New Masterpiece Starscream - MP52

[High_Q]

Takara Tomy has revealed that a new MP Seeker mold is in the works through Twitter (https://twitter.com/TF_pr/status/1279973345627213824)!

(Hmm, on actually reading the Google Translate of the announcement, all it mentions is "revived", and this may not mean a new mold or retool, but a reissue. However, the new silhouette suggests not a simple reissue. :confused: Mods, please change the thread topic if required.)

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2020/070601.jpg

[DaptoDog]

And so it begins...

[Trent]

Better not be a V3. I already have 6 seekers.

[danny-boy]

So glad I sold the doubles of all my seekers. I?ll be getting rid of the rest once V3 is released. I hate the MP-3/11 mould with a passion.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Better not be a V3. I already have 6 seekers.

This. Cartoon accuracy or not, I?m not forking out for 6 more seekers. I?ve already gone through MP4, MP10 and MP44. I draw the line at this money grab.

[SharkyMcShark]

Interesting. I will watch this with interest.

I'm a sucker for fighter jet alt modes, so I am potentially keen.

That said, I'm also a sucker for a proper transformation and the MP line has been moving away from that for a few years now. Most of the figures they've done recently turn inside out to hide all the real car/truck/animal kibble on the inside of the robot and use fake kibble on the outside, which is a deal breaker for me.

Times like this make me glad I'm not a completionist at all. I've only got one copy of each existing MP Seeker mold (the Skywarp repaint of MP3 release here as part of Universe 2.0 and the original MP-11 release of Starscream).

[DELTAprime]

I'm so glad I'm out of the Masterpiece game.

I already have MP3 US Ver., MP6, MP7, MP11, MP11SW, MP11T, MP11NR, MP11NT, and MP11ND.

I don't want to spend another cent on MP Seekers.

[Deano85]

Luckily I only really collect Thundercracker

[Sinnertwin]

About time Takara started going back to their bread and butter molds. I'll take all 586 repaints.

[llamatron]

Very excited for this redo, the existing MP definitely showing it's age at this point.

[dirge]

I couldn't be less interested. I'm just waiting for Jazz, Mirage, Skids, Hoist & Trailbreaker. Seekers... again... do not interest me.

[griffin]

As they are running out of moulds that have redeco potential (to make back their money faster)... it's not surprising that they would revisit this one.

I wouldn't really call it version 3 though, as the "version 2" mould only had some minor alterations, less than the amount of remoulding/re-engineering done to make the 3 coneheads.
The silhouette suggests that this is a completely new mould like Optimus, Megatron and Bumblebee, which if true, it would actually be version 2. (unless TakaraTomy officially list it as version 3 like they did with Optimus)

[1AZRAEL1]

I'm somewhat of 2 minds. New characters and paints, for sure I'll be in. And I do need to replace my Hasbro Starscream MP3 because he is brittle, and unable to transform from robot. I'd likely try get the last Starscream to keep with similar aesthetics of my seekers. But I would likely skip most of these new ones unless they are not any of the 8 we have.

[Jellico]

See what they cost. Under $200. That is manageable. $300 plus? If Starscream starts at that, what the heck is Dirge going to cost?

[GoktimusPrime]

The Japanese text doesn't offer much useful information (more of a tease) - certainly nothing that lets us know if this is going to be a reissue or a new mould.

This doesn't really interest me much either. I also skipped MP-11 and only got variations of that mould as new characters that hadn't been done before with the MP3 mould (e.g. Sunstorm, Acid Storm, Coneheads). Unless the new mould is:
a/ some amazing upgrade
b/ a new character that hasn't been done as an MP before
...then I'm likely to just skip this.


See what they cost. Under $200. That is manageable. $300 plus? If Starscream starts at that, what the heck is Dirge going to cost?
Excellent questions.

MP3 was about $100 and MP11 was nearly double that at about $180. Being "Under $200" would place it around the same zone as MP11 but if they're aiming at making it a significant improvement over MP11 then I reckon it'd be over $200 - possibly pushing the $250 or higher mark. Then add another $50 or so for Coneheads, so yeah, may well be approaching the $300 mark.

[Unicran]

BRING. IT. ON.

'+' and all.

[Lord_Zed]

No real surprise here they released a new Megatron, Optimus and Bumblebee, Starscream was only a matter of time, and those are the big money makers for Transformers hence why we see new toys for them every year in the main line. I guess with MP's we are lucky if Takara gives us and ancillary character like Hound every one in a while in between the big names. It's annoying but surely people are used to keeping their expectations low when it comes to less popular Transformers being released by Takara.

I wonder if we'll get a new or retooled/repainted Soundwave and Grimlock, as they are the next level down from the big 4.

[High_Q]

I guess with MP's we are lucky if Takara gives us and ancillary character like Hound every one in a while in between the big names. [snip] I wonder if we'll get a new or retooled/repainted Soundwave and Grimlock, as they are the next level down from the big 4.

We will be getting six ancillary characters with MP Raiden, but then i don't think the non-Japanese market is clamouring for these. Personally, I'd rather have MP Skids or Cliffjumper. And Jazz fans have been waiting for an MP for a long time, but that could be due to licensing issues.

I think Takara wouldn't be able to resist giving us at least a heavily retooled MP Soundwave, given the original MP had more greebles than the animation model.

[griffin]

Something that I realised on TFW which I wanted to share here... based on TakaraTomy's unusual MP numbering system, I expect that they will call this version 3.0 to make it easier to differentiate from MP-3 and MP-11... however, why have the ".0" (point oh) every time they quote a version number on the box (a recent gimmick that FunPub started), if they don't use the system properly by never having anything after the decimal point, like a ".1" or ".5".

If MP-3 is version 1.0, surely MP-11 is actually version 1.5, because it is a variation of the original mould, not a completely new version.

A completely new design from the ground up would get a new "whole" number, while updates or remoulds should have a "part" number.

[Sinnertwin]

I hope and hope they number it MP11 V2.3.025+ just so I can sit back and watch the annuerysms

[griffin]

I wonder if we'll get a new or retooled/repainted Soundwave and Grimlock, as they are the next level down from the big 4.

Let's see... of the 1st "old" era of Masterpiece (before the size/style soft "reboot" at MP-10)...

MP-1 - Convoy/Optimus - 2 new versions in the new era (MP-10 & MP-44)
MP-2 - Ultra Magnus (kinda) - 1 new version in the new era (MP-22)
MP-3 - Starscream - 1 reworked version in the new era (MP-11) & 1 new version in the new era (to be announced)
MP-4 - Convoy/Optimus - (see MP-1)
MP-5 - Megatron - 1 new version in the new era (MP-36)
MP-6 - Skywarp - (see MP-3)
MP-7 - Thundercracker - (see MP-3)
MP-8 - Grimlock - no new version (the larger size probably makes it scale well with the new era size scale)
MP-9 - Rodimus Convoy (with Hot Rodimus/Hotrod option) - 1 new version in the new era of Hot Rodimus/Hotrod (MP-28)

So Grimlock is the only one left of the 1st era that hasn't had a completely new version done. It's an iconic enough character to sell if they did a new version... it just has limited redeco potential, so it's retail price would be very high.

Soundwave (MP-13) has certainly outlasted its era, and unless they did a redesign that allowed them to do a version as Blaster, I don't know if it is one that can be made much better. Since it is a block that turns into a blocky bot, it's engineering and appearance are quite well done, and has less flaws than other MP toys that have to do more "magic" with their transformations to look like their cartoon form.
Soundwave has also been one of the most re-issued Masterpiece toys since it's first release, so there was a lot of demand for it.
But with both Grimlock and Soundwave, I'm sure there are Japanese designers who have their own take on what the toy should look like (see the MP-11 modified version of Starscream), and if they can convince the bean-counters that it is worth doing (over a character that hasn't yet been done because it has limited redeco potential), we could see another version show up.
After all, I never thought we'd see a 2nd version of Bumblebee or 3rd version of Optimus, because the previous versions were already good enough for those characters.
(I could honestly now see a new version of Sideswipe/Lambor being done soon as well, as it was one of the first in the newer era as MP-12, it has a LOT of redeco/remould potential, and looks very simplistic compared to most other MP toys... especially recently).


