New MPM reveal (MPM-10 Starscream)

Discussion in 'Transformers News and Rumors' started by ShylockZeuss, Apr 7, 2020.

  1. Megatron118

    Megatron118 Excelsior! Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2010
    Posts:
    12,981
    News Credits:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    312
    Likes:
    +19,807
    I didn’t even know there was a Takara version lol. Or at least, one with discernible differences. The left (his right) shoulder on mine is pretty loose but will still hold the missile cluster weapon most of the time; but certain perturbations will make it fall. Other shoulder is fine though.
    But good for y’all
     
  2. Paco Grande

    Paco Grande Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2017
    Posts:
    3,093
    Trophy Points:
    222
    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    Likes:
    +9,434
    There's a Takara release for all the MPMs. The packaging is pretty much identical except that the character name is in Japanese.

    For MPM-3 and MPM-4 there are definitely differences on the actual figures and in my opinion the Takara versions are much better. Bumblebee has black screws and slightly better yellow paint for example. Also his eyes aren't painted blue so the light piping is a lot more obvious. Prime has a much lighter shade of grey plastic that matches the die cast parts better and he tabs in much better in alt mode. For example the exhaust pipes actually clip into the stacks without mods. He also has a few more paint apps on the torso.

    But for MPM-5 onward they are pretty much identical with respect to decos. But I have a theory that the quality is slightly better because the Takara versions appear to be made in the factory after the Hasbro run so sometimes there are quality improvements. My theory, I have no proof of this.

    The shoulder joints on my MPM-10 are REALLY tight and click loudly. I'm not sure if they will wear down with a lot of use and get looser. I typically transform 2 or 3 times and stick my figures on the shelf so I don't get a lot of joint wear.

    After playing with Starscream a bit more he's definitely my favourite of the MPM releases so far. I'm really loving it despite the crappy deco colours. Mostly because there was absolutely nothing I had to fix out of the box and he has a lot of character in the sculpt. My only "issue" is that he is HUGE and I'm running out of shelf space. I really want the rest of the Decepticons from the 2007 movie but I have no idea where I will put them. They are all pretty huge.
     
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2020
    • Like Like x 2
  3. Megatron118

    Megatron118 Excelsior! Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2010
    Posts:
    12,981
    News Credits:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    312
    Likes:
    +19,807
    Yeah I knew about Prime and Bee’s differences but just assumed the rest were the same. But agreed, Starscream is one of the best MPMs. I only have him and Barricade. Would like to get Bee and Megatron soon, not sure on Prime just due to some of the engineering choices they made. Ratchet I’ll get if he’s heavily discounted at Target, but otherwise the SS version is good enough for me. Blackout is kind of the only MPM I want left. But if ThreeZero comes out with a DLX Blackout, I’d get that instantly and use that as the MPM. Same with a DLX Starscream
     
    • Like Like x 1
  4. Paco Grande

    Paco Grande Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2017
    Posts:
    3,093
    Trophy Points:
    222
    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    Likes:
    +9,434
    Update: I finally got around to transforming this beast back to jet mode without any instructions or videos and it was MUCH harder than going to bot mode. The torso and legs were very intuitive for me but the arms were a nightmare. It took a long time to figure out how to correctly place them under the legs. Also there isn't a lot of clearance between the legs and the body so I found it hard to squeeze the arms in there.

    I'm still really confused as to why they changed the deco so much from the Studio Series version which looks so much better. I showed MPM-10 and the SS version in jet modes to my wife and she actually thought they were made by two separate companies. It makes no sense. If they already put the effort into the SS figure, just copy the deco over to it's big brother MPM. It should have been simple.

    Starscream is just incredible in bot mode though.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  5. Raiyuki

    Raiyuki Low Class Seeker

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
    Posts:
    6,116
    Trophy Points:
    247
    Likes:
    +1,913
    I'm only missing Jazz, Ratchet, and Megatron (and MPM1 and 2) but if you have the chance to get MPM3 definitely do. He isn't necessarily anything special but he is just really well designed with a fun transformation and two nice looking modes. Out of the MPMs that one and Starscream are my two favorites. Optimus as far as i'm aware still has issues holding in alt mode and the swapped roof pieces even on the Takara version so as unfortunate as it is to say the KO is probably the most enjoyable way to experience it.
    I have yet to to transform him back but I imagined it'd be exactly as you described.
    Out of curiosity though what did they change from the SS to MPM versions? I assume the chest is one of those things as it seems oddly more silver but I haven't put the two next to each other to compare more.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  6. RHALX

    RHALX Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2007
    Posts:
    444
    Trophy Points:
    212
    Likes:
    +167
    I received the figure yesterday, bought him off ebay for like 60 bucks second hand.

    All those soft brown parts gave me grey hair, the voyager figure had lots of them as well but not as soft.

    It feels like it's a figure that won't last past the next 5 years.
     
  7. Paco Grande

    Paco Grande Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2017
    Posts:
    3,093
    Trophy Points:
    222
    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    Likes:
    +9,434
    The deco changes I'm talking about are for the F-22 alt mode. The SS version is more correct with a lighter colour on the edges of the wings, the tip of the nose etc. The MPM is actually the opposite and has a really dark almost blue colour on the wing edges and nose. Also random gold paint near the rear of the jet for no apparent reason. It looks really bad to me and much worse than the SS version. I just don't understand why they would use a different deco. If it ain't broke......
     
