Toy Review - JP Masterpiece Soundwave

[kup]

How do you know TakTOM don't send free replacement parts anymore? Granted I've never needed to receive one from them since my MP01 incident in early 2004... has there been an incident where TakTOM have outright refused to send a replacement part to someone? The only reason I can imagine why they would do that is if the person purchased the Transformer from outside Japan, because then it falls outside their 'jurisdiction'.

I don't live in Japan and don't speak Japanese. Even so, given the contemporary corporate climate, I am doubtful it would work even if I did. My only avenue would be to bring it to the store and hope for the best as I would have done here if bought locally.

Anyways, after blood and tears, I have been able to fix my Laserbeak. The engine is visibly scarred on one side but it is not immediately noticeable in a display so no risk of 'WTF happened your laserbeak?!' reactions from anyone who sees it.

The hardest part by far was trying to maintain functionality and playability in the transformation. That required lots of trial and error and often I thought I was failing more than anything until I got it right. Still, not a good experience.

I will wait till I calm down more before I write my views on the actual toy, don't want to contaminate any of the toy's features with my current mood from the incident.

Who did you order from?

Please don't say Robot Kingdom...

Won't say it because you told me not to

[GoktimusPrime]

I don't live in Japan and don't speak Japanese. Even so, given the contemporary corporate climate, I am doubtful it would work even if I did. My only avenue would be to bring it to the store and hope for the best as I would have done here if bought locally.

Okay, but I think there's a difference between saying, "I am unable to access TakaraTOMY's services," and saying, "TakaraTOMY doesn't care about customer service." My personal experience with Takara's customer service has always been fantastic, and granted my experience with them replacing a part was before their merger with Tomy, but unless we've heard of an incident from someone who's had a bad experience with their post-Tomy customer service, I think it's somewhat unfair to just assume that it's gotten any worse since then.

And you are right in that they would advise you to return to the store of purchase for a refund/exchange. But in my situation, I explained to them that my MP01 had indeed been purchased from a store in Japan, but since I was in Australia when the toy was opened I couldn't very well bring it back to that store for a recompense. Once I'd explained my circumstances to them, Takara were extremely cooperative and helpful. But yeah, Takara won't service a toy if it was purchased outside of Japan (I guess it essentially voids the "warranty").

[Robzy]

Sorry to hear that Kup

Personally, I've had no problems. Soundwave is an amazing toy - highly recommended!!

Just curious, in robot mode, does anyone know why both of Soundwave's feet have a little hatch that opens up (on the inside)?

[Hursticon]

Just curious, in robot mode, does anyone know why both of Soundwave's feet have a little hatch that opens up (on the inside)?

They're little storage facilities for Rumble/Frenzy's chrome guns for when they're in Alt mode & within Soundwave's chest.

[Robzy]

They're little storage facilities for Rumble/Frenzy's chrome guns for when they're in Alt mode & within Soundwave's chest.

Oh, brilliant! Thanks Hursti I thought I was missing something. Clever design!!

[Hursticon]

Oh, brilliant! Thanks Hursti I thought I was missing something. Clever design!!

No probs dude, that's exactly what I 1st thought when I saw the leak that provided that info; there's more too but I'll leave that for now.

It really goes to show that when Takara was designing Soundwave & the Cassettes that they really had both in mind & how each would work with each other, such wise & broad level thinking in my opinion.

[Robzy]

there's more too but I'll leave that for now.

You TEASE!! Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me...

[TFan1234]

Got mine this week, overall pretty impressed with the awesome design, smooth transformation and aesthetics, really loving it.

So much positive comments, thought I should balance them with a few negative ones too (some nitpicking).

Just to say upfront I m not bagging the figure, I m in love with it.

- When in hand it feels lighter than expected. MPs these days tend to be this way (Same with MP 12/14), probably to cut material cost.

- The paint apps on mine is imperfect at a few places, eg shoulder cannon, laserbeak silver engine. I expected it to be better given its price.

- Some of the factory finishing isn't perfect, eg some gaps between parts at the back of the knee

- Fingertip problem really annoys me - the left finger that can touch the eject button pops off so easily! Right finger is ok though. My MP10 has the same problem on both hands.

- I feel in general Hasbro versions seem to less QC problems but Takara versions look better (Many of my Takara toys have problems).

Wish list for (even) better design (OK this is really nitpicking), but cost will probably be prohibitive:
- My dream mp SW would work as a MP3 player as well, and would come with a recording of its voice as in the show, and of the 1984 Transformers theme song. A slot for a real SD card is great (although technology gets outdated and in 20 years time may be out of fashion). Not the miniSD card as in music label SW. The hole at the top in alt mode should function for head phones.

- All the buttons can be depressed, not just fast-forward and rewind

- ATM in alt mode the back looks like the G1 toy. For me it would be better if it looks more like the back of a real casette player - especially for the bottom bit at the back where it's just a gap and the cannons/ guns bits are exposed when looking from the underside. May be a casette player battery cover over that space?

- In the cartoon the alt mode is very small but the robot somehow becomes very big. To show that "up-scaling effect" it should come with a mini SW in alt mode, 2 medium SWs that are mid-transformations but one a bit bigger than the other, with progressive transformations. Each of these accessories don't need to be transformable but we can put all 4 SWs together to show transformation from small cassette player to large robot. Just like the following pic from Planet Iacon:

[GoktimusPrime]

...and don't forget that the faceplate should be removable (or it should come with an alternate faceplateless head). Or better yet, TakTOM should make a limited exclusive purple repaint with that alternate head (similar to what they did with their limited exclusive MP Grimlock).

- I feel in general Hasbro versions seem to less QC problems but Takara versions look better (Many of my Takara toys have problems).

I find this is more of an issue with TakaraTOMY, rather than Takara. Before their merger with Tomy, I found Takara toys were usually superior to Hasbro's, not just in form, but also function. Absolutely better value for money. But since the merger I've noticed an increase in QC issues and now this downsizing thing (which Hasbro is doing too, not only TakTOM). But yeah... once upon a time Takara used to give us better value for money.