We will be getting six ancillary characters with MP Raiden, but then i don't think the non-Japanese market is clamouring for these. Personally, I'd rather have MP Skids or Cliffjumper. And Jazz fans have been waiting for an MP for a long time, but that could be due to licensing issues.


Was Raiden ever specifically noted by TakaraTomy as being a Masterpiece, or was it left vague and could have been a reissue or new Generations release.
It has been so long since that tease came out, and nothing mentioned or hinted since. I wonder if they quietly cancelled it, if they didn't get enough interest, or because of the global financial downturn.

[High_Q]

[snip] Was Raiden ever specifically noted by TakaraTomy as being a Masterpiece, or was it left vague and could have been a reissue or new Generations release. It has been so long since that tease came out, and nothing mentioned or hinted since. I wonder if they quietly cancelled it, if they didn't get enough interest, or because of the global financial downturn.

An unspecified Raiden product was originally teased in TakaraTomy's Twitter account (https://twitter.com/TF_pr/status/1185042288549875712), and 2 months later in December 2019, as part of a Japanese railway exhibition, Takara officially revealed via a large display panel that work on Masterpiece series Raiden had started. Zero updates since then and nothing about any MP Raiden on Takara's TF site.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

They did tweet (https://twitter.com/TF_pr/status/1278886180075929600) this image of teaser silhouettes. Obviously SUnstreaker, Megatron, MPM Ratchet, Runamuck, and top left guy, my first thought was Earthrise Astrotrain (not a perfect match though), but I have seen speculation that it could be the first part of MP Raiden.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/M3In0whExZoTWWAptEDFyKRcfXqgQc6dHFSI4zEURn1Tj31TDn 5MUX5IUNqAqxpVyj1Aaweq6iOqdjdmNbZEVirHCNKoCE1wL56D 1Mt0Cn3ObXZD0ziu1QfEtx4UPTA7RF1yxRfKlfE=w800

Ah, but I just saw someone in the replies said it was Netflix Magnus. so.... That sucks.

[GoktimusPrime]

ちょっと悔しかったので今回はビークルモードです！
You know you're getting old if people are finding that Megatron H-tank silhouette to be nostalgic. :eek:

[MayzaPrime]

They did tweet (https://twitter.com/TF_pr/status/1278886180075929600) this image of teaser silhouettes. Obviously SUnstreaker, Megatron, MPM Ratchet, Runamuck, and top left guy, my first thought was Earthrise Astrotrain (not a perfect match though), but I have seen speculation that it could be the first part of MP Raiden.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/M3In0whExZoTWWAptEDFyKRcfXqgQc6dHFSI4zEURn1Tj31TDn 5MUX5IUNqAqxpVyj1Aaweq6iOqdjdmNbZEVirHCNKoCE1wL56D 1Mt0Cn3ObXZD0ziu1QfEtx4UPTA7RF1yxRfKlfE=w800

Ah, but I just saw someone in the replies said it was Netflix Magnus. so.... That sucks.

My first thought was Siege Magnus

[griffin]

They did tweet (https://twitter.com/TF_pr/status/1278886180075929600) this image of teaser silhouettes. Obviously SUnstreaker, Megatron, MPM Ratchet, Runamuck, and top left guy, my first thought was Earthrise Astrotrain (not a perfect match though), but I have seen speculation that it could be the first part of MP Raiden.
Ah, but I just saw someone in the replies said it was Netflix Magnus. so.... That sucks.

They released date and price details yesterday for four of those (Netflix Megatron & Ultra Magnus, MPM Ratchet and Sunstreaker)... and just having a look now, they have also released details for Runamuck as a TTM exclusive... so a bit of a letdown with that teaser image only being known toys. :(

[Bidoofdude]

Even though I almost definitely won't be able to afford this (like all other new MP releases), I am very excited to see what he looks like. We actually got a taste with the head that came with MP-44. If they can pull of a new mould figure with cleaner legs and nice proportions I'll be impressed.

[DELTAprime]

My first thought was Siege Magnus

My first thought was a CR Magnus reissue, then I remembered Siege Mangus exist. :D

[GoktimusPrime]

Is anyone else more impressed with UchinaConvoy's 1987 childhood photo than the actual news tweet itself? I love seeing photos of collectors with their toys as kids. :)

[High_Q]

It's official - Takara will be releasing a new version of MP Starscream. Here are the Figure King Magazine scans via TFW2005 (https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/07/27/takara-tomy-transformers-masterpiece-g1-starscream-ver-2-0-design-sketch-teaser-image-415892).

[Tha_Phantom]

It's official - Takara will be releasing a new version of MP Starscream. Here are the Figure King Magazine scans via TFW2005 (https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/07/27/takara-tomy-transformers-masterpiece-g1-starscream-ver-2-0-design-sketch-teaser-image-415892).

It appears they've found a way to hide the tailfins in the robot legs which is neat. Looking forward to seeing the physical prototype.

[High_Q]

It appears they've found a way to hide the tailfins in the robot legs which is neat. Looking forward to seeing the physical prototype.

Yeah, it seems that this Starscream hides much of his alt mode in the back and legs, similar to MP-44. Someone in another board wondered about the extent of this MP's waist articulation given the placement of the cockpit in the bot mode. I don't have the MP-3/MP-11 mold and never saw any reviews for them but pictures show a figure with zero waist articulation, so this can't be any worse, i suppose :confused:.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Unsurprisingly its the legs which sees the biggest benefit from the update.

Great for those who don?t have any of the MP3 / MP11 molds, but as someone who has/had both, I?m 99.99% sure I?m not updating. My wallet can?t handle buying another 6 variations.

[Paulbot]

It's official - Takara will be releasing a new version of MP Starscream. Here are the Figure King Magazine scans via TFW2005 (https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/07/27/takara-tomy-transformers-masterpiece-g1-starscream-ver-2-0-design-sketch-teaser-image-415892).
Just as I was about to sell my copy of the last one!

I suspect the tail fins are in the backpack. That side view gives me Sunstreaker vibes.

[ChlorHex]

It's official - Takara will be releasing a new version of MP Starscream. Here are the Figure King Magazine scans via TFW2005 (https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/07/27/takara-tomy-transformers-masterpiece-g1-starscream-ver-2-0-design-sketch-teaser-image-415892).

Another one? Seriously?
Not to get negative but there are so many other bots who have yet to receive the masterpiece treatment.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Another one? Seriously?
Not to get negative but there are so many other bots who have yet to receive the masterpiece treatment.

We?ve been saying this for the past several years :D

[Tha_Phantom]

To be fair, it has been nearly 10 years since the last MP Starscream and that wasn't even an entirely new mould.


I suspect the tail fins are in the backpack.

Ah! You're probably right.

[Sol_Bad]

If this has waist articulation I'll re-buy Starscream. I'm pretty happy that I haven't bought the remaining seeker MP's.
:)

[SharkyMcShark]

It appears they've found a way to hide the tailfins in the robot legs which is neat. Looking forward to seeing the physical prototype.

I wouldn't complain at all if this is something of an upscale of some of the ideas in the Newage Seekers. Those did the legs/tail fins in an excellent way, even at Legends size.

[MayzaPrime]

Like most, I think that there are lots of other characters that can be given the masterpiece treatment... however, I will probably end up buying all the new versions of the seekers... ;)

[DELTAprime]

Looks nice. Probably way more expensive than I would ever pay for yet another MP Starscream.

[danny-boy]

Gorgeous. Now this is the Starscream I know and grew up with. I can?t wait for Skywarp and Thundercracker. I?m in for 2 of each.

[Magnus]

Just as I was about to sell my copy of the last one!

I suspect the tail fins are in the backpack. That side view gives me Sunstreaker vibes.

You may be right. I'm seeing something that looks like it could be a piece of the rear fuselage and vertical stabiliser of the F-15 on Starscream's back.

There seems to be a double joint on the wings, visible in the profile and rear drawings, which looks like it connects two layers of the wing. It looks like part of the transformation involves getting the ventral surface (underside) of the wing, flipping it down, swinging up the tail so it lies along the wing, and flipping the lower layer back up to cover it.

