JP MP and Encore updates

[griffin]

Apparently in a recent JP magazine (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/japanese-transformers-40/masterpiece-prowl-bluestreak-and-smokescreen-update-177553/), there are some interesting bits of info about the future of Masterpiece and Encore.




Masterpiece Prowl and Bluestreak are delayed due to retailer orders greatly exceeding what Takara-Tomy expected them to be, and them going back to manufacture more of each.
Masterpiece Smokescreen will be significantly different in design and will be announced soon.
Takara-Tomy are continuing to approach manufacturers who they do not have rights to use the vehicles of - you might get your VW Bumblebee or your Porsche Jazz yet folks!
There seems to be an announcement planned for the Tokyo Toy Show on 15-16 June. Masterpiece Smokescreen, or perhaps the rumored MP-20?
Encore Fortress Maximus sold beyond expectations, and it is hoped that reissues will continue on the back of this.
Masterpiece Tiger Track will be a Tokyo Toy Show exclusive and will include non-chromed versions of the Amazon exclusive piledrivers.

[swoop]

All good news and it solves the tiger track debate.

I'm excited for the Tokyo toy show announcement, fingers crossed its the next mp.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Great news on all counts. I'm especially happy about the Encore line continuing - here's hoping for more combiner teams and Decepticon baseformers.

Encore Overlord FTW!

[Trent]

Hooray! A cityformer sold well!! And the fact they are going back to run of more Prowl/Bluestreak shows that they are indeed taking notice of the popularity of the MP line. That should help in securing its future :)

[GoktimusPrime]

Great news about Fort Max selling well! :D Here's hoping it'll encourage TakTOM to reissue more big G1 figures. Lucky for us they reissued Fort Max while the AUD was super strong too. ;)


Encore Overlord FTW!
+1 :D

[5FDP]

Bring on Encore Dinobots!

[doublespy]

Interesting.
It has been rumored (http://bbs.actoys.net/read.php?tid-1361826-page-1.html) that a "big item" new Masterpiece will be released in December, priced at 12000 yen.
The picture seems to a be a wholesaler/dealer's spreadsheet, and the source is likely to be Hasbro HK.

What's confusing is this new MP is listed as MP19, which is supposed to be Smokescreen. If the price is reliable, it could be MP20 instead. But Hasui also mentioned in an interview we will be getting 2 bigs and 2 smalls this year(we got Soundwave and Prowl/Blue Streak so far). So it's also possible that this new figure is MP19 and Smokescreen is MP20?

Either way, my money's on Megatron..:D

[gamblor916]

Porsche Jazz, Corvette Tracks, Sunstreaker and the rest of the Dinobots. Make it so.

[lancalot]

So cool...masterpiece news is always good news unless it for a delay .. I'm excited that smokescreen going to be different :D

[GoktimusPrime]

Bring on Encore Dinobots!
Don't forget to tell TakaraTOMY! (http://otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=201) :D


So cool...masterpiece news is always good news unless it for a delay .. I'm excited that smokescreen going to be different :D
Normally I say that I don't mind small delays because it lets me save up for the toys... but I've already paid for my MP Prowl and Bluestreak - so yeah... bring it! :D I'm also glad to hear that Smokescreen will be different. Hopefully they'll change the body kit, and I suspect that they'll modify the head to include the "cowl" (similar to what they did w/ BT). :)

[Skullcruncher]

Great Masterpiece news!

More Encore? Lame!!!

[UltraMagnus]

So the big announcement... im hearing 2 things.

#1 - MP announcment- Its Masterpiece Ultra Magnus. The MP10 was a new mould to handle an Ultra Magnus trailer. (they have made it, but unsure if they will announce it). Galvatron is also being looked at.
Masterpiece has been exceptionally successful since MP-08 (Rodimus) and the cars are the first ones on the list. Expect more seekers, a sunstreaker (you remember they have the lamborgini licence now).
I believe that they have made prototypes for at least 5-6 MPs but await licencing agreements with car companies.
(Rumor is - Jazz, Mirage, Wheeljack, Sunstreaker...)

#2 - Encore - I have mentioned this before - Scorponok was one being looked at, same with Dinobots. Takara wanted to test the market to see how many people would by the most expensive toy out there - Fort Max. Its basically sold out everywhere here in HK, so they are completely surprised by it.

The G1 market is super hot and having 30+ year old men being able to easily spend $200US on these shows its worth keeping them around.

[gamblor916]

A MP Lancia Wheeljack and F1 Mirage would be awesome if it were to happen.

[Skullcruncher]

#2 - Encore - I have mentioned this before - Scorponok was one being looked at, same with Dinobots. Takara wanted to test the market to see how many people would by the most expensive toy out there - Fort Max. Its basically sold out everywhere here in HK, so they are completely surprised by it.

