The Energon Pub

[o.supreme]

Oof... . The Yen has come on strong against the US Dollar the last week or so. Seeing my financial advantage of ordering from Amazon Japan melt away isn't fun, but I always knew there was a risk when I first ordered. My pre orders are still about 10 dollars cheaper on average after it's all said and done than Any domestic pre order, plus these things are always cyclical. The next MPG dosen't ship for another 4 months anyway.

[Emerje]

Oof... . The Yen has come on strong against the US Dollar the last week or so. Seeing my financial advantage of ordering from Amazon Japan melt away isn't fun, but I always knew there was a risk when I first ordered. My pre orders are still about 10 dollars cheaper on average after it's all said and done than Any domestic pre order, plus these things are always cyclical. The next MPG dosen't ship for another 4 months anyway.

Probably because of the election, they often have affects on exchange rates, especially when they drag on like this one is. It'll likely creep back down next month if not sooner.

Emerje

[Nemesis Destron]

You know it would have been awesome had done what they did to Jetfire/Skyfire in reverse. They first gave us thie Commander Class then after the MP version, so the dream of combiner class Raiden not a MP well.... .

Anyway I've decided to hold on any of the current figures til "All Are One" and released with a reivew to see what flaws may be involved AND it's worth the .

[o.supreme]

Well, looks like we get some photos from a booklet with the upcoming MPG-03

https://tieba.baidu.com/p/8195816820

AS the economy continues to tank, and my Amazon.jp pre-orders are basically even now with Hasbro and 3P retailer pre-orders, I guess the advantage is that those who ordered from Amazon will supposedly get theirs earlier.

Pre-orders for MPG 05 and 06 will be coming sometime in January (I'm guessing late January), also glad my initial prediction of trying to get this all done by the end of 2023 was accurate. It will be nice to have both a completed Raiden and Haslab Deathsaurus by end of 2023.

Also in terms of proportions, while I dont think the combined mode for Raiden looks terrible, the lower torso is what makes all the difference between him and say...CW/UW Devastator. All the other parts (legs, arms, upper torso) aren't that different. But whereas Lang Haul is the BIGGEST member of CW/UW Dev and makes up a good portion of his body, Kaen seemingly makes up the smallest part, with parts forming for other portions, and a LOT being left on the back. Too bad a little more couldn't have been adjusted to increase the lower abs proper to make him closer to CW/UW Devastator height, but oh well.

He will just be that oddball. Slightly taller than CW/UW/PotP combiners, but not as tall as Titan Dev or Predaking.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

I really need to see more of what they are doing with Kaen, the lower torso/thighs just seems so odd, I can't really get a good grasp of the design and why they made the choices they did yet.

I like him, he looks good, just ready to see the full picture now.

[o.supreme]

MPG-05 Pre-Order on Amazon Japan...

https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0B ... UTF8&psc=1

[Emerje]

MPG-05 Pre-Order on Amazon Japan...

https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0B ... UTF8&psc=1

I saw that as well, from Takara Tomy Mall. The end is in sight.

Emerje

[Emerje]

It's been a long ride, but the end is starting to come into sight. Takara Tomy has finally revealed Masterpiece G MPG-05 Seizan, Raiden's right arm man. Thanks to listing on both Takara Tomy Mall and Amazon Japan and Seibertronian o.supreme in the forums we get our first clear look at the beige train and all his features including two Raiden Cannons, a Brain Laser gun and Raiden's giant Light Sword as well as more tracks. The Japanese tax inclusive price is 22,000JPY while the current Amazon Japan price that many of us will be using is currently at 21,997JPY (about US $169), but that will definitely drop in the coming days. Seizan is expected to ship in September, then we'll only have MPG-06 Kaen left.

[TulioDude]

He looks neat! I wonder how the backpack affects his balance.

Day 1108 of waiting for Transformers Armada Masterpiece news.

[Immortal Starscream]

I've enjoyed these so far. they definitely harken back to older mp releases as far as style and fun factor. but there's no denying that sacrifices were made of course for the combining, but also for the sake of the vehicle mode. makes sense when you consider Japanese love of trains. I think the biggest sacrifice though is the combined mode. I have little faith in it tbh. besides the fact that they were still trying to figure it out AFTER the first 2 were released, the design itself seems off. but we will see when Kaen gets revealed.

[angtre]

I've always had a soft spot for Trainbots. I'd really wish they use the second Diaclone colour scheme for a second run of the molds.

[Stormshot_Prime]

Another awesome reveal! I hope this spurs more JG1 Masterpiece releases. Though, would it be in the realm of impossibility to hope for a Generations Trainbot combiner? I’m too many MP purchases behind to even consider getting all 5 of these guys.

[o.supreme]

The main reason why I'm getting these MP is because I don't see a standard Generations version happening any time soon unfortunately.

[Sabrblade]

Yeah, one of the main reasons that this set is even happening at all as Masterpieces instead of as normal figures is because of the MP budget allowing for Takara to try appealing to the Japanese model train demographic, with each of these being not only super realistic in vehicle mode but also being scaled to a real-world model train scale.

This attempt to attract that audience in addition to the Transformers fandom seems like a sign that Takara does not have enough faith in the Trainbots being popular enough to sell well on their own as normal Generations-styled figures, what with their very real sense of obscurity, even in their own country of Japan.

[Brokebot]

Yeah, one of the main reasons that this set is even happening at all as Masterpieces instead of as normal figures is because of the MP budget allowing for Takara to try appealing to the Japanese model train demographic, with each of these being not only super realistic in vehicle mode but also being scaled to a real-world model train scale.

