The Energon Pub

Va'al wrote:

kurthy wrote:How about Alpha Bravo?

How very dare you.

Of course, I could say similar bad things about Rook. Shellformer back pack with an exposed head plus gaping holes in his legs.

Dead End is just awful from that fist port to the arms, to the windshield to the weird hood transformation (just to look like the G1 toy in limb mode).

And those are the three most beloved deluxes from the line and they're all highly overrated.

You're not alone, Will. I love the new Jetfire soooo much more than the older one. Seriously, how could anyone prefer the classics one over the T30 one? The classics one can barely move. The Thrilling 30 one has a superior transformation, greater poseability, awesome proportions, and a bitchin face and face mask.

And then, his alt-mode is an actually sleek jet mode, without too much robot kibble hanging off. Amd the head placement? Its only in homage to the original G1 toy. And heck, I even like the secondary cockpit.

That toy is the opposite of CW Brakedown.

Thanks for the comment but lets wait for two weeks to talk of figures that we like and no one else seems to like (I do apologise for bringing that up though and steering us off topic)

Maximo, any other figures you feel you are in the minority for not liking/disliking? or not liking as much as others?

I personally feel that way about Classics Prowl and his mold mates. Also, I am not the biggest fan of animated Grimlock though I dont know if he is universally loved or not.

Oh and I just thought of another one: ROTF Movie Leader Megatron.
But it always ends up being tough to argue about disliking a toy when part of it is also a distaste for the model it is trying to replicate (similar to the Armada Starscream discussion we were having earlier).

Dagon wrote:As soon as I saw the MP Seeker mold on the list, I stopped reading.

Why is that - that toy's mould is riddled with problems ?

william-james88 wrote:Maximo, any other figures you feel you are in the minority for not liking/disliking? or not liking as much as others?

Pretty much just CW Leader Megs and CW Brakedown. I wont rant this time about why I hate them, I'll just say I'm surprised more people don't hate them. I kinda get it with Megs, as he's the largest Megs we've gotten in a long time, he's halfway (but only halfway) decent, and yes, his head sculpt is quite a grand rendition of the G1 likeness. But I really don't get why people prefer Brakedown to Dead End. Yes, the 5mm HFG port is not good, but that's it on the figure.

Nemesis Maximo wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Maximo, any other figures you feel you are in the minority for not liking/disliking? or not liking as much as others?

Pretty much just CW Leader Megs and CW Brakedown. I wont rant this time about why I hate them, I'll just say I'm surprised more people don't hate them. I kinda get it with Megs, as he's the largest Megs we've gotten in a long time, he's halfway (but only halfway) decent, and yes, his head sculpt is quite a grand rendition of the G1 likeness. But I really don't get why people prefer Brakedown to Dead End. Yes, the 5mm HFG port is not good, but that's it on the figure.

I love Breakdown, of course this is entirely likely because mine has zero qc issues though. His vehicle is solid and chunky and sexy, and I love the hfg integration. the bot mode is poseable, and nicely proportional, he has a cool gun and double jointed elbows which can double as pseudo-wrist articulation. his leg mode is a joke, but, so is the dead-end's mold. The arm mode if perfectly acceptable. People complain about he weird elbow, I just tighten the screw in his pelvis a tiny bit and it becomes a solid arm mode. So, yeah, a pretty solid figure that was never over-used.

william-james88 wrote:Thanks for the comment but lets wait for two weeks to talk of figures that we like and no one else seems to like (I do apologise for bringing that up though and steering us off topic)

Ohh, I have several of those. I guess my tastes differ from many. Though they seem to match up to yours for some reason.

I'm pretty sure I can guess a few that will make that list.

Hellscream9999 wrote:

Nemesis Maximo wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Maximo, any other figures you feel you are in the minority for not liking/disliking? or not liking as much as others?

Pretty much just CW Leader Megs and CW Brakedown. I wont rant this time about why I hate them, I'll just say I'm surprised more people don't hate them. I kinda get it with Megs, as he's the largest Megs we've gotten in a long time, he's halfway (but only halfway) decent, and yes, his head sculpt is quite a grand rendition of the G1 likeness. But I really don't get why people prefer Brakedown to Dead End. Yes, the 5mm HFG port is not good, but that's it on the figure.

