Toy Review - SHOUKI (Masterpiece)

TRAINBOT SHOUKI
Series - Masterpiece
Size/class - N/A
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - MPG-01
Released here - N/A (Japan, late June 2022)
Approximate Retail Price - 19800JPY ($215)
Approximate Size - 18cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Sub-Group - Trainbot
Alt-mode - Series 0 Shinkansen (bullet train)
Main Features/Gimmicks - HO scale (16.5mm gauge) train mode, combines with fellow MP Trainbots to form Raiden
Main Colours - eggshell white, blue, grey
Main Accessories - Mach Laser gun, x2 railway track parts, shield, flight stand connector, x2 seats

Train mode: MP & G1 [size="1](actually Diaclone; close enough)[/size]
https://i.ibb.co/MBbGXdP/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI01.jpg

Bullet train mode side view
https://i.ibb.co/gRmmyjV/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI02.jpg

Front end
https://i.ibb.co/5jLr4YW/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI03.jpg

Rear end
https://i.ibb.co/Wk3chgK/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI04.jpg

The shield can be folded and stored inside the driver's compartment. However, I find that the front halves of the cockpit don't sit flush with the shield inside.
https://i.ibb.co/SK80fNK/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI05.jpg

Seats can also be installed with an MP-scale human figure. The cockpit halves do close up nicely and sit flush. According to tfwiki, the new Diaclone pilots can also sit on these seats.
https://i.ibb.co/t20zN2B/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI06.jpg

In train mode attached to MP Tracks' flight stand. The railway parts have slots for the armature from MP-52 Starscream's flight stand; but I don't own MP-52 (nor any repaints), and I'm not going to buy any of them just for that armature. :p
https://i.ibb.co/G232fMJ/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI07.jpg

Robot mode with gun and shield
https://i.ibb.co/VMMPLL9/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI08.jpg

High angle and rear shot of robot mode. One challenge was the cockpit section. This is a detachable accessory on the G1 toy, but TakaraTOMY have chosen to make it non-detachable, thus it relies on an in-built armature to have it swing from front to back and attach to said back. It's somewhat reminiscent of how MP Laserwave has his gun barrel becoming the robot backpack without ever being removed. I do appreciate the cleverness and ambition on opting to do this!
https://i.ibb.co/qRSd6mr/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI09.jpg

Close-up shots
https://i.ibb.co/QcTPcSB/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI10.jpg

MP & G1 comparison, robot mode
https://i.ibb.co/54wgW3w/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI11.jpg

Kicking balance test
https://i.ibb.co/mNPVWMc/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI12.jpg

Robot mode on flight stand
https://i.ibb.co/zFkt4K1/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI13.jpg

Box; rear includes information about the history of the Series 0 bullet train.
https://i.ibb.co/LhtKCzB/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI13a.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/tDNztHQ/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI15.jpg

Overall
Presumably for trademark reasons, TakaraTOMY has called this toy Trainbot Shouki instead of just "Shouki." If you're not sure about how to pronounce this name, say "shore-key." This toy also retains the G1 toy's original dual Functions of both "Light Speed Commander" and "Trainbot Leader." Although MPG Shouki shows both Functions on the front of the box, whereas both the 1987 and 1990 releases of G1 Shouki only display "Light Speed Commander" on the front of the box, with the secondary Function of "Trainbot Leader" only displayed on the tech specs bio (which is admittedly the back of the box).

I gotta be honest; I almost forgot that this toy is a gestalt. It wasn't until I sat down and started typing this review that I remembered! And this tells me just how good this toy is as a stand alone Transformer action figure. TakaraTOMY have done really well in creating a bulky robot mode from a sleek bullet train mode. It's not quite as bulky as the cartoon model, but it's pretty damn close. The forearm panels are also inaccurate to G1 as they are parts of the sides of the train instead of the roof, but I personally think it looks better, as the white and blue helps to break up the otherwise all grey arms. The paint ops and over aesthetics of this toy are just gorgeous. The level of detailing on the sculpt in both bullet train and robot mode is also quite exquisite.

The 16.5mm HO gauge scale is a neat idea, as it means that the MP Trainbots can fit on any HO gauge model railway tracks. This is also a throwback to the G1 toys who are N gauge scale (9mm). The Diaclone Train Robo come with their own railway tracks, just like MPG, but the Transformers Trainbots did not. I also love how all the train/robot parts are self contained. My G1 Shouki is missing his chest piece, but it's cool to know that this will never happen with MP Shouki. And likewise, nobody will ever lose the front section either.

I haven't transformed mine into his Raiden component mode yet. That's something that I'm not going to do until after I've completed the set. But as a stand-alone Transformer; in terms of an action figure robot and train, MP Shouki is a great figure. Pricey, yes, but this is technically a triple-changer (robot, train, torso). I'm a big fan of gestalt members who are just great toys on their own. Highly recommended. :)

I have no interest in this guy but I really hope it does well for TakaraTOMY.

Sadly I quietly think the Moon Studios guys have a better aesthetic (not that I'm planning on getting them either).

