Standards of accuracy in Masterpiece

[GoktimusPrime]

We know that some MPs are more toy accurate (e.g. TakTOM's MP10, Hasbro's MP Rodimus Prime etc.), while others are more cartoon/show accurate (e.g. Hasbro's MP10, TakTOM's Rodimus Convoy etc.). Does this fluctuation between standards of accuracy seriously frustrate you at all? And I mean in terms of your opinion of the MP line as a whole; obviously opinions may vary between individual figures, but I'm talking about people's overall impression with the MP line overall.

I'm personally not frustrated by it, and am, overall, pretty satisfied with the MP line.

Most of the inconsistencies have logical explanations. e.g. I really like how Hasbro's MP Rodimus has toy-accurate colours, but it's kinda annoying how the hands are grey instead of orange. But this is possibly because the hands are cast together with the parts of the face; which made sense for the TakaraTOMY version for their show-accurate colours, but of course, the G1 Hot Rod and Rodimus Prime toys have grey faces and orange hands. So while it's kinda annoying, it's also forgivable. Hasbro neglecting to swap MP Rumble and Frenzy's names around is also pretty annoying (and arguably less forgivable, as it chalks down to just negligence), but I'm sure most owners of those toys have just elected ignore Hasbro's name designations and regard Frenzy as Rumble and Rumble as Frenzy.

Technically speaking, if we want MP Optimus Prime and Soundwave to be completely toon-accurate, then they should have no chrome or metallic greys on them, but instead just have whites or light greys (which animators used to approximate those colours from the toys). This is what Takara did w/ reissue Action Master Optimus Prime as well as doing something similar with the original G1 Star Convoy (although reissue Star Convoy replaces the white with metallic silver, which I personally prefer). So Hasbro's MP Optimus Prime isn't completely show-accurate, because it doesn't have a white waist and thighs etc., and neither MP Soundwave is completely show-accurate either, because they have chrome and metallic silver plastic instead of just white. What is evidently happening is that designers are cherry-picking what they consider to be the most desirable from each canonical source to add in.

Then there's MP Grimlock...

[Sinnertwin]

Doesn't bother me either way
I like, i buy

[lancalot]

for me it the scale of MP Bumbblebee in alt mode...!! he is the only one out of scale ...

[drifand]

Bugs me a bit, IMO keep to one standard. I don't like spending unnecessary .
Release both types if it makes everybody happy.

The issue is YOU don't know if they bother to do the other version and will leave you hanging, if you are just relying on one version.

There isn't a premium accurate one. Lol

Here are some more point outs, the seekers decepticon upside down logo.

For me, as long it doesn't look silly. While Magnus gun I can just ignore some others may not.

[CBratron]

Small differences can be fixed with a little paint.

for me it the scale of MP Bumbblebee in alt mode...!! he is the only one out of scale ...

I'm okay with BB's size. It's Grimlock's size that irks me. I use him in dino mode as a CHUG figure.

For me, as long it doesn't look silly. While Magnus gun I can just ignore some others may not.

Red bumper. It may be toy accurate but it still looks off.

[drifand]

Here's the thing, I am not a detail fan. And the less I know about the character, the more easier it is to accept the toy.
Pretty sure there are more people who were concerned about what style the mp is showing.

In three months I have came across "not toon accurate" and not G1 a few times.

[DELTAprime]

I like TT's generally more cartoon accurate style. I don't mind MP10 because its close enough for me. I generally hate Hasbro's deco's tho either because of toy accurate deco's and also crap on some like Hasbro MP Thundercracker.

But what really bugs me is MP21 Bumble having a non-cartoon accurate mould is a big issue for me. If a Bumble V2 comes around with a cartoon accurate vehicle mode I'll replace my MP21.

[Jetfire in the sky]

But what really bugs me is MP21 Bumble having a non-cartoon accurate mould is a big issue for me. If a Bumble V2 comes around with a cartoon accurate vehicle mode I'll replace my MP21.

This is a fair point but remember the original G1 mini bot line was based on a super deformed line which had no transformation but had a pull back motor in them. http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Mini_Vehicle

Also if mini vehicle MP's were able to do their super deformed vehicle mode then I doubt they would be able to come close to being scale accurate with their Autobot Car brethren and Bigbot Leader in robot mode.

If you look at the 3p not Brawn and not Outback your concern is evident there too, their alt modes have, when compared to toy mini vehicle and cartoon, a very long bonnet and narrow vehicle width; yes these aren't licensed by Land Rover but the designers have tried to stay true to the original idea that the toy and character were based on that vehicle.

[GoktimusPrime]

What Jetfire in the sky is saying is true. Microman's Micro Change line was a lot like 2007's Real Gear Robots; they were meant to be robots that transformed into 1:1 scale objects. In the case of the Mini-Cars, they were meant to transform into Penny Racers (or "Choro Q" in Japan). They were never originally intended to actually be real cars, but of course, when these toys were brought over as Transformers, they became real cars. Bumblebee doesn't transform into a toy car in TFs, he transforms into an actual car. Browning is a good in-TF-canon example of what Micro Change were meant to be... small robots that transformed into hand-held objects. No mass-shifting or anything. And there have been plenty of other such robots in recent canon too (e.g. Armada Laserbeak, Scalpel, Ejector, Movieverse Frenzy et al.).

MP Bumblebee doesn't represent Micro Change VW Beetle, it represents G1 Bumblebee, and in doing so, has corrected the proportions of his alt mode. And let's face it, Bumblebee's VW proportions have always been corrected with the exception of the Microman mould; Goldbug and Pretender Bumblebee both had more realistic proportioned VW Beetle moulds. It's also evident that a high level of realism was part of what they are trying to achieve with the licensed vehicle modes in MP... from the VW logos on the hubcaps, to having only the driver-side wing mirror (which is so reminiscent of old school cars, and reminds me of my first car; a 1981 Holden Gemini! ) etc. It may also be part of the condition of the licence that they obtained from Porsche/Volkswagen. I'm personally quite happy with MP Bumblebee being realistic proportioned in vehicle mode.

[xlojnr]

I'm not fussed about overall accuracy.

I'm collecting the masterpiece line because when I look at the toys, it reminds me of what I thought they looked like in the cartoon that I watched and loved as a child.

It means that, details that others may see as crucially different to the cartoon don't matter to me - because:
1) it's a good enough likening to what I remember and
2) I do not remember every little detail, and ignorance is bliss.

General shape, scale, colours and distinguishing character features and I'm buying.