I think that your question is a two tier one.

1) representation of the character
2) representation of a "perfect" toy version

For me, 1) doesn't matter that much, I collect toys, and while I know most characters from the cartoons and comics, I don't buy a single toy because I "like" a character, but because I like the toy.

2) nope, I'm too much a perfectionist, and I always end up looking at a toy and seeing the few things that COULD have been done to make it better. Note that I'm not talking about extreme things here but simple things for most. There's a huge difference with loving a figure and it being perfect.

The closest to perfect would be almost all of Siege, but again, they are so close but still, minor things that Hasbro could have done would have improved them to virtually perfect. It has to do with quality control, as a few did have issues that I had to correct. Some are the obvious gaps that I really hate, others, a single moving panel fixes that issue, others would need wrist rotation. All of these things would be very simple and made them so much better.

Ultra Magnus' 3rd party kits for the gaps and Soundwave's kit for the hands cavity/back parts, Sideswipe's 3rd party (Nonnef) weapons are great examples of what SHOULD have been in the box.

At least ankles have finally been realized with Siege, and I believe that no one can argue that the ankle tilts aren't amazing to have.

 

For me, Siege Jetfire is the ideal representation of the character. It's the figure that I've been wanting since 1985 when I was a kid watching the G1 cartoon. Sure, I had G1 Jetfire, but that's not what we saw on the TV show.





All of the other Generations versions are composite representations that don't, IMHO, quite hit the mark, although T30 Jetfire comes the closest, having a robot mode resembling the TV character and a jet mode looking as close as HasTakTomy could conceivably get to the Macross original, and they still got sued by Harmony Gold for it.



I think the thing that I like most about Siege Jetfire is that his two modes look like Skyfire in the G1 show in a way that no other official toy has managed, but you can use his his accessories to make him look more like the G1 toy, at least in robot mode. The third party antennas help a lot with this.

 

The toys I'm less satisfied with are the CW Scramble city combiners, mainly because there are too many remolds and repaints.
I love MP Ultra Magnus, but I'd like to have a version with the cab transforming into a white Prime. In early bought the Siege version in multiple occasions, and maybe I'll pull the trigger next year.
Fortress Maximus is one of my favourite characters, but sadly the TR version I have is not the ideal representation. I would have liked more the Takara one, but the price difference was simply too big at that time.
I recently bought the Planet X Desthsaurus, and while it's a very cool figure it's not the ideal one since it's IDW styled instead of g1.

 

Cartoonishness and perfection does not automatically equate into the factor. For example, your toy could be much loved, but have odd proportions or parts.

Ideal is left up to the individual to decipher.

 

Astrotrain-Mine is TR. He's a great fig. He's big, bulky and imposing. My only issue, is that he has a more smoother, modern bullet type alt train, instead of the classic train.

 

In my collection I must have at least 3 minimum of the same character to signify his evolution in the as a character. Cybertron, Earth and Upgrade. Starscream himself has gone through So much in TF. Air commander, Pretender, Action Master, Combiner, Ghost, Demi-God and so on. My ideal Starscreams are:
WFC Starscream
Universe Starscream
Henkei Ghost Starscream
CW Starscream - For when he gets Super charged.
POTP Starscream - He used the Enigma on himself.
Energon Starscream - as his upgrade from a F-15 plane.
I just do not have a Pretender Shell yet to go with him. I also would like the TFCC G2 SS on my shelf but that guy is along the bottom of my "have to get" list.

 

Siege Megatron is the representation I've been hoping for since forever. G1 styling, tank mode, voyager class, no gimmicks. Maybe the Earthrise version will win me over more, but right now I'm finally happy with a mainline Megatron.

 

Nice collection! Is a group of Starscreams called a Plot or a Scheme of Starscreams? The ghost one is really cool.

 

Thanks. I am taking bets on who can out back-stab one another.

 

I've learned that when I say I have the perfect representation of any said character, a better version, IMO anyway, comes along and shows me how wrong I was. But there are a few I think I can say that I am 85% sure that I will not have to look at any future releases:

*Siege Jetfire - I remember getting Classics 1.0 Jetfire and then Leader Class "Thrilling 30" Jetfire, but I was never really happy with those because I wanted a "Skyfire" version and the Siege figure scratches that itch perfectly so I don't see myself getting any other version.

*Siege Astrotrain - Pretty much same with Jetfire. Siege might be small at leader class but what sells him for me is the TV accurate paint and the train mode that actually looks like an old steam engine. So I think I'll be happy with him into the future.

