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MP-10 is a must have. but please take my advice, if you can afford the takara version get it. i have 2 of them and 3 hasbro versions (2 of wich have panels that will not fit or lock in properly). just from a quality standpoint on MP-10 id go with takara version. otherwise i wish you luck in your future masterpiece endeavors, and feel free to ask us anything.

Ok, BBTS has MP-10 (Takara) available for 300. Is that a decent price for the Takara version?

Get the hasbro version. It's better and even Ebay prices will be cheaper then $300 on BBTS

mooncake623 wrote:Get the hasbro version. It's better and even Ebay prices will be cheaper then $300 on BBTS

Which is better is extremely debatable. I like what Hasbro did with the eyes and the lights on top of the truck mode, but their blue on the hands, head and legs sucks in my opinion and doesn't look like Prime in the G1 cartoon, movie or the toy. Takara's does.

$300 is too much to pay though. Upon release, it was around $250 so if you're determined to shell out the extra $ for the Takara version, shop around.

If you don't mind (or even like) the coloring used on the Hasbro version, then that will save you some $, though I don't know if he can be found at retail any more, so the actual difference in price between the two versions on ebay may be closer to one another than the retail prices were.

xyl360 wrote:

mooncake623 wrote:Get the hasbro version. It's better and even Ebay prices will be cheaper then $300 on BBTS

Which is better is extremely debatable. I like what Hasbro did with the eyes and the lights on top of the truck mode, but their blue on the hands, head and legs sucks in my opinion and doesn't look like Prime in the G1 cartoon, movie or the toy. Takara's does.

$300 is too much to pay though. Upon release, it was around $250 so if you're determined to shell out the extra $ for the Takara version, shop around.

If you don't mind (or even like) the coloring used on the Hasbro version, then that will save you some $, though I don't know if he can be found at retail any more, so the actual difference in price between the two versions on ebay may be closer to one another than the retail prices were.

debatable indeed a quick head swap would resolve the issues for you. for me I'm OK with the blue. also you're right about the retail thing. I don't think I've ever spotted one on retail with months of searching since he was released.. good thing i was able to secure one from TOYRUS.COM. I blame this on the overordering of Masterpiece thundercrackers at my local TRUS (times SQ TRUS) there must still be 20 of them there.... I suspect they did not order MP PRIME at all.

So, with today's unveiling of a new MP mold (Prowl and presumably Smokescreen as a repaint), an exclusive Tigertrack, and the official release of Soundwave in a few short days to be followed by cassette 2-packs I'm thrilled about actually keeping up with a Masterpiece line. And I didn't even list Nemesis Prime (April release).

Consensus time: are newcomers jumping onto Masterpiece, or maybe hoping for an eventual Hasbro release? Are those, like myself, who had been faithful to the Masterpiece series for years still interested in the new releases/has the steady flow of new product rejuvenated your interest in the line?

Paying import prices for a collector's line definitely adds up, but the presentation of these larger, more detailed figures makes for an awesome display! Also, I'm concerned that some releases (the repaints like Alert or exclusives like Sunstorm) won't ever make it through to a Hasbro release so you've just got to order when you hear about them. So, I'm in for Takara and might even double-dip if the Hasbro release is noticeably different. I think pricing might be a barrier or scare away the average fan. Even so, I hope this line continues as is, and that the gamble pays off for the distributors.

necr0blivion wrote:So, with today's unveiling of a new MP mold (Prowl and presumably Smokescreen as a repaint), an exclusive Tigertrack, and the official release of Soundwave in a few short days to be followed by cassette 2-packs I'm thrilled about actually keeping up with a Masterpiece line. And I didn't even list Nemesis Prime (April release).

Consensus time: are newcomers jumping onto Masterpiece, or maybe hoping for an eventual Hasbro release? Are those, like myself, who had been faithful to the Masterpiece series for years still interested in the new releases/has the steady flow of new product rejuvenated your interest in the line?

Paying import prices for a collector's line definitely adds up, but the presentation of these larger, more detailed figures makes for an awesome display! Also, I'm concerned that some releases (the repaints like Alert or exclusives like Sunstorm) won't ever make it through to a Hasbro release so you've just got to order when you hear about them. So, I'm in for Takara and might even double-dip if the Hasbro release is noticeably different. I think pricing might be a barrier or scare away the average fan. Even so, I hope this line continues as is, and that the gamble pays off for the distributors.

I'm with you. I never got MP Megs or MP Grimlock and wasn't a massive fan of MP Rodimus/Hot Rod (though I did get both the Hasbro and Takara versions (though not the exclusive black repaint) of that one). MP-10 really did it for me and I've now got Sideswipe (Lambor) in hand and Soundwave and his tapes on preorder and just preordered Smokescreen today. These things are really starting to make the third party scene look much less interesting (though there are definitely some items I'm very much interested in with regards to 3Ps) and I'm not waiting for Hasbro. I'm snatching em' up as they come from Takara. Figures this good are too awesome to pass up in my opinion, particularly for those of us who grew up with G1.

Formerly, Classics/Henkei/United (etc. etc. etc. ) was my favorite G1-based line, but now that these MPs are coming in at a rapid-fire rate and look so dead-on screen-accurate with perfect alt-modes, they are the 'new Classics' in my opinion, they're just damn expensive so you gotta pay to play. Still, price and import costs included, I think they're way worth it.

I whole heartedly agree with xyl360. These new MPs are exactly what I imagine many of us dreamed of owning when we watched the original cartoon back in the day.
In regards to the hard to find Hasbro MP 10, I myself did not see a single one at my local TRU within 3 months of regularly checking upon it's first sighting/release. In fact, I never even saw a UPC place holder sticker for it at all.

I just checked some prices on ebay and Hasbro's version is going for around $170+ while Takara's is going for around $250+, so yeah, there's still a price difference, but not nearly as steep of a difference as the retail pricing (which was $99 for the Hasbro version). It kinda sucks that it's so hard to get one for a good price these days, but he's definitely worth having if you can swing the cash.

necr0blivion wrote:Consensus time: are newcomers jumping onto Masterpiece, or maybe hoping for an eventual Hasbro release? Are those, like myself, who had been faithful to the Masterpiece series for years still interested in the new releases/has the steady flow of new product rejuvenated your interest in the line?

I'm one of those n00b collectors, yeah!

I just fumbled over the masterpiece line in the fall, looking for a birthday present for my nephew. Got him a Thundercracker.
That purchase drew me back into the wonderful world of Transformers. (thus my "mini-con" status! lol)

bruticus1978 wrote:Ok, BBTS has MP-10 (Takara) available for 300. Is that a decent price for the Takara version?

$300 for Takara's MP10 if it includes shipping and is coming from Asia, to me still seems a bit overpriced, but not too bad if you've decided you want the Takara version, but I think you might be able to win an auction for one in "open" condition for closer to $200.

Me...I'll go with the Hasbro version. The slight show discrepancies and the too-bright blue aren't deal-breakers me, when compared to the cost savings. Of course price isn't of equal concern to every collector, so to each their own.

Could one of you more experienced collectors explain Takara's stickers to me? Even for the Asian market, their release prices are higher than Hasbro's for it's own "western" market and yet they use so many stickers. ?? Are stickers simply desirable in Asia, or is it simply a cost concern? Is it that they're recouping more production costs than Hasbro, since Takara usually designs the initial molds and navigates the initial production minefield. Do the two companies not share production costs, or do they function entirely separate from one another?

Basically, what's up with the Takara "sticker" preference?

Sure, stickers remind me of fun times on Christmas mornings, but also of disappointment when they start to peel off. lol