Another year approaches its end and the dust has settled on the last Masterpiece release of December, so cast your votes! Who will be crowned king of 2016? Which release tugged hardest on the heartstrings of nostalgia? Who is your Masterpiece of Masterpieces of 2016?
Easily MP Optimus Primal for me. It's the first time I've had a Masterpiece figure of a character that I cared about when I was a kid.
This guy. Absolutely blow away by the fact Beast Wars is finally getting Masterpiece recognition and what a perfect start. The most perfect representation of one of the finest characters in all of Transformers history, he is a dream I never thuoght would come true! The exceptional articulation, tactile and innovative paint job, wrist cannons, prime jets, and simple but effective transformation are great but more than this he looks like he's jumped right of the screen and captures the character of Primal perfectly. The ultra expressive faces in both modes push this guy over the top for me. He's knocked MP-10 off the top spot on my Masterpiece Top of the Pops. I started the year really excited for Ironhide, Hot Rod and Shockwave. Unfortunately all three disappointed me to varying degrees. This gem reaffirmed my belief in the line.
I voted for MP-29 because, well, SHOCKWAVE. In actuality, as far as design and engineering go, I'd have to go with either Ironhide or Primal.
January feels like a long time ago but Ironhide became not only my favourite MP, but probably my favourite ever action figure
It was a tough call because I loved everything that was put out this year but I went with Primal. Just an amazing figure that looked awesome no matter what mode it was in. I can't wait for Cheetor and future beast wars MP's to grace my shelf.
I love me some BW and Optimus Primal is STUNNING, but Inferno unexpectedly takes this for me and it isn't even close. The toon accuracy thing just trumps all and looks so amazing in person. There is an awkwardness to him in pics that isn't the case on my shelf.
Was Hot Rod last year? My memory........ Anyway Primal by many, many miles - and that's with the dodgy elbows. It's the only one I kept hold of and as the Line seems pretty determined to do without my custom for a while it's an easy Victory and the ONLY example where slavish adherence to a damn Cartoon HELPED the figure rather than castrated it. I guess Cheetor will be next.
It's been a good year for Masterpieces and any of them could have been the winner but my choice for 2016 had to be Inferno. Such an amazing figure. Masterpiece Inferno
Agreed. What other figure that that different of a transformation while still retaining both it's perfect toy alt-mode AND cartoon look. With every other MP, there's been a similarity in it's transformation. But not Iron Hide and Ratchet. They had to completely rework the enginnering from scratch, gave us a great likeness, an assortment of weapons and accessories to choose from, and we still got a sled that resembles the toy alt-mode. The end result is such an excellent figure worthy of the Masterpiece title.
Can't choose/Won't choose. Each one of them -to me- win a particular spot. Best surprise once in hands: Ironhide/Ratchet. It was a twist. I didn't hate the figure before but once I opened the box and start playing... A wild wow factor appeared. So smooth, so good transformation, so much personality. Best no regret for making a bet: Shockwave. Spent weeks trying to decide which one to choose. The FT re-release ? The cool beefy one from I don't remember which compagny ? Or the Masterpiece to come ? Lazerwave didn't seem to have massive support, but I went with him. And man I'm glad I did. I can do with more dark purple, perhaps, but that transformation, that presence on the shelf... Love it. Best "You can't possibly know how much this character means to me and how much i'm pleased with his MP": Inferno. Nuff said. I wasn't afraid to compare him with Backdraft - a toy I love- and I was right. Both succeed in different things, and I could not be more happier. Best double buy: Red Alert. Just make him whiter and that's it ? You sure that will be enough ? Yup. I ordered him thinking "Why on earth I spend this money on a figure I already have ? For cartoon sake ? What a sucker I am !" And then there is magic. He's so gorgeous like that. It's fantastic. Sure now we're all afraid that there will be an army of MP+ to come but... I don't care. If they're that good, show me what you've got Takara. Best double buy - The Diaclone episode: Delta Magnus. He's awesome. That is all. No really, just look at him. What ? You don't have one ? What are you doing here ? Go and get him. I love the Ultra-Magnus one. Delta even better. Oh and LoudPedal is great too. My favorite from this mold. Such a cool poser. Best figure objectively: Optimus Primal. Beast Wars desserved something since many years now, and what we get here did not disappoint. He's uncanny. Best toy who suffers to be stuck between too many amazing ones: Hot Rodimus. Give him a break. He's cool. Really. Honestly, I know some people aren't too glad about the line these days, I can understand, just not my case. Can't wait for 2017. The true winner this year is me. Us.
I only got Ironhide, Hot Rod and Shockwave from that list and the only one I really like is Ironhide and thats mostly for the clever transformation. I need Primal though.
This vote is not fair! I voted for Inferno, but Ironhide is looking at me saying "But Prime!" I don't have Primal, but man, he looks amazing from some the pics you guys have posted in the Appreciation thread. Can I vote for all of them?
This certainly was the year of the masterpieces. For all the clamoring for MPs, Takara really did come through. I bought more masterpieces than I did 3P this year and I was not at all excited about Ironhide. But I bought him for the hell of it and when I got him in hand, I was thoroughly impressed with his in hand feel and the clever transformation of Iron hide. He really sold me this year.
I'm not going to vote in the poll just yet since I haven't opened up my Inferno yet but I just opened my Optimus Primal and I really can't imagine it could be beat. The fact that they could engineer something THAT close to the CGI model with minimal compromises is mind blowing. This thing is amazing. I'll fiddle with Inferno tomorrow then I'll vote. EDIT/UPDATE: Inferno is awesome too...but I still give it to Primal. My list, favorite to least favorite: 1 Optimus Primal 2 Inferno 3 Ironhide 4 Ratchet 5 Loud Pedal 6 Hot Rod 7 [Delta Magnus] Don't have this yet, but I intend to...placed it here because I know the mold thanks to Ultra Magnus 8 Shockwave 9 Thrust 10 Ramjet