Same here dude. Dx9's is ok but I really want a more cartoon/movie looking one that holds up better than takara's. It's kind of surprising we never had another third party take a masterpiece shot at it.
Yes, I agree we need it badly since there are already awesome options for pretty much all the main characters. Takara should up their game in general in the '86 movie characters department.
@manofsteel33 I actually really like the look of the MP Rodimus, but I want one that fully transforms into the Space Winnebago like DX-9's... And doesn't have those dumb hands, panelly legs and chest, etc. And they could REALLY do away with that dumb, old man face.
I actually prefer the lesser presence of the Takara - in my personal opinion, it's fundamental to Hot Rod's character that he looks like a runt among the 1986 Autobots.
But did he though? I felt like he was slightly taller than Kup and Blurr but shorter than Springer before his emergence. I love the scale of the Seasons 1 & 2 carbots, but think that most of the TFTM cars like Kup and Hot Rod should've been on scale with maybe Ironhide. This is all based on absolutely nothing except my impressions.
The G1 Tech Spec called Hot Rod "impulsive" and "hotheaded". And also, "He's a typical adolescent who dreams of being heroic and important." He was the new Autobot youngster for G1 Wave 3, likely being intended to take the torch from Bumblebee. Judd Nelson voiced him as a striving young man, rather than as an established heroic archetype. So I totally see his toy as being more appropriate as a slightly smaller bot. Rodimus Prime is the one who needed to have all the macho proportions and gravitas.
I just got Hoodlum myself and I already had Takara's Hot Rod. I transformed both keeping a tally of how much swearing was involved. They both came out equal so I'm keeping Hoodlum as my Hot Rod.
I hated the takara version when I first got it but every time I would walk by it I picked it up, posed it, transformed it, etc. that went on for a long time and I still like to handle it after all this time so I've come to accept that I actually love it. The best hot rod is the rodimus prime overstock/possible ko that showed up a couple of years ago that looks exactly the same as the new re-release but has even more improvements. If takara just downscaled their rodimus figure there's no competition, it would make the perfect hot rod. Fans toys had an opportunity here that they missed by a mile. That's not saying hoodlum isn't good, it's just not enough of an improvement(if at all) over hot rod to make a statement.
My wife heard me watching this and asked “let me see, what they are comparing?” So I showed her...She wanted to play too lol.... for the record she said “I like the one on the right” (Fanstoys) and then she said “is that other one, like an old one from 1980’s” 😆😆😆 wow 😮
Now THAT was a comparison video! Been very anxiously waiting for this sit down Saturday (well, all of them) to hear your take on these guys. Very complete and fair, although i can't unsee that cardboard shirt, lol. Great way to start the weekend, thanks for making this man!
I'm a Hot Rod/Rodimus fan, so it's one character I have no problem having two versions of - Takara will go into alt mode, and FT stays in bot mode on my shelf. I think FT stuck too close to the design they had years ago and didn't take the chance to say "ok, if we're doing this, let's REALLY nail it!" Cost of business I suppose. *shrug*
Great watch and very much echoes my own thoughts. After putting the mp on my desk I've actually appreciated it more since the swap out, it's definitely more fun and the alt mode is still great. But FT has the sculpt and size and in the end the outweighs the mps charms. Plus my mp has the weakest ankles of any bot i have and can barely stand.
Thanks for the discussion. I can see and agree with you on a lot, if I didn't already own Takara this would of probably edged fanstoys in for me. Thanks for an enjoyable show.
Man, I love your videos so much! I'm a father of a 5 year old boy, I'm building a transformer collection for when he gets older. I was a child when the original toys came out so these many years later and with so many different options and versions available your videos are a great way to safe time and money and make an inform decision when it comes to buy the best model. Agree with you on the fact that what might be important for someone may be different for another person, though (maybe cause I'm an adult too) I pretty much share the same criteria as yours, Great Job, Thank You!
The point Fantoys won me over was at 13:46 With the group photo. That is what I'm looking for so thanks for that. I may have to go in on the Blurr now just to keep it at that standard. Thanks Bobby you emptied my pocket again.
Well articulated Bobby, I have Hoodlum, I have QC issues mainly the pain5 chip on the front hood in car mode and my left lower leg/chin came broken out of the box which hopefully they’ll deal with adrift Chinese New Year
Thank again Bobby! I agree with you on all points and ironically care for the same things you do, oddly enough on many things. I personalky will use Hoodlum in bot mode as Hot Rod (of course), Carry in bot mode as Rodimus, and the Takara will most likely be in Vehicle mode which I think is its best look in a section as an homage to Hot Rod/Rodimus or just as a alternate mode look next to Hoodlum as an alternative.
I totally agree with you that Fanstoys missed a big opportunity to blow Takara out of the park, a few changes in the articulation, transformation and alt mode and they could have really put the pressure on Takara and really competed with Takara in future releases but for me I got both and will display the Takara in car mode and the Fanstoys in Robot mode. Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put in to thoroughly compare these two bots, I really appreciate it
Tough choice. FT's looks great but I don't think it looks better enough for me to want to upgrade. GREAT review - I like this vs. format a lot - keep these coming Skullface!!!
