The Energon Pub

Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:29 am

After reading and watching some really awesome reviews for Leader Starscream (they all credit him for being one of the best if not the best movie-toy) I absolutely want this figure now!

But since there are different versions of him, I really don't know, which Leader Starscream is the one who rules them all. As far as I know we have the following versions to choose from:

Revenge of the Fallen Leader Starscream

Masterpiece Movie Starscream

Hunt for the Decepticons Leader Starscream

Did I forget a version?

Which one is the Leader Starscream I should get and why is he the best?

Also, should I get the Hasbro or Takara version?

Thanks in advance!

Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:35 am

There's only two versions - American, HftD Starscream, and the Japanese Masterpiece Movie Starscream.

As for which to get... you could probably go and pick up a HftD Starscream today if you've got a Toys 'R' Us nearby. Masterpiece you'll have to order online, pay about twice as much for, then wait a couple weeks to actually get.

Basically, the question to ask yourself is: Do you care that much about a tattoo-less Starscream?

Personally I prefer the Hasbro version. I like the look of the tattoos and they really help to make him more visually interesting.

Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:36 am

There's only 2: Hasbro Hunt For The Decepticons/ROTF/Movie 1 (tattoos) or Takara Masterpiece (F-22 camo, no tattoos, twice the price)

I went with Hasbro, already available, still a kick-ass figure.

News Credits: 668 · Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:08 am

I'm gonna have to stick with the US version.

Granted, the Japanese version isn't covered in gold and brown plastic like the US version is, which is a plus in case GPS might strike.

But on the flip side, it does have some brown and gold plastic in a few places, and I'm not sure anyone knows for sure whether or not Takara has GPS on their end. Plus it's $100.00

So, yeah.

News Credits: 609 · Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:28 am

Autobot032 wrote:I'm gonna have to stick with the US version.

Granted, the Japanese version isn't covered in gold and brown plastic like the US version is, which is a plus in case GPS might strike.

But on the flip side, it does have some brown and gold plastic in a few places, and I'm not sure anyone knows for sure whether or not Takara has GPS on their end. Plus it's $100.00

So, yeah.

This is not the plastic that suffers from GPS. HasTak stopped using it years ago (once they realized it decayed). It's the bronze/gold colored stuff with *flakes of gold* that disintegrates.

No flakes = No GPS.

News Credits: 668 · Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:35 am

Razorclaw0000 wrote:
Autobot032 wrote:I'm gonna have to stick with the US version.

Granted, the Japanese version isn't covered in gold and brown plastic like the US version is, which is a plus in case GPS might strike.

But on the flip side, it does have some brown and gold plastic in a few places, and I'm not sure anyone knows for sure whether or not Takara has GPS on their end. Plus it's $100.00

So, yeah.

This is not the plastic that suffers from GPS. HasTak stopped using it years ago (once they realized it decayed). It's the bronze/gold colored stuff with *flakes of gold* that disintegrates.

No flakes = No GPS.

True, but I've been told that swirls in the plastic's coloring are an indicator of GPS.

Protoform Starscream (2007) has had a few reported breaks. Not much in the way of flakes that I recall, more of a swirl. So, flakes or swirls, probably has GPS potential at least.

News Credits: 609 · Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:44 am

Autobot032 wrote:
Razorclaw0000 wrote:
Autobot032 wrote:I'm gonna have to stick with the US version.

Granted, the Japanese version isn't covered in gold and brown plastic like the US version is, which is a plus in case GPS might strike.

But on the flip side, it does have some brown and gold plastic in a few places, and I'm not sure anyone knows for sure whether or not Takara has GPS on their end. Plus it's $100.00

So, yeah.

This is not the plastic that suffers from GPS. HasTak stopped using it years ago (once they realized it decayed). It's the bronze/gold colored stuff with *flakes of gold* that disintegrates.

No flakes = No GPS.

True, but I've been told that swirls in the plastic's coloring are an indicator of GPS.

Protoform Starscream (2007) has had a few reported breaks. Not much in the way of flakes that I recall, more of a swirl. So, flakes or swirls, probably has GPS potential at least.

Protoform Starscream's problem is thinness. There are a lot of thin panels and hinges there.

As for the swirls, it's swirls in plastic that has the flakes.

And Hasbro and Takara has not used that plastic formula since Beast Wars (actually BW Neo).

There is no longer any concern for GPS in modern figures. There are other concerns to be sure, but not GPS.

Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:53 am

What is GPS? Garish Plastic Syndrome?

News Credits: 609 · Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:15 am

MagnaBlade wrote:What is GPS? Garish Plastic Syndrome?

Gold Plastic Syndrome

Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:18 am

ok, thanks for the quick answers!

So we're down to the Takara Movie Masterpiece vs. The Hasbro HftD Starscream.

Is it really just the tattoos when it comes to differences? What about the electrics (not that I would really care about the electric stuff but if there is a difference - I would like to know it)

Are there any other differences (I really care for every detail)

News Credits: 668 · Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:54 am

lohan wrote:ok, thanks for the quick answers!

So we're down to the Takara Movie Masterpiece vs. The Hasbro HftD Starscream.

Is it really just the tattoos when it comes to differences? What about the electrics (not that I would really care about the electric stuff but if there is a difference - I would like to know it)

Are there any other differences (I really care for every detail)

Here are the differences:
1.) Color scheme. (This includes paints, lack of tattoos, and different plastic colors.)

