The Energon Pub

[Cyberpath]

I'm actually glad that Takara has taken an even more cartoon-accurate turn with Masterpiece. But I think they should pick their battles. Here's what I mean -- they went crazy with the transformation to make sure Prime had absolutely zero non-cartoon details in robot mode. The result is beautiful and impressive in a way, but also has me thinking a hundred times before transforming him in either direction. Would it have really hurt the accuracy that much if some details from the alt-mode had carried over to the robot mode just to avoid turning him inside out?
For years I wanted a wheel-less Prime but I also wanted to experience it in the transformation, something fun, like how Magnus' truck wheels flip around into smaller robot wheels.

You know, like this --

Anyway, it's already done, might as well practice! I did memorise MP-39 Sunstreaker (and at the beginning MP-10 was also intimidating and time-consuming.)


Don't know what to do about the antennas though -- hope that Takara make it right by the customers? Hope a third party will make a kit with exact replicas with straight spikes? Send it back for a refund and wait for a corrected re-issue?

[SpikeyTigertron]

Given how *thin* the ears are... and the couple of times I accidentally brushed them myself.... I don’t think there is a realistic fix for something molded like that.

I do wish Takara would start putting some scratch guard on those matte whites.... my prime had a scrape on the side of his leg. I *might* have done it.... not 100% sure.

[SpikeyTigertron]

I do have to say with all the crazy combinations Roller and the Combat Deck get up to.... Takara’s been learning a lot from their Diaclone Reboot... same for the new “scale” humans.

[Cyberpath]

Given how *thin* the ears are... and the couple of times I accidentally brushed them myself.... I don’t think there is a realistic fix for something molded like that.

I do wish Takara would start putting some scratch guard on those matte whites.... my prime had a scrape on the side of his leg. I *might* have done it.... not 100% sure.

How come? MP-10's antennas were about the same size. And the prototype had straight lines. It looks very unprofessional IMO.

I do have to say with all the crazy combinations Roller and the Combat Deck get up to.... Takara’s been learning a lot from their Diaclone Reboot... same for the new “scale” humans.

Yeah, I was going to say that, Takara went all out with the trailer gimmicks and combinations.

[ScottyP]

If this was a $200-230 figure it'd be easy for me to globally recommend it and generally praise it. It isn't though, so I really can't.

The comment about the engineering feeling needlessly complex is spot on. The whole ab section explodes in truck mode and is tough to get loose while still handling the toy gently as its paint demands. It's inelegant and has more going on than it rightfully needs to. There are some other spots with 90 degree bends of small panels in the legs that wouldn't need to be there by just making the back of the truck less ugly. I see what they were going for but it's a spindly mess back there near the hitch. The big TAV Prime's "truck roof becomes the feet" mechanism was more impressive to me because it does more with less. I didn't have any noticeable chipping or scraping but I didn't with Grapple at first either and now he flakes a bunch. Not confident these thick paint coats will hold up. The forearms also don't properly account for the paint with their tolerances, so I've got one that likes to pop open every time I pose it.

This is all entirely forgiveable stuff on cheaper figures imo, but again, this isn't a cheap figure.

It does look fantastic in general. I think the shoulders are too small but the rest is super clean, much moreso than I'd have expected with all the seam lines. The play features of the trailer are excellent and I like the partial part storage tray under the truck, just don't put the spare heads in there. The copyright stamping will scrape them.

It's a good toy but for $360 I expected a great toy. This is not the paradigm shift, big moment release Optimus like MP-1 and MP-10 were. This is just the Optimus following the trend of haphazardly engineered cartoon look MPs that cost too much and have too much paint on moving joints. Entirely skippable unless you just need that white crotch OP for your collection/are one of those "MP-10 is bad, actually" hipsters.

[Cobotron]

one of those "MP-10 is bad, actually" hipsters.

Being contrary to be cool!

Bummed that the wiggly antenna has Cyb and others so bummed.
also bummed that this release can't live up to the price tag.
Some of those exploded, mid-transformation pics just give me the heeby jeebys!

That bot mode DOES look pretty slick over all, though.

