Absolutely. He kinda sucks IMO, except for those. Those shall now be standard on any future plane transformer of any kind when they jut out the back of the robot. Somebody go make that whole wing section deal as an upgrade for 2.0 lol
Props for an honest, straightforward review. You’ve never sacrificed your integrity for a review or fear of upsetting the collecting community. This is the first honest subjective review I’ve seen on him and look forward to the comparison with Meteor, a three year old product that was a third of the price at it’s release.
I can't thank you enough for this review Skully! I'm so happy I didn't get this now. The lack of die cast parts and that price alone made me second and third guess this acquisition. I'm now relieved that my wallet didn't suffer for this. I may now continue my quest to obtain the Maketoys Seekers!
Great review, I'm tired of people defending this thing instead of being honest about what it does right and what it does wrong. It's too expensive, some bad qc, poor accessories, no waist swivel. It's beautifully painted, it looks pretty good even if some proportions are bad, it has almost no kibble.
You are so right about the head proportions to the rest of the body. Ever since I have seen this figure, I have been trying to put my finger on what the problem was, but you described it well.
Reminds me MP 44, where in robot mode, he doesn't even look like he transforms. That's neat, but the transformation looks annoying and loose joints on such an expensive figure is definitely a deal breaker
I agree, at this price point there should not be no QC issues. The inconsistent joints on this figure are a let down, but sadly, expected. I also think the head is a bit too big. The positive thing is I don't need to re-buy whole bunch of new Seekers. It seems Takara has been sacrificing quality for articulation. Unfortunately, with soft joints, articulation doesn't help any.
Hey Bobby.I just want to thank you for suggesting all the time during your collection critiques.You would say if you just would get some risers it would make a difference. I did and it does thanks man
Mine has been issue-free and solid as a rock, but I'm aware QC issues have been horrendous (like Hound) elsewhere. He's almost "too" cartoony, looking like a giant action figure from the front, but that's an achievement in itself - whether or not the look works is subjective. I almost prefer him from the back with those gorgeous fractured wings hiding so much kibble, but I can see how he wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. Contentious figure, but the review was fair for the piece in hand. Love your work Skully.
its interesting you bring up the head size. this to me is one of the few figures that actually nails the size and proportions 100%. to each their own though, ty for the review!
I think looking at the cartoon images. Starscream does have a big head ( thighs too thin though). I get where Bobby is coming from: some prefer more natural/heroic looking proportions (e.g. fanstoys) than strictly 1-to-1 accuracy? I think its that debate again
Alright, the tail wing into the main wing is one of those "masterpiece moments" you don't usually get in 3rd party offerings. Credit where it's due, Takara. Still not different or better enough for me to switch out my Maketoys seekers, especially for what these cost.
Good move! I got the MP52 and thought it would be an easy swap out with my current maketoys…. (I have the mp44 starscream head on it)… the maketoys colors pop more on shelf and the takara isn’t all that much better that I could make that be my starscream. Still a decent piece, but I have to agree a lot with Bobby’s review on this one….no waist swivel, too dark of colors, and ankle and knee joints a little weak
Love the honesty Bobby, the points you make in your final thoughts are very valid, I think takara seem to only care about pushing the price up on figures and not giving you the value for the money people pay, a lot of it IMO is takara knows collectors will buy the figures and decided to take advantage of this fact.
I love ya Bobby! Thanks for the brutal honesty! And thanks to that guy who sent you this to show us just how garbage this mold is so we don't waste our hard earned money on this! It's sad that the positives don't out way the negatives.
I had this on order with amiami and it was going to be my first MP because I just love starscream that much but I had to cancel it and honestly not too mad after watching this
A lot of people are having cracks at the heel joints…maybe you ought to have a look at yours Skully…if you do, it’s just toon accurate to the movie “aawww, my foot” scene
Great review. TT has severely dropped the ball when it comes to QC (I can name so many recent MPs from TT that are plagued with all short of issues). My Maketoys Starscream is still rock solid even after tons of back and forth transformation and it's built like a tank. Can't say the same for this $260 piss poor QC TT version. What I find even more sad - IMO - is so many within the fandom are coping and doing damage control for TT with: "just fix it yourself!", "use floor finish to tighten the joints!", "just glue the cracks!" are y'all for really?? If I paid this much for a supposed "premium official MP" I shouldn't have to do any god damn "fixing" or "modification" for it to works right - it's should be GTG right out of the box! No wonder TT continues to push out mediocre products like this - they have legion of blind fanboys keep on defending and throwing money at 'em.
@@ButtZilla I don't have an account at TFW but I lurk there occasionally and although there are a lot of good users there, you also have a good number of fanatical/toxic fanboys who are so emotionally attached to a certain company, and in this case it's TT. I see them trash BSF for pointing out blatant/obvious flaws of this $260 bucks figure ("BSF?? Who the fuck cares what that guy think??", and so on..). They also trash both BSF and Emgo for pointing out MP Arcee's flaws. I mean, god forbid we expect more from an industry veteran like TT and a figure that cost $260. Sure you can praise the sculpt and paints (of which I agree look very toon accurate), but it's undeniable that the QC and materials are abysmal
"you're being entitled!" Entitled to a good product after paying over $250!? Uhhh... Yes! Of course I wanna have a good product after paying that much! I agree with you, these figures should not have any QC issues, it's unacceptable
This is why I don't mind going KO here and there. If I have to superglue something, file something down, or drop polish in somewhere, I really don't feel too bad about it since I paid less than half of full price. But I would absolutely be livid if I had to pay full TT MP price and it showed up with the same issues.
