I didn't get to handle it much. I didn't get to actually articulate it but I did hold it for a bit and he was hefty and the plastic quality felt good even for a prototype.

I haven't owned or done a review on any X-Transbots stuff yet but he feels very solid. I think they know that they have to over deliver on this guy or face harsh criticism so I'm being very optimistic based on what I've seen thus far.

~Paik

 

Umm no. Kobayashi did not design MP-5 Megatron. That was Takara designer Hisashi Yuki (who is designing MP Star Saber). He had only 12 days to make MP-5 Megatron as well. Here is the whole story.

TakaraTomy Staff Interview - Hisashi Yuki on Masterpiece - Transformers News - TFW2005

 

The design team was only given 12 days to design MP-05. I'm confident given adequate time, they could come up with some far better. Ninja'd

Plus..X-transbots already did some of the work for them...just take this design and refine it a bit.

 

My stand corrected. I had read that Kobayashi had designed all masterpieces 1-9. I appreciate the correction. I would assume then that he did design MP6-9 at least, of which Grimlock is the only design that is similar to Hasui's designs. Even Ultra Magnus, which he took over midway, has some questionable design choices. I apologize for my mistake on MP5, but I stick by my main point  

 

Kobayashi did MP-1. I guess you could say he did MP-2, but I would imagine that it just Takara saying do a repaint more than Kobayashi's decision. I believe he did the original MP-3 mold before Kawamori took over. The original MP-3 mold was a lot like the MP-11 mold (Kobayshi did that too). Kawamori (famed Macross designer) added the hip kibble. MP-4 was meant to go with MP-5 and both the MP-4 trailer and MP-5 were done by Yuki. MP-6 and 7 I believe are just more repaints that Takara decided on. MP-8 is a Kobayashi design. MP-9 is also a Kobayashi design, and the only thing I am not fond of on that figure is the QC. MP-11 like I said is also a Kobayshi design.

On the subject of MP-22. The figure is the way it has to be. It has to be able to fit 4 MP cars (a decision from Takara higher ups). They could have shrunk the whole of MP-22 down to be thinner and shorter and more in line with MP-10, but then I imagine it would not be able to hold the MP cars except maybe MP-21, and that would go against the MP real car series goal. The other downside is that MP-22's alt mode would be smaller next to MP-10 and would look off. As it is MP-22 is no that far off in height when based around the Scramble City appearance of Magnus. The figure is off though when compared to the horrible animation of S3 though. The only thing I would really really change on MP-22 is the butt flap. I feel it could be folded up and still maintain the animation accurate back skirt look. Everything else though I am ok with. I wish there was a way to shrink him a little, but I would rather have a functioning alt mode as these are transformers and not just statues.

In the end it has been said that the MP series is a case by case basis. There were arguments on how to handle MP-21's alt mode, and etc. No one should be looking for patterns in this line cause it is safe to say there are not many.

 

That's fair enough and thanks for outlining the design history, I appreciate it. I do like the MP11 mold, so that does give me a little more confidence in him to do a decent Megatron. If it were Hasui, there would be no doubt at all. My main point is to look beyond the "official" label and consider the designer as well.

In regards to MP22, I agree with you on everything. It's the butt-flap that I was referring to mostly. It seems like that could have been designed better imho.

 

Personally I hope Yuki gets another shot at Megatron for V2 but with a decent amount of time. His work on Star Saber is amazing. I'd be happy with any of the three known lead designers though.

 

This fig is still looking better and better with each pic. Would be nice to get some reviews in from at least two reviewers. I'm thinking that I might just preorder this guy just in case Takara doesn't make a move. I just need some of proof of quality before I make a move.

 

This looks awesome. His legs look so much better than the original takara toy. I cannot wait to have this with my small decepticon masterpiece collection.

 

I was already sold on this, but your video and comments have strengthened my resolve.

As for people's little nitpicks, they are entitled to them, of course... But they seem more like grasping at straws to be the enlightened naysayer than legitimate complaints.... When you consider the history of g1 megatron toys, from 1985 til today, the best Hastak could make was Robot Heroes G1 Megatron...

1985 (to be fair, never was designed to be a cartoon character)-
-Ginormous trigger crotch jutting out in true 70's disco fashion.
-Chicken legs
-Floppy arms
-Atrocious head sculpt
-Minimal articulation
-Fusion cannon waaaaaay out of scale.
+accessories 2nd only to Prime
+scaled well with other transformers.


200x Mp05
-Chicken legs
-Fragile joints
-Atrocious, almost feminine, headsculpt
-Fusion cannon so large, it got its own postal code.
-doesn't scale well in robot or gun mode with any other transformer.
-sniper barrel and stabilizer not included.
+Fairly wide range of articulation
+first "real" gun transformer since 1985
+got rid of trigger crotch
+accessories better than main figure

200x Robot Heroes Megatron
-Minimum articulation
-No transformation
+solid legs
+great face sculpt


And now, Apollyon:
-company history
-wide hips
-currently unknown QC
+great face sculpt
+full articulation
+no trigger crotch
+fusion cannon scales well in both modes
+robot and gun mode scale well
+robot mode interactive with other mp (laserbeak)
+tons of accessories including barrel and stabilizer.

 

Im pretty much completely out of this collecting game,
but im in for megs hell yeah,
mp10 survived my great purge and he needs a megs as they complement each other so well,
think im pretty much only going to own/display these two figures,

my only concern is fiddle factor,
with mp10 I can be as rough as I like and I know he can handle it,
but I cant see megs being able to with stand hand punishment,

im very optimistic about dec release, because i believe they are very far along with this and that they kept this way under the radar for a long time (no early concepts, teaser images or cad designs)
Look at fantoys for instance - after their badluck with soundwave, they kept quakewave quiet,
I cant remember when quakers was revealed but im sure it was late november and it had a jan release date wich upheld,
anywhos im in for all the right reasons, and I can honestly say meh if takara ever do a v2

 

Will be too big for my Faith Leader, me thinks. :/

 

To sig, or not to sig? LOL.

 

I probably missed it, but is this going to have an orange plug glued into it?

 

Beat you to it  

There you go

 

Works if you go by Tf:Animated scale instead of the g1 Holy Scale Chart™©2014 Anal Retentive Nerds, Inc

 

 

2. Sniper barrel extender and regular pistol barrel

 

Kobayahi also designed that in 12 days. Considering that, it came out well enough. I've got faith that with enough time given to him, what he could have learned over the years since that release, that a Megatron 2.0 would be incredible.

 

To be fair, it scales with the only other figure it was designed to scale against, MP-01 Prime.

Chris

 

That's half right, Yuki designed MP-5 in 12 days not Kobayashi.

Enough of that though, this is an x-bot's Apollyon thread is it not? So with that wrote.

The price is right, the design looks good so as soon as Captured Prey puts up the PO I will order. If TT later comes out with an MP Megs I'll just put this guy on the shelf with YOTH Prime.