Masterpiece Collection - Which Ones To Get?

[Cronosabre]

The Hasbro Asia Exclusive MP-10 is up for preorder on TFSource if you are looking for a well priced MP-10. It was listed for $159.95

You might be able to find a better price somewhere else, I just happened to see it there first and thought you might want to know.

[Nazarite]

I started my MP collection with Hasbro's Rodimus and Thundercracker off of Kijiji for $170 for the pair. I bought them knowing that I wanted Hasbro's version of MP-10. Since then I have gotten; Takara's Sideswipe & Bluestreak, Hasbro's MP-10 OP, Soundwave & the latest Grimlock. I also have Takara's Wheeljack and Bumblebee on pre-order.

I started with the idea that I would not go overboard, stay away from Pre-MP-08 and buying only my favorite figure from a mold. I may however pickup Hasbro's Prowl if the price is right, which I think it will be.

As far as Ultra Magnus, he is interesting but I think too expensive and too large for my cabinet. That however may not stop me. It is a disease for sure. I would love to see a v2 of Megatron and other decepticons. Geeez, I'm gonna need another cabinet. The disease is spreading rapidly....

[jjwankenobi]

Originally Posted by soundwave1976

But when it comes to Megatron do I go with MP-5? I've heard his scale isn't to the rest after him or something to that effect. As well what about the seekers?

I'm old-fashioned so G1 Optimus and G1 Megatron had to be in my MP collection no matter the cost (cue Stan Bush's "The Touch").

MP-5 Megatron I love to hate and love. He's a marvel of engineering but a POS too, made slightly more acceptable by the excellent 3P add-on by JustiToys. He scales perfectly (and exclusively) with the Takara MP-1 Convoy mold. IMO if you have the MP-1 mold Optimus then MP-5 is a must, but plan on them being display pieces only. No touchy unless you like being at the verge of throwing your expensive collectibles against the wall.

MP-10 is definitely the better buy toy-wise but the lack of an in-scale Megatron to compliment him means Takara MP-10B (whom I redubbed "Galvatron" thanks to the only element I liked in AOE) was a must-buy. But don't get me wrong, as I've waxed poetic in the past my Takara MP-4 is still #1 in my books.

Originally Posted by soundwave1976

As well what about the seekers?

If you can avoid the completist trap I was ensnared in thanks to the Masterpiece Seekers then hats off to you. IMO the MP-11 mold is better than the MP-3 version. Sure the MP-3 Seeker has a better vehicle mode but MP-11 is well rounded on both robot mode and jet aspects. Therefore MP-11 Starscream is the one to get if you are just aiming for one. Of course the primary trio of SS, Thundercracker and Skywarp would be optimal but then you're forced to buy 3 different toys from 3 different sources, one of which is of the older mold with yellow eyes.

Anyways I'm a bit of a completist that collects in sets so don't take my word for it. Just gaze upon these shitty iPhone pics of my humble obesession and collect wisely...

[soundwave1976]

So far I've done pretty good. I picked up Hasbro MP Thundercracker and Skywarp through Kijiji and I got Wheeljack @ the AFX this passed Sunday.

I have found what I think is a sweet deal for an MISB MP-05 @ $170 including shipping. I'm really considering it but wondering if the Prime I have is to scale. The MP Prime I have is the 20th Anniversary DVD version. I'm just hoping it is because I already have in my head that I will display them as they were @ Sherman Dam!

[wervenom]

Originally Posted by soundwave1976

So far I've done pretty good. I picked up Hasbro MP Thundercracker and Skywarp through Kijiji and I got Wheeljack @ the AFX this passed Sunday.

I have found what I think is a sweet deal for an MISB MP-05 @ $170 including shipping. I'm really considering it but wondering if the Prime I have is to scale. The MP Prime I have is the 20th Anniversary DVD version. I'm just hoping it is because I already have in my head that I will display them as they were @ Sherman Dam!

Those two are to scale with one another but not with the rest of what you have unfortunately. Pictured here with MP-4

[soundwave1976]

Originally Posted by wervenom

Those two are to scale with one another but not with the rest of what you have unfortunately. Pictured here with MP-4

Thanks for that pic! They look awesome together! I know they're not to scale with the others I'm going for but I am in the hunt for an MP10 for that part of my collection (aren't we all, lol).

I just had this thought that they would look cool facing off like they were on Sherman Dam on top of one of my bookcases.

It is settled then! Now I just have to sell some stuff so I can buy him, lol

[Oberon Prime]

Though it looks like the original poster has largely had his concerns addressed I am going to step back to the original question posted in the title of this thread, and perhaps go a little wild with it. As I think it might be fun to see what others consider to be their priority when it comes to MP figures, and the stories of how their collections took shape to provide context to those priorities. I know I have some very different notions to what has been posted here.

My first MP figure was the original Hasbro release of Takaras MP-01 mold purchased at Walmart (I think it was an exclusive). I did not consider myself to be assembling an MP Collection I just love Optimus Prime and had to have the at that point definitive version.

