The Energon Pub

After the negative reviews on MP3 starscream being light, weighs the same as a model, flimsy and breaks easy - I was very worried.

After receiving my MP3 Starscream and transforming it with relative ease (about 15-30 minutes first try) - I would say it's tough, reasonably heavy, very well made, quite easy to transform and not weak at all.

I have this feeling that there are many people who are generally rough with their toys and or have two thumbs on each finger.

There was only one tricky part in the whole transformation. In step 8, you have to detach the wings, and because the parts have such a close and seamless fitting, it's not immediately obvious. The arm that the wings attach to are latched and you must actually push the arm in before you can pull it out. The drawing shows that you have to pull it out and doesn't including the pushing part. I can see people with clumsy hands applying too much force on the joints.

I think the bottom line is to respect the toy. Look at the joints and the fixtures - wiggle it a little to see where the joins are and with a little logic, you can see how things work and are supposed to work. I am quite happy with the complexity of Starscream - I think it's absolutely necessary in order for it to look and pose as well as he does. My only gripe with this toy is the difficulty in trying to get it to stand. I understand there's a way around this by removing the hip kibble, but I haven't tried to do this yet.

So - do you just force the hip kibble off then? And if so, where does this attach? Thanks!

I haven't had too much trouble with my Starscream figure either. I feel it might be folks who are used to being rough with Tf toys who tend to break him. He felt very sturdy in my hands. I did have a folding tailfin accidently pop off, but with a snap was able to get it back on again. His head also came off when I was Transforming him, but I was able to place that back on too.

.. how does the hip attachment come off, and where do you put it back on again to stabilize the standing position? Thanks.

If you mean the hip 'kibble,' those are attached to ball-joints located on the hips. I have heard that you can just generally take off the hip-kibble and put it back on again, and it probably doesn't hurt the figure doing this. (Though I have never done this myself) You can then attach these onto the legs. There are holes on the kibble-bits, and round projections on the legs where the kibble goes. Probably putting the kibble on the legs might help it stand up better, but then as I've never done it, I'm not quite sure.
They only way I have been able to make him stand on his own without his support stand or reattaching his kibble elsewere, is by posing him in a squatting or leaning position. Sadly those positions make him look like he is either about to potty or he is going to vomit. I don't know how they do it in the pictures, maybe they have to pose him just so in order for him to stand fully upright. Mine is top heavy and has weak ankles, so it is hard for me to do this.

i don't mind putting the leftovers on the legs. you just have two pegs around the waist that stick out.
he poses well either way. but i keep him with the kibble on the legs, it makes him seem like it's almost a robe or something. but i love this toy. i'll get the us version and the mp-06 skywarp.
but hopefully no more repaints after that.
i don't need any more than 300 dollars worth of this toy