animation models severs that connection.

 

I'm also really digging the very level-headed discussion happening here.

Ambitron, you're not alone. I think a lot of us share your sentiments. Just as a lot of people feel differently.

I think a few things have crystallized for me over recent months. Inferno, Ironhide/Ratchet and what we're seeing so far with Megatron makes me realize how far this line has come. These are really spectacular figures that are doing an increasingly better job of capturing the essence and personality of the characters we grew up with on screen. And I don't think there's any doubt the line is advancing in many ways.

But I've definitely struggled with some of the recent trends in this line, probably because MP-10 - MP-21 were just perfection when I first got them. They were what pulled me into the line, so I could not understand deviating from such a great formula. Plus, I invested a lot if cash in collecting them.

That said, I've come to appreciate a lot of the amazing qualities of recent releases. I think Inferno's bot mode is just spectacular (his alt mode, not so much) and I can just stare at that thing for hours. Even some of the more vibrant, toonish colours are growing on me.

For me, I think it's about finding the right balance between a bot mode that captures the essence of the on-screen character, married with an alt mode that feels real-world. Maybe they're still finding that balance a little (I think Inferno lost a lot of that realism in truck mode, to the overall detriment of the figure), but as long as that remains the formula, I'll be very happy with this line.

 

Hey Thanks, while I know nothing can ever be perfect, I personally go through my nitpick phase on every single MP release and I'm critical about at least one or two things on every release so far. But for me, as someone on the boards said one time, Takara on balance, is getting more right than they are getting it wrong and IMO they are moving in an upward curve.

And let's all remember they will look at things like MP Inferno/Megatron and probably reassess, as time passes, based on their own internal design team feelings and quite possibly consumer feeling which could shift things a bit back the other way. If we know one thing, it's that Takara is not complacent or stagnant.

I think it's all in flux as they find the optimal aesthetic for this growing line.

As I've said before, we've had almost 30 years of reimagining after reimagining in the TF universe BUT we've NEVER had the original cast of G1 characters near screen accurate and able to transform at the same time.

Let that wash over you and whatever you do people DON'T sell off your MP INFERNO!!!