The Energon Pub

[Hellscream9999]

Sorry if this has been asked, but when will preorders likely go up?

Never, this has all been a cruel joke on the fan base



(just kidding, I dunno, very soon I'd imagine, just check back here daily)

[Wolfman Jake]

I'm very confused. I thought the only time Masterpiece wasn't an attempt to be completely accurate to the cartoon - at least, in terms of original uses of the mold - was MP-03, with Starscream being an attempt to replicate the look of the fighter jet he turned into rather than the cartoon model. Every other MP mold I've seen has been an attempt to be cartoon accurate.

No, that's simply not true, it's been quoted that from mp-10 to around (before) mp-ultra magnus the goal was to create the ultimate version of the figure, hence why mp-10 and those that follow deviate from the 'screen-accurate' look so much.

I believe around the time that um was made, a new design team had taken over and started to go for the smoother cartoon accurate look, and ironhide is when it was really taken to the next level (possibly by another design team), with almost no surface detailing or anything and has carried through to the rest that have followed - save the bw figures since the cartoon accurate look requires lots of textures and such.

I'd be very interested to see those quotes. "Ultimate version of the character" sounds to me like business/interview talk for "We're basically recreating the cartoon models".

It was a quote from the original designer of mp-10 and should be somewhere on here, and if that was the case, then why did the 10-20 figures deviate from the smooth faces look? No matter how you look at it, the smooth faces look is a recent shift and was never the original design ethos of the line

I wasn't arguing about the smooth faces look though. I never brought that up. To me that's just some extra detailing that comes about either because of the vehicle mode accuracy or... because it looks good or something.
I just really don't buy the whole 'ultimate version of the character' when I look at any MP and see nothing but an exact representation of the G1 cartoon character model. And arguing that non-smooth surface detailing makes it not that is just extremely silly imo.

"Ultimate Version" means "cartoon accurate" to Takara Tomy. Almost 99% of their releases of Transformers toys compared to the Hasbro releases differ by plastic choices, paint apps, and remoldings that make the toy more screen accurate to the original cartoon (or whatever the original source material may be). Why else would they have revisited the likes of Optimus Prime and Starscream once this new "Ultimate Version" Masterpiece direction started with MP-10? Because MP-01 Prime had gonzo proportions and MP-03 Starscream just looked wrong with that hip kibble. Their revisions in MP-10 and MP-11 respectively only exist to make "cartoon accurate" versions of those characters in the Masterpiece line. It's also why the Autobot cars and Bumblebee are the sizes they are, so that they match the robot mode scale seen in the cartoon (for the most part). The vehicle modes are not in proportion with one another. Takara's only worry with the vehicle modes was to make them accurate enough to real life to appease the license holders. Any deviations from the cartoon models in modern Masterpiece figures is because of constraints from the vehicle mode mandates of true to life accuracy. The only real change over the last couple of years is that Takara has become EVEN MORE dedicated to cartoon accuracy, offering swappable parts to make "perfect" robot modes and still offer the pieces needed to make the "true-to-life" accurate alternate modes.

[Va'al]

Quick thought: I want to like it more than I do.

But! Because I fell in love with MP10 over a loooong time of admiring it from afar - let's see.

[Big Grim]

I really do love my Apollyon figure, and even the original MP-5 still isn't that bad to me. This looks incredible, but you know what I really want out of it? All I want, even? I want a MP Megatron with a transformation process that doesn't take half an hour. Here's hoping!

Gotta say, that's another reason I like Despotron Dude. It's such a fun and intuitive transformation.

[Big Grim]

Also, looking at those images I think its fair to assume that Maketoys' Depositron was never in the race for best looking Megs right?

I respectfully disagree. Having him in hand, I can tell ya he feels great. His proportions look right when he's stood with Prime. He is also the only one to have gotten the Fusion Cannon right (in my opinion.) though Appolyon is a close second. I didn't get Appolyon because of the appalling QC stories I'd heard and MakeToys is a proven quantity to me. (Second only to FansToys. Their Dinobots are sublime. Their Perceptor too! And now they have an Omega Supreme on the way. Yup, in MP scale.).

