The Energon Pub

News Credits: 8 · Thu Nov 06, 2014 8:35 am

MP-20 Wheeljack KO is now official! They are getting quicker at releases! No actual pictures yet but Im sure theyll start popping up soon. Set for December 2014 release.
http://www.tf-direct.com/store/ko-mp-20 ... k-preorder

News Credits: 5 · Thu Nov 06, 2014 9:48 pm

And to think I nearly spent $90 for Wheeljack at my LCS on Tuesday. Put me down for one.

News Credits: 656 · Thu Nov 06, 2014 10:08 pm

That was fast. I'm actually starting to fear for the MP line at this rate.

News Credits: 293 · Thu Nov 06, 2014 11:28 pm

BOOOO

News Credits: 122 · Fri Nov 07, 2014 12:01 am

This is not cool.

Fri Nov 07, 2014 1:10 am

If found the title "KO MP-20 Wheeljack is official" to be amusing. It makes it sound like you might as well buy it instead of the official version. While Im not into MP collecting, I never had a loyalty to Hasbro to the point where I would pay twice the price for the same damn figure. I was an avid supporter of CHMS and have nothing against these MP KO guys either. If Has/Tak really wanted to end KO's maybe they should just try lowering their prices.

News Credits: 5 · Fri Nov 07, 2014 2:04 am

I'd prefer the original but not at the $90 I found it at and a later TRU release will cost about the same. For now, I'd settle for a KO. I just replaced the MP Prowl and Bluestreak I had to sell in the summer with KOs and replaced my KO MP-10 with the reissue that came with Vector Sigma. To me, the official releases are better but the KOs will do for now.

News Credits: 4 · Fri Nov 07, 2014 2:33 am

Awesome news, I've been waiting for this. I'll be buying one when it sells on ebay.

Months ago, Bought the KO MP G-2 Sideswipe for $35 with free shipping from a overseas ebay seller. The ebay seller also gave me the chrome pile drivers for free in a separate tiny plastic bag.

News Credits: 4 · Fri Nov 07, 2014 2:46 am

Rated X wrote:If found the title "KO MP-20 Wheeljack is official" to be amusing. It makes it sound like you might as well buy it instead of the official version. While Im not into MP collecting, I never had a loyalty to Hasbro to the point where I would pay twice the price for the same damn figure. I was an avid supporter of CHMS and have nothing against these MP KO guys either. If Has/Tak really wanted to end KO's maybe they should just try lowering their prices.

zodconvoy wrote:And to think I nearly spent $90 for Wheeljack at my LCS on Tuesday. Put me down for one.

Chimungmung and probably other overseas stores and import sites are selling the Takara MP Wheeljack for around $50 to $55. it's a good deal if you live overseas and can walk in the stores or get local shipping rates.

Think the reason why the USA based import sites and usa stores sell the Takara MP wheeljack for around $75 to $80+. Is due to them paying so many middlemen fees and bulk rate overseas shipping fees.

Fri Nov 07, 2014 6:24 am

Tsutsukakushi wrote:Think the reason why the USA based import sites and usa stores sell the Takara MP wheeljack for around $75 to $80+. Is due to them paying so many middlemen fees and bulk rate overseas shipping fees.

And because they are also trying to make a profit from their service. Not a bad thing, but I'm happy when I can get a pre-order in with overseas e-tailers and get good pricing. I was able to pre-order 2 MP Wheeljacks from HLJ. With shipping factored in it came to about $65 USD/each. One thing to factor in is that the JPY to USD conversion rate favors the USD (happy days are here again!), but that's a savings of at least $10 per figure if I were to order from a US import site.

I realize not everyone has the extra money lying around to pick up official MPs, but I believe ENOUGH people are buying them to facilitate a long-term business plan by Takara to continue these releases. How many times have we seen new factory runs of the MP carbots in the past 2 - 3 years?

Fri Nov 07, 2014 8:39 am

Boo, hiss! :-x

News Credits: 372 · Fri Nov 07, 2014 9:22 am

KOs are great for those fans that got into the line late, long after the figures had been sold-out. But this is way too fast, barely two months after the original release.

If you preorder from Japan the difference between the genuine toy and the counterfeit is about $10.

I hope the fast paced KOs won't screw us of future MP figures especially unique molds.

Hasui: I believe MP-14 Alert's good sales figure after MP-12 expanded the potential of the MP series.

Hasui: The sales of MP Lambor to Streak were excellent, and as a result, Smokescreen could have additional parts, and Wheeljack could be developed without considering re-purposing the mould.

Fri Nov 07, 2014 9:40 am

Well if next year's interview goes "Oh well, Mp-20 sold like sh*t so we had to put Sunstreaker/Mirage/Ratchet/Ironhide/Hound/Megatron2.0 on the backburner and introduce MP Kissplayers", you'll know who to thank, lol

Fri Nov 07, 2014 9:47 am

Cyberpath wrote:KOs are great for those fans that got into the line late, long after the figures had been sold-out. But this is way too fast, barely two months after the original release.

