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[Diem]

However, there is one possibility that everyone seems to have overlooked for the moment (possibly due to the Binaltech version of him). A highly repaintable, well-known G1 character who appeared in many stories and arcs, has continued appearing in comics to the present day, and who forms part of the Autobot command structure.

Who would be interested in... Masterpiece Prowl?

It's a nice idea, but....

a) The Classics/Henkei Prowl is pretty damn G1 accurate already.
b) There's really not enough detail or interest to Prowl. There's no real room for lights or sound, no extra accessories beyond his rifle and shoulder missiles (and maybe a Chip Chase figure?)
c) He's not that popular a character among many fans, owing to his having been turned into a simperimg wimp by Furman's writing.
d) Maintaining a license (eg. Nissan) could be expensive for a figure of high price and short production length.
e) Unless he was shorter than both Prime and Grimlock, people will bitch about scale again.

On the plus side, he could be repainted into Bluestreak and Smokescreen...

[Zombie Starscream]

I think for next year, they should attempt an MP Soundwave. A working MP Soundwave + Tapes. It sounds daunting at first, but in reality you could just simply take the body of a Walkman and stick arms, legs, and a small cavity on it where Soundwave's head could fold in. And the body of the Walkman could be painted to resemble a miniature boombox.

He'd should be able to have real batteries inserted into him, and the weapon on the shoulder could have a real battery inserted into the purple plastic sleeve (to be G1). It would have the metal prongs inside to complete the circuit when it was folded back into Soundwave's body.

The only difficulty with the Tapes that I could forsee might be the exposed ares of the tapes' ribbons, but collectors would have to discipline themselves not to touch that part

You can tell that I like to think out this sort of stuff

[El Duque]

I think the BT/Alt versions of characters that appeared in those lines basically are their MP versions. Sure there are exceptions like Prime, but he appears in almost every line, and Grimlock whose vehicle alt mode obvisouly wasn't G1 accurate. Guys like Prowl, Sideswipe, Hound, Smokescreen, Jazz, etc in their BT/Alt versions are fairly accurate and roughly in scale with the MP Primes. If they do a "Hotrod" MP it will most likely be his Rodimus Prime incarnation, we already have HotRod in the Alt line. Just my two cents.

[Kibble]

I am sure they could come up with a way to make Soundwave more more intricate to transform. I know the G1 mold doesn't involved much, but neither did Grimlock's. They managed to make Grimlock a great figure. I would like to see a new Decepticon mold before another Autobot comes out.

I was actually a bit disappointed with Grimlock, but that's probably in large part due to his cost. The 50% mark-up probably raised my expectations...or at least put them equal to the previous molds, but he's my least favorite of the molds and I don't really see where the added cost went.

I think for next year, they should attempt an MP Soundwave. A working MP Soundwave + Tapes. It sounds daunting at first, but in reality you could just simply take the body of a Walkman and stick arms, legs, and a small cavity on it where Soundwave's head could fold in. And the body of the Walkman could be painted to resemble a miniature boombox.

That sounds moderately neat in theory, but I honestly don't see the point...and this coming from someone that still owns about 200 cassettes! But they don't make them anymore and hardly anyone even uses them. I don't use the ~200 I have... And it pretty much begs to take away from the figure as you'd all but guarantee the G1 transformation and that would be the "big" feature. I honestly just wouldn't have a use for it...especially at $150+. Skip the working cassette player and give me the best possible figure...if Soundwave ever actually happens.

[Stormrider]

This probably won't happen, (due to the 2010 hint, most likely Rodimus), but I am hoping for MP Ironhide. Only the Masterpiece treatment can produce a G1 accurate Ironhide for both robot and vehicle mode, since the cartoon robot mode was essentially a cheat to cover up the fact that the original toy robot did not have a head. Obviously, they can milk the mold for a Ratchet repaint.

I am surprised that Hasbro and Takara never repainted Alternator/Binaltech Skids as Ironhide. BT Skids was a very popular mold that got reissued last year. Takara could have easily repainted it as Ironhide instead as Skids a second time.

On a different topic - I don't think the com-links on Prime's wrists are necessarily a predictor for the next MP figure; but rather just illustrate popular characters that Prime would communicate with.

[mandingo_rex]

I do think that Soundwave maybe deserves the MP treatment most alongside Bumblebee and Ratchet/Ironhide as far as popular characters that got shitty figures as a kid.

And there's at least a 2:1 standard repaint at the very least as you could get Cliffjumper out of Bumblebee and Ratchet out of an Ironhide mold. And, they never did come out in the Alternator line (and they were 3-4 of my most-wanted figures that were never made in that line, too). As much as I want a more vintage-precise Smokescreen/Streak/Prowl in MP format, and as much of a repaint potential that they have, I just don't see them doing car-sized, more second-tier characters like them before we get such icons as Rodimus Prime or Bumblebee on the Autobot side of things.

Soundwave is one of the better original figures, but to me, doesn't look very much like his animated counterpart. And he doesn't have that great of articulation, which they could improve immensely upon. If they'd just done the Music Label Soundwave at double scale and done a few more points of articulation, he would be perfect for my collection standards. His head sculpt looks fantastic, but as much as I love classic Soundwave, the G1 figure doesn't look very much like his animation model, which is my favorite version of him, and I imagine a lot of folks like that look for him as well.

MP Grimlock, while out of scale, is as good a sculpt as any of the MPs if you ask me. They all have their flaws, but there hasn't been a "FAIL" MP yet, in my eyes. They may not meet everyone's expectations, but they're amazing sculpts and feats of engineering and design that many of us overlook in our nerd rage and absurd expectations.


I'm still betting on the comm-links and Rodimus Prime being the next.

[Soulgem]

If they do continue with Masterpiece, I'm guessing Soundwave is a likely candidate. As is Rodimus.

I know who'd be the next if I it was up to me...



Followed by


This mold is obviously easy to repaint into more characters.

Yep... Megatron needs his two archenemies.

[Neurie]

Yep... Megatron needs his two archenemies.

Werent they Optimus and Starscream? So he would already have had those

But seriously a masterpiece Rachet/Ironhide? Whilst good characters I dont think they would sell well outside of the collector community and thats something Takara has to look at. If not well we would all be having our MP Erectors to play with right now.

It would have to be something thats not licensed and tbh Soundwave? Again? The music label Soundwave is the ebst your gonna be getting. Hows about a MP Springer? Kup? Blur? Soundwaves a bad choice as it would be oversized for a cassette deck and well nowdays most kids dont even know what a VHS tape is let alone an audio tape. Now Galvatron, Hotrod or Rodimus Convoy are more logical choices. Id love shockwave but again there are licensing issues.

Now Id love a device label Reflector with 7 Megapixel camera, prolly will never happen though.

[Down_Shift]

Oh my god... you know what would suck more then anyone employed by Vivid?

Masterpiece Beast Convoy... I can't see them ever wasting time on that but still... the thought of it makes my blood angry.

[El Duque]

I think the next MP needs to be a Soundwave that transforms into a fully functional Blu-Ray player. He will come with working Blu-Ray discs that contain the entire G1 cartoon continuity including Headmasters, Supergod Masterforce, and Victory. These discs will transform into Rumble, Frenzy, Buzzsaw, Laserbeak, Ravage, Ratbat, Overkill, and Slugfest. Of course each figure will have a 100% G1 cartoon acurate bot mode. That is all.