Depends on what type of collector you are. Here is my advice:
Negatives - MP-05 Megatron is definitely a masterpiece from a toy engineering standpoint & complexity. But its draw back is partly also from its complexity. You'll need the instructions to transform for quite a while. When you transform it, you will scratch some paint. No way to avoid it (especially at the side of the knee joints when you retract the legs). Also, there are a few tiny hooking tabs that could very easily stressed & break. I already got one stressed regardless being real careful and aware of its fragile nature. And some parts are locked so tight that you think you are going to break either the toy or your nails when you try pulling/unlocking things apart for the first couple times (you do get better with more practice & when the plastic breaks in). Ankle ball joints also tend to be too loose to support the figure with the heavy fusion cannon, making Megatron leaning to his right, and in some case collapse due to the weight(this could be easily fix by superglue, thickening the ball joint and give more friction, which makes the joints much tighter).
Positives - This is bar none the best transforming Megatron toy we'll get in a very very long time. Looks awesome, even though the legs on the skinny side. Joints are very tight (minus the ankles) and mostly ratchet in one way or the other. Without the fusion cannon, he stands and pose very well & sturdy. With the fixed ankles, he can hold the fusion cannon just fine without collapsing, though the extra weight is still there and cause some leaning. Just need to pose the knees in ways to compensate it. Some people bothered by all the jointed panels on him (shoulders, arms, waist, legs...etc.), but I am totally fine with them. They don't really pop out as much as people claim, and helps prevent breakage when they do. The poseable panels add to the aesthetics actually I think. And they stay in place pretty good. No real problem there. Got the light gimmick and solid gun mode. Paint finish is very very good, making some plastic parts look and feels like metal, especially on the chest.
With all those said, see if any of those sway you from one way to another. Meg is a great display piece for sure that can handle pose changing often with decent play value. But its not something you will want to keep transforming over and over. Some paint will scratch and parts will break eventually, even if those are just a small tab or two. I am very happy with mine. Just need to know what to expect before you are buying, and don't expect it to feel and play the same as MP Prime, even if they share the same 'Masterpiece' label. Prime wins on diecast, sturdiness and playability. Megatron wins on complexity with transformation that almost seem impossible, while still stay pretty accurate on the sculpt. And they are great complimenting each other side by side.
Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:54 am
He has MP Prime, but not MP Megatron.
