Masterpiece MP-28 Hot Rodimus - Full Size Gallery

Last night I uploaded the review/article on Masterpiece MP-28 Hot Rodimus pre-release sample to TFSource blog who were also kind enough to source the sample for me in the first place. For those who want just the images at full size and don;t fancy the 3000 words chucked between them, here's the full uninterrupted gallery. Enjoy!

Ocular Max Remix RMX-01 Jaguar

Mastermind Creations, under the guise of Masterpiece-focused Ocular Max branding, have introduced a sub-line into that sub-line! The Remix line begins with RMX-01 Jaguar, a figure that homages the Generation 1 Decepticon cassette Ravage. Now why bother launching a line with something already covered by the official TakaraTomy Masterpiece collection? For a start, not everyone seems to share my high opinion of MP Ravage, it's true to say some actually dislike the figure thoroughly. While the MP Ravage is scaled to a micro cassette like the original G1 rendition and fits inside MP Soundwave's chest, Ocular Max believed that it was too small in kitty mode. Their reasons for developing this product are for a better experience in transformation and posing, as well as scaling with other associated Masterpiece figures like Soundwave in jaguar mode. For the moment, this has been offered as a Planet Steel Express exclusive.

Masterpiece Tracks Prototype - Toy Face?

We know how the current TakaraTomy Transformers Masterpiece line operates by now. Cartoon likeness for the Generation 1 Transformers cast is a priority for release and where possible the designers inject much enjoyed references or likeness to the original G1 toys (occasionally descended from Takara Diaclone or Micro Change Series lines). MP-21 Bumble has an Amazon exclusive toy-style battle mask, MP-17 Prowl had Amazon exclusive toy-style missile launchers. So, when Masterpiece MP-25 Tracks was revealed with a cartoon-accurate humanoid face and no plans for an exclusive toy-style battle mask replacement or add-on option, we looked to the repaint, MP-26 Road Rage. That too was released with a brand new female humanoid face and no add-on options or exclusive, so neither version of the Masterpiece Corvette Stingray paid any homage to the much loved toy face of the mould either as a Transformer or a Diaclone. With no removable section on MP-25 or MP-26 faces, we have seemingly been denied a toy homage. Now it has come to light that this, it seems, was not always the case.

MakeToys MTRM-05 Wrestle (MP Grapple)

The MakeToys Re:Master (Masterpiece-a-like) train steams along with MTRM-05 Wrestle, their version of the Autobot Grapple. Pretty much released at the same time as their Inferno "Hellfire" of the same base mould, for the time being Wrestle has only been offered as a MakeToys website exclusive. I was told I was within the first 20 to order this, and so I've received my specimen in the first wave of send-outs. Having owned and loved G1 Grapple as a child, I was always going to choose this over Inferno/Hellfire. Following the lauded MTRM-01 Cupola, the (in my opinion) excellent 02 Gundog and 07 Visualizers, 05 Wrestle fills another hole in the Autobot season 2 cast list that TakaraTomy may not fill for at least another year. With MakeToys' reputation for quality engineering and solid figures still in place, there's a chance that by getting to market first before Ocular Max and X-Transbots, Wrestle will be a success too. However, being a website exclusive that almost all online retailers are denied from offering currently, and taking into account MakeToys' distinct aesthetics, that's not a guarantee any more.

Masterpiece MP-21R Bumble - Red Body

TakaraTomy's Masterpiece MP-21R Bumble - Red Body is a fascinating release, probably for all the wrong reasons. I know I personally pre-ordered it out of a sense of obligation and completion, trying to make up for never having properly completed the vintage Diaclone and MC Car Robots & minibots I so desired. Masterpiece MP-21 Bumble was in itself one of the toys of the decade and a comprehensive success, but I found the G2 repaint MP-21G massively underwhelming, so my hopes of being impressed by the red version were not high. I've seen a lot of disparaging comments about this release because it is supposedly a poor man's Cliffjumper and the origin of the colour scheme confused a number of collectors.