Masterpiece Movie Optimus MPM-4

[ChlorHex]

With Weijiang showing what a bit more effort could do in churning out a fantastic figure for the previous movie's voyager mold plus making it leader class (and selling them like hot cakes)... it's awesome to see TT now upping their game to beat these 3rd party/KO lot.

This looks like a really enticing figure... gotta grab one!

[Deonasis]

I can't wait for good photographers display all the dynamic and iconic poses this MP will pull off (note the double jointed knees). And some pics alongside the soon to be released MP movie Bumblebee will help too!

^Both these things will sway the naysayers.

This is no remold. Yes, parts occupy the same alt mode areas as ROTF prime but that's because those decisions make sense. Don't expect the legs to be made from the smokestacks just for 'originality'. This new MP is just design iteration.

I am not saying they got everything right (I wish they had used a different piece of the bonnet to form the abdomen) but I know they consider many things and sometimes they justify a decision beyond "it works" (a transformation homage etc).

Also, ROTF Prime is still most definitely a marvel for where engineering was in 2009(?) while still containing the electronic bulk.

[Trent]

Looks nice.

Is it bad lighting or are they being pretty liberal with the Hasbro Grey plastic?

[drifand]

I hate to say it but the paint apps is the down point for me for this figure.
Looks way too much plastic for my liking

[Magnus]

@NOTRAB has posted more pictures, which were mirrored in the TFW2005 discussion thread. Now we have a size comparison with Jetwing Optimus.







I prefer to only have one version of a character's specific look, but looking at these pictures has seen me change from a 'no' to a 'maybe.'

Looks nice.

Is it bad lighting or are they being pretty liberal with the Hasbro Grey plastic?

The grey on this is darker than the typical 'Hasbro Grey', and some of the close-ups even seem to have metallic flecks in the plastic.

I hate to say it but the paint apps is the down point for me for this figure.
Looks way too much plastic for my liking

Nearly everything on this figure is coloured the way it should be. There's blue missing from the feet and the backs of the forearms should be red, and that's it from what I can see. If you paint a lot more parts, you could have an MP-36 situation where painted parts rub against each other and paint flakes or chips off.

If the right colour can be achieved with plastic, that's great - it'll bring the price down that little bit, and there's no risk of chipping.

[drifand]

Well that's just me is a masterpiece not an action figure so I prefer better paint apps but the main thing is the smoke pipes are not chrome or silver , it doesn't feel like a masterpiece. But hey ignore me. If this is what you like then buy it.

[kurdt_the_goat]

Who thinks the guy taking these photos totally did a runner from the event? I know i would!

I believe the MPM Bumblebee shown by Hasbro and TT at different shows had slightly different paint apps. Even though they've shown MPM boxes with TakaraTomy's logo as well as Hasbro's... i can't imagine the Japanese version won't be painted at least as well as Buster OP.

Hasbro's one is supposed to be only $99 USD, so i imagine that explains some of the lacking silver, maybe even the too thick pin stripes on the flames. TT one i'm expecting will be 15000Y+ if they go to town on it.

[hYpNoS]

Well that's just me is a masterpiece not an action figure so I prefer better paint apps but the main thing is the smoke pipes are not chrome or silver , it doesn't feel like a masterpiece. But hey ignore me. If this is what you like then buy it.

Might be like as kurdt_the_goat is saying above me and perhaps there are 2 versions, the promo shots look silver (and personally the inhand as well) but a takara version may have those painted.

But I'd be worried if the smoke stacks are painted because they're retractable, how big is the clearance

[drifand]

I guess the figure looks fine, I am more about the finishing of the product.

I just have to Wait and see.

[GoktimusPrime]

Pass for me. Relative to price point* I don't think that this figure really adds more to the existing Leader Class ROTF and DOTM Optimus Primes. You all know that MP Optimus Primal was already a "hard sell" for me - I only ordered that toy at the last minute, and even now I still feel that the original Ultra Class figure is still on par with the MP relative to their respective prices (I also feel the same about the Generations BW figures). While MP Optimus Primal is a nice figure, it didn't encourage me to get any more BW MPs. I've seen and handled MP Cheetor IRL and yeah, it's great, but again relative to price I don't feel that it's a substantial improvement over the original. Not enough to make me want to get the toy.

I dunno, I think that when it comes to MPs I'm just going to stick with G1 because G1 toys "benefit" more from the MP upgrades whereas I don't really see the "benefit" from toys based on BW and beyond. MPM Optimus Prime looks like a great figure, and I'm happy for Movieverse fans who would love this toy, but not my cuppa tea.

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*Retail Price: US$99.99 - this is 2.5 times dearer than the RRP for a Leader Class figure. So expect to pay about AU$250 for this toy outside of the US. I'd estimate 20,000JPY (AU$245) if it were released by TakaraTOMY; definitely over AU$250 after sales tax and all this is without postage.