Dean ML , I'm kinda shocked you don't like BW. Seriously ? They are suppose to be upgrades to the original g1's ! I'm really happy for Primal an hope to see more sprinkled here an there throughout the line.

 

Dude. Email that picture to every 3P you can think of. We need that.

 

I really hope MP28 will be Ratchet then. This would be the easiest next figure for TT to be made. I wonder why they were not showing both at the same time, like MT did with their Grapple and Inferno.
I have the feeling that this monkey prime will be between...

 

I like your positivity! That's a good way of seeing it. I can't wait to flood this place with MP Ironhide shots and if I'm being honest, I'm not 100% sure I'll pass on MP Optimus Primal. It's just that I have no attachment to anything outside of G1. Couldn't get passed the first few episodes of BW but I may try again... Need more info. Are MP BWs a subline? Who are the rest of the releases for '15/16? If TT's still releasing MP Ratchet, a big G1 MP like Megatron or Galvatron, and another carbot or two, I'll likely pass on Primal and other BW MPs. We'll see.

I don't know - I've never gloated or chuckled at the perceived misery of other TF fans as far as I can recall. I'd love it if we all got what we wanted. I also don't care about 3Ps and don't see them as something that does TT any favors. They certainly aren't doing me any favors, from my pov. As far as MP Optimus Primal and other BW MPs goes, I think they and the MP line would be best served if they were a sub-line that ran concurrent to the traditionally G1 based MPs. My thinking is based on the anniversary poll, BW CHUGs apparently being shelf warmers, and BW in general having little cultural impact relative to G1. I appreciate that BW has a legion of die hard fans, that it kept the brand alive and spawned some quality fiction and figures, but outside of die hard fans it had/has little appeal relative to G1. MP Optimus Primal's alt looks cartoon accurate, but I can't imagine who it'd appeal to outside of BW fans - unlike MP Tracks, who turns into a licensed version of one of the most popular versions of one of the most popular cars of all time while happening to be a character from one of the most popular and iconic iterations of the TF franchise. We'll see.

The thing is, the MP line has been G1 based since its inception 12 or so years ago and has still barely scratched the surface of G1, the most iconic and culturally significant TF iteration. If TT switches gears and foregoes G1 for a year (doubtful), it's a bit of a disservice to G1 MP fans who've helped turn the line into the success it is today. BW MPs should be a concurrent thing that doesn't derail the precious few (3-4) unique G1 MP molds we get a year. My opinion. Bring on MP BW Megatron, Dinobot, etc, but not at the expense of MP Megatron, Galvatron, Jazz, Hound, Sunstreaker, or at the very least, Ratchet.

 

Like I said, I couldn't get into it. I was a senior in hs or a freshman in college when it debuted, gave it a shot, but was turned off by the cg. Gave it another shot a year or two ago but couldn't get into it. Again, I appreciate that it kept the brand alive, that it was quality fiction and elevated the quality of TF figures, but I've no connection to it and, more importantly, it didn't have the cultural impact and wide appeal of G1. Happy for BW fans - just don't want it to derail the G1 MP ship that's been sailing strong and made the line what it is for the last 12 years or so.

I love the IDW comics - probably the best TF fiction ever - but that doesn't mean I want IDW MPs in lieu of MP G1 Grapple, Hoist, Chromedome, Shockwave, Sixshot, et al

 

Anyone else not surprised Habro pulled another 'we don't know what MP figures are again' at Botcon?

I know it's largely irrelevant to most of us as we pick up the Takara versions but I still find it a waste this line doesn't have more presence/awareness in the USA and Europe in general due to the half assed way they've gone about it. Seems a shame.

 

That's not really what I meant..

And that was more of a joke/observation than any serious suggestion that 3Ps should take of the production of G1 MPs  

I too would like everyone to get what they want, but hoping MP Optimus primal will tank so they go back to doing what you want is hardly a charitable thing to say.

My amusment came mostly from knowing that every time someone suggests in this thread that the line should expand outside of G1 they invariably get shot down by people who are overly protective of 'thier' line and what they think is right or best for it. This 'should' put a stop to that.

For what it's worth I think your right there and I'd be more than happy to see that happen. However, if it's not the case, I'm not going to get to upset that MP Sunstreaker is being passed over in preference of a truely iconic Beast Wars Character like Dinobot or Cheetor.

