The Energon Pub

News Credits: 150 · by **GetterDragun** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 10:54 pm

Takara has held the price point though with MP Prime throughout his rereleases (including Ultra Magnus). It seems like when they want to they can meet a price point, but maybe with MP Grimlock they figured they'd bump the price due to his popularity.

News Credits: 198 · by **DevastaTTor** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:23 am

Mykltron wrote:These discussions about inflation are not taking into account the fact that MP Prime is part die-cast whereas Grimlock is all plastic and therefore cheaper to make.

Also, compare size and weight of Leader TFA Megs, SW Death Star Vadar, Movie Leader Prime with MP Grimlock. The first three all retailed at 40 yet are totally different sizes and weights. The design of Movie Prime is far more complex than any of the others - huge amounts of tube and cable detail which must have taken hours to design as well as the most complex transformation of any of them.

Grimlock is about the same size as Movie Prime, they both have electronics, Prime has far better articulation, yet Grimlock costs more than three times the price. It seems to me that we are paying far more just because it is such a small niche market they are aiming at - that of us ageing fans from the 80's that have a disposeable income. Like buying Nike, we're paying for the label.

I guarantee that the next Movie Prime won't be 40. He'll be 44-48, like the Animated Leaders are.

But I agree to a certain extent about the niche market. Look at the recent Hasbro release of 25th Anniversary Prime. Same design as the original with a voice box and DVD-for 70 bucks MSRP. They're totally playing on our sentimentality there-and the fact that some of us have more disposable income now.

News Credits: 9 · by **Mykltron** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:21 pm

48? Wow, all the leaders around my area are still 40. Actually, some are on 20!

News Credits: 198 · by **DevastaTTor** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:25 pm

Mykltron wrote:48? Wow, all the leaders around my area are still 40. Actually, some are on 20!

The leaders on HTS.com that aren't on clearance are 44 now. That's where I got my numbers.

News Credits: 3 · by **MagnusPrimal** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:12 pm

Stormrider wrote:

As I've mentioned in a previous thread, I believe this figure may be a deciding factor for future figures. If this figure sells well, then it may mean that Takara will continue to push this new price. If this figure is not successful, then we may see scaled back production for future figures if the costs are too high.

I'm not sure how accurate this would be. I don't like the price-for-the-size, but I'll be getting MP Grimlock. I don't think that there are too many other figures I'd be willing to pay that much for however. Offhand, I can think of maybe, maybe, Galvatron. Otherwise, I'm drawing a blank.

by **hinomars19** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:22 pm

Barrelass wrote:Not to mention the crazy fluctuations in the Yen vs Dollar over the past few months. Look at the pre-order price change between Henkei Skywarp/T-Cracker and Thrust/Dirge. I think the retail price on them may have gone up a few hundred Yen, but when preorders came out for the second set, stores like BBTS were getting a much different exchange rate on their dollar. Grimlock preorders started around this same time. We are living in a crazy time for currencies worldwide, and it probably will not change in the near future. I am not sure that we will see staggering changes in prices based on the timing of a release in the future, but Grimlock and the last two seekers hit at a very bad time exchange rate wise to be importing from Japan.

that's a good point. everyone is compairing dollar prices for convoy and grimlock, but what are the differences in yen price? Anyone know?

I say this because I buy dvds straight from a Japanese online site-the yen price hasn't changed, But I am paying a good 10gbp more per item since the begining of the year.

on a final not-sure price increase is inevitable over time-yes this one is a little drastic-but still inevitable. Also, i no expert so don't shoot me down, but doesn't grimlock have more led's than convoy? also, changing eye colours and swiveling bot symbols requires some additional parts, no. and everyone keeps going on about lack of complexity in grim's transformation-for his size convoy is pretty basic aside from the matrix box area(if complexity your thing then hs convoy kills it!)

News Credits: 3 · by **Kibble** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:53 pm

hinomars19 wrote:on a final not-sure price increase is inevitable over time-yes this one is a little drastic-but still inevitable. Also, i no expert so don't shoot me down, but doesn't grimlock have more led's than convoy? also, changing eye colours and swiveling bot symbols requires some additional parts, no. and everyone keeps going on about lack of complexity in grim's transformation-for his size convoy is pretty basic aside from the matrix box area(if complexity your thing then hs convoy kills it!)

