Masterpiece Optimus Prime

[ParanoiaDragon]

Good grief, maybe it's just me, but it seems like this version looks even closer to the cartoon model!  Plus, I think it actually comes with Spike & Sparkplug!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4321207072856&type=3


wayback.hk-tf.com/discuz/thread.php?tid=26892

Also, there is MP Sideswipe, Red Alert, & Soundwave(along with cassette's) coming!  I'm gonna be all over that Soundwave!

lost: allspark,com/forums/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=29304
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[geise]

Wow those are amazing!    Thanks for sharing!

[Duo_R]

I have seen shots of Optimus but not the others, thanks for sharing!

[turbokon]

I used to have a masterpiece prime but I sold it a couple years ago

[Tatsujin]

coun touch this

[SignOfZeta]

I'm quite happy and surprised that they actually used the Countach instead of just revising him into a suckier newer Lambo.

[Joe Redifer]

Why couldn't they have made them like this back in the day?  Though Soundwave really should be in color.  Why is he and Laser Beak all gray?  And why are the LEFT and RIGHT speakers on Soundwave reversed? L goes on the left side, not the right.  Stupid Japan.

[SignOfZeta]

Why couldn't they have made them like this back in the day?  Though Soundwave really should be in color.  Why is he and Laser Beak all gray?  And why are the LEFT and RIGHT speakers on Soundwave reversed? L goes on the left side, not the right.  Stupid Japan.

Because I can never tell if you are serious or not, I guess I'll answer this.

They didn't make them like this back in the day because the manufacturing processes used to make these kinds of toys were basically science fiction 30+ years ago. Original TFs were all based on molds of parts litterally carved by hand or manually machined. These days they have CAD, serial injection, ABS plastic, and all sorts of clever shit. Assembly of Diaclone-era TFs was also done largely by hand, which on a model as complicated as the ones shown above would take a single worker an entire shift to put together. There is still a lot of hand assembly, but also a lot of automated assembly.

Soundwave is grey because he's a prototype. Japanese robot toys are almost aways revealed this way.

The L and R don't label the speaker, they label the mics, which are reversed for the same reason stage directions seem reversed, at least for the people on the stage.

[esteban]

As a child, I always wanted Soundwave.

I got Rumble and Prowl instead (I wanted Laserbeak...never got him).

As a child, I always wanted Megatron.

I got Rock Lords instead.

If you don't know about Rock Lords, be happy. It is the most anti-climatic "transformer" concept you can imagine.

[Duo_R]

I always wanted Sound Wave, i got Sound Blaster instead  :-)

[SignOfZeta]

I have a Soundwave with Soundblaster chest from that Comicon a couple of years ago.

Prowl is way cooler.

[420GOAT]

i got soundwave on sale for $10 when i was a kid cause he was open!!

[KnightWarrior]

I had Starscream when I was a kid

[ParanoiaDragon]

I never had Soundwave as a kid, but I did have some of his tapes.  I had Ravage, Rumble, Frenzy, Lazerbeak, Sudgefest & Overkill.  I also had(& still have) Blaster, & had some of his tapes(Steeljaw, Rewind, Eject, & Ramhon).  I did pick up the Jp reissue of Soundwave, & I think it came with Lazerbeak, & later, I picked up the Toys R Us Soundwave that came with Lazerbeak & Ravage.  I also got the (Comic Con?) exclusive Blaster reissue off Hasbrotoyshop.com, & he comes with Eject, Steeljaw, & Ramhorn(not sure why they didn't just go ahead & include Rewind).

Also, it sounds like Hasbro will be releasing Masterpiece Thundercracker in the States.  I already have MP Starscream.  But I didn't pick up MP Skywarp.  I may try tracking him down for a decent price so I can have all 3 of the main seeker's.

[RegalSin]

Their should be an entire series, that just focused around Soundwave, and what he thought about the war, uptil the point where he get blown to bits by the street beat robot version of himself. What is revolutionary about soundwave is the synthesizer voice over that was used for him. In the Japanese version he sounds like a voice of God, type robot, which is depressing. In American animation his voice is soothing and secure. I am sure that Megatron would fall asleep in his arm, as Soundwave tucked him, his recharge chamber.

I think that was the only robot, where another robot screamed for, a long period of time. Did they ever rebuilt him, because I remember seeing his pieces being recovered by his crew?