I'm a G1 fan first and for most, grew up with it, loved it. I'll be pre-ordering Ironhide and Ratchet along with everyone else. However Beast Wars was imo far and away a better TV series, with better characters and stories. Therefore I'm over the moon that we are getting an MP Primal and rediculousy excited at the prospect of further MP releases from BW or indeed any other line.

 

I don't want to split hairs, and I'm certainly not trying to incite any bad feelings, you're a fave poster of mine, but for many of us (myself included) BW is G1.

I certainly would not object in the least to a seperate numbering system.
Simultaneously, much like a Star Wars fan might expect to see a clone trooper in the same toy line as Han Solo, I see no reason that BW characters necessarily be abolished to a seperate numbering system. Inevitably, as time moves on, we'll likely see other incursions from more distinct timelines. Much like MP Exhaust getting his own number, these changes will happen, and I think its better to let go of our worries, and just enjoy whichever releases appeal to ourselves.

I will happily point out that despite just having recieved a leader class release in the Takara Legends line, Optimus Primal is now being ushered into the MP line. I think this bodes well for the (hopefully inevitable) MP Megatron v 2.0...who some worried might be diminished by the Legends figure being marketed as scalable to MP-10.

 

Where to begin...  

Whilst you're correct, this, to me, is the kind of thing that you only notice when you hold up a screenshot of the cartoon versus a photo of the figure and study them intently for some time. It might be the very definition of a nitpick, sorry to say.  

That does look good. I will admit that I'm not quite sure they've completely nailed the head sculpt on this one yet, but I'm hopeful that as more pics are released we'll see some development on this. They definitely have made changes to MP headsculpts in the past, and usually I think they're excellent, so fingers crossed.

Exactly.

Now, as for Beast Wars, let me start by saying that I'm a huge fan of the cartoon and the line in general, and it makes me really happy to see Optimus Primal as a Masterpiece, assuming that it's part of a separate sub-line or some such. Very happy to see a 'broadening' of the line as some folk are calling it, but not in place of the line as it is now. I think the two should run concurrently, if anything. So...

Booster, I appreciate your enthusiasm for Beast Wars, but I disagree with your assertion that 'G1 fans have had it so good for so long' and that they've 'more than their fair share of Masterpiece figures'. We're talking about a line that (to date) has had 24 main releases in 12 years - hardly 'more than our fair share', is it? We're not exactly living the high life with an average of 2 releases a year. Equally, no-one here has said that they don't want to see Beast Wars happen as a separate MP line, just not in place of the regular G1 line. You want to see iconic characters like Cheetor happen - so do I, but I also want to see iconic characters like Mirage, Hound, Sunstreaker, Jazz, Ratchet... the list goes on. We have never had anything even approaching MP style versions of most of these characters.

Anyway, that said, I'd be thrilled if we say a separate BW MP line, and would indeed find it hard not to indulge myself. In the meantime, let's just see how this pans out.  

I understand the POV, and whilst I agree that in fiction there is a link between G1 and Beast Wars, they are still two completely separate lines, and I'd rather see them as such, if nothing else so that each line gets the quality and focus that it deserves.

 

BW is not G1, it came after G1 ended, and proof is that it recasts a ton of the same character in new forms, therefore it's a new generation. It also came years after I stopped watching cartoons as a kid. I watched G1. I did not watch BW (in fact, I thought it was rather stupid the couple times I ran across it on TV).

Regardless, I hope we see more G1 MPs without BW siphoning any of the magic away from G1.

Speaking of G1 MP speculation, I hope we see a really nice Mirage soon. They just revealed him in CW Deluxe form (mostly a re-tread of Dragstrip, but still looking nice) so hopefully an MP won't be too far behind.

 

Ignorance is bliss eh?

 

Rose-colored glasses, eh?

 

Actually, it doesn't recast any characters - they're completely new characters. Many of the original characters actually appear as themselves in the show, including Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream...

 

Fair point. I think what I mean is as a G1 fan there's lots to be thankful for and despite the incredibly slow release schedule, what we have got and continue to get is incredible. I never originally expected the line to go much further than 2-4 major characters. We may have had to wait ages for them but, compared to what Beast Wars fans have got out of the Generations line for example, what we've got has been fantastic.