More pics and thoughts about MPG Shouki. Thanks to dirge for letting me photograph his better condition/complete G1 Shouki. :)

G1 & MP w/ their respective train tracks.
https://i.ibb.co/f2yt5MK/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI16.jpg
Correction from my previous post: the black 9mm/N gauge tracks were only included with the Diaclone Train Robot, not the G1 Trainbots. The toy photographed here though is a G1 Shouki with the Diaclone Tokaido Shinkansen Train Robo's tracks. So the HO gauge tracks are an homage to Shouki's Diaclone roots rather than the G1 toy, as is apparently the ability for post 2016 Diaclone pilots to sit on Shouki's seats (which should mean that those Diaclone pilots can also sit inside MP10, MP Ultra Magnus etc.). Neither dirge nor myself own any 2016 Diaclone pilots to test this.

G1 and MP robot mode comparison, front. G1 Shouki really does have ridiculously oversized fists. :D
https://i.ibb.co/fkNNQ4v/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI17.jpg

G1 and MP robot mode comparison, back. G1 Shouki's stocky build results in the front compartment backpack sticking up much higher. MP Shouki's longer body not only means that the back kibble doesn't stick up as far, but is also more cartoon-like (as is the running theme with MPs).
https://i.ibb.co/pv1RT3w/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI18.jpg

G1 and MP close ups.
https://i.ibb.co/6gMMqDs/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI19.jpg
The G1 toy has two grey pylons on the shoulders, which are actually connectors that attach Shouki to Kaen when they form Raiden's torso. The cartoon model reimagined these connectors as some kind of tubes or vents. MP Shouki has these shoulder pylons purely as a decorative piece that attaches around the back of the head. It serves no purpose other than to add this extra level of cartoon-like detail.

The shield can fold up and store inside the backpack. The "Mach Laser" gun also attaches to the back of the left leg.
https://i.ibb.co/47wwmQw/mp-trainbot-SHOUKI20.jpg

Something that's not apparent in photos is the heft of this toy, thanks to the trucks, wheels and abdomen being made of die-cast metal. It doesn't seem like much, but they add a surprising additional amount of weight to the figure.

I've only had time to appreciate this figure in train mode, but WOW it's really really nice - very glad I picked these ones over the Moon Studios, they are the first set of TFs that might actually end up displayed in alt mode! The inclusion of the track is a really nice feature.
The heft is very real - I've seen some complaining about the size, but the feel is miles beyond that of a standard TF figure (although this is my first MP figure so I don't have anything to compare to!)

Very keen to fiddle with it more tomorrow.

So, can the wheels on Shouki in train mode turn with the train tracks?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by High_Q

So, can the wheels on Shouki in train mode turn with the train tracks?

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Both G1 and MP Shouki have scale model train wheels with outward facing cones and inner flanges that contact the rails. This allows rigidly fixed train wheels to go around curved tracks, just like on actual trains. :)

Reference: The science behind how train wheels work.

P.S.: G1 Omega Supreme also works the same way (albeit different track/wheel design).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime

Both G1 and MP Shouki have scale model train wheels with outward facing cones and inner flanges that contact the rails. This allows rigidly fixed train wheels to go around curved tracks, just like on actual trains. :) ...

Reference: The science behind how train wheels work.

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Thanks! This was something i have wanted to know about but not enough to do a Google search. :D

Correction: dirge's "G1" Shouki is also a Diaclone; but obviously in better condition than mine. This site has photos of the 1987 G1 Trainbots, and as far as I can tell the only difference between Diaclone Tokaido Train Robo and G1 Shouki is the rub sticker. According to tfwiki, the 1990 re-release of the G1 Trainbots have no rubsigns, and the photo of the G1 Shouki toy (even on the 1987 entry) shows no rubsign, so I suspect that tfwiki must have photographed a 1990 Shouki (although they do show photos of a boxed 1987 and 1990 Shouki).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by High_Q

Thanks! This was something i have wanted to know about but not enough to do a Google search. :D

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Heh, it is something that may be counterintuitive for those of us who don't work with tracked vehicles, as when we turn a car or bicycle etc., we turn the front wheel(s) for the rest of the vehicle to follow suit. Although the weird thing with bicycles is that you have to turn in the opposite direction of where you want the bike to actually turn first before turning it in the intended direction. It's something that we all do subconsciously whenever we ride a bike, but as this video demonstrates, it's actually impossible to turn a bicycle to the intended direction without turning it in the opposite direction first! If you want to make a left turn on a bicycle and you only turn the handlebar to the left, you'll actually fall over! :eek:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by High_Q

So, can the wheels on Shouki in train mode turn with the train tracks?

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Nope, straight tracks only

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Krayt

Nope, straight tracks only

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I realised that i phrased my original question poorly. I asked about wheels but really was curious whether the bogies on Shouki are able to rotate on their axes in altmode.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by High_Q

I realised that i phrased my original question poorly. I asked about wheels but really was curious whether the bogies on Shouki are able to rotate on their axes in altmode.

