Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

[Emerje]

As much as I'd like to have Ironhide & Ratchet, I just can't accept these molds as definitive versions. A simple Google search for "3rd party Ratchet/Ironhide" shows some far superior designs. Has/Tak have got to seriously question their standards when 3rd party companies start making better versions of their own characters.

Maybe some people don't mind this design and would rather have an official one and support the company that created those characters instead of buying from someone whose infringing on another's intellectual property and slapping a reprolabel symbol on it after word.

That's basically why i'm getting this one. I'm not against 3rd party stuff, but in the case of Masterpieces i will always buy official figures when i have the choice.

Ditto!

If given the choice between tofu steak and Kobe/Angus steak, I'd take the latter anytime!

Plus, at least for me, none of the third party Ironhides look G1 enough.

Not TFC Ironwill and Medic
Not Voodoo Robots Animus and Salus
And definitely not iGear Weapon Specialist and Medical Specialist

They all have something really bothersome about them, as does the official Masterpiece, so why bother with anything but the real thing?

Emerje

[BumbleDouche]

As much as I'd like to have Ironhide & Ratchet, I just can't accept these molds as definitive versions. A simple Google search for "3rd party Ratchet/Ironhide" shows some far superior designs. Has/Tak have got to seriously question their standards when 3rd party companies start making better versions of their own characters.

Maybe some people don't mind this design and would rather have an official one and support the company that created those characters instead of buying from someone whose infringing on another's intellectual property and slapping a reprolabel symbol on it after word.

That's basically why i'm getting this one. I'm not against 3rd party stuff, but in the case of Masterpieces i will always buy official figures when i have the choice.

Ditto!

If given the choice between tofu steak and Kobe/Angus steak, I'd take the latter anytime!

Guys, sorry if I didn't make my position more clear. I myself only buy the official releases; if it doesn't have a Has/Tak stamp, it's not a REAL Transformer in my book. I agree that supporting companies that infringe copyright is not ideal, but I can understand WHY some people do it. But if the goal of the Masterpiece line, especially from Takara, is to make the toy look as much like the cartoon as possible, surely we can agree that this mold is poorly executed. My main point was that toy-making powerhouses such as Hasbro & Takara should be LEADING the charge with exquisite designs. Instead, third-rate Chinese sweatshops are coming up with better solutions to solving the same problems. In this instance, I've seen alternate designs for Ratchet & Ironhide that are far superior. I understand there are people who like this design, but consider previous MP releases: who has a problem with MP Wheeljack? Prowl? Sideswipe? Nobody, or I'll eat my own fist. In short, it's not the Masterpiece I was expecting. This doesn't mean I'll stoop to buying a 3rd party figure, it means I wont be buying ANY of the Ratchet/Ironhide, at least until the design is improved.

[Mykltron]

His proportions in robot mode are so far off this doesn't deserve the title 'Masterpiece'. I would love to support the official company but Voodoo Robots have done so much better. Sadly, I can't get that one for a decent price so instead I will buy neither because this thing just doesn't look good.

[DMSL]

I am not getting him, i already bought way too many MP's and i don't have the room for them. I don't want to make room for this one since he just looks so lackluster. The figure is very lanky, the transformation lazy and the chest....i don't like it at all.

In all honesty i think it would have been better if the lower part of the vehicle became that mobile base/sled thing the original had to clean up the botmode.

The only MP i still want is Jazz and perhaps Sunstreaker. I am already thining of getting rid of the Nissan bro's to make some space. All my older MP's are definately going apart from MP01. I'm just more of a CHUG guy.

[Amelie]

- Spindly, weird neck.
- Questionable gimmick in van mode ruining robot mode.
- Neck is behind back of waist.
- Butt-wheels and waist kibble.
- Even the sled doesn't look right (where are the tracks?)

Come back, Hasui - we miss you

[Fox Thiagarajan]

Preorder can't be in stock sooner imo.

