The Energon Pub

Methinks Takara is about three months late with this news... should have come out on APRIL first, not JULY.

I have the Masterpiece Brave Great Ex Kaiser & I don't remember anything saying it was a Transformers Masterpiece. I don't think that the Brave saga was actually marketed as Transformers, but I haven't watched it or looked at the boxes in a while. But I do know that there are companies making Macross & Voltron Masterpiece figures, so I don't think Masterpiece is necessarily limited to Transformers or any subline thereof. Just my thought.
Now on to the news, NO WAY I'M BUYING. I'm not that much of a collector.

I find the outrage over this delicious since this is nothing but Japan's release of Leader Starscream. Plus it's not part of the main MP line since this is MP -M01, Master Piece - Movie 01, so this will just be the first MP of a Movie MP line, something people have been crying to get since 07.

OIh and I find the outcry over at tfw to be far more entertaining than over here, as some people really act as if this is the end of the world, not all but a lot of em.

I'm confused by what the paint job on this Leader/MP class. If it going to be the ROTF Starscream with his Tattoos or is it Transformers Starscream with the regular standard F-22 Paintjob?

Chaoslock wrote:

kirbenvost wrote:

Zeds wrote:Don't start ruining the MP line Has/Tak/Tomy.

Quoted for truth.

If this is true, it's wasting a spot in the MP line. That's not to say it's a bad figure, it just belongs in its own line.

Seconded.

Thirded. The leader-class line is not MP-worthy.

RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:

Chaoslock wrote:

kirbenvost wrote:

Zeds wrote:Don't start ruining the MP line Has/Tak/Tomy.

Quoted for truth.

If this is true, it's wasting a spot in the MP line. That's not to say it's a bad figure, it just belongs in its own line.

Seconded.

Thirded. The leader-class line is not MP-worthy.

Really? I guarantee that if Optimus and Starscream had come out in Masterpiece packaging first, and sold by TakaraTomy for $100.00+ before Hasbro got their clutches on them, everyone would be fawning all over these two as being Masterpieces and claiming "THEY'RE THE BEST EVAR!!1!ONE!"

And they're so close to Masterpiece level it's not funny. But, you know as well as I do that Hasbro helped pull off the impossible. We received Masterpiece levels of engineering and design at Leader Class pricing, and TakaraTomy knows this, and they're gonna milk it for all it's worth.

I guarantee the fandom would have a different tune if they had been labeled Masterpieces from the get go. lol

nice... this inspires me to take off the tatoos from my spare SS

I might just buy this if they got rid of all that electronic hardware that puffs up his alt mode, and gave us a more streamlined F-22 Raptor. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm buying this anyway.

Autobot032 wrote:

RK_Striker_JK_5 wrote:

Chaoslock wrote:

kirbenvost wrote:

Zeds wrote:Don't start ruining the MP line Has/Tak/Tomy.

Quoted for truth.

If this is true, it's wasting a spot in the MP line. That's not to say it's a bad figure, it just belongs in its own line.

Seconded.

Thirded. The leader-class line is not MP-worthy.

Really? I guarantee that if Optimus and Starscream had come out in Masterpiece packaging first, and sold by TakaraTomy for $100.00+ before Hasbro got their clutches on them, everyone would be fawning all over these two as being Masterpieces and claiming "THEY'RE THE BEST EVAR!!1!ONE!"

And they're so close to Masterpiece level it's not funny. But, you know as well as I do that Hasbro helped pull off the impossible. We received Masterpiece levels of engineering and design at Leader Class pricing, and TakaraTomy knows this, and they're gonna milk it for all it's worth.

I guarantee the fandom would have a different tune if they had been labeled Masterpieces from the get go. lol

Not me. Leader-class Prime is, in many ways, a step down from 2007 Prime. Hasbro missed the Rogue Squadron motto and skidded hard.

I realize that the Takara isn't importing the HFTD line and therefore releasing this as a MP figure. But, i cannot justify paying 100 bucks, the BBTS price, for this mold.

I like Leader class Prime, but he's not MP quality. Buster Prime is closer, but even he lacks MP features. Namely those hands ... the prototype actually had better, more MP worthy, ones.

That isn't even touching Megatron and Jetfire. I think the voiceboxes hurt those figures.

MP figures should be MP figures. Not glorifies Leader class. If they're just gonna be Leader class figures how about a matching price?

Gauntlet101010 wrote:
MP figures should be MP figures. Not glorifies Leader class. If they're just gonna be Leader class figures how about a matching price?