I agree that the best situation would be for there to be seperate Beast Wars MP line/sub-line or just an increase in numbers of releases a year to alow them to be incorporated into the line without affecting the number of G1 figures released. However I do feel that if that isn't possible, as a fan of both G1 and Beast Wars, I'd find it disapounting but acceptable for there to be one or two less G1 releases a year to accommodate a BW release or two.

Whatever happens I'm really excited by both Ironhide and Primal and can't wait to get both if them. Ratchet surely must also be right around the corner and who knows what next!?

 

Fair enough. I'd be really surprised if it's not a separate numbering system. Fingers crossed everyone will get more of what they want and then we'll all be happy. I'd be really excited to see a BWMP-02 Megatron!  

 

I agree with this.

Masterpiece should be primarily be for G1 characters, but it's unfair to ignore the other series and fans who stuck with the Transformers brand all those years.

I don't want TT to stop releasing G1 MP's or diminish its output, but I don't object to an occasional non-G1 MP like MP Primal and BW Megatron (who are technically just as G1 as Star Saber or Ginrai) or Armada Optimus and Megatron. 2015 is actually a good example of this with MP Star Saber (designed by someone else) and I wouldn't object if 2016 does the same with Primal, 2017 with for example BW Megatron and on and on.

 

Video Translation:

It's been years since I lived in Japan, so don't shoot me if I got anything wrong as my Japanese is a bit rusty:

Slide 1: They talk about the initial concept/first point for Ironhide: Which, obviously, was to create a small scale van that fits in Prime's trailer, while also being able to scale up to a large robot.

Slide 2: It seems he wants to rush through this slide: "Please look at this, got it? Next".

Slide 3: Ironhide is an arms / combat specialist so he comes with lots of optional parts

At 6:54: let's look at the thing.

Yuki-san's speech is a bit harder to understand. He basically explains that the tray carries the options in a way that you can display them. It's a very important part.

At 7:21 The presenter talks vehicle mode: a nissan vanette. I missed a couple of details.

at 7:34 the presenter mentions the head specifically. I think he's saying that the change from the original diaclone toy to this shape is impressive? Hope someone can help me with this bit...

Cheers!

 

24 -1 is hardly something to complain about.

My preference would just be for TT to churn through the Season 1/2 cast with this line, but we don't always get everything we want. Plenty of people bitching about "yet another Carbot" on here so even when the Line DOES stick to rigid G1 it still makes some upset.

I'm pretty sure with MP Primal in the works about the BEST BW devotees can reasonably expect is an MP BW Megatron - and TT haven't exactly been rushing to give us Bad Guy Leaders up to now note - and that probably counts as your "year".

No skies falling yet.

 

I disagree with parts of the above statements---I believe that the MP line is finally coming to the right mindset as it is. That is, encompassing figures from other lines as well. If it's going to be the end all, be all line for high end collectibles, I would expect it to go beyond the first 3 years of a 30 year franchise.

Separate sub-lines can be argued in many ways---do not forget that the designers call the Mp cars part of the real-car [or whatever it was called, details fuzzy] subline, but we see no difference in numbering whatsoever.

I do agree that the G1 fans have had it GREAT, not just good, in the past few years. Not that it's a bad thing, but we've gone from MP09 in 2011 to MP27 in 2015, and besides Exhaust and Star Saber, everybody is pure American G1 through and through. That's 18 releases in 4 years, and it's not counting Soundblaster, the diaclone repaints or the G2 repaints.

Primal's role in the franchise goes way beyond and above Hound's, Mirage's etc, and certainly above Star Saber. It's only fitting he's coming out, and I hope he paves the way for more releases like this.

 

WTF did they do with this Ironhide head?
Who did design it? Simply unacceptable.
And its chest is way off... I look at the pics and I see a fat belly as opposed to a large chest. In the animation Ironhide has a chest AND a belly, here is just the front of the van and it looks ridiculous. Just seems a fat belly warrior with a squeezed head and crossed eyes.

WTF are you doing TAKARA?
After seeing that abominous MP I think I'm just starting to re-evaluate buying apollyon