Hasbro has been telling me (a collector) how I'm not their target demo for like a decade (or more). The last thing I want them to do is start messing with things targeted directly at collectors.

This "brand unification" nonsense feels like a desperate move by Hasbro. They don't like collectors importing, so instead of improving their product they're just going to shut down the competition. A childish "take my ball and go home" move.

It's going to do nothing but drive up third party sales until Hasbro learns how to make things for collectors.

 

Hasbro, if you're watching, please pay attention.

Takara-Tomy's products often appeal to collectors because they go above and beyond to make a better product. You may not think that the collector market has value, but remember we're your original target audience. We're the parents of your current primary target audience. We've passed down the interest to our children and have been a major part of keeping Transformers alive (despite any "market research" that might tell you otherwise). You've been recognizing fans like never before with the recent Generations lines, and we appreciate that. However, you're still cutting corners in ways that Takara-Tomy isn't (paint applications, color-schemes, complete sets of original combiner team characters, etc.).

I, for one, am now only collecting Takara-Tomy's Masterpiece line because it hits the mark of what I'm looking for in terms of quality and of likeness to the characters I've loved since 1984.

If Hasbro were to acquire Takara-Tomy, my hope would be that "brand unification" would be an adoption of Takara-Tomy's quality and detail standards, supported by Hasbro's funding. Unfortunately, I doubt this will happen due to the Hasbro's apparent business model.

 

Uh? nothing, i've just said yes because i agreed with him. Sorry.  

 

So between Megatron coming out on 1st April and Sunstreaker's announcement on May 22nd was just over 7 weeks.

Hope they don't make us wait so long again to find out who the next G1 MP will be.

 

Usually Oct-Dec release announcement takes place in May-June.

 

Good thing we don’t have anyone anounced for June-September then.  

 

Weekend of February 18th should be pretty epic with Wonder Festival and NY Toyfair. Can't wait!

 

My "I think this is reasonable" wish list for G1 masterpieces this year:

-Hoist
-Trailbreaker
-Wheeljack Anime Edition
-One of the other cars: Hound, Mirage, Jazz, Skids

Failing that, a minibot would be nice. Or a Decepticon - Galvatron seems the most likely, although Insecticons seem likely at some point too, but third party has made so many that I don't feel like I need it. Any of the triple-changes would be great, and be a great 'con to get on the list - Astrotrain has to be on their short list due to his prominence.

Then there's a super tiny minuscule part of me that wonders if this huge gap isn't due to the movie line taking designer time, but because they have something huge planned - something green and purple and huge, at that. But that's almost assuredly just setting myself up for disappointment.

 

Since everyone else is doing it, here’s my list:

MPM-6 ironhide
MP-42 Trailbreaker
MPM-7 VW bee
MP-43 hoist
MP-13+ Soundwave and co
MP-44 blaster

With the Autobot cassettes and MPM-8 starscream kicking off 2019

 

Trailbreaker and Hoist would be cool, and I know they were mentioned in that Sunstreaker interview.

But I'd be happy enough with Blaster and Hound/Mirage/Jazz/a minibot this year for G1 releases. Wheeljack has to be the next + release

Though if we got Trailbreaker I'd be ok with a 17+.



Hell, give me any + release next year Takara. Two would be even better.

 

Crossposting from appreciation thread:

Well, I got MP-12+...anyone wanna buy a regular MP-12? $65 shipped to continental US

Also, if anyone wants to buy an MP-14 (or better yet, trade for MP-14+), hit me up.

 

Sunstreaker now has me thinking that Takara and ONLY Takara will do any triple changers justice. The elegant way we get 2 Countach backs and the way all the small panels move around to make for a streamlined back-pack and the legs is pretty damned impressive... Especially when you compare Sunstreaker to Sideswipe (hint: Sunstreaker takes about 4 times longer transform).

With that attention to detail and the parts count that sounds seems to be par for the course now I'm pretty sure they could knock an Astrotrain or a Blitzwing out of the park... And I'm so excited about that I went and used not one but TWO sporting metaphors in that last sentence.

My only regret is that characters like Ultra Magnus, great as he is, came along before these luxuries were approved.

 

You mean, no butt flap if Ultra Magnus had been made in this new MP era?

 

While the butt-flap doesn't bother me as much as some I can only assume they left it there because of budget constraints. At the very least an extra double hinge to allow it to slide up over itself, halving it's length, should have been a no-brainer. I'm pretty sure as well that while an ab-crunch may have been wishful thinking a rotating waist would also have made it in now.

 

Sunstreaker

 

so far the + have matched up with a new release, going forward that's probably going to be their M.O.

Yeah, I've come to the same conclusion as as the 3P triple changers are seeming too much of a mixed bag.

 

Could be, but with 17+ and 18+ having no obvious pairing (apart from with each other), I think we may start to see the + releases creep in without so much reason.

I definitely don't want to wait for a V2 Grimlock to get 20+

Having said that, if we do get Blaster this year 13+ is an obvious choice.

 

I'd take that

 

If we would see POTP Predaking and MP Arcee and MP Springer (rumored) at NY Toy Fair and Winter Wonder Festival respectively, we can say that Hasbro and Takara are sending a "We Love You" letter to us

 

Decided not to buy any POTP, just not a fan of this line.

I'm hoping for an MP Chromia/Elita or Moonracer, instead of Arcee. How some people feel about Windblade, is how I feel about Arcee ( too much of the limelight). Safe to say that I will not be buying an MP Arcee, ever.

I'd LOVE an MP Springer or Blitzwing, though.