As with everything though, it all comes down to personal preference and if you like the others more, more power to ya.

[Shinkyuseishu]

I agree with the commentaries about the legs, which look much better!! A little messy when looking at the back maybe... But since this is still a prototype, it's hard to judge fairly.
Count me in anyway!!

[Cyberpath]

Doesn't he look rad, kids?

Also, people who dislike smooth panels should be happy with this figure.

So glad this is coming, his placeholder was starting to annoy me.

[galvatron00]

Doesn't he look rad, kids?

Also, people who dislike smooth panels should be happy with this figure.

So glad this is coming, his placeholder was starting to annoy me.

Stop it Cyberpath..I can't take the waiting now!!

I read your translated re-post of the article. I'm all aboard the hype train.

Dangit..

[Cyberpath]

Stop it Cyberpath..I can't take the waiting now!!

I read your translated re-post of the article. I'm all aboard the hype train.

Dangit..

(It was translated by Deruji.)

[galvatron00]

Stop it Cyberpath..I can't take the waiting now!!

I read your translated re-post of the article. I'm all aboard the hype train.

Dangit..

(It was translated by Deruji.)

I saw that watermark! Very cool.

But seriously. He won't break. And that will be amazing.

[Big Grim]

I'll admit, I'm pretty surprised we've not heard from Seibertron regarding this release. I'm curious what his view on this guy is.

[galvatron00]

I'll admit, I'm pretty surprised we've not heard from Seibertron regarding this release. I'm curious what his view on this guy is.

He's still celebrating the Cubs making it to the World Series

[Ironhidensh]

I'll admit, I'm pretty surprised we've not heard from Seibertron regarding this release. I'm curious what his view on this guy is.

He's still celebrating the Cubs making it to the World Series

We all are.

I'm really trying to get excited for this figure, but I'm still just not feeling it. Of course, my excitement is building for the very soon release of MP Primal.

[Rodimus Knight]

I love this version, I just want to know how hard will it be to get him in the US.

[Bumblebee21]

I love this version, I just want to know how hard will it be to get him in the US.

not that hard

[Sabrblade]

I'll admit, I'm pretty surprised we've not heard from Seibertron regarding this release. I'm curious what his view on this guy is.

Maybe he's waiting to give his full collected thoughts in the next podcast.

[bodrock]

Meg's legs remind me of recent MP Shockwave's.

Which I still want!!!

[Omegatrion84]

I noticed one thing missing from the assortment of accessories... where's the new Kremzeek figure Takara?

[Cyberpath]

There are a bunch of stuff that didn't make the cut.

But you gotta leave something for Amazon Japan and the 3P expansion kits.

I'm glad he's packed with the stock and silencer this time, a must like Prime's trailer.

[Bumblebee21]

dont show me that,
great im mad at takara now

[Omegatrion84]

There are a bunch of stuff that didn't make the cut.

But you gotta leave something for Amazon Japan and the 3P expansion kits.

I'm glad he's packed with the stock and silencer this time, a must like Prime's trailer.

Hahaha, true. I'm sure Hasbro Asia will have something too unless they stick with those mini die-cast figurines. I was quite pleased as well that he comes with the stock and silencer. I almost want two to display in each mode.

[Cobotron]

So cool that the stock doubles as a flight stand!

[Cyberpath]

Hahaha, true. I'm sure Hasbro Asia will have something too unless they stick with those mini die-cast figurines. I was quite pleased as well that he comes with the stock and silencer. I almost want two to display in each mode.

You could always use MP-13 Megatron for alt-mode display..

He's supposed to scale down when he transforms anyway.



Hey, Megatron is now another Masterpiece that can wield himself.

Wonder if a tiny Soundwave accessory is planned.

[Omegatrion84]

So cool that the stock doubles as a flight stand!

Indeed! I love that they are able to incorporate functionality like that with the added accessories, similar to what they did with Star Saber's shield acting as a stand for the vehicle mode.

[Kurona]

Come to think of it, it's strange there hasn't been a cassette player Soundwave accessory yet. You'd think he'd have come with one of the billion seeker redecoes...