Disclaimer: The original interview was published in Figure-Oh magazine April issue. The reason I'm providing this translation is solely to help non-Japanese fans who are unable to read this insightful interview. Pardon typo and grammar errors. Hope you'll enjoy.
Thanks goes to Type-R and toyworld.com.hk

Originally posted by Type-R in this thread - http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/trans...generations-mp-13b-mp-20-hasui-interview.html

In this interview, Mr.Hasui mentions how it is easier to negotiate with car manufactures after Takara/Tomy merger thanks to Tomy's Tomica series. How hard it was for Takara back in Alternators/Binaltech days? If anyone's interested here's an old interview -
TFArchive - Transformers Fandom

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Shogo Hasui on Masterpiece

- tell us about how you first came to know about Transformers.
H: As I grew up with Microman and Diaclone, I was rather put off initially when Transformers started in Japan. But thanks to the cartoon, my friends had started to be very enthusiastic about the series and that made me interested. I had Air Rider (Air Raid) and Brawl bought for me then, and they are my first Transformers. I must have been into military characters.
- What did you like about Transformers?
H: I have to credit solid characterizations. It was also appealing that both sides were cool. My friends and I used to get together bringing all our Transformers to play battle. It was very impressive to see (the toys) lined up. That impression is still with me, and when I developed Masterpiece I had in mind that the figures should be enjoyed lined up together.
- It was also fascinating that Destron/Decepticon looked tougher.
H: They were military weapons (while Cybertrons/Autobots were) civilian vehicles, so the difference in their firepowers was quite apparent. With that much disadvantage, Cybertron still won the battles with their wits and courage. I think the twist in the story was good.
- Wheeljack was an important character in Cybertron's resource department.
H: I believe Transformers always need Wheeljack and Satrscream. Wheeljack invents something, and Starscream betrays - without them the story doesn't go on, and I think it makes (the story) interesting.
- A character like Wheeljack doesn't usually become a marketable product.
H: He certainly is not a typical heroic character. Bow-legged, and compared to other good looking guys he is more like a middle-aged man. Though once his comrades are in danger, he never considers his own safety. I watched the cartoon again and noticed he rescues Bumble(bee) many times. He and Bumble are especially warm-hearted among Cybertrons.
- We get an impression Masterpiece Wheeljack became reality relatively early.
H: He was one of the candidates to be MP-20. But at the stage of collecting the resource for the real vehicles and considering transformation processes, Wheeljack's was quite complicated and I thought of putting him off. (*laughs)
- Is he that challenging?
H: The proportions of his robot mode are very different in the toy and the cartoon. His hips are buried underneath the body, and since his shoulder tires aren't drawn in the cartoon, I couldn't allocate the area around the rear tires to the arms. I had to find shoulder blocks and hip blocks from different areas. If I gave him actual hips, most of the car became the body and the legs, leaving no room for the head and the arms. Because of that, I nearly gave up. But once I came up with the idea of the storage space for the head, I thought I could do it. I crammed a lot in the head and hip structures and when you have the actual figure I am sure you will be surprised.
- Did you not make the ear parts clear or with light gimmick?
H: The (developer) team members couldn't reach agreement on that, but I was against the light up gimmick. If the gimmick is included it will lose the neck articulations, and it is hard to express the blue/silver colour change as well.
- Is the Magnet Cannon on the shoulder detachable?
H: It can be attached to the vehicle roof and hand-held weapons can be stored under the car. The wings on the back stay on during transformation. I wanted to keep the essence of G1 toy as much as possible.
- Any hardship to obtain vehicle licence?
H: Actually, thanks to Tomica brand, we can negotiate with many car manufacturers such as Fiat. This is a great result of merger (of Takara and Tomy). I had a Lancia Stratos Tomica when I was little. The style and colour scheme is very unique and hard to forget. It was my favourite but as I was young, I don't think I remembered the name.
- Any difficulties you came across while re-creating the body colours?
H: In the cartoon, he doesn't have the actual vehicle's colours on account of animation drawing. I thought over very hard if a Masterpiece should be true to the cartoon, or if it should be considered that the colours were simply omitted (in the cartoon) and make it true to the real car. Considering the fact that we actually obtained the licence, I reached the conclusion that the Alitalia colour scheme has to be re-created. Though I arranged the chest area a bit as the robot mode chest is very characteristic.
- Until Wheeljack, the characters were selected based on variations, but he appears to be a single use for now?
H: It was possible because the production number per figure is larger now compared to when Lambor was produced. Smokescreen could have new parts. The series is still new and we are still at the stage of going up one step at the time. If Wheeljack is successful, I believe we can choose from wider selection of characters in the future. In fact, when we started this "real car" series, we intended to make the first three to be something that would amaze even the "super car" fans. I wanted this series to be appealing to the fans of super car era.
- What about the future plans?
H: This is the third vehicle, so the next one might be more unique. Personally, I think there are certain pair or rival characters in Transformers. I hope such combinations (of figures) can be developed together. Also, I prefer Destrons and want more of them. If I have an opportunity to develop Masterpiece figures again, I hope to be working on a steady growing series and have more choices of characters such as combiners. I am looking forward to seeing the future development of the series, please lend us your support.

 

The licensing information is REALLY interesting.

Helps explain Bumblebee.

Also, intrigued about the talk of combiners and more Decepticons in general.

 

Thanks Syd  

 

Thanks, SydneyY! So much good stuff in there. Just makes me appreciate MPs even more. Hasui is my hero.

 

Thanks for translating that, it all sounds very positive.

 

*Sob*

Huh, I wonder who he means there? I thought Megatron at first, but then he says about the figures being developed together.

 

No worries guys. I hope it's enjoyed as much as I enjoyed reading it.

He's been talking about MP combiners for years, I hope he'll get to make it one day.

 

Thanks for the translation! I hope Hasui gets to make his dream combiner eventually... MP Bruticus for the win.  

 

Good stuff!

 

Man oh man oh man!
Masterpiece and Hasui FTW!!

 

Awesome interview, I'm so happy to read this stuff especially in such a timely manner.

Thanks SydneyY!

Randy

 

Hear that folks? Support Wheeljack so we can get more "single use" vehicle modes.

 

Man, the Masterpiece series really is like a crack addiction for me. Just reading an interview with Hasui was enough to release the endorphins.

 

I don't think that will be a problem. A lot of people (including myself) are buying at least two. I think Wheeljack will be the most successful MP car out so far

 

Oh I know, I'm just making sure.  


Also, I'm buying two as well. 

 

Yeah, there seems to be little chance of Wheeljack flopping judging by most reactions.

 

Hm. Now I'm really curious as to what the final decision will be as to the coloring of Wheeljack's ears. He said no to the light up, but didn't confirm either clear blue or silver colors.

Overall, very interesting read. Not very much new information, but now I'm really looking forward to the transformation, since he seems to be very proud of it!

 

Ultra Magnus and Galvatron, if the rumors are to be believed. That's my guess anyway.

 

im hoping blaster!

not a problem. mine has been preordered for months! thanks syd fer translating that!!

 

Loved hearing how challenging Wheeljack was for Hasui, his struggles with the design, and how he and the team debated on a light up gimmick. Love hearing his reasoning. This also confirms how difficult it is to develop a satisfying MP when there are huge discrepancies between the G1 toy and animation model. The Lambos and Datsuns had cool looking toys and their animation models stuck fairly close to them. Wheeljack and Bumblebee, not so much. It's also why Megatron and Rodimus Prime are enormous design challenges. Wish fans would keep this in mind when they complain about how an MP doesn't look exactly like their cartoon appearance (though I DO want a second attempt at Megatron!).