I love Breakdown, of course this is entirely likely because mine has zero qc issues though. His vehicle is solid and chunky and sexy, and I love the hfg integration. the bot mode is poseable, and nicely proportional, he has a cool gun and double jointed elbows which can double as pseudo-wrist articulation. his leg mode is a joke, but, so is the dead-end's mold. The arm mode if perfectly acceptable. People complain about he weird elbow, I just tighten the screw in his pelvis a tiny bit and it becomes a solid arm mode. So, yeah, a pretty solid figure that was never over-used.

See, what's wierd is that you like things that I hate. I absolutely hate everything to do with the bot mode. And I happen to like Dead End's leg mode, as long as you position the car hood as a knee pad.

Ironhidensh wrote:
Here are the figures I would have put on the list:

MP-33 Inferno

For the life of me, I don't get the extreme love this figure gets. Especially when there are obviously superior 3rd party versions out there, no matter how badly this site management wants to pretend otherwise. Inferno is way to plain to be a Masterpiece figure, though he would make a great Chug figure. Grapple has only the tiniest bit of added detail to the mold, and ends up looking soooo much better. Seriously, I think fans of this mold are in denial.

I just saw this pic online and it made me think of your comment:



Boy does that inferno and Grappel look bland compared to all the other MPs

william-james88 wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:
Here are the figures I would have put on the list:

MP-33 Inferno

For the life of me, I don't get the extreme love this figure gets. Especially when there are obviously superior 3rd party versions out there, no matter how badly this site management wants to pretend otherwise. Inferno is way to plain to be a Masterpiece figure, though he would make a great Chug figure. Grapple has only the tiniest bit of added detail to the mold, and ends up looking soooo much better. Seriously, I think fans of this mold are in denial.

I just saw this pic online and it made me think of your comment:



Boy does that inferno and Grappel look bland compared to all the other MPs

HA! I knew it was too bland to be a proper mp, mp's need greebling details

Nemesis Maximo wrote:

Hellscream9999 wrote:

Nemesis Maximo wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Maximo, any other figures you feel you are in the minority for not liking/disliking? or not liking as much as others?

Pretty much just CW Leader Megs and CW Brakedown. I wont rant this time about why I hate them, I'll just say I'm surprised more people don't hate them. I kinda get it with Megs, as he's the largest Megs we've gotten in a long time, he's halfway (but only halfway) decent, and yes, his head sculpt is quite a grand rendition of the G1 likeness. But I really don't get why people prefer Brakedown to Dead End. Yes, the 5mm HFG port is not good, but that's it on the figure.

I love Breakdown, of course this is entirely likely because mine has zero qc issues though. His vehicle is solid and chunky and sexy, and I love the hfg integration. the bot mode is poseable, and nicely proportional, he has a cool gun and double jointed elbows which can double as pseudo-wrist articulation. his leg mode is a joke, but, so is the dead-end's mold. The arm mode if perfectly acceptable. People complain about he weird elbow, I just tighten the screw in his pelvis a tiny bit and it becomes a solid arm mode. So, yeah, a pretty solid figure that was never over-used.

See, what's wierd is that you like things that I hate. I absolutely hate everything to do with the bot mode. And I happen to like Dead End's leg mode, as long as you position the car hood as a knee pad.

Well, at least we're consistent

Emerje wrote:Unite Warriors Devy is almost perfect as Masterpiece filler, especially with the current cartoon trend. The individual Constructicons scale well at Voyager class and the 18" Devy is just about right (especially if you go by the Marvel Comics scale which didn't have the ridiculous mass shifting of most modern comics).

Emerje

This.

I agree with the fullest. Especially the UW version. They scale well with both the G1 originals and the Classics.

Construction vehicles are big......really BIG! They don't need to do this Mass Shifting schtck! Hb/Takara hit the ball park with this.

If not for space concerns, I'd be keeping them in their individual 'bot modes.

