Toy Review - Masterpiece ARCEE

[GoktimusPrime]

ARCEE
Series - Masterpiece
Sub-line - Generation 1
Size/class - N/A
New/remould/redeco - new mould
Wave - MP-51 (https://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/products-lineup/tf_mp/mp-51)
Released here - No (released in Japan late December 2020)
Approximate Retail Price - 17600yen (≈AU$225)
Approximate Size - 17.5cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - Car
Main Features/Gimmicks - retractable visor, interchangeable faces
Main Colours - pink and white
Main Accessories - pistol, blaster gun, rifle, blaster holster, x3 blast effect pieces, "crusher" spiked vehicle polearm, x3 additional faces (smiling, surprised, sad)

https://i.ibb.co/t2ycfZt/masterpiece-arcee01.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/L9gJYCV/masterpiece-arcee02.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/sKX2f9F/masterpiece-arcee03.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/281cZkp/masterpiece-arcee04.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/PmcZVfG/masterpiece-arcee05.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/w6jRrWV/masterpiece-arcee06.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/JFqsW22/masterpiece-arcee07.jpghttps://i.ibb.co/FqJ41hM/masterpiece-arcee08.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/FbRTg80/masterpiece-arcee09.jpghttps://i.ibb.co/cCmQQKH/masterpiece-arcee10.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/drjFH0H/masterpiece-arcee11.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/hWRhX85/masterpiece-arcee12.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/34Zy16w/masterpiece-arcee13.jpghttps://i.ibb.co/PZnWCwB/masterpiece-arcee14.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/kQVLZ9G/masterpiece-arcee15.jpghttps://i.ibb.co/DfxhgCZ/masterpiece-arcee16.jpg

[GoktimusPrime]

OVERALL THOUGHTS
* MP Arcee does a really good job in compacting the car mode into the backpack. The toy conceals all the wheels, windscreen and roof. It does an impressive job in compressing as much of the car mode into the back as possible. None of the kibble hangs below the buttocks (unlike the T30 toy), and it doesn't rely on partsforming like the ER figure. Given that it was tasked to do this plus be a cartoon-accurate and articulated figure, I think they've done an impressive job. :)
* This toy feels like a "Rich Man's Generations Arcee." Pretty much the T30 toy done with an MP budget. As such I do feel that the original Deluxe Class figure is better value for money.
* The car grill does become the robot chest; the only non-shellforming part of the car. Otherwise the rest of the car is carried on the back. Not surprisingly this does make the toy very top heavy and, coupled with having tiny feet, is a female dog to put into dynamic free-standing poses.
* Compared to the G1 cartoon mode, the white collar in the robot mode is oversized, creating an illusion of the breasts hanging low. Actually the breast line is cartoon accurate and the same as T30 and ER Arcee, but it's just that larger collar that makes it look lower than it actually is.
* The small pistol only has a handle tab on the right, meaning that Arcee can only hold it with her right hand. Whereas the blaster and rifle has tabs on both sides so she can hold them with either hand. Odd. Her dainty hands also means that she doesn't grip any of the weapons terribly firmly either.
* I don't see any obviously part of the toy's design that would make it easily modified to be a Headmaster (possibly for an MP+ version w/ Daniel, similar to what they did for MP Targetmaster Hot Rod) - but who knows.

https://i.ibb.co/kh0KrpG/masterpiece-arcee17.jpghttps://i.ibb.co/N9f2SRS/masterpiece-arcee18.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/fMhs5DG/masterpiece-arcee19.jpghttps://i.ibb.co/dK30HjC/masterpiece-arcee21.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/PmqDnkX/masterpiece-arcee20.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/PYRk1Pc/masterpiece-arcee23.jpg

Oddly enough, the guns on the Deluxe figure are larger than the MP's guns! :eek:
https://i.ibb.co/X4byd2P/masterpiece-arcee22.jpg

[Ralph Wiggum]

Thanks for the review Gok. Kudos to TT for bringing out a character which doesn?t have as many redeco potential. I?ve said since eyeing the prototype that the boob line was too low and was hoping for a fix but alas it is not to be. Not sure if given more time they could?ve worked around that issue.

Awaiting mine from Oh My Primus (fingers crossed) but bring on the rest of the 86 movie line !!!!

[High_Q]

Thanks for the review, and its heartening to read that you haven't noticed QC issues such as major paint chipping or fragile plastic.
It looks perfect in your pics in altmode, and worth getting for the altmode alone (ooh look at the details in that dashboard). Bot mode looks fine too and apart from the chest area, the other design compromises are understandable give the animation model. I hope a 3P company provides a chest add-on for this figure, though.

[GoktimusPrime]

I?ve said since eyeing the prototype that the boob line was too low and was hoping for a fix but alas it is not to be.

Bot mode looks fine too and apart from the chest area,
As I mentioned before, the chest itself is fine and actually quite accurate to the G1 model. The breast protrusion line is, when seen front on, just below the shoulders, and this is accurate. What creates the illusion of it being low is the larger collar. Not the chest, the collar. You can replace the chest all you like, but it will still look like it's too low because the collar is too long. The longer collar exists to hide a hinge used in transformation, but yeah, the issue is the collar, not the chest. If anything, MP Arcee's chest is "perkier" than the G1 model and other Arcee toys, most likely done to try and offset the larger collar.

https://i.ibb.co/kSVPNnm/masterpiece-arcee-chest.jpg

[loophole]

Her nipple line is accurate but her chest plate is all wrong the breasts pretty much start at her nipples and that's why it looks so wrong fix the collar and have the breasts start from her collar bone and would be x1000 better. Hopefully a 3rd party make a fix for it then I'll buy it.

[Jellico]

Same as the thrilling 30. Sharp, flat angle on the chest. Probably to make the join on the bonnet work so it is not completely shell forming. Excusable in a CHUG. Less so in a MP. Especially as we have seen others manage it successfully. And that remains my frustration with MP51. We have seen all the pieces before in 3rd Party and CHUG. All Takara had to do was pull those pieces together in an Arcee to rule them all. Instead we get a Thrilling 30 with a bit more articulation and better folded backpack.

Oh well. She still has the best car mode of all the competition.