Looking at the legs and feet, it looks like the exhaust nozzles shift backwards to form the heels - this, combined with the bigger front of the foot, should give more stability when standing up straight than MP-3.

[griffin]

That thing looks like it is going to have one heck of a backpack, of all the jet parts that aren't robot parts. There looks to be several layers of kibble on the back.


I wouldn't really call it version 3 though, as the "version 2" mould only had some minor alterations, less than the amount of remoulding/re-engineering done to make the 3 coneheads.
The silhouette suggests that this is a completely new mould like Optimus, Megatron and Bumblebee, which if true, it would actually be version 2. (unless TakaraTomy officially list it as version 3 like they did with Optimus)

Looks like someone at TakaraTomy agreed with what I was thinking, as this one is being called version 2.

Still not a fan of the "x.0" gimmick. If they never have any other number after the decimal point, it is redundant, and a lame throwback to a concept that doesn't get used much in common vernacular these days anyway.

[Bidoofdude]

The backpack is actually quite unexpected, despite the recent complicated panel MPs with huge ones. I would have thought they could still pull off the seeker look while keeping it clean. The front looks nice and proportions a little less awkward than the MP-11 and MP-3 (I can’t stand MO-3, he looks bad).

It’s probably gonna be a tough sell for many, given they just completed the coneheads on the MP-11 version (itself a rework of MP-3) and many would have invested also in the Thundercracker, Skywarp and Sunstorm made in the past decade. The price definitely won’t help. MPs have definitely gone out of a price range that is reasonable to me (despite only having a few from the line).

[drifand]

No interest for me. good for those who just started. I dont care for it, I have my 6. I hope these tank and realise many have moved on.

[griffin]

It's official - Takara will be releasing a new version of MP Starscream. Here are the Figure King Magazine scans via TFW2005 (https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/07/27/takara-tomy-transformers-masterpiece-g1-starscream-ver-2-0-design-sketch-teaser-image-415892).

The full-size scans from the Figure King hobby magazine that had the Starscream reveal (https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/07/31/figure-king-no-270-scans-netflixs-war-for-cybertron-earthtise-haslab-unicron-studio-series-masterpiece-starscream-ver-2-0-more-416181).
It notes 2021 in one of the paragraphs, which is likely to be when it gets released. That doesn't give them much time to do up prototypes and production, but usually in the past, the concept images are only released after a prototype is produced to make sure it can work... so I expect a prototype revealed in the next few months, as they put it through its tests before production.

This is strange. The first images that were revealed the other day showed the book noting on its cover that this new Starscream is version 2, but the paragraph inside the book next to the Starscream image (was too small to read in the quoted link), notes "version 3"... so maybe the publisher got it wrong somewhere, and we still have no official word on what TakaraTomy are calling this toy.

[spiderken17]

The problem with buying a new Starscream is buying the other 5 (or more) seekers to match. No thanks, I will stick with my current set, I like both my kidneys where they are.

[High_Q]

The full-size scans from the Figure King hobby magazine that had the Starscream reveal (https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/07/31/figure-king-no-270-scans-netflixs-war-for-cybertron-earthtise-haslab-unicron-studio-series-masterpiece-starscream-ver-2-0-more-416181).This is strange. The first images that were revealed the other day showed the book noting on its cover that this new Starscream is version 2, but the paragraph inside the book next to the Starscream image (was too small to read in the quoted link), notes "version 3"...

If your reference was to the text to the bottom left hand of the frontal image of MP SS, then the text says "Convoy Ver. 3.0", with 'Convoy' in Japanese characters, if i'm not mistaken.

[griffin]

Ah thanks. If I had had more time I would have translated it to be sure.

[DELTAprime]

Grey prototype images of Starscream have appeared. Enjoy.

https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/new-grey-prototype-images-of-masterpiece-starscream-version-20/45163/

[High_Q]

Grey prototype images of Starscream have appeared. Enjoy.

Enjoyed. :) It looks very poseable and I like the animation model proportions. Its backpack is larger than MP SS v1.5's but the presence of wings make the backpack appear less bulky.

I still don't see any pics showing sideways waist rotation on this figure; maybe he doesn't articulate this way.

[Tha_Phantom]

Its backpack is larger than MP SS v1.5's

Guess V1.5 for MP-11 is a thing. I was saying that in a group chat last night too.

I could say I don't want to do MP seekers all over again but chances are I'd cave at some point, so may as well get on board now. Does look quite nice so far!

[griffin]

The images look to be from one of the main Japanese hobby magazines, so we should get some clearer scans soon.

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2020/082501.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2020/082502.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2020/082503.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2020/082504.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2020/082505.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2020/082506.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2020/082507.jpg

[Sinnertwin]

Couldn't be any more less interested in this version of Starscream & another set of Seekers.

[Unicran]

Couldn't be any more less interested in this version of Starscream & another set of Seekers.
Why you be like that. I'm already looking forward to V3.14159265358979

[Ralph Wiggum]

Boy, TT are really going for the ?bugger the rear look? approach aren?t they? I mean the older designs weren?t 100% perfect but at least they looked decent from all angles.

[yoshi594]

i dig it. the back looks pretty neat imo. I just hope there's no electronics to bump up the price..

[Borgeman]

You kinda accept another refinement of say Optimus Prime - he is the figurehead of the toyline and will always be one for maximum optimisation (and sales), and he is a unique mold so you buy him and you're done for that mold character wise, repaints are just for profiteering. But Starscream generates a MINIMUM of 5 genuine repaints/retools for the other primary G1 toon characters - and they've already released them all once before. It just speaks volumes of them knowing they can milk collectors imo.

[neomoz]

Chest looks too boxy, the toon version drawings had nice rounded corners on the chest. No waist articulation again is a bummer, there is ab crunch though, all the mass is shifted to the backpack for tail wings, seen this done on 3rd party SS.

Hard to get excited for this, been really happy with wfc stuff lately, I don't feel like replacing my MP11 set and we know this is going to be pricey.

[Seraphim Prime]

Looking at how the wings open up, it looks like there's a panel that covers the tail fins, which fold up towards the back, and then twist sideways to hide beneath the lifted panel.

If that's true, it just speaks to my current dissatisfaction with the current direction of the MP line, which seems to be overengineering the figure and sacrificing playability and in order to get maximum likeness.

It's partly what has had me go pretty much all in on Siege and Earthrise as Shogo Hasui is now leading the engineering for those figures, and they now seem to have the same balance of character accuracy and engineering that made the MP-10 era of figures that he designed so satisfying.

[SharkyMcShark]

If that's true, it just speaks to my current dissatisfaction with the current direction of the MP line, which seems to be overengineering the figure and sacrificing playability and in order to get maximum likeness.

It's partly what has had me go pretty much all in on Siege and Earthrise as Shogo Hasui is now leading the engineering for those figures, and they now seem to have the same balance of character accuracy and engineering that made the MP-10 era of figures that he designed so satisfying.

Right with you there.

[Sinnertwin]

Why you be like that. I'm already looking forward to V3.14159265358979

I dunno... I guess the thought of taking two and a half g's and parking it on a shelf just didn't appeal to me this time...

[Lord_Zed]

I think it looks alright, but not sufficiently amazing from the previous seeker mold to justify getting a whole set, even less so compared to the third party one Maketoys released.

I may get one though, as I do enjoy complex engineering if done well.

[Bidoofdude]

I am very curious to see the final product for Starscream. So far the pictures seem to show him as being a lot more smooth and dynamic than past versions.

Whether this actually puts a lot of collectors over the line is yet to be seen. So many bought the many various versions of MP-11 which was from a time of the not super duper expensive MPs. Recently we've gone into that super expensive territory, probably beginning with Sunstreaker. If this new one has that uber expensive price for not much improvement, I see potentially a lot more people being turned off. Gone are the days of good deals on figures like Ultra Magnus.

[griffin]

As expected, clear scans of the Figure King magazine have been posted up (https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/08/28/figure-king-no-270-scans-masterpiece-starscream-ver-2-0-siege-earthrise-netflixs-war-for-cybertron-studio-series-more-418214), showing off Starscream.

[Autocon]

Who is the two headed orange figure? What does it transform into?

Thundercracker is a very light pale blue that ive never seen before

[Sinnertwin]

Who is the two headed orange figure? What does it transform into?