Chromia/Thunderblast is a heavy hitter among the fandom? Really? Not putting down the mold or putting her up on a pedestal but, well, aside from the squint eyes of the JP version, she doesn't really do a lot for me.

fenrir72 wrote:Chromia/Thunderblast is a heavy hitter among the fandom? Really? Not putting down the mold or putting her up on a pedestal but, well, aside from the squint eyes of the JP version, she doesn't really do a lot for me.

I think the figure would have been way cooler, had she had actual heels that could support the figure, and ball-jointed backpack panels, so they could be expressive/poseable wings or something

I only own the BotCon 2009 Elita-1 version of the Thunderblast mold, and the reason I don't hate the mold is because of how articulated it is in robot mode. This toy is top notch action figure with an unfortunately oversized backpack permanently stuck to her back. But if I had to be honest, the backpack doesn't really bother me all that much since, despite it's obnoxious size, it's really non-intrusive and out of the way, not interfering with the figure's greater articulation. No, if I had any real complaints about the figure, they would be in regards to the toy's head.

Two things about that head bug me a bit. One is how tightly-secured the head is to the body, which really inhibits the range of its articulation. It can barely rotate left and right. And the other thing with the head is its face. In the Cybertron cartoon, Thunderblast had a really expressive face (well, as expressive as the Cybertron cartoon's level of CGI would allow), but this toy's face is really generic and stoic-looking, not at all matching her more lively cartoon personality. Especially its eyes. They're just so squinty and serious-looking, like she's trying to look like Brock or something.

Although, for the Elita-1 version in particular, I am a little surprised that her toy bio didn't try to pass off the rather Matrix-y design on the toy's torso as being some kind of Matrix for Elita.

Hellscream9999 wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:
Here are the figures I would have put on the list:

MP-33 Inferno

For the life of me, I don't get the extreme love this figure gets. Especially when there are obviously superior 3rd party versions out there, no matter how badly this site management wants to pretend otherwise. Inferno is way to plain to be a Masterpiece figure, though he would make a great Chug figure. Grapple has only the tiniest bit of added detail to the mold, and ends up looking soooo much better. Seriously, I think fans of this mold are in denial.

I just saw this pic online and it made me think of your comment:



Boy does that inferno and Grappel look bland compared to all the other MPs

HA! I knew it was too bland to be a proper mp, mp's need greebling details

So by that logic none of Takara's masterpieces, the only legitimate masterpiece figures, are not "proper" masterpieces. The goal of the line is to recreate the original cartoon look with modern engineering not to revamp and modernize it.

The way I see it there are two ways to make an MP. First is to make a figure that looks like a super articulated version of the original figure straight from the '80s. The other way is to make a vehicle that looks like it just rolled out of the cartoon, transformed, and walked right back into the cartoon it's so cartoon accurate. I don't see where one method is any more or less "masterpiece" than another.

Also in the pic above I really don't see any difference between the looks of Inferno and Grapple when compared to equally cartoony Ironhide, Ratchet, and Ultra Magnus.

I can think of one figure I like a lot, but I'm sure most people hate.

Emerje

Emerje wrote:The way I see it there are two ways to make an MP. First is to make a figure that looks like a super articulated version of the original figure straight from the '80s. The other way is to make a vehicle that looks like it just rolled out of the cartoon, transformed, and walked right back into the cartoon it's so cartoon accurate. I don't see where one method is any more or less "masterpiece" than another.

Also in the pic above I really don't see any difference between the looks of Inferno and Grapple when compared to equally cartoony Ironhide, Ratchet, and Ultra Magnus.

I can think of one figure I like a lot, but I'm sure most people hate.

Emerje

You're in a roll! The IH/Ratchet mold is just as flat as the Inferno mold. Yet the former is highly praised!

Why all the negativity? Maybe because the original Inferno's G1 toy incarnation, it did have a lot of details compared to the modern one. The Diaclone/TF IH/Ratchet were not as detailed.

MP Ultra Magnus.. yeah there is another one I don't much like either. but that is mainly as he's to brickish and lacks the cab robot mode.

---

I actually really enjoy playing with Combiner Wars Smokescreen, I like the ease of Transformation he has and the bold colouring. Though I did paint mine up a bit as he's a little bland right out of the packet. Nothing to drastic - just completing the stripe line on the side and painting the front of his shins mostly.