2.) The electronics will most likely be changed for the Japanese market.

3.) The finer details will be painted, unlike the US release, every little detail has been painted and taken care of.

4.) Will come in a windowed Masterpiece/TF 1 Movie style box. (The movie style is on the window, hidden by the Masterpiece flap. Kinda like how the TRU reissues are packaged.

Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:58 am

There is literally no difference in the figure between the two except for paint apps. The two have the same lights and abysmal sounds.

Mon Jul 26, 2010 12:16 pm

I just watched the Movie Masterpiece Starscream review that peaugh posted today....and I must say that I'll go with peaugh's preference for the Movie Masterpiece although it bothers me that I'll have to pay so much more for just a more detailed paint job. But overall (especially because I always prefer a more accurate Alt mode - in this case obviously the one without tattoos)I think the Masterpiece is the better choice for me.........

Does anyone know when the Masterpiece will be released? I thought it would be Octobre!? Or is he already in stock somewhere?

News Credits: 609 · Mon Jul 26, 2010 12:44 pm

Autobot032 wrote:
2.) The electronics will most likely be changed for the Japanese market.

They haven't changed the electronics on any Movie figure yet. Why start now?

News Credits: 668 · Mon Jul 26, 2010 12:48 pm

Razorclaw0000 wrote:
Autobot032 wrote:
2.) The electronics will most likely be changed for the Japanese market.

They haven't changed the electronics on any Movie figure yet. Why start now?

Oh, they didn't? You're kidding me. They didn't change 'em at all? O_o

I'm surprised to be honest.

News Credits: 609 · Mon Jul 26, 2010 2:21 pm

Autobot032 wrote:
Razorclaw0000 wrote:
Autobot032 wrote:
2.) The electronics will most likely be changed for the Japanese market.

They haven't changed the electronics on any Movie figure yet. Why start now?

Oh, they didn't? You're kidding me. They didn't change 'em at all? O_o

I'm surprised to be honest.

Not a single one of them.

News Credits: 668 · Mon Jul 26, 2010 2:33 pm

Razorclaw0000 wrote:
Autobot032 wrote:
Razorclaw0000 wrote:
Autobot032 wrote:
2.) The electronics will most likely be changed for the Japanese market.

They haven't changed the electronics on any Movie figure yet. Why start now?

Oh, they didn't? You're kidding me. They didn't change 'em at all? O_o

I'm surprised to be honest.

Not a single one of them.

That actually kinda sucks. O_o

News Credits: 3 · Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:01 pm

Razorclaw0000 wrote:Not a single one of them.

Don't the ones overseas only say the names and laugh? Not sure whether that is the case with the Japanese market figs or not...

News Credits: 14 · Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:25 pm

Peaugh has posted a video review of Masterpiece Movie Starscream here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_in2wicADY0

Paint is a light tan camo style paint scheme. While the sound clips remain the english versions : "No one can defeat Starscream!" etc...

Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:56 pm

Kibble wrote:
Razorclaw0000 wrote:Not a single one of them.

Don't the ones overseas only say the names and laugh? Not sure whether that is the case with the Japanese market figs or not...

I heard that Megatron says "Megatron, hahaha!" overseas. I don't know about Optimus and Jetfire though.

Mon Jul 26, 2010 4:46 pm

Once you get a Leader class Starscream its impossible to put him down, the Takara is pricey and you're only paing for the paint, and paint scratches are going to show up after transforming him 5 times a day. So do what I did get two HFTD LC SS and take off the tatoos with rubbing achacol, spray on the camo and get repro lables.

worth it.....

News Credits: 1 · Mon Jul 26, 2010 6:25 pm

I bought the Hasbro version, and I feel it's got more value for money compared to Movie Masterpiece SS. The latter is just a repaint with more intricate paint apps and a prettier box. If the price were only moderately pricier (like Buster Prime compared to ROTF OP), then I would have bought it as well. The thing is, the Takara fig is twice the price plus shipping. I just haven't been able to convince myself that a more authentic paint job, a comic, and a prettier fliptop box is worth the price.

This is just my personal opinion, but the Takara fig's more accurate paint job doesn't sway me because the fig's bloated alt mode defeats any realism that the paint job gives to it. I think it's safe to say that most of us who bought the fig, bought it for the bot mode. IMO, the tattoo's actually look good on the fig in bot mode, and are tolerable in alt mode. Then again, it's all a matter of taste.

As for the voice chips in Takara figs, all of the ROTF Leader class figs use the same voice chips as the US Hasbro ones: "I am Optimus Prime/Megatron, etc." The place where I get most of my TF's sells only Japanese imports, so obviously the majority of my TF's are Takara.

No "Megatron, hahahaha...."

I think those are only for imports to European countries (except England, I think).

Tue Jul 27, 2010 1:24 am

That's absolutely right. Since I am from Germany I can confirm this fact. Figures like RotF Leader class Optimus or Leader class Megatron just say: "Megatron, hahaha" or "Optimus Prime" instead of "I am Optimus Prime".

Although it seems ridiculous Hasbro went this way because they cared for all the little kiddies around here in Europe who are not able to understand the very words in English so they decided to let the figures just state their name.

As far as I know you'll find these "cut" voice scenes only in the european versions.