It's Official - MP-36 is a new Megatron

[Nevac]

The problem with the new Megatron is that he's created with Takara's new shift to toon accurate MP's. As such he looks a little off with Optimus which was made years ago and is a sort of an amalgamation of toon/toy/realistic truck aesthetic.

This is probably why a lot of people really like Despotron as he fits better with prime and people seem to really like roided out Transformers for some reason. Personally I'm happy with how Megatron looks and Takara's new focus as I grew up watching the cartoon and remembered being disappointed how the toys only resembled their onscreen counterparts.

I'm loath to admit we need a new Optimus as he's been done so much but he does look very dated compared to Megatron.

[Robzy]

I'd like to see a more toon accurate Starscream.

[drifand]

I'd like to see a more toon accurate Starscream.

Looks like some company made a oversized white mp-11. Funny how nobody done it on normal mp size.

[GoktimusPrime]

MP10 was the new more cartoon-accurate MP Optimus Prime toy. It significantly looks a lot more like the cartoon model than MP1 with features such as:
* Concealed leg wheels
* Show-accurate helmet design
* More squarish fuel tanks
* Body proportions look more like the show
* Arms are more show-like with silver strip removed and replaced with 'toon-accurate red mid-arm sections
* Broader feet
* More show-accurate looking rifle complete with IDW-accurate stowage gimmick

Although I still personally consider MP1 to be a better action figure than MP10, MP10 is definitely the more show-accurate looking of the pair. Is MP10 100% show accurate? No. There were clearly creative additions added just to make the toy look less bland than it otherwise would if it were slavishly show-accurate. Adding interchangeable parts would've added to the cost of what was already a very expensive toy. And I don't know about the rest of you, but I find the more toy-accurate parts on MP Inferno to look a lot better than the show-accurate parts. And in all honesty, no MP is 100% show accurate. And if you look closely at MP36 and compare it with the G1 show model, MP36 also similarly adds extra 'embellishments' which aren't on the cartoon model (e.g. crotch detailing, grill lines on those little trapeziums on the top of the chest, additional detailing on stomach, lines on hip plates (likely to be from pistol mode's grip) etc.). Take MP Wheeljack for example. He's a lot more detailed than the cartoon model because that toy carries over lots of detail from the licensed vehicle mode. And the same could be said about a lot of the MP Cars. IMHO these toys wouldn't look as nice if they were over-slavishly show accurate. When images of MP Inferno first surfaced, some people complained that it looks too plain, especially with the show-like bits added on. Yeah, it does. And that's what happens when you make a toy so show accurate! It's known that Toei's Kohara Shouhei drew the preliminary designs for G1, but it was Sunbow's Floro Dery who went and simplified those designs and thus it was Dery's designs that were used for the show. Comparison between Kohara and Dery's designs for Sideswipe. Look at the way that the wheels on Dery Sideswipe's legs are only half visible. Doesn't look nearly as nice as the fully visible wheels on Kohara Sideswipe.

MP Wheeljack: gorgeously not too show-accurate

As for the Seekers, the MP11 mould was already retooled making it more show-accurate than the MP3 mould. Creating third versions of MP Convoy and Starscream would be expensive and I'm not sure if it's commercially viable. How many people who own previous versions of these MP characters would buy them again simply due to cosmetic differences? I personally wouldn't, but maybe that's just me. Sounds like it's time for a poll!.

[drifand]

My half contented solution for TT mp-10 where a simple thing like changing the eyes can lift a figure by 20%.



As you can see his spotlights are not painted which is pretty bad for a TT version. I don't see why TT has not bothered fixing these minor things and perfecting it to a version 3 where people will buy it and they make money.

[Magnus]

Good point on MP-10. I suppose it may be possible to engineer some interchangeable battle-damaged parts, like the chest, a face and maybe the left torso injury, to complement what's on Megatron, but as you indicated, it may not be worth the expense of re-engineering and re-releasing the figure considering the mould has been released a few times now.

Given the current trend towards screen-accuracy, if and when TakaraTOMY make MP Jazz, I hope they reproduce the original car's Martini Racing livery instead of making a simplified, screen-accurate version. That can be saved for the MP+ version. On that topic, I suspect that Wheeljack will eventually get the + treatment, since the colour scheme of his animation model was substantially different to the Alitalia livery the toy had.

[drifand]

Good point on MP-10. I suppose it may be possible to engineer some interchangeable battle-damaged parts, like the chest, a face and maybe the left torso injury, to complement what's on Megatron, but as you indicated, it may not be worth the expense of re-engineering and re-releasing the figure considering the mould has been released a few times now.

Given the current trend towards screen-accuracy, if and when TakaraTOMY make MP Jazz, I hope they reproduce the original car's Martini Racing livery instead of making a simplified, screen-accurate version. That can be saved for the MP+ version. On that topic, I suspect that Wheeljack will eventually get the + treatment, since the colour scheme of his animation model was substantially different to the Alitalia livery the toy had.

Wheeljack was great except no idea who gave the idea to slack off on white paint resulting in a not so great figure unlike how prowl was painted or ratchet.

[hYpNoS]

All this talk about paint is making me worry now.

What are the odds megatron comes out in that swirly grey plastic they used on starscream?

[Nevac]

Yes MP10 is the most show accurate Prime released thus far but when Takara did MP22 Ultra Magnus and onward they seemed to do a shift to as much toon accuracy as possible with some people not liking the shift.

The MP10 Optimus does lack a few details like the grey coloring on his thighs and sides of his chest instead of white and unpainted horns on top of his chest. (Strangely Hasbro did this) even though I think only the movie showed primes horns colored. He also has the white band on truck mode which isn't present in the cartoon at all. They didn't collapse the wheels into his leg I remember reading there was a reason why they didn't do it can't remember it though.

If MP10 were to be released right now with Takara's current shift he would be much more toon accurate. Megatron's has a lot of detailing to the toon like the inner legs and his crotch front is actually toon accurate if you disregard the zig zag which is there so the panel can move (transformation probably) but the small squares on it are toon accurate. The top is his chest was probably unavoidable needing to put panels and moving parts somewhere it's better then non accurate kibble.

The MP cars were mostly designed before Takara's toon accuracy shift and they look better for it. Probably since they are based off real cars and the cartoon stripped a lot of detail. Which is why Wheeljack looks so different if they did him toon accurate his alt mode would be quite bland.

[Jellico]

Wheeljack was great except no idea who gave the idea to slack off on white paint resulting in a not so great figure unlike how prowl was painted or ratchet.

Sometimes I feel paint exists to be damaged. Currently my Prowl's front wheel tread is scraping away at the black paint behind his shoulders.

At the same time great scything windows do their best to scar Ratchet's roof every time he transforms. Oddly Ironhide doesn't suffer this. I think the windows are afraid.

Paint seems to be one of those things you need to be strategic about. Paint adds consistency to a surface. If you can get consistency without it that is probably a good thing. When I look at Wheeljack there are so many places where scratching would be so easily done I can understand why he lacks paint.