The G1 market is super hot and having 30+ year old men being able to easily spend $200US on these shows its worth keeping them around.

lol well the G1 secondary market is dead as a freakin dodo. Thats interesting that it could be scorpy - the G1 KO is already on its way, it would be a reasonable bet that KO's are using the same mold as the reissues. I'd personally think Star Sabre would be more likely from the rumblings late last year but you never know.

[Deonasis]

I can't afford all this.. time to practise my gigoloing.

[Kazza]

My mind is boggling at all the masterpiece news.:eek:

[Starscream77]

All I just read was spend, spend, spend $$$$$$$$

My account is loving these updates

[valkyrie_76]

lol well the G1 secondary market is dead as a freakin dodo. Thats interesting that it could be scorpy - the G1 KO is already on its way, it would be a reasonable bet that KO's are using the same mold as the reissues. I'd personally think Star Sabre would be more likely from the rumblings late last year but you never know.

Amen on the lack of G1 goodness :(

[Megatron]

A possible MP Jazz, the coolest Autobot around?? :eek: Now that would complete my MP collection very nicely! :D

[Lint]

A MP Lancia Wheeljack and F1 Mirage would be awesome if it were to happen.

+1

Also, don't confine yourself to Autobots Takara, I'd love to see some MP Decepticon cars like the Stunticons, even if they do not combine!

[Iriorne]

I was reading the MP speculation thread on TFW last week and someone there came up with a theory that Mirage will be the next announced MP figure (http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-toy-discussion/500448-new-end-all-all-masterpiece-speculation-thread-1250.html#post9441418).

The reasoning is something like this:

Takara-Tomy has been uploading G1 episodes to it's youtube page periodically. The episodes are generally in order except for a few episodes that are out of order - generally featuring a character with an MP figure about to be released.

The out of order episodes are:
A Plague of Insecticons (Sideswipe)
Auto-bop (Soundwave vs Blaster)
Auto Beserk (Red Alert)
Roll For It (Prowl and Bluestreak)

A new out of order episode, Traitor, was recently uploaded which features Mirage, suggesting that he will be the next MP.

It's an interesting theory and, unlike most of the speculation going around, it's at least based on facts rather than rumour. See the link above for the full post. :)

[5FDP]

^ That's right, I remember reading that. If they do, they should totally make him so he splits in half at the waist as a homage to the G1 toy ;) :p

[UltraMarginal]

^ That's right, I remember reading that. If they do, they should totally make him so he splits in half at the waist as a homage to the G1 toy ;) :p

And the front half of his feet should fall off.
The only problem I ever had with my mirage, one of the tabs holding one of the spoiler halves in place broke.

a masterpiece F1 Mirage of the same quality as the last few Masterpiece designs would be exquisite.:cool:

[Sinnertwin]

And the front half of his feet should fall off.
The only problem I ever had with my mirage, one of the tabs holding one of the spoiler halves in place broke.

Yep. Both halves of mine were damaged straight out of the box.

[Lordy]

My Mirage is alright, except the nose section is loose and hangs down.

[Autocon]

If one wants to start collecting the MP line, would it be easy to buy misb tfs in a few months time of the older ones?

[lancalot]

If one wants to start collecting the MP line, would it be easy to buy misb tfs in a few months time of the older ones?

I suggest to buy it as quick as possible...because MP line mostly go up in age ..and also with the new one coming out in the next few months it will generate more interest again in the MP line which send the demand of the old one up...

[nexusnixx]

most MP lines tend to hold their pricing except for MP Rodimus/ Sunstorm - MP Rodimus due to QC issues and the issue in Hasbro version...

MP Sunstorm is due to too many repaint of "Starscream"

the most popular now is MP Lambor... many retailers were surprised that the pricing has gone up (from pre-order pricing) even the MP Buzzsaw/ Ravage/ Rumble/ Frenzy too... considering that this is not the first time the cassettes been produced!


If one wants to start collecting the MP line, would it be easy to buy misb tfs in a few months time of the older ones?

[Hursticon]

Apparently in a recent JP magazine (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/japanese-transformers-40/masterpiece-prowl-bluestreak-and-smokescreen-update-177553/), there are some interesting bits of info about the future of Masterpiece and Encore.

This is ALL extremely great news to hear & I hope it's a continuing trend :eek:; I bet there were some seriously nervous nights at Takara leading up to the release of Encore Fort Max and how well their projections would pan out :o, the largest figure ever to be reissued (See what I did there? :p) going over SO well surely must mean that some of the other larger & more limited (RE: Japanese ;)) G1 figures would be worth considering huh?...

