Hello, i've been out of collecting since 2018, and I was looking to get back into it. What 3rd party iterations of MP style G1 Season 1 and two characters are best. If the official MP version is best, let me know, but this is my list of characters im interested in... Optimus Prime Megatron Bumblebee Starscream Skywarp thundercracker Jazz Prowl Ironhide Ratchet Soundwave Superion Menasor Hound Thanks!!!!!
Original moulds Megatron = XTB, DX9, MT Bumblebee =? Starscream Skywarp thundercracker = MT Jaaz = MT, GT did a gorgeous MP IDW LOOKING J44z if you are interested. Prowl =? Ironhide = TFC? RATCHET = TFC? Soundwave = FT Superion = ZT, FT Menasor = TFM did an amazing IDW MP Menasor if you want to take a look at it. Currently FT XTB, DX9, RF (Rising Force) Hound = BC, FT and other company I don't remember.
Also there’s this thread that gives you like all the options for everything The Masterpiece Character Guide (or "do they have an MP yet", and what substitutes?)
Optimus Prime -Transform Element Megatron-MP megatron v2 Bumblebee-First Mp or 2nd MP Starscream Skywarp thundercracker-MakeToys Jazz-Maketoys Prowl-MP Ironhide-MP with fix Kit Ratchet-MP or Voodo Robots Soundwave-MP, but the FT one coming out sometime looks promising Superion-Lots of choices here Menasor-At least 3 options Hound-FanToys
My opinions: Optimus Prime: MP 44 mold. Tons of accessories, articulation, and just feels like Optimus Prime jumped out of the cartoon Megatron: MP 36 mold. Again, tons of character and articulation. I recommend the IT-01 KO version though - better build and more scratch resistant than the official (I have both). The face sculpts are a tiny bit off though, so I bought this replacement kit, and replaced the face plates. Bumblebee: tough to choose between MP-21 and MP-45. I think that 21 is a better toy, but 45 looks more like the cartoon. Starscream Skywarp thundercracker: Currently it's easily the Maketoys versions, but they are ridiculously expensive on the secondary market. Jazz: Currently MakeToys version but FT is also coming out with one. Prowl: Official MP-17 or MP-17+ (the latter is a more cartoon accurate repaint of the former). Ironhide: MP-27 with the Shadow Fisher upgrade kit Ratchet: MP-30 with the Shadow Fisher upgrade kit Soundwave: Official MP-13, but FT is coming out with their AcousticWave and there is speculation a new official mold will be made as well. Might be worth holding out. Superion: FansToys is probably the most toon accurate so far - only Silverbolt and Skydive are released so far. Menasor: 3 companies are making them:XTB (the set I'm buying - the limbs are official carbot scaled), FT, and DX9 (these two sets have much larger limb bots). XTB is the closest to completion as in all 5 are out, but Motormaster's trailer is still due and needed for combined mode. Hound: MP-47 is a stunning representation of Hound, BUT has major breakage issues. I went through several returns to get a decent one and still suspect it will crack on me. I'd suggest FT Willis if you want one now, or wait for an eventual KO or reissue of the official if you're more patient.
Lots of good comments here. For Optimus, TE-01 is a viable 3P alternative. For Jazz, you have Maketoys and Toyworld. MT is coming out with a reissue soon. FT has one in development. All have compromises. For Hound, FT Willis is good, but MT Gundog also is nice. It's definitely a different look, too. If you have a lot of older generation MPs (TT or 3P) Gundog fits in, but it's like Hound went to the gym, and then put on his hockey gear. From what I can recall, Badcube didn't do an MP Hound.
I like cartoon accuracy so these are my suggestions. I bolded the stuff I currently have or have had. Optimus Prime MP-44 (Expensive, have heard of QC problems, haven’t experienced them personally.) Transform Element Magic Square MP-10 Megatron MP-36 DX-9 Maketoys Xtransbots Bumblebee MP-45 (I love him, but he is pricey and I have heard of QC issues) MP-21 Seekers (I’d say wait on these for now, the Maketoys ones are the best available, but I sold mine because they just didn’t do it for me. Takara ones are just dated) Maketoys Takara Jazz (Fanstoys will be a wait, the make toys one is pretty good) Fanstoys Maketoys Prowl MP-17+ (A bit dated, but pretty nice) Ironhide MP-27 (+Shadow fisher upgrade) Ratchet MP-30 (+Shadow Fisher upgrade) Soundwave Fanstoys MP-13 MMC Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage Superion Fanstoys (2 of 5) Zeta Box Set Menasor Fanstoys (2 of 5) DX-9 Xtransbots Hound MP-47 (I’ve seems a lot of reports of terrible QC and bad materials, I think he’s the best looking hound and mine hasn’t had any issues, but it has a bad rep. Fanstoys Maketoys
Have you considered switching to Legends scale? You could get most of your list with already released bots from NewAge and Magic Square. And if you're wanting MP scale consistency, NewAge is doing that. Pic by @RickyLeeSTF from this post. Ha! I was just posting that. Considering @TheIronBot wants that style and is just starting over with collecting, NA and MST could save a lot of money and shelf space.