Very thorough and even handed comparison. I would suggest that in your QC issue score, you missed a couple knocks on MP-28. You were up front about only speaking as to issues on your copy of the figure, but there were two or three well known issues with the Takara that probably should have factored in. First and worst, is the common chrome dissolving in thin air complaint. Between myself and my two kids, we've owned three copies of MP-28 and the pipes turned partially orange on all of them, despite infrequent, light and careful handling on all 3. Second, the flip out visor tends to break. It did on two of our three copies, despite careful handling and the fact that the visor was only deployed 4-5 times tops on each before snappingThe only reason it didn't happen with the third is because I sold it off first. Third, is the fact that it's very difficult to get all four of MP-28's wheels on the ground in alt mode. Much harder than MP-09, on which it was an issue, and TT actually executed this worse the 2nd time around with MP-28. I have no dog in this fight, I have Hoodlum coming today and two MP-28s in the house. Your comparison was very fair and comprehensive, I just think the common QC issues with MP-28 should have been factored in as well.
The big thing for me is that the Fans Toys one comes off as the more serious one of the two, mostly due to the accessories. I'll admit that I do get a kick out of the more comedic stuff like the fishing pole, the banana crate for one of the Primals, the Kremzeek and the horror masks. It helps the figures keep a foot in their roots, these are still toys based on a cartoon meant to sell toys after all.
I'm going for Hoodlum. The robot is exactly what I've wanted for a while now, and to me, the alt mode looks like a _car._ The accuracy of the sleeker TT car is fine, but something about FT's car just appeals to me. It looks more like a hot rod, I guess.
Great review as always. There’s not a big enough leap here from fanstoys for me to switch (and shell out another Benjamin) but videos like this certainly help in that decision. Thanks!
I think shelf life should be considered, cause it looks like fanstoys one will start to fall apart in a few transformations. And it looks like the type of figure that ages badly. Its more of a statue to me compared to takara. Besides takara is unpredictable the could decide to launch a kup, Springer, and Arcee which will be slightly smaller than those fanstoys versions which all seem like statutes of transformers because of their lack luster transformations. Good video
I know this took you a lot of work and hours putting together, but I honestly loved this video! It was very fair and thorough. I also agree 100% about your comment of Fanstoys barely edging them out when they could have stomped Takara in the ground, making more of a name for themselves and showing the community that just because there’s a Takara version, doesn’t mean it’s the final end all, be all version of the character. Thanks for doing this video. I hope more stuff like this is in the pipeline.
Great vid! Very thorough and lots of effort. Only thing I would add is the wrist cuffs on FTs interfere with holding weapons to a greater degree and MP
Very interesting. But as far as presence, it's Hot Rod, he's not supposed to be intimidating. FansToys definitely looks considerably better in robot mode, but that's about it. So as it is, the only figure by them that really catches my interest is Phoenix (their Jetfire).
Yeah Hot Rod is supposed to look youthful and approachable. Rodimus Prime is supposed to be the intimidating iteration of the design so he can take on Galvatron. Still, he looks funny being shorter than FT Arcee.
I have both. I keep Hoodlum in robot mode and HotRod in car mode. HotRod is more fun to transform and play with. Also, I weighed them and HotRod weighs 4.6oz while Hoodlum weighs 10.4oz. If I could choose only one, I would choose Hoodlum. I only wish hoodlum came with more faces and had more shoulder movement.
Add some rant and you got yourself a garringer comparison review 😂👍🏼. Good job, i can see how this took a lot of work. I kind of decided on how tight the month was moneywise, and the iconic parts / prescense of each piece. The yellow crest, chest and upper legs did it for me. It also matches mp 9 better. In the takara one i did like the shins a lot better, fanstoys breaks them in half, but those shinguards were always so iconic to me. Maybe i ll keep both.... 🤔
Thanks for more awesome videos! I think I’m happy with my Takara in this instance. Just can’t get over hollow waist but most times I love Fanstoys. Have. It posted in a while but I’m always love your vids. I also like when your wife is on. She is a nice addition to your videos.
Love what you did with this comparison video, speaking of presence and style, I would love if a company did G1 animated style version of the Dinobots that looked as if they jumped right out of the cartoon
Now that's a thorough comparison! I was expecting to replace my Takara Hot Rod because they made one huge mistake with that square chest (to accommodate the matrix i guess), but it really does so much else right. Now I'd like to see X-Transbots take a crack at the character.
This was awesome to see, really helped me make my decision. I’ve been so back and forth on this, but not having the Fans Toys in hand made it even tougher, this is the next best thing! Thanks for the effort and work you put in man, super informative!!
I loved this video. Especially when you brought in your family for their opinions haha. Do this again with more figures if you get time Bobby!! Have a good weekend!
Great comparison video! Scale and presence are big deals to me, so I think might prefer the FansToys version. But, since I already have the Takara, I don't think the improvement is big enough for me to prioritize swapping it out unless I find one for a very good price.
Man, I absolutely hated the Takara Tomy Hot Rod. Until that is, I played with Hoodlum. Now I really respect and love the official version. Was SO ready to sell it. 😂 Oh well. But happy to see everyone is happy with an option out there.
I remember the Sunstreaker review where you said there wasn’t enough there to make you switch out your current 3rd party one. That’s kinda the way I feel here, the Takara one looks and feels fine to me. That’s not to say that the Fans Toys one isn’t nice, only that there isn’t enough there to make me switch mine out. Great Video!
