Yeah, I remember when I got my red version of Meister (Zoom Zoom) and was looking at it in the box, it was so apparent that the front was plastic instead of metal I had to dig out my white version to be sure I hadn't been duped with a hybrid BT with Alt parts (cos I didn't know back then that there was no red Meister Alternator). I've got Argent Meister in my hands now... it's basically perfect cos the whole shell is painted.
Interesting to consider the comment above by Kyle about KP which I completely agree with (except for comparing HR to OP - as far as molds go they are at opposite ends of the spectrum imo). It took TAKARA merging with TOMY to make the BT/KP line profitable again. :PBUT ZOMG, I thought Japan was infallible?!?