MP-57 Masterpiece Skyfire Soars Supreme

TakaraTOMY have released a teaser image for MP Skyfire:
https://twitter.com/TF_pr/status/1532195302895067137

Speculation: While they haven't revealed the name of the toy, it should be called "Skyfire," not Jetfire, because Jetfire was never called 'Jetfire' in Japan, only Skyfire. The original Jetfire toy was never released in Japan (for obvious reasons); and so the character only existed in the cartoon series in Japan, where he was called "Skyfire." Until the recent brand unification thing, G1 Jetfire has been consistently called "Skyfire" in Japan (e.g. Henkei Skyfire etc.). Masterpiece is a line that appears to be exempt from the brand unification rule; as TakaraTOMY continues to use the Japanese G1 names instead of Anglophone names (e.g. MP Convoy, Bumble etc.); so I would expect that this toy will be called "Skyfire." This will make it the first Transformer toy to be directly modelled after the G1 Skyfire cartoon model and bear the name "Skyfire." Not a Jetfire/Skyfire hybrid like Classics/Henkei or T30, and not called "Jetfire" like Siege.

I can't see much demand for a massively expensive MP Skyfire/Jetfire because of both the decline in the MP line and the already amazing Commander Class Jetfire.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DELTAprime

I can't see much demand for a massively expensive MP Skyfire/Jetfire because of both the decline in the MP line and the already amazing Commander Class Jetfire.

---

In what ways is the Takara MP line declining, in your view? Is it their design, QC, price?

I might get this since I didn't get the Siege one and, side by side, this MP is much more Sunbow accurate than Siege Jetfire in design and bot mode scale.

I just hope it doesn't include stupid electronic gimmicks like MP-44 and MP-36 did, which i don't think any MP collector wants.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by High_Q

I just hope it doesn't include stupid electronic gimmicks like MP-44 and MP-36 did, which i don't think any MP collector wants.

---

Those sound gimmicks are surprisingly unobtrusive though. :)

I guess I have to get this - he's my namesake ;). But I'm expecting some disappointment to go along with my elation. I'm glad I bought the MP-52 trio but they were really expensive and, after getting 3 for 3 cracks in the tailfins (and saying to myself, "The next one will be fine"), as well as some minor cosmetic issues, I am almost expecting some love-hate with the MP-57 I receive. Sigh... and yay at the same time!

I collected a bunch of Bandai Origin of Valkyrie Macross toys to fill my 1980s Jetfire hole (good thing I also like Robotech), but it was my Siege toy that really cured the problem. But having MP-57 would be like reaching back in time and patting a sad little boy on the back and saying, "Hey, look what I got you."

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by High_Q

Is it their design, QC, price?

---

Yes, overly complex design, poor QC and insane prices. Also, their popularity seems to have dropped over the years. A decade ago people on the TF forums seemed much more into MP figures.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DELTAprime

Also, their popularity seems to have dropped over the years. A decade ago people on the TF forums seemed much more into MP figures.

---

I'm noticing less sooking lately with things like Skids and Trailbreaker which means less chatter overall. Don't know if that means the popularity has dropped.

Probably opening a can of worms here but how much does TT actually care about the English forums chatter? I mean their marketing and products aren?t exactly prioritising Western audiences. For all I know the Japanese / Asian fans are crying puy for a Skyfire/Jetfire.

It?s a TT Mall exclusive. I don?t understand the reasoning behind that.

Official Takara Tomy Twitter and Taraktomymall have the first official images in bot, alt and 'GERWALK' modes. Nice detailed (articulated??) minifigs of OP, Jazz and Wheeljack.

Yay! No battery operated gimmicks. 38,500Y.

At 35cm tall, with a very slight bend in the knee he?ll just fit in my display case. Really hoping he?ll be relatively easy to purchase without going through some convoluted price gougy method.

G1 Jazz in the MP line finally

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...0/IMG_4829.jpg

Oh wow, this'll test my resolve.

I'm been keeping an eye on eBay prices for Siege Jetfire... Maybe I just wait for this?

Preordered at Oh My Primus - $320. Not too bad considering the size. At the same time, shipping costs really sucked.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tinyJazz

G1 Jazz in the MP line finally

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachmen...0/IMG_4829.jpg

---

Tiny Jazz for tinyJazz. Ha ha!

Official page is up.
Wow... 38.5k JPY = $410 ... this is going to be my single most expensive toy purchase. :o

https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Produ...Details/208223

Mirrored images and details...

