Masterpiece Prowl and Bluestreak Amazon Japan Exclusive Launchers

As mentioned in the MP Prown and Bluestreak thread.

Paying extra to turn a screen accurate figure into a non screen accurate figure is not my thing.

They are cool for those that want their MP's to reflect the G1 toys.

Geez, for as much as these things go for, it's annoying that they don't all include every accessory. It's getting like video game preorder bonuses.

meh, eventually doctor wu will release better versions of these

yeah you need to buy both Prowl and Bluestreak to get a pair of launchers.

Really. Pretty ridiculous.

As much as these go for? I'd tend to agree if they cost the same as Prime or Starstcream but I paid £28 each for them (less than most of us will have paid for certain CHUG figs at some point) and they come with cartoon accurate shoulder cannons. For a line that is aesthetically very cartoon orientated and given that these extras are only available from one place and aren't that aesthetic I think you are being a tad harsh.

I'm no stickler about their prices since I'm more then willing to pay it, and I certainly don't want to beat that dead horse. I generally haven't minded some stores including a coin, either. I just feel that, for the price MOST of us will be paying, it would be nice to know we are getting all the accessories designed for said figure, weather it fits a particular aesthetic or not. If a store wants some way to get a jump on competition, offer a discount or go with something like the coin as it's not really a part of the figure's design. I'm also a big gamer, and I do get a little tired of knowing I'm missing out on something just because I'm buying the game at one place and not another. Granted, games are still way worse with these types of offers, but you never know if they will slide down that slippery slope.

Sonofabitch...

This is absurd. Not only are they exclusive, but you have to double dip just to get one set?

I'm not getting any of these, but if I did, it would've been Bluestreak. As such, I certainly would've wanted the launchers (as that IS screen-accurate, in addition to being cool).

MPs are already ridiculously overpriced. But at least they usually include plenty of accessories so I feel slightly less like I'm getting fleeced. This is just gouging.

Yeah, this is some bullshit right here. I mean I get cool little exclusives like Energon cubes and stuff like that. But this one is fucking ridiculous.

My wife said it today, and it's the fucking truth. We are nickled and dimed by everything now a days. Nickle and Dimed.

Yeah, the Soundwave energon cubes I was fine with, and even Sideswipe's piledrivers. But this is a basic part of the character's appearance.

It's like one of the cassette packs coming with Soundwave's shoulder cannon. No, it's worse because if you get Soundwave, you're more likely to get one of the cassette packs. If you get Bluestreak, you're probably LESS likely to double dip unless you care about the incentive.

They're not included as the characters didn't have them on the cartoon.

Apparently these Masterpiece (Prowl/Bluestreak/Sideswipe/Red Alert) are already pushing the limit of their budget at their 5,800 Yen price point. So including extra accessories might not be an option except for big retailers like Amazon.

Randy

Except... Bluestreak did. He's always had the shoulder cannons. And I really, really doubt they're pushing their budget that much, considering these are the size of Alternators.

And they never ever appeared with just one AFAIK. (plus it looks stupid). Having to buy both just to get a single set? (and thus, not correctly-colored for Bluestreak).

FT is giving us alternate-color hands for Quakewave for free. Takara is making half a set of weapons an exclusive...

Eh, it's a little weird that they're not already included, but as long as they're available individually like the piledrivers were at least it's an option if I want a set.

Or there's Dr. Wu.

this. I really don't like the official amazon ones anyway. perhaps wu can cook up some 100% chrome ones that will actually be sold in sets.

But you are getting rocket launchers......just not the toy versions.

I didn't mind paying extra for Sideswipe's chrome "piledrivers," because they look like an entirely different accessory, and one that's not crucial to his character. The fact that you only get 1 of the shoulder guns is bad enough, but the fact that it's just a superior version of the standard accessory is a little irksome. Should have been a taser gun with a rope attached or something.

They both have the cartoon accurate versions (even Prowl). It's the extra toy like ones that only come with the Amazon.co.jp versions.

Also I'm going by what the designer Shogo Hasui said in the interview, that it is very difficult to make these figures at the appropriate size and scale. These figures are more complex than the Alternators in a lot of ways if you don't count the interiors of the Alternators.

Randy

Thank you for clarifying. I'm sorry about that, I took it to mean that the only way to get launchers was this way.

... still think the fact you get one per character is complete and utter bullroar, but my outrage was way overblown by my ignorance.

Dammit. I want those launchers.

Haha! No... just no. I'll get the regular versions.

I always said that if Transformers turned into Malibu Stacy accessorizing, I would have to pass. 1 launcher per figure is epic-level Malibu Stacy bullshit and I'm not playing. Sideswipe's pile drivers will probably stay in the box forever, I doubt I'll miss these.

