The Energon Pub

[El Duque]

Courtesy of Photozou.jp user mobile_nippa have in-hand images of Takara Tomy's MP-11S Sunstorm. The figure is repaint of MP-11 Starscream featuring all the mold modification and coronation accessories, plus some nice flame details. Check him out below.

Update: Even more images added from the Planet Iacon facebook page.

[kirbenvost]

Needs more orange or something. Not really my thing, but I suppose it looks pretty good for a Sunstorm.

[DevastaTTor]

Nice but the lack of paint apps, especially in bot mode, makes him a pass. If he winds up in sale somewhere in a year or two, then I'd probably pick him up.

[XDMan]

Looks like Galvatron will have a field day against 2.

It looks kind of nice but despite appearing once in the cartoon, he should at least have more paint details on.

[starwarrior1227]

MY EYES!!! THE YELLOW!!!
KILL IT WITH WATER!!!

[buddhaquest]

VURP!

[metaphorge]

Wow, that's utterly hideous. So glad I picked up iGear's.

[KNM2012]

Quite honestly, he was one of the Seekers that I did not know about until my initial return to the fandom. And even then, I don't see a point of me obtaining him.

However, seeing how this is the Asian market release version (hence the coin), I am glad that there are no talks of any errors. (I say that because the Asian market releases had a few errors in the last few few years - Namely Alternity's A-01U Ultla[/u] Magnus and A-01D Dai [i]Atras name errors, and that Encore 20 Devastor had a Mixmaster that was missing a head in a few sets.)

But still... I am still hoping for a MP-8 Grimlock reissue. So that sums up one of the more important reasons why nobody will hear me say that I bought this MP.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

God, he was an animation error!

[Blasphemous Prime]

You know if I could get him as a Hasbro, without the coronation set, with better paint apps, on sale in the clearance aisle of walmart or TRU, I might consider for just a second and still PASS.

I have a few problems with this guy. He's not even as close to being the type of character like SS, TC, or SW. This is just another lame excuse to make more money out of a mold

I can think of 100 other more deserving characters to get the masterpiece treatment than this guy. At least do the cone heads! Has/Tak can use some of the parts from this mold even. Maybe they can succeed where Igear failed.

[Blasphemous Prime]

God, he was an animation error!

Thank you for bringing up that point! I think most of us could stand around and beat this horse dead all day!

[LOST Cybertronian]

I can think of 100 other more deserving characters to get the masterpiece treatment than this guy. At least do the cone heads! Has/Tak can use some of the parts from this mold even. Maybe they can succeed where Igear failed.

And where exactly did iGear fail?

[KNM2012]

God, he was an animation error!

Thank you for bringing up that point! I think most of us could stand around and beat this horse dead all day!

I just find it ironic how people have to rage over anything these days. I mean, besides that dead horse, look at what they have done with this character! He made his first official, albeit minor, role in Animated. He was reinvented into something threatening in the Dreamwave Productions Generation One series.

And with the fact that he thinks that he is a "spirit/ghost" in current Japanese(another thing people tend to overlook) G1 continuity... There is that sense of irony that he was based on Coronation Starscream. Because we all know what he became after that.

[ej8306]

Hello guys, been a lurker all this while, just registered n this is my 1st post.. =)

here are more pix of MP11-S, Sunstorm. =)

















more pics of other stuff on my FB / Blog.. =)

[alexison]

Im still on the fence with this guy. The chromed pilot looks great though!

[zappatton2]

I really like the colour scheme on Sunstorm. I even like the two shades of yellow, as it implies some weathering. That said, I'll likely pass as I've only got so much $$, and I'll be saving it for MP releases of G1 characters I have more attachment to. But as I understand it, it's a limited release, one can't fault Takara for putting the mold to good use for the hardcore collector that wants a seeker army. I'm more curious if they'll do a Takara Thundercracker, I've only ever bought a Hasbro MP once, and it looked noticeably cheaper than my other MPs. If I won the lottery tomorrow, you would be mine Sunstorm!

[DevastaTTor]

They should have just left out the coronation set; seems out of place and adds unneeded cost.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

They should have just left out the coronation set; seems out of place and adds unneeded cost.

I disagree: a god like him needs the crown and cape to accent his supremacy!

[Stormrider]

The details on this figure turned out a lot better than I expected. I am on the fence. If the price drops I might get him.

I loved Sunstorm in Dreamwave, but never fully understood what he was trying to do with Starscream at the end of the story?

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

God, he was an animation error!

Thank you for bringing up that point! I think most of us could stand around and beat this horse dead all day!

Yes, we bring it up! Because it's so moronic that this guy get so much when actual characters don't even get Deluxe-class Classics figures. Where the hell's our Trailbreaker, or Hoist, or Gears or Brawn?

[KNM2012]

God, he was an animation error!

Thank you for bringing up that point! I think most of us could stand around and beat this horse dead all day!

Yes, we bring it up! Because it's so moronic that this guy get so much when actual characters don't even get Deluxe-class Classics figures. Where the hell's our Trailbreaker, or Hoist, or Gears or Brawn?

So seeing how this is a Japanese toyline, designed by Japanese designers who personally choose what characters they want to work on, and since its debut in 2003... He is the eighth (of eight) variant in this line of 14 (24 including the variants and movie figures) characters... Which has 3 being Convoy and 2 being Starscream? Why not condone them for making an Ultra Magnus that appears out of his armor as well?