  8. Megatron118

    Megatron118 Excelsior! Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2010
    Posts:
    12,981
    News Credits:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    312
    Likes:
    +19,807
    The only soft brown parts on the figure itself are just the fingers though. I’m sure they’ll be fine, they don’t seem like super soft rubber; I mean, I hope they will, for everyone’s sake. There’ll probably be 3rd or 4th party hand add-ons/replacements
     
  9. Sentinel

    Sentinel TF Museum Curator Moderator

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2005
    Posts:
    9,627
    News Credits:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    337
    Location:
    Kansas City, Missouri
    Likes:
    +2,981
    Just as an FYI:
    We discovered in the KO thread that the ankles are backwards on the official and corrected on the KO. The round ankle should be on the inside according to the CGI and the figure seems to be designed with proper ankle tilt ratchets with the feet switched. Surprising, I know, but it appears to be so.

    860E5DD9-1675-470E-9DA1-7C5006EDD609.jpeg 6125A1D8-732A-41C2-961C-9615FEB5CB8E.jpeg 761875B1-73EC-481A-B92C-9482404C13AD.png
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2020
    • Like Like x 13
  10. Raiyuki

    Raiyuki Low Class Seeker

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
    Posts:
    6,116
    Trophy Points:
    247
    Likes:
    +1,913
    Out of curiosity do you know if MPM1 get the deco correct?
    I'm surprised it took the KO to make this apparent (which is to say I didn't realize it until reading this very comment) because the stock images on the box ALSO have it the right way. I'm a bit confused though; is it just the feet being swapped or is there something else that's swapped as well?
     
  11. Paco Grande

    Paco Grande Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2017
    Posts:
    3,093
    Trophy Points:
    222
    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    Likes:
    +9,434
    I’m pretty sure MPM-1 was done a lot better because I used to own it and I don’t remember the jet mode looking as off as this one.
     
  12. Megatron118

    Megatron118 Excelsior! Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2010
    Posts:
    12,981
    News Credits:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    312
    Likes:
    +19,807
    I don’t like how different the silver head is compared to the dark gray of the body, but this KO looks better and better the more I see it...
     
  13. Dexatronic

    Dexatronic Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2019
    Posts:
    2,066
    News Credits:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    222
    Location:
    Springfield, MO
    Likes:
    +3,968
    How easy would it be to correct the feet?
    just knock a pin out Im assuming ?
     
  14. Aki Tuazon

    Aki Tuazon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2017
    Posts:
    56
    Trophy Points:
    87
    Likes:
    +152
    Instagram:
    If the canopies match in size (which it should be in toy form unless faux cockpit is used) the Jet should expand into a robot like this: 4EC8E90A-9836-4587-8F0B-A81C38779418.jpeg
     
  15. [Wing_Saber-X]

    [Wing_Saber-X] Takara Fanboy Collector

    Joined:
    May 24, 2004
    Posts:
    27,318
    News Credits:
    37
    Trophy Points:
    412
    Likes:
    +16,901
    Takaratomy designs all the Masterpiece toys. Movie MPM line included. Fyi...
     
  16. Paco Grande

    Paco Grande Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2017
    Posts:
    3,093
    Trophy Points:
    222
    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    Likes:
    +9,434
    I believe TT does the engineering but Hasbro does the deco choices for the MPMs and mainline figures. That would explain the bad decisions on this figure. I still can’t get over how much better the SS jet mode looks. Why didn’t they just copy the deco over to the MPM??

    6C1FF0D9-E262-440D-9C6C-B1D08D6DF745.jpeg

    A56790F4-E89E-4E26-9FDE-2F6882151FB7.jpeg

    A71A3861-A90E-462D-8200-59E1C88DF8BB.jpeg

    I’m displaying MPM-10 in bot mode with the SS alt mode because the SS looks so much better. Ended up saving me money in the end but still disappointing that the MPM jet deco is so off.

    BD989181-9378-4274-9745-F1DFC3C04CDE.jpeg
     
    • Like Like x 4
  17. Seth Sunthay

    Seth Sunthay ElusoryMonk

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2016
    Posts:
    14,762
    News Credits:
    45
    Trophy Points:
    277
    Likes:
    +37,808
    Twitter:
    YouTube (Legacy):
    • Like Like x 6
  18. Megatron118

    Megatron118 Excelsior! Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2010
    Posts:
    12,981
    News Credits:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    312
    Likes:
    +19,807
    Well if that was true then they need to do better research because there are a plethora of pictures available illustrating that that model isn’t accurate either lol
     
    • Like Like x 5
  19. artimus prime

    artimus prime Articulation Junkie... I'm a poser

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2009
    Posts:
    9,282
    News Credits:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    317
    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Likes:
    +34,274
    Ebay:
    Facebook:
    Twitter:
    Instagram:
    YouTube (Legacy):
    At this point, I'm pretty sure that the decos and details are off for the same reason that MPM's are cheaper than the other masterpieces. That reason is that Hastak are "business" men. You can't continue to make money if you release definitive versions from the start and the Bayverse following is the youngest of the MP lines.
     
  20. f-primusunicron

    f-primusunicron i just wanna be loved

    Joined:
    Oct 13, 2009
    Posts:
    5,324
    News Credits:
    17
    Trophy Points:
    287
    Location:
    Colombia (South America)
    Likes:
    +4,636
    We had this conversation already, just a couple of weeks after the official in hand images arrived or so, given the semi-reflective properties of the real f-22, they are accurate to an specific set of lighting conditions as well as the angle
    Long story short, they are accurate to how the paint sometimes reflects the light
     
    • Like Like x 2