Transformer Starscream Masterpiece has arrived!

[Fit For Natalie]

boo, I thought you had a "source." haha. oh well.

I was basing on odd decisions Takara have made in the past few years to (presumebly) save some money.

Well what I saw was diffenetly plastic, right down to the smoke stacks.

Erm, his smokestacks have always been plastic regardless of what version there is. The shiny stacks are made of vaccum-metalised plastic.

if I could take one at of the box from there and feel it I'd probably change my opinion, but from what I was looking at based off the color coating and close look, he diffenetly looked like he's got more plastic then he does diecast in my opinion. Maybe it's just how they dressed him up that he looks plastic.......the Hasbro version I got from 2004 is more "glossy" like.

Different paint. His red hue is different. Mostly his new colours are a weird combination of Classics Prime (yellow vents on his head as I recall) and G1 cartoon Prime (white paint for stripes instead of silver).

[Hikuro]

Which is probably why he looks so cheap looking...

[UN Spacy]

So....1/48 in Fighter Mode but 1/60 in Robot Mode?

from news.ssizz.net

[ghostryder]

So....1/48 in Fighter Mode but 1/60 in Robot Mode?

I think the F-15 is about 63 ft long in real life, whereas the VF-1 is about 45 ft.

A fighter comparison w/ a bigger fighter like the VF-0 would be to the same scale, and "look" right.

Someone once posted this pic of 1/48s together (F/A-18, VF-1, and F-15). You can see how big the F-15 is, I only wish someone would post a top view.

Edited October 3, 2006 by ghostryder

[doodler7]

I agree UN Spacy ... how weird with the 1/48 & 1/60 sizes in different modes. SS looks like it's a treat to transform, but I like consistency.

Thank you guys, the reviews and photos helped a lot on deciding for this SS toy; Limbo, Twoducks and Chowyunskinny (thanks for the pixs).

Now if SS runs for $40 ... maybe.

[treatment]

off-topic

re: Prime

Which is probably why he looks so cheap looking...

When I felt it, the chest was die-cast, at least.

Fwiw, the re-issue 20th-Anniv Hasbro-Prime has more flatter/duller colors that it seems like it's all plastic. The blue-gun doesn't help, either. It really is boring in colors and stuff compared to the first-issue.

/off-topic.

on-topic:

I kinda like the MP-03, but I'm still quite iffy on the colors. I'll just wait for the Hasbro-version.

Edited October 3, 2006 by treatment

[Knight26]

Wait is it confirmed that it is 1:48 in fighter mode, what are the dimensions?

[ghostryder]

Wait is it confirmed that it is 1:48 in fighter mode, what are the dimensions?

A 1/48 F-15 would be about 16 inches. I THINK it was confirmed a while ago that the fighter is about 1/60, which jives with UN Spacy's pic.

[David Hingtgen]

Here you go, both of these are 1/48. But the F-15's missing a few parts. Of course, AFTER I take the pic I remember I have the F-15's engines and v.stabs done, I could have just quick inserted them for the pic.

PS--since I painted it myself, I know THAT's what color an F-15E should be. Of course, the lighting in my room sucks.

[promethuem5]

So SS is about 1/60 scale...

[UN Spacy]

That settles it.

Thanks for the pic Dave!

[Knight26]

ok so someone show SS next to a 1:60 VF-0 and VF-1 now

[Limbo]

Well, that's it for me. I transformed it a second time and just keep noticing more and more stress marks. The hinge on the back got three screws. The top center one doesn't tight anymore, and this is making a little connection metal bar come out. I got another stress mark on one of the intake covers. The problem is too many tabs and pieces locking everything up... This toy requires bit too much of brute force to pull out the piece between the wings. It will chill shelved on robot mode for a while.

[KingNor]

Man, David you really called it on the "pre" froating head version. that one really IS starscream.

I had no idea there was a "retooling" of the character. what a shame that original one is better in every way. :-(

[eugimon]

Man, David you really called it on the "pre" froating head version. that one really IS starscream.

I had no idea there was a "retooling" of the character. what a shame that original one is better in every way. :-(

other than the low sitting wings, the block of a chest, the short stubby calves, the ridiculous way the feet pop out and all the fins hanging off of the ankles.

[Subotnik]

ok so someone show SS next to a 1:60 VF-0 and VF-1 now

A quick snap next to a 1/60 VF-1D:

[vlenhoff]

Man, David you really called it on the "pre" froating head version. that one really IS starscream.

