Six of one, half a dozen of the other. My DS is on its way but I love MP-52 too. I have no idea which one I’m going to like better but I’m going to have fun finding out!

Being the arguable second best thing doesn’t mean it’s trash, and we don’t have to pick sides and form tribes every time.

 

GREAT idea. You just made me love this figure even more. He sits perfectly!

 

Actually it was an official Takara promo shot:

Transformers Masterpiece MP-52 Starscream 2.0 Additional Stock Images & Product Information - Transformers News - TFW2005

 

Thanks for taking the pic and confirming! Makes me want a G1 toy color or Diaclone based repaint even more now

 

I agree with this sentiment. I don’t understand how this isn’t a double win for the fandom. Hell, I’ll even throw in Maketoys Meteor to make it a 2.75 win.

 

Where's the best place to pick up a few of those? Are they affordable Lil guys?

 

That is just literally how counting numbers of a thing works.

 

I guess it's just what your focus is. 52 looks like a jumbled mess to me. Anyway. I don't want this thread to get locked too.

 

It's going to be a long wait for the recolor that I want. I can't buy too many Starscreams, because the combined egos of all of them would crash my display.

 

tak's not known for their promo shots. good chunk of the time i'm staring at mistransformed promo shots from them hahaha.

but its also trending with them that they don't really care that much about side or back views; those take second seat to getting good front view shots. lotta their MP's are starting to go with faux parts and big backpacks.

i think what they get down pretty solid tho is a good user experience transforming things. I got g1 astrotrain and blitzwing and i love transforming them. they look HORRIBLE in any of their modes, but just the clicking and clacking has a superior enjoyment factor vs the complexity of some 3rd parties.

I'm going to eventually nab a mp52. I have the opinion that it does have a backpack and some things look out of proportion here and there vs ds, but i'm pretty sure i'm going to get a better transformation experience out of it vs ds01.

 

Then I suggest you just pick up this bad boy. No other Starscream crotch-thrusts like that!

 

Not to get into a whole "scale" debate, but I've always felt that they're closer to Ironhide's height, so the official seems right...

...plus the fact that the IP owners determine the size of their character, not some fanboy with a pause button. To each his own, though.

 

I honestly prefer how MP-52 looks from the back. But only straight on from the back, not from the side at all. I think the way all those panels line up is just very aesthetically pleasing even though it's not accurate to the cartoon design. Well, except the butt flap - get rid of that and he'd look perfect. Again, just from the back. Well I guess he looks perfect from the front too. But the side is awful: even if it can be cleaned up with the correct transformation, the wings and jet intakes just sit way too far back.

But really, none of that has anything to do with me not buying 52. I didn't buy him because he cost too damned much. Overall I prefer DS (though it would've been nice if those wing flaps could've hidden away somehow and I don't like the hollow parts on his wing hinges) so that's good but I would've bought him even if I'd preferred 52 just because he cost a reasonable amount for an MP transformer while 52's price is just ridiculous. Oh and I also prefer DS' height; scale chart and accuracy be damned.

 

I have this bad boy. The First Edition version at least ....

 

Except that they determined it to be one size in their first two renditions and then decided it to be something else later on. Seems the IP owners are as confused about scale as some fanboys with pause buttons. Got to love that canonical authority.

Oh yeah, the canon also shows mass-shifting, making it a fanboyesque sliding scale.

 

Also that makes saying the official IP owners are incapable of flaws which they clearly do. Face sculpts, sculpts in general, colors. Branded products have just as much inconsistency.

 

MP-52 does still have the "thicker" profile even when compressed correctly, so DS001 is ahead in terms of having a slimmer profile. It probably only amounts to an extra cm or so at most and definitely isn't so egregious in hand, or in comparison to the promo pic. Whether you think one or the other is visually cleaner or better I guess is down to personal preference. Personally I do really like the way the official deals with it even if it's less conventional (maybe because of that, even).

Part of the reason the wings are set further back on MP-52 is that the "bases" of the wings fold perpendicular to the wings themselves to a) create a smaller wing silhouette from the front, and b) allow a bit of extra room for arm movement. I can see why people wouldn't be keen on the "wing sandwich" idea though, particularly if looking for the most slimline proportions. If it's of any use in comparison shots rather than the using Takara promo pic, here's a slightly better indication of how it looks in a profile:


Excuse the bad pic and cut and paste job. For all I know this might be accurate to their size difference? Feel free to resize accordingly in relation to DS001.

Whichever you prefer, fortunately there is the choice, and no need for any negativity or antagonising towards anyone who prefers either option  

 

yup no need. but ermagerrrrd!!!!

 

True MP03/11 was about an eight of an inch taller, but once you get rid of the elongated torso and the elevated head, I'm sure those would be the same height as V2 SScream. I don't think HasTak planned this far in the future when they created that fig to add to that.

Realistically speaking SScream V2 isn't too short; that's just yet another a fanboy critique. And we all know how "fandom" are about their (ahem)... "facts".

At the end of the day, DS is a great looking fig though, added height and all. And as long as the collector is happy, all is well.

 

Woof, it was a slog but I did it. I will say this: I don’t think the transformation is bad, but because of so many super tight tolerances it can be quite annoying in some places. Regardless, the engineering itself is actually quite cool and most of it is fun. As a Macross vet I’ve had waaaaay worse times with some VF toys. And some of those barely hold together in bot mode. This fella is a brick in both modes. I think after a few more transformations and wearing down some of that paint friction, the transformation will be quite pleasant.


Swoooosh!

They’re kind of expensive if you buy the authentic Takara ones as you have to either get them with vehicles or in multipacks. Mine are the KO versions which came packed in for free with various MFT legends sized figures. I think HZJ on Ebay sold them individually and with small mech suits at one time, though I don’t if he still does.

He only fits in alt mode if he’s hunched over.