Thundercracker is a very light pale blue than ive seen before

Doublecrosser.
Ramp/Shield

[Skyfire]

I'll probably get Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp (not really a coneheads fan). I only have MP-07 Starscream and missed all the MP-11s. This version is perhaps the definitive cartoon Starscream like MP-36 and MP-44 were from Megatron and Optimus. But too bad they can't make a straight air intake become gently curved.

If Starscream comes out in 2021, how long before Thundercracker and Skywarp come along do you think?

[griffin]

Scans from a new Figure King Magazine in Japan (https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/09/26/transformers-masterpiece-starscream-ver-2-0-prototype-new-images-420612), showing off more of the Starscream figure (grey prototype).

[High_Q]

TFSource has preorders (https://tfsource.com/masterpiece-transformers/transformers-masterpiece-mp-52-starscream-version-20/) up for MP-52 Starscream v2.0, at USD275 ea. There are blurred coloured images of this item too.

[Skyfire]

TFSource has preorders (https://tfsource.com/masterpiece-transformers/transformers-masterpiece-mp-52-starscream-version-20/) up for MP-52 Starscream v2.0, at USD275 ea. There are blurred coloured images of this item too.

Wow, that's about AUD$400. This will really have to be the definitive version for that price. And even then...

[Trent]

Wow, that's about AUD$400. This will really have to be the definitive version for that price. And even then...

So that’s $2400 for the main 6.

Lol.

[mikebrucewayne]

Coloured images!
https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/10/08/transformers-masterpiece-starscream-2-0-new-stock-images-421503#images

It's a yes from me!

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'm really happy for those who will pick up this one...he looks really nice.

But it's a no for me based on already have the seeker set and price.

[Tha_Phantom]

Seeing the in colour images shows the drastic improvement this is over MP-11. I was thinking I might just grab Screamer but put me down for the trio.

[Jetfire in the sky]

Does anyone else think that the vertical tail fins are simply removed rather than part of the transformation? The figure looks great in bot mode but there are some decent design compromises for the F-15.

[1AZRAEL1]

Ya know, it does look like the tail fins are simply removed. Well, that kinda sucks a bit. But if it's AU$400+, a definite no. Even it's half that I'd only consider it. Engineering aside, I think I've been priced out of collecting MP.

[nalops]

Does anyone else think that the vertical tail fins are simply removed rather than part of the transformation? The figure looks great in bot mode but there are some decent design compromises for the F-15.

Nah, they're inside the robot mode wings. You can just see them in the 5th pic but you can kinda tell how they store in the gerwalk mode.

[1AZRAEL1]

Oh yea, now I can see it. Must have some interesting transformation then.

[High_Q]

Even more clear coloured images of MP-52 from other angles mirrored from TFW2005 (https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/10/08/transformers-masterpiece-mp-52-starscream-2-0-additional-stock-images-product-information-421555). The alt mode looks animation accurate from all angles, even the bottom. The bot mode's back and side views are OK (can't get any worse than Bumblebee v2, i guess).

[jimoinj]

Looks absolutely superb. I hope they can avoid the quality control issues which plagued recent releases like Optimus Prime and Hound.

[Deano85]

Looks absolutely superb. I hope they can avoid the quality control issues which plagued recent releases like Optimus Prime and Hound.

I'm glad I'm waiting for Thundercracker. At least I'll see how everyone goes with Starscream first

[SharkyMcShark]

I just can't bring myself to like this. It feels like a step back from even MP-03. The alt mode is worse, and I'll concede that while the bot mode is more accurate to the cartoon than MP-03 and MP-11, it's still not particularly accurate.

[valkyrie_76]

Up on AmiAmi = $283 and HLJ = $320

[Tha_Phantom]

Up on AmiAmi = $283 and HLJ = $320

Thanks, just preordered with AmiAmi.

[Sinnertwin]

I'll be that guy
It's $499 at EB Games with a $50 deposit.

https://www.ebgames.com.au/product/toys-and-collectibles/268355-transformers-transformers-masterpiece-starscream-mp-52-version-20-figure

[Jazzman]

I'll be that guy
It's $499 at EB Games with a $50 deposit.

https://www.ebgames.com.au/product/toys-and-collectibles/268355-transformers-transformers-masterpiece-starscream-mp-52-version-20-figure

That doesn?t seem right... surely that price is just a placeholder?!!!

[mikebrucewayne]

far out. ebgames is making a handsome profit from that price.
im hoping i can travel to hk in the future and buy it at a decent price.
only downside is it doesnt have a coronation set. would have been perfect with that.

[spiderken17]

Count me out at that price.

[Skyfire]

OMP's preorder price is SGD$280 (~AUD$300 or ~$325 shipped). The prices of MPs are seriously expensive now but since this mould is the definitive version of Starscream and the other G1 jets, and since I only have an MP-07, I'll get the main 3 and call it quits for G1 jets forever.

[Zippo]

I think am I done with Masterpiece Transformers; I haven't been a fan of the change to "hyper cartoon accuracy" and I can see that new Masterpieces are probably just going to be V2/3 of the older Masterpieces to make sure they all look alike.
Not to mention the increasing cost (due to the extra complex Transformations to hide things?) ..

[griffin]

I couldn't justify the expense of Optimus v3 or BW Megatron... and have trouble wanting to buy a lot of the recent ones due to their higher prices... this one I've decided against getting as well. :(

[SharkyMcShark]

I think am I done with Masterpiece Transformers; I haven't been a fan of the change to "hyper cartoon accuracy" and I can see that new Masterpieces are probably just going to be V2/3 of the older Masterpieces to make sure they all look alike.
Not to mention the increasing cost (due to the extra complex Transformations to hide things?) ..

They're barely Transformers anymore. Most of them turn completely inside out more than transform. The vehicle mode hides the robot parts, and the robot mode entirely hides the vehicle parts and replaces them with G1 cartoon accurate kibble. It's uninteresting.

[1AZRAEL1]

I couldn't justify the expense of Optimus v3 or BW Megatron... and have trouble wanting to buy a lot of the recent ones due to their higher prices... this one I've decided against getting as well. :(

I couldn't justify Optimus V3 either. And I only have BW Megatron because of the generosity of Hursty. I wanted him to fill out my BW collection a bit better, but had trouble affording him. Starscream V3 I'm like, "another Starcream, really?" just has me turned away from buying more. And SharkyMcShark has it right, they're kinda uninteresting when it's pretty much all panel forming.

[Lord_Zed]

They're barely Transformers anymore. Most of them turn completely inside out more than transform. The vehicle mode hides the robot parts, and the robot mode entirely hides the vehicle parts and replaces them with G1 cartoon accurate kibble. It's uninteresting.

For me it's, the opposite, I a actually really like it when they use a bit of clever trickery to account for the impossibility of cartoon morphing, it makes the transformations (which can be quite complex) a more satisfying interaction. The main toy line seems to have gone down the more straightforward G1 toy with modern design look that Masterpiece used to be, so it feels like MP's are going the complex translation and ultra toony way just to separate the two lines.

That said I'm not defending everything about the MP line, it is prohibitively expensive, and much like the main toy line they keep releasing the same G1 characters over and over again.

I will probably end up getting Starscream so I can sample the design and the transformation and see how they pull it off, but once I've done that I can't see why I'd want to get any repaints at that price.

[Skyfire]

The transforming away of the horizontal and vertical stabilisers is what has me sold. That is not a small thing in terms of cartoon accuracy (if that's what you value). I also like the folding of those bottom spikes of the wings (where the wings abut the air intakes) compared to MP-11.

But still, the price...

On the bright side, I can't imagine another Megatron or Optimus, so this is probably it for the G1 jets. And maybe all the rich collectors who fork out for the main 6 (or more?) allow HasTak to develop MP Mirage or Jazz or Trailbreaker or Galvatron... dunno.

[Omega Metro]

As gorgeous as it looks, I ain’t forking out $500 for it. As well as the prospect of another 5 x$500 for the other seekers.

[Tha_Phantom]

As gorgeous as it looks, I ain’t forking out $500 for it. As well as the prospect of another 5 x$500 for the other seekers.

