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JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Caelus wrote:I guess another potentially important factor is that I was 1-2yrs old when the cartoon first aired. I grew up with VHS recordings and later the chopshopped G2 re-airing. Perhaps the colors faded some?

Discoloration of the masters is a major problem with restoration and upgrading footage to HD (I don't see the point in HD, really), so anything is a close approximation at best. I don't suppose the color codes are included with the original animation models?

Once they release the 1986 in 4k then yes we will see the major difference. Not only that but high dynamic range will be implemented into the film also.

I find it puzzling how people say HD, FHD, and UHD is no different than 480p signal coming from a DVD.
A FHD 1080P signal blows any dvd's 480p signal out of the water.

Shockwave in the cartoons was actually both colors of purple. In the 1986 movie he is closer to mp-29+ . While mp-29 is colored after the sunbow cartoon.

Cyberpath wrote:

MagicDeath wrote:So, I just looked at some Shockwave pictures, and I can’t figure out where the lavender color scheme is from. It might be my colorbindness, though. Anyone know?

Also, I was thinking that I should pick up an MP Shockwave when they released him in a darker color. I’ll probably pick this one up.

His purple wasn't always a consistent shade..

But it was generally this dark tone.

This is what I needed to see. Thanks.
I do think that the brighter MP Shockwave is acceptable (don’t have it, though), but LG Shockwave and Galvatron are definitely ridiculous.

Masterpiece BW Megatron....wheres that shut up and take my money gif at when I need it? I can't wait to see full color pics. I'm gonna guess he will be around the $230 range?

I never really thought too much about the preference of the toy (cartoon accurate versus toy accurate) until now. I like cartoon accurate myself. For me that's where it started. Plus back then I didn't understand why certain toys,like Ironhide, looked nothing like the cartoon. But ,of course knowing the history now, I get it.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Caelus wrote:I guess another potentially important factor is that I was 1-2yrs old when the cartoon first aired. I grew up with VHS recordings and later the chopshopped G2 re-airing. Perhaps the colors faded some?

Discoloration of the masters is a major problem with restoration and upgrading footage to HD (I don't see the point in HD, really), so anything is a close approximation at best. I don't suppose the color codes are included with the original animation models?

I'm sure the animators probably had something they used, but the production team wasn't that specific (and probably didn't care about specifics) which probably lead to some of the wild color variations. The production team binders were in black and white, probably because only the character designers and Hasbro higher ups needed them in color, but you can still tell Shockwave was supposed to be dark in color.



The note in the bottom center is telling the artist to "change the light blue rangefinder to light pink/purple". Very specific.

Emerje

What was the retail (domestic) price upon release for Shockwave?

$209 seems a tad high.

Ironhidensh wrote:What was the retail (domestic) price upon release for Shockwave?

$209 seems a tad high.

As Emerje wrote elsewhere, its pretty close all considering. I remember really hating the price of the original release.

On amiami (whch include taxes), the domestice (meaning Japan) price for Shockwave was 18,144 JPY (165 USD). However, since it wasnt exclusive we could all purchase from other retailers which gave discounts. Amiami for instance was 12,090 JPY (110 USD). Thats the price I paid plus shipping.

He was 160 USD at import shops like BBTS (so very close to the MSRP in Japan).

The MSRP this time around is 21,600JPY, so 3000 higher than the original. Thats around US$198, and once again BBTS aint that much higher than MSRP. Since this one is a TTMall exclusive, thre isnt any option to purchase at 30% off from other Japanese shops.

In short, this item is 30$ more in Japan and since there is no 30% off option, it seems like a major jump.

Rumour: MP Bumblebee v2 is in the works.

If true, perhaps they will have him transform into a "chibi" beetle this time? (That might work better next to characters such as Gears.)

And probably more yellow. And more cartoon-accurate, more articulation.. etc. etc.

Source: "TTemploy" @2005

So this is still very much a rumour at this junction, but two of our fellow Seibertron users, TFanPage101 and Cyberpath have shared with us a rumour first circulated on the TFW2005 boards by a user over there by the name of TTEmploy

The rumour states that the masterpiece following MP-44 will be none other than a new version of Bumblebee, with a robot mode closely resembling the G1 animation model and with an Alt mode to match the chibifed cartoon model which was done to match the original G1 toy.



The rumour also gives a run down on what he'll include and a Japanese price as well as his release date. These details are included in the original and subsequent posts. He also states that preorders will open on the twelfth of February. Apparently included is the figure itself, a Spike figure, two different faces, a gun effect part, a numberplate, seal and instructions.

Prehaps as proof to these claims, or as a reaction to the rumour, the TagHobby website created a listing for the figure, with matching details.

Here is what the listing says:

[BREAK NEWS]

TAKARATOMY於2019年9月推出變形金剛 MASTER PIECE系列 MP45 大黃蜂 Ver.2，暫時知道附有人偶Figure、武器及Effect部件，售價達日圓13,000(未含稅)，會有什麼新玩法，留意我們日後報導。

TAGHOBBY get the updated news!! TAKARATOMY will release the TRANSFORMERS Master Piece Series MP45 Blublebee Ver.2.0 in Sep 2019. It include figure, weapon and effect part. We are very surprise for the price of ver.2.0 is 13,000Yen(Not included tax).

No source is given on the TagHobby site.

So again, it must be stressed that this is all rumours currently.

