The Transformers Thread (licensed) Next

[Scyla]

yes I do, I just bought him recently. I like him.

If you don't mind could I ask you some specific questions? I'm curious to know what other collectors think.

• How to you feel about the missing paint applications, the uncoated die-cast bits, hallow limbs, lack of accessory storage and mold quality of the red plastic bits (especially the red feet)?
• Compared to other high prices collectibles from Bandai (SoCs, DX Valkyries), Arcadia (Valkyries) or Sentinel (Riobot) how would you rate him as a collectible?
• How would you compare him to previous Masterpiece toys especially MP-10?

On a side note. I'm freed my Transformers Alternity toys form their shelf prison and been playing around with them. While they are certainly flawed toys (especially the use of die-cast) and the aesthetic is not for everyone I'm still impressed that Takara could offer such nicely painted and detailed toys. Their finish is superb. I wish the Masterpiece cars hat the level of detail and paint of the Alternity cars.

[anime52k8]

• How to you feel about the missing paint applications, the uncoated die-cast bits, hallow limbs, lack of accessory storage and mold quality of the red plastic bits (especially the red feet)?
• Compared to other high prices collectibles from Bandai (SoCs, DX Valkyries), Arcadia (Valkyries) or Sentinel (Riobot) how would you rate him as a collectible?
• How would you compare him to previous Masterpiece toys especially MP-10?

I don't really feel like he's missing any paint really. yes he's got a lot of unpainted plastic but it's all in the colors it should be. I feel like painting parts just for the sake of painting them is kind of overrated, especially on a toy that has to transform. arguably they could have painted in sticker detail from the original toy, but none of that was on the show model which is what Takara goes for on MP's in general. The uncoated diecast was a bit of a disappointment but those parts are hardly noticeable most of the time anyways so it doesn't really bother me. personally, I don't care about the hollow limbs, it's not like they have gaping holes in them like a retail toy and overall he's still got substantial weight to him. The only accessory that doesn't store on him that should have is the small sword hilt, everything else has a place to go in all modes or doesn't need to store on him at all times IMO. personally I've taken to using the gun with saber and the big sword with star saber and just leaving everything else to the side. As for the mold quality, it's typical Takara. It's not the most crisply molded thing in the world but it's on par with other MP's.

I feel like comparing him to Bandai, Arcadia or Sentinel is a little unfair really. yeah Arcadia and sentinel are leagues better as collectables but they're also massively more expensive products who's whole appeal is there insane level of intricacy, detail and finish. I'd also say Bandai DX's are overall a bit better but that's really more a knock against Takara as a whole than it is Star Saber in particular. Bandai Flat out makes better collectables than Takara. DX's HM-R's and SoC's are just in general better that MP's of comparable price, even the ones that are considered "good". Ultimately I think a lot of his value also comes from just being a good TOY. he's frankly just more fun to mess around with than a lot of "collectors figures"

Now, I'll be honest, I don't own MP-10 so I can't make that comparison. I own MP Thundercracker, Soundwave, all of the cassettes, wheeljack and sideswipe. To me, he's on par or better than all of those. for me Soundwave is the king of the MP's and Star Saber compares favorably to him. I can see how people would feel he's more of a toy than other MP's but I think that's just the nature of the character.

[Scyla]

I don't really feel like he's missing any paint really. yes he's got a lot of unpainted plastic but it's all in the colors it should be. I feel like painting parts just for the sake of painting them is kind of overrated, especially on a toy that has to transform. arguably they could have painted in sticker detail from the original toy, but none of that was on the show model which is what Takara goes for on MP's in general. The uncoated diecast was a bit of a disappointment but those parts are hardly noticeable most of the time anyways so it doesn't really bother me. personally, I don't care about the hollow limbs, it's not like they have gaping holes in them like a retail toy and overall he's still got substantial weight to him. The only accessory that doesn't store on him that should have is the small sword hilt, everything else has a place to go in all modes or doesn't need to store on him at all times IMO. personally I've taken to using the gun with saber and the big sword with star saber and just leaving everything else to the side. As for the mold quality, it's typical Takara. It's not the most crisply molded thing in the world but it's on par with other MP's.