I had no idea there was a "retooling" of the character. what a shame that original one is better in every way. :-(

Does anyone has the "pre-production" comparison shots of SS? In other words, Pre-Kawamori, and post Kawamori?(if there is such thing of course)

Thanks in advance.

[Subotnik]

Does anyone has the "pre-production" comparison shots of SS? In other words, Pre-Kawamori, and post Kawamori?(if there is such thing of course)

Thanks in advance.

Chowyunskinny posted them on page 5. The original mold is the one with the lighter background and the tailfins on the legs.

Here's another shot of the original, pre changes:

There were some better jet mode pictures too, but I can't find them.

[Twoducks]

[attachmentid=37105]

Notice how the robot parts blend more with the airplane in the revised version.

About the different bluish/greenish/greyish tones we see in the pics:

nuh-uh. see my pic. under fluroescent/with flash, hes greenish. yellow light neutralizes the green hue, makes it look grey (not shown, as in those toy show pics with halogen light). in natural light, its blue.

Taken from here: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/showpost.php...mp;postcount=89

Soooo, for you people that have it:

What colour is MP SS under natural light?

And under yellow light?

And fluorescent?

Edited October 4, 2006 by Twoducks

[eugimon]

nice pics, it clearly shows why the conformal tanks were added: to hide all the arm kibble in fighter mode.

And did anyone notice the two giant spikes that hang off the wings in bot mode? They look like that would severly limit leg posability the way they're configured.

[Limbo]

If they only had a chance to... the "Samurai" kibble only allow the leg to spread about 22 degrees.

[Matt Random]

Man, David you really called it on the "pre" froating head version. that one really IS starscream.

I had no idea there was a "retooling" of the character. what a shame that original one is better in every way. :-(

I agree. I prefer the first prototype. I have to admit that I remember the G1 toy much more clearly than the cartoon or comic look. I don't mind the fins on the legs since it reminds me of the G1 toy. I think the leg, foot and arm shape was also much more accurate. I never really saw that prototype as too blocky but I do agree that the wings sit way too low on the back.

I went ahead and ordered SS since I can't buy a toy based on the first prototype and the production model will still look quite nice in my Yamato cabinet.

[Fit For Natalie]

I wish Starscream was taken less as a semi-serious variable F-15 fighter jet mecha replica and more a TF.

Not to say I want the traditional Transformer jet design of having a bunch of robot junk understand sticking out like a brick, but I preferred the original prototype's design for the balance between semi-realistic plane and cool G1 robot. I also think less plane replica gimmickery could have resulted in a much more robust toy, like 20th Anniversary Prime/MP Convoy.

Then again since nobody seems to care about Transformers in Asia, Takara is really selling this as a variable F-15 replica by Shoji Kawamori than as a Transformer. I don't know about you, but that's bad for Transformers.

[holytoledo69]

I just got mine today.. Where do I start? Let me just say that the MP-O3 Starscream is a work of marvelous engineering BUT not without its flaws and QC issues:

Mine came with a non-racheting right shoulder joint. Easy to fix if your experienced repairing that sort of problem. (probably just a weak or loose spring) Also the fingers on mine are extremely loose. While these are rarely unheard of especially for takara, I think their merger with Tomy lowered their standards in the Quality Control department. (Or maybe mine was just a fluke?)

This is not an MP.. its more of a alternator fighter jet. IMHO MP's are larger and contain a significant amount of DIECAST. Ofcourse due to its design I didnt think diecast would work in its favor. I.E if the wings were, it would be too top heavy and if the lower legs were, it would be really floppy due to its weight... So I hope if/when this ever reaches the states that they dont sell it as one (an MP I mean) and it wont sell for more than 40 bucks.

Lastly, let me just add that he is extremely easy to transform granted that the ultra tight joints cooperate. With that being said, becareful transforming it. Skip a few of the steps in the booklet just to loosen some parts that are "locked in" then proceed with the instructions. If some pictures seem a little vague please refer here for extra help. Dont get me wrong.. this is a very durable transformer, but I've read in so many forums reporting plastic stress marks already apearing during multiple transforming. so please DO NOT USE UNNECCESSARY FORCE to loosen parts free to avoid stressing the plastic...

Some other facts:

He seems to be 1/60 scale. He is about as long as the 1/60 Yamato VF-0S/A and the 1/48 VF-1J in jet mode (roughly 12") PLUS the Roy Fokker figure (from the 1/60 VF-0) can fit nicely in its cockpit.

