The Energon Pub

[william-james88]

We reported early on that there may be a problem with Transformers Masterpiece MP-43 Beast Wars Megatron in the pelvic area. A crack was reported, rendering him with a broken crotch and while it was just one report at a time, we have had more since proving that this is far from an isolated case.You can see the images below. For those wondering who you should contact if yours is broken as well, Takara's customer service is only for Japanese residents (and only in Japanese) so if you are outside Japan, it is best you contact the retailer who sold you the toy.

Some of the breaks are in the exact same spot, the side with the screws, meaning that some cracks may have been formed from the screws being cranked too much at the factory. It doesn't help that the plastic used for the pelvis is the swirly type, though it was thought/said that issues similar to gold plastic syndrome were long gone. Speaking of gold plastic syndrome, one of the fans who reported a broken crotch had this to say about his handling of the figure:

So I can regrettably confirm the breakage issue on his crotch. I noticed this morning that a crack has formed.

Due to the reports of breakage I was even holding my thumb against the crotch anytime I moved the legs to provide counter pressure when I was messing with him. And given that I didn't notice this last night despite watching for it, I'm honestly wondering if the crack didn't form just standing on my table in robot mode overnight.

I think the combination of the metallic swirl in the plastic and its relative thinness just makes it too fragile. And I say this as somebody who's exceedingly careful with his toys; I mean, cripes, I've had a G2 Electro that's survived for over 20 years.

Here is his image followed by the other cases:











Here is the images from the initial report:

[Wireless_Phantom]

I swear, if THIS if the figure GPS returns in, so many people are going to be pissed

[Bumblevivisector]

Ouch, yeeeessss.

Has Hasbro or Takara ever come up with an improved replacement piece for a case like this? Or might this be a niche problem that only 3rd parties can potentially fix? Is it beyond the capabilities of Shapeways?

I just warped a perfectly good PotP Starscream trying to dye him into Skywarp, but I thought the name had simply invoked a curse; now it might be that today is simply cursed for TF breakage. Really wary of getting into BW MPs now.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

I swear, if THIS if the figure GPS returns in, so many people are going to be pissed

I wouldn't think it's GPS per se as it's a place under constant stress from multiple places: the screws, the ratchets, whatever. Just a badly designed housing.

[megamanfan]

maaaaaan... i'm kinda glad i didn't get him now, but this still sucks. there'll probably be some 3rd party guys making replacements now in addition to an upgrade kit.

[SpikeyTigertron]

Isn’t he also being sold by Hasbro? Has anyone fired a shot over Hasbro/Pulse’s bow yet?

[Emerje]

I just can't understand why they used swirly plastic on this figure in the first place. The chest is the same shade of purple and just as shiny without the swirls, why wouldn't they use that in both places?

Wait and see if Takara Tomy addresses this and hope they do an exchange and not just a refund with no fix or replacement like they did Encore God Fire Convoy.

Emerje

[TFanPage101]

Anyone know if this directly effects the function of the toy? If the leg falls out, if its too loose?

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Some BW molds already have their limits.. Cheetor has one more variant that is perhaps too unlikely to actually happen, in Nightprowler...

...Rhinox is a one and done

Technically there is another option open to both of these molds I'd forgotten about until glancing through the Sourcebook. Requiring only a minor retool and redeco for each...








Granted they were mere super-basic McDonalds toys and given I don't recall McDonalds doing anything Beast Wars related in the UK, not widespread releases. But an additional mold variant does exist, for each.

[TFmonkeybiz]

I didn't think Megs was quite old enough to start experiencing issues with his crotch, I mean it only usually happens in older men...

[DedicatedGhostArt]

Frick Masterpiece. You want complexity, durability, very decent quality, and good price? Siege or Studio Series. Skip over this ****. *hugs my new Studio Series 38 BB movie Optimus Prime*

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Obviously a big deal is being made of these breakages due to the price tag, but before we all start hysterically table flipping on this figure, what percentages are we talking about?

1 in 10? in 100? in 10,000?