Nor should you, but lucky there are stores which aren't EB who are charging around $300 for it before shipping. :p

[Omega Metro]

Nor should you, but lucky there are stores which aren't EB who are charging around $300 for it before shipping. :p

Yeah, but even at $300, it’s just not worth the expense for me unfortunately. I’m getting too old for this.:)

[Kyle]

I couldn't justify the expense of Optimus v3 or BW Megatron... and have trouble wanting to buy a lot of the recent ones due to their higher prices... this one I've decided against getting as well. :(

To date, I have continued to collect every single release, and almost all of the exclusives, but not the cross-over ones with other brands. But the last one I actually opened and played with was Ironhide from a few years ago.

The prices on new MPs have gotten ridiculous for a while, now even more so. If I didn't start off collecting from the very beginning, I probably would not have been motivated to continue collecting the new ones.

The high price also puts me off from opening and playing with one. I fear I'd scratch the paint or damage the toy in some way. The Siege / Earthrise lines are giving me the same characters and more satisfaction at the moment.


They're barely Transformers anymore. Most of them turn completely inside out more than transform. The vehicle mode hides the robot parts, and the robot mode entirely hides the vehicle parts and replaces them with G1 cartoon accurate kibble. It's uninteresting.

I agree with this. Convoy v3 does look very good in both modes and I did get him. But I can't help but feel the MP transformation on these recent ones "cheat" a lot. All the parts on the surface of the robots are "fake" car parts. I much prefer the windows on Prime's chest being the actual truck windows as on MP Convoy v2. It is so iconic and one part I could not forgive for any "cheating"...

[Kyle]

As gorgeous as it looks, I ain’t forking out $500 for it. As well as the prospect of another 5 x$500 for the other seekers.

I also fear most of them would end up as TakaraTomy Mall exclusives... which would limit the number of online retailers being able to carry them...

[jimoinj]

To date, I have continued to collect every single release, and almost all of the exclusives, but not the cross-over ones with other brands. But the last one I actually opened and played with was Ironhide from a few years ago.

The prices on new MPs have gotten ridiculous for a while, now even more so. If I didn't start off collecting from the very beginning, I probably would not have been motivated to continue collecting the new ones.

The high price also puts me off from opening and playing with one. I fear I'd scratch the paint or damage the toy in some way. The Siege / Earthrise lines are giving me the same characters and more satisfaction at the moment.



I agree with this. Convoy v3 does look very good in both modes and I did get him. But I can't help but feel the MP transformation on these recent ones "cheat" a lot. All the parts on the surface of the robots are "fake" car parts. I much prefer the windows on Prime's chest being the actual truck windows as on MP Convoy v2. It is so iconic and one part I could not forgive for any "cheating"...

I disagree, I don't think it's "cheating." The reality is, one of the modes, more likely the robot mode, is going to lose aesthetically if various vehicle parts aren't fake. Unless there was a way to physically make them smaller and change shape when in robot mode, since that's what they essentially do in the cartoon. It's like asking for Masterpiece Megatron to mass-shift into a much smaller handgun that can be held by other Transformers. And no one was calling for that.

More generally, I think the popularity of third-party companies with hyper-toon looking MPs is forcing Takara to attempt to match them/keep up with the competition.

[griffin]

Even if $300, you can't have 1 without at least Skywarp and Thùndercracker to match that style... and if they have plans for coneheads or other seekers, it will be more difficult to say no to a larger matching set.

[Tha_Phantom]

Even if $300, you can't have 1 without at least Skywarp and Thùndercracker to match that style... and if they have plans for coneheads or other seekers, it will be more difficult to say no to a larger matching set.

I don't see the problem here... :p

Just stirring. I know that factor is what's putting many off and I get that. I'm sold on at least getting the main three, but I will have to see if the coneheads can entice me or not.

[Krayt]

I actually think that a higher price suggests that the repaints are NOT planned to follow.

Look at recent excessively priced MPs

Hound
BW Megs
BW Dinobot
BW BA
BW Tigatron

The high price of Starscream lends to the mould not being planned for multiple repaints.

[Kyle]

I actually think that a higher price suggests that the repaints are NOT planned to follow.

Look at recent excessively priced MPs

Hound
BW Megs
BW Dinobot
BW BA
BW Tigatron

The high price of Starscream lends to the mould not being planned for multiple repaints.

That's not a bad theory, quite probable. I kept buying the repaints for the sake of "completeness" of my collection, even though I'd rather them to stop!

[jimoinj]

I understand cost is a concern re: getting the whole set. But if I couldn't afford them all -note they r not necessarily coming out at once - I would either give up something (eg. give up all non-masterpiece transformers - their cost really adds up as there are so many of them), or I would just get one of my favourite character (probably Starscream). Some toys though look too good not to get. Mind u, I don't want one with QC issues and I avoided Prime version 3 because of that and the ridiculous cost (we thought Unicron was expensive).

[Kyle]

I wish TakaraTomy would give us MP versions of Jazz, Mirage, Hoist, Trailbreaker, Skids and Cliffjumper etc. before planning any more version 2 or 3.

[graza78]

I actually think that a higher price suggests that the repaints are NOT planned to follow.

Look at recent excessively priced MPs

Hound
BW Megs
BW Dinobot
BW BA
BW Tigatron

The high price of Starscream lends to the mould not being planned for multiple repaints.

Prime V3 was a very expensive mould and got a nemesis repaint already.

[Tha_Phantom]

Prime V3 was a very expensive mould and got a nemesis repaint already.

Correct and it is the most expensive MP to date as well.

Also, MP52 Starscream isn't THAT badly priced. Okay it IS more expensive than previous Screamers, but given that it's on the larger side of things and increased complexity I actually think this is one of the better priced modern MPs, especially considering that the coneheads were only $50 cheaper and this is more complex than those.

[Ralph Wiggum]

It is absolutely assured that we will get Thundercracker, Skywarp and any other repaints which can be imagined. This is Takara Tomy we?re talking about.

[Skyfire]

It makes good financial sense to do repaints. What makes plastic toys expensive are the moulds. That's why model kit aeroplanes and tanks cost insane amounts for a bit of plastic - the chemical plastic is trivial, but the moulds are gold. I've said before that I'm not a fan of coneheads and here's why. When I was kid I thought it was a rip off that the cartoon made Dirge, Ramjet and Thrust not fold their cones down (when the toys all shared the same fuselages) to differ them from Starscream, Skywarp and Thundercracker. To me, it was an obvious attempt to reuse the moulds without looking like reusing the moulds. And guess what, many incarnations of jets later (Masterpiece, non-Masterpiece, this line, that line) here we're are at MP-52 and a long history of repaints.

Also, thank you Dan Akroyd for reinforcing my non-obsession to collect coneheads (hated that movie for exactly the same reason - cones look stupid) :).

[Lord_Zed]

More generally, I think the popularity of third-party companies with hyper-toon looking MPs is forcing Takara to attempt to match them/keep up with the competition.

I disagree, as the third party companies generally had a level of stylization in their offerings up until Takara started going the full toon route with Ironhide. Since then the third parties making MP style toys followed suite, and started to reduce the surface detail. When it comes to Transformers Takara and Hasbro set the rules, third parties are a little fish by comparison.

I think Takara went the full toon style because of A: the designer and B: the highly source accurate appearance of expensive collectors toys from other franchises.

In the case of Starscream it's kind of funny when people argue that this new version is too slavish to the toon, when the first MP Starscream was criticised for deviating too much from the source.

[Tha_Phantom]

I think Takara went the full toon style because of A: the designer and B: the highly source accurate appearance of expensive collectors toys from other franchises.

Yeah, 3P had nothing to do with it. Takara have been making gradual steps toward toon accuracy for a long time, you could even argue as far back as the G1 reissues of the early 2000s with changes like red or blue eyes and adding extra accessories. It's just that now with MPs it's gone completely toon with zero G1 toy influence (aside from the + repaints).


In the case of Starscream it's kind of funny when people argue that this new version is too slavish to the toon, when the first MP Starscream was criticised for deviating too much from the source.

This is the best thing I've read in a long time.

[dirge]

I wish TakaraTomy would give us MP versions of Jazz, Mirage, Hoist, Trailbreaker, Skids and Cliffjumper etc. before planning any more version 2 or 3.

