MP44 has trouble getting the waist into a flat position once you employ that ab swing arm thingy. Sad part is, one Megatron blast at MP44 Prime's mid section while he's stretching will sever him in two. While TE01 and MS01 would fair better with a mid section blast from ole chrome dome.

 

Think about how much time/money/resources it would cost to completely redesign the thigh to fit the already existing transformation engineering and mass produce it, and it isn't realistic from a business standpoint. The panels and other moving pieces on the thighs don't allow for the clearance needed to add a swivel joint anywhere in the mid to upper area of the thigh.
Doesn't really matter though... still awesome and well articulated. I don't need a Prime that can do yoga. lol

 

TE-01 is solid at the waist because he has no articulation there, and MS-01 is connected by the sketchiest looking strut ever.

 

IDK.. See when I was a kid, I never felt Optimus or any other transformer necessarily needed an ab crunch. I mean, to me they are ROBOTS, and as a kid, the concept of a robot moving like we people do was kinda silly, something reserved for androids, but not Robots in the classical sense. So G1 bots, if they didn't have an ab crunch on the show, why would I have expected the toy to?? I mean it is a bit off to say he has no articulation, the waist can rotate. but beyond that, no.. Then again for me, I think that is enough. Thigh rotation would have been nice yes. But, I think given how prime moved in the cartoon, and the articulation of TE01, they are kinda on par there. Prime was never truly seen in any scene to be holding some action pose, that is a later collector focus trend that we developed over time. To me, TE01, is more like the cartoon bot in action, just like he is in likeness.

 

Hmm, kind of seems to me like this is supposed to negate the fact that TE-01 can't move like MP-44. If a being were to say, have the limitations of TE-01 they wouldn't be able to comfortably move like someone would want to. MP-44 can move like us, to an extent. Saying that just because you wouldn't imagine a robot to move like us, does not mean that these metal-like beings cannot move like us. You saying it's more realistic for Optimus to not be able to hunch over is just plain ignorant of the fact that in the show, these guys don't have visible jounts, they're just able to move, without having to alter their shape.

 

Well, there is a distinction. I wouldn't say I am being ignorant..yes thanks for that..
What I mean is yea, the cartoon could move a certain way, but when translated into 3D.. yea, I think TE01 actually does do it the way I would imagine. But a bot, doesn't move like a human and doesn't necessarily have to.

The premise of your response supposes I have some sort of MP44 envy. So I have to justify it by coming up with observations about TE.. the real reason is I am commenting on a figure I really like, and to support the reasons why I like him over MP44, are legitimate topics of expression here. I would also say that MP44 while not worth the price to me, is going to at some point, get Knocked Off, and most likely improved. What is funny is no one who owns MP44, seems to be commenting on that so much, as if they know, that an improved version at a cheaper rate, given they bought the official, could make them a bit bitter about spending all that money on something that wasn't worth it perhaps? The real awesome part about TE01 is that it is exactly what it presents itself to be, and what it also does is offer that goodness at an affordable price. It's got a lot of fans because of those two factors.

Now.. My real question is this:
When is someone going to adapt this for TE01?? 3D printer? Someone Please!! this would look awesome on TE01.

 

Agree to disagree; yup, an upgraded knock off would blow away MP-44.

 

Don't get me wrong, MP44 has a lot going for it. Namely and foremost, it's "Official" Status. Which affords it instant status. But of you took that aspect out, how do they stand on their merits alone? No one knows. But it is not conspiracy to wonder if it didn't have an affect on perception. Indeed tons of accessories is to justify the price. The trailer is essentially a fancy box, with tires. There are KOs of MP10 trailers that sell for around 70-80. So the figure alone, given costs, is pricey for all that engineering, but maybe appropriate given parts count.

But what I find fascinating about te01 is that they get there with simplistic engineering by comparison to MP44 and yet it's cleaner not all the bells and whistles with articulation but they get there in a sleeker way. They both have their merits. But the MP44 knock off is what I'm going to end up eventually purchasing and not the official.

 

TE-01 is eligantly simple, and MP-44 really isn't, but there is a reason for that. MP-44, as said before, has very subtle shaping, something TE-01 doesn't have. Many others like you would rather have a slightly less contoured Optimus if it means it can be clean. But for me, in my honest opinion, would rather have something that is a bit messy, in order to have a subtle eligance. If MPs moved forward in the path that TE is going, I'd be very underwhelmed, not because of any biased towards officials, but because I want to see the boundaries of transformers be pushed. MP-44 is one of the first, although messy, figures it do this. A knock off is probably the only way some prople will be able to understand and appretiate what MP-44 has brought to the table. It would be reasonably priced, thus allowing more people to afford it, and it could have the small improvements that rhe offical missed out on. If you, or anyone else want to see the potantial that I am saying MP-44 has, you can go to the wishlist thread I created. MP-44 definitly has offical only supporters, as well as people who hate it for just being out of their price range. If it was say, made by XTB and sold for $150 (base figure), I'm sure it would have had less hate, yet still be in the position it is in right know, going head to head, with equally good merits.

 

I see what you mean. It's kinda like this is MP44...ab crunch and all

While TE01 is more like this...

 

I'd say that lower panel does a diservice to TE-01 with it being a bit of a squished look for Optimus, but if you say so..... MP-44 NUMBER ONE MP-44 NUMBER ONE        

 

Fine.. I amend that pic with this. Much more appropriate .

  

 

Perfect

 

This contrast is compelling... I love TE. 

 

What's with all of this MP-44 discussion over here crapping up my TE thread? Wouldn't all this comparison discussion between the two be better suited to the VS thread?

 

MP-44 evangelists gonna evangelize.  

 

I just got my shattered glass TE-01E and love it.
The Matrix is red and so is the light in the rifle. Does not come with any stickers.

 

I was thinking about TE01 in truck mode.
since we'd all love to see an accessory pack, What about a weapons storage rack for the back of the cab where that little grey tab piece is.

Maybe a back shield?

Or weapons rack?

And if you really wanna get crazy, you could have a flat bed addition, that plugs into the back tab, and the trailer hitch adapter for the MP10, and make prime have a flat bed, which can carry bumblebee.

 

I just. Want the best + toy option
Not 100% sure which one is at this point
Leaning twords TE
But we will see how that plays out ? Which is soooooo hard to do bfr seeing
between the 3 options