Actually, in season 3 there are at least two instances when the matrix is inserted into Hot Rod's chest, and not Rodimus'. First in Dark Awakening. After the Optimus-Hot Rod fight Optimus insert the matrix into Hot Rod's chest. And in Burden... Hot Rod defeats Scourge and then puts the matrix in his chest (merges with it would be a better describtion), and immediately changes into Rodimus. So there's definitely a reason for Hot Rod to be able to have the matrix in his chest.

And thanks to an alternate face you can also use Hoodlum as a CHUG Rodimus Prime, giving another reason why this figure should be able to hold a matrix in his chest.

 

Yeah but the act of having it inserted makes him no longer hot rod... that's what I was getting at. When it's IN there, he's not hot rod any longer... unless it's empty, like in the trump rally episode where everybody turns red.

 

True. Inserting the matrix (almost) immediately turns him into Rodimus Prime. But he should be able to put it in his chest and thus have a matrix space.

 

That would explain why Takara's MP Hot Rod can hold MP-10's matrix in it's chest.

 

Dr. Morgan destroys the Autobots and Decepticons with facts and logic  

I honestly am indifferent with the need for a Matrix chamber with Hot Rod. Cool that it's there, but if it's going to hinder the design and/or function of the figure, i'd rather not have it.

I'm personally getting MP-28, myself, and i'll almost immediately be ordering a Bandai 30 Minute Missions add-on kit in order to replicate @SPLIT LIP's fix for his copy, if I haven't already ordered it at that point.

And honestly, in all fairness, I think this ends up looking better than Hoodlum's bulimic waist that I think ends up looking even more narrow than the cartoon model.

From what i've seen, I personally would have to disagree. While I can't say from firsthand with any of these, Lupus (doesn't function as a figure that well) and Tesla 1.0 (QC issues regarding stressed plastic being more drastic than the norm) seem to be on a similar playing field. Hoodlum is still a low-tier, absolutely, but I think he still has his merits. Though I would also add Rouge to that ground to a degree. While i'd agree she seems to be a bit better of a product than those three, she still isn't a knock-out release at the same time.

 

 

Careful saying that in here... these people carry nooses, pitchforks, and torches lol... I have an MP Hot Rod, and I think he's better on the shelf with his 86 movie cast. Even with @pezley 's shoulder fix parts, I am just not in love with Hoodlum.

 

Even with my shoulder fix I still think he's a trash figure. I made them so I just didn't completely hate the figure.

 

Pffffft, couldn't care less, I don't simp for any 3P like the DeFANders do.  

I'm not gonna post anything for the sake of not wanting to accidentally cross any lines but i'll just say, some of those "facts and logic" memes are pure riots of hilarity across the board, haha.

 

What is that waist piece for MP 28 and where can I get it? Makes the figure looks so much better. Thanks.

 

If you click the image, it'll take you to a thread for the fix itself.

 

Thank you sir, much appreciated.

 

Yeah, but the inferior in some ways, superior in other ways MP Hot Rods have the cavities for one. So does MP Ultra Magnus.

 

The difference with Rouge is...

1. She is a comparatively much more solid figure if you never (or extremely rarely) transform her, since she feels sturdy enough and looks good from all angles, unlike Hoodlum who looks and feels like a bunch of panels stacked together together with a pair of arms attached to the wrong place.

2. Arcee's design is understandably extremely difficult to make a transforming figure out of without serious compromises. Hot Rod is much easier to make a good figure out of...even his original G1 toy was fairly accurate. It really shouldn't be so hard to make a Masterpiece Hot Rod that looks good and accurate in both modes while also feeling sturdy and having a reasonable transformation.

 

Hoodlum can’t hold the matrix, but he can certainly hold a pose though.

 

Oof, that's a damning indictment if I've ever heard one  

 

Among other things, FT messed up by not giving Hoodlum alternate facial expressions. All the other FT 86 movie bots got them except Hoodlum. A Hoodlum 2.0 is definitely needed.

 

He's also the only one with flat colored eyes instead of metallic. Drives me nuts.

 

I love Hoodlum partly because ft made some improvements and changes to the initial design, possibly due to all of our complaining over the prototype. I mean, we really raised a stink. The figure looked much worse (in bot mode) in the beginning.

It's appreciated when companies really listen to fan criticism. Like when live-action Sonic was redesigned. Sometimes companies make changes due to fan feedback, that were probably for the worse, though.

 

Despite this being true, I agree with @ChromeMagnus . The improvements don't go far enough and the design already looks outdated.

I also much prefer the neck and collar on MP28.

If it was warranted in Sprindrift and Tesla's case, then a v2 is needed.

 

Even Hoodlum's box art is outdated compared to the other releases of the same time period.