I'm a fan of both Takara and 3rd Party masterpieces. I'm curious to hear who you would stack up against MP line's best and if you would rank any above the top three MP figures. Great figures like PE Warden and MMC Terminus Hexatron are not to be considered as they are not in the MP scale/aesthetic. Let's keep it to the top 3 from each and just a general impression rather than focussing on G1 toon accuracy, amount of diecast, paint job, transformation, etc. Top MPs 1. Soundwave 2. Optimus Prime 3. Ultra-Magnus Top 3rd Party 1. FT Willis 2. MMC Sphinx 3. FT Sever However close, I don't think any of my listed 3rd party figures breaks my top 3 overall.
MP-12 MP-10 MP-13 FT-Stomp FT-Grenadier OX-Jaguar FT-Sever will make the list once the nee head is available. Probably knocking off Jaguar (as much as I love that cat).
Take this with a grain of salt as I only own 5 official MPs and 5 third party. Official 1. MP-13B Soundblaster 2. MP-09B Black Rodimus 3. MP-12G G2 Lambor Third Party 1. XTB Andras (Scourge) 2. MMC Backdraft (Inferno) 3. MMC Jaguar (Ravage/Jaguar) Overall? 1. XTB Andras 2. MP-13B Soundblaster 3. MMC Backdraft Those lists will likely change a lot with some of the currently incoming stuff at the start of next year or the end of this year.
Takara Best (molds) - Sideswipe mold - Prowl mold - Wheeljack / Magnus molds Best 3P (characters/lines) - MakeToys GunDog (hopefully Downbeat) - Generation Toys J4ZZ - FansToys Dinobots & Insecticons Best 3P line -MMC Reformatted
For those that I own, for me: Best TT 1. MP10 OP 2. MP Soundwave 3. MP Ironhide/Ratchet Best 3P 1. FT Stomp 2. KFC Blaster 3. TW Constructor Best 3P Line: FT Dibots
At the moment, for what I have: Top TT: 1. MP-10 2. Ultra Magnus 3. Ironhide/Ratchet Top 3P: 1. FT Stomp-X 2. MT Despotron 3. MT Cupola
TT: 1. MP Soundwave 2. MP Wheeljack 3. MP Rumble 3P: 1. FT Stomp (Soar, Sever) 2. MMC Sphinx 3. KFC Crash Hog
Hmmn Official 1. MP Optimus Prime - Perfect representation of the most iconic Transformer ever. Anyone looking at it will recognise him, even if they're not a fan. 2. MP Soundwave - Logically their can be no other choice. "Soundwave superior, all others inferior" 3. MP Laserbeak - he's just awesome for such a little guy 3P 1. KFC Blaster - controversial I know but an amazing figure that's several years old and still pairs so well with MP Soundwave 2. KFC Crash Hog - again controversial but such an amazing take on a figure we may never get from Takara. Love that moustache 3. ToyWorld Devastator - sure it's six figures but they stay in combined mode so I count them as one. So much presence and will look amazing with FT Omega Runners up - FT Dinos
These are ones I personally own. Won't speculate on those I don't. Best official: 1.) Ultra Magnus 2.) Ironhide 3.) Optimus Prime (MP-10 mold) Best 3rd party: 1.) DX9 Mightron 2.) BadCube SunSurge 3.) UT Allen Honorable mentions: MP Laserwave MP Lamborghini mold (any variation) DX9 Tyrant XT Andras/Bane/Wrath/Curse
Official: 1. MP-10 Optimus 2. Laserbeak 3. Hot Rod Honourable mentions to Laserwave, Prowl and Sideswipe. 3rd Party: 1. DX9 Gewalt 2. Gigapower Grassor 3. DX9 Carry
Best 3 TT MP 10 MP 22 MP 24 Best 3 3P Stomp M01 Commander Carnifex Wardog, Reximus, Sunsurge, Tyrant, Buzzing, Allen and so many more
My list Takara: MP-10 Optimus Prime MP-22 Ultra Magnus MP-13 Soundwave 3P: MMC Sphinx Fanstoys Scoria Maketoys Cupola Honorable Mentions: DX9 Mightron, Unique Toys Provider, Maketoys Ironwill and Takara Star Saber w/ KFC Simba
Funny, as I was just having this discussion in my own head yesterday while rearranging shelves. It's apple and oranges in most cases for me (unless you are comparing similar type figures) . In general, I prefer all my carbots to be official TT releases. I will pick up 3P versions of the carbots as fill-ins in some cases. Having said that, there are some figures I just doubt we will see better versions of as official releases (FT Dibots, the unreleased FT Phoenix, etc.) My picks: My Top Official: 1)Prowl 2)Sideswipe 3)Wheeljack 4)Prime My Top 3P: 1)Stomp 2)Soar 3)Andras 4)Sunsurge It's kind of difficult to compare the two lists, as we essentially have carbots vs much larger figures. Of the 3P carbots I own (SS, FT Hound, MMC Mirage, BC Trailbreaker), Official wins hands down (Sunsurge car mode being the one exception). There also is a hard-to-quantify "feeling" I get when opening an official release. FT's releases come close to that feeling, but not quite there, yet. A good example of that was this past weekend as I opened/transformed/displayed MP Inferno. There is a character I really could not care less about. I would never have dreampt of buying a 3P version of him because of that. However, all the pack-ins, the feeling of "durability/quality", etc. just really had me glad that I spent the money.
Official: Optimus Wheeljack Soundwave 3P: Maketoys Despotron Fanstoys Grenadier Maketoys Gundog MMC Sphinx almost made it, and MP Laserwave was close too.
TT Optimus Soundwave Prowl 3P FT Stomp KFC Transistor Backdraft (and I don't like inferno) Stomp is the best toy I own, period.