In the following years I had seen Starscream and Skywarp at Walmart, however as I have never been all that into Decepticons and the price I saw wasn't particularly affordable (at the time, my idea of affordable has definitely adjusted) I gave them a pass. I also saw the original Hasbro MP Grimlock at a TRU and oh I wanted it, but I only saw it once and it was just before Christmas so I was unable to purchase it. In the end I didn't add another MP figure to my collection until 2012 when I was able to snag the Hasbro Masterpiece Optimus Prime (based on Takaras MP-10 mold) at my local TRU. Had to have it it was Optimus and the new definitive version so into the cart it went.

Things sort of snowballed from there added my first Decepticon and third figure to the collection 9 months later in late August 2013 when I grabbed Hasbros release of Takaras MP-13, MP-15 and MP-16. Soundwave was the only Decepticon I had as a child and at all cared for always regretted not having any of the other tapes aside from the Buzzsaw he came with so this set was a dream for me.

I had been looking at MP-12 and then MP-14 and thinking that my Hasbro MP-10 needed some troops. By the time I really got my mind resolved that I should get Sideswipe the prices at BBTS and TFSource were up to $90 or better before exchange and their was no way I was paying as much for such a tiny figure, so I had to pass in the hope that Hasbro would bring him out at a better price.

Then a strange thing happened I saw MP-17 Prowl at BBTS for $80 in October 2014 and I don't know if it was my pessimism that Hasbro would ever release him or that I love love love Prowl but the $100 after shipping and exchange didn't seem so bad suddenly and I went for it. My eyes were opened and it was totally worth it still don't regret the purchase even with Hasbro having since released him as well at a better price. Cause hey I have the original Takara.

Having Prowl was a revelation though I had and continue to have no interest in Streak and Smokescreen as hands down in my own personal minds eye Prowl is far more of a core Autobot then the other two. And this works in favour of my wallet as I could not easily afford to purchase all 3 Datsuns so just as well that I have picked one. And he looked so good with Optimus I had to have more MP Cars. Of the 2 Lambo molds I only gave a rats arse about Sideswipe (had the original as a child, and own the reissue G1) but he was too expensive at that point and eBay was flooeded with KOs making it impossible to grab one at a fair price with confidence. So I had to wait and hope for Hasbro to release him.

Shortly after that I discovered if one was diligent they could preorder MP figures from direct from Japan retailers like HLJ and N-Y that so called early bird pricing combined with economical shipping could net one an original Takara MP Car for around $60 CAD which was all I needed to know. I now check HLJ several times a day for new preorders and I was able to preorder both MP-20 and MP-21 from them at incredible prices.

Skip ahead to early Summer 2014 and I grabbed the Hasbro Reissue of MP Grimlock for $60 from a TRU in the US so finally have him where he belongs. And then this July I got very lucky to buy an original MP-12 at TFCon 2014 (first time attending TFCon as well) for even less than I could preorder the newer figures for at HLJ. Thus eliminating my need to wait and hope for Hasbro to release him. And if they do I know from their pricing on Prowl I will have paid less for an original Takara so I win.

I have since shipped MP-20 from HLJ (waiting on delivery) for a price that is once again less than what TRU will charge for the Hasbro release should it happen. And I expect to ship an MP-21 from HLJ before the end of the year for even less.

I would like an MP-22 Ultra Magnus. However the price on him along with the higher declared value, and the extra shipping costs along with probable customs and duty fees will mean that I either grab him at TFCon next year or get the Hasbro version should it appear. Whichever is more practical. The Earlybird preorder price at HLJ was nearly $160 CAD before shipping so they are not the way to go for me on MPs who are not the Cars it seems.

Should MPs be created for Trailbreaker, Hound, Ratchet, Ironhide and Brawn (possibly others I can't think of) I will be preordering them from HLJ confident this will be both a better price and more certain than waiting on Hasbro. But with the exception of Ironhide and Ratchet I don't expect to purchase any other repaint/remold releases instead favouring to pick my favourite character for each unique mold.

Any other larger figures will depend the only one I might preorder is if they do a MP God Ginrai as I love Powermaster Optimus Prime and Ginrai almost equally and my need to possess all Optimii overrides my sense to some extent, I may not want to risk waiting on a Hasbro release as I will for MP-22.

In the end I'm not a Takara snob but I understand them I think. the packaging and presentation of Takaras releases top Hasbros. If I can get Takara for around the same or better price I will go that route everytime. If not then Hasbro is a great way to get a better deal on some of the larger more expensive molds.

Perhaps this is a bit much. However I just love to hear others collecting stories and as I love the MP line amongst all others I hope this encourages others to share a little more about what aspects of this line inspire them and how their collections took shape.

[roballan]

You know, since there's a lot of MP Megs talk here, I guess I'll add one thing...

"Scale" is still somewhat a question of perception. For me, although there's things I hate about MP Megs, the one thing I don't mind is him being bigger than MP-10 Prime. I think in some ways it really works. Prime overcoming the truly big bad every time.

So as an additional perspective, for me the scale of MP Megs isn't off. It's just that he doesn't pose as well. (Actually doing most poses with him is terrifying, but I love him nonetheless.)

YMMV