That's the detail that matters more so than any handful of pics or reports from isolated individuals: context and perspective.

[AwesomenessPrime]

I don't think it matters how isolated it is, it is a reoccurring issue, and a serious one for a collector, not just a stress mark. Imo, for that price point, Takara should have no problem taking action. And I'll be very disappointed in the company if they ignore it. It's not as if these people purchased a $300 figure to break it.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Nothing mass produced is 100% perfect all of the time, whatever the price. From a Space Shuttle to a house to a drinks can. So yes, perspective does matter. Mine is flawless and I'm sure I'm not a minority in that respect.

[DedicatedGhostArt]

Nothing mass produced is 100% perfect all of the time, whatever the price. From a Space Shuttle to a house to a drinks can. So yes, perspective does matter. Mine is flawless and I'm sure I'm not a minority in that respect.

The problem with MP is they're more concerned about "perceived quality" over durability. In the end they use plastics and stuff in areas sometimes that break much easier than what's on regular brick-and-mortar figures just for the sake of feeling "weighty" and looking "shiny". Just because yours didn't break doesn't mean it isn't an issue. We have the same amount or more breakage reports (at least in ratio) for MP figures than we do for brick and mortar regular retail figures in recent time, and MP are much less sought after by the general public, like it or not. And, honestly, with as amazingly improved general retail figures are, I feel MP has sort of lost its fire in comparison. Too much for too little, and too much for too much worry. Studio Series, to me it's pretty much how Masterpiece should be.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

The problem with MP is they're more concerned about "perceived quality" over durability. In the end they use plastics and stuff in areas sometimes that break much easier than what's on regular brick-and-mortar figures just for the sake of feeling "weighty" and looking "shiny". Just because yours didn't break doesn't mean it isn't an issue. We have the same amount or more breakage reports (at least in ratio) for MP figures than we do for brick and mortar regular retail figures in recent time, and MP are much less sought after by the general public, like it or not. And, honestly, with as amazingly improved general retail figures are, I feel MP has sort of lost its fire in comparison. Too much for too little, and too much for too much worry. Studio Series, to me it's pretty much how Masterpiece should be.

I didn't say it wasn't an issue, I just said that until we know actual numbers relative to that of the production line, the ratio you note yourself, writing off potential damage alone, as a deal breaker is alarmist and overreacting.

As I've noted before with The Masterpiece collection. They are collectors pieces, practically display statues, they are not toys. If you had a £500 MCU Iron Man statue you wouldn't decry it's durability after handing it to a 3y/o to play with, because that isn't what it is for. To compare this line to the lesser TF lines, in that respect, is utterly disingenuous. It is apples and oranges, after all.

[Acolyte]

For everyone saying we need to keep perspective, here's some:

I own 10 masterpiece figures in hand (soon will own 14, but I'm dreading what will come of this figure). 4 of those arrived to me with significant factory defects. The boxes were flawless, undamaged, shipped with exquisite care. The insides showed no signs of tension or rubbing or cramping or anything. And yet the figures right out of their little plastic divot had issues ranging from heavy scrapes/ruined paint to cracks (in places where pieces were anchored, which seems to scream manufacturing tolerance issue) to stressed plastic and paint overspray to outright bent die cast that prevented an entire transformation. That's a 60% success rate in masterpiece from one collector. I don't buy from a single source, and I only buy from very reputable sources. At this rate, I may as well be gambling (which is how my wife feels about it).

If I encounter another single major issue (and I could probably forgive a stress mark as long as the piece seemed like it would hold together, and heaven knows I don't care about some little paint chips) then I am done with Masterpiece. It will be an easy decision at that point. Which is a crying shame, because this is Beast Wars coming alive in a whole new way for me, and I dig it like I dug it as a kid in 1996. But I've got better things I can do with my money (like collect entire lines for roughly the same now-greatly-inflated price of Masterpieces across a year).

[Acolyte]

As I've noted before with The Masterpiece collection. They are collectors pieces, practically display statues, they are not toys. If you had a £500 MCU Iron Man statue you wouldn't decry it's durability after handing it to a 3y/o to play with, because that isn't what it is for. To compare this line to the lesser TF lines, in that respect, is utterly disingenuous. It is apples and oranges, after all.

