It's a pretty common thing for TakaraTomy to do on a lot of figures. It's just usually on automobiles rather than jets. As jets tend to either have a separate piece that acts (usually) as both the jet mode and robot mode canopy (in case of the Seekers for example).

This is likely not the case here because having the canopy as a separate piece might make it structurally unsound (like it would be super annoying if the canopy popped in or out frequently - as I don't recall a TF having something like this before, a canopy going over another that's likely got to remain thin enough for transformation and to retain the look they're going for) or in order to keep parts down.

I'm guessing it's likely the former rather than the later. I'm just glad that it's molded in clear plastic, as an opaque canopy (like the Generations Leaders) would look bad.

 

This is likely cost cutting to me. They could’ve layered an opaque chest piece with a cutout/slots over a translucent canopy, the canopy would then remain on via retaining tabs on each side so it wouldn’t pop out.

If had to be 1 piece, I agree, translucent plastic is preferred. However I would’ve preferred 2 pieces and had no idea a 1 piece approach might’ve been the route they were taking until now.

 

this isn’t the 80s, toy companies have to contend with a multitude of eco friendly and safety related regulations now. The way the entire industry operates isn’t the same as it once was. There are a ton of factors going on here that are really just too much for this thread.

…however, golden rule still applies the same as it always has…”if you don’t think it’s worth it, don’t buy it”

 

I have all 3 seekers on order, but if Starscream looks like this in hand, I'll be selling all 3.

 

100% this.

 

I'd rather have an opaque, properly coloured chest than this thing looking like it's 35 years old and left in the sun. It's a different cockpit than the jetmode anyway right? no one needs to see inside his chest hole. TT really knows how to tease you with greatness and yoink it away like Hound

 

Of course people are defending cheapness on something costly like this  

for a MP, I expect better.

 

Thanks for the scoop. We have a TFAW store at Universal City Walk. They’re a pretty solid company.

 

Honestly I don't get it either. If you have been collecting MPs since MP-01 like myself and then you get hit with this gross painted canopy shit I can't fathom how this is okay to anyone. I dunno maybe I'm just getting out of the hobby. I loved MP-44, MP-45, and MP-51 despite some of their QC or oddities but this just feels like a slap in the face. In the released pics the canopy mismatch sticks out way too much. Praying that it's like MP-51 and it all looks great in hand from a color matching standpoint but this just looks bad.

 

don’t confuse what I said with “defending”
it is what it is.
If this doesn’t feel worth it to you, don't buy it. You have a multitude of options at this point for a MP seeker mold

it’s like people complaining it’s not “chug enough” and getting genuinely upset when there is already a chug styled seeker mold…

 

To whom it may concern: Was it cost cutting on MP-12/14's windows, MP-17/18/19's windows, MP-20's windows, MP-39's faux windows, and MP-45? If you say "yes" then at least I can say your opinion is consistent!

 

It didn't look bad on any of those bots though. Here it looks awful and all of those bots cost half what this does.

 

That is a great price. Might cancel my TCP order and get refunded!

 

I believe that part of the arm splits for transformation, so it may not be closed properly in that photo.

I know everyone seems to love translucent windows on Transformers, but I would have preferred a completely solid plastic chest piece with the bot mode canopy painted orange similar to what Skywarp's looks like. The jet canopy would have still been transparent in that case. The solid orange chest canopy also looks more like the toon which I prefer. I'm still hoping that it's the lighting and camera in these pics making it look much worse than reality. Also we don't know when these pics were taken. The assumption is that this is a factory sample from the finished production run, but it could be a prototype from months ago that wasn't painted properly. For all we know Starscream's chest may be orange like Skywarp's for the final production version.

In short, I'm holding on to hope that it looks better in hand because that chest paint job just sucks in those pics. And I'm still hoping that whatever we end up with in the end at least matches across all three seekers.

 

I don't disagree that this looks awful, but there was a huge outcry when Sideswipe in particular was released because the paint on the translucent parts did not match each other or the solid red parts. It looked really bad. One of the reasons I bought the plus release is because the red paint is thicker and it matches much better in alt mode than the previous version.

 

Ok, I have no dog in this fight, I’m not taking sides, but I did wanna point out that the G1 seekers kinda prove the opposite of this point. They all had identical canopy pieces. So it was literally an example of a cost saving measure.

 

The MP-12 mismatch never bothered me so maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised with MP-52. It could just be the lighting in these photos but they don’t make for a good impression

 

You ever notice how purple (and to lesser extent other colors) never looks like the photos when you get it in hand?

Fingers crossed  

 

I suspect people are actually upset over the color difference, yes? But it sounds more like people are upset that TT had the "audacity" to paint over clear plastic. Like pretty much every single previous TF with clear parts. Including MPs.

I suspect we are seeing an earlier production sample than most are assuming. Much like Arcee, or the multiples times we see a figure with the production stamp on it. We've also seen color changes on figures when released, despite every prerelease figure shows something different.

How about we wait to see an actual, consumer purchased in hand figure before we start damning TT, for what they may, or may not have done.

 

Thank you for being the voice of reason!