I feel like comparing him to Bandai, Arcadia or Sentinel is a little unfair really. yeah Arcadia and sentinel are leagues better as collectables but they're also massively more expensive products who's whole appeal is there insane level of intricacy, detail and finish. I'd also say Bandai DX's are overall a bit better but that's really more a knock against Takara as a whole than it is Star Saber in particular. Bandai Flat out makes better collectables than Takara. DX's HM-R's and SoC's are just in general better that MP's of comparable price, even the ones that are considered "good". Ultimately I think a lot of his value also comes from just being a good TOY. he's frankly just more fun to mess around with than a lot of "collectors figures"

Now, I'll be honest, I don't own MP-10 so I can't make that comparison. I own MP Thundercracker, Soundwave, all of the cassettes, wheeljack and sideswipe. To me, he's on par or better than all of those. for me Soundwave is the king of the MP's and Star Saber compares favorably to him. I can see how people would feel he's more of a toy than other MP's but I think that's just the nature of the character.

Thanks for your reply. My issue with Star Saber is that I think he is a great toy but not a good collectible. Now my MP stand mostly in their cabinet and I get to play with them once in a while (there are so many of them and, sadly, I have not as much time as a child). So this is why in my eyes Star Saber is a disappointment since I want more a collectible than a toy. This is why I asked especially for the hollow limbs, missing paint and mold quality. Compared to Ultra Magnus he feels more like a shampoo bottle when having him in hand. Especially the missing paint apps because now I have to look at the gate marks (like the yellow piece in Star Sabers crest) because Takara seem to be unable to hide them. I would prefer yellow paint over yellow plastic.

I just have a hard time comparing him with other toys in my collection and I always feel bummed out when I have him in hand. And I want to find out what other collectors think about him so I can learn to cope with the issues I have with him since I adore the design of Star Saber.

I think I wouldn't agree with the statement that Takara can't do better that is why I mentioned the Alternity cars. If the MP had a similar feel and finish (without the weird aesthetic and questionable engineering choices) I would be perfectly happy.

[VF-Zer0S]

That Cheetor 😎

http://www.taghobby.com/1-0/1-1/不斷更新內容-2016年6月9日-12日-international-tokyo-toy-show-2016-takaraomy展品/

[Omega Prime]

That Cheetor

http://www.taghobby.com/1-0/1-1/不斷更新內容-2016年6月9日-12日-international-tokyo-toy-show-2016-takaraomy展品/

And a significant remold of Titans Return Optimus Prime into Ginrai!!

http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/06/10/takara-legends-ginrai-confirmation-details-316879

Also some Diaclone v2 love!

http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/takaratomy-diaclone-reboot-tokyo-toy-show-reveals/35581/

Edited June 11, 2016 by Omega Prime

[technoblue]

That Cheetor

http://www.taghobby.com/1-0/1-1/不斷更新內容-2016年6月9日-12日-international-tokyo-toy-show-2016-takaraomy展品/

I'm in no way a Beast Wars fan, and I have to admit that the Cheetor prototype is looking very cool.

Edit: Rain stalled the outdoor chores this morning, but I was able to do my MP Tracks comparison!

At first glance the official Takara version of MP-25 Tracks and the KO release look dead-on exact. I fooled myself because I opened and transformed the KO first, and I hadn't had a chance to check out the official version until I put both side-by-side today. Once I did that, there were things that stood out. I think one of the questions MP collectors will have to ask themselves is, are the differences worth the asking price of the official Takara release? For instance, Takara does a better job with the packaging. But I know there are others who think that stuff is fluff/superficial and saving money is more important. Hopefully, this comparison will go to further explain what you are getting for your hard-earned cash.

Here are both versions in alt mode. The KO is displaying the autobot symbol.

Alas, my KO has a paint smudge on the bonnet/hood that is visible, especially when the light hits that metallic blue paint. The official version did a better job with full, clean coverage. And the colors seem to pop more. I don't know how else to describe it. Perhaps the official Takara release received an extra coat of color in places where the KO did not? I'm not sure. In alt mode, my Takara copy also locks together very well. My KO has an issue where the back piece does not want to lock in place on one side.

In robot mode, it is getting somewhat difficult to tell these guys apart. The obvious difference (and what most people point out) is that the KO has rubber tires, which is nice and makes for a very smooth roll. But it is not a 100% win since one of the wheel rims on my KO had warped plastic out of the box. You can see how it looks now in the image above, which incorporates a fix where I attempted to work some of the plastic back in shape. I can live with it, but that plastic is soft in that area, and I'm not sure if it should be.