I mean, I get what you're trying to say, but I am personally not convinced. I can understand the broader "Masterpiece are NOT toys" argument that comes up now and again because that's now people manage or display what they love, but my position is that they should be (my 3yo doesn't play with ANY of my collection; she has her own bots for that). That's the only thing that makes them unique, and I am in no way interested in purchasing statues of Transformers or dolls that look like Transformers. I want a toy that is the pinnacle of the art form, which is what I think Masterpiece should be. Obviously this is just one collector's position.

I also don't think it's unreasonable to want to be able to perform multiple transformations on a toy that was so meticulously designed and engineered that it apparently warrants a market price of ~$300. I have beaten an Apple watch mercilessly for 2.5 years and it barely cost more than that. I understand this is a collector's piece and my Apple Watch is just the Sport edition and that I just made a true apples to Transformers comparison (heh), but I want Takara to get this point: that broken Masterpieces utterly defeat the point.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Isolated cases represent confirmation bias and nothing more. Again, it is luck of the draw. In a batch of 100 figures, 8 may have problems. Unfortunate to whoever ends up with them but it is hardly cause to cry out that the sky is falling. Takara won't 'get' any point, until there are sufficient numbers to even warrant their notice. Every company has a margin for acceptable losses within their product range factored in.

I owned hundreds of figures growing up, with a variety of prices and I have yet to encounter a noteworthy issue with any, other than a couple of broken legs with two Transmetals after years of play. That's it. I know that for a fact because I still have them all in storage.

Pricing is also context sensitive with the Beast Wars MP line. Megatron is the biggest figure, the ceiling of the line as far as size/pricing goes. You would be insane to think they would charge anything around his price tag for Rattrap or Airazor. Inferno is equal in height to Dinobot, it is doubtful they would share a price tag either given Inferno's legendary status as a shelfwarmer. Popularity affects price too, of course and that too only goes down from here within Beast Wars Season One.

[Ironhidensh]

Well, I've transformed mine back and forth several times now with zero issues.


First time scared the hell out of me, but once I got done using super strength on the torso slide function, because sweet Jesus that was tight, everything has gone fine. The crotch plastic does look as if it has flaws in it that could contribute to easy breakage, but I think it does require some "ham hands" to start.

[william-james88]

Well, I've transformed mine back and forth several times now with zero issues.


First time scared the hell out of me, but once I got done using super strength on the torso slide function, because sweet Jesus that was tight, everything has gone fine. The crotch plastic does look as if it has flaws in it that could contribute to easy breakage, but I think it does require some "ham hands" to start.

Or that the screws were cranked too much for a few. A few were broken straight out of the packaging. Hence why it looks so much like the luck of the draw.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

The question I have being, is the torso slide supposed to be that tight, by design?

[SpikeyTigertron]

The question I have being, is the torso slide supposed to be that tight, by design?

I hope not... what was worse.... taking it apart (to try to not break hips) left me with zero leverage.... so taking it apart didn’t help. I suppose one those notations in Japanese was “pull hard!”?

[Nathaniel Prime]

The question I have being, is the torso slide supposed to be that tight, by design?

Probably not. It's kinda like some figures where a certain joint is super tight at first, then becomes smooth after the first transformation.

I really hope this MP Megatron nonsense is just a 1 in a million incident. A 300$ figure like this should not have any issues like that, and this gets me more worried about the upcoming MP-44, who is both more expensive and looks more complex.

[Hellscream9999]

The question I have being, is the torso slide supposed to be that tight, by design?

Probably not. It's kinda like some figures where a certain joint is super tight at first, then becomes smooth after the first transformation.

I really hope this MP Megatron nonsense is just a 1 in a million incident. A 300$ figure like this should not have any issues like that, and this gets me more worried about the upcoming MP-44, who is both more expensive and looks more complex.

Tell that to the mp-36 paint scratching