The Energon Pub

Thanks to toy blogger Alfes 2010 (via the Planet Iacon Facebook page) we have some new images of Takara Tomy's soon to be released Generations TG-23 Metroplex, TG-24 Legends Optimus Prime/Roller and Bumblebee/Blazemaster, Masterpiece MP-17 Prowl, and Super GT 04 GTR Maximus. These images appear to come from a retail display, check them out below.

Metro looks slick, but it's getting to the point where I have to wonder how the Japanese version warrants $100+ more! Ehhh, I think I'd be better off buying TWO Hasbro versions, and mucking around with some hobby paint.

Except for the flashy chrome... not sure I could paint that... but a war-ravaged/battle-scarred motif would look just as good (if not better).

MY GOODNESS prowl is just absolutely GORGEOUS. I seriously cannot wait for him, bluestreak, and smokescreen to be released.. LESS THAN A MONTH FOR PROWL! CAN'T WAIT!

Metrosuplex wrote:Metro looks slick, but it's getting to the point where I have to wonder how the Japanese version warrants $100+ more! Ehhh, I think I'd be better off buying TWO Hasbro versions, and mucking around with some hobby paint.

Except for the flashy chrome... not sure I could paint that... but a war-ravaged/battle-scarred motif would look just as good (if not better).

i absolutely agree with you. i'll pay extra for a Masterpiece figure.. but the extra money just doesn't seem worth it for metroplex.. plus, he's a painters dream. there's so much potential to paint him. SOOO much potential.

TimothyR wrote:i absolutely agree with you. i'll pay extra for a Masterpiece figure.. but the extra money just doesn't seem worth it for metroplex.. plus, he's a painters dream. there's so much potential to paint him. SOOO much potential.

After opening my MEtro, though, it's hard to say I'd pay extra for an MP. I mean, METRO IS MASSIVE, and roughly the same cost as an MP! I know it makes sense... in a spreadsheet at HasTak somewhere... but seriously, METRO IS MASSIVE.

I think I'd rather buy multiple Metro's, at this point, especially if it helps HasTak make a decision for Trypticon! "Painter's dream"... they should write that on the box. Even if you're a bad painter, Metro is so big, it'd be pretty hard to screw it up!

Metrosuplex wrote:

TimothyR wrote:i absolutely agree with you. i'll pay extra for a Masterpiece figure.. but the extra money just doesn't seem worth it for metroplex.. plus, he's a painters dream. there's so much potential to paint him. SOOO much potential.

After opening my MEtro, though, it's hard to say I'd pay extra for an MP. I mean, METRO IS MASSIVE, and roughly the same cost as an MP! I know it makes sense... in a spreadsheet at HasTak somewhere... but seriously, METRO IS MASSIVE.

I think I'd rather buy multiple Metro's, at this point, especially if it helps HasTak make a decision for Trypticon! "Painter's dream"... they should write that on the box. Even if you're a bad painter, Metro is so big, it'd be pretty hard to screw it up!

what i meant was that i always buy the takara versions of masterpiece figures because.. it's the masterpiece collection, takara's paint scheme or color choice is almost always better (in my opinion) than hasbro's.. and takara's masterpiece figures get released WAY before hasbro's. that's what i meant when i said i'd pay more.. metroplex is just a mainline figure, therefor, the different paint (or stickers) isn't worthy of spending extra, whereas (for me) the masterpiece toys are.

TimothyR wrote:what i meant was that i always buy the takara versions of masterpiece figures because.. it's the masterpiece collection, takara's paint scheme or color choice is almost always better (in my opinion) than hasbro's.. and takara's masterpiece figures get released WAY before hasbro's. that's what i meant when i said i'd pay more.. metroplex is just a mainline figure, therefor, the different paint (or stickers) isn't worthy of spending extra, whereas (for me) the masterpiece toys are.

I think I understood your point, but thanks!
1) Hasbro hardly releases MPs at all (and it's a crapshoot whether or not you can even procure one locally)
2) Takara's paint schemes are widely regarded as better than Hasbro (as theirs are more cartoon-accurate, game-accurate, etc). I'd hardly call that an opinion, as you'd be hard pressed to find someone to say, "Hasbro makes the best TFs EVER!" Serious collectors are importing.
3) At this point in time, you can assume most collectors are either buying MPs for G1 goodness OR liquidating their collections in order to buy more MPs. I've yet to really run across a collector (or even casual hobbyist) who ISN'T interested in selling their blood for an MP.

Ergo, at least the minimum of what you expressed above doesn't strike me as unusual or hard to believe - your quoted collecting habits are my standard-expectations when I meet a new TF fan.

Me? I'm not your typical "collector". I don't worship the MPs because they're still too expensive for my tastes, and I'm not always a fan of the originals (i.e. Prowl/Smokescreen/etc. have an ugly alt mode, IMO). I also prefer the deluxe scale (and scouts), and absolutely loathe the giant, Barbie-doll scale of the MPs (don't have that kind of space, and I prefer my shelves to fit more than 3 figures comfortably). Plus, most of my collection is in deluxe scale, and I really don't feel like changing it up for Action-man sized monsters. (With the exception of Soundwave - who's never had a good G1 mold follow up - and Quake Wave - cause Shockwave ROCKS, and also needs to change into a gun).

can we please get over how much cooler we are if we import toys?

Takara/Tomy makes a lot of nice Transformers. Hasbro does too. Often, there's enough difference between the same two characters that individuals might like one company's version of a toy better than the other. People choose to buy what they can/want, for a variety of reasons.

Metro is pretty cool, but still can't justify the extra cost. Prowl looks nice too. Looking forward to him.

craggy wrote:can we please get over how much cooler we are if we import toys?