[sol magnus]

Entirely skippable unless you just need that white crotch OP for your collection/are one of those "MP-10 is bad, actually" hipsters.

Or, in my case, a new Optimus Prime/Megatron/Magnus/Soundwave/Prowl mark.

I still love my MP-10.

[Cyberpath]

Dunno if this was already posted -- this guy transforms MP-44 in five minutes. (Obviously it's edited but for different camera angles, not speed or skipping over steps.) Apparently, this is what it takes if you know the steps by heart.



He does it in a different order than what the manual shows.. the booklet finishes the legs first and then moves on to the cab. Dunno if it matters. There are a few other transformation videos as well.

[xMXUx]

Dunno if this was already posted -- this guy transforms MP-44 in five minutes. (Obviously it's edited but for different camera angles, not speed or skipping over steps.) Apparently, this is what it takes if you know the steps by heart.



He does it in a different order than what the manual shows.. the booklet finishes the legs first and then moves on to the cab. Dunno if it matters. There are a few other transformation videos as well.

That's pretty impressive! But I see some pretty bad paint chipping...

[sol magnus]

Dunno if this was already posted -- this guy transforms MP-44 in five minutes. (Obviously it's edited but for different camera angles, not speed or skipping over steps.) Apparently, this is what it takes if you know the steps by heart.



He does it in a different order than what the manual shows.. the booklet finishes the legs first and then moves on to the cab. Dunno if it matters. There are a few other transformation videos as well.

Hardly Prime's "five-fold maneuver."

Mine needs only --survive-- transformation once.

[ScottyP]

one of those "MP-10 is bad, actually" hipsters.

Being contrary to be cool!

Bummed that the wiggly antenna has Cyb and others so bummed.
also bummed that this release can't live up to the price tag.
Some of those exploded, mid-transformation pics just give me the heeby jeebys!

That bot mode DOES look pretty slick over all, though.

The good thing about most of the explodey pics is that many of them are dramatized. Following the instructions did not lead to much in the category of insane partsplosions. Torso's the scariest part, arms and legs were panel-y but I feel like I have some hope of memorizing them, sometime, maybe?

[chuckdawg1999]

So I transformed Prime again and it went a lot faster, I used the instructions more for reference and less for "what do I do" I even picked up a few tricks to make things easier. Once I got to the cab I was basically on my own. As others have mentioned the cross play between Roller, the laser deck, and the trailer is crazy. I think trying to remember all the combinations will end up being more complex than transforming Prime.

[william-james88]

There are some other spots with 90 degree bends of small panels in the legs that wouldn't need to be there by just making the back of the truck less ugly.

So let me get this straight, the toy is made overly complicated and fragile so that it can look worse?

[xMXUx]

Idk if it was shown in any of the promo pics, but Prime's jetpack fits perfectly onto Sideswipe's back as well

[Cyberpath]

I heard back from Amazon Japan...

They don't replace parts.

I can choose between keeping the figure + a $9 coupon -- or ship back for a refund.

Thoughts?

I don't understand how a knock-off managed to get the antennas straight, but the official is such a crooked mess?

And the TE01 head-sculpt was copied from the MP-44 promotional photos!!


I think I should cancel MP-47 Hound if this is what I get for ￥33k. Dunno what to do about MP-44 though.

[sol magnus]

I heard back from Amazon Japan...

They don't replace parts.

I can choose between keeping the figure + a $9 coupon -- or ship back for a refund.

Thoughts?

I don't understand how a knock-off managed to get the antennas straight, but the official is such a crooked mess?

And the TE01 head-sculpt was copied from the MP-44 promotional photos!!


I think I should cancel MP-47 Hound if this is what I get for ￥33k. Dunno what to do about MP-44 though.

I'd take the 9 bucks. Any replacement is likely to have the same issue.

[Ironhidensh]

I don't understand how a knock-off managed to get the antennas straight, but the official is such a crooked mess?

Because official does not equal better. It hasn't for a long time. Also, TE is not a KO, its an original, and much better, design.