Totally agree, also nice for custom figures. But KOs shouldn't compete with current product. Would be awesome if Hasbro could do a simultaneous release with Takara, at comparative pricing. Perhaps this would curtail the KO market on MPs, in addition to giving collectors an easier way to support the product.

PS - Hasbro Asia pricing (re: new Skywarp) would NOT be considered comparative pricing. That is obscene (yet still tempting, f@#$)!

Fri Nov 07, 2014 9:54 am

guarayakha wrote:...and introduce MP Kissplayers", you'll know who to thank, lol

I think figma has the market on that already :lol:

News Credits: 293 · Fri Nov 07, 2014 11:37 am

the only KO's i can support are ones that are variations of current figures that might not be made ( i have CHMS rainmakers and air warriors) or long lost and never to be made again molds (like G1 bots).

if it cant or wont be made by hastak, have at 'er. otherwise, the ends dont justify the means.

News Credits: 33 · Fri Nov 07, 2014 4:06 pm

I've been on the fence a few times with MP KO , thinking should i get two official for say £110 or should i get five KO for £120 :-?

News Credits: 4 · Fri Nov 07, 2014 8:31 pm

Cyberpath wrote: If you preorder from Japan the difference between the genuine toy and the counterfeit is about $10.

Seriously think it's more than $10 in savings. Think it's more than $30 to $40+ in savings

Bought the KO MP Sideswipe for $35 with free shipping from a overseas ebay seller.

Chimungmung and some other import sites are selling the Takara MP Cars-bots for around $50 to $55 with about $20+ in overseas shipping fees to the USA.

News Credits: 293 · Fri Nov 07, 2014 9:23 pm

Tsutsukakushi wrote:
Cyberpath wrote: If you preorder from Japan the difference between the genuine toy and the counterfeit is about $10.
Seriously think it's more than $10 in savings. Think it's more than $30 to $40+ in savings.

yeah it actually is. not sure which, but sites like HLJ and amiami have them really cheap on preorders.

News Credits: 4 · Fri Nov 07, 2014 9:36 pm

shajaki wrote:
Tsutsukakushi wrote:
Cyberpath wrote: If you preorder from Japan the difference between the genuine toy and the counterfeit is about $10.
Seriously think it's more than $10 in savings. Think it's more than $30 to $40+ in savings.
yeah it actually is. not sure which, but sites like HLJ and amiami have them really cheap on preorders.

Even it's $40 for a official Takara MP car-bot. Their is still $15 to $2O in overseas shipping fees for USA Ebay buyers. It's still $55 to $60 including shipping fees.

$35 is what ebay buyers are paying for the KO MP Car-bots with free shipping. If the Official Takara MP car-bots are selling for $55 to $60 with shipping included. This is $20 to $25 in savings if you buy the KO version on Ebay instead of the official Takara MP car-bot.

Fri Nov 07, 2014 10:33 pm

i do not support KO's of official masterpiece figures, and it's not a good thing if they come out so quickly after the official release because if sales get hurt, they might think about stopping the MP line altogether.

News Credits: 60 · Sat Nov 08, 2014 8:30 am

wilcosu35 wrote:i do not support KO's of official masterpiece figures, and it's not a good thing if they come out so quickly after the official release because if sales get hurt, they might think about stopping the MP line altogether.

Amen to that bro'

If the originals don't sell, what incentive then for Tomy to make more? 3rd party figs are great and already blurring the lines but KO MPs? Again, this might disincentivize Tomy..that's a danger for us all collectors.

Sun Nov 09, 2014 6:04 pm

I get split on this stuff. I want them really bad but knowing I can save a **** ton of money really tempts me to go with some of the KO stuff. However, I would just as soon go to TRU and pick up any figures I can find there.

News Credits: 12 · Mon Nov 10, 2014 12:53 pm

Rated X wrote:If found the title "KO MP-20 Wheeljack is official" to be amusing. It makes it sound like you might as well buy it instead of the official version. While Im not into MP collecting, I never had a loyalty to Hasbro to the point where I would pay twice the price for the same damn figure. I was an avid supporter of CHMS and have nothing against these MP KO guys either. If Has/Tak really wanted to end KO's maybe they should just try lowering their prices.

Do you have any idea how expensive it is to develop a Transformer from scratch, cut the molds, test it, mass produce it, paint it and sell it? It's not cheap. This is especially true of MPs, which are extremely complex, often contain a lot of metal, and large amounts of paint apps. The only reason they can make a profit on them is because of how expensive they are.

So basically you're saying that the designers and production staff at Takara, who spend countless amounts of time and money to make a high-end transformable action figure based solely on the designs from that cartoon you love so much, should have their work stolen and ripped off, the money they need to put food on their tables cut off and their jobs potentially put in jeopardy because you don't feel like paying the full price.

You make me sick.