The Masterpiece Appreciation and Speculation Thread

[79transam]

Well from my perspective, people can rationalize this abhorrent price point all they want, but for me it simply comes down to Takara is a greedy company and they're looking to take advantage of their customers, especially the loyalists.

I saw it with Megatron, Laserwave, and others, I see it with Sunstreaker, and I'm tapping out. I just can't justify upwards of $200CAD for a flipping carbot. That's just retarded to me.

From here on, I consider myself a 3P/KO collector.

Frankly, Takara has offended me to the point where I refuse to buy their products.

[Darth Cylon]

Originally Posted by 79transam

Well from my perspective, people can rationalize this abhorrent price point all they want, but for me it simply comes down to Takara is a greedy company and they're looking to take advantage of their customers, especially the loyalists.

I saw it with Megatron, Laserwave, and others, I see it with Sunstreaker, and I'm tapping out. I just can't justify upwards of $200CAD for a flipping carbot. That's just retarded to me.

From here on, I consider myself a 3P/KO collector.

Frankly, Takara has offended me to the point where I refuse to buy their products.

Takara has not even announce the Japanese MSRP. BBTS always jumps the gun put up a high price tag for pre-order. I really don't understand what BBTS can achieve by this sort of action. If you are offended, it should be importers like BBTS, not the manufacturers. I always order from Japan myself.

Also keep in mind Canadian $ is pretty shitty now compared to 5 years ago. So naturally everything now costs more just by pure exchange rate.

[elburrito]

Originally Posted by Darth Cylon

Takara has not even announce the Japanese MSRP. BBTS always jumps the gun put up a high price tag for pre-order. I really don't understand what BBTS can achieve by this sort of action. If you are offended, it should be importers like BBTS, not the manufacturers. I always order from Japan myself.

Also keep in mind Canadian $ is pretty shitty now compared to 5 years ago. So naturally everything now costs more just by pure exchange rate.

This. Maybe BBTS is testing the waters. MSRP is suggested price, retailers can charge what they decide.


in any case, no right thinking Canadian TF collector should be using BBTS when the sponsors and Japanese sites are cheaper.

[MULTIPLEX]

Inflated prices and extra unnecessary fluff and gimmicks included in these recent MPs is turning me off collecting the MP line. Bring back Hasui so we can get back on track.

[Pascal]

I like accessories, MP should have taken the Soul of Chogokin highway a long time ago. The MP line should be about creating the ultimate versions of all characters, not just fancier than usual versions...

[Darth Cylon]

Originally Posted by MULTIPLEX

Inflated prices and extra unnecessary fluff and gimmicks included in these recent MPs is turning me off collecting the MP line. Bring back Hasui so we can get back on track.

Oh...so if Hasui had included all the extra unnecessary fluff and gimmicks in the his MP, then those MP would also have costed more.

Also how many reprints came out of Hasui's MP. So many different MP-10, MP Lambo, and Datsun Z. I'd have preferred higher priced MP-21 that came with the jet pack and battle mask than buying MP-21G, or a higher priced MP-22 with the extra faces that came with MP-31 instead. Those G2/Diaclone repaints should be kept as simple as possible IMO.

[79transam]

Originally Posted by Darth Cylon

Takara has not even announce the Japanese MSRP. BBTS always jumps the gun put up a high price tag for pre-order. I really don't understand what BBTS can achieve by this sort of action. If you are offended, it should be importers like BBTS, not the manufacturers. I always order from Japan myself.

Also keep in mind Canadian $ is pretty shitty now compared to 5 years ago. So naturally everything now costs more just by pure exchange rate.

You don't get to tell me what or what can not offend me. Are you on the Takara payroll or something? Lol I don't care what rationalizing takes place. The price announced is the price announced. And I'm offended. To the point where I consider myself a KO/3P collector. Masterpiece is in some weird kind of twilight zone where they squeeze their loyal fans so dry there's nothing left

[DuG]

Speaking of over priced toy robots, I got my shipping notification for MP Dirge late last night.

[MULTIPLEX]

Originally Posted by 79transam

Masterpiece is in some weird kind of twilight zone where they squeeze their loyal fans so dry there's nothing left

+1

I've been loyal to MP line for a while too. Hell, I even started this thread. All I'm saying is if the price is going to increase significantly, I'm very willing to pay it. But then I should feel like what I'm paying for is worth it.

Adding a few trinkets and accessories is not good enough. Look at the crap that came with the last MP car bots. An unrecognizable Raul, a little mini Blaster, a crappy low quality flight stand and now an Alien head on Sunstreaker. Big deal. Huge price increase justified? Not IMO.

I'm not seeing a better quality product to justify the drastic price hikes. And I'm not even referring to lack of die cast or just the car bots. I'm talking all the recent MPs with their hollow designs, same standard quality plastics, lack of paint, dodgy QC. I passed on MP Megs because of these reasons. I mean how can an MP collection not have MP Megatron 2.0? That's how much this direction Takara is taking has swayed me.

I really like the MP line concept and scale and I really want Sunstreaker, but not at what the projected price tag is looking to be.

[Pascal]

But MP-36 has die-cast, an incredibly wicked transformation, has a good weight, electronics, plenty of accessories... Where's the problem? Sunstreaker appears to be more complex than previous carbots and integrates both the animated and real car looks in the same package... I think I'll wait for real preorders from Japan before commenting on the price.