BTW, the KO is on the right, and the knackered rim is KO Track's right shoulder.For the official version, all of Track's wheels, even though they are plastic, are in excellent shape. Here is a closer shot of both to get a better look at the head sculpt:

Getting away from defects, both the official MP and the KO come with ratchets in the arms and legs. The official version feels like it has more pronounced ratchets and slightly stiffer joints in places (the hips, the ankles, the shoulders, the chest piece, the little white missiles, and the wings). On the KO, the ratchets are softer and the joints are easier to work with (some might say that they are looser). I didn't think that this hurt the figure in either case, but time will tell.

Both the official version and the KO have the same locking tabs in robot and alt mode. I didn't notice any new tabs in the KO version. The one noteworthy difference is that the official version will slip out of the tab slots in spots (like at the shoulders) if I am not careful when posing the toy. The KO avoids this problem due to the fact that most of the joints are easier to manipulate. My hope is that the official version will loosen up some over time like the larger MPs have done..

Of course, KO tracks includes all the same accessories as the official release (even the stand). I did appreciate that the stand was taped to the plastic clamshell in the official MP box. It was a subtle thing, but it was also a nice touch that was not included with the KO packaging.

So is the KO worth it? Maybe. The price is right, no doubt. The problem is with the defects because you might find that perfect one and be happy or you might get a dud, and that creates a sort of lucky draw for these. Granted, the same can be said for the official MPs. That said, I am happy with both Takara's Tracks and Road Rage. KO Tracks seems to be more of a novelty, albeit a fun one.

Edited June 12, 2016 by technoblue

[Black Valkyrie]

Takara Legends Ginrai, its a good thing i didn't order Titan PMOP.

[Scyla]

Got my MP Shockwave today and I think I dislike him more than Star Saber right now. Shockwave is definitely not a figure that is better in hand than in pictures. The purple plastic that makes up most of the toy has a terrible look and feel in hand. The worst part is that the plastic is so thin and almost translucent that you can see the light shinning through it when you hold it against a light source. The light piping does nothing for me. While it works pretty well there is no light source behind the toy in any of my cabinets so I have no use for it (there is also an ugly yellow window on the back of his head to facilitate the gimmick). It just looks out of place with the other MPs on the shelf. I think there are a grand total of 9 painted pieces on the toy (two on each food, one on the leg, the bar that connects the muzzle and the core bot, the tech-greeble in the chest and the area around the mono-eye)

The transformation is cool and I love the legs but when it all comes together I feel let down by the think plastic panels that make up the legs. I like the way the did the hose and it is a great Shockwave sculpt but everything else is a letdown. I also despise the switch for the light up feature in the chest. While the one in the arm is nicely done and hidden this one sticks out like a sore thumb.

He totally feels like a Yuki Masterpiece and very similar to MP Star Saber. It is a real shame that he turned out that bad since Shockwave is probably my favorite Transformers character. I can only imagine how he would looked like if he where MP-11 instead of the Starscream retrofit. As with Star Saber I'm curious to know how other collectors find this acceptable especially for the high retail price of almost 17k Yen.

Luckily for me in the same package there where the E-Hobby exclusive Deadlock and TF Cloud Hellwarp which are bot exceptionally nice. I love the psycho killer eyes on Hellwarp and they are both nicely painted. It is a shame that it seems there was no budget left in Deadlock to paint in the tail lights. Deadlock comes with the big two handed sword that came with the original Drift release and the three guns from the Blurr variant. It is still made out of a gummy plastic but blade carvings are picked out nicely with red paint. They both have their shortcomings because they are based on standard deluxe and voyager retail molds but the extra paint does a ton for them.

Hellwarp has a plug for the stand so the stand that came with MP Tracks can be utilized to hold him up like he is jumping out of the water. Love the transformation on both toys. Deadlocks articulation is great. He can even draw the sword from his back and pull off some stunning two-handed poses. I'm very happy with both toys. Hellwarp will be a welcome addition to my Skywarp collection because he is so unique.

Edited June 11, 2016 by Scyla

[Omega Prime]

Takara Legends Ginrai, its a good thing i didn't order Titan PMOP.

On TFW2005, the prototype of Ginrai is up!

http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/06/11/takara-legends-ginrai-prototype-images-316917

[Scyla]

I really hope Takara does a black repaint of Ginrai. I need to experience that mold.

[mikeszekely]

I really hope Takara does a black repaint of Ginrai. I need to experience that mold.

Why not the red one?

[Scyla]

Why not the red one?

I have very specific collection guidelines.

[David Hingtgen]

I can confirm that there is a lot of good in the KO version as I have both it and the official Takara MP Tracks (I was curious after reading about the KO's improvements).

