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We have some interesting news on Takara Tomy's Transformers Masterpiece line to report from the latest issue of Dengeki Hobby by way of Autobase Aichi. According to an article within the pages of the magazine the 2014 Transformers Masterpiece line will have a new designer, or rather an old designer, Hironori Kobayashi.

Kobayashi is no stranger to the Masterpiece line, he designed MP-01 through MP-09, although his designs for MP-03 Starscream were tweaked by Shoji Kawamori. Kobayashi was also the designer behind the Alternity line. He will be taking over for current Masterpiece designer is Shogo Hasui, who's credits include MP-11 through MP-19. This change will not impact the the development of Masterpiece Fan Poll Winner Star Saber who is currently being designed by Hishashi Yuki.

I like the new MP line, which did learn from the flaws of the original, & improved the quality. Hopefully, since H. Kobayashi, the engineer/designer drafted, said original, it will make him best qualified/suited to create future MP toys. After all, who would learn from his originals, better than himself, right?

Just as the MP line was becoming epic, they change the line up...

Wat?

Scans from the magazine can be found here.
http://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/97 ... ers-scans/

Randy

RodimalToyota wrote:Just as the MP line was becoming epic, they change the line up...

Wat?

Yeah, I was kinda thinking the same at first, but this guy did design MP-10, the one that started it all with regards to the 'new' MPs so I think we'll be OK .

Besides, who better to create MP-22 which is itself based on MP-10 than the one who designed MP-10?

hmmmmm......i don't know what to think here.
the masterpiece line started to become engineered amazingly since mp-11 to mp-19. why the change? and i thought mp-20 was supposed to be wheeljack, then bumblebee, THEN Ultra Magnus.

I hope to God they don't change the line up. there really is no need to change a good thing.

Star Saber is not MP-20. Or at least, he's never been confirmed to be. He might just get his own unique number to reflect his special-ness as a fan vote winner. But as MP-20? No confirmation.

Wait, are you sure it wasn't actually Shogo Hasui behind the MP-10?

Because I read an interview with Hasui where he stated that he deigned the new Masterpiece Optimus Prime while Kobayashi was working on Rodimus Prime.

And why does Shogo Hasui have to leave the project anyway? I don't like the sound of this.

cool. i hope there will be many many more repaints to come.

The last several figures have been excellent. Not sure I like this move. I really hope Kobayashi will pick up from Prowl/Blue Streak/Smokescreen with the same style. It would absolutely suck if the future figures don't match the recent figures in astetics. Did Hironori Kobayashi design MP Grimlock?

OHHHH.. this is worrisome.

Cyberpath wrote:Wait, are you sure it wasn't actually Shogo Hasui behind the MP-10?

Because I read an interview with Hasui where he stated that he deigned the new Masterpiece Optimus Prime while Kobayashi was working on Rodimus Prime.

Yeah, Hasui definitely did MP-10 while Kobayashi's last MP was MP-9 Rodimus.

I'm not sure what to make of the fandom's collective freak out...

megatronus wrote:I'm not sure what to make of the fandom's collective freak out...

On here, it looks less like a freak out more like just a cautionary awareness. The MP line has been doing so well so far, so to hear of a change of staff would naturally spur a reaction of some kind.

At least we can still look forward to Hisashi Yuki's MP Star Saber since he's good at designing Super Robots like that.

Sabrblade wrote:

megatronus wrote:I'm not sure what to make of the fandom's collective freak out...

On here, it looks less like a freak out more like just a cautionary awareness. The MP line has been doing so well so far, so to hear of a change of staff would naturally spur a reaction of some kind.

At least we can still look forward to Hisashi Yuki's MP Star Saber since he's good at designing Super Robots like that.

Mmmm... Star Saber

Yes, you guys are correct Shogo designed MP-10. I've corrected the post.

People, I'm one of the unfortunates who don't own an MP Hotrodimus. Were the problems due to design or bad materials? Either way, the change in engineering designers would more or less have learned from mistakes and avoid them in future TF releases no? (and maybe avoid the stupid design flaws found in non MPs like TG Blitzwing)

fenrir72 wrote:People, I'm one of the unfortunates who don't own an MP Hotrodimus. Were the problems due to design or bad materials?

A little of both (as some parts were either too fragile or designed unworkable ways for the figure to function), as well as due to it simply being too ambitious for its own good, trying to play the role of both Hot Rod and Rodimus when it could have benefited from being constrained to just one and giving the other his own separate mold.