[ParanoiaDragon]

He was alive all thruout the US G1 series.  However, he was killed in Headmasters, which is now available in the US with subtitles.  He was then rebuilt into Soundblaster, & can carry 2 tapes in his chest.  Same goes for Blaster(known as Broadcast in Jp), he was rebuilt as Twincast & could carry 2 tapes in his chest.

[RegalSin]

I am getting tired of the wording of G1.........etc. That is Transformers, and they just rehashed the entire series.

The last time, I remember talking anything about Transformers was back in highschool. It was like, was that made by Americans or Japanese, I was like, it was made by Americans, because of the art. That was the one thing I liked about Transformers, the way it felt like something out of America, and gave us all hope, like Megaman being from USA.

Now I look at the art, I ask myself, why even bother. They just rehash, and keep rehashing, like no tommorow.

[soop]

I still have all my transformers.  As a kid, I saw my friend go through fads; He-Man, Transformers, Mask, Ghostbusters, turtles, he had them all, but I remember being surprised that he pretty much dropped his impressive he-man collection for whatever was new.

Me, I stuck with Transformers past the Headmasters and Pretenders, until they started getting really small, expensive and disappointing, a quality they maintain to this day.

But seeing this...  I want.  What's the news on pricing?  maybe if we buy a crate between us, we can get a retail discount?

[GohanX]

Also, it sounds like Hasbro will be releasing Masterpiece Thundercracker in the States.  I already have MP Starscream.  But I didn't pick up MP Skywarp.  I may try tracking him down for a decent price so I can have all 3 of the main seeker's.

YES! I was seriously thinking about picking up another Skywarp and trying to paint him as Thundercracker back when Skywarp was still in stores, but I don't have the skills to do it properly.

[Nando]

I want this one

Hearts of Steel Shockwave



and StarScream

[Duo_R]

picked up a Fall of Cybertron Shockwave yesterday at Target. He is a little smaller than I would have liked but not a bad model.

[Nando]

picked up a Fall of Cybertron Shockwave yesterday at Target. He is a little smaller than I would have liked but not a bad model.

The legs look all sorts of skinny on the pictures I've seen.

I've got these guys at the office

[ParanoiaDragon]

I want this one

Hearts of Steel Shockwave



and StarScream

Man, that Starscream is sweet!  As far as Prime, I recall the first version they released here was mayber $70 at Walmart?  Since this one has a trailer, I assume it also opens up with that bay with Roller in it, so probably closer to $100 I would guess, but don't quote me!

[turbokon]

Here is mine from a few years ago. Sadly I sold most of these:(

[Nando]

Here is mine from a few years ago. Sadly I sold most of these:(

what did you keep?

[esteban]

Here is mine from a few years ago. Sadly I sold most of these:(

what did you keep?

He kept 18 mint Goldbugs. Seriously.

[turbokon]

Haha, I wish. No I kept a few alternators, couple of classics and most of the movie figures.  BTW, there is a tranformers expo this weekend where I live. Might nab me a few figures if I see something I like.

[ParanoiaDragon]

Here's a video for MP Sideswipe & some more pics of Soundwave, Lazerbeak, & Red Alert

[Joe Redifer]

I don't think I'd ever want to live in an area where the fire chief vehicle was a Lamborghini Countach.  Taxes would be INSANE.

[turbokon]

Damn that's awesome!!

[Nando]

Damn that's awesome!!

That Soundwave looks SWEEEEEEEEEET!

[ParanoiaDragon]

There's a preorder page up for Soundwave & Lazerbeak at Amazon.jp.  It has a few more pics, but he comes to roughly $153 before shipping...so, needless to say, I'm going to try n' wait for Hasbro to bring him stateside along with Sideswipe & Red Alert.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B008B403VS


Actually, with Sideswipe, it seems a little weird to me.  I would think they would do an Ironhide/Ratchet mold, or maybe Jazz, or Bumblebee before Sideswipe/Red Alert.  Personally, I'd mostly love to see Hound, Mirage, Huffer, Brawn, Trailbreaker, Shockwave, & the Insecticons...though, a Masterpiece Devestator would be killer!  I'd also like to see the other 4 Dinobots get MP's someday, but especially Slag & Swoop.

[Joe Redifer]

And the minibots like Brawn and those.  They really need justice served.  Iron Hide and Ratchet desperately need MP editions as well.