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It's a fair question and one I hadn't thought of before. I actually went to a model railway store yesterday with my G1 and MP Shouki toys to see how they would fit on N and HO gauge tracks (perfectly!). I was going to get tracks to build a loop, but the employee pointed out that G1 and MP Shouki have no articulated trucks, meaning that they can't go around curved tracks, only straight ones. I did roll MP Shouki on a slightly curved track and it was fine, but yeah, I don't think either the G1 or MP Trainbots can go around significant bends in tracks. Not unless you have one really long slightly curved piece of track (which would occupy a lot more space).

I bought some straight N gauge track pieces yesterday and my G1 Trainbots roll fine on those. A few days ago I did order a cheap set of plastic HO gauge track pieces off Amazon; after my visit to the store yesterday I went to cancel the order but it's already shipped. So I might as well test out MP Shouki to see how well he goes around curves, but I'm expecting him to derail. :p I'll be posting photos of my G1 Trainbots on N gauge tracks soon (probably stick them on the Retro Review thread). :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime

... the employee pointed out that G1 and MP Shouki have no articulated trucks, meaning that they can't go around curved tracks, only straight ones.

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Hmm, so Takara wanted the MPG trainbots to appeal not just to Transformers fans but also train model collectors. I wonder how the lack of articulated trucks/bogies affect whether they collect these trainbots. I can only assume that articulated bogies are a necessary feature for HO gauge models since they have to run over curved tracks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by High_Q

Hmm, so Takara wanted the MPG trainbots to appeal not just to Transformers fans but also train model collectors. I wonder how the lack of articulated trucks/bogies affect whether they collect these trainbots. I can only assume that articulated bogies are a necessary feature for HO gauge models since they have to run over curved tracks.

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The cross-compatibility with model railway tracks actually originates from Diaclone; hence why the Diaclone Train Robo and G1 Trainbots are all N gauge (9mm) compatible. MPG has essentially just upsized this gimmick to HO gauge, cos otherwise they'd be tiny! The G1 Trainbots are pretty small too - at 8.5cm they're the same size as G1 Powerglide.

If you look at this Diaclone Train Robo commercial, we can see the trains going around curves and then running on straight tracks. But I think that the trains going around the curved tracks may not be the actual Train Robos, but just regular model trains. Because they lack the panel lines and you can see clear windows with lighting on the inside, which the Diaclone Train Robos just don't have. They're solid windows; some of which rely on stickers for detail. In the last 10 seconds of the ad, you can see the actual Train Robo toys, but they're all running on straight tracks.

In this Transformers Trainbots commercial, we can see Getsuei going around a curved piece of track. And this is definitely the Getsuei toy, not a substitute model train, because you can see the plastic windows and even the robot feet protruding from the back of the roof. And that's not an insignificant curve either; certainly sharper than the really mild HO curve that I tested my MPG01 on yesterday. This makes me more hopeful that MPG01 might be able to negotiate a curved track without derailing, but I won't know for sure until I've tested it out. :) My HO track pieces will arrive at the end of this month or early next month. But the Diaclone Train Robo and G1 Trainbots all only come with straight plastic track pieces; none of them ever came with curved track pieces. And similarly, MPG01 only comes with two straight track pieces, and I suspect that the others will too.

Does anyone here know how to pronounce his name in Japanese? I’m curious about how to pronounce his name correctly. The way I thought is different to how Westerners have been saying it in reviews. Is is three syllables “Sho-u-Ki” or two “shoe-key”?

I'm enjoying this discussion immensely. And thank you GoktimusPrime for doing the experiments. That's pretty exciting to be able to use regular train tracks from a hobby store. They're a clever bunch at Takara.

I never had the original toys and haven't gotten around to watching the DVDs of the Japanese cartoons, so I have no emotional connection with the characters whatsoever, but I'm still very excited about getting this set. Even without the combiner aspect, the thought of having a series of thin, to-scale trains that turn into beefy robots is very cool. And so far, the three we've seen all look great. Can't wait.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Paulbot

Does anyone here know how to pronounce his name in Japanese? I’m curious about how to pronounce his name correctly. The way I thought is different to how Westerners have been saying it in reviews. Is is three syllables “Sho-u-Ki” or two “shoe-key”?

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I believe it's "shoe-key" or "show-key"

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tha_Phantom

I believe it's "shoe-key" or "show-key"

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"Show-key" would be closer, but I would recommend saying "shore-key" to be even closer.

I recommend going to Google Translate, then copy and paste this text: 鍾馗
Click on the 🔊 speaker icon to listen to a recording of a native speaker saying the name.
Note: I know that Shouki's name is officially only written in Katakana, but Google Translate will give you an authentic reading if you use the name in Kanji. With the name in Katakana, GT will give you an unnatural robotic reading.

I'm just gonna say Show-ki. I'm not too fussed on the pronunciation since I doubt I'll ever be conversing with Japanese speakers about it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tha_Phantom

I'm just gonna say Show-ki. I'm not too fussed on the pronunciation since I doubt I'll ever be conversing with Japanese speakers about it.

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Even if you did, a native Japanese fan would still understand "Show-ki" just fine. :) "Shoo-ki" on the other hand would be confusing.