This. I understand there are licensing issues with Jazz, but I would happily shell out my hard earned for each of the Autobots Kyle mentioned. Even at $200-300 a pop.

I have zero interest in a second MP Starscream. I am perfectly happy with my Hasbro MP Starscream, MP-6 Skywarp & MP-7 Thundercracker.

[GoktimusPrime]

I think Takara went the full toon style because of A: the designer and B: the highly source accurate appearance of expensive collectors toys from other franchises.
C: Because fans keep demanding "CaRt0oN aKkURaSe3~!" :rolleyes:

...which doesn't even make sense considering that the G1 toys existed first... but wateva. If fans keep demanding to have new G1 toys that resemble the cartoon, then TakaraTOMY will continue to step up to meet this demand.

[Krayt]

Prime V3 was a very expensive mould and got a nemesis repaint already.

Yeah.... and I was going to put a bit to seperate him due to the trailer... extra empty cost, not covered in Nemesis repaint etc etc...

[Krayt]

C: Because fans keep demanding "CaRt0oN aKkURaSe3~!" :rolleyes:

...

No we don’t.... never demanded it once

[Magnus]

Starscream looks amazing, especially in colour, but even before the prices were announced, I found I didn't have a strong desire to buy this figure, even with a fear of missing out. Putting it next to MP-11 will probably make the older figure look bad in comparison, but unlike Optimus, I'm happy enough with MP-11 and don't feel a need to upgrade.

I think I'll just enjoy this one vicariously by looking at photos and videos of it.


I actually think that a higher price suggests that the repaints are NOT planned to follow.

Look at recent excessively priced MPs

Hound
BW Megs
BW Dinobot
BW BA
BW Tigatron

The high price of Starscream lends to the mould not being planned for multiple repaints.

The high prices likely reflect the development costs and a desire to make back the R&D money on initial release. None of the Beast Wars figures really have repaint potential. Hound could potentially get the 'plus' treatment or even get repainted as Detritus, either one as a store exclusive, but I doubt they would sell as well as regular releases. Besides, it seems very strange to spend money developing a new Starscream and not further monetise the work that went into development of the figure by making redecos of it. Like Skyfire typed, these things aren't cheap, and it makes sense to monetise the moulding with repaints.


I wish TakaraTomy would give us MP versions of Jazz, Mirage, Hoist, Trailbreaker, Skids and Cliffjumper etc. before planning any more version 2 or 3.

Yeah, I get that. I want Jazz and Mirage and Galvatron and Cyclonus, but I also accept that a new version of a popular character like Starscream (and its repaints) will help to pay for R&D on those new figures.


C: Because fans keep demanding "CaRt0oN aKkURaSe3~!" :rolleyes:

...which doesn't even make sense considering that the G1 toys existed first... but wateva. If fans keep demanding to have new G1 toys that resemble the cartoon, then TakaraTOMY will continue to step up to meet this demand.

The cartoon existed to sell toys, and doubtless there were children who thought it was strange that the toys of several characters bore a passing resemblance at best to the characters on-screen. I can understand if the idea is to give nostalgic collectors faithful figures of what they saw on-screen as children.

[Skyfire]

It's clear that MPs are only going to get more expensive. The push to cartoon accuracy means more folding parts/panels to create the smoothened anime look. More parts means more moulds. I don't know how much goes into the cost of MP moulds but I've read that the cost of model kit moulds are in the tens of thousands of dollars. For high end model kits, the moulds can cost $200,000 according to this (https://www.agapemodels.com/2007/09/05/accurate-miniatures-a-behind-the-scenes-look/).

[kovert]

More parts also means more time is required by factory workers to assemble each item. As the saying goes 'time is money'.

Starscream version 3 is a nice looking toy.

[graza78]

MP-52 looks good. I'm not offended by the price, and might pick it up. Gonna wait to see how the QC is first though. Don't need another junker like MP Hound.

[primatives]

Anyone know how much this will retail for? Ive zeen prices range from 300 to 400.

May consider if its low 300s.

[griffin]

In Japan it is about 30,000 yen (which is close to AU$400 before shipping), while EB Games here had it listed for AU$499.
Asian sources might be less, as they often are.

[Tha_Phantom]

Mine is 21,500yen/$266aud from AmiAmi before postage.

[griffin]

It looks like the new version of Starscream will still be able to have the 1986 Movie coronation outfit (https://news.tfw2005.com/2021/02/13/mp-52-skywarp-and-coronation-starscream-add-on-set-confirmed-428850)... but it is something that you will have to apply for, after buying three Seeker Masterpiece toys - Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp. (which effectively announces officially that there will be a Skywarp, not that it was a surprise)

The details are on the Thundercracker product page at TTM (https://takaratomymall.jp/shop/g/g4904810172611/) - To get the coronation kit, you will need to send in a feedback form that will be packed with MP Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp, which are likely to require a Japanese address as the sender's address... so these might end up being very limited, and very expensive for anyone outside of Japan wanting it.

It also notes that both Thundercracker and Skywarp will be called MP-52+ .... which could be confusing, for anyone using the numbers for cataloguing or as an abbreviation.

[griffin]

MP52 should be out soon, and some more promo images have been tweeted out by TakaraTomy (https://news.tfw2005.com/2021/06/04/transformers-masterpiece-mp-52-starscream-2-0-color-sample-images-434709).

(the robot mode looks like a SFC figurine... and yet some how transforms into a jet)

[Skyfire]

Should be shipping around now. Anime Export (https://www.anime-export.com/index.php?product=49558) is releasing 25/6/21. Robot Kingdom (https://www.robotkingdom.com/tftrmp52.html) is releasing 26/6/21 and has some box pictures I've not seen before.

[danny-boy]

Should be shipping around now. Anime Export (https://www.anime-export.com/index.php?product=49558) is releasing 25/6/21. Robot Kingdom (https://www.robotkingdom.com/tftrmp52.html) is releasing 26/6/21 and has some box pictures I've not seen before.

Robot Kingdom jacked up the price.

It seems to be sold out on the Japanese online stores. I don?t think I?ve ever seen that in the MP line.

[griffin]

They must be really reducing the production numbers on these MP toys now, to not only justify the excessive prices (as limited edition pricing), but to also make sure that they don't "shelfwarm" forcing retailers to discount it back to a more affordable price, which collectors would then learn to wait for in future (losing the retailers money, and cutting back on future orders, which affects TakaraTomy on later products).

Just like the 3rd Optimus and some of the bigger Beast MPs, I just can't justify spending that much money on a "toy" that will probably only be transformed twice and then put on display in the Masterpiece shelf for the rest of its life. For me it has to have play value if it doesn't have size value.

[Skyfire]

Robot Kingdom jacked up the price.

They did - they were USD$199.90 (now $229.9) for a while as a preorder ($71 shipping). Robotoybase (chimungmung/Tony, also Hong Kong) also raised their price from $229.90 preorder to $239.90 and is available to buy now ($35 shipping).

[Skyfire]

First youtube review by Chosen Prime (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQINVWuA0uU). I like him but expensive.

[mikebrucewayne]

where would you guys recommend is the best place to order this guy?

[High_Q]

The official Takara Tomy MP-52 page has an MP-52 transformation video (https://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/products-lineup/tf_mp/mp-52).

[Skyfire]

Reports of some QC problems are coming through from TFW2005. Some emerging themes:


Hairline cracking around the base of the right vertical fin (https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/attachments/20210706_142152-jpg.29137810/) straight out of the box or during gentle rotation of the fin. This seems to be a particular issue but not on all copies. Oddly the right side is reported more than the left.
Cracking around the ankle (https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/mp-52-starscream-flaw-tracking-and-fixes-thread.1216482/page-2#post-19310921).
Loose ankles (with or without the cracking).
2 faces that are the same.

Reports from here (https://news.tfw2005.com/2021/06/24/transformers-masterpiece-mp-52-starscream-2-0-in-hand-images-436118) and here (https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/mp-52-starscream-flaw-tracking-and-fixes-thread.1216482/).