The only problem is that although they are on the same scale, they aren't on the same gauge track. MPG-02 Getsuei rides on narrower tracks than MPG-01 Shouki. Not being a train model aficionado myself, I'm not sure if that's because they are two different types of trains and that's just the way they are, or it that was a concession of engineering the internal robot. Either way, I think it would have been a nice feature to be able to link them together as a single train so that they could ride the same track, but that's by no means a deal breaker.

Anyhoo, the last 4 of these bad boys are the only things on my must-have list. The fact I'm going to be waiting until next Christmas for the last one is killing me.

[DeathReviews]

"And I see your schwartz is as BIG as mine!"


I'm glad I had no kind of G1 attachment to this set, otherwise I might be tempted. As it stands, I have the ability to look at them objectively and decide that an all-train gestalt isn't really my bag.

[TF-fan kev777]

Yeah, one of the main reasons that this set is even happening at all as Masterpieces instead of as normal figures is because of the MP budget allowing for Takara to try appealing to the Japanese model train demographic, with each of these being not only super realistic in vehicle mode but also being scaled to a real-world model train scale.

The only problem is that although they are on the same scale, they aren't on the same gauge track. MPG-02 Getsuei rides on narrower tracks than MPG-01 Shouki. Not being a train model aficionado myself, I'm not sure if that's because they are two different types of trains and that's just the way they are, or it that was a concession of engineering the internal robot. Either way, I think it would have been a nice feature to be able to link them together as a single train so that they could ride the same track, but that's by no means a deal breaker.

Anyhoo, the last 4 of these bad boys are the only things on my must-have list. The fact I'm going to be waiting until next Christmas for the last one is killing me.

If I understand correctly, real trains in Japan have 2 different track widths and this is relfected in the individual trains having the appropriate width at that scale for the tracks the were used on. Takara is being super accurate to the train modes.

Unfortunately that prevents you from being able to line all six up front to back and roll them on the same set of tracks. Still works fine on a floor or tabletop though, so I'm not too bummed by it.

[Sabrblade]

Yeah, one of the main reasons that this set is even happening at all as Masterpieces instead of as normal figures is because of the MP budget allowing for Takara to try appealing to the Japanese model train demographic, with each of these being not only super realistic in vehicle mode but also being scaled to a real-world model train scale.

The only problem is that although they are on the same scale, they aren't on the same gauge track. MPG-02 Getsuei rides on narrower tracks than MPG-01 Shouki. Not being a train model aficionado myself, I'm not sure if that's because they are two different types of trains and that's just the way they are, or it that was a concession of engineering the internal robot. Either way, I think it would have been a nice feature to be able to link them together as a single train so that they could ride the same track, but that's by no means a deal breaker.

Anyhoo, the last 4 of these bad boys are the only things on my must-have list. The fact I'm going to be waiting until next Christmas for the last one is killing me.

If I understand correctly, real trains in Japan have 2 different track widths and this is relfected in the individual trains having the appropriate width at that scale for the tracks the were used on. Takara is being super accurate to the train modes.

Unfortunately that prevents you from being able to line all six up front to back and roll them on the same set of tracks. Still works fine on a floor or tabletop though, so I'm not too bummed by it.

It's not just a thing in Japan. In real life in many parts of the world, there exist standard gauge railways and narrow gauge railways (arguably one of the most famous being the Talyllyn Railway in Wales). The type of engine that Getsuei turns into is a narrow gauge engine, making him the odd one out. In real life, standard gauge and narrow gauge are not supposed to interact with each other on the same rail tracks, so it's the fault of Takara back in the 1980s for basing the Diaclone toy that would later be used for Getsuei on an engine type that is, in real life, incompatible with the others.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Seizan looks pretty nice! I love the sword pose, kinda neat how they are spreading out all of the accessories over the releases. I think Suiken still looks better than Seizan, but the arms both look to be strong individuals.

As for the conversation related to the combined mode, I think it is clear that they were focusing on the train modes as the primary modes here, with the robot modes built in 2nd and combined mode last, and like Sabrblade said, it makes sense that a character like this might need an avenue where they can focus on another aspect (i.e. the train community) of the characters to help them actually sell. I for one am OK with it, especially since I very much dislike the 3P Raiden.

Also, speaking of combined mode, the image below started circulating. Not sure where it came from, but it shows a black and white sketch of Kaen in there too.

[Sabrblade]

Raiden's arms look a little short.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

The type of engine that Getsuei turns into is a narrow gauge engine, making him the odd one out.

The Shinkansen duo Shouki and Yukikaze are standard gauge; the other four are all 3'6" narrow gauge. The latter was used in the British Empire, and areas they had a hand in.

[Nemesis Destron]

Damnation I can't wait til the final combiner figure so we can see a over all review and see the possible flaws involved and IF it's worth the possible small fortune it will involve. Unlike many others that have already gotten the figures already released to date my wait continues on.

[Emerje]

Raiden's arms look a little short.

Pretty sure they're bent at the elbows and the panel that frees the articulation is hiding his upper arms.

Incidentally, Wonder Festival 2023 [Winter] is a few weeks away, we might get our first look at Kaen as a gray model there and the mostly complete Raiden.

Emerje

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Incidentally, Wonder Festival 2023 [Winter] is a few weeks away, we might get our first look at Kaen as a gray model there and the mostly complete Raiden.

Really hoping so

[RotorstormNZ]

besides the fact that they were still trying to figure it out AFTER the first 2 were released, the design itself seems off.

So they designers didn't start with Raiden being the end goal?!