[esteban]

I don't think I'd ever want to live in an area where the fire chief vehicle was a Lamborghini Countach.  Taxes would be INSANE.

Hahahahhahahhahaa.

[ParanoiaDragon]

Well, I finally found Masterpiece Thundercracker!  I don't consider him a popular character, but, he's been difficult to find!  In any case, I'm pleasantly surprised, as he's not a repaint of Starscream, but a remold!  I remember hearing that from someone, but, this remold really makes a difference.  My main gripe with Starscream & Skywarp was the wing part at the bottom(for lack of a better word) that doesn't attach to the feet, it just hangs there on Starscream.  Thundercracker virtually fixes everything.  It's totally remolded in that area, as well as others.  His head is also more proportionate to the body.  It doesn't have the 2 head dealy, but, it looks nicer overall IMO.  I know they have brought out Starscream several times in Japan(atleast one comes with a cape & crown).  They must've remolded him at some point & based this Thundercracker off of that.  The only things that are still the same, are that in mid transformation, it's really easy for the smaller wings, & the missiles to fall off.  Other then that, he's fricken awesome!

[Nando]

Pics?

[turbokon]

My wife and kid actually brought the masterpiece thundercracker for my birthday last year and I sold it. Can't believe I did that.

[SignOfZeta]

My wife and kid actually brought the masterpiece thundercracker for my birthday last year and I sold it. Can't believe I did that.

That's actually pretty horrible of you.

[turbokon]

I know right but if it's any consolation, I used that money to expand my turbo collection.

[SignOfZeta]

That's better than spending it on cigarettes, but it's worse than what I assumed, which was that you were broke. I would never sell a gift, even if it sucked, which this certainly didn't.

You're going to hell.

[Nazi NecroPhile]

I hope nobody I've given gifts to has that attitude - I'd much rather they get something they really want and can use than stuff my gift in the back of the closet out of some fool sense of guilt and obligation.

[SignOfZeta]

Well, you're already in hell. Naturally you'd want company.

[roflmao]

[turbokon]

Welcome to hell:)

[ParanoiaDragon]

Pics?

I haven't taken pics of mine, but here's a bunch I googled.  One thing I'm not sure of is if the Jp Masterpiece Thundercracker is the new mold or the old mold.  I'm assuming the former.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kumastylegfx/7928252296/

Oh, & it's kind of odd, but there's no pictures of his plane mode anywhere on the box!  Also, the instruction unfortunately are for the original Starscream mold, including the 2 faces, which TC does not have, he only has one.

[Drakon]

I had that exact cassette player one as a kid.  I love that one so much it's a hardcore piece of transformer history.  Too bad I mostly destroyed it from years of love.

[csgx1]

These newer Transformers are awesome looking.  So most of these Masterpiece transformers are(were) sold in US stores like Toys R Us?  If so, I may have to check them out.  I'd like to get Thundercracker too. 

I still have the original Thundercracker, Megatron, Optimus and some other smaller ones from when I was a kid. 

[ParanoiaDragon]

In the US, we only got Prime(without a trailer & has shorter smoke stacks), Starsream, Skywarp, Thundercracker(updated Starscream mold), Grimlock, Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime(minus the trailer).  In Japan, there have been several Optimi & Starscreams released over the years.  And Sunstorm(remold/repaint of Starscream) I think is coming soon.  Also, I believe atleast one of the Optimi came with the trailer, & we may be getting that one soon in the US.  They also got Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime with the trailer.  And ofcoarse, they got Megatron!  I have Megs, got him when he came out.  They had to open it up & put an orange tip on the barrel to be able to ship it to the US.  Luckily, it was easily removed.  I'm pretty sure we're getting Soundwave, & I'm hoping we'll get Sideswipe & Red Alert, though there's been no announcement that I know of.

[turbokon]

These newer Transformers are awesome looking.  So most of these Masterpiece transformers are(were) sold in US stores like Toys R Us?  If so, I may have to check them out.  I'd like to get Thundercracker too. 

I still have the original Thundercracker, Megatron, Optimus and some other smaller ones from when I was a kid. 

Awesome!!

[Nando]

Damn dude, in the box and all! Very nice


Here's another awesome one

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-3rd-party-reviews/657385-peaugh-reviews-mmc-km-airborne-squad-awakening.html