QC and pricing are my biggest complaints with Takara. Aesthetically the cartoon accurate look doesn't really do it for me, I prefer an "idealized" version of the character. I dunno, I really do prefer almost everything about DS-001, and I had considered buying MP-52 up until I read the breakage reports. My obsessive compulsive tendencies can deal with a bit of paint chipping so long as it's not on the face, but a break will drive me crazy.

 

This looks fantastic!! What kind of paint/what color is being used here?

 

Not that, that’s necessarily great, the wing flaps are kind of whatever, it’s probably for transformation but the hollowness on the wings looks really bad, and the screw filled @sschaps. It’s just a lot that looks unfinished.

 

I disagree and would suggest that its Shockwave and Soundwave who have the incorrect height, while DS may not be perfect in place next to MP-36 and MP-44 it looks correct.

But you know, everyone differs and all....

 

speaking of backpacks, i loved these two pics previously posted. put them together here fooOOooOor (emgo's voice) comparisonnnnNnnN:



that said, i'm still waiting for issues to get worked out on TT and price to drop a smidge, it's still on my bucket list of things to nab cuz i'm a hoarder with disposable income.

 

I remember someone here posted several times shit how DS copied TT proportions... Overlayed outlines and everything.

Personally, I'm super happy with DS's proportions. Super toon accurate where it needs to be, and took liberties to avoid the toon-to-a-fault situation... Especially considering the cartoon was all over the place.

I do like how TT did the ab crunch without breaking sculpt, but I'm happy with having ab crunch and waist articulation. It's really hard to get it all right when it also needs to transform AND match toon aesthetics AND have a decent alt mode.

 

He fits with my Quakeblast juuuuust fine!

 

That perfectly illustrates my dislike for that figures back.

 

I just got him and this is the starscream I've always wanted ever since the first official MP was a miserable little undersized shit. I have him next to meteor and he's only maybe 1/4" taller, but he just has so much more presence.

If you think any MP toys are out of scale with this guy, it is the OTHER TOY'S PROBLEM because this size is utter perfection!

The only advantage meteor has is that his unpainted glossy plastic makes his colors look nicer and more vibrant in a direct head to head.

Can't wait to transform him and totally ruin him! Woohoo!

 

Not just cleaner, the color separation on the back of DS-001 mimics the animation model, which MP-52 doesn't.

 

Great minds and all

 

wat

 

My opinion is that the transformation for this one isn’t much fun. It’s just fiddly, tight and there a number of steps where things just barely get past one another. But, the only paint rub I’ve experienced is on the front hip flaps, he locks together really well in both modes once you get him there and I expect the transfomation will get easier once you get used to it and things loosen up a little.

 

That makes him look soooo much better..now I want to do that should be easy as the plate with the eyes coms off

 

DS looks like is about to launch and take off where as MP-52 is about to climb mount everest and that unposable thumb is not helping the cause. Might want to try a bit harder.  

I am SO glad I didn't fall for the Trashtara's MP-52 preorder trap.

Let's hope your TC SW is not knee and ankle floppy, I have a feeling history might repeat it self. MP-11 molds ALL over again.... =_='

 

The transformation, in my opinion, is not terrible but it's a chore due to very tight clearance for some parts. The joints of moving parts can also be quite tight, due to excess paint, exacerbating the clearance issues.

I enjoy complex and involved transformation processes but DS-001's transformation design feels like it could have benefited from another pass or two for refinement.

I was able to work through the transformation mostly without referring to video instruction and didn't encounter parts collision or paint wear. It required patience and care of maneuvering parts.

However, reaching the bot mode, or to a lesser degree the alt mode, is worth the journey. Both modes are solid, though the lower leg panels in bot mode may need a bit of finessing to get rid of gaps.

 

That looks great.
I painted the MT screamers face darker but didn't feel the need here, having seen this I might have to rethink that  

 

Wow, for a second I thought DS had revealed their Thundercracker and Skywarp, until I realized those were just the MP-11 versions.  

Is that Thundercracker custom-painted? Looks like the Hasbro MP, but with silver front vents and some decals removed from the tailfins compared to what I remember? Looks great anyway!

 

This is pretty much why I don’t expect any Starscream toy to have a completely clean and realistic jet mode. There are only a handful of companies I’ve seen that could probably pull it off but it would be at the cost of the articulation we’ve come to expect for stuff like DS-001, MP-52, et al. I think DS-001 has a reasonable balance between the F-15 sculpt and articulation/proportions in robot mode.

 

Meteor for the win!!!