In the latest edition of Japanese hobby magazine, an article talking about the future of the Transformers Masterpiece series reveals that the 2014 Masterpiece series releases will have a new designer – Hironori Kobayashi will be taking over the reins from Shogo Hasui, who brought us the Masterpiece series releases from MP-10 Convoy version 2 through to now. (Unfortunately, no mention is made of what Mr. Hasui will be doing in the future, if anything. Is he simply taking a break in 2014, only to return later for more projects? What we do know is that the upcoming Masterpiece Wheeljack is one of his designs – but beyond that, we’ll just have to wait and see…)
You need not worry, though, because Hironori Kobayashi is no stranger to the Transformers Masterpiece series – he was the designer on the first nine Masterpieces that Takara and later Takara-Tomy released, from MP-01 Masterpiece Convoy/20th Anniversary Optimus Prime to MP-09 Rodimus Convoy. He also did the initial work on MP-03 Starscream, which was revised by Shoji Kawamori. Mr Kobayashi’s other Transformers design credits include the Alternity series.
Please note that this does not affect the design of the Masterpiece Star Saber, which is being undertaken by Hishashi Yuki as previously reported.
shadowfall1976
I don't give a shit who's name is on the figures design sheets. If I like it I like it if I don't I don't.
I for one love Magnus. Tracks is a good figure and looks good in all modes. Ironhide and Ratchet are good looking figures too, no doubt much better in hand. The one thing that bugs me is the pack on Rodimus, I'd like it to be smaller, but whatever, in most poses he still looks good.
I find the back of the Datsun legs unflattering, but it's also a byproduct of transformation, but, I hardly ever look at the backs of my figures anyway. And even if I did, it's nit enough to make me call shit.
The following aren't my thoughts, but just what I can remember from early MP mold threads.
Some complained about the empty feet on Wheeljack, the wide chest and hollow shins on Sideswipe. Bee's back pack, hollow forearms, lack of finger articulation and lack of wrist swivel. Oh, forgot Clown feet… Not to mention the complaints about the fake wheels on Red Alert, and, I think something about the eyes on the Lambo mold.
Gorilla arms on MP-10…
But shitty MP design = Kobayashi…exclusively… ???
ambitron
Appreciation of design aesthetics is, of course, entirely subjective, so absolutely fair enough if that's your opinion. I can't see the problems with Kobayashis' work over Hasui's myself, though. I actually think Hasui – this could get me lynched! – is a little overrated. Actually, no, that's not true; he is a superb designer who has designed some of my favourite MPs, and he deserves all the praise he gets. All I mean by this is that I think he gets put on a pedestal a bit too much, as though everything he has done is gold and nothing else can match it, whereas I think some of the non-Hasui MPs are equally as good.
MP-10, Sideswipe, Bumblebee – these are my favourite of the car 'bots, no question. And Tracks left me a little cold, too, but plenty of people loved him. However, Ultra Magnus is, to me, a superb figure. Okay, he lacks a little in articulation, but aesthetically he's perfect (the butt flap doesn't bother me) and the transformation is one of the most fun of all the MPs, up their with Bumblebee and Sideswipe, my two other favourites.
Ironhide, Ratchet, Hot Rod and Shockwave all look great to me, so I don't share your dislike of their aesthetics (I don't think we know for sure that Kobayashi did all of these, do we? I thought they'd brought in some other designers, too). Sure, those hip flaps aren't perfect, but it's not as though Hasui didn't ever have to make compromises, such as half a car hanging off Bumblebee's back.
And on the flip side, although I like the Datsuns a lot, they are far from perfect with a transformation I don't enjoy much at all thanks to that leg wiggle you have to do and very limited thigh movement. And Wheeljack I rate about the same as Tracks, his backpack having very similar issues with having to get parts out of the way of each other during the transformation as Tracks.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see Hasui back designing for the line, too, but right alongside Kobayashi and the others to bring us more figures. I love Hasui's designs; I just don't see them as being as infinitely superior to Kobayashi's as many seem to.
onnsake
I tried to like Kobayashi's stuff but I just can't.
I bought Tracks and it was the biggest letdown I've had with an MP since I first opened MP 09.
And now the more pics that are surfacing of Ironhide just make me shake my head with all the stupid and ugly design choices he made.
Hasui was a legend. His MPs are the best Transformers toys I've ever owned. Even Devastator is amazing cause it shares the sensibilities and aesthetics of his MP work.
People say it sarcastically, but I'm dead serious. Fail Kobayashi. Fail.
He sucks. Get him away from all future MPs.
Bring back Hasui!
Stepper
By the time MP100,i guess all of us in this forum will no longer be around,haha. Or there will be collectors who are living till 70yrs old,80yrs old,that will be super hardcore collectors,cheers.
BWfan86
I don't even think that there ever needs to be another MP reboot. If they are planning a future reboot, that means that they are not doing their best to optimize the figures they are making now.
Rather than a reboot, maybe 5-10 years down the line they will move onto to a different era
LegendAntihero
I wouldn't want Takara to do a reboot of the MP line again so soon. The next reboot should be when they make MP100.
botfan
I had lengthy discussions with other members on how the US market doesn't matter and is not the focus of the MP line. My statement was to speculate on how the movies might affect that market and the MP line. Maybe if you'd ask what I meant you could be more informed; low priority, I'm sure, for someone that has Hasbro LIES to the US under his name.