The release date is noted as being January 2023, for 38,500yen (currently about au$430)... exclusive to TakaraTomyMall in Japan.
(just noting that this Masterpiece toy is said to be 35cm tall, while the Siege toy was 32cm and had a lot of panel detailing - the MP toy is mostly flat panels, which does make it look more cartoon accurate)

Quote:

---

• Design inspired by the G1 cartoon.
• 35 cm tall. We have comparison shots next to Masterpiece MP-44 Optimus Prime, MP-27 Ironhide and MP-45 Bumblebee 2.0 and MP-52 Starscream 2.0. Quite a tall figure for sure.
• Designed by veteran Takara Tomy designer Kojin Ono.
• Includes a rifle, stand, 3 interchangeable faces (one of them, G1 toy inspired mask), two big blast effects, Autobot and Decepticon plates (inspired by the classic scene in the “Fire In The Sky” episode) and three mini-figures of Optimus Prime, Wheeljack and Jazz.
• The aforementioned mini-figures are articulated and planned to work in the right scale for Skyfire’s jet mode. They fit inside the cockpit and other section of the jet.
• Alt mode can still extend the robot arms and legs while transformed as seen in the G1 cartoon.

---

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2022/060302.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2022/060303.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2022/060304.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2022/060305.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2022/060306.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2022/060307.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2022/060308.jpg

I think MP fans will be very happy, provided the QC is actually decent.

An extra $20 ($300 v $320 at OMP) for almost double the height.. seems like a much simpler design philosophy than MP52.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by griffin

The release date is noted as being January 2023, for 38,500yen (currently about au$430)... exclusive to TakaraTomyMall in Japan.
(just noting that this Masterpiece toy is said to be 35cm tall, while the Siege toy was 32cm and had a lot of panel detailing - the MP toy is mostly flat panels, which does make it look more cartoon accurate)

---

Yeah, I wouldn't blame anyone for just hanging onto Siege Jetfire and skipping MP Skyfire entirely. I've pre-ordered this toy, but totally understand others who won't. This must be the second most expensive TF ever other than HasLab Unicron (that toy's RRP is likely to be unbeaten for quite some time (if ever) ;)).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sinnertwin

An extra $20 ($300 v $320 at OMP) for almost double the height.. seems like a much simpler design philosophy than MP52.

---

Most likely because Skyfire's design is 100% Floro Dery Sunbow cartoon, whereas MP52 also has to resemble a real-world F15 Eagle; so it's got all those real-life panel lines etc. Since Skyfire's design is entirely fictitious, it's gonna be plain as Jane. Also, they want to offer something different; if you want a more detailed looking Skyfire toy, then Siege Jetfire has you covered (and for a fraction of the price). :) I must say that I'm not a big fan of the pouty lips on MP Skyfire's face. Hopefully it will look better IRL.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime

This must be the second most expensive TF ever other than HasLab Unicron (that toy's RRP is likely to be unbeaten for quite some time (if ever) ;)).

---

Didn't MP-44 Convoy retail for higher than what MP Skyfire will?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime

Most likely because Skyfire's design is 100% Floro Dery Sunbow cartoon, whereas MP52 also has to resemble a real-world F15 Eagle; so it's got all those real-life panel lines etc. Since Skyfire's design is entirely fictitious, it's gonna be plain as Jane.

---

Plus the Seekers look more complex than Skyfire appears to be. Parts count affects price too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by High_Q

Didn't MP-44 Convoy retail for higher than what MP Skyfire will?

---

Correct. Worth noting that even the Nemesis version of MP44 is close in price to Skyfire and that's without a trailer, so it must have a fairly high parts count by comparison.

The clean aesthetics really appeals for the classic character. The siege version is really amazing, but has a few extra details on panels. If I?m wanting a pure classic look, this masterpiece really hits the mark.

MP Skyfire is likely to have harder plastic too, for greater durability and appearance of greater quality (it's like comparing Siege Hound with MP Hound, the type of plastics used is completely different)... which is probably another reason why there is limited detailing on the panels. It might also lead to it being less flexible on any really tight joints, and this is a big toy, which will increase the load-bearing requirement of joints and transformation panels.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Skyfire

I guess I have to get this - he's my namesake ;). But I'm expecting some disappointment to go along with my elation. I'm glad I bought the MP-52 trio but they were really expensive and, after getting 3 for 3 cracks in the tailfins (and saying to myself, "The next one will be fine"), as well as some minor cosmetic issues, I am almost expecting some love-hate with the MP-57 I receive. Sigh... and yay at the same time!

I collected a bunch of Bandai Origin of Valkyrie Macross toys to fill my 1980s Jetfire hole (good thing I also like Robotech), but it was my Siege toy that really cured the problem. But having MP-57 would be like reaching back in time and patting a sad little boy on the back and saying, "Hey, look what I got you."

---

Just being immature here but I'm glad you filled your 1980's Jetfire hole. I never managed that

While I do have Fanstoys, I would recommend this piece over Fanstoys these days.