I agree with this statement. I am not going to buy this as a piece of either line, but if I were going to buy it as a Masterpiece figure, I would have to hope that it would be comparably priced with the movie version.

If it wasn't for Takara, Hasbro wouldn't have Transformers, so when it comes down to it, Takara should be able to do anything they want.

LeL wrote:If it wasn't for Takara, Hasbro wouldn't have Transformers, so when it comes down to it, Takara should be able to do anything they want.

Wrong.

Takara had previously made molds that helped facilitate Hasbro's plans, but Hasbro created the brand, the names, the characters, and they own them. It's a partnership now, but if it hadn't been for Hasbro, the Diaclone and Microman molds would've most likely disappeared and we'd have never known.

So this is legit then? Wow.

kirbenvost wrote:

Zeds wrote:Don't start ruining the MP line Has/Tak/Tomy.

Quoted for truth.

If this is true, it's wasting a spot in the MP line. That's not to say it's a bad figure, it just belongs in its own line.

They own the line. They can do whatever they want with it. Sleep Mode Convoy is a shining example of that.

Dead Metal wrote:I find the outrage over this delicious since this is nothing but Japan's release of Leader Starscream. Plus it's not part of the main MP line since this is MP -M01, Master Piece - Movie 01, so this will just be the first MP of a Movie MP line, something people have been crying to get since 07.

OIh and I find the outcry over at tfw to be far more entertaining than over here, as some people really act as if this is the end of the world, not all but a lot of em.

I eagerly await the announcement of MP-A01 Masterpiece Hot Shot. And it better have a big tub of jaam.

Malicron wrote:

Gutter Bunny wrote:Maybe I'm just disappointed because i was hoping Hot Rod/Galvatron/Shockwave/Soundwave...Ratbat...ANYBODY else would be announced next.

Agreed; I'd have taken bloody Wheelie over this blasphemy. Please tell me that I haven't actually woken up yet and this is all a bad dream.

But would it be blasphemy if it was a Masterpiece Beast Wars character? Why should Masterpieces be restricted to only G1?

If the speculation here and elsewhere is right, and this MP Movie Screamer's mainly for Japan, then that shouldn't be a problem. Masterpiece was originally for Japan only anyway; no reason why they shouldn't have this toy.

Malicron wrote:

Gutter Bunny wrote:Maybe I'm just disappointed because i was hoping Hot Rod/Galvatron/Shockwave/Soundwave...Ratbat...ANYBODY else would be announced next.

Agreed; I'd have taken bloody Wheelie over this blasphemy. Please tell me that I haven't actually woken up yet and this is all a bad dream.

But would it be blasphemy if it was a Masterpiece Beast Wars character? Why should Masterpieces be restricted to only G1?

If the speculation here and elsewhere is right, and this MP Movie Screamer's mainly for Japan, then that shouldn't be a problem. Masterpiece was originally for Japan only anyway; no reason why they shouldn't have this toy.[/quote]

Of course not; while many of them turned into bugs, they all looked like robots in Beast Wars. I don't think Masterpiece should be restricted to G1, I think it should be restricted to Transformers that actually look like Transformers.

They also have him on Robotkingdom.com, so it has to be real.

Dearest Takara / Tomy / Hasbro

Please keep the Bay-formers outta my Masterpiece line?

KTHNXBAI!
-Mega

Malicron wrote:

Malicron wrote:

Gutter Bunny wrote:Maybe I'm just disappointed because i was hoping Hot Rod/Galvatron/Shockwave/Soundwave...Ratbat...ANYBODY else would be announced next.

Agreed; I'd have taken bloody Wheelie over this blasphemy. Please tell me that I haven't actually woken up yet and this is all a bad dream.

But would it be blasphemy if it was a Masterpiece Beast Wars character? Why should Masterpieces be restricted to only G1?

If the speculation here and elsewhere is right, and this MP Movie Screamer's mainly for Japan, then that shouldn't be a problem. Masterpiece was originally for Japan only anyway; no reason why they shouldn't have this toy.

Of course not; while many of them turned into bugs, they all looked like robots in Beast Wars. I don't think Masterpiece should be restricted to G1, I think it should be restricted to Transformers that actually look like Transformers.[/quote]


What you've said today about Bayformer Starscream is the same argument they were using against Beast Wars back in the day; that they didn't look like "real" Transformers.

When you get HFTD SS in your hands its an amazing toy, I can see why it got an MP spot.

I guess this means that the Leader class Bumbelebee will also be a Masterpeice?

How about Animated Bulkhead? Give him a shiny coat of paint and Energon Galvatron can be Masterpeice Galvatron.

