MP-56 CLIFF (Masterpiece Cliffjumper) revealed

[GoktimusPrime]

We've all seen the leaked prototype photos (https://news.tfw2005.com/2021/07/26/possible-masterpiece-cliffjumper-prototype-images-438192), but now TakaraTOMY has officially revealed photos of Masterpiece Cliffjumper (MP-56 Cliff) in this video (https://youtu.be/DLzxrzFCyOs?t=85) (with English subtitles); Hisaishi Hirofumi has confirmed that TakaraTOMY have finally acquired the Porsche licence and that an MP Meister is in the works. Pre-orders are also available from EB Games (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fools%27_Day) from $55 - I've already ordered mine. :)

[Kranix]

Amazing news! Cheap too!

April fools indeed ;) I'm actually not interested in this MP due to the style, but still hanging for Jazz / Meister!

[GoktimusPrime]

I'm actually not interested in this MP due to the style, but still hanging for Jazz / Meister!
Volkswagen did allow TakaraTOMY to make a G1-accurate super deformed VW Beetle with MP45, although that was well after they did the real world accurately proportioned Beetle with MP21. Not sure if Cliffjumper is popular enough a character that they'd get away with doing both versions.

Perhaps they could engineer the vehicle to contract/elongate and have the rear wheels flip to switch between the Choro Q (Penny Racer) and real world proportioned Porsche 924; similar to how MP Sunstreaker and his redecos have the flippable bonnet to change between the Super Tuning and real world Countach. But yeah, Cliffjumper would definitely be tricky because on one hand Porsche would want to vehicle to look realistic, but on the other hand fans would want it to be deformed.

I'm personally fine with having an MP Cliffjumper with a realistically proportioned vehicle mode; the super deformed vehicle is only because the original toy, along with Bumblebee and Bumper, were meant to be Choro Q toy cars and not real world cars (re: Microman). It's a silly idea when you think about it. The Beetle and Mazda 323 don't look so bad as they're already compact cars IRL, but the Porsche 924 is virtually unrecognisable. To me, having an accurately proportioned Porsche 924 mode would actually be a correction; what Cliffjumper should have looked like. And this is what I like about Earthrise Cliffjumper; okay, sure, the alt mode bears closer resemblance to a Mitsubishi Starion for obvious legal reasons, but I love how he has a more realistically proportioned sports car mode (and yet stocky looking robot mode).

https://i.ibb.co/qW94nhN/cliffjumper-proportion.jpg

I wouldn't say no to a convertible vehicle mode, but a solely realistically proportioned Porsche 924 mode would suit me just fine. :) I personally kept my MP21 and skipped MP45 entirely. While I understand the appeal of MP45, MP21 and its more realistically proportioned VW Beetle mode appeals to me more. Because to me, these are robots in disguise, and no vehicle in real life looks like a squished up Porsche 924. Unless it's been crushed. :p

P.S.: pre-tooling MP Cliffjumper as MP Hubcap would also help reduce the cost of the mould (similar to how MP Skids was pretooled as MP Reboost and Crosscut etc.). And TakaraTOMY could release limited exclusive repaints of yellow MP Cliffjumper and G2 coloured MP Hubcap. MP21 was redecoed as red and G2 Bumblebee, so why not the same for Cliffjumper and Hubcap? :)
P.P.S.: MP Meister would obviously be pretooled as MP Ricochet^Stepper (who could finally complement MP Artfire).

[Lint]

Psh, doesn't even come with a bazooka accessory. I'll be sticking to the Earthrise release as the true MP Cliffjumper!

[Kranix]

Good post, GP.

I understood that Porsche made their own licencing calls, seperate to their parent company, VW?

Interestingly, Cliffjumper is not based on the standard 924, he is actually a 924 Carrera Turbo GTR, with a standard Turbo bonnet scoop just to confuse things... Makes him a little more recognisable.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/cimg/www.rennlist.com/1600x900_85-1/948/1-555948.jpg


If they did happen to bring out MP Jazz / Meister, I really hope he would be more like Skids than say Hound or Sunstreaker. I would be up for a G2 version too. The only thing stopping me from picking up Stepper would be that I didn't jump on Artfire but if he was a more traditional style MP, I probably couldn't say no.

[GoktimusPrime]

I understood that Porsche made their own licencing calls, seperate to their parent company, VW?
I believe that is correct. AFAIK while VW and Porsche are the same company, they have separate licensing divisions and require separate licences. I got excited in 2014 when the VW licence was acquired as I assumed that it also meant Porsche. But alas, I was wrong.


Interestingly, Cliffjumper is not based on the standard 924, he is actually a 924 Carrera Turbo GTR, with a standard Turbo bonnet scoop just to confuse things... Makes him a little more recognisable.
Now I know, and knowing is half the battle! :)


If they did happen to bring out MP Jazz / Meister, I really hope he would be more like Skids than say Hound or Sunstreaker.
Agreed. I hope that MP Skids means that all future MPs will be going back to the older style of making MPs less slavishly cartoony. I much prefer Lambor over Sunstreaker, and yeah, Hound just went overboard to the toy's detriment.


I would be up for a G2 version too. The only thing stopping me from picking up Stepper would be that I didn't jump on Artfire but if he was a more traditional style MP, I probably couldn't say no.
Who am I kidding? I'd get them all. :p