That was a surprising comparison for me. Based purely on looks I much prefer the look of the FT version because of the better chest shape and meatier legs. Actually looking more at the details though, the transformation and articulation the Takara version has a heck of a lot going for it. As with a lot of these things, some sort of Frankenstein of the best bits of both would be ideal! 😅 I’d love to see a mega-comparison like this of all the Masterpiece Optimus Primes when the MP-44 releases.
Finally got a chance to watch. Bruh, super Uber detailed comparison vid on the Rodster (AKA The coolest transformer ever) hurt soooo good to watch some shit I can't get lol. Take care fam!
I've just got back into collecting MP scale figures, and I've found your channel to be extremely insightful and well made. Thanks for the info., and keep up the great work!
Great comparison, these videos are super helpful. Just opened FT Hoodlum, and, transformation aside, it blows the Takara out of the water in sculpt alone. The mold of Hoodlum (other than a couple of minor nitpicks) is the closest thing that we have to a true representation of an accurate Hot Rod. The proportions of his body (especially the chest and legs) are spot on to the animation model. Most of us are just going to display him in a cool pose in robot mode anyways, so I think FT is the way to go on this one. The only thing he needs is an Autobot logo on his chest (those water slide decals should do the trick). *Another interesting thing I noticed about Hoodlum is that his paint and plastic appear to look a lot different depending on the lighting. When under normal bulbs (yellowish halogens) the colors appear warmer (reds are more maroon, yellows are more golden, and oranges are deeper). When under LED lights, the colors appear more striking (the reds, yellows, and oranges become a lot brighter). Just something to keep in mind when looking at promo images and videos (i.e. lighting does matter).
The questions you are asking are the same i unveiled on a podcast a few yrs back and it got me seriously blacklisted from the 3rd party world. Like not a single word after the podcast and i helped start many of the first 3rd party companies like Dr. Wu. Good luck brotherman :)
The Skullface family has unanimously spoken! Love hearing from the wife and kids...adorable! :) As for the figures...I don't really care cause I'm a pre-movie guy, but agree it would have been nice for FT to REALLY decisively beat Takara rather than just barely edge them out. Especially since Takara's Hot Rod is one of their weaker figures (at least IMO). Bit of a missed opportunity, the limited head articulation in particular is troubling since there is simply no reason for it to be that way. Hopefully FansToys can get back to their A-game if they are tackling combiners next!
Great comparison! I have the MP-40 and will be replacing him on the shelf with Hoodlum, but here's the kicker, I'm not going to sell him. I still like the Takara for just about the same reasons you mentioned, only real reason I'm shelf swapping is to keep a consistent look with the other FT movie bots. They're close, so close in fact I don't see selling off my Takara because it's still a good figure. If FT destroyed Takara then yeah, MP-40 is in the sell groups...but they didn't.
At 5:50 The screw on the forearms is was what originally stopped me on the pre-order for the Takara MP Hot Rod. At the time, there was something off that I couldn't peg, yet. At 9:29 This is what sold Fans Toys Hoodlum to me. Proportions are so key to being a representation of the character themselves. After seeing the chest of the MP Hot Rod in hand is what told me I made the right choice on holding off on him, and is what through me off earlier. The sides, back, really don't matter in my decisions because I am not going to display Hot Rod that way, as I like the "Hot Rod there's a hole in the shuttle" attack mode. At 1:42 Yep, absolutely, except that Fans Toys Koot/MP Kup still looks like crap with that two piece chest windshield. All FT needs to do, or someone else, needs to make a once piece (maybe with that chip in it, like in the Movie). At 14:53 In some respects, yes, but the Takra one is based more on his Season 3 AKOM Studio version of the car (which is movie concept art) and I've felt that was a mistake they did not admit. Fans Toys Hoodlum, appears to have used the Dare "ride in style"look of Hot Rod that the majority all know and love. Seen here: th-cam.com/video/ZF-k-pdQAvA/w-d-xo.html I can concede that the rear part of the Takara looks better, with shorter "forearm thrusters," but honestly, that is a small amount of mis-engineering I will accept on the Fans Toys. That's because so many other things that Hoodlum gets right, is head and shoulders better than the official. Plus, the alt mode can do this with it's hood! th-cam.com/video/ZF-k-pdQAvA/w-d-xo.html At 20:3 3 100% Agree, but now this makes me wonder if Hoodlum had been sitting in a warehouse somewhere, and all they did was print some boxes. I don't think that is entirely true, but it's an interesting theory, that they had a small production run made, Takara one comes out, they sit on it, then a few years later, print more and package them.
Such a great feeling to complete my TF movie bots and display them all together. Fans Toys just gives it that presence of definitive. Hopefully their version Blurr will will be out this year. Most likely swap out with my Unique Toys version 2. Scourge needs an update as well. Thanks, hope to see more comparisons in the future.
Great video, I would like to see more of these comparison videos for sure. I got the Fans Toys and Takara versions on the same day(late to the game on the Takara figure but found a great discount due to the FT release) and tbf while I too prefer the look of the FansToys, the Takara one is way more fun, articulated and overall better I thought, whereas the FansToys was slightly disappointing. I couldn't choose so now I have both next to DX9 Carry & Magic Square Prime...no regrets.