But I digress. Because if you want to bicker about an obscure fact that gave way to e-HOBBY getting permission to turn him into an actual character (by Takara) in 2003, then be my guest. But what stop there? There are so many facts that you can bicker about! Such as...

...Prior to their U.S. cartoon debut, Frenzy and Rumble were listed as blue and red by Hasbro. However, it was rumored that the swap made in said series was due to the writers assuming that kids would get confused if Frenzy was doing all the rumbling.

...On the 1985 artwork for toyline, they show Tracks being red. However, as you may recall, only the Milton Bradly European Tracks was red. Tracks in the U.S. and Japanese lines ended up being blue. It was not until 2002 that e-HOBBY issued the red corvette version as Road Rage (ID #94), a female Cybertron who is the bodyguard of Crosscut (ID #95).

...The 1986 movie shows that two Cyclonus were created, yet only one was seen in the third season. Ironhide was killed off in the movie, but was briefly seen in The Headmasters (1987). And Wheeljack was also killed in that movie, but had a more defined role in Victory (1989).

...The mold used to create Jetfire was based on the Macross/Robotech VF-1 Valkyrie/Veritech fighter. It was a mold available to both Hasbro and Milton Bradly in the 1984/1985 line, but could not be used by Takara, due to licensing issues (which still exist). The same went for Omega Supreme and Sky Lynx until their debuts in the Encore line!

...PLUS the toy version of Slag, primarily outside of Canada, was not created to be cartoon accurate. The cartoon version has him sporting a red face and white legs. However, the toy version has him be black face and black legs. However, the Canadian version of this toy is not 100% cartoon accurate, as he was given red hands while the cartoon version was given black.

...And finally, in the Milton Bradly line, Jetfire was used as Optimus Prime. Not only in thie European toyline, but also the comic published in that region.

The point is simple - Sunstorm was turned into an official G1 character by e-Hobby when they issued an official figure in 2003. His official Japanese ID number is 89, which makes him part of the e-HOBBY portion of the 1985 Takara Tomy Generation 1 toyline. And seeing how he was one of many e-HOBBY characters, it is fitting that he was turned into a variant figure.

Because while Hasbro had pretty much moved onto other things... e-HOBBY went back to the Generation 1 line and continued making characters that were based on series-based errors, Diaclone color variants that were never used, and more. Takara allowed it and they made him become an official JG1 canon in the process. One that would appear in American-based fiction since then.

In other words... You can use the knowledge you have used. That would make great trivia to point out all the changes and errors that were made within the animated series. But why take it out on a company that owns the rights to the series, and can do pretty much anything that they want? They own the rights and can do whatever the hell they want, right? Right. So if they want obscure errors to become G1 facts, then they can. And so far, nothing bad has happened to the Japanese Generation 1 continuity due to these add-on characters? Has it harmed your fandom in any way? Has it stopped you from collecting anything tied to the Takara/Takara Tomy lines?

All I can say, regardless of the idea you buy their stuff or not, he has been part of the official Japanese G1 canon for the last nine years, and both you and that continuity both seem to be okay.

Oh... And FYI, what is keeping me from getting this piece is the hefty price tag, the fact I am iffy about buying an exclusive Asian market version of said Amazon.com exclusive, and the fact that I want MP-8 Grimlock a bit more... Even though this character is becoming more and more appealing to both me and my collection as we speak.

[Stormrider]

God, he was an animation error!

Thank you for bringing up that point! I think most of us could stand around and beat this horse dead all day!

Yes, we bring it up! Because it's so moronic that this guy get so much when actual characters don't even get Deluxe-class Classics figures. Where the hell's our Trailbreaker, or Hoist, or Gears or Brawn?

It's ironic what a toy exclusive and a good character story will do.

[KNM2012]

God, he was an animation error!

Thank you for bringing up that point! I think most of us could stand around and beat this horse dead all day!

Yes, we bring it up! Because it's so moronic that this guy get so much when actual characters don't even get Deluxe-class Classics figures. Where the hell's our Trailbreaker, or Hoist, or Gears or Brawn?

It's ironic what a toy exclusive and a good character story will do.

100% agreed. I mean, I can understand people not knowing how Takara Tomy handles their products. I can understand wanting a Masterpiece version of a more obscure/minor character. All of those things are rational.

But this? I agree with your point. Because it made me go while thinking about how I was not pissed when Takara Tomy chose to make Devastor (Devastator), and not Guardian (Defensor), become their 20th Encore piece.

[Breakdown 2099]

...The 1986 movie shows that two Cyclonus were created, yet only one was seen in the third season. Ironhide was killed off in the movie, but was briefly seen in The Headmasters (1987). And Wheeljack was also killed in that movie, but had a more defined role in Victory (1989).

The script regarding the creation of Unicron's charges was bordering on pathetic. the movie itself is absolutely riddled with animation and continuity errors, so lets just leave that one right alone.
The movie was released in Japan in August of 1989, unlike the US. The Japanese disregarded the 4th season and proceeded with their own take on the continuity. So, yes, it is entirely plausible for the Japanese to have these and other dead in the US characters featured. Watching Wheeljack, Minerva and Perceptor working away on Ginrai hurt my head thinking about it too.

[RhA]

I dare you to pull his finger.

I double dare you to pull his finger.