When it comes to minibots, I’d really love to see some of the season 2 guys! Powerglide and Warpath are such awesome designs! Wouldn’t say no to a Beachcomber either.

 

I sold my FT versions because I was confident we would get if not all 13 at least most of the season2 minis. Strangely I want a TT Cosmos, that Generations one a few years was pretty good figure.

 

Coneheads are totally doable (they will have wings on thighs, and a sort of transformation in the head, i suppose, but will Takara does them?
The original ones went on sale after a while, and near MP52 are almost ok, better than the seeker MP11 mold, i say.

 

I mentioned the minibots more in-depth in Cliff's thread. But in my opinion, i'm pretty certain Takara is able to wipe the goddamn floor with everyone else in the minibot game, with the only 3 ones I see at least kinda being able to hold a candle to hypothetical future Takara minibots being Fans Toys' Cliffjumper, Seaspray and Beachcomber, and I imagine Takara still beating them regardless.

Quick TLDRs on each:

Bumblebee: MP-45 hits everything so right, despite his backpack and feet.

Brawn: FT Hunk looks good but has dogshit articulation and probably the worst transformation I never completed. Badcube Brawny looks worse, has a darker color scheme than the cartoon and is a relic by comparison to the competition.

Outback: Same as Badcube Brawny.

Cliffjumper: XTB Toro looks like he's getting ready for a camping trip, MMC Hellion has too long a waist and too wide a shoulder gate. FT Parkour though is looking to give MP Cliff a run for their money, but I believe MP Cliff is gonna win cause Takara will get what they've always gotten right, and they do those better than any other company.

Hubcap: Same as XTB Toro.

Bumper/Bumblejumper: I imagine it happening and it will be GLORIOUS. DO IT TAKARA.

Beachcomber: XTB Arkose is a wreck with a backpack that looks like a car crash, FT Dunerunner is probably Fans Toys' best minibot by a country mile, but his arm articulation leaves more to be desired.

Wheelie: XTB Ollie looks like he spent 50 DBZ episodes powering up to 100% only to get bodied by Goku. Takara can make a Wheelie with way more correct proportions.

Gears: Badcube Grump is old. Nuff said.

Swerve: Same reason as Gears, but he ended up worse.

Cosmos: XTB Klaatu and MMC Omne are kind of a switcheroo, the former has the on-model accuracy but back kibble, the latter took some slight liberties and still looks on-model (though not as much as Klaatu) but has zero kibble. Seeing a UFO done by Takara would make for some great speculation though. Seems like perfect breeding grounds for @SelectedLime375 to conjure up some transformation ideas a-la his for Wreck-Gar earlier.

Windcharger: XTB Boost has a hellish leg transformation, which leads to a bot that seems a bit too wide and isn't that good-looking to begin with.

Tailgate: Same as XTB Boost.

Huffer: XTB Krank is super-old, and looks like a fucking mess, Badcube Huff is showing some age over the years but is more solid, and while FT Rig is far and away better than the former, he otherwise seems like Fans Toys' standard fare. Subpar articulation with a frustrating transformation. Easy win.

Pipes: Similar to Badcube Huff and XTB Krank, though I think Badcube Piper fared a bit better and XTB Stax fared mildly better, personally.

Powerglide: DX9 Richthofen is neat, but some engineering choices make some things about him fucking weird. Takara I think can truly get his heart beating as much as Astoria made it back then.

Seaspray: XTB Neptune only is really worth enough these days for his great accessories, FT Spindrift 1.0 is worthless, but FT Spindrift 2.0 actually isn't half bad, but some articulation is left to be desired. I imagine Takara could make one that beats it out without much effort.

Warpath: I wanted to save Warpath since I have a bit of a unique stance on him. I am not a fan of his cartoon design, and I think if Takara wanted to make an on-model MP Warpath, FT Sheridan kinda laid the foundation on what liberties should be taken in terms of line-for-line toon accuracy. Though my ideal MP Warpath design is more something on the lines of Badcube Wardog, and is kinda why I wish Warpath could have been a Hasui-era MP. I don't doubt that Takara will figure out what to do in the end though, and I much like the other minibots, greatly await their take.