Wait a second! You didn't ask Laura her age, lol. I like both. FT is my display figure and Takara is my mess around with figure. I don't mind FT's transformation, since the legs and arms are fun enough to counter the floppy disaster of the upper body unhinged. Great video. Thanks for doing it.
You forgot to mention that Fanstoys Hoodlum can barely hold his guns because the sculpted details push against the back if the gun pushing it partly out of the hand. You covered it in the review video but I think that kind of flaw is worth mentioning in this video as well since you're comparing relative quality. IMO that is a major flaw, and along with the other issues I don't see any reason to upgrade from Takara's Hot Rod to Fanstoys.
It would have been nice if you asked their opinion about their alt modes too. It has two modes, why not have them judge both of them. Takara's car mode is a smooth retro-futuristic hotrod, while Fanstoys' looks like something left unflushed in the toilet. Ok, maybe that is subjective, and that's why i wanted to hear their opinion. I wish all windows were darker on these vehicles. The transparent windows break off the smooth lines of the styling, and it makes the Takara look too busy. Great video as always, I loved it. thanks!
The part that got me was engineering, fanstoys seems it’s supposed to be a “action-statue” while takara is a action figure, I like to touch my figures so takara is my pick.
I hope the Trailbreaker and blitzwing dont suffer from what seems to be outdated hardware, articulation, build etc that this hotrod has when they finally come out in the next 5 years
Awesome vid bro. I own the Takara version as well as the old Hasbro masterpiece version from about 10 years ago (which is still my favorite). Based on this vid I will purchase Hoodlum as well.
Excellent job!!! I think 1 thing we devalue as a community is first to market. In this case it doesn’t matter as much but there is something to be said about Takara bringing a product 2/3 years before fanstoys. Personally I would give Takara a point for that because the 2nd company doesn’t have to figure out engineering. Again really good and thorough job
I'm switching them out as well and going with Fans Toys due to aesthetic reasons. I also prefer Fans Toys' alt mode, though. I've always felt that the Takara alt mode was way too lean and long.
Excellent job, my man. I agree with the slight edge for FANNNS TOYYYYS! It seems Fans Toys is losing their competitive edge though. I feel like they have grown happy to make toys that look awesome on a shelf in robot mode, everything else be damned. I'll admit that is the most important thing to me, it just seems to me that they used to nail much more than that. Thanks for the hard work.
If i want a Hot Rod AND a Rodimus Prime, what are the best versions to get that scale well with each other and scale well with other MPs/3P in bot mode? (I forgot to ask this at TFCon)
Great comparison video, I have neither but and am deciding which to pick up and your opinions seem to line up with my opinions of the two, I don’t mind so much that the Takara is a little shorter but that about it in how we differ, but with how you have it scored 7-8, I have to ask myself is that 1 point difference worth the large difference in price I’d be paying now on eBay? Maybe not.. and thats why I watched this video to see if it is really worth that more “premium” price that the FT is at now. Again, great Vs vid man, take care.
Who other than myself thinks we are in need of a new MP Rodimus Prime?
Same here dude. Dx9's is ok but I really want a more cartoon/movie looking one that holds up better than takara's. It's kind of surprising we never had another third party take a masterpiece shot at it.
Yes, I agree we need it badly since there are already awesome options for pretty much all the main characters. Takara should up their game in general in the '86 movie characters department.
@manofsteel33 I actually really like the look of the MP Rodimus, but I want one that fully transforms into the Space Winnebago like DX-9's... And doesn't have those dumb hands, panelly legs and chest, etc.
And they could REALLY do away with that dumb, old man face.
Yes!!! Someone needs to make a G1 accurate rodimus prime so I can complete my season 3 line
I actually prefer the lesser presence of the Takara - in my personal opinion, it's fundamental to Hot Rod's character that he looks like a runt among the 1986 Autobots.
But did he though? I felt like he was slightly taller than Kup and Blurr but shorter than Springer before his emergence.
I love the scale of the Seasons 1 & 2 carbots, but think that most of the TFTM cars like Kup and Hot Rod should've been on scale with maybe Ironhide. This is all based on absolutely nothing except my impressions.
He wasn’t a runt though he was above average. Slightly taller than most car bots like jazz
The G1 Tech Spec called Hot Rod "impulsive" and "hotheaded". And also, "He's a typical adolescent who dreams of being heroic and important." He was the new Autobot youngster for G1 Wave 3, likely being intended to take the torch from Bumblebee. Judd Nelson voiced him as a striving young man, rather than as an established heroic archetype. So I totally see his toy as being more appropriate as a slightly smaller bot. Rodimus Prime is the one who needed to have all the macho proportions and gravitas.
I just got Hoodlum myself and I already had Takara's Hot Rod. I transformed both keeping a tally of how much swearing was involved. They both came out equal so I'm keeping Hoodlum as my Hot Rod.
i like my takara just fine
Dude you can't beat a blind test with the wife and kids.., that was awesome, Fans Toys!!!
I hated the takara version when I first got it but every time I would walk by it I picked it up, posed it, transformed it, etc. that went on for a long time and I still like to handle it after all this time so I've come to accept that I actually love it. The best hot rod is the rodimus prime overstock/possible ko that showed up a couple of years ago that looks exactly the same as the new re-release but has even more improvements. If takara just downscaled their rodimus figure there's no competition, it would make the perfect hot rod. Fans toys had an opportunity here that they missed by a mile. That's not saying hoodlum isn't good, it's just not enough of an improvement(if at all) over hot rod to make a statement.
