New Masterpiece Starscream - MP52

[Kyle]

I couldn't justify the expense of Optimus v3 or BW Megatron... and have trouble wanting to buy a lot of the recent ones due to their higher prices... this one I've decided against getting as well.

To date, I have continued to collect every single release, and almost all of the exclusives, but not the cross-over ones with other brands. But the last one I actually opened and played with was Ironhide from a few years ago.

The prices on new MPs have gotten ridiculous for a while, now even more so. If I didn't start off collecting from the very beginning, I probably would not have been motivated to continue collecting the new ones.

The high price also puts me off from opening and playing with one. I fear I'd scratch the paint or damage the toy in some way. The Siege / Earthrise lines are giving me the same characters and more satisfaction at the moment.

They're barely Transformers anymore. Most of them turn completely inside out more than transform. The vehicle mode hides the robot parts, and the robot mode entirely hides the vehicle parts and replaces them with G1 cartoon accurate kibble. It's uninteresting.

I agree with this. Convoy v3 does look very good in both modes and I did get him. But I can't help but feel the MP transformation on these recent ones "cheat" a lot. All the parts on the surface of the robots are "fake" car parts. I much prefer the windows on Prime's chest being the actual truck windows as on MP Convoy v2. It is so iconic and one part I could not forgive for any "cheating"...

[Kyle]

As gorgeous as it looks, I ain’t forking out $500 for it. As well as the prospect of another 5 x$500 for the other seekers.

I also fear most of them would end up as TakaraTomy Mall exclusives... which would limit the number of online retailers being able to carry them...

[jimoinj]

To date, I have continued to collect every single release, and almost all of the exclusives, but not the cross-over ones with other brands. But the last one I actually opened and played with was Ironhide from a few years ago.

The prices on new MPs have gotten ridiculous for a while, now even more so. If I didn't start off collecting from the very beginning, I probably would not have been motivated to continue collecting the new ones.

The high price also puts me off from opening and playing with one. I fear I'd scratch the paint or damage the toy in some way. The Siege / Earthrise lines are giving me the same characters and more satisfaction at the moment.



I agree with this. Convoy v3 does look very good in both modes and I did get him. But I can't help but feel the MP transformation on these recent ones "cheat" a lot. All the parts on the surface of the robots are "fake" car parts. I much prefer the windows on Prime's chest being the actual truck windows as on MP Convoy v2. It is so iconic and one part I could not forgive for any "cheating"...

I disagree, I don't think it's "cheating." The reality is, one of the modes, more likely the robot mode, is going to lose aesthetically if various vehicle parts aren't fake. Unless there was a way to physically make them smaller and change shape when in robot mode, since that's what they essentially do in the cartoon. It's like asking for Masterpiece Megatron to mass-shift into a much smaller handgun that can be held by other Transformers. And no one was calling for that.

More generally, I think the popularity of third-party companies with hyper-toon looking MPs is forcing Takara to attempt to match them/keep up with the competition.

[griffin]

Even if $300, you can't have 1 without at least Skywarp and Thùndercracker to match that style... and if they have plans for coneheads or other seekers, it will be more difficult to say no to a larger matching set.

[Tha_Phantom]

Even if $300, you can't have 1 without at least Skywarp and Thùndercracker to match that style... and if they have plans for coneheads or other seekers, it will be more difficult to say no to a larger matching set.

I don't see the problem here...

Just stirring. I know that factor is what's putting many off and I get that. I'm sold on at least getting the main three, but I will have to see if the coneheads can entice me or not.

[Krayt]

I actually think that a higher price suggests that the repaints are NOT planned to follow.

Look at recent excessively priced MPs

Hound
BW Megs
BW Dinobot
BW BA
BW Tigatron

The high price of Starscream lends to the mould not being planned for multiple repaints.

[Kyle]

I actually think that a higher price suggests that the repaints are NOT planned to follow.

Look at recent excessively priced MPs

Hound
BW Megs
BW Dinobot
BW BA
BW Tigatron

The high price of Starscream lends to the mould not being planned for multiple repaints.

That's not a bad theory, quite probable. I kept buying the repaints for the sake of "completeness" of my collection, even though I'd rather them to stop!

[jimoinj]

I understand cost is a concern re: getting the whole set. But if I couldn't afford them all -note they r not necessarily coming out at once - I would either give up something (eg. give up all non-masterpiece transformers - their cost really adds up as there are so many of them), or I would just get one of my favourite character (probably Starscream). Some toys though look too good not to get. Mind u, I don't want one with QC issues and I avoided Prime version 3 because of that and the ridiculous cost (we thought Unicron was expensive).

[Kyle]

I wish TakaraTomy would give us MP versions of Jazz, Mirage, Hoist, Trailbreaker, Skids and Cliffjumper etc. before planning any more version 2 or 3.

[graza78]

I actually think that a higher price suggests that the repaints are NOT planned to follow.

Look at recent excessively priced MPs

Hound
BW Megs
BW Dinobot
BW BA
BW Tigatron

The high price of Starscream lends to the mould not being planned for multiple repaints.

Prime V3 was a very expensive mould and got a nemesis repaint already.