The only thing I wished this piece had the anime toon face plate instead of just the silver options.

I'm sticking with my Siege Skyfire (only non MP in my collection) as he fits my collection a bit better and looks incredible to me, but this guy looks fantastic too Will be an amazing addition to modern MP collections.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by High_Q

Didn't MP-44 Convoy retail for higher than what MP Skyfire will?

---

I sit corrected. :)

Here's a new video of MP Skyfire with brief segments of it being transformed, especially between 0:29 to 0:50. Slowing the playback speed to x0.5 helps improve viewing experience.

MP Skyfire has a long face compared to how he appeared in the cartoon most of the time.
http://i.imgur.com/0ltc70Em.png

I would have preferred if they shortened it a bit like this. Maybe a 3rd party can make these:
http://i.imgur.com/Q1MHsHAm.png

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by griffin

MP Skyfire is likely to have harder plastic too, for greater durability and appearance of greater quality (it's like comparing Siege Hound with MP Hound, the type of plastics used is completely different)... which is probably another reason why there is limited detailing on the panels. It might also lead to it being less flexible on any really tight joints, and this is a big toy, which will increase the load-bearing requirement of joints and transformation panels.

---

Didn't a lot of people have issues with their MP Hound breaking ?

I haven’t bought a proper Masterpiece in years but this does tickle my fancy as he is my favourite Transformer. The AU price is ridiculous though

https://mobile.twitter.com/ArrvlFrmC...38093756387328

Transformation vid

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by High_Q

MP Skyfire has a long face compared to how he appeared in the cartoon most of the time.
http://i.imgur.com/0ltc70Em.png

---

<insert obligatory "Why the long face?" joke here> :p

The face seems to be proportionately the same as the cartoon model; between 2.5 nose lengths from brow to chin.
https://i.ibb.co/h760zZ4/mp-skyfire-face.jpg
Bear in mind that the cartoon model here is show from a low angle vs the toy photo being taken from a front angle. Skyfire is often drawn from a low angle to emphasise how much larger he is compared to other Cybertronians. As such, his chin is often obscured by the top of the chest. I've taken the cartoon model and drawn it in to show how long it should be. The long face is the result of Jet/Skyfire's cartoon/comic model being derived from the Macross VF-1S Valkyrie. If you look at earlier versions of Skyfire's cartoon model, you can see how it evolved from the Macross Valkyrie to the final image. While many features were drastically changed, Jet/Skyfire's proportions are basically the same as the Macross Valkyrie, including the longish head. The TV commercial for G1 Jetfire uses the Mk I design for Jetfire's media model. AFAIK, Mk II and III have never made any media appearance; and obviously Mk IV is what Marvel and Sunbow ran with in the G1 comics and cartoon respectively.

Also, 2 dimensional images often look different in 3D. It's the reason why no 2D map of Earth can ever be as accurate as a globe (any more than a 2D map of a human face can look as realistic as a 3D sculpture; just ask G1 Ratchet and Ironhide :p).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by High_Q

Here's a new video of MP Skyfire with brief segments of it being transformed, especially between 0:29 to 0:50. Slowing the playback speed to x0.5 helps improve viewing experience.

---

The video wasn't there (for me)... was it the same as the one from twitter a few posts up?


This was an official video from TakaraTomy, but doesn't have the transformation in the twitter video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prx5W5_uyvk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deano85

Didn't a lot of people have issues with their MP Hound breaking ?

---

Yes, and TakaraTOMY's response was that a different plastic was used at the factory when Hound was mass-produced.

https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/02/09/...e-event-404884

Not that I've been paying close attention to news about subsequent Masterpiece figures, but I understand that since then, the only instances of of plastic cracking was on some joints on MP-52, so it seems that they're being careful with the plastic they're selecting.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by griffin

The video wasn't there (for me)... was it the same as the one from twitter a few posts up?

---

It's not the same one as Twitter's. It has since been removed but someone uploaded again here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deano85

Didn't a lot of people have issues with their MP Hound breaking ?

---

Yes, although there have been no reports about this issue with any subsequent MPs, so it does appear that TakaraTOMY has addressed the issue since Hound.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jetfire in the sky

Just being immature here but I'm glad you filled your 1980's Jetfire hole. I never managed that

---

Don't worry JITS, MP-57 should be plenty for you! Ha ha!

After watching the video, it looks like a straight forward transformation. I'm loving it, loving the minifigs (Wheeljack has his hypnochip disrupter from The Ultimate Doom) and also loving the lower-than-expected price - I really thought he'd be above $600.

A 30min review of MP-57 Skyfire by a Japanese reviewer. I wasn't expecting a review this early.