Surprisingly closer than I expected but your comparison makes total sense.
My wife heard me watching this and asked “let me see, what they are comparing?” So I showed her...She wanted to play too lol.... for the record she said “I like the one on the right” (Fanstoys) and then she said “is that other one, like an old one from 1980’s” 😆😆😆 wow 😮
Now THAT was a comparison video! Been very anxiously waiting for this sit down Saturday (well, all of them) to hear your take on these guys. Very complete and fair, although i can't unsee that cardboard shirt, lol. Great way to start the weekend, thanks for making this man!
True that roguewar!!!
I'm a Hot Rod/Rodimus fan, so it's one character I have no problem having two versions of - Takara will go into alt mode, and FT stays in bot mode on my shelf. I think FT stuck too close to the design they had years ago and didn't take the chance to say "ok, if we're doing this, let's REALLY nail it!" Cost of business I suppose. *shrug*
Bobby this was thorough, efficient and clear. Blown away by this comparo, hope too see more hats off to you!
It's so close as this video shows that to me it doesn't matter which one you pick. Both are fine.
Great watch and very much echoes my own thoughts. After putting the mp on my desk I've actually appreciated it more since the swap out, it's definitely more fun and the alt mode is still great. But FT has the sculpt and size and in the end the outweighs the mps charms. Plus my mp has the weakest ankles of any bot i have and can barely stand.
Thanks for the discussion. I can see and agree with you on a lot, if I didn't already own Takara this would of probably edged fanstoys in for me. Thanks for an enjoyable show.
Man, I love your videos so much! I'm a father of a 5 year old boy, I'm building a transformer collection for when he gets older. I was a child when the original toys came out so these many years later and with so many different options and versions available your videos are a great way to safe time and money and make an inform decision when it comes to buy the best model. Agree with you on the fact that what might be important for someone may be different for another person, though (maybe cause I'm an adult too) I pretty much share the same criteria as yours, Great Job, Thank You!
from 18:30 to about 19:00, Cam'ron's "What Mean the World to You" started playing in my head.
😂😂😂
At least this gives me an idea of what to expect if I decide to swap out my Hot Rod.
Awesome work. I liked the detailed comparison. I hope you do more similar videos in the future. Outstanding job.
Its fairly simple. FT for bot mode, Takara for alt mode. Both have their issues but FT just looks better on the shelf in bot mode.
The point Fantoys won me over was at 13:46 With the group photo. That is what I'm looking for so thanks for that. I may have to go in on the Blurr now just to keep it at that standard. Thanks Bobby you emptied my pocket again.
babymoose dude, I may need to sell a liver, cause I have to get ALL of them (plus Perceptor, Blaster and Wreck-Gar)
@@theSonicguy001 I'd get wreckgar and blaster soon since they're still in stock. Kfc may do a metallic paint wreckgar though later.
Sonicguy001 I'm waiting on the FT Trailbreaker
Best comparison video. Thank you.
Well articulated Bobby, I have Hoodlum, I have QC issues mainly the pain5 chip on the front hood in car mode and my left lower leg/chin came broken out of the box which hopefully they’ll deal with adrift Chinese New Year
Thank again Bobby! I agree with you on all points and ironically care for the same things you do, oddly enough on many things.
I personalky will use Hoodlum in bot mode as Hot Rod (of course), Carry in bot mode as Rodimus, and the Takara will most likely be in Vehicle mode which I think is its best look in a section as an homage to Hot Rod/Rodimus or just as a alternate mode look next to Hoodlum as an alternative.
Nailed it! Perfect review. I’m surprised you didn’t mention the unsightly black screws on the Takara’s forearms. I can’t unsee it.
Definitely going with the Fanstoys. Well done
I do really like this style of review. Thank you!
Great comparison review Bobby! I really like the size of the FT. But surprisingly, i think im sticking with Takara on this one.
I totally agree with you that Fanstoys missed a big opportunity to blow Takara out of the park, a few changes in the articulation, transformation and alt mode and they could have really put the pressure on Takara and really competed with Takara in future releases but for me I got both and will display the Takara in car mode and the Fanstoys in Robot mode. Thank you so much for all the time and effort you put in to thoroughly compare these two bots, I really appreciate it
FT for robot mode confirmed. Maybe someday if i had the room, i'd get the takara for vehicle mode, but that's a big maybe. Thanks for this Bobby.
Tough choice. FT's looks great but I don't think it looks better enough for me to want to upgrade.
GREAT review - I like this vs. format a lot - keep these coming Skullface!!!
Very thorough and even handed comparison. I would suggest that in your QC issue score, you missed a couple knocks on MP-28. You were up front about only speaking as to issues on your copy of the figure, but there were two or three well known issues with the Takara that probably should have factored in. First and worst, is the common chrome dissolving in thin air complaint. Between myself and my two kids, we've owned three copies of MP-28 and the pipes turned partially orange on all of them, despite infrequent, light and careful handling on all 3.
Second, the flip out visor tends to break. It did on two of our three copies, despite careful handling and the fact that the visor was only deployed 4-5 times tops on each before snappingThe only reason it didn't happen with the third is because I sold it off first.