*Siege Reflector - They look close to the TV show and they turn into a camera. Good enough for me.

*Takara Legends Nightbird - The Generations Arcee mold was damn perfect for Nightbird. She is poseable and comes with some pretty cool accessories. I did not feel the need to get the Selects version.

*United Stepper/Ricochet - Same as Nightbird above. Goes without saying that the RTS Jazz mold fits very well with Ricochet. The Selects version felt like a downgrade.

*Titan Class Metroplex/Fort Max/Omega Supreme/Predaking/Devestator - Omega Supreme is damn near perfect to me, so I don't see the need to get any other version. The rest, while not perfect, are good enough for my display. Biggest reason I don't see myself upgrading is the prices of Titan Class figures and the potential for that price to increase as time goes on for that size class.


and I don't have them yet, but with Earthrise Optimus Prime w/ Trailer and voyager Starscream coming...unless they end up being a QC nightmare, I think these will be the definitive versions of these characters to the point where I hopefully won't have to buy anymore G1 "updates" to these guys.

 

Nightbird-Mine is Generation Selects. I am of course happy to have a version of Nightbird because she's a bad-ass. She is a bit disappointing though. A bit loose limbed and not the easiest to pose, as she tips over a lot.

 

In a lot of cases no... But Seige is changing that little by little. There are some holdouts... Mostly combiners, insecticons, dinobots... That I will probably have to go 3P to get what I want. Last year I made G2 Arkose my first 3P purchase because Hasbro will never give us a proper G2 Beachcomber.

 

Studio Series Bumblebee. I grew up with Bee as a muscle car, and while the MPM-3 Bumblebee is a better figure and SS-18 Bumblebee represents a better take on the character, SS-01 captures all the best elements of Bee to me. He's short for a Deluxe (though admittedly not for a Studio Series Deluxe), the lanky proportions give him a sense of being physically weaker than most of his peers, and I actually like the gas mask looking mouthplate. SS-18 is close, but the way the back folds up is a little nerve-wracking. Plus I can always pretend SS-01 is Bumblebee at the end of his spinoff movie.

 

I listed off a lot of my preferences here a few weeks ago but I took a couple of photos this evening. Not everyone I'd previously listed but just a few I had at hand.



Looking at Scorponok, Soundwave, Ravage, Kickback and Blackjack, there's something kind of nice about the fact that after 36 years I haven't felt the need to replace them. That said I do hope to pick up the new Scorponok.

Even Robotmasters Mirage who was originally made for G2 still holds up in my optics. I realise none of them have modern articulation but that's something I can ignore.

 

For me, I'm a chug collector and I'm just gonna list them all off here:

Yes, My Ideal representation:
'Bots:
Siege Mirage
Siege Ironhide
35th Bluestreak
Siege Red Alert
Siege Hound
Siege Impactor
TR Blurr
Siege Magnus
POTP Windcharger
Siege Crosshairs
All Micromasters

'Cons:
Siege Shockwave
Siege Reflector
POTP Blackwing
Siege Soundwave
Siege Cassettes
TR Rumble
Siege Spinister
Siege Skytread
TR Overlord
All my Thundercrackers

Not my ideal representation (And why):
'Bots:
Siege Optimus - I love him, Heavily customed, I just want the ER version
Prime Wheeljack - Great figure, doesn't blend with Chug.
POTP Hotrod - I don't use the trailer, a mess of a small mode but looks good, would like a better one.
TR Getaway - Nothing like the G1, I never cared for the IDW version.
POTP Inferno - Alright figure but I want an ER version.

'Cons:
Siege Megs - Great figure, I would like a better version
Siege Skywarp - (Custom starscream) ER would be better
POTP Battle Slash - looks like a mess and archaic compared to Skytread
Universe Cyclonus - I still love this figure to death, but the problem is his lack of articulation.

 

Siege and Earthrise have become my defacto preferred representations. As someone who only accepts pure G1 reps there two lines are the best ever since G1 holy shit.

I've been getting rid of everything older than WfC now, haha.

 

Grimlock-He was always one of my favorites as a kid because Rex rules. I have the PotP version. For the most part he looks pretty good, but that fat, flat tail annoys me. In fact, I do wish the dinobots had their tails a bit longer.

 

Just a few more...

 

This thread needs more pics...

 

Hopefully something new and not a rehash. Lean into the AEC trilogy for inspiration