MP-29 Masterpiece Laserwave (Shockwave)

[MEEEGGGAAATTTRRROOONNN!!!]

Does anyone felt that the mono eye could be a more prominent translucent yellow? In day light my figure feels a bit flat on the eye?

Yeah, it is a bit flat -- a guy over at Zealous Academy even painted the eye to make it stand out more:





This one's a big pic:

[drifand]

now that's a bit too strong for me. lol

But I guess is whatever that suits.

[MEEEGGGAAATTTRRROOONNN!!!]

Looking at it more thoroughly, it is a bit bright; so somewhere between the current shade and that would probably be perfect!

[MayzaPrime]

I got my MP Shockwave yesterday and I have to say that I am a little underwhelmed, and I am glad that I didnt sell off my Fans Toys Quakewave.

I am not saying that its not a great figure, I just dont think its as good as Quakewave. I really dont like the backpack and the legs.

Maybe I am expecting too much from MP releases... for me most of the main line releases have been home runs.

[GoktimusPrime]

To be fair it is relatively more difficult to create more steamlined alt modes as Transformers, especially as MPs compared to more bulky alt modes like automobiles. Comparing MP Laserwave with other actual MPs and he's not too bad. He's loads better than MP Megatron and I think it's clear that TakaraTOMY have learnt some lessons from MP5; but having said that, this is a fictitious bulky space gun and not a more slim Walther P38. But things like guns and jets are inherently trickier alt modes to work with because you have relatively less space to work in the robot mode and still come up with a beefy looking cartoon accurate robot.

The G1 Shockwave toy is beefy from waist up, but always did have skinny legs. MP Laserwave attempts to bulk out the legs to make them look more chunky as they do in the cartoon model rather than just walking on chicken legs. MP Megatron did this by shifting panels out to the side, whereas MP Laserwave achieves it by having internal panels flip out and actually form the inner parts of the lower legs.

The backpack is a funny thing, but here TakaraTOMY have managed to incorporate the gun barrel into the robot. It was a separate accessory that you put aside (and could be lost) on the G1 toy. It seems that the only place that they could put the barrel was on the back, and then have the actual robot backpack shell clip on as an accessory. Obviously the legs form the rear of the gun instead of the backpack, but this is to accommodate the additional bulk of the legs in the gun mode (because that additional mass has to go somewhere). The alternative is to have skinny chicken legs like MP5.

So I give points to TakaraTOMY for trying to do something different from what they did with MP5 Megatron, a toy which has drawn criticism from fans. Having the backpack become a stand for the gun is pretty neat, because it does help display Laserwave in gun mode. I display my eHobby Megaplex in gun mode and I've always needed to use a makeshift stand so that it doesn't just bear down all of its weight onto the tip of the extended barrel (I'm currently using a spare MP Soundwave Energon cube). It's in the same vein as MP Star Sabre's shield which also becomes a stand. I think it's one of those things where TakaraTOMY are faced with a leftover part and have to think about what they're going to do with it.

My Overall Thoughts On This Toy
Transformation-wise, half of this toy feels like an emulation of the G1 toy, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. MP Grimlock felt the same way and MP Soundwave is almost entirely an "emulation" of G1 Soundwave's transformation, but that's just fine. Sometimes toys just don't need to have more complex transformations engineered into them to make them MP grade. These toys can simply follow the K.I.S.S. principle and it works fine for them.

The toy-accurate hands are a nice touch, although they don't really complement the show-accurate lighter purple as they would with a toy-accurate deep purple. If Hasbro USA ever brought this toy over (ha!) then they really should do it in toy-accurate dark purple. But I wouldn't hold my breath. I also like how the toy comes with an Astro-Magnum/pre-TF accurate trigger () instead of the "chastity panel" that Hasbro moulded onto Shockwave so that he doesn't look like he's got priapism. But TakaraTOMY obviously want to avoid having a priapistic MP Laserwave, and the trigger is completely absent on the show model, so I think it's neat that it manages to tuck away and become concealed in robot mode. Like a cetacean*.

I also quite like the design of the hose. I like how they've deliberately avoided using rubber (as anyone who owns a G1 Shockwave will appreciate why). Rather, it's made of segmented plastic which can contract or expand, allowing the hose to be loose and pliable as if it were made of rubber but is actually made of solid plastic. A very clever design feature.

The main thing that bugs me with this toy are the stickers. They're so fragile and super-sticky so that if you make a mistake and peel them off, it irrevocably damages the sticker; either with permanent crease lines (which impacts on their ability to restick smoothly) and/or just tear. They do provide spares, but I practically used all mine up trying to get the stickers to look right! They do come with a set of toy and show accurate Decepticon logos, but I honestly would've preferred the logos to be tampographed on. I don't care which version, I'm not fussed either way. It's a choice that I felt that didn't need to be there IMO. It's not as if any other previous MP came with more cartoony looking show-accurate logos, and I've never heard anyone complain about previous MPs coming with toy-accurate logos (which IMO look better). Sheesh.

Overall I think it's a really nice toy, although it's understandably not going to be everyone's cup of tea.

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*Coincidentally the only full cetacean Transformer we've had (not really counting Orcanoch) has been IDW's Tidalwave, whose robot mode appears to be based on Armada Tidalwave. And of course, Tidalwave was called "Shockwave" in the Armada cartoon (and Japanese toyline).

[Omega Metro]

I love mine. Enjoyed the transformation too. My only complaint is I wish it was a slightly darker shade of purple. You definately couldn't rob a bank with this, everyone would laugh if you were holding a purple gun at their face.

[GoktimusPrime]

My only complaint is I wish it was a slightly darker shade of purple.

I would also prefer a toy/comic-accurate darker shade of purple, but TakaraTOMY's objective was to achieve a show-accurate lighter shade of purple, which if we compare it with the animation model we can see that the purple that they've used is pretty spot on.

Show-likeness has been a running theme with TakaraTOMY's MPs, so it comes as no surprise that they would aim for show-likeness in the MP toy. I know that some animators coloured him darker, but we know that the G1 cartoon wasn't exactly known for consistency. Many other characters varied wildly in colour, shape, size etc. - but TakaraTOMY have obviously used Sunbow's animation bible's model as their reference (as it would've also been a reference for Sunbow animators).

[5FDP]

^ I'm very happy with the show accurate colours. If you want toy accurate, buy the toy

One of the few MP that I've actually opened (I know right ). Love him. Great in both modes. Still not sold on having additional hands. Just more parts to loose IMO.

9/10.

[philby]

I enjoy reading your detailed reviews Goktimus, like this one and Ironhide. I think they do a good job of explaining things and decisions that some people like to whine and complain about. I hope you post them on the American sites! 👍

As for me I'm not sure, I have no nostalgia love for the toy and I don't think I remember him in a lot of cartoon episodes. He is a MP Decepticon so maybe I will grab him anyway to even things up!

[GoktimusPrime]

I enjoy reading your detailed reviews Goktimus, like this one and Ironhide. I think they do a good job of explaining things and decisions that some people like to whine and complain about. I hope you post them on the American sites! 👍

Cheers dude. I don't post on foreign sites anymore, but you're welcome to copy/paste my reviews with due credit.