Third, is the fact that it's very difficult to get all four of MP-28's wheels on the ground in alt mode. Much harder than MP-09, on which it was an issue, and TT actually executed this worse the 2nd time around with MP-28.
I have no dog in this fight, I have Hoodlum coming today and two MP-28s in the house. Your comparison was very fair and comprehensive, I just think the common QC issues with MP-28 should have been factored in as well.
The big thing for me is that the Fans Toys one comes off as the more serious one of the two, mostly due to the accessories. I'll admit that I do get a kick out of the more comedic stuff like the fishing pole, the banana crate for one of the Primals, the Kremzeek and the horror masks. It helps the figures keep a foot in their roots, these are still toys based on a cartoon meant to sell toys after all.
My patience has finally paid off. I didn't buy the Takara because I like the FT sculpt better. That was a long wait. Great review/comparison.
I'm going for Hoodlum. The robot is exactly what I've wanted for a while now, and to me, the alt mode looks like a _car._ The accuracy of the sleeker TT car is fine, but something about FT's car just appeals to me. It looks more like a hot rod, I guess.
Transformation is a major element for me, so I'd have to go with the Takara
Great review as always. There’s not a big enough leap here from fanstoys for me to switch (and shell out another Benjamin) but videos like this certainly help in that decision. Thanks!
I think shelf life should be considered, cause it looks like fanstoys one will start to fall apart in a few transformations. And it looks like the type of figure that ages badly. Its more of a statue to me compared to takara. Besides takara is unpredictable the could decide to launch a kup, Springer, and Arcee which will be slightly smaller than those fanstoys versions which all seem like statutes of transformers because of their lack luster transformations. Good video
Good point, longevity should be a factor, and wear n tear along with joint looseness should be in that catagory. I agree.
I know this took you a lot of work and hours putting together, but I honestly loved this video! It was very fair and thorough. I also agree 100% about your comment of Fanstoys barely edging them out when they could have stomped Takara in the ground, making more of a name for themselves and showing the community that just because there’s a Takara version, doesn’t mean it’s the final end all, be all version of the character. Thanks for doing this video. I hope more stuff like this is in the pipeline.
You sound almost nervous to ask your wife compared to your kids I love it
Great vid! Very thorough and lots of effort. Only thing I would add is the wrist cuffs on FTs interfere with holding weapons to a greater degree and MP
Wonderful job Bobby ! 🐸
Very interesting. But as far as presence, it's Hot Rod, he's not supposed to be intimidating. FansToys definitely looks considerably better in robot mode, but that's about it. So as it is, the only figure by them that really catches my interest is Phoenix (their Jetfire).
Yeah Hot Rod is supposed to look youthful and approachable. Rodimus Prime is supposed to be the intimidating iteration of the design so he can take on Galvatron.
Still, he looks funny being shorter than FT Arcee.
I dig the way you did this. I think you should do more of these comparisons
I'll be getting Hoodlum soon but I'll also be keeping Hot Rod
I have both. I keep Hoodlum in robot mode and HotRod in car mode. HotRod is more fun to transform and play with. Also, I weighed them and HotRod weighs 4.6oz while Hoodlum weighs 10.4oz.
If I could choose only one, I would choose Hoodlum. I only wish hoodlum came with more faces and had more shoulder movement.
Great review Bobby both look good but fantoys look better in the mp collection thanks again Bobby...
Add some rant and you got yourself a garringer comparison review 😂👍🏼. Good job, i can see how this took a lot of work. I kind of decided on how tight the month was moneywise, and the iconic parts / prescense of each piece. The yellow crest, chest and upper legs did it for me. It also matches mp 9 better. In the takara one i did like the shins a lot better, fanstoys breaks them in half, but those shinguards were always so iconic to me. Maybe i ll keep both.... 🤔
Thanks for more awesome videos! I think I’m happy with my Takara in this instance. Just can’t get over hollow waist but most times I love Fanstoys. Have. It posted in a while but I’m always love your vids. I also like when your wife is on. She is a nice addition to your videos.
Love what you did with this comparison video, speaking of presence and style, I would love if a company did G1 animated style version of the Dinobots that looked as if they jumped right out of the cartoon
Fantastic video! I would definitely love to see more of this!
Great in-depth comparison! Thanks!
Very insightful and well thought out. Nice job.
Now that's a thorough comparison! I was expecting to replace my Takara Hot Rod because they made one huge mistake with that square chest (to accommodate the matrix i guess), but it really does so much else right. Now I'd like to see X-Transbots take a crack at the character.
In 2019 I would have never thought fanstoys would be releasing figures with sculpts that chip the paint.
Yeah that's a deal breaker for me, especially when the competition has better articulation too
You're a Great Speaker!!!
spark new joy!!! love that!!! great vid bro, still watching after all this time. keep doing what you do!
This was awesome to see, really helped me make my decision. I’ve been so back and forth on this, but not having the Fans Toys in hand made it even tougher, this is the next best thing! Thanks for the effort and work you put in man, super informative!!
I loved this video. Especially when you brought in your family for their opinions haha. Do this again with more figures if you get time Bobby!! Have a good weekend!