[Deathsaurus1]

As much as I'd like to have Ironhide & Ratchet, I just can't accept these molds as definitive versions. A simple Google search for "3rd party Ratchet/Ironhide" shows some far superior designs. Has/Tak have got to seriously question their standards when 3rd party companies start making better versions of their own characters.

Maybe some people don't mind this design and would rather have an official one and support the company that created those characters instead of buying from someone whose infringing on another's intellectual property and slapping a reprolabel symbol on it after word.

That's basically why i'm getting this one. I'm not against 3rd party stuff, but in the case of Masterpieces i will always buy official figures when i have the choice.

Ditto!

If given the choice between tofu steak and Kobe/Angus steak, I'd take the latter anytime!

Guys, sorry if I didn't make my position more clear. I myself only buy the official releases; if it doesn't have a Has/Tak stamp, it's not a REAL Transformer in my book. I agree that supporting companies that infringe copyright is not ideal, but I can understand WHY some people do it. But if the goal of the Masterpiece line, especially from Takara, is to make the toy look as much like the cartoon as possible, surely we can agree that this mold is poorly executed. My main point was that toy-making powerhouses such as Hasbro & Takara should be LEADING the charge with exquisite designs. Instead, third-rate Chinese sweatshops are coming up with better solutions to solving the same problems. In this instance, I've seen alternate designs for Ratchet & Ironhide that are far superior. I understand there are people who like this design, but consider previous MP releases: who has a problem with MP Wheeljack? Prowl? Sideswipe? Nobody, or I'll eat my own fist. In short, it's not the Masterpiece I was expecting. This doesn't mean I'll stoop to buying a 3rd party figure, it means I wont be buying ANY of the Ratchet/Ironhide, at least until the design is improved.

Why do people hate his the waist kibble?
Don't compare just to the cartoon. The masterpiece representation of every character should be seen as a new iteration of said character. Nothing is bad about Ironhide. Unless he has a problem where one hinge is prone to break, like mp3's wing hinges. Or fragile like mp5. Than he is looking solid.
Kibble to me is something that hinders the robot mode.

[megatronus]

Why do people hate his the waist kibble?
Don't compare just to the cartoon. The masterpiece representation of every character should be seen as a new iteration of said character. Nothing is bad about Ironhide. Unless he has a problem where one hinge is prone to break, like mp3's wing hinges. Or fragile like mp5. Than he is looking solid.
Kibble to me is something that hinders the robot mode.

It looks the waist kibble DOES hinder the robot mode.

[Solrac333]

As much as I'd like to have Ironhide & Ratchet, I just can't accept these molds as definitive versions. A simple Google search for "3rd party Ratchet/Ironhide" shows some far superior designs. Has/Tak have got to seriously question their standards when 3rd party companies start making better versions of their own characters.

Maybe some people don't mind this design and would rather have an official one and support the company that created those characters instead of buying from someone whose infringing on another's intellectual property and slapping a reprolabel symbol on it after word.

Maybe some people would rather buy superior versions of the character no matter WHO makes it. Besides, all Hasbro did all those years ago was get the Diaclone figures and "slapped" Transformers on it.

[munkimus prime]

I just don't get the hate this figure is receiving. This is probably the definitive version of Ironhide we will ever get. One more thing where would the side skirts and wheels on his butt go since in the cartoon his Transformation defied the laws of physics with all his vehicle mode bits just disappearing into nothing. What do you people want the designers to do, use black Magic to copy a design that in Robot mode had zero vehicle bits on show to work with and still transform into a van. I doubt even Hasui could of engineered that and still make it look good. This figure is probably the best anyone could do with the design they had to work with and all we can do is be perfectionists who nit-pick every detail.

[galvatron00]

I just don't get the hate this figure is receiving. This is probably the definitive version of Ironhide we will ever get.

I'm not sure either..

#TEAMPOSITIVITY!!!!!

One more thing where would the side skirts and wheels on his butt go since in the cartoon his Transformation defied the laws of physics with all his vehicle mode bits just disappearing into nothing....This figure is probably the best anyone could do with the design they had to work with and all we can do is be perfectionists who nit-pick every detail.