 

I don't doubt that we'll see them sooner or later. I'd rather argue the question is WHEN? Are they gonna hold off until maybe 2023 or just plant them right in the middle of the 2022 schedule we're periodically getting reveals of now as of late?

My heart says the latter but my mind says the former. I imagine Takara likely could not also double-dip while working on Starscream with the Conehead mold, so possibly they could be working on it now behind the scenes? I guess only time will tell.

 

While watching the episode Grimlock's New Brain the other day, I noticed the following scene of which I took some screenshots. I caught myself thinking "If this is what is necessary for the perfect Rodimus Prime v2, then I would be fine with it.".    

It made me wonder who would be fine with the legs just tabbing together, and used to connect to the trailer, if that would give you the best looking Rodimus Prime in robot mode?

Perhaps I want a new Rodimus Prime too much.  

 

I’d be fine with it. In fact, I prefer it, so we can keep Rodimus’ trailer separate. Rodimus must have his battle platform, IMO.

 

"Masterpiece" and "AKOM" are two words that simply do not belong in the same sentence.

 

MP-44's Season 1 head still cries for it's exclusion in favour of the AKOM head every day.

 

It's cool they uploaded all the old episodes. I forgot how much of a lady killer Spike was. 

 

That is a seriously messed up portrayal of Ultra Magnus...

 

First thing I did, partially transform it to get to the head, and put the season 1 head on him. It's never come off.

 

What do you guys think the realistic chances of v2's of Hot Rod are? I totally get Rodimus happening, when it does, but Hot Rod?

Wondering about picking up MP28 finally...

Whilst I'm at it...what about Tracks? I can grab toyhax for the flame effect. Other than the wings not being perfect, what else is there to warrant a v2? And would TT bother?

 

Definitely want them to take another stab at Hot Rod. The Studio Series figure introduced a lot of neat engineering and I think they'll be able to create a really remarkable figure with a bigger budget and at a bigger size.

As for Tracks, articulation is quite lacking. Yes, the butterfly shoulder joints are neat but his knees and elbows are very restricted. Proportions on his arms are also a little weird with very short biceps and long forearms. That and the lack of exchangeable faces would be the main reason for a redo, IMO.
I don't think TT will release another Tracks anytime soon, but with how unpredictable they are it's impossible to be sure  

 

MP toon fans: I said cartoon Rodimus.....

 

Whilst that is impressive in some ways it will stick out like a sore thumb amongst the pure cartoon aesthetics of today. Good idw Roddy tho? Or a more g1 toy looking varient minus the battlestation.

 

I must find this season 1 head.
Cause this aint it.

It's more of if you're going for a Studio OX/pre-inferno looking MPs. Cause IDW Hot Rod only looked like G1 Hot Rod in Phase 1, while IDW Rodimus was a pretty decent change.

 

I would live to hope they would sneak in a Rodimus, Galvatron, or Magnus next year as the "surprise release" for the anniversary, but sadly I thinks thats Cliffjumper. They've got 2 really big releases on the horizon we know about and none of those would make sense. Add in well probably lose a spot next year to at least one BW figure and I think by the end of next year, they're start slow- walking MP Armada Prime.

Which sucks because after watching episodes on YouTube nothing would be better to me than Hoist and Trailbreaker.

 

I prefer season 1 animation head, I was disappointed how it turned out on MP-44.

I’m surprised we haven’t seen 3rd Party upgrades so we have more headsculpt options.

 

I always like the head Toei sometimes drew in Season 2, that was like a mix of his more blocky S2/Movie head and his S1 rounded head. It was very similar to the one Takara drew on MP-44's concept drawings.

 

Just waiting for TT to Officially announce MP CJ.

I have zero doubt MP Jazz is inevitable.

MPs of Blaster, TB, and Mirage are most likely just a matter of time.

I do think MP V2 Sideswipe is a given, as well as a V2 of Soundwave.

MP Galvatron, I'd buy.
I'd instantly pass on another Hot Rodimus, or Kup. Disclaimer: I'm not a fan of the gawdawful 86 movie. However, there are a few characters I'd buy MPs of.