Great comparison video! Scale and presence are big deals to me, so I think might prefer the FansToys version. But, since I already have the Takara, I don't think the improvement is big enough for me to prioritize swapping it out unless I find one for a very good price.
One of the best reviews I’ve heard - for anything🙂
Man, I absolutely hated the Takara Tomy Hot Rod. Until that is, I played with Hoodlum. Now I really respect and love the official version. Was SO ready to sell it. 😂 Oh well. But happy to see everyone is happy with an option out there.
I remember the Sunstreaker review where you said there wasn’t enough there to make you switch out your current 3rd party one. That’s kinda the way I feel here, the Takara one looks and feels fine to me. That’s not to say that the Fans Toys one isn’t nice, only that there isn’t enough there to make me switch mine out. Great Video!
he's almost worth it. but I'm gonna have to wait for the next attempt. I know someone can perfect this guy
damn that was a lot of work. pretty fair, 8-7 with admitted subjectivity on 3 cats. good stuff man.
That was a surprising comparison for me. Based purely on looks I much prefer the look of the FT version because of the better chest shape and meatier legs.
Actually looking more at the details though, the transformation and articulation the Takara version has a heck of a lot going for it. As with a lot of these things, some sort of Frankenstein of the best bits of both would be ideal! 😅
I’d love to see a mega-comparison like this of all the Masterpiece Optimus Primes when the MP-44 releases.
Finally got a chance to watch. Bruh, super Uber detailed comparison vid on the Rodster (AKA The coolest transformer ever) hurt soooo good to watch some shit I can't get lol. Take care fam!
I've just got back into collecting MP scale figures, and I've found your channel to be extremely insightful and well made. Thanks for the info., and keep up the great work!
Great comparison, these videos are super helpful. Just opened FT Hoodlum, and, transformation aside, it blows the Takara out of the water in sculpt alone. The mold of Hoodlum (other than a couple of minor nitpicks) is the closest thing that we have to a true representation of an accurate Hot Rod. The proportions of his body (especially the chest and legs) are spot on to the animation model. Most of us are just going to display him in a cool pose in robot mode anyways, so I think FT is the way to go on this one. The only thing he needs is an Autobot logo on his chest (those water slide decals should do the trick).
*Another interesting thing I noticed about Hoodlum is that his paint and plastic appear to look a lot different depending on the lighting. When under normal bulbs (yellowish halogens) the colors appear warmer (reds are more maroon, yellows are more golden, and oranges are deeper). When under LED lights, the colors appear more striking (the reds, yellows, and oranges become a lot brighter). Just something to keep in mind when looking at promo images and videos (i.e. lighting does matter).
The questions you are asking are the same i unveiled on a podcast a few yrs back and it got me seriously blacklisted from the 3rd party world. Like not a single word after the podcast and i helped start many of the first 3rd party companies like Dr. Wu. Good luck brotherman :)
So what it comes down to it, it's whether or not you want a good looking figure or a more posable figure and nicer car mode.
The Skullface family has unanimously spoken! Love hearing from the wife and kids...adorable! :) As for the figures...I don't really care cause I'm a pre-movie guy, but agree it would have been nice for FT to REALLY decisively beat Takara rather than just barely edge them out. Especially since Takara's Hot Rod is one of their weaker figures (at least IMO). Bit of a missed opportunity, the limited head articulation in particular is troubling since there is simply no reason for it to be that way. Hopefully FansToys can get back to their A-game if they are tackling combiners next!
The reason I think hes on his knees is because theres episode called the burden hardest to bare and rodimus was on his knees talking to a Sensei
I think they are both good. Idontthink either is great. MP9 with all its problems, is still the best looking hot rod and rodimus.
Great comparison! I have the MP-40 and will be replacing him on the shelf with Hoodlum, but here's the kicker, I'm not going to sell him. I still like the Takara for just about the same reasons you mentioned, only real reason I'm shelf swapping is to keep a consistent look with the other FT movie bots. They're close, so close in fact I don't see selling off my Takara because it's still a good figure. If FT destroyed Takara then yeah, MP-40 is in the sell groups...but they didn't.
At 5:50 The screw on the forearms is was what originally stopped me on the pre-order for the Takara MP Hot Rod. At the time, there was something off that I couldn't peg, yet. At 9:29 This is what sold Fans Toys Hoodlum to me. Proportions are so key to being a representation of the character themselves. After seeing the chest of the MP Hot Rod in hand is what told me I made the right choice on holding off on him, and is what through me off earlier. The sides, back, really don't matter in my decisions because I am not going to display Hot Rod that way, as I like the "Hot Rod there's a hole in the shuttle" attack mode. At 1:42 Yep, absolutely, except that Fans Toys Koot/MP Kup still looks like crap with that two piece chest windshield. All FT needs to do, or someone else, needs to make a once piece (maybe with that chip in it, like in the Movie). At 14:53 In some respects, yes, but the Takra one is based more on his Season 3 AKOM Studio version of the car (which is movie concept art) and I've felt that was a mistake they did not admit. Fans Toys Hoodlum, appears to have used the Dare "ride in style"look of Hot Rod that the majority all know and love. Seen here: th-cam.com/video/ZF-k-pdQAvA/w-d-xo.html I can concede that the rear part of the Takara looks better, with shorter "forearm thrusters," but honestly, that is a small amount of mis-engineering I will accept on the Fans Toys. That's because so many other things that Hoodlum gets right, is head and shoulders better than the official. Plus, the alt mode can do this with it's hood! th-cam.com/video/ZF-k-pdQAvA/w-d-xo.html At 20:3 3 100% Agree, but now this makes me wonder if Hoodlum had been sitting in a warehouse somewhere, and all they did was print some boxes. I don't think that is entirely true, but it's an interesting theory, that they had a small production run made, Takara one comes out, they sit on it, then a few years later, print more and package them.
