I was quite stoked when I saw the news about these upcoming seekers.... and realized, yeah, still the same tiny faces with the headsculpt that is overall, still not sitting with quite right to me. So, these two guys will be an easy pass. Colors look great though, but MT had a nice chance to offer new facial alternatives but didn't come through on that. Not the end of the world though, I still have FT and maybe even a new TT redesign as faint glimmers of hope.

 

Although I'm a sack hanger myself, these guys were preordered as soon as I saw the email at my desk this morning.



FT has put out some of my favorite MPs since Stomp came out and they really dialed in their aesthetics, but perfect transformers are pretty rare. It's the nature of the beast. Trying to nail 2 (or more) different forms, whose only references are an inconsistent children's cartoon and toys from 35 or so years ago, all while attempting to make the transition between the forms some what enjoyable, appears to be no easy task. I try to appreciate any company that attempts it and puts out a decent product that isn't a QC disaster.

That being said I've really liked maketoys Jazz and Starscream. I'd say if Fanstoys Stomp is my bench mark for 99% perfect, these seekers are about 90% there for me personally. Would a FT version be better? I donno, but I wouldn't mind seeing what they'd have to offer. Even if it means starting my 3rd set of MP seekers.

 

If MT commits to the Coneheads, G2 Seekers, & some random ones (Acid Storm/Sunstorm variety), I'd probably jump in on all these & they'd get a shitton of money from me.

Without knowing that though, I approach these similarly to how I would an official V3 Seeker mold from Takara - I don't doubt it's better, but unless it's checking off those character options that I want, it's hard for me to want to bother after already buying MP-11 and it's seven redecos.

 

I think they did show off the cone head mold. Let me see if I can track it down..

 

Make Toys Masterpiece Coneheads (Dirge, Ramjet, Thrust)

 

Dang it, now I have to track down a tiny puppy to sit on his hand/shoulder. Or, I could say scale be damned and let Pizza Dog from the Marvel Select Hawkeye just hang out with him. Decisions, decisions...

 

Oh man, if they commit to at least G2 Starscream & Ramjet......

Maybe Renderform, Dr. Wu or even MT themselves can chip in a Buster & DOC set?

 

Totally down for that!

 

I'd say it's safe to say Starscream sold pretty well if they are confident enough to release these 2 at the same time, so I'd imagine if that trend continues, all 3 coneheads are very likely.

As for any past those 6, I'd have my doubts, unless a retailer or convention can talk them into an exclusive or something like MMC did with their Mirage a couple of times.

 

Like I said, I don't remember where I saw it between here, Facebook, and Twitter. Even if they changed their mind, it's going to be a long long time before they release a figure they haven't announced or teased a design for. They've released two figures in the last six months and have fourteen figures they've already teased or shown prototypes for (2 MP seekers, 3 MP coneheads, 2 galaxy force seekers, 3 headmasters, GF Optimus, GF Megaton, CD Jetfire, and CD Galvatron).

 

Ive decided to see if Zeta releases theirs.

 

Huh, you're right! it's not always there, but yeah, some scenes they definitely drew it.

Now it just pointed out that the red has no point being on the tailfins for Thundercracker.

 

I'm generally one who rates FT at the top and MT somewhere in the middle but these Seekers are stunning. I love my Starscream.
But I can't help but feel a little miffed at the weird colour choices on all of these guys. From the overly dark face on Starscream, to the black hands and purple tail fins on Skaywarp to the black nose and oddly greyish blue parts on Thunder cracker, and then all the random little off coloured hinges all over both....
It's just... why? Why do that? I mean I'll still buy them but damn, they're so close to perfect and there's no logical reason to do things that way.

 

I'm not saying MT doesn't make mistakes -they've had their fair share (although we don't know if these color choices are final) and Meteors black face without the ability to look up is a big one. I'm just saying they don't get their fair shake for constantly producing high quality figures at a fast pace while FT gets a pass on similar issues. I love both companies and it just pisses me off the love fest that is a Fanstoys thread and how it's opposite for Maketoys.

 

Well FansToys have been incredibly productive producing 7 or 8 figures a year to MT's 2 or 3. And up until Downbeat and Meteor, MT had a very distinctive MP style which a lot of people (myself included) just didn't like. I own their Megatron and he's a nice figure but he misses the mark for me in terms of G1 styling.
And bother Meteor and Downbeat are so close to being great and yet both have some real head scratcher design choices. Meteor could have been a damn near perfect toon-styled Seeker but there are enough issues to make people pass. And the boneheaded colour choices with these two Seekers are again, baffling. What makes it worse is that there was more than enough feedback on Meteor to allow them to perfect these and they not only didn't bother, they created a whole set of new issues.
And also, only the really obsessive FT fans give them a lot of slack, the rest are pretty hard on them. There's an entire thread solely for arguing whether or not the colour choice for their Cyclonus is right or not.
Transformers fans like to complain. It's what we do. Except maybe the Takara junkies - those guys take mindless devotion to a whole new level .

 

Nope, I meant the tailfins (although I was quoting someone else's post), but actually everything back there should be purple according to the animation model. I also hope they're test shots...

 

"The heads are tiny..." Get over it. They kind of need to be to fit into the nose/cockpit area. Having MTRM-11 in-hand, it doesn't look as bad in person as it appears in pictures. And if it still bothers anyone, don't get it and keep you MP-11's (which also have small heads   ). No toy is perfect, official or 3P. There's always going to be something, whether it is just an insignificant nitpick or a major flaw. The degree of imperfection will vary based on release, and some will be objective and some will be subjective. First world problems. What it all comes down to is deciding if this is a big deal or not. I've learned that some things are just not worth crying over, and not to expect perfection. Mainly because what may be great to me may not be so great for others, and vise-versa. Also, there are simply some things not worth griping about. In this case, the design of this guy, whether it be TT or 3P, simply demands that the head be on the small side in order for the transformation to work and to hide his melon properly.

 

Nothing wrong with a small head. Or at least that's what I tell the ladies  

 

Yeah, I think I'm getting this. I generally like MT's work. I loved their Hound (I got lucky, QC-wise) and enjoyed their Jazz, despite the fact he just won't stay tabbed together quite right and is just a bit 'off' somehow.
'Cracker looks good, and I think I'm in on this one.

 

Or even better grab a mp11 head cast and pop it on: