New Gallery: Transformers Masterpiece MP-28 Hot Rodimus

This new Hotrod is definitely more fun to play with, and scale better, but it got its own issues. The ground clearance in alt mode, the comparative lack of details (vs. Hasbro's toy accurate red lower legs with paint apps), the flat chest, the overall body proportion, etc. are a turn off to me. As a shelf display piece, IMO the old MP is still better.

Guess I'm the lucky few since my old MP Rodimus doesn't have any major QC issues as so many others have, so I never hated the toy.

I'd surely trade the old for the new though if I get the opportunity just for that new toy smell.

william-james88 wrote:

cloudballoon wrote: The ground clearance in alt mode

Yours has ground clearance issues? It was debunked when people started to get him that any gound clearance issue was due to mistransformation.

There are two things that cause the ground clearance issue ... when his lower legs are not properly pegged into the two tabs on the underside of where the spoiler is located and when the orange collar is not properly positioned. Once those two areas are properly adjusted, he just barely has ground clearance, but isn't that kind of typical of fancy looking sports cars in the real world?

Some other thoughts on this figure ...

I like him a lot better in hand, but I still have issues with him. Legs and groin area are not wide enough, legs are a little too long, but those things can be chalked up to style choice. My biggest gripe, even more so than the flat chest, is the very obnxious red pieces that stick up behind his head and interfere with his silhouette with regards to the yellow spoiler behind his head. For a Masterpiece figure, that should have been resolved by rotating those pieces 180 degrees or by having a couple of extra panels that fold down, which would also help fill in the gap behind his head. I even figured out an alternate chest transformation that bulks him up a little more and gives some additional dimension to his awkward chest. The backpack isn't quite as obnoxious as it appears in pictures online either.

Hot Rodimus is better than Tracks (though both suffer from being too thin) but not as good as Wheeljack (who is currently my personal "this one is perfect" Masterpiece figure, with Prowl being an extremely close second). I have issues with Ultra Magnus as well, though he has some clever transformations. The unique transformation on Hot Rod is his upper arms which you'll see when you get him.

Transformation is enjoyable and good and most everything has a place to peg into. Face sculpt is great, head shape is great, visor implementation is great. Hands are great for holding weapons, but his middle finger is sculpted weird and the joints that are seen on many Transformers fingers are too large so they look like he's wearing multiple rings on each finger.

One other thing that irks me on him ... his upper legs connect to his pelvis via ball joints which I'm not a fan of on a Masterpiece figure. It kind of makes him seem like he could have been a really nicely done Generations figure had he been downsized a bit to fit in scale with those figures.

It's a good figure, it just needed a few more things done to make him a true Masterpiece.

I believe that Takara Tomys second take on Hot Rodimus:-? was that the original who was also Rodimus Convoy suffered from numerous quality control issues

itscramtastic wrote:

Seibertron wrote:...but not as good as Wheeljack (who is currently my personal "this one is perfect" Masterpiece figure, with Prowl being an extremely close second).

Wooooo Wheeljack!! I adore that dang figure.

Seibertron wrote:...I have issues with Ultra Magnus as well, though he has some clever transformations.

I'm scared now. Ultra Magnus and Hot Rod will be arriving together Saturday or Monday. I really hope I'm not disappointed with UM considering how expensive he ended up being.

Quit yer frettin' Cram. It's gonna be alright.


Seibs, if you're still out there. You have said a lot lately that you wish Takara would ease back on taking the cartoon models so literally when designing these more recent MPs, what's your take on Hot Rod in that regard?

itscramtastic wrote:

Seibertron wrote:...but not as good as Wheeljack (who is currently my personal "this one is perfect" Masterpiece figure, with Prowl being an extremely close second).

Wooooo Wheeljack!! I adore that dang figure.

He is phenominal and also my favourite MP. He will be on a few lists to come

Seibertron wrote:There needs to be a healthy mixture of what's on the screen and the complexity of a robotic humanoid figure. I'm not talking complexity like Bayformers, just some extra detailing in panels and such that wouldn't translate to the cartoon. Regardless of what was on the cartoon, oftentimes the actual G1 toys got it right with its style and look and that look might be better remembered than what the cartoon had.

I'm reading this and all I can think about is how MP Wheeljack answers all this perfectly!

The problem with Hot Rod and Magnus is that they are fictional vehicles and thus were not based on real and more detailed vehicles that the toys could pick up on. So we are left with the simpler animation models (which at least were introduced to the west through the film which had more detailed animation).

Optimizzy wrote:Mine is just now on its way. Is anyone else using it in a CHUG display?


Also: first post in like 3 months. How's it going? Lol

Hey Mizzy!

Just got mine yesterday. Still absorbing.
Never thought about putting him in with the CHUGs. He's pretty big, ya know, he might make a nice Rodimus Prime with the CHUGers. That's an interesting way of looking at him.

We are proud to bring to you today the latest gallery from Seibertron.com: Masterpiece MP-29 Destron Laserwave (Shockwave)! This toy has been highly anticipated by many fans and the color can be highly divisive amongst other fans. Share your thoughts about this high ranking one-eyed "Spock-like" Decepticon villain who has been known as both Megatron's staunchest supporter and as Megatron's greatest rival for Decepticon leadership. Logic dictates that you check out the full gallery which can be found by clicking any of the images below. Check them out and let us know what you think in the comments section. And as always stay tuned to Seibertron.com for all your latest Transformers News and Galleries!

Transformers Masterpiece Laserwave

Man, that figure looks so nice.