Such a great feeling to complete my TF movie bots and display them all together. Fans Toys just gives it that presence of definitive. Hopefully their version Blurr will will be out this year. Most likely swap out with my Unique Toys version 2. Scourge needs an update as well. Thanks, hope to see more comparisons in the future.
Great comparison, thank you.
Great video, I would like to see more of these comparison videos for sure.
I got the Fans Toys and Takara versions on the same day(late to the game on the Takara figure but found a great discount due to the FT release) and tbf while I too prefer the look of the FansToys, the Takara one is way more fun, articulated and overall better I thought, whereas the FansToys was slightly disappointing. I couldn't choose so now I have both next to DX9 Carry & Magic Square Prime...no regrets.
Wait a second! You didn't ask Laura her age, lol.
I like both. FT is my display figure and Takara is my mess around with figure. I don't mind FT's transformation, since the legs and arms are fun enough to counter the floppy disaster of the upper body unhinged.
Great video. Thanks for doing it.
You forgot to mention that Fanstoys Hoodlum can barely hold his guns because the sculpted details push against the back if the gun pushing it partly out of the hand. You covered it in the review video but I think that kind of flaw is worth mentioning in this video as well since you're comparing relative quality. IMO that is a major flaw, and along with the other issues I don't see any reason to upgrade from Takara's Hot Rod to Fanstoys.
Dang under 100 for a full size takara masterpiece. Those were the days.
It would have been nice if you asked their opinion about their alt modes too. It has two modes, why not have them judge both of them. Takara's car mode is a smooth retro-futuristic hotrod, while Fanstoys' looks like something left unflushed in the toilet. Ok, maybe that is subjective, and that's why i wanted to hear their opinion.
I wish all windows were darker on these vehicles. The transparent windows break off the smooth lines of the styling, and it makes the Takara look too busy.
Great video as always, I loved it. thanks!
The part that got me was engineering, fanstoys seems it’s supposed to be a “action-statue” while takara is a action figure, I like to touch my figures so takara is my pick.
I hope the Trailbreaker and blitzwing dont suffer from what seems to be outdated hardware, articulation, build etc that this hotrod has when they finally come out in the next 5 years
Awesome vid bro. I own the Takara version as well as the old Hasbro masterpiece version from about 10 years ago (which is still my favorite). Based on this vid I will purchase Hoodlum as well.
Excellent job!!! I think 1 thing we devalue as a community is first to market. In this case it doesn’t matter as much but there is something to be said about Takara bringing a product 2/3 years before fanstoys. Personally I would give Takara a point for that because the 2nd company doesn’t have to figure out engineering. Again really good and thorough job
Hey man, this was great! I know it's a lot, but I wish you would do more of these comparisons.
I'm switching them out as well and going with Fans Toys due to aesthetic reasons. I also prefer Fans Toys' alt mode, though. I've always felt that the Takara alt mode was way too lean and long.
Excellent job, my man. I agree with the slight edge for FANNNS TOYYYYS! It seems Fans Toys is losing their competitive edge though. I feel like they have grown happy to make toys that look awesome on a shelf in robot mode, everything else be damned. I'll admit that is the most important thing to me, it just seems to me that they used to nail much more than that. Thanks for the hard work.
I would have already ordered Hoodlum if i weren't for the GAPING space above the hips. I just can't get past that.
If i want a Hot Rod AND a Rodimus Prime, what are the best versions to get that scale well with each other and scale well with other MPs/3P in bot mode? (I forgot to ask this at TFCon)
Who are we kidding you were switching it out cause the look on the shelf with the rest of the team.
Great comparison video, I have neither but and am deciding which to pick up and your opinions seem to line up with my opinions of the two, I don’t mind so much that the Takara is a little shorter but that about it in how we differ, but with how you have it scored 7-8, I have to ask myself is that 1 point difference worth the large difference in price I’d be paying now on eBay? Maybe not.. and thats why I watched this video to see if it is really worth that more “premium” price that the FT is at now. Again, great Vs vid man, take care.
FT for display and look, Takara for playing around.
The late Simon aka TCracker was responsible for the comparison images at the end. He was a great photographer
Wait a moment... isnt 180 degrees half a circle and 360 a full circle?
My thoughts too. Now I am wondering if he has always done it and I just now caught it.
GlaciusX2 lucky for Bobby the last perfect person died 2000 years ago...
He says 360 literally seconds before it, just keeps messing up after but I’m sure he knows what 180 and 360 is 😂
Yes it's 360
@@Superdimensional No one was asking for perfection. 🙂
My opinion, Takara looks better in both modes so I kept Hotrod. Great video!
Excellent. Thank you for this.
unique toys should come up with a hot rod. I wonder what the numbers would be then...
LOL makes me laugh how picking which one is better is like a picking out a guy from a lineup.. :-D