Emerje wrote:The way I see it there are two ways to make an MP. First is to make a figure that looks like a super articulated version of the original figure straight from the '80s. The other way is to make a vehicle that looks like it just rolled out of the cartoon, transformed, and walked right back into the cartoon it's so cartoon accurate. I don't see where one method is any more or less "masterpiece" than another.

Also in the pic above I really don't see any difference between the looks of Inferno and Grapple when compared to equally cartoony Ironhide, Ratchet, and Ultra Magnus.

I can think of one figure I like a lot, but I'm sure most people hate.

Emerje

Well I wsa being very tongue in cheek with the photo and it was more of a reply to ironhidensh. I myself dontown these molds yet so I dont have a solid opinion. And that photo isnt really fair since it gives them both the cartoon chest which has a low level contrast and toned down details (like wipers and such) that would otherwise add to the look as it does with Ironhide and Ratchet. Plus they gave Grappel the orange head which also doesnt help with him simply turning into a block or orange

In any case, the MP line changed its focus as it went on. From going for a real world alt mode deco into more cartoon oriented. There are pros and cons for both.

EDIT: Forgot to talk about retrax, WOW, you will have some explanation to do in two weeks when you bring it up again, and I will be all ears.

That photo isn't really a fair case for Inferno and Grapple since it has the similarly flat-surfaced, solid-colored Ironhide, Ratchet, Ultra Magnus, Star Saber, and arguably Hot Rodimus all obscured behind other figures covering their plain lack of details from view.

i like the old mp line better before mp-33 when there was actual detail and thought put into their design and not just straight up toon accuracy but a mix of toy and toon. since its supposed to be the point of the mp line.

Sabrblade wrote:That photo isn't really a fair case for Inferno and Grapple since it has the similarly flat-surfaced, solid-colored Ironhide, Ratchet, Ultra Magnus, Star Saber, and arguably Hot Rodimus all obscured behind other figures covering their plain lack of details from view.

Oh I know it wasnt fair at all, just wanted to play it up. As said, I cant judge these molds yet.

One thing about hotrod, I liike how you used thw rods arguably since he really is in the middle. I can totally see how they are trying to replicate the toon deco but he has some nice tricks up his sleeve collar. Like the headlights. They add that extra detail by not being one full colour. Its a reall nice effect too.

I like Star Saber as he is I have no complaints with him - I'm also glad MP Hot Rod isn't pinkish magenta - as I consider that more down to bad colour timing than intent.

But no I don't really enjoy how plain Inferno is = especially the legs - the stickers do help and the added variety of colour makes Artfire look way better too - so it's not so much the mould as it is the really plain decoration on the Inferno version of the mould.

I would have preferred a Toy accurate head though for Grapple.
if only so if there ever is a Hauler there is an option to given them different heads.

(I have no idea if there is such a head as I don't pay hardly any attention to 1st party MP toys - I consider them more of a back burner item in my collecting tastes) if i'm being honest it's more for practical reasons that anything else - they are often just that little bit to tall for my shelves. If I get some new shelves this year then I may see if I can find some better place for them. but they tend to get stuck in odd corners and forgotten is it is.

I'm actually thinking of transforming all the ones I do have an putting them in a draw to make space for things i'd actually play with and not just look at. I find MP's just the wrong side of complicated to be worth fiddling with on a regular basis - unfortunately.

Amusingly my fav one is probably the red and gold KO Lambor simply as he's something a bit different with his very Chinese colourscheme.

MP 22 Ultra Magnus would be all 5 on this list for me!

For such a big MP, and such a big character, it has absolutely nothing going on! No heavy joints, no good detail...just flimsy, barely posable arm joints, stupid ass legs with weak ratchets...butt flap...stupid proportions that make him look like a cosplayer in cardboard boxes...just so damn boring!
But because the cab does a bit of origami everybody treated it like the second coming of Jesus in plastic form!

I was bored with him right outta the box. He only stands in good stead with me now because I've customised the shnits out of him. And I'm still working!