Toy Review - Masterpiece Road Rage

[GoktimusPrime]

Series - Masterpiece
New/remould/redeco - redeco of MP25 Tracks
Wave - N/A; MP-26
Released here - 2016 ToysRUs exclusive
Approximate Retail Price - ￥7560 (approx. AU$91); possibly AU$150 at ToysRUs
Approximate Size - 16cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Main Features/Gimmicks - Flight mode; compatible w/ Tracks' flight stand
Main Colours - Red, black, white
Main Accessories - Plasma Discharger Gun, Laser Ram, Twincast, wing mirrors

See the MP Tracks review thread for comments about the core mould/design.

A rather substantial amount of retooling has been done on Road Rage. The head, collar section, upper arms and upper legs are all new. Road Rage's new body parts are more rounded, giving her a more feminine aesthetic. Road Rage also comes with a whole new toy-accurate gun.

Road Rage has special appeal for me, as the red Tracks was something that I grew up staring at on the back of every 1985 toy box and card, as well as the poster that came with my S.T.A.R.S. membership. I always imagined him as a separate character from Tracks (I called him "Lightning Strike").

So when eHobby announced that they were going to release the red Tracks in 2002 as an official part of the toyline (in a set w/ Crosscut), I preordered them straight away. And while it's not official canon, Road Rage did also appear in the OzFormers 2003 convention-exclusive comic, "On Devil's Ground", so she also holds a special place in Australian Transfandom.

My main gripe is that the toy feels like less value for money considering that it doesn't come w/ any human figurine or flight stand, but still costs the same as Tracks.

PICS!

Comparison w/ MP Tracks in vehicle mode


Comparison w/ G1 Road Rage in vehicle mode


Comparison w/ G1 Road Rage in flight mode


Comparison w/ MP Tracks in robot mode


Comparison w/ G1 Road Rage in robot mode












Recommended

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Reposted the MP Tracks thread.

No review thread for Road Rage yet, huh? I might just put my thoughts in here until one crops up.

Besides Star Saber, this is my first non-Shogo Hasui MP experience. MP-wise I've got MP10 Optimus V.2, Soundwave and his cassettes, Exhaust (which I haven't gotten around to opening yet), Prowl, Bumblebee, Star Saber, and Lambor. If I had to set what I'd consider a 'baseline' for MP standards, It'd probably be Prowl. Bumblebee and Soundwave are the best IMO, Optimus V.2 and Lambor are solid but not quite as good as 'wave and 'bee, Star Saber is good for what he is, but Prowl seems to be the most 'default' MP for me. He's well-designed, solid, and more than adequate, but not really amazing like Bumble. He does what he's supposed to do - be a high-quality update to G1 Prowl - and not much more.

Road Rage...does not live up to that standard.
She's fiddly, over-complicated, and not really all that dynamic. To be fair, she looks nice in either mode, and the headsculpt is great, but ultimately her flaws as a toy outweigh her positives, at least for her price-point. The remolding is well-done, but ultimately the base Tracks mold itself is just too limited to make for a truly memorable piece. If she'd had thigh- or knee-swivels, if her weapon (which looks nice and solid and powerful) had clipped in to her wrist a little more securely and her head locked in somewhere, if her transformation was a little less fiddly and the wings and shoulders didn't clash with each other then she'd be great, but as it is...
She's just...OK.
It's less that she's a bad figure, and more that she's got a lot of minor flaws that all add up to make her less than good and just...OK.
And for a Masterpiece, that's kind of not OK.

I voted "Only if..." If you can get her for ~$30-$40, it's not a bad deal. If you're a huge Corvette Stingray fan, then sure, why not? Otherwise, I'd suggest passing on her.

[drifand]

I actually wish I can retract my vote for tracks and I am voting no this time.
But before I totally trash this piece I like to have it on hands first to confirm my hate for it.

These two MPs very much gives me big concern about ironhide mp and I hope ironhide is painted like the Nissan and Lamborghini

After playing it a while I realised how much this piece suck in transforming design and elbows not able to bend over 90 degrees with wings getting in the way for his arms is just extremely poor. Even as a action figure is lousy!

Very worried I bought the remaining MPs as they feel rushed. I will no longer deviate buying any other MPs if this is the type of standard takara has.

The only plus side is the head is painted unlike tracks is very bad.
Anyone who disagrees should take a good look at ALL your other mp cars and look at the paint job and details of the head. Tracks is far off, road rage is better,

I hate to bring binaltech into comparisons but I don't even need to for tracks and road rage.

Update: gotten it, and decided to sell it, my first disapproved mp due to what I have experienced with Tracks.

Plus sides: head is better painted and detailed than Tracks.
Better gun than Tracks.

cons: Everything else
Don't like her finishing paint job
don't like the transformation on either modes. < my opinion, I know some people love it.

Oh and is on sale at NY atm, but even at $50, I don't want it.