I think Masterpiece collectors are entitled to be worried. Everything before MP-10 (which Kobayashi designed) while good, never really meshed as a collective series. Everything after has worked together and looks great together. As long as he doesn't ruin the series because third parties have realised that people want Masterpiece scaled toys. Quakewave was the catalyst and Xtransbots and Cubex are about to duel it out over Huffer. They have competition now, they better not ruin a good thing.

On the other hand, they have a Wheeljack and Bumblebee mold to repaint, not to mention Ultra Magnus so we do have some upcoming releases using the new Masterpieces.

The words so far is Hasui will be doing MP20,21,22 then he'll jump into TF Movie line. Kobayahi will pick up the MP Line starting with MP23 and up. Going to be very interesting to see both lines.

good to hear Hasui isn't going away! Looking at some of the pre-Hasui issues, this is a small concern, but hopefully one that is fixed by lessons learned as a design team.

fenrir72 wrote:People, I'm one of the unfortunates who don't own an MP Hotrodimus. Were the problems due to design or bad materials? Either way, the change in engineering designers would more or less have learned from mistakes and avoid them in future TF releases no? (and maybe avoid the stupid design flaws found in non MPs like TG Blitzwing)

Design and materials.
Its engineering feels and looks like it belongs on a figure twice the size. On top of that the Hasbro version featured the typical poopy paint Hasbro is known for, the kind that hates plastic and tries to get away from.
On top of that the QC wasn't that great, the thing is designed in a way that assembly needed to be very exact, which is something HasTak's factories aren't exactly known for.


This news is somewhat unnerving, Hasui really worked hard on the line so that everything worked scale and aesthetics wise. Kobayahi did some amazing work, but nothing in the line really worked out that well, none of the figures really looked like they came from the same line, hopefully they force him to comply with Hasui's established direction, if not I'll drop the line and just give up on the toys completely.

Sabrblade wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:People, I'm one of the unfortunates who don't own an MP Hotrodimus. Were the problems due to design or bad materials?

A little of both (as some parts were either too fragile or designed unworkable ways for the figure to function), as well as due to it simply being too ambitious for its own good, trying to play the role of both Hot Rod and Rodimus when it could have benefited from being constrained to just one and giving the other his own separate mold.

And for the love of Primus, don't get the Hasbro version. It has a rather annoying problem in that shoulders really like to break on that version. Spring too strong or plastic too weak? Who knows? The little OffshootFirebolt isn't worth his hefty price tag alone.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:People, I'm one of the unfortunates who don't own an MP Hotrodimus. Were the problems due to design or bad materials?

A little of both (as some parts were either too fragile or designed unworkable ways for the figure to function), as well as due to it simply being too ambitious for its own good, trying to play the role of both Hot Rod and Rodimus when it could have benefited from being constrained to just one and giving the other his own separate mold.

And for the love of Primus, don't get the Hasbro version. It has a rather annoying problem in that shoulders really like to break on that version. Spring too strong or plastic too weak? Who knows? The little OffshootFirebolt isn't worth his hefty price tag alone.

Especially not when it's been misasembled and its pin was forced into the wrong hole.
At least the large diecast matrix it came with is pretty awesome.

Dead Metal wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:People, I'm one of the unfortunates who don't own an MP Hotrodimus. Were the problems due to design or bad materials?

A little of both (as some parts were either too fragile or designed unworkable ways for the figure to function), as well as due to it simply being too ambitious for its own good, trying to play the role of both Hot Rod and Rodimus when it could have benefited from being constrained to just one and giving the other his own separate mold.

And for the love of Primus, don't get the Hasbro version. It has a rather annoying problem in that shoulders really like to break on that version. Spring too strong or plastic too weak? Who knows? The little OffshootFirebolt isn't worth his hefty price tag alone.

Especially not when it's been misasembled and its pin was forced into the wrong hole.
At least the large diecast matrix it came with is pretty awesome.

I found the Matrix to be too fidgety. My favorite feature for MP Rodimus is the trailer/anti aircraft gun.

REMINATOR wrote:The words so far is Hasui will be doing MP20,21,22 then he'll jump into TF Movie line. Kobayahi will pick up the MP Line starting with MP23 and up. Going to be very interesting to see both lines.

I had not heard this before and hope it's true. But don't the movie toys need to be in the planning stages now in order to come out in time for the movie?