It's really not the use of a movie character that I object to, personally. Although, if they wanted to go this route, Prime would be a more logical first choice. It's the use of a lesser quality mold.

It's the same reason I wouldn't really want to see a Jazz or Ironhide Masterpeice. They'd be glorified Alternators. Alternators are nice, but when you're advertising "Masterpieces" that's kind of what you expect to get. Making a Leader class figure with actual good paint apps isn't the sort of quality I've come to expect fromt he MP line.

And, although Takara CAN do whatever they want to with the Transformers brand, that doesn't nessasarily mean they SHOULD. There are bad ideas out there. And the MP line was concieved of for both Takara and hasbro, and both put work into Prime. Although the line did become more japan-centric.

Gauntlet101010 wrote:I guess this means that the Leader class Bumbelebee will also be a Masterpeice?

How about Animated Bulkhead? Give him a shiny coat of paint and Energon Galvatron can be Masterpeice Galvatron.

It's really not the use of a movie character that I object to, personally. Although, if they wanted to go this route, Prime would be a more logical first choice. It's the use of a lesser quality mold.

It's the same reason I wouldn't really want to see a Jazz or Ironhide Masterpeice. They'd be glorified Alternators. Alternators are nice, but when you're advertising "Masterpieces" that's kind of what you expect to get. Making a Leader class figure with actual good paint apps isn't the sort of quality I've come to expect fromt he MP line.

And, although Takara CAN do whatever they want to with the Transformers brand, that doesn't nessasarily mean they SHOULD. There are bad ideas out there. And the MP line was concieved of for both Takara and hasbro, and both put work into Prime. Although the line did become more japan-centric.

I like Masterpiece too. But to say that any toy that wasn't designed specifically for MP is thus "of lesser quality" is a flawed argument. Otherwise, we wouldn't have complaints:

- about how MP Seekers have unnecessary hip kibble, which have to be "fixed" through fan mods
- or how Takara "didn't get right" MP Starscream's colors
- or how MP Seekers and Grimlock are not in scale with MP Prime and Megatron
- or how Prime originally didn't include the trailer
- and then, when they did add a trailer for Prime, we get complaints on why they didn't include Roller
- or how MP Megatron's a fragile toy, is not that poseable, isn't in the right size when in gun mode, has missing gun accessories, and has metal parts that tarnish easily

And those are just the more common complaints regarding Masterpiece. I agree that there are ideas which should not be used for this line, but it's not like everything that's come out under MP has been flawless.

Oh PRIMUS it's beautiful!

Droptested Thrice wrote:

Gauntlet101010 wrote:I guess this means that the Leader class Bumbelebee will also be a Masterpeice?

How about Animated Bulkhead? Give him a shiny coat of paint and Energon Galvatron can be Masterpeice Galvatron.

It's really not the use of a movie character that I object to, personally. Although, if they wanted to go this route, Prime would be a more logical first choice. It's the use of a lesser quality mold.

It's the same reason I wouldn't really want to see a Jazz or Ironhide Masterpeice. They'd be glorified Alternators. Alternators are nice, but when you're advertising "Masterpieces" that's kind of what you expect to get. Making a Leader class figure with actual good paint apps isn't the sort of quality I've come to expect fromt he MP line.

And, although Takara CAN do whatever they want to with the Transformers brand, that doesn't nessasarily mean they SHOULD. There are bad ideas out there. And the MP line was concieved of for both Takara and hasbro, and both put work into Prime. Although the line did become more japan-centric.

I like Masterpiece too. But to say that any toy that wasn't designed specifically for MP is thus "of lesser quality" is a flawed argument. Otherwise, we wouldn't have complaints:

- about how MP Seekers have unnecessary hip kibble, which have to be "fixed" through fan mods
- or how Takara "didn't get right" MP Starscream's colors
- or how MP Seekers and Grimlock are not in scale with MP Prime and Megatron
- or how Prime originally didn't include the trailer
- and then, when they did add a trailer for Prime, we get complaints on why they didn't include Roller
- or how MP Megatron's a fragile toy, is not that poseable, isn't in the right size when in gun mode, has missing gun accessories, and has metal parts that tarnish easily

And those are just the more common complaints regarding Masterpiece. I agree that there are ideas which should not be used for this line, but it's not like everything that's come out under MP has been flawless.

Flawless? No. Greater quality than a Leader class toy? Yes. And if they're not, then do away with the so-called "Masterpiece" label and give us the leader-class toy at a Leader-class price.

Hell I want a masterpiece bayformer Wheelie