I guess the only thing that would've been REALLY cool is if the side skirts could cover the butt wheels. I know they can't, butt it would've been neat. Either way, he, Ratchet, Hot Rod 2.0 and Shockwave are already pre-ordered and paid for, I'm just practicing what Cobotron has taught me: ninja-like patience

[Cobotron]

You have learned well, Grasshopper.

[DedicatedGhostArt]

God, that hip-kibble is atrocious....I wouldn't mind, but the design team can do so much better.

WHY IS EVERYONE SO MAD ABOUT THE HIP KIBBLE??? I am more concerned about how the mid-section looks. I think the wheels/butt-cheeks are the bad parts.

[Cyberpath]

I think he looks good, but the proof is in the pudding -- I guess we'll find out soon enough!

A couple more in-hand pix from the internet:

[munkimus prime]

I don't care what everyone else thinks. I cant wait to get this guy.

[Cobotron]

I think he looks good, but the proof is in the pudding -- I guess we'll find out soon enough!

I can't wait to get some pudding!

He looks great in that shot with the sunlight all bouncing off of him.

[Mr.Mystery]

I'm not sure why people are complaining about this figure--I think he looks fantastic. That being said, I buy 3rd party figures sometimes too that look great as well and think it's silly people posting here trying to make people bad for buying 3rd party stuff

[DedicatedGhostArt]

I don't care what everyone else thinks. I cant wait to get this guy.

I cannot decide whether to get this guy, or wait for Ratchet. I HAVE TOO MANY THINGS TO GET!

[megatronus]

One more thing where would the side skirts and wheels on his butt go since in the cartoon his Transformation defied the laws of physics with all his vehicle mode bits just disappearing into nothing.

I don't know about the wheels, but those panels should have been engineered to slide, swivel, or flip up and cover the very obvious gaps in his mid-section. Or, how about they just follow the wheels and become butt kibble. That sounds a whole lot better than mucking up the robot mode and hindering the leg articulation.

What do you people want the designers to do, use black Magic to copy a design that in Robot mode had zero vehicle bits on show to work with and still transform into a van. I doubt even Hasui could of engineered that and still make it look good. This figure is probably the best anyone could do with the design they had to work with and all we can do is be perfectionists who nit-pick every detail.

Please.

Ironhide could have been better designed and engineered. It doesn't take black magic, it takes a budget. As nice as Ultra Magnus is, that toy definitely suffered in some areas because they tried very hard to cut costs. I would not be surprised if Ironhide was a similar case.

As far as I'm concerned, this figure is a decent placeholder, but not a definitive version of the character in any sense.

[Glarryg]

I think what looks off to me about the figure is that the sides of his torso seem to cave in under the arms, and because of that his van-front belly ends up looking like a big plate dangling in front. It's like someone stashing a hubcap under his shirt; it doesn't fit. Ironhide, to me, need to look solid, even if he looks "fat" (which, as a robot, is a meaningless term). He almost looks taller and skinnier than he needs to.

None of the versions anyone's made so far look "perfect" against the cartoon version, but some of the others look better to me than this (except, why does the TFC version have white legs?). I don't know; I'm probably not the best person to be critiquing this, because my ideal MP Ironhide would be a modern version of the original toy rather than the TV character model, and most people hate the original toy so that's not gonna be made any time soon.

Glarryg

[Cobotron]

my ideal MP Ironhide would be a modern version of the original toy rather than the TV character model

Wow! ... and here I thought I was the only one who felt this way. It's why I don't care if he looks anything like the show model. I could even stand to have him look less so than he does.

[fenrir72]

As much as I'd like to have Ironhide & Ratchet, I just can't accept these molds as definitive versions. A simple Google search for "3rd party Ratchet/Ironhide" shows some far superior designs. Has/Tak have got to seriously question their standards when 3rd party companies start making better versions of their own characters.

Maybe some people don't mind this design and would rather have an official one and support the company that created those characters instead of buying from someone whose infringing on another's intellectual property and slapping a reprolabel symbol on it after word.