Till then why not have a look at Seibertron's own gallery of MP-21 Bumblebee to see the old version or check out a top 5 list of non-movie Bumblebee toys as compiled by several Seibertron.com users:


Transformers Masterpiece Bumblebee Gallery

Top Five Non-Movie Bumblebee Toys

What do you think of this? Would you pick up a new Bumblebee? Let us know in the Energon Pub and stay tuned to Seibertron for all the latest news and reviews!

Yikes

It’s like Masterpiece has rebooted with insane prices. And your next masterpiece is New Seekers. Just my prediction.

I think the picture of original MP Bee’s face says it all and is everyone’s face with this news.

This is so pathetic it hurts; we've really come full circle here, haven't we, now it seems that all the old mp's are being made unofficially invalid because they aren't 'cartoon' enough. Can't wait for the price to be revealed to be $200 due to how many panels they had to use to get him to look that terrible; so to summarize my thoughts:

MP Bumblebee 2.0? Really?

I mean, I guess the actually good one will come down in price on the aftermarket, but I couldn't think of a less necessary "remake" in the MP line if I tried. The Seekers? Yeah, the current mold is awful, they deserve a remake (albeit not how they'll probably end up, costing £300 a piece and taking three years to transform for the sake of """"accuracy""""). Sideswipe? I guess, he was the first MP car bot I suppose, though without going on a long rant all he really needs is better ankle and elbow articulation (the latter could be accomplished with a very basic retool) and IMO he'd be fine, you can even finagle a decent ab crunch out of his transformation joint. But...Bumblebee? I mean, if him turning into a realistic VW Beetle as oppose to a penny racer really activates your almonds, I guess, but honestly I always thought the fact he goes from an accurate Beetle into a pretty spot-on G1 Bumblebee with minimal kibbly bits and a sensible transformation is a selling point in itself.

It does seem really unnecessary to me, especially since there is still others to do (imagine how much a masterpiece triple changing Astrotrain would cost...)

I'm not into cartoon-accurate toys very much, as I prefer the additional detail of the first MPs. So for me, should this rumor be true, this is a "no".

Still, a chibi Bumblebee might mean finally getting MP Cliffjumper.

Really? How about finishing off the rest of the Ark crew before hitting the reset/reboot/redo button on characters that already ready have decent representation!

I legitimately feel bad for mp collectors; the line (once meant to be coherent) has been pseudo rebooted so many times, having the cast even look like they belong together is now impossible

Hellscream9999 wrote:I legitimately feel bad for mp collectors; the line (once meant to be coherent) has been pseudo rebooted so many times, having the cast even look like they belong together is now impossible

I disagree!








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Cyberpath wrote:

Hellscream9999 wrote:I legitimately feel bad for mp collectors; the line (once meant to be coherent) has been pseudo rebooted so many times, having the cast even look like they belong together is now impossible

I disagree!

(Tracks is on the desk atm.)

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Sunstreaker and Sideswipe just look so perfect with each other. I love how they all look together. I guess a new MP Bee will be nice, but I'm trying to get the original, since I found the beautiful G2 version for 40$

So you're saying MP Bee 2.0 with cartoon accurate alt-mode, but all I'm hearing is toy accurate alt-mode. I don't like the toon aesthetic direction the MP line is going, but I'd buy the **** out of any SD BeetleBee you slap in front of me. The real world alt-mode of the current MP Bee bugs me.

yeah think since mp10 - most figures are pretty much compatible in spite of some changes in the focus for the aesthetic (authentic vehicles vs the cartoon accuracy). Thing is at the end of the day, I personally think that cartoon accuracy has been the main objective for a long time. It's just that engineering has come to the point where Takara are getting closer and closer.

My main issue isn't the fact they're revisiting bumblebee, it's more that I'd rather have them finish the season 1 and two characters off or if they have to re visit a character, they should pick the seekers.

Hellscream9999 wrote:I legitimately feel bad for mp collectors; the line (once meant to be coherent) has been pseudo rebooted so many times, having the cast even look like they belong together is now impossible

It is a choice to buy this stuff. No one forced anyone to replace anything. Even after 13 years some
People still prefer classics Prime over all the other GHUG iterations and there are plenty who still prefer MP-01 over MP-10 and MP-44.

Don’t feel bad for grown adults who have enough expendable income who continue to buy toys

What happened to Masterpiece Hound? Did Takara forget about it?

So the concerns I've expressed elsewhere of parallels between He-Man and Transformers continue, as the MP line pursues the same Demake line that the He-Man Classics Collection is currently churning out IE Repeating pre-existing figures. Yet of inferior quality and more expensive.
Seriously, to the G1 Collectors out there you have my sympathy. You're never getting beyond Season One in the Masterpiece Collection, not through Takara anyway.

Sounds fun, I hope they get the engineering right. That "penny car" look into a somewhat normally proportioned robot can be tricky. I have two third party "MP" Cliffjumpers that drive this design concern. The first one I got was the MMC Ocular Max version which goes for the super deformed, tiny car look. It's not a mess to transform and the lack of a backpack is wonderful, but the rest of the resulting robot cuts a really odd looking silhouette. It was so bad I ended up getting the X-Transbots version which apes a good bit from MP-21 in the looks department - backpack and all - and it's spectacular.

Worth noting that if this info is true, MP-45 would be almost double the price of those unlicensed options at MSRP so surely the parts count would allow for some magic even with penny car proportions.

BW Megatron wrote:What happened to Masterpiece Hound? Did Takara forget about it?

That's what I'd like to know! At this point he's become Mirage.