How's the hood? I've read that in general the KO's lays flatter/lower---but my question is, does it sit further forward----my biggest issue with Track's hood isn't sitting up too high, I can reduce it 90%---but the thing is, it sits too far back ,revealing lots of silver at the front. (or, if I move it foward to close that hap, it then sits REALLY high)

And does the hood snap/click into place at all?

Also, the canopy (it's more than just a windshield on that mold)---does it sit down flush on top of the doors, near the front? Mine always wants to angle up a bit, and is never all the way down. It takes a TON of fiddling just to not have a huge gap around the mirrors---the side-glass never gets down to the top of the doors like it should.

[technoblue]

How's the hood? I've read that in general the KO's lays flatter/lower---but my question is, does it sit further forward----my biggest issue with Track's hood isn't sitting up too high, I can reduce it 90%---but the thing is, it sits too far back ,revealing lots of silver at the front. (or, if I move it foward to close that hap, it then sits REALLY high)

And does the hood snap/click into place at all?

Also, the canopy (it's more than just a windshield on that mold)---does it sit down flush on top of the doors, near the front? Mine always wants to angle up a bit, and is never all the way down. It takes a TON of fiddling just to not have a huge gap around the mirrors---the side-glass never gets down to the top of the doors like it should.

On the KO, the hinge for the hood is one of those joints that is not as stiff as the one on the official version. This makes it easier to place as a hood in alt mode, but in robot mode the pieces have a tendency to flop around on the back of Tracks' legs. The hood, itself, is the same exact size on both toys and uses the same exact pieces. On my copies, those parts do not click into place or have any tabs. At least, not that I can see by inspecting the pieces.

What the KO does have is a lip of blue metallic paint on the inside edge of the engine compartment. This helps to give a better illusion of a closed compartment when the hood is down. My official Tracks only has this lip of blue on one side of the engine compartment. And that's unfortunate, because the silver paint does stick out even when the hood is placed in exactly the same spot on both toys.

With regard to your other question, my official Tracks is less of a tolerance nightmare than my KO. The KO does not want to click together in alt mode without a lot of mussing and fussing. I think the cockpit/chest area on my KO acts a lot like it does on your official MP, David. It angles up and creates an obvious gap. You can see the differences in the profile shots below. The KO is on the left.

For me, the real downer is something that I have been noticing the more I have been comparing the two cars: the KO copy appears to have dimples in the plastic, whereas the official MP does not have any dimples that I can see. Here's another shot of the KO. Three dimples are visible. One on top of the car to the right of the Autobot symbol and two at the rear of the car.

Edited June 12, 2016 by technoblue

[Tking22]

I got a KO Tracks in Tuesday, it found its way to the trash about an hour after arrival. After reading a number of people on TFW2005 saying the KO was an improvement I decided to take a gamble myself, and gamble is literally the best way to describe what your situation is going to be. Mine had four really bad, really noticeable paint blemishes, and the finish of the plastic on the front two tires was garbage. I read some say they got a perfect copy that was better then their official, others got screwed like me, and some got copies that they could work with and make a few mods and fixes to make it better. So it really is just a gamble, like I said I tossed my KO already, it was far worse then official, but I only paid about $34 shipped, so maybe in a month or two I'll try to take the gamble again and grab another, see if I can get lucky.

[sh9000]

Transformers 30th Anniversary Animated Movie blu-ray

http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/transformers-the-movie-animated-film-to-be-released-on-bluray-and-dvd-from-shout-factory/35559/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01GU82O9U/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1466220753&sr=8-1π=SY200_QL40&keywords=transformers+the+movie&dpPl=1&dpID=6100DGiQyQL&ref=plSrch

SDCC Titans Return Fortress Maximus

[Omega Prime]

In case anyone is interested in the Hasbro release of Masterpiece Bumblebee

Seibertron.com posted a comparison!

http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/hasbro-transformers-masterpiece-mp08-bumblebee-in-hand-comparison-with-mp21/35659/

"The differences are as minimal as they were between Prowl and Bluestreak's Stateside cousins, and about what you'd expect."

[sh9000]

They finally made the box smaller.

[anime52k8]

What lunatic pays $125.99 for an MP bumblebee?

[jenius]

It's in Canuck bucks.

Edited June 21, 2016 by jenius

[mikeszekely]

It's in Canuck bucks.

That's still around $100. IIRC, Hasbro Prowl was more expensive than importing the Takara one, too

[Kanedas Bike]

$ 100 for MP Bumblebee at retail is pure foolishness.

That is Hasbro charging that much, if people are willing to pay that much, well it's their money.

-b.

