The Energon Pub

[Hellscream9999]

I'm surprised we haven't seen Thrust, Ramjet and Dirge yet. They've settled into a regular release of new figures so the designers have a regular gig, but surely if they wanted to get a couple more figures out with very little effort required they could just do the Coneheads.

They're just now getting to Skywarp..

Maybe Takara doesn't want to overdo it with the jets. (Though they did release five versions of the "Datsun Z" mold, but then again at 13,000 yens the jets are much more expensive..)

Didn't TT already release them in the newer seeker mold?

[Sabrblade]

I'm surprised we haven't seen Thrust, Ramjet and Dirge yet. They've settled into a regular release of new figures so the designers have a regular gig, but surely if they wanted to get a couple more figures out with very little effort required they could just do the Coneheads.

They're just now getting to Skywarp..

You mean Thundercracker.

[CombaticonsCombine?]

^This right here is what we want. What have wanted for 30 years! What we got is not close enough.

I'm sorry, but can I point something out? The robot mode of the animation model doesn't have wheels.

Just because you want the animation model to be perfectly replicated doesn't mean they're actually able to make every detail work into a figure. Toy design doesn't work like that, pal.

Knowing MOST Masterpiece figures, this as close to the animation model they could get (head nonwithstanding) and still allow it to transform.

This is close enough, because it's as close as we can get.

[fenrir72]

^This right here is what we want. What have wanted for 30 years! What we got is not close enough.

I'm sorry, but can I point something out? The robot mode of the animation model doesn't have wheels.

Just because you want the animation model to be perfectly replicated doesn't mean they're actually able to make every detail work into a figure. Toy design doesn't work like that, pal.

Knowing MOST Masterpiece figures, this as close to the animation model they could get (head nonwithstanding) and still allow it to transform.

This is close enough, because it's as close as we can get.

Too high the expectations I guess. Sometimes, reality should settle in first before concept. Will it be fiscally viable in the first place.

[william-james88]

I'm sorry, but can I point something out? The robot mode of the animation model doesn't have wheels.

Just because you want the animation model to be perfectly replicated doesn't mean they're actually able to make every detail work into a figure. Toy design doesn't work like that, pal.

Knowing MOST Masterpiece figures, this as close to the animation model they could get (head nonwithstanding) and still allow it to transform.

This is close enough, because it's as close as we can get.

Too high the expectations I guess. Sometimes, reality should settle in first before concept. Will it be fiscally viable in the first place.

Why cant we expect perfection from the masterpiece line? MP Lambor found a way to hide the wheels in the chest, just as Animated rodimus did. And so did MP 10. I look at toys like ROTF Leader Prime and HFTD Starscream and see toys that were made after concept designs were made by people not thinking of making toys perfectly based on them. But there they are, they exist. The entire animated line is based on stylized designs that were made first and that you'd think could not be replicated in toys that transform. I remember people saying that stability was the cause for Scrapper's arms not having elbows on generations Devastator and that was proven untrue. Lets not give excuses assuming this is the best we could get. The truth is the best MP designer working at Takara did not make this toy and thats too bad.

[Ultra Markus]

The head sculpt is what bothers me most. I'm not splitting hairs, it just doesn't look good. I could probably deal with the rest of his flaws if his head was spot on to the Ironhide head, which is really simple to draw, not sure what this was such a challenge for them to get right.

Can I ask what's not right about the head sculpt to you? It looks fine to me, and I think some of the promotional photography gives it a bit of a "stretched look," but "in hand" pics show it to be a little more proportional. The head and face look like Ironhide to me, and not like anyone else, so I'm not sure that's "wrong" with it to some.

The attachment ironhide-face-differences.jpg is no longer available

It's Ironhide's face ... it's just not right! The jawline needs to be more squared off, his face is too thin, it slopes down toward his chin, instead of being a more rectangular face. This is another example of where they take the source material too seriously ... I don't think anyone would have complained about him having a silver face, but instead they gave him this oddly painted face similar to what they did with Bumblebee which dulls the details such as the facial lines. The eyes aren't big enough. The nose isn't wide enough. The bottom of the nose is too close to the upper lip. The nose is also too long. The lines along the side of his face should be very defined yet they can hardly be seen, same problem on Bumblebee's face.

If you guys can't see the many things wrong with Ironhide's face, not sure what to tell you guys. The smallest details can make the biggest differences. Masterpiece Prowl and Wheeljack set the bar ... Ironhide is a disappointment after them. It especially sucks with Ironhide because we keep hoping we'll get a great Ironhide/Ratchet toy at some point but continue to be disappointed with release after release.

Maybe some people remember it differently Ryan?

the only explanation that i can see as to why some think the head looks off from what it should is that when people are exposed to chemicals from inhaling crack smoke everything seems a bit off

[Burn]

the only explanation that i can see as to why some think the head looks off from what it should is that when people are exposed to chemicals from inhaling crack smoke everything seems a bit off

Dude ... no ... you just can't say that about other members.

[fenrir72]

I'm sorry, but can I point something out? The robot mode of the animation model doesn't have wheels.

Just because you want the animation model to be perfectly replicated doesn't mean they're actually able to make every detail work into a figure. Toy design doesn't work like that, pal.

Knowing MOST Masterpiece figures, this as close to the animation model they could get (head nonwithstanding) and still allow it to transform.

This is close enough, because it's as close as we can get.

Too high the expectations I guess. Sometimes, reality should settle in first before concept. Will it be fiscally viable in the first place.