[Tha_Phantom]

Reports of some QC problems are coming through from TFW2005. Some emerging themes:


Hairline cracking around the base of the right vertical fin (https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/attachments/20210706_142152-jpg.29137810/) straight out of the box or during gentle rotation of the fin. This seems to be a particular issue but not on all copies. Oddly the right side is reported more than the left.
Cracking around the ankle (https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/mp-52-starscream-flaw-tracking-and-fixes-thread.1216482/page-2#post-19310921).
Loose ankles (with or without the cracking).
2 faces that are the same.

Reports from here (https://news.tfw2005.com/2021/06/24/transformers-masterpiece-mp-52-starscream-2-0-in-hand-images-436118) and here (https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/mp-52-starscream-flaw-tracking-and-fixes-thread.1216482/).

I'm surprised that nobody has broken the nosecone in twisting it for transformation. I really felt like I was going to snap it off when I did it and I know I'm not the only person who was concerned about that.

[Skyfire]

I'm surprised that nobody has broken the nosecone in twisting it for transformation. I really felt like I was going to snap it off when I did it and I know I'm not the only person who was concerned about that.

Yes, you are not the only one. Someone on TFW2005 was even considering using pliers, such was the stiffness.

[graza78]

Watched Bobby Skullface's review. The one he reviewed really struggled to stand up (loose knees and ridiculously loose ankles). Gonna skip this bot. Takara is on a bad QC roll.

[danny-boy]

I bought 2 copies, neither has cracks and the nosecone twist was the easiest part of the transformation. Ankles are solid. Actually the whole figure is rock solid. Easily the best MP ever released. I?d say it?s the best Transformers figure released in general. The transformation is beautiful. The aesthetics, paint, and materials are gorgeous in hand.

I can?t wait for Thundercracker and Skywarp.

[Tha_Phantom]

Transformed this a few times over the weekend. A lot smoother after the first go, I guess a few things just needed to be loosened up - the nosecone is no longer an issue. I agree with most of danny-boy above, it's a gorgeous MP. The transformation is pretty clever and I love how they've cleaned up the robot mode proportions over MP-3 and MP-11. My favourite part is how the adjustable thrusters behind the feet allow for super easy posing, I can even balance it on a bed with minimal effort. This character was definitely worth getting a redo, at least more than Prime or Bumblebee anyway.
Can't wait to see the classic seeker trio together!

[Smint]

I thought I was out of the MP game, last MP I bought was Sunstreaker but then by chance I saw Starscream and how beautiful it looked. He got me interested again but came back to see limited stock, high prices, QC issues. For 300 I'll bite but for 350+I just cant justify it.

Having said that I see where all the effort has gone. Individual finger joints, wrist hinge, ab crunch, full neck hinge, paint finish, accessories. The overall likeness is the Starscream from my childhood. MP-11 is junk compared to him.

[Skyfire]

I took the plunge and bought him for about $380 - okay price, neither low nor high. I really like him but I can see why many would baulk at the price, especially given the known quality issues. For me, the price is worth the definitiveness of the model (I was never thrilled with MP-07's robot mode). As for quality, I can tolerate what I've reported below but I know other people wouldn't.

Report on my copy:

[1] Like many others, out of the box I have (2) hairline cracks at the base of the right vertical stabiliser and very faint lines but not cracking at the left. The stabilisers rotate firmly but not stiff to the point of worry. And the cracks don't open up with rotation. It's been nearly 2 months since these stabiliser cracks were first reported on TFW2005 and they don't seem to get worse (even if they crack on 1st transformation). Given how common these cracks occur, getting a replacement copy might be just as disappointing. It's amazing why the right cracks more than the left - there is something going on with the manufacturing process.

[2] My ankles are crack free and not loose, which is another common issue, but are not firm either. Certainly they are not floppy like some others. My copy can stand with straight legs, unlike some, but tilt him forward more than 5 degrees and he shifts to rest with the tops of his feet against his shins (the Michael Jackson lean). Despite his ankles not being floppy, I'm wary of bumping the desk/shelf and him tilting forward then falling over his toes.

[3] One of my thrusters is a bit loose and it's due to the rivet not pushing the two light grey, semicircular parts that have little notches, together firmly. But the afterburner effect is still held in position fine. And standing is not affected.

[4] In jet mode, one of the air intakes doesn't tab strongly into the pointy wing bit and so can get bumped out of place. The intake doesn't flop down as there's enough friction at the pin anyway.

[5] One of the rear landing gear is loose to the point of rattling inside the foot but it locks into place just fine and is then firm. It simply rotates on a pin and is accessible to joint stiffener solution.

[6] All my faces are correct (none missing, no duplicates), and indeed 100% perfect - not a single blemish on any.

[7] Both my front wing hinges seem correct. Some have reported the same hinges on both wings, rather than left and right. I think mine are correct and not swapped left and right, from seeing various images. But I've read a post (https://www.tfw2005.com/boards/threads/mp-52-starscream-face-matchmaker-thread.1216361/#post-19321373) on TFW2005 that would say mine are swapped (apparently they push in-out so they are probably not hard to swap over). It they are swapped over, it doesn't appear to cause problems.

[8] A minor stress mark at the left front hip flap in front of a pin.

[9] A few minor paint scratches, a couple of errant paint dots - the usual for MP.

[10] Both forearm panels rest ajar.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51392667678_beb79a85ff_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/7fdq23)

[11] My nose cone was stiff to rotation but not to the point of worrying about breaking.

[12] One of the knee pad vents is slightly crooked but not really noticeable.

[13] No cracks or stress marks of the blue forearm plastic (a few have reported this plastic crumbling).

[14] Knee ratchets are fine and equal, but certainly not strong - light clicks rather than clunking. Hip ratchets are strong and equal. Some people have reported lack of ratcheting. Starscream is very top heavy (similar to MP-36 Megatron, MP-29 Shockwave or MP-44 Prime) and his knees are far too weak to pass the "holding your figure by the lower legs while horizontal without knee bend" test (unlike my 36/29/44).

[15] Edit: There is also extra plastic flash at the right elbow of mine. At first I thought I caused damage by transformation but, looking at the joint, there is no rubbing. Other copies on youtube videos can have them on one or both elbows (the official Takara instruction video has both affected). So it is a moulding issue.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51409078356_2e5cccd35b_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/80P3Rd)

[16] Edit: My right hand stub is very slightly too thick, so the drill and claw hand accessories can't attach. However, it is easy to fix by gentle sanding of one side of the stub.

Tips:

When pushing the foot into the grey locking tab, I suggest not pushing the back of the leg (squeezing it against the foot). The foot and thruster are joined to the leg by a single plastic column, which has a rivet in it. If you push the back of the leg, the force goes through this column. This is a reported site of cracking, which might lead to loose ankles and/or breakage of the foot and thruster from the leg. I suggest squeezing the foot against the plastic bit that is part of that locking tab. Same goes for unlocking the foot.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51392408681_8819081241_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/jg83Q8)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51392408686_df7d7bc186_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/1B531Z)

When folding the bottom half of the nose/cockpit backwards, there's a design problem where two plastic right angles have to curve around each other, and so one or both corners gets squashed. Such plastic deformation can be seen in youtube videos too. There doesn't seem to be a perfect way to avoid it. I tried keeping the rectangular panel with the pin in it as horizontal as possible by sort of pulling it outwards and over the corner it rubs against.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51393422880_4f34907a52_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/p8N3x0)

Be wary of the pointy wing bit when moving things around as they are prone to getting bent or trapped and broken.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51392408731_7d3f249183_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/3S983B)

Be wary of the plastic canopy getting caught on the inside edges of the waist to avoid breakage. Make sure the folded up nose/cockpit is flush as shown, and pushed up so the flat area under the head comes up to the top of the faux canopy (or near enough).

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51391646982_3959bb5cf3_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/26j05v)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51392667808_e1f73a611a_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/LN6Nr1)

[spiderken17]

Thats really detailed and helpful to anyone getting/got it. I personally cant justify the price especially with that amount of QC issues. Good work though.

[High_Q]

Be wary of the pointy wing bit when moving things around as they are prone to getting bent or trapped and broken.