I think MP Prime is fairly complex...a great deal more so than G1 Prime, anyhow. Grimlock on the other hand is almost the same (which many will find as a positive, I'm sure.) The tail/legs differ and the hands flip out rather than the dino legs collapsing. The rest of the differences are the (underwhelming) size, articulation, and all the gimmicks...which I would much rather trade for a nice, complex transformation. But I suppose, they make one like Megs which everyone complains is too difficult, now they have to even it out by going the other way. If it were $100 I probably wouldn't mind so much, but at nearly $150 I'm pretty much expecting to be disappointed. I should probably just wait for the likely Hasbro release, but I'm nervous if that one somehow disappoints that this one goes the way of the secondary market and costs even more. Damned if I do, damned if I don't...

News Credits: 5 · by **Barrelass** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 11:42 pm

NotEnoughKibble wrote:The tail/legs differ and the hands flip out rather than the dino legs collapsing. The rest of the differences are the (underwhelming) size, articulation, and all the gimmicks...which I would much rather trade for a nice, complex transformation.

It's not like the transformation is too simple. There is no reason to have an overly complex/goofy transformation if it is not needed. I don't really want a bot with strange pieces going everywhere just to make it more complex looking. I definately wouldn't trade it for articulation or even for some of the gimmicks on this guy. The most important thing to me with this is the articulation, which at first glance this appears to have. To each his own, but I think they have done some really nice things with this piece.

News Credits: 3 · by **Kibble** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 12:25 pm

Barrelass wrote:It's not like the transformation is too simple. There is no reason to have an overly complex/goofy transformation if it is not needed. I don't really want a bot with strange pieces going everywhere just to make it more complex looking. I definately wouldn't trade it for articulation or even for some of the gimmicks on this guy. The most important thing to me with this is the articulation, which at first glance this appears to have. To each his own, but I think they have done some really nice things with this piece.

I agree, to each their own...Starscream, for example, coulda been pretty basic, but they found a way to engineer him to give him a lot more advanced transformation. I love it, and for me that's a huge draw to the line. My thing is for the price tag, I want it all. Or I'd even settle/prefer dropping the tail/head twist gimmick, could do without the light if it made for a significant price savings, skip the apron and some of the other silly accessories, etc.

News Credits: 198 · by **DevastaTTor** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 1:20 pm

NotEnoughKibble wrote:
Barrelass wrote:It's not like the transformation is too simple. There is no reason to have an overly complex/goofy transformation if it is not needed. I don't really want a bot with strange pieces going everywhere just to make it more complex looking. I definately wouldn't trade it for articulation or even for some of the gimmicks on this guy. The most important thing to me with this is the articulation, which at first glance this appears to have. To each his own, but I think they have done some really nice things with this piece.

I agree, to each their own...Starscream, for example, coulda been pretty basic, but they found a way to engineer him to give him a lot more advanced transformation. I love it, and for me that's a huge draw to the line. My thing is for the price tag, I want it all. Or I'd even settle/prefer dropping the tail/head twist gimmick, could do without the light if it made for a significant price savings, skip the apron and some of the other silly accessories, etc.

But on the flipside, I'm glad they didn't over-engineer Grimlock just to have a dramatically different transformation. I think the net product is pretty much what it should be, regardless of what folks think of his size.

I agree though that his serving get up and head twist gimmick are a bit silly. He needed the crown instead.

News Credits: 60 · by **fenrir72** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 9:17 am

Grimlock has die-cast on his shoulders and groin areas and inside his frame. Btw, just like the Lil'formers comic,have any bellyachers purchased a Grimlock already? Or are they refusing to even buy one as a matter of principles? Well your loss bro's.

Maybe when a Hasbro version is released with the "crown" and a painted body instead of chrome, then it a go for those guys?

Truely an awesome figure by the way.

News Credits: 128 · by **Counterpunch** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 9:09 am

MP GRIMLOCK: TOY OF THE YEAR!

WOW.

This figure is bat-shit insane with awesome.

I hope I'm not understating how cool this toy is.

Grimlock is the best Masterpiece yet. He's better that MP-01. I said it. No apologies. The figure is F'ing awesome.

He's a perfect replica of G1 Grimlock. The articulation is wonderfull and genuine. He can hold interesting poses in both modes. The accessories are well done and the light piping is excellent.

The $140 price tag...is justified by the amount of awesome in the box.

The die-cast is enough to give the figure a true sense of weight to it, but isn't too much to impede his stances or transformation. Really, anymore die-cast than what is in the toy would have been a detriment.

Outstanding. If I could buy a second just to have in dino mode, I would.