Scorponok
Overlord
Black Zarak
Victory Saber
Trypticon
Dugbase
Liokaiser
Deszaras


I don't know about you guys, but there is only 1 figure out of that list which I own - How about you? :D

Also, seeing the Masterpiece line is going over equally well is superb - I really-REALLY hope that Volkswagon comes around on the Beetle & Porsche 911 IPs, then we can move onto more interesting G1 Autobot vehicles like Hound, Mirage, Ratchet, Ironhide & HUFFER!!! :D

[Sinnertwin]

VW licenceing would be great :D

They've got Nissan onboard, so there's a potential 4 repaints of the Onebox Vanette if they decide to:

Ironhide
Ratchet
Diaclone Ironhide &
Rescue Ratchet. (Green)

If they're using the Lambor mold to produce Tigetrack, the last two aren't entirely out of the equation.

[theshape]

Scorponok
Overlord
Black Zarak
Victory Saber
Trypticon
Dugbase
Liokaiser
Deszaras


I don't know about you guys, but there is only 1 figure out of that list which I own - How about you? :D



:o All of them (liokaiser is in the mail)

[Hursticon]

:o All of them (liokaiser is in the mail)

Some of us are clearly just lucky buggers! :D
(That cause the rest of us to turn 7 different shades of envious green! :p)

[liegeprime]

Scorponok
Overlord
Black Zarak
Victory Saber
Trypticon
Dugbase
Liokaiser
Deszaras


I don't know about you guys, but there is only 1 figure out of that list which I own - How about you? :D


Just 5 1/2 of those figure on the list.

A Black Zarak would be awesome, prolly after they release Scorponok first. I certainly wouldn't mind a Liokaizer gift set - hopefully the GPS that plaqued the originals of these figures though are non existent now. I prefer the gold plastic they're using now ( Predaking 2010 reissue) which is actually metallic paint instead of the plastic itself gold - it s got no warping.

[Kranix]

most MP lines tend to hold their pricing except for MP Rodimus/ Sunstorm - MP Rodimus due to QC issues and the issue in Hasbro version...

MP Sunstorm is due to too many repaint of "Starscream"

the most popular now is MP Lambor... many retailers were surprised that the pricing has gone up (from pre-order pricing) even the MP Buzzsaw/ Ravage/ Rumble/ Frenzy too... considering that this is not the first time the cassettes been produced!

Its interesting, I have only one MP, that is Hasbro MP10 Prime bought in OZ recently. I think its awesome and I really want MP Lambor (Sideswipe) as he is one of my favourite transformers but I wont pay the crazy asking prices now he is no longer available new. If I cant buy Sideswipe I wont go down the path of collecting MP transformers.

[lancalot]

Its interesting, I have only one MP, that is Hasbro MP10 Prime bought in OZ recently. I think its awesome and I really want MP Lambor (Sideswipe) as he is one of my favourite transformers but I wont pay the crazy asking prices now he is no longer available new. If I cant buy Sideswipe I wont go down the path of collecting MP transformers.

You shouldn't let one figure stopping you from enjoying the rest of the MP line... Plus the best part is the hunt :D.... And you now have an idea about the MP line that you should get them early ....but then again MP12 had lots of QC issue in regard to paint job when it was first released... so all the restock one was heaps better ... just keep that in mind ...

[Trent]

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc88/Wrxus/TFs/606812C7-9206-47E8-8C6D-3C536E5DE8D9-366-0000005563CF5A2D.jpg

Courtesy of TFW. (http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/927565-mp-20-smokescreen-pic.html)

[Sinnertwin]

:eek: that alt mode is tré magnifique

[GoktimusPrime]

As predicted, the head and body kit modifications are being done. Interesting to see the new shoulder cannons too.

On another note, the Kanji on those images (転載不可 (てんさいふか)) means "Do Not Reproduce," not "All Rights Reserved." :rolleyes:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/facepalm_primeratchet.jpg ...surely someone didn't intentionally mistranslate that to justify circulating this image!

[Deonasis]

Those wheel shoulders are interesting too. It looks great!

[Tober]

Most pleasing. :)

[kaiden]

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc88/Wrxus/TFs/606812C7-9206-47E8-8C6D-3C536E5DE8D9-366-0000005563CF5A2D.jpg

Courtesy of TFW. (http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/927565-mp-20-smokescreen-pic.html)

http://i1320.photobucket.com/albums/u528/L45TN7/Shut-up-and-take-my-money_zps81652431.jpg (http://s1320.photobucket.com/user/L45TN7/media/Shut-up-and-take-my-money_zps81652431.jpg.html)

[Ultra Mackness]

Thanks for sourcing the photos Trent. It's looking very nice and the subtle differences from the other molds work really well. Something I've always liked about the Datsuns was the way that at a glance, they all look the same (colours aside), but when you look closer the differences become obvious and make the individual characters unique. This set of MPs really takes those small differences and makes them so much more sophisticated while retaining some subtlety.