Robot mode is a different story, he's a little bit more compact than the Valkyrie Battloids. I say about 9 inches (The battloids being about 12").

Edited October 4, 2006 by holytoledo69

[GobotFool]

how big would the jet have been if they made the bot mode around MP primes size?

[holytoledo69]

how big would the jet have been if they made the bot mode around MP primes size?

HUGE!!! I'd say it would of been at least 20- 24 inches long... could be wrong lol

[ghostryder]

A 1/48 MPSS would make the robot about 12", a bit shorter than MP Prime (which is looks more correct).

[Twoducks]

how big would the jet have been if they made the bot mode around MP primes size?

If you made MP SS 12" like MP Prime, jet mode would be probably around 16" long... making the thing more expensive (and the fighter too big; I find Yamato's 1/48 VF-1 fighter as big as I would be willing to display).

Edited October 4, 2006 by Twoducks

[GobotFool]

I so would have payed through the nose for a 1/48 screamer might have solved alot of QC issues as well if it were larger.

[David Hingtgen]

Months ago, lots of people were fan-coloring the original version of the mold. Sigh, what could(should) have been:

That IS Starscream.

PS--the "wing spikes"---as I said like a page ago, they wings are so articulated they can easily be positioned out of the way, just like on the G1 toy. (ironically that's one of the few articulation points the G1 has)

PPS--as I proposed months ago----they could EASILY have had the best of both worlds. MAKE THE CONFORMAL TANKS REMOVABLE. They're one single piece on the real thing, they're one single piece on model kits of the F-15, and they weren't originally sculpted on the mold. All they had to do was make them a separate piece that you attach to fighter mode IF YOU WANT. There's no reason at all to totally redesign the robot mode to accomodate them permanently. If you want the arms hidden in fighter mode, then you attach the conformal tanks. Would take all of 2 seconds. No need at all to redesign the entire toy. Make it like FAST pack armor--attach it IF YOU WANT. Don't make it PERMANENT.

Yeesh, you'd think Kawamori would have thought of that option--since the F-15's REMOVABLE FAST packs are the original inspiration for the REMOVABLE FAST packs of the VF-1...

Just 2 little pegs/holes for attachment needed. They could have just snagged any F-15E model on the market, cast and re-scaled the conformal tanks to 1/60, and included them along with the Sidewinder missiles. (which they also screwed up BTW, they're mounted sideways, and that's why they're missing a few fins)

And even if they WERE permanently mounted--why change the robot mode? Why have hip kibble, why have intake kibble? There's no need for that, you can sculpt on the conformal tanks just fine with the existing design. (The intake kibble exists because of the hip kibble--the wing "points" only interfere with movement if the massive hip kibble is there projecting into the wing "points" area) (The points are the wingroot fairings, and were one of many areas made inaccurate for no reason in the redesign) The conformal tanks taper rapidly as you move aft, there wouldn't be that much new material on the legs themselves, the tanks end prior to the tailbooms and are only 1/2 as deep as under the wings. It'd still have Popeye (and wrongly colored) foreams, but the intake and hip kibble wouldn't have to be there.

Or hey--make the conformal tank blue. Might look a bit strange in fighter mode with the grey fuselage, but would give the proper color to the forearms, and more blue accents on the legs and wings to match the arms and feet.

[eugimon]

your colored pic aside, the new design still has better porportions along the torso and legs. Wings that flare out from the shoulders, as portrayed in the cartoon and features better posability in the legs.

In fighter mode it looks cleaner from the side hiding the gaps caused by the arm folds and from the bottom, provides a much more uniform look.

[Twoducks]

Jesus, for a toy nobody's forcing you to buy this mold is still really getting to you David...

Here's anime scheme photoshopped into the old mold (plane mode):

[attachmentid=37109]

And in the new mold (minus arm padding and the hip kibble removed)

[attachmentid=37110]

*edit: this are fan made also (don't remember where I got them though)*

MP SS next to Classics SS:

http://www.tfans.com/talk/index.php?s=&amp...st&p=991310

And next to a whole bunch of TF stuff (and what looks like him rapping Classics Bumblebee):

http://www.tfans.com/talk/index.php?s=&amp...st&p=991378

Edited October 5, 2006 by Twoducks

[1 VF-1 2NV]

Now I would buy that.

[promethuem5]

I ordered mine today. After seeing those pics, I'm even more excited to get mine.... can't wait. I'm probably gonna zoom this guy around the room and play with him more than any other fig in a looong time.

[do not disturb]

MP starscream = VF-1A angel birds = fighter mode only