Hallelujah!!!

Prowl needed these badly. Those things they built in (in white) really weren't cutting it.

Not sure if I'll get Bluestreak with these or not (probably), But Prowl must have them.


EDIT: Ooh, I didn't read closely enough. Only one per figure? That's really disgusting. Still, I was considering getting both anyhow. I guess this doesn't change anything- but it is now the single crappiest stunt Takara has ever pulled with an MP toy.

This gets to the heart of the problem.

The cartoon versions aren't necessarily the best looking versions of the characters we've had. The cartoons intentionally minimized detail to make animating less expensive. Since around MP 9 when they really began focusing on cartoon likeness rather than a mix of cartoon/toy/interesting cool new details the MP's have started to become less detailed. It's really disappointing.

What part of Transformers would that be a reference to?

The cheap, stupid gimmicks most deluxes come with.

It should light up, have non locking springs and be unidentifiable though.

Just wait, 3rd party will be cheaper than trying to buy 2 of these and will more than likely look better to boot. Really not feeling this gimmicky extra crap from TT these days.

They have gone full retard this time... Pile Drivers i can understand. But withholding accurate launchers is kinda a bad decision...

deeez nuts

Wow, Takara, just...wow. This is hardly equivalent to the alternate piledrivers, this is something necessary to giving these characters their quintessential (non-animated) look. I only want to pick up Prowl and I gladly would have paid like an extra $8 or whatever it would have added to the cost to have a pair of these included. This is the worst type of collector-milking nonsense.

Bit pants really.

Yep, so don't be too worried peeps.

It's only milking us if we GO for it.

I plan to buy the figs, but I'll be buying the regular flavored ones and then if nicer missile launchers are made I'll buy them from whatever 3rd party decides to make them.

If nobody buys the Amazon ones, maybe they'll wise up and knock it off.

yeah but.... "You see, it's the principal. There's principalities in the whole thing"

Haha, second that

THIS^ Im surprised we havent learned this yet.

Meh they don't look that great.

Some nice poses in these pics. Look at those ankle tilts!

lol double dipping just to get a full set AND its ane exclusive? no thanks.

DR. WU or other 3rd party guy.... WE NEED YOU! obnoxious stuff like this is reason 3rd parties will get love from fans.


**EDIT** oh and btw bluestreak's launchers should be red....so theses are really just prowl's launchers.

i don't believe that for one second. even at 5800 yes MSRP, there is a HEALTHY margin for manufacturers and retailers on making toys like this. i do think maybe it is pushing the limit as for maintaining that healthy margin.

Everybody's doing exclusive this and that nowadays. The gaming industry is the worst and they're shooting themselves in the foot.

It's the same with convention exclusives. San Diego comic-con ones are super difficult to get (any company, not just TFs) and more than often those who can't make it there have to pay ridiculous scalper prices on the secondary market.

How about offering the possibility of paying for those exclusives or extras parts ? Those who don't care save money and those who want them pay for it. In the end everybody wins. I'm sure companies would make more money this way than by offering them through conventions or exclusive deals.

How many TFs fans, right now, would like to buy a Hasbro MP-10 Optimus Prime ? My guess is a LOT (judging by the amazon UK short lived frenzy). But by making it Toys R Us exclusive it was rare to begin with and now its almost 3 times it's original retail price on the secondary market.

The industry needs to rethink hard about what and how their customers what to buy their products. Heck, most of the time people want to pay for these things, why make them super hard to get ? Is something rare even matters to most of us ? Many are buying TFs not for the rarity factor but just because the character or mold is cool.

My guess is that 3D scanning and printing will oblige many companies, especially toy companies, to rethink about all of this. Just as mp3's forced the music industry to change.

Soon enough will be able to scan something and have it printed in a couple of minutes.

Who's going to pay for pile drivers and rocket launchers then ?

Godspeed
-Greenspan

Hey, I like it! The shoulder cannons do look more substantial than the ones we saw previously, and the ability to wield them in vehicle mode reminds of the Stunticons and such. Shame about the double dipping fiasco though.

why is it so hard just to make rockets you can peg into the pre-existing cannons that are already a part of each figure?

Looks neat but I'll wait for a 3rd party version.

We will just have to wait 3 or 4 months after release so he can copy them, hopefully in diecast like the Lambor pile drivers.

I have no doubt in my mind this will happen.

Well, guess who won't be ordering the amazon version? This guy.

WTF is this bull****? : /

They look..... okay... Wrong colors though. Prowl's should be white, and Bluestreak has grey/silver ones.... Not a worthy design on these... Kinda disappointed in the overall design of the launchers on these releases. Not that it is going to make me cancel my Pre-orders...