Takara/Tomy makes a lot of nice Transformers. Hasbro does too. Often, there's enough difference between the same two characters that individuals might like one company's version of a toy better than the other. People choose to buy what they can/want, for a variety of reasons.

Metro is pretty cool, but still can't justify the extra cost. Prowl looks nice too. Looking forward to him.

I don't think anyone said importers are "cool", but I respect your point. However, consider this: collecting is about showing off (hence, "display" cases, and not hidden cupboards), and Takara figures have better paint jobs overall (if you consider character/cartoon accuracy as important as most collectors seem to - it's the reason the MP line is doing well: cartoon-accuracy) - ergo, I submit to you that bragging about importing is inevitable and rather than bemoan the spectacle, it'd be wiser to respect the "why".

A lot of dissatisfaction with domestic/Hasbro releases. A LOT.

Yes, some people are fine with the Hasbro version - but if you ask me, this is more a matter of price than taste (with the occasional exception of a really bad Takara paint job, of course). If given the choice (where price was equal), I'd wager on the Takara version.
Anyway, you did hit on all these points, and I think the actual bragging annoys you more than WHAT the person is bragging about - all bragging is pretty annoying, IMO.

One last thing: Hasbro doesn't even care - their goal is children. Takara seems like they veer more toward collectors. If Hasbro cared to change anything, they'd put a little more effort (i.e. more MP releases), but their goal seems to be keeping figure costs low. The part that perplexes me, however, is why Hasbro toys AND Takara toys are both scaled down. Hasbro cuts costs, so the figures are smaller. I guess Takara sells the exact same toys, because their prices haven't gone down to reflect the smaller size (which strikes me as Takara free-riding the cost-cutting tactics Hasbro initiated). Essentially, I see both Hasbro and Takara releases as virtually identical, and have no noticed any significant differences (paint job is superficial to me, so if a toy is engineered/designed badly, I don't expect one company to fix the problem).

Metrosuplex wrote:

TimothyR wrote:what i meant was that i always buy the takara versions of masterpiece figures because.. it's the masterpiece collection, takara's paint scheme or color choice is almost always better (in my opinion) than hasbro's.. and takara's masterpiece figures get released WAY before hasbro's. that's what i meant when i said i'd pay more.. metroplex is just a mainline figure, therefor, the different paint (or stickers) isn't worthy of spending extra, whereas (for me) the masterpiece toys are.

I think I understood your point, but thanks!
1) Hasbro hardly releases MPs at all (and it's a crapshoot whether or not you can even procure one locally)
2) Takara's paint schemes are widely regarded as better than Hasbro (as theirs are more cartoon-accurate, game-accurate, etc). I'd hardly call that an opinion, as you'd be hard pressed to find someone to say, "Hasbro makes the best TFs EVER!" Serious collectors are importing.
3) At this point in time, you can assume most collectors are either buying MPs for G1 goodness OR liquidating their collections in order to buy more MPs. I've yet to really run across a collector (or even casual hobbyist) who ISN'T interested in selling their blood for an MP.

Ergo, at least the minimum of what you expressed above doesn't strike me as unusual or hard to believe - your quoted collecting habits are my standard-expectations when I meet a new TF fan.

Me? I'm not your typical "collector". I don't worship the MPs because they're still too expensive for my tastes, and I'm not always a fan of the originals (i.e. Prowl/Smokescreen/etc. have an ugly alt mode, IMO). I also prefer the deluxe scale (and scouts), and absolutely loathe the giant, Barbie-doll scale of the MPs (don't have that kind of space, and I prefer my shelves to fit more than 3 figures comfortably). Plus, most of my collection is in deluxe scale, and I really don't feel like changing it up for Action-man sized monsters. (With the exception of Soundwave - who's never had a good G1 mold follow up - and Quake Wave - cause Shockwave ROCKS, and also needs to change into a gun).

just making sure, i didn't know if i was clear or not in my post.

these new masterpiece figures seem relatively cheap to me.. just because the original MP prime was so expensive, and when i compare masterpiece prices to the prices of other things like hot toys figures or sideshow toys.. or even neca figures. they just seem to be relatively less expensive. but like i said, it's relative. especially when it comes to a character or character design that you really like. i love the prowl design, so i'm more inclined to accept the price over someone who wants the toy, but doesn't like the character as much as someone else.

i would think that the newer MP's would be more to your tastes.. the sideswipe mold is just a bit larger than a deluxe, it's basically human alliance scale.

i really only import masterpiece figures.. unless it's something like deluxe dinobot where the hasbro version is just so outrageously wrong that i just can't not get the takara version.

i think it's become easier for people to afford the masterpiece figures lately. the releases are spaced out pretty well, and they're cheaper. i really just wish hasbro would release the masterpiece figures the same time as takara.. and would just do what takara did. i don't understand why they can't just release the exact same thing.

all i can say is that i'm super excited for prowl, bluestreak, and smokescreen.

craggy wrote:can we please get over how much cooler we are if we import toys?

really? who thinks they're cooler because they buy the takara versions?

TimothyR wrote:really? who thinks they're cooler because they buy the takara versions?

I do! Ever since I started buying Takara TFs almost exclusively I get all the girls !

Anyway, these guys look great. The cost is definitely insane but I'm still going to get the Takara version of Metroplex. I just know it would bug me if I got the Hasbro version because every time I looked at him on my shelf that little voice in the back of my head would be saying "You know there's a better version out there that you missed out on..." I listen to that voice a lot. That voice makes me spend a LOT of money . Besides, after I've got him and 2 more weeks pass and I see my next paycheck after already having paid for him, I won't care any more about how much more I paid for him.