DPrime
Hopefully, if that does happen, it's more of a "soft reboot". Maybe a Convoy V3, Starscream V3, and then some new characters, more in scale with past releases than not.
Go 'murica.
Knightdramon
With the release schedule and all that, it does not have that much more life in it. 3 more years like the past 2, at max? Which will just bring us full force with Magnus, Galvatron, Megatron, maaaaybe Shockwave and Cyclonus/Blaster/Perceptor [big maybes] and 4-5 more cars at best.
Then it will probably reset again, change focus, or change universe.
TigerBlade
Add combiners to that sub group
botfan
Lol, I'm the troll? Sure thing. I'm glad we're done. I was trying to be dismissive from the start and didn't really want to discuss.
I agree with this. The TF series in general is on a wave of popularity right now that can't last forever. A lot of older fans with more money are coming out of the shadows right now and want to relive their childhood, but they won't stick around. I really do question how much life the MP line has in it. A few years from now, we might still be seeing releases, but not at the same rate as we do now. Of course, there are members here who would disagree, since the US is not the "Target" market and our childhoods are irrelevant to MP sales. We'll see how this affects japan also.
DPrime
Well… So what? It's different, it has more scope, a sense of scale… And a MODERATELY increased release schedule. Okay, maybe not so moderate compared to one per year or whatever it was, but still very limited compared to any other line.
I'm not saying you're wrong absolutely – just that I wouldn't count on it. For all we know, even if it does have an effect, they'll do more "movie masterpieces".
Yeah, maybe. There's sense in what you say, sure – but not enough evidence for me to think it'll happen this way.
Ugh, I hope not. I'd love a new Hot Rod, but Rodimus looks just fine. Hey, if he's someone's absolute favorite, I get it. For me, he's not, so I'd prefer to get new characters or a redo we REALLY need, like Megatron.
I'm iffy I the whole Grimlock thing. I'll be getting Scoria, so maybe I'll feel more strongly about a bigger Grimmy then. I'm certainly not opposed to it like I am to Rodimus Prime V2.
I don't think that's true at all. Grimlock is iconic enough to own on his own, for more casual collectors anyway. Price and shelf space will be a factor for many.
Totally with you here.
KPhilipsen
How do you feel about Fans Toys? They've posted on the 3P forums that they plan to cover MP representations of all 4 Dinobots and will do Grimlock if TT hasn't made a v2 by then. I consider Masterpiece Dinobots covered for my collection personally.
zappatton2
Yeah, I think we need a scaled up Grimlock before we get the other dinos. Could always start with an in-scale Sludge; you could stand him next to smaller Grimlock and say "he's a sauropod", but also it would create demand for a proper Grimlock. Who know, it would be nice if a new direction with "special teams" was considered. Maybe a MPST twin line, give us our sub-groups without mucking up the Ark/Nemesis releases. ALL WISHFUL THINKING BASED ON NOTHING MORE THAN THAT.
FoC Grimlock
Yeah, everything I've seen in interviews points to them being as corporate as can be. Whatever data they use to determine who gets made is internal and probably spans the full 30 years of the franchise
KPhilipsen
The likelihood of a Japanese designer like Mr. Kobayashi caring at all about the opinions of posters on this board or even being aware of it's existence is highly unlikely. The Japanese are a very insular people. Our opinions as foreigners would be very politely ignored.
TigerBlade
Wishful thinking?
Regards official MP Dinobots TT are between a rock and a hard place. Do they do the rest to the same scale as MP08 and therefore ignore the scale chart they are working too…..or do they make a Grimlock v2 + others bigger than MP10 and incur the wrath of this fickle fandom who just spent out on the re-issue of MP08?
If I was a betting man I'd go with the former (if it ever happened). Fanstoys get my money here especially when you factor in the number of years it potentially will be until we ever saw official Dinobots anyway.
tikgnat
IMO if Takara made clear that they were going to do a full line up of MP Dinobots (all it needs to be is a third party silhouette tease) and they would have pretty much guaranteed sales of every figure from people who already own a MP Grimlock.
Also, here's a thought, if I were coming into a job and there was a lot of dislike and outright negativity over my appointment I would either be i) really pissed off or ii) really pissed off.
But he's Japanese, so I guess professionalism would help buffer any feeling he has toward his treatment. My point is here's a fella who's gonna try his best to give us what we want, and really there's no reason why he won't, so why don't we all cut him a bit of slack?
Superquad7
Here are some of my thoughts on the issue:
SQ7's Masterpiece Speculation Part 3
SQ7's Masterpiece Speculation Part 4
Afterburner
Hot Rod is only a joke compared to the current scale. I think they did a great job of pulling off 4 in one and you have two luxury's – in Hot Rod modes he scales with MP-1 and MP-5. In Rodimus Prime mode he scales with all the new MP's from MP-10 on.
I think that's pretty cool and gives a bridge from the old to the new.
It will be hard to top him for me. I really never thought they could make a pure Dery design jump off the screen like that.