Transformers 30th Anniversary Masterpiece Fan's Choice

[Verno]

Hey VERNO!, you seeing this news mate?

Haha, I'm here mate, I'm here

Believe it or not, but I actually have a similar thinking to a couple of the guys here -- that the Masterpiece line should remain for G1 characters only.

Don't get me wrong, I'd be one of the first to pre-order an MP Primal (Or Lio or Big Convoy for that matter) but truly I believe that BW-era toys are better served with homages in lines like Generations rather than larger MP versions.

So my vote (for what it's worth) is for Powermaster Prime.

[kaiden]

takara shoved movie bumblebee and starscream into the MP line didn't they? did those even sell well?

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I'd be up for a Fort Maxx, but my vote would go to Ginrai. Or Fattimus . How crazy would that be to make cool?

I don't think Beast Wars MPs would work so well. the beast modes would either be a brick (allowing no movement), or all gappy to allow for movement which would kind of suck. Unless they put a skin all over it somehow.

Only the robot mode would really look Masterpiece like. IF they opted for Transmetals, I think they would have more success.

Dai Atlus would make an interesting Masterpiece though.

[griffin]

I think Powermaster Prime would likely get it, because you have to remember that Japanese customers are going to be the ones who make up most of the votes... and Powermaster Prime (God Ginrai) was a major character in Japan.

Fort Max was also a major cartoon character in Japan, but since it has just been released as an Encore, there wouldn't be much desire to get a "better" version. Which is after all, the point of Masterpiece - to not only be a better version, but be the best version possible of that character with current engineering technology.

From Star Saber onwards you just don't have the same level of "classic/iconic" support of the characters, that the Gen1 series has had (with many later series deriving their concepts and characters from Gen1).
BW Optimus would be another one to do well in Hasbro Markets, but in Japan that cartoon was not a fan-favourite (if I recall) because of how it was turned into more of a joke show.

Basing it on the Japanese market, their fans (who will be voting), and the cartoons they got, I'd be really surprised if God Ginrai didn't get it. Star Saber and Fort Max would probably be fighting over a distant second place... but the rest don't have good odds of winning. (in my opinion)

[GoktimusPrime]

I'd love to see Dai Atlas... but he's a widely hated character amongst Japanese fans.

[MayzaPrime]

I'd love to see Dai Atlas... but he's a widely hated character amongst Japanese fans.

Forgive my ignorance but why is he hated?

[Sky Shadow]

Forgive my ignorance but why is he hated?

"Widely hated character" is hyperbole for "character who can potentially be considered ultraviolent and dishonourable".

[GoktimusPrime]

Forgive my ignorance but why is he hated?

A lot of Japanese fans don't like Dai Atlas because he's utterly ruthless in battle, which is perceived as flying against the standard for Autobot leaders as established by Optimus Prime - the argument that his conduct and ethical standard is "unbecoming" for an Autobot leader and perceived as being more ruthlessly Decepticon-like. In TF Zone, Dai Atlas kills every Decepticon that he comes against rather than trying to show them mercy as Optimus Prime would've done; i.e.
+ Devastator = killed with lava
+ King Poseidon & Trypticon = combined with Sonic Bomber and blasted them both to oblivion
+ Predaking = cut in half
...he killed 18 Decepticons in the span of a single episode!

This is just the general consensus of the Japanese fan community, much like how we might say that the Western fan community hates Wheelie or that the Star Wars fandom hates Jar Jar Binks -- obviously not all fans are gonna feel the same way, but that's just generally what the overall perception or feeling toward those character are.

I personally like Dai Atlas. Killing one's opponents in battle during a war may be a cruel but logically justifiable action. And in each instance, he killed them while they were trying to kill him (i.e. he responded to lethality with lethality). It's not like say Optimus Prime in Revenge of the Fallen and Dark of the Moon who killed helpless defeated opponents (i.e. Demolishor and Sentinel Prime); that was more like executing POWs. Impactor was imprisoned on Garrus-9 for executing Decepticon POWs on Pova (re: LSotW). Dai Atlas killed enemy combatants in the middle of combat. And even Optimus Prime's original G1 TFU profile states that his greatest weakness is his compassion and that he would probably be a better military commander if he were more ruthless, but then he simply wouldn't be Optimus Prime!

It's arguably more of a sentimental reason rather than a more objectively reasoned or logical one. But a lot of fans perceive things more sentimentally than logically, like people who hate the live action films because Optimus Prime's a long nose truck w/ chopper flames instead of a plain red and blue cab-over-engine truck (as opposed to disliking the films for say lack of substantial story or logical plotlines ).