Toy Review - Masterpiece MP-36 Megatron (2.0)

[GoktimusPrime]

Did Seizo use the same voice for Megatron and Galvatron, or did he use different voices for each character, like Frank Welker?

Pretty much the same voice, although in TFTM it was less electronically warbled after for Galvatron, but then in the TV series it was warbled and pretty much sounded like Megatron. Or more accurately, the voice was exactly the same as Megatron first in the TV series and then later "unwarbled" for TFTM (I keep forgetting that TFTM only came out in Japan in 1988).

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Must admit that I'm not that fond of the warbled Japanese Megatron voice. They could've done something a bit more exciting.

[Sinnertwin]

Must admit that I'm not that fond of the warbled Japanese Megatron voice. They could've done something a bit more exciting.

I don't mind the voice, the fact that they got the sound of his fusion cannon wrong irks me even more
Still, if we could get a hybrid of MP5's alt & MP36's robot mode, it'd be perfect.

[GoktimusPrime]

Must admit that I'm not that fond of the warbled Japanese Megatron voice. They could've done something a bit more exciting.

I'd say that it's because we don't have any emotional attachment to it because we didn't grow up with it. From a non-Anglophone's POV Chris Latta's high pitched screeching Starscream's voice probably sounds weird. Japanese G1 Starscream has a far more menacing and booming voice. But of course, we all want our Cobra Commander-esque screeching Starscream voice if we ever had a G1 'Screamer toy w/ a voice chip cos that's what we grew up with. It's all about hittin' that childhood nostalgia.

Hhhmmm... I wonder if a third party company would be able to produce a sound chip (or even alternative fusion cannon) with Frank Welker's Megatron voice.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I'd say that it's because we don't have any emotional attachment to it because we didn't grow up with it. From a non-Anglophone's POV Chris Latta's high pitched screeching Starscream's voice probably sounds weird. Japanese G1 Starscream has a far more menacing and booming voice. But of course, we all want our Cobra Commander-esque screeching Starscream voice if we ever had a G1 'Screamer toy w/ a voice chip cos that's what we grew up with. It's all about hittin' that childhood nostalgia.

There is that nostalgia thing going on, and I don't deny that.

I also think it's got a lot to do with Japanese media in general and their simplicity with character types. Starscream has a booming voice, as does Desslok from Uchu Senkan Yamato. Its because they are easily identifiable as a bad guy. Personally I much prefer Desslok's slightly whiny English voice as it adds way more character and stops me from immediately assuming him to be a shallow stereotype. Even though he may me.

I'm also glad that someone else noticed they go the fusion cannon sound wrong too. I thought it was just me and I was being snobby. So, thank Sinner!

[GoktimusPrime]

If a 3P were to make a Welker-voice chip, that chip could also include more accurate fusion cannon sounds and maybe even a realistic sounding gunshot sound. Heh... reminds me of that stupid keychain kids had in the 90s that swore at you and had a gun sound.

[doublespy]

I've had this figure for over a month now, and he still stands on my computer desk along side so I could pick him and mess with him whenever I want, or simply just look at him and appreciate what an amazing job TakTom have done. I don't this this ever happened since I got back into collecting 16 years ago. And this is counting RotF Leader Optimus, which I simply could not put down for a very long time.

Now that the newness has worn off and I know this figure like the back of my hand, I can start re-evaluate it more objectively. And I still think he's the best Masterpiece figure to date and potentially one of the best of all time. When look at his robot mode and pose him, I sometimes completely forget this is a fully-transformable figure. That's how good the 'bot mode is. The only compromises for the 'bot mode for me are the thighs can stand to be thicker and the feet a bit wider, both of which are determined by the width of the gun handle. This is by no means a complaint though, because short of adding transformation here there's no side-stepping the issue; and that would make this transformation unnecessarily long and complicated. I feel that the designers made the right choice to compromise these two areas. After all commercial industrial design is all about making the right compromises.

The panel lines in gun mode don't bother me at all, b ecause how else would it be able to make a cartoon accurate chest out of a realistic gun chamber? Bottom line is, the gun turns out to be the right size with the best internal proportions on the market, and feels great in hand.

This figure is going to be the benchmark for the Masterpiece line in a long time coming.

I also think it's got a lot to do with Japanese media in general and their simplicity with character types. Starscream has a booming voice, as does Desslok from Uchu Senkan Yamato. Its because they are easily identifiable as a bad guy.

I agree in general, but not in the case of Starscream here. I personally feel that the Japanese Starscream conveys a young and cocky personality. This I assume is a different interpretation of the character and you sense some cultural difference here. They were not trying to make him a hysteric clown type of a character with a high pitched voice that Chris Latta created, but rather a young and ambitious second-in-command that is more cocky than plain stupid.

[drifand]

Over priced benchmark if you ask me, I am kinda turned off and buying this piece may have killed my interest in tfs.

[doublespy]

Whether it's worth the price tag is really a subjective thing, and the price varies a lot depending on pre-ordered or not.

Heh I paid 30% off list for this thing but would definitely pay the full list price if I hadn't pre-ordered it. The price tag would've been harder to swallow but personally I think it's worth it so non issue for me.