No doubt, old friend! I picked up a couple of mp20+ figures. So happy one of them has perfect paint apps. The other one only a couple blemishes. It's a super figure, and IMO the best Hasui figure despite the real-world deco. I remember wishing you could enjoy mp20 more way back when. Happy you can share the excitement now that the paint coverage and deco just screams Wheeljack. Have you been posing him with Ratchet's tools? I dived in that camp last night. Also, you gave me (more) inspiration. I went ahead and cut out Ratchet's red cross stickers and applied them to his shoulders. Finally feels like Ratchet now.

 

Yasss, bro, you made the right life changing decision right there! Makes Ratchet feel so much more Ratchet-y! And also yes to giving Wheeljack access to Ratchet's tools!



Can't believe this guy finally exists and I have the privilege of having a copy for the shelf and another for the desk!

 

Man ,it so hard to hold off my new Ratchet as these guys definitely need to be together, but I just can't shake the feeling they are going to do something with him and ironhide versus a straight reissue.

 

Normally, I would say jump and buy Ratchet because TT won’t revisit a scheduled re-issue with a + release with new gimmicks added but Wheeljack was re-issued recently and the + version was just released. With that said, I’m not sure if TT will revisit Ratchet anytime soon so cozy up to Ratchet and enjoy the mold. He does, after all, come with blast effects. Little blast effects but it’s there.

 

What more could they really do to toonify Ironhide or Ratchet anyway? They're already very flat and missing details like mirrors.

 

After seeing Bluestreak get a new head, I wouldn't be surprised to see modified hip panel fix. TT has never reissued them or released diaclone Ironhide, despite the original versions selling well. What really gives me pause is the Hasbro Asia only reissue a few months ago. It easily could have been a wide release reissue with Prime,Bee,Wheeljack, and Bluestreak on the horizon but it wasn't. Kind of feel like with MP Hasbro Asia was trying to squeeze some money out.

 

MP 20+ is a great addition to my season 1 shelves.......

 

Started messing around with photos in a lightbox that I made.



Wheeljack: Hey Prime! I made some calibrations on your rifle.
Prime: Thanks. You always do some great work... (It's going to explode on me isn't it?)

 

The handheld drill for Ironhide was nice but as a solid chunk of die-cast, it’ll wear out the arm joint quickly. It was kind of a money grab though.

I’m not doubting that they will never revisit Ratchet but I’m just looking at the established history of re-releasing an MP and following it up with a + version. The better question to ask is will TT see a need to modify the mold? I thought with Wheeljack+ and the flight stands, a peg hole would have been added but his waist doesn’t have an added hole like Sideswipe+. If they do a + version of Ratchet and add laser blasts, maybe a medbay table or a dinobot leg and plans, I’m all for it.

 

I’ve been thinking about this and am wondering if this is tremendous forethought by TakaraTomy. Wheeljack+ doesn’t have an added flight stand hole because he isn’t a flying character. Sideswipe has a jetpack and can fly, so it would make sense for him to have one.

But MP Sideswipe doesn’t have a jetpack! No, but here is where the forethought comes in. It was revealed that TT started designing MP-44 in 2016. MP-14+ was also announced in 2016. What if TT has already decided that Prime would come with a jetpack, and that the jetpack would also fit on Sideswipe? Well, since they were already prepping the mold for Alert, why not add a hole then so that future releases could be posed in flight with the upcoming jetpack?

Just a theory, but it makes sense.

 

I agree with the sideswipe theory, and I’ve thought that myself. He had a jet pack therefore he should get a flight home. Did
Ironhide and Ratchet fly? They have flight holes too. Prowl didn’t get one. Bluestreak probably won’t get one either. It’s too bad because the flight stands add a lot to posing variety. On the other hand, I just broke another damn flight stand peg in my sideswipe... Super frustrating.

 

The flyers of the group after the Autobots were grounded were Sideswipe coming in first, Wheeljack had his boosters in his arms according to his tech specs. The tech specs also says that he doesn’t have the greatest control while flying. Gears can sort of fly but it’s more like boosters in his feet that enables him to jump really high. The comic showed this off more than the cartoon but it’s also in his tech specs. Ironhide had his rocket pack which was shown in the cartoon once but never in the tech specs. Wheeljack’s flying capabilities were probably overshadowed by his inventions blowing up in his face.

Sorry to hear about the broken peg. I’m almost afraid to use those stands because of that. @TCracker showed Optimus Primal using a very nice flexible stand that is very versatile in posing. I have one myself and they don’t cost that much.

 

I’ve got a work around on the flight stands, but it takes a lot of work. I file down the broken peg on the stand and insert a 5mm double side peg and that seems to work well enough. Had to do it for 4 stands now! What’s this stand you and TC use? I’ll check them out.

Also, super cool info shared, @Agent 539. Love those old tech specs

 

Was Wheeljack really that much shorter than Ratchet? Hmmph, I guess he would be around the same as say Sideswipe, just, next to Ratchet there it looks weird for some reason.

My Wheeljack+ is coming Monday, hooray! I even changed the consent thingy so they leave the package here (hopefully) because I work all day 12 hrs Mon & Tues. If not, then I have to do that "dance" of reschedule delivery for the next day, and leave instructions to leave it.

 

Ratchet is on a transparent plastic riser in that photo.

 

Oh I see it now, didn't scroll down all the way.

 

^ Ratchet is on a acrylic riser, that's why he's taller than Wheeljack.....

 

Pretty sure Ironhide’s rocket pack was only used to slow his landing from somewhere, not actually for taking off. Am I remembering right? Of course he only used his back-mounted launcher once when he was flying after the Decepticons, and Bluestreak caught up with him. For that reason I hoped 18+ would come with a flight stand hole, seems unlikely at this point.

I think all figures deserve flight-stand compatibility regardless of flying ability because anyone’s capable of a flying kick or a jumping pose!

Seems that all new MPs automatically do have that though, which is good. Do MP-33/35/37 too? How about Cheetor? Not sure if MP-45 does, actually.

Your reasoning totally makes sense @Silvershot  

 

I saw it after, it's one of those things, I was just looking at the figures, that riser just kinda blends in.

 

I got mine today. He's beautiful. Looks fantastic with the rest of my MP Ark crew