[Cyberpath]

I'd take the 9 bucks. Any replacement is likely to have the same issue.

They don't deal with replacements anyway.

I can't decide.. because I already have it in my hands and kind of don't want to part with it; and yet I can't accept the pathetic QC, for that price no less.

If I do not return it while I have the chance I might regret it later if/when Takara re-issues a corrected version, and in that case I'd be stuck with the faulty one.

Guess I'll sleep on it.

Because official does not equal better. It hasn't for a long time. Also, TE is not a KO, its an original, and much better, design.

KO/unofficial/unlicensed it's all the same. And like I said, they copied the head from the promotional images. Originally TE-01 came with a different head. And when they KOed MP-44's sculpt, Transform Element not only included it in new shipments but also sent it out to customers that had already bought it beforehand, free of charge. Now that's a good customer service. Takara hasn't even acknowledged the issues with MP-44.

[Hellscream9999]

I don't understand how a knock-off managed to get the antennas straight, but the official is such a crooked mess?

Because official does not equal better. It hasn't for a long time. Also, TE is not a KO, its an original, and much better, design.

Tha'ts awful, I wish TT would get their act together on these expensive figures

It's weird though how people still believe that TT is some be-all, end-all for qa; they've had a long string of big ticket items with grievous production errors in recent years, with maybe this one being added to the pile - we'll have to see how things shake out; but there's been mp dinobot, mp 36's scratches, mp dino megs, the rid convoy 2-pack (feel free to add on to any that I've missed); I'm not saying 3p products haven't had their fair share of lemons, but at least with them, they almost always follow up on error's like this

[Hellscream9999]

Takara hasn't even acknowledged the issues with MP-44.

The only thing that I know that they've addressed was the rid convoy 2-pack, which I believe was recalled in some manner, other than that, I don't think they've admitted or addressed any other issue with a figure of theirs - and you'd think mp dino megs' would've been the straw that broke the camels back

[sol magnus]

I'd take the 9 bucks. Any replacement is likely to have the same issue.

They don't deal with replacements anyway.

I can't decide.. because I already have it in my hands and kind of don't want to part with it; and yet I can't accept the pathetic QC, for that price no less.

If I do not return it while I have the chance I might regret it later if/when Takara re-issues a corrected version, and in that case I'd be stuck with the faulty one.

Guess I'll sleep on it.

Because official does not equal better. It hasn't for a long time. Also, TE is not a KO, its an original, and much better, design.

KO/unofficial/unlicensed it's all the same. And like I said, they copied the head from the promotional images. Originally TE-01 came with a different head. And when they KOed MP-44's sculpt, Transform Element not only included it in new shipments but also sent it out to customers that had already bought it beforehand, free of charge. Now that's a good customer service. Takara hasn't even acknowledged the issues with MP-44.

It's a tough call.

I don't have him yet. I got gunshy with the breakages from the privious Masterpiece figures and played the wait-and-see game this time out. I will get one, though.

MP-10 had the benefit of not having "exact replicas" of G-1 Optimus Prime's antenna, and are made of a much harder plastic than those appear to be. G1 Prime just straight up had little potentially floppy antennas on his head in his toy and comic book models.

I know this clearly hacks you off, but I don't know that I would be as upset. Upset, yes. Returning him upset, definitely not. The production version unfortunately doesn't completely live up to the pre-production version in this case. I still think it's better than some IP ripping KO SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S THE REAL THING.

I wouldn't mind if they addressed issues, but there's no historical context for it. 3P guys kind of have to address issues, because their continued support hinges more closely on the support of consumers who don't mind getting a figure that isn't HASTAK as long as it's filling a hole on their shelf. I've done it, and I'll likely do it again before it's all over, but I don't find any of them to be better than the real thing once Takara actually makes the dag on thing.

[Cyberpath]

It's a tough call.

I don't have him yet. I got gunshy with the breakages from the privious Masterpiece figures and played the wait-and-see game this time out. I will get one, though.

MP-10 had the benefit of not having "exact replicas" of G-1 Optimus Prime's antenna, and are made of a much harder plastic than those appear to be. G1 Prime just straight up had little potentially floppy antennas on his head in his toy and comic book models.