That's basically why i'm getting this one. I'm not against 3rd party stuff, but in the case of Masterpieces i will always buy official figures when i have the choice.

Ditto!

If given the choice between tofu steak and Kobe/Angus steak, I'd take the latter anytime!

Guys, sorry if I didn't make my position more clear. I myself only buy the official releases; if it doesn't have a Has/Tak stamp, it's not a REAL Transformer in my book. I agree that supporting companies that infringe copyright is not ideal, but I can understand WHY some people do it. But if the goal of the Masterpiece line, especially from Takara, is to make the toy look as much like the cartoon as possible, surely we can agree that this mold is poorly executed. My main point was that toy-making powerhouses such as Hasbro & Takara should be LEADING the charge with exquisite designs. Instead, third-rate Chinese sweatshops are coming up with better solutions to solving the same problems. In this instance, I've seen alternate designs for Ratchet & Ironhide that are far superior. I understand there are people who like this design, but consider previous MP releases: who has a problem with MP Wheeljack? Prowl? Sideswipe? Nobody, or I'll eat my own fist. In short, it's not the Masterpiece I was expecting. This doesn't mean I'll stoop to buying a 3rd party figure, it means I wont be buying ANY of the Ratchet/Ironhide, at least until the design is improved.

Technically speaking, the "masterminds" of those sweatshops are Canadian/HK Chinese designers, so western trained in the arts of engineering. (ehem Fans Projects), so we shouldn't belittle their skills. It's just the sweatshops that assemble the products.

One more thing where would the side skirts and wheels on his butt go since in the cartoon his Transformation defied the laws of physics with all his vehicle mode bits just disappearing into nothing.

I don't know about the wheels, but those panels should have been engineered to slide, swivel, or flip up and cover the very obvious gaps in his mid-section. Or, how about they just follow the wheels and become butt kibble. That sounds a whole lot better than mucking up the robot mode and hindering the leg articulation.

What do you people want the designers to do, use black Magic to copy a design that in Robot mode had zero vehicle bits on show to work with and still transform into a van. I doubt even Hasui could of engineered that and still make it look good. This figure is probably the best anyone could do with the design they had to work with and all we can do is be perfectionists who nit-pick every detail.

Please.

Ironhide could have been better designed and engineered. It doesn't take black magic, it takes a budget. As nice as Ultra Magnus is, that toy definitely suffered in some areas because they tried very hard to cut costs. I would not be surprised if Ironhide was a similar case.

As far as I'm concerned, this figure is a decent placeholder, but not a definitive version of the character in any sense.

This. TT has a certain budget cutoff point. And you follow what the suits upstairs say so. 3rd party companies are more likely a bunch of family/buddies/co-investors/designers package willing to take a gamble etc etc unlike the corporate slugs.

Before this gets relegated to which is better, 3rd party or 1st, the proof in the pie is in the "humping". So let's wait until it gets delivered.

[galvatron00]

You have learned well, Grasshopper.

I pledge myself to your teachings, Master.

Seriously though. Ironhide/Ratchet. Woo.

[Emerje]

my ideal MP Ironhide would be a modern version of the original toy rather than the TV character model

Wow! ... and here I thought I was the only one who felt this way. It's why I don't care if he looks anything like the show model. I could even stand to have him look less so than he does.

So then basically something like this?



I'd buy that for sure, in the Generations line. I'd still prefer my MPs look as close to their onscreen counterpart as possible.

As far as being able to make a better Ironhide down the road... I'm not so sure. Sure, there are some things that they could have done better like maybe flipping the hip panels up to his sides, but we're talking about a figure that goes from a van small enough to fit in Prime's Trailer to a bot that comes up to his shoulders. There's only so much collapsing and folding they can do before you end up with gaps. I wonder if people would complain if the sled folded up on his back the way Shockwave's stand does?

Emerje

[DedicatedGhostArt]

I wonder if people would complain if the sled folded up on his back the way Shockwave's stand does?

Emerje

Does it? It kinda looks like it maybe can...