Damn, I was beaten to the bear reference.  

 

I see you point but most of the comments suggest they are, there's very few "No because I don't buy any MPs" comments, besides in those cases isn't it interesting to know why they don't? Also surely of all the MPs Prime should be the one even non-MP collectors should want to get. However I do agree I would be interested to see what percentage of regular MP collectors are getting this.

 

No. Now if its only built with the same fashion like SOCs, it will be a different story.

 

So, partsforming then?

Because that's Bandai's solution to anime magic. No brilliant inside-out engineering there.

 

I'll wait for the lite version. I've not drank enough kool-aid to drop a car note on a figure.

 

Metal instead of plastic and quality paint finish...

 

Partsforming was the original solution created by Sunbow in the G1 cartoon, so anyone hating on that is failing to remember that it's true to the source material. Even Prime's trailer often appeared out of nowhere when he transformed into truck mode and disappeared into nowhere (or a conveniently-placed nearby alley) when he transformed back.  

Aside from the absurd price, I'm surprised how poor it looks given the price tag. As one example, there are many panel/part seams visible in the upper chest / neck / shoulders area on this supposedly toon-focused design. Looking down on the chest/shoulders area, it's a real mess of folded up panels and parts, rather than a nice cohesive truck roof like Optimus has in both toon and previous toy form.

MP-44 looks like they just gave up at some point and were like, "we had to accordion/fold up a lot of panels in this spot, so there are lots of seams as a result". That's not $450 engineering. That's not even $250 engineering. It also looks really awkward in some of the pose photos, with gaps opening up when certain joints are bent or limbs are turned.

I don't think this will sell at its current price as well as other G1 MPs have sold, given those factors that are at odds with one another -- super high price and a less-than-excellent, not as photogenic robot mode. MP-10 is still doing great in the meantime. Adding the KFC hands and some of the Eness arm upgrades resolved the only real issues with the stock robot form. MP-10 hits the ideal of "masterpiece" - a combination of G1 toon, G1 toy, and 30 years of nostalgia-influenced memory of what we loved as a kid, in an adult display-worthy form. Takara has unfortunately lost the way on that ethos.

So MP-44 takes its place on the growing list of wastes of time in the Masterpiece line that's been on life support for a couple years now. Fewer and fewer G1 figures, inexplicably higher prices, and now even some of the G1 figures are disappointing. If it wasn't for third-party companies taking up the mantle, this would truly be a dead hobby for collectors looking to represent the G1 cast on their shelf in masterpiece form.

 

If a 3rd party does it, I'll pick it up. I can't afford the price tag

 

Have to see comparison pics with previous MP and also I can wait for a deep discount on weird deco of the same mold from TRU. . .

 

I don’t like spending 200+ on a figure
(150 us) so 450 us is heaps over what I wanna pay
This is a 600+$ figure
I could buy all of toyworld devastator it’s that or just about finish my season 1 chug autobots and decepticons
So nah I’ll pass. Still looks good though

 

I don't think it would make much of a difference. You've just got to face the facts @Sam, even though you are very enthusiastic for this release, the fandom in general is not.

 

Boycott HasTak.

450 absolutely ridiculous.

Lewin prime is nearly 3ft tall, weighs what? 20/30 lbs, has mad die-cast, lights up and everything and is 350.

Still and absurd price, but you get my point.

450 is pure exploitation.

 

And they paid practically zero for R&D on that, so that's totally a great comparison...

 

i would if i can get it for under 400 nzd including the 80 nzd postage (normal cost)

 

I have one or more versions of every MP mould except the BWMP’s, don’t think for a second that I’m breaking that streak. If it means I’m a less frequent presence at my local AYCE until August then so be it. I still have at least a couple hundred in old video games that I can bear to part with as well.

I passed on MP-1 back in the day like an idiot, didn’t get an MP-10 until YOTH, so damn the torpedoes I’m going in!

 

Where's the unsure/maybe choice, lol?

This is actually seriousness to this question.

 

I'll definitely add XD

 

Can we have a "I can't afford it, but even if I could, it'd still be way too much" option please?

 

You forgot complexity in your equation.

 

They're gonna KO the shit out of this thing for sure, so that 450 price won't hold. Once it gets sub-300 I might bite, but at this point MP-10 is all I need. And I'm not even sure I like MP-44 at any price. Dat backpack.