So Hotrod eh? Well I guess one that would scale better with the current MP's would be kind of cool. Still it's nice to hear there will be one new G1 MP mold next year, as I expected 2016 MP's to be dominated by Ironhide repaints and Beast Convoy.
Me too, however it's also something I kind of expect with Taktom and Hasbro, sure we get some lesser characters like Tracks and Starsaber from time to time, but the MP line will always go back to the staple big names like Optimus, Starscream, Rodimus casue the're the ones everyone knows, so can't really go more than 4 years without one/all of them getting a new toy. That's why I don't put to much faith on Hastak ever doing some of the less popular Autobot cars.
Rodimus Prime/Convoy might have ended up being as tall as MP-10 in robot mode, but this would be Hotrod (called Hot Rodimus in Japan), so it would need to be a lot shorter than MP-10 in robot mode.
So it could end up being marketed as MP Hot Rodimus (Hot Rod), and the previous one would then be re-categorised as MP Rodimus Convoy (Rodimus Prime)... making it less of a duplicate character.
Keep in mind, in Japan, MP-09 was called Rodimus Convoy (not Hot Rodimus - which is Hotrod) and it came with a trailer (the Hotrod car and slightly shorter bot-mode were more of a bonus gimmick). It was only the Hasbro version that had it intended or named as Hotrod.
So if this new one is released by Hasbro as Hotrod, it would only be a duplicate character in Hasbro markets, not Japan.
I personally would prefer to see new characters developed as MPs rather than new MPs based on existing ones. That's why I skipped the new MP Starscream, Skywarp & Thundercracker (although I have the new MP Seeker mould in the forms of Acid Storm and Sunstorm). The only exception was MP10 (Hasbro ver.). I'd really like to see them focusing on finishing off doing all the first year Autobots as MPs (since all the first year Decepticons are already done).
Pass for me on this Rodimus.
Also, Hot Rod was always called "Hot Rodimus" in Japan, so from TakaraTOMY's POV it's not an issue of trademark, it's actually G1 accurate for their market. But Hot Rod is called "Rodimus" by Hasbro now because of trademark issues.
OMG, the naming issues.
Okay.....anyway it is what it is, lets hope they didn't waste time designing existing character.
depending on price I actually wont mind it, if they get it right. Still a bit disappointing that they should have done Hound, Ratchet, Mirage, and Jazz.
Not forgeting Reflector, Megatron, Galvertron.
MP-09 works great as Rodimus Prime but he is definately out of scale in car mode and i think as Hot Rod.
I am believing this new MP is just Hot Rod in a better scale.
Takara have revised (or improved) most MPs before MP-10 so i still see revisiting MP-05 (as a gun) very likely - if you are prepared to wait.
"I am not a gun. I'm hitting people with a hammer. On Mars."
The Iron Giant / David Wildgoose
Mp-10 has not improved especially in paint apps, sadly I wished they made effort when reissued mp10.