MP Hound revealed

[Jazzman]

I love Hound's figure, but the canopy just seems like wasted plastic... and Spike looks a bit off... maybe too lanky or something

[dirge]

Price is high... I'll never use most of the accessories. but I don't care. It's Masterpiece Hound. Pre-ordered.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Preordered from Oh My Primus ($SG 164).

I'm finding the additional accessories aren't so ridiculous compared to MP44, and given this is a new character I'm fairly happy with the purchase.

[GoktimusPrime]

Price is high... I'll never use most of the accessories. but I don't care. It's Masterpiece Hound. Pre-ordered.

Ditto.

Also, while I acknowledge that these accessories are adding to the unit price, it's not the sole contributing factor. Another one is the design and engineering difference. Yes, MP Sunstreaker is about twice the price as MP Lambor, but the level of D&E on 'Streaker far eclipses Lambor. It's similar to how MP36 was about twice the price of MP5 - again, big step up in D&E. And I remember when MP36 came out people complained about how MP10 was "outclassed" and wanted TakaraTOMY to make a new "MP Convoy 3.0" to match the D&E standards of MP36 -- hence MP44. And of *course* it's going to cost more. MP10 is about twice the price of MP1 too. Each time these MPs jump up in tech level so does the price. If people want more sophisticated toys then it's going to be reflected in the unit price. If people want a cheaper MP Hound then it's going to be at the level of toys like MP Lambor or MP Prowl - which I personally don't mind at all. I don't need my MPs to be slavishly cartoon-like. Heck, I was perfectly happy with MP1 (MP10 was a freebie for me). I skipped the MP11 Seekers ('cept the Coneheads).

And there's the thing... at least these newer MPs are becoming more sophisticated. Yes, they're very expensive, but you can see why. It's not like those bloody MP Coneheads which were just more expensive because... reasons. I thought MP11 was overpriced too (especially as it was a retool of the existing MP3 mould). But people happily paid for those Jets without batting an eyelid, so.

And look, I'm the kind of person who initially whinged about the price of MP12 as I felt that these MP Cars made entirely from plastic and without detailed interiors etc. were inferior value for money compared to Binaltech and making memes like this


But I've come to accept MP prices and IMO by MP Car standards Hound doesn't seem that far fetched. The toys have been steadily climbing in price, but so has their level of D&E.

While we can see that Hound is the most expensive, we can also see a gradual upward climb in both price and D&E. Again, I do recognise that all of these trinkets included would add to the cost, no doubt's there, but I don't think it's the sole factor in the price determination.

Ultimately we all vote with our wallets (and for those in Japan or with VPNs you can directly tell TakaraTOMY what you think via their online survey)

[Jazzman]

MP10 is about twice the price of MP1 too. Each time these MPs jump up in tech level so does the price. If people want more sophisticated toys then it's going to be reflected in the unit price.

Hmmm... so MP Optimus V.4 will be over $1G???

[Lord_Zed]

Probably, what with a trade war looming I'd expect all toys to be going up in price soon.

[griffin]

But I've come to accept MP prices and IMO by MP Car standards Hound doesn't seem that far fetched. The toys have been steadily climbing in price, but so has their level of D&E.

While we can see that Hound is the most expensive, we can also see a gradual upward climb in both price and D&E. Again, I do recognise that all of these trinkets included would add to the cost, no doubt's there, but I don't think it's the sole factor in the price determination.

That graph is flawed, because you included the larger sized Autobot cars which are expected to be more expensive - Ironhide, Ratchet, Grapple,
Inferno and Artfire. Take those out and Sunstreaker started the rapid growth of prices... just look at the difference in prices of the two Hotrods and even
Cordon the white Sunstreaker... which also pokes a hole in the D&E argument, as there is no extra engineering of the actual toys to justify a 20% increase in
price of both. And Hound was shown in a photo next to Ironhide to be the same size of the other Autobot cars, so should be compared to those, not the larger five.
Redoing the graph with just the standard sized Autobot cars, the price increase is more emphasised in the last couple of years, and not because of
new moulds either (which would support the D&E claim if only the new moulds were going up in price).

[GoktimusPrime]

Sunstreaker is about the same size as Lambor and MP36 is smaller than MP5. But what makes Sunstreaker and MP36 dearer than Lambor and MP5 is the hike up in D&E. My guess is that Hound is similarly a more complex toy than your typical Autobot Car at the size in order to achieve that slavish level of cartoon likeness.

I take your point that the retooling on Cordon doesn't justify the price hike, and even less so with MP Targetmaster Hot Rod given that the Targetmaster is pretty much the same as the one from Hasbro's MP Roddy (retooled handle?). Not quite as exquisitely overpriced as the Coneheads, but yeah, needlessly overpriced nonetheless. I suppose the other alternative for those who want Hound cheaper is to do what I did with Cordon -- wait for a cheaper LMIB one to appear. I got mine from Mandarake in LMIB condition for nearly half RRP; the box had been opened but the toy was untouched. The fact that it was technically no longer MISB significantly reduced the price.

I'm personally willing to pay full quid for Hound, but if I weren't then I'd bide my time and get an LMIB one.

[Kranix]

I've thought about this a lot since the release of the production Hound pics and I just can't get into this figure even though he is one of my biggest MP wants as a character. I admire what Takara have done but I just don't seem to want it.

I was sort of like this with MP Sunstreaker but I wasn't a huge fan of the character. I more purchased him because I was in the buy all G1 MP mode but he has sat in his box opened but never transformed. I just haven't been able to get into him enough to bother.

I think the price rise for Hound seals the deal. If I loved the figure I would just pay it but my thoughts on the figure mean that I would just be buying for the sake of it. I think my collection may be complete unless they do bring out MP Jazz. Assuming I don't feel the same way as I do about Hound but Jazz is my biggest want.

[Soundwarp]

IMHO I reckon that alternators hound was perfection.