Why cant we expect perfection from the masterpiece line? MP Lambor found a way to hide the wheels in the chest, just as Animated rodimus did. And so did MP 10. I look at toys like ROTF Leader Prime and HFTD Starscream and see toys that were made after concept designs were made by people not thinking of making toys perfectly based on them. But there they are, they exist. The entire animated line is based on stylized designs that were made first and that you'd think could not be replicated in toys that transform. I remember people saying that stability was the cause for Scrapper's arms not having elbows on generations Devastator and that was proven untrue. Lets not give excuses assuming this is the best we could get. The truth is the best MP designer working at Takara did not make this toy and thats too bad.

Nope. Not giving TT a free ride. Again I'll withhold final judgement until I receive IH this February 2016. Then I'll call it a "turd" if indeed it is. Heck I remember how lot's of people laid iton Lambor for having hollow legs and stuff but now it is praised as one of the great MP releases.

Btw wj88, concerning "designer" name recognition, did you read a post of mine a few clicks back? Using that as an analogy, for example:

Team leader/engineer: wj88 (already known for various great releases such as MP-10 etc)

So a work of wj88 is given full cred because of the great outcome/praise from collectors. But wj88 isn't the only one working on the fig, he's got lots of assistance too. Maybe one of those assistants, let's say "SillySpringer" also contributed greatly to the figure's design but wasn't given full cred yet (being new and cutting his teeth in the business) but manages to impress wj88.

So as a reward for his contribution, they (TT) let him get full cred on the next project (i.e MP-27)

You get my point? Brand or name recognition sometimes affects how we view a certain product. Especially now the cat's out of the bag that it isn't Hisashi doing the main project. It's in Economics 101.

[william-james88]

That sounds good Fenrir. Another analogy would be the Pixar films and how each director of a subsequent film assisted o a previous one but not as a director. And they were mainly good until cars

[fenrir72]

That sounds good Fenrir. Another analogy would be the Pixar films and how each director of a subsequent film assisted o a previous one but not as a director. And they were mainly good until cars

Incredibles was much better too (the director was initially from Fox). But Cars has more TF to it given how mechanical lives thrived in that "Earth"

[fenrir72]

This feels like deja vu. I already ordered him at BigInJapan. But I tried for the heck of it and attempted to order from amiami and kept getting a loop feedback. Just like VehiconGeneral.

Meaning, for all sense of arguments, he's been sold out with priority to the Japanese market again!

Take note wj88. It seems like they are still doing the old practice waaaaay back.

[Robogeek1973]

Sadly I'm just not feeling this one and honestly like the upcoming 3rd party one more. I did preorder this though in the hope that I'll like him more by the time he's released, because I do wanna support the line still.


It's just a shame that the Ironhide on my MP shelf won't be the official version.

[william-james88]

Take note wj88. It seems like they are still doing the old practice waaaaay back.

AW F#$K! Thanks for letting me know though, big in japan might be my alternative from now on for some toys. I am hoping there will be some TAV Grimlocks left for the international audience on amiami thoug since I would love to ship him with the upcoming legends Femcons.

[wilcosu35]

Ironhide for preorder at HLJ

http://www.hlj.com/product/TKT83394/Sci

[Cobotron]

MP-27 Ironhide at AmiAmi as well.
7490 Yen = $62.02 US
http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?scode=FIGURE-013654&rank=ctg

[william-james88]

I am iffy on this toy since I wouldnt be buying it for nostalgia reasons but for the toy itself and its design and... this pic kinda cements that I dont really need this guy:



The posing is just too awkward and he just doesnt look as refined as the others.

[Hellscream9999]

I am iffy on this toy since I wouldnt be buying it for nostalgia reasons but for the toy itself and its design and... this pic kinda cements that I dont really need this guy:



The posing is just too awkward and he just doesnt look as refined as the others.

That's probably because he isn't, I honestly believe that there were several better/more concise/cleverer ways to design this guy, but if it is the designers first crack at it, I guess it was a good first try

[Va'al]

Via the TAG Hobby website, though not ultimately the actual source, we have a new handful of promotional shots for the upcoming Takara Tomy Transformers Masterpiece MP-27 Ironhide - including some repurposing of previously seen images, too - showing the three modes (vehicle, robot, armoury/battle station) plus some added MP comparisons. Check them out mirrored below!

[phantom1592]

Static pose I still like... but that 'action' shot is pretty lousy.

I love my G1, but never cared for Ironhide... so he'll probably be in my 'eventually' category. Much like Wheeljack

[-Kanrabat-]

As for me, not regreting my preorder at all.

[jogunwarrior]

That crotch is so in my face.

[mblase75]

Just need the Ratchet repaint (and Badcube Brawny) and we can all restage the shuttle attack from TF:tM.

[ScottyP]

I think I figured out what the problem is here that I'm having with this figure that I really, really want to like, but keep feeling more and more let down by.



Someone, somewhere said "It has to fit in the trailer." This leaves us with comparatively big robot getting shoehorned in to a small van design. That's likely where some of the very obvious design compromises come from, including the way too skinny head.

There are some nice things to say about this release. The actual alt mode looks great, the sled and accessories are an awesome touch, and I'd bet that the actual practice of transforming it between modes is going to be pretty fun. Just can't get over how genuinely bad the robot mode looks, despite it being close to not looking bad at all.

[hinomars19]

I think I figured out what the problem is here that I'm having with this figure that I really, really want to like, but keep feeling more and more let down by.



Someone, somewhere said "It has to fit in the trailer." This leaves us with comparatively big robot getting shoehorned in to a small van design. That's likely where some of the very obvious design compromises come from, including the way too skinny head.

There are some nice things to say about this release. The actual alt mode looks great, the sled and accessories are an awesome touch, and I'd bet that the actual practice of transforming it between modes is going to be pretty fun. Just can't get over how genuinely bad the robot mode looks, despite it being close to not looking bad at all.

I was honestly surprised at seeing the van was small enough to fit in the trailer.

[Cyberpath]