I am definitely in the camp of "Make most things in Japan again".

Here's a side benefit: because Japanese stuff lasts longer, they will also be more environmentally friendly.

 

Disagree - everyone can do their part by not purchasing inferior products.

 

Sure but by taking the battle I meant voicing concern directly to Takara. Besides, their main concern is still sales in Japan.

 

You can do your part by simply returning yours to AJP if it's broken.

The Men of Bezos have been taught to fear two things:
1. The wrath of customers.
2. Hurting Kingpin's bottom line.

Eventually it's all somehow going to go back to Takara.

 

They’ll just stop carrying them, or not allow returns, I doubt it would change anything at TT.

 

Most people here can afford these because of AJP. I bet JP buyers are the same.

You think people will actually buy this at 159.99? No doubt some still will, but I bet 80% of the people here will be "f*** no", and I include the virtue signallers as part of the 80%.

Why do you think MP-44 is still available in ALL US retailers? 450 + tax? GTFO

 

It's a factory problem not a design problem (nor a choice of "new" direction in the mp line).
Hopefully the reissue will be solid

As for pre orders, it may be another story for me ...

 

How much is shipping to the states with Amazon JP? I always think I’m getting a deal and then realize everything is $50 to ship to Canada so most things end up costing about the same as it would anywhere else.

Also yeah, I don’t see MP-44 being hard to find for quite a while

 

I wish I had read this thread in more detail before taking the plunge. I ordered this guy from BBTS this past weekend and had him arrive already. Both door hinges are cracked out of the box. There's also what appears to be a crack in the paint running along the side under the hood. I'm sure there's other issues too based on this thread. I'm not even bothering to try and transform him.

This is just disgusting quality control for something at this price point. There's no way it didn't ship from the factory like this.

I'm hoping BBTS will just refund rather than try to exchange. It's clear they need to adjust their production in a subsequent run to fix these issues. This had all the potential to be one of my favorite figures too. I'll have to wait until a second run though.  

 

That's bad.

 

Really sorry to see that yours was a dud.

Are the ones through BBTS in TakaraTomy packaging only or do they have the Hasbro slipcover?

 

There is no angle. I suppose there is no other real way to illustrate TT’s outrageous behavior of charging more for less than on a thread of their latest MP not delivering even the basics right? In the long run, perhaps if enough people get the message and deliver vote with their wallet, then maybe TT will benefit in the long run. I actually want TT to succeed in delivering good toys. They are just not doing that at the moment, and in fact regressing badly.

 

As long as people return their broken figures, TT will get the message as it'll affect their profits. I'll continue preordering their figures and return anything that isn't up to snuff. Don't wanna miss out on these figures as they bring me so much joy  

 

So sad the people who live in third world country like me don't have this kind of luxury  .

 

Hear hear, this is what I've been saying since MP-36. I want to continue putting Transformers Masterpeices on my shelves, to continue supporting the line, to continue giving the rightful owner of this IP my money for a great product. However I've been loosing and have now lost lost faith in them delivering that. What's happened with Hound seems to indicate a continuing downward trend as prices continue on an upward one. I was feeling a little remorse over not pre-ordering one (on account of price and deco) for while... boy do I feel glad I didn't now!

We as fans shouldn't put up with TT continuing to putting out sub-standard products and not recognising it, recompensing for it and learning from it for future releases. As international customers outside of their domestic market we can't easily complain or return this stuff, the only power we have is in our wallet. I can and will send a message that this is unacceptable by abstaining from pre-ordering first runs and waiting for reviews before I either track down a copy or wait for a 'fixed' reissue. I'm keeping a better eye on the 3P and KO market too, because if I can't rely on TT to put out a good product I'll go elsewhere. They may own the IP but they need to earn my loyalty with products worthy of my money.

However even as I write this I think... what's the point? I'll probably get abuse for 'negativity' by those who seem to think if we don't keep validating their appalling behaviour TT will punish us in some way, make less figures, make them cheaper, charge us more for them etc etc. Wake up people! They already are, they are taking us for chumps.

 

just transformed him back to jeep then bot just to see if any new cracks developed, and fortunately it seems like my copy’s stable, with the only minor crack behind the left knee. i’m sure it’ll hold up, but the OCD in me is having aj send me a replacement tomorrow so i’ll see how that one is.

one thing i noticed while examining my figure that i don’t believe has ever been called out here... the fenders are on a horizontal swivel that greatly reduces the awkwardness when the butterfly shoulders are engaged! here’s what i mean:

BEFORE:



AFTER:



i still don’t like how the feet have some gappiness from all the integrated parts, and there’s a slight warp on my hood which won’t allow it to sit completely closed, but all in all i’m pretty pleased with hound. i really don’t feel like the plastic is brittle, and the more i transform and become familiar with him the more comfortable i am with moving him around, worrying less and less about breakage.

anyhow, hope you guys find this fender tidbit helpful!

 

I think we can all agree that Takara's only mistake was to include a spare set of wing mirrors with the figure when, in actual fact, the wing mirrors are the sturdiest pieces on MP-47 and what they should have included was a spare Hound.

 

here’s a couple more quick snaps of how far out his butterfly joints can go without the fender also butterflying out and blocking the range of motion:



only thing with this is that the fenders have to angle down a bit, looking like he has saggy tits lol, but damn am i impressed with his articulation!

 

My Hound

Lollll