[anime52k8]

Frankly I wouldn't pay $125 in monopoly money for MP bumblebee.

[Scyla]

But MP Bumblebee is probably one of the best Masterpiece toys. For starters he has translucent head and tail lights. Something that is severely missing from all other car bots.

The only think I could wish for are rubber tires, some die-cast parts in the feet and a MP Starscream like hand transformation for less gaps. Heck, even the yellow paint is done well for the most parts.

Of course he is not worth 100 USD but he is well worth the initial retail price of $50 from Japanese stores!

Edited June 21, 2016 by Scyla

[Omega Prime]

That's still around $100. IIRC, Hasbro Prowl was more expensive than importing the Takara one, too

And an important thing to consider is that every Takara Masterpiece has been reissued at least one time! So if people missed out on Bumble the last time they can always wait for a reissue and get it at HLJ for around $45-50 san shipping cost!

[sh9000]

That TRU exclusive Bumblebee is great for variant packaging collectors.

[mikeszekely]

$ 100 for MP Bumblebee at retail is pure foolishness.

That is Hasbro charging that much, if people are willing to pay that much, well it's their money.

-b.

I don't think it's entirely Hasbro. The Hasbro MP's have been TRU exclusives, and you can bet that TRU's marking them up anywhere from $20-$50 over Hasbro's MSRP.

[Kanedas Bike]

I don't think it's entirely Hasbro. The Hasbro MP's have been TRU exclusives, and you can bet that TRU's marking them up anywhere from $20-$50 over Hasbro's MSRP.

Sorry, Hasbro was the easy target. I have no idea what they set the SRP at, but Hasbro, TRU, whatever entity or entities are responsible for that price can kick rocks.

It's not like I was going to buy another, I have the Takara version but $ 100 is just robbery for anyone that is looking to purchase. Additionally, TRU MP Prowl was only $ 60 or $ 70 IIRC

-b.

[derex3592]

I think I paid $75 for my Takara Bumblebee with Spike in the exosuit, and he's pretty cool.

[technoblue]

I question whether the US price will be $100 when it gets stocked in stores down this way. There was a US listing posted on TFW in January that had a price more in line with MP Prowl. Here it is: http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/01/21/masterpiece-bumblebee-toys-r-us-listing-308158

Has the price changed that much? Or is this another case of Canada getting the short end of the TRU exclusive stick? I have no idea.

[sh9000]

[Kanedas Bike]

I think I paid $75 for my Takara Bumblebee with Spike in the exosuit, and he's pretty cool.

Paid around $ 50 from HLJ and probably got him shipped at no cost using Private Warehouse.

Can't speak to how good, or not, the figure is as he's MISB with the rest of my MP Transformers.

I question whether the US price will be $100 when it gets stocked in stores down this way. There was a US listing posted on TFW in January that had a price more in line with MP Prowl. Here it is: http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/01/21/masterpiece-bumblebee-toys-r-us-listing-308158

Has the price changed that much? Or is this another case of Canada getting the short end of the TRU exclusive stick? I have no idea.

Good point, I guess we'll see. But if he's priced the same, or higher than any other TRU MP release then I perceive it as a rip-off.

-b.

[sh9000]

Paid around $ 50 from HLJ and probably got him shipped at no cost using Private Warehouse.

Can't speak to how good, or not, the figure is as he's MISB with the rest of my MP Transformers.

Mine was $55 shipped from Nippon-Yasan. My MP's are all MISB too.

[sh9000]

[Tking22]

I'm surprised I haven't seen this posted yet.

That's definitely a neat bit of engineering they pulled off with the ladder, but these new shots specifically make this official version look super low detail, and far too plain, especially the legs. I'm still sticking with MMC Backdraft, he looks incredible. but if TT can have their Grapple pull off this same hide the crane thing as Inferno, I'll definitely be getting him. And I've said it before, but I'll say it again, TFW2005 is the WORST. I don't normally quote single member's posts because they're not indicative of anything, and mostly anecdotal, but I saw this and cringed real, real hard.

"First place for worst and wrongest use of the term "care" ever! greetings. And enjoy your made with care "ladder on my back" guy and its million unnecessary grooves and lines."

This tool literally just said, "Hur dur, have fun with your far more detailed figure!" Like, okay, I totally will. This was a reply to another member that said he doesn't like the hard-core toon accurate look of TT, and he preferred MMC Backdraft still. I mean whatever floats your boat, but what idiot attempts to go for snark by mocking someone for liking a more detailed figure?

Edited June 24, 2016 by Tking22