Very cool! If you hear some high-pitched giggles of anticipation, it's probably me :)

[Sinnertwin]

I'm glad that theyve advertised the cartoon accurate shouldr cannons and havent resorted to using the existing ones. I wonder if those additonal decals are tampographed or if they'll be available on a seperate sticker sheet ala Tigertrack and his Autobot logos

[Lint]

Lovin that front bodykit. Must be a first since the original G1 figure.

[Lordy]

So buying that, will look great in vehicle mode alongside the Henkei and G1 versions

[tinyJazz]

He looks amazing, that body kit is awesome, 280Zs are so beautiful.:D

HLJ (http://www.hlj.com/product/TKT47032/Sci) preorder up.
Hasn't dropped at Hobbysearch or Amiami yet.

[CBratron]

Just got a FB update telling me Hasbro MP Soundwave preorder has gone up.
Edit: my mistake it was the Takara one but the second run seems to include all the cassettes.
Edit2: my mistake again. Just a bit of shady business practice on the part of TFSource. Showing pics of Hasbro Soundwave and giving links to Takara.

[tinyJazz]

Finally! Clearer sexier images from Planet Iacon, via TFW2005 (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-masterpiece-47/new-images-of-masterpiece-19-smokescreen-177704/).

He runs on Devcon Oil and has "SlotFever". I don't think I want to know what that is.

[lancalot]

It good that they made changes to him ...but his head looks abit to simple for a masterpiece ...hopefully this is a prototype and more detail will be added ... And the side cannon looks odd...the pipe too small and too high ... like how they changes the shoulder transformation ....wish they also add sun, moon on the front kit

[doublespy]

Very impressive paint job indeed, but I also see so many things that can go wrong on the mass production run...:(

Also hope the head scuplt won't affect neck articulation. Hasui's MP designs so far all have decent up and down range.

[Meangreen]

Smokescreen looks great, Datsun mode especially. I only worry that I feel a bit like the accuracy of his headsculpt and cannons might be almost too much.

This release, along with Hasbro Soundwave and some SDCC stuff will ruin me.

[griffin]

Very nice.
With the different colours, heads and shoulder cannons, plus the remoulding, those three are so worth getting, regardless of essentially being "redecos".
Hasbro are gonna miss out on a lot of money by skipping these three. I hope they shed some light on why at BotCon.


Finally! Clearer sexier images from Planet Iacon, via TFW2005 (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-masterpiece-47/new-images-of-masterpiece-19-smokescreen-177704/).

He runs on Devcon Oil and has "SlotFever". I don't think I want to know what that is.

Yeah... sounds like a double entendre, but is just a nod to his Second Season cartoon episode, which he meets up with Devcon at a Casino somewhere out in space (episode was called The Gambler (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_Gambler)).

[nexusnixx]

Subtle differences in head sculpt is always a welcome. I hope days of just recolouring or repainting into different colours are gone.

Even mp12t monochrome box gives collectors something to smile about. I know it has for me!!

[Robzy]

Sensational!! :eek: Can't wait to get all 3! Bluestreak's my fave!

[Hursticon]

I started out not giving "two shakes of a monkey" about the 3 MP Datsuns... I now have all 3 Preordered... :eek:
A testament to incredible Japanese engineering of Robots & Vehicles? - I don't know, but what I do know is that after buying Sideswipe I simply had to own these guys! :o:cool:

[gdmetro]

Wheres the best place to pre-order MP Smokescreen now? Anime export sold out...:(

[Sinnertwin]

That front spoiler... Where's the drool icon?

[griffin]

Packaging images of Prowl and Smokescreen (http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/transformers-masterpiece-47/in-package-images-of-mp-17-prowl-and-mp-19-smokescreen-177715/), with a Nissan logo that is bigger than the Transformers logo... maybe that was the sweetner to get that company on board.
To be honest, I don't care, as long as we get sweet looking toys like these.

[Sinnertwin]

Wheres the best place to pre-order MP Smokescreen now? Anime export sold out...:(

HLJ have it for Y5200 ($57.50 AUD) or Robotkingdom $60 USD ($62.50 AUD)

[lancalot]

HLJ have it for Y5200 ($57.50 AUD) or Robotkingdom $60 USD ($62.50 AUD)

Also keeping in mind that if you order from a Japanese site it doesn't come with a coin as that an Hasbro Asia thing

[Starscream77]

Can't wait for Smokie to get released!!! Actually all 3 Datsuns