I know this clearly hacks you off, but I don't know that I would be as upset. Upset, yes. Returning him upset, definitely not. The production version unfortunately doesn't completely live up to the pre-production version in this case. I still think it's better than some IP ripping KO SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S THE REAL THING.

I wouldn't mind if they addressed issues, but there's no historical context for it. 3P guys kind of have to address issues, because their continued support hinges more closely on the support of consumers who don't mind getting a figure that isn't HASTAK as long as it's filling a hole on their shelf. I've done it, and I'll likely do it again before it's all over, but I don't find any of them to be better than the real thing once Takara actually makes the dag on thing.

The reason is that he's my favourite character represented in my favourite form of his (the Sunbow cartoon.) I can overlook flaws in the paint, sprewmarks or whathaveyou.. but the face is like the main thing. And the antennas on mine aren't even crooked evenly like on some other copies I've seen. Add the price tag to it... It just feels disrespectful.

The best option would be to keep it and get a repair kit from Takara or an unofficial source like Nonnef but who knows if that'll ever happen.

I guess another option is to send it back and get TE-01 instead.. they look very similar, especially now with the copied head-sculpt.. but TE-01 has less articulation and no trailer or other razzmatazz. (Though I think it's compatible with MP-10's trailer.)



BTW, someone compared the articulation of MP-44 to the non-transforming Revoltech action figure, pretty interesting --
https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/ ... t-17214982

[sol magnus]

It's a tough call.

I don't have him yet. I got gunshy with the breakages from the privious Masterpiece figures and played the wait-and-see game this time out. I will get one, though.

MP-10 had the benefit of not having "exact replicas" of G-1 Optimus Prime's antenna, and are made of a much harder plastic than those appear to be. G1 Prime just straight up had little potentially floppy antennas on his head in his toy and comic book models.

I know this clearly hacks you off, but I don't know that I would be as upset. Upset, yes. Returning him upset, definitely not. The production version unfortunately doesn't completely live up to the pre-production version in this case. I still think it's better than some IP ripping KO SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S THE REAL THING.

I wouldn't mind if they addressed issues, but there's no historical context for it. 3P guys kind of have to address issues, because their continued support hinges more closely on the support of consumers who don't mind getting a figure that isn't HASTAK as long as it's filling a hole on their shelf. I've done it, and I'll likely do it again before it's all over, but I don't find any of them to be better than the real thing once Takara actually makes the dag on thing.

The reason is that he's my favourite character represented in my favourite form of his (the Sunbow cartoon.) I can overlook flaws in the paint, sprewmarks or whathaveyou.. but the face is like the main thing. And the antennas on mine aren't even crooked evenly like on some other copies I've seen. Add the price tag to it... It just feels disrespectful.

The best option would be to keep it and get a repair kit from Takara or an unofficial source like Nonnef but who knows if that'll ever happen.

I guess another option is to send it back and get TE-01 instead.. they look very similar, especially now with the copied head-sculpt.. but TE-01 has less articulation and no trailer or other razzmatazz. (Though I think it's compatible with MP-10's trailer.)



BTW, someone compared the articulation of MP-44 to the non-transforming Revoltech action figure, pretty interesting --
https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/ ... t-17214982

Will check it out. Still have my Revoltechs.

My Revoltech Optimus has a solid crotch. No flaps. Guess I didn't get that one. But the closeness in poseability is spot on.

When I get mine, I'm going to pose him in the style of the Marvel Comic character block with him pointing at "you."

[chuckdawg1999]

This is just speculation but since this is a joint release between Hasbro/Takara, perhaps Hasbro will offer some replacement package.

Takara used to be a lock for solid QC, but lately things have taken a dip as has been mentioned. I wonder if falling in line with Hasbro has caused this.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Idk if it was shown in any of the promo pics, but Prime's jetpack fits perfectly onto Sideswipe's back as well

I keep thinking about this, and I keep hoping someone parts with their jetpack so I can slap it on my Sideswipe!