Is that a plastic stress mark on the hinge connecting that point wing bit to the rest of the wing? :|

[Skyfire]

Is that a plastic stress mark on the hinge connecting that point wing bit to the rest of the wing? :|

It looks like a very minor stress mark around the pin from insertion, worse in the photo than in life. It's superficial - it doesn't go deeply into the plastic. No crack or looseness of that hinge. I have seen reports of that hinge breaking though, which is why I advise care.

[Trent]

I took the plunge and bought him for about $380 - okay price, neither low nor high. I really like him but I can see why many would baulk at the price, especially given the known quality issues. For me, the price is worth the definitiveness of the model (I was never thrilled with MP-07's robot mode). As for quality, I can tolerate what I've reported below but I know other people wouldn't.

Report on my copy:

[1] Like many others, out of the box I have (2) hairline cracks at the base of the right vertical stabiliser and very faint lines but not cracking at the left. The stabilisers rotate firmly but not stiff to the point of worry. And the cracks don't open up with rotation. It's been nearly 2 months since these stabiliser cracks were first reported on TFW2005 and they don't seem to get worse (even if they crack on 1st transformation). Given how common these cracks occur, getting a replacement copy might be just as disappointing. It's amazing why the right cracks more than the left - there is something going on with the manufacturing process.

[2] My ankles are crack free and not loose, which is another common issue, but are not firm either. Certainly they are not floppy like some others. My copy can stand with straight legs, unlike some, but tilt him forward more than 5 degrees and he shifts to rest with the tops of his feet against his shins (the Michael Jackson lean). Despite his ankles not being floppy, I'm wary of bumping the desk/shelf and him tilting forward then falling over his toes.

[3] One of my thrusters is a bit loose and it's due to the rivet not pushing the two light grey, semicircular parts that have little notches, together firmly. But the afterburner effect is still held in position fine. And standing is not affected.

[4] In jet mode, one of the air intakes doesn't tab strongly into the pointy wing bit and so can get bumped out of place. The intake doesn't flop down as there's enough friction at the pin anyway.

[5] One of the rear landing gear is loose to the point of rattling inside the foot but it locks into place just fine and is then firm. It simply rotates on a pin and is accessible to joint stiffener solution.

[6] All my faces are correct (none missing, no duplicates), and indeed 100% perfect - not a single blemish on any.

[7] Both my front wing hinges seem correct. Some have reported the same hinges on both wings, rather than left and right. I think mine are correct and not swapped left and right, from seeing various images. But I've read a post on TFW2005 that would say mine are swapped (apparently they push in-out so they are probably not hard to swap over). It they are swapped over, it doesn't appear to cause problems.

[8] A minor stress mark at the left front hip flap in front of a pin.

[9] A few minor paint scratches, a couple of errant paint dots - the usual for MP.

[10] Both forearm panels rest ajar.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51392667678_beb79a85ff_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/7fdq23)

[11] My nose cone was stiff to rotation but not to the point of worrying about breaking.

[12] One of the knee pad vents is slightly crooked but not really noticeable.

[13] No cracks or stress marks of the blue forearm plastic (a few have reported this plastic crumbling).

[14] Knee ractchets are fine and equal, but certainly not strong - light clicks rather than clunking. Hip ractchets are strong and equal. Some people have reported lack of ratcheting. Starscream is very top heavy (similar to MP-36 Megatron, MP-29 Shockwave or MP-44 Prime) and his knees are far too weak to pass the "holding your figure by the lower legs while horizontal without knee bend" test (unlike my 36/29/44).

Tips:

When pushing the foot into the grey locking tab, I suggest not pushing the back of the leg (squeezing it against the foot). The foot and thruster are joined to the leg by a single plastic column, which has a rivet in it. If you push the back of the leg, the force goes through this column. This is a reported site of cracking, which might lead to loose ankles and/or breakage of the foot and thruster from the leg. I suggest squeezing the foot against the plastic bit that is part of that locking tab. Same goes for unlocking the foot.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51392408681_8819081241_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/jg83Q8)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51392408686_df7d7bc186_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/1B531Z)

When folding the bottom half of the nose/cockpit backwards, there's a design problem where two plastic right angles have to curve around each other, and so one or both corners gets squashed. Such plastic deformation can be seen in youtube videos too. There doesn't seem to be a perfect way to avoid it. I tried keeping the rectangular panel with the pin in it as horizontal as possible by sort of pulling it outwards and over the corner it rubs against.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51393422880_4f34907a52_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/p8N3x0)

Be wary of the pointy wing bit when moving things around as they are prone to getting bent or trapped and broken.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51392408731_7d3f249183_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/3S983B)

Be wary of the plastic canopy getting caught on the inside edges of the waist to avoid breakage. Make sure the folded up nose/cockpit is flush as shown, and pushed up so the flat area under the head comes up to the top of the faux canopy (or near enough).

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51391646982_3959bb5cf3_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/26j05v)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51392667808_e1f73a611a_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/LN6Nr1)

Thanks for the write up dude. I’ll be sure to reference it when my copy gets here in a few weeks.

[Skyfire]

Thats really detailed and helpful to anyone getting/got it. I personally cant justify the price especially with that amount of QC issues. Good work though.


Thanks for the write up dude. I’ll be sure to reference it when my copy gets here in a few weeks.

No problem fellas. I hope my experience helps others. Trent, the instruction sheet is not very helpful - it's hard to see what to do among all the "technical drawing" mess and some steps are missed or not well highlighted. I went straight to youtube videos like wotafa's. Even the official Takara video is unclear in a few places (but the hand model is great! :))

[1AZRAEL1]

YouTube videos are always the way to go I reckon. I've seen breakages on their reviews and makes it good for us of what to be careful of. Just like your photos and writeup highlighting things to look out for. Good stuff

[jimoinj]

I'm extremely disappointed in Takara for making such a definitive version with excellent sculpt and then ruining it with such major QC issues, and not having any afterservice or recourse for consumers. If it were in line with my expectations, they would do a recall, apology, and redo all the figures using better quality materials, better ratchets and perhaps a redesign of the ankles to avoid looseness/breakage. At a bare minimum, even if fragile, I expect a figure costing $200 plus to be able to stand without fear of falling over.

[Skyfire]

I was watching the Amazon JP website to get an idea of pricing. "Star Cream" eventually sold out and the listing disappeared, but this curious listing (https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Takara-Transformers-Masterpiece-Manufacturer-Inspection/dp/B09CPN1X3R/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=mp+52&qid=1629894758&sr=8-1) has appeared. It says "Manufacturer Inspection" and has a paucity of official details. The brand says "no brand product" according to online translation, and the product description says the items are used, are fluid in stock, may have "stains" and no returns allowed. There is also a card in Japanese in one of the photos. Can someone tell me what the gist of that is? I suspect these MP-52s are defective returns to AJP that they are selling as used, but I don't know. A private seller perhaps? There's no price as it's currently unavailable but I wonder how much they would go for.

The sad thing is that I know, from following the TFW2005 forums, that there would be people (and quite possibly sellers) who would buy rejects for parts for their broken copies.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I was watching the Amazon JP website to get an idea of pricing. "Star Cream" eventually sold out and the listing disappeared, but this curious listing (https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Takara-Transformers-Masterpiece-Manufacturer-Inspection/dp/B09CPN1X3R/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=mp+52&qid=1629894758&sr=8-1) has appeared. It says "Manufacturer Inspection" and has a paucity of official details. The brand says "no brand product" according to online translation, and the product description says the items are used, are fluid in stock, may have "stains" and no returns allowed. There is also a card in Japanese in one of the photos. Can someone tell me what the gist of that is? I suspect these MP-52s are defective returns to AJP that they are selling as used, but I don't know. A private seller perhaps? There's no price as it's currently unavailable but I wonder how much they would go for.

The sad thing is that I know, from following the TFW2005 forums, that there would be people (and quite possibly sellers) who would buy rejects for parts for their broken copies.

Yeah that's a marketplace listing from a shop and the Star Cream there is one that was broken, sent to TT for fixing and has come back fixed. It's probably in fine condition now, as it's been "fixed" but the seller not having any feedback or other information is dodgy as

[Skyfire]

Thanks so much, Tets. I had a laugh when I read "there may be some pain". That's MP-52 in nutshell - no pain, no gain. Ha ha.