PAIK's version had a ratchet to the side in only one leg as well. For this price I am disappointed in the hardware, and what's with no waist swivel, loose tolerances and the old school hip flaps? That head looks large. Was looking forward to your opinion. Always appreciated.
I’ll give 3.0 that, my only issue with Meteor was the head being too dark for my liking. IMO, you can barely make out the face. I prefer the lighter grey. If only there was a way to swap the heads (I talk like these are legos with interchangeable parts)
@@2dbeats3d- there is. Go on eBay… you can get the neck adapter and heads all sorts of places. Or use the mp44 starscream head and buy the neck adaptor. I have both and still like the maketoys better
Takara is hopeless. They got such a perfect sculpt with such great articulation and then couldn't even give the figure stable enough knee and ankle ratchets to support it's own weight. What a joke.
The “O” face is from a single moment in the ‘86 movie right at the beginning when he gets ahold of MeGUNtron and starts slaughtering the Autobots. Definitely an odd pick, but as he comes with MeGUNtron one can recreate that frame from the movie if they want to, I guess.
I think maketoys is far better that head sculpt does need an upgrade though but I put the prime starscream head on it and it looks great. This is not worth the money and I don't know why but TT seems to have basically lost interest. Don't know why but it will be interesting to see how their next one is as far as quality is concerned.
That’s rough, man. Mine is definitely better built but even then, I have cracks in the forearm where the wrist folds out. It’s close to full-on breakage that I glued. I’d send it back, but that seems to be the only major problem. I absolutely do not get Takara’s QC over the last few years. I’m actually happy with this figure but I can’t continue to support a company that refuses to fix their problems. Hound should have been a wake up call.
I'm waiting 4 somebody to look at the box and see where the factory is located again. Remember the same type stuff w/ Hound made in their cheaper Vietnam Takara Hasbro factory, **NO OFFENSE TOWARDS THE COUNTRY Vietnam apologies 🙏companies want their products made in China globally. Takara made a statement or something when folks were having trouble with Hound Skully will remember it.
There's a new Starscream figure coming out soon from a company called, "Deformation Space". Google it. Many sites have pre-orders up already, and it looks amazing!
But can it stand up? Yeah, it probably can, what kinda bullshit company would build a Masterpiece Transformer that ca...Nevermind. MP52 is PERFECT, no need for an upstart 3P to take a blind stab at Starscream. This Takara Mr. Peanut version is the definitive one forever!
My last MP was Sunstreaker (my faves are the autobot cars). Since then prices have gone crazy and bad QC issues. I've got the new MPM-12 and he is great
Sunstreaker had me worried. If that was the direction HasTak was going to move into my wallet would be in trouble. Sunstreaker was the peak of G1 MP official line. It has been a gradual decline in quality since that release.
@@phongdang9846 I would totally get a toy coloured official hound with fixed QC issues and just his basic accessories like the early days of Sideswipe and the Datsuns. I dont need all the extra stuff they throw in these days that just sit in the box and never get used. Ive had no need for Arcee or the Beast Wars figures. Definitely going to be an interesting time for MP's. especially when figures are costing over $400 here in Australia (MP-44 and the Seekers).
I agree that he is off. Before you even said the head was too big I was thinking he’s off and it’s all in the head. He’s just TOO cartoony. If the head was 5-10% smaller it would come off better. For me, this is the final nail in the coffin for cartoony mp. It looks too goofy and not like a collectible
I think the head is juuuuuust too big, but it’s better that it’s bigger than smaller tbh. It’s funny how the size of heads on transformers really translates the scale, over everything else. Smaller heads always gave me the impression that the figure in universe should be massive, which works great for the movie lines. The bigger heads always gave me the impression that they are smaller and more personably characters, which Sunbow always utilized (probably to help in animating the faces). It’s interesting to see the size of this figures head (very toon accurate) compared to other previous MPs that didn’t lean as hard into toon aesthetics. Also just seeing you struggle with getting the figure to stand made my day, removing the fact that the QC is pretty rough.
Finally, a really honest opinion on this piece. I feel that everyone else's review is more glowing because they have to like it, given the price. Not to mention the bandwagon of "I got mine". I don't like the bot size either. I prefer Starscream's height to be closer Megatron's like in the 1986 Movie and in the better animated G1 episodes.
Many people are defending the height saying it should be like this given the overall proportion on "the ark" (starscream is about 5/6 compared to megatron). But when I said then why is starscream's head to meg's shoulder and no in the real toy, they say "oh well, the character has been redesigned to fit the modern era, so the body part proportion is slightly changed". In other words, "I only look at proportions when that suits my argument" :/
My main complaint on his proportions is that he doesnt look like a sleek powerful warrior. He looks like a middle-aged man trying to fit into his military uniform to show he's still got it. From a purely visual perspective MP-11 looks like he'd eat this dudes lunch!
@@jkliao6486 Those people should rewatch the movie. Megatron, Shockwave, Soundwave & the Seekers are all the same height. Unless they are Brawn or Gears, it looks better on-screen to see same size bots carry their comrades in the battlefield. The scale chart is questionable, and heights vary throughout the G1 series. In the 1986 movie, Springer & Arcee are about the same height (recall he grabs her hand as the Decepticons attack Autobot City), yet the scale chart makes Arcee look child-size next to him. Granted, Springer is more "muscular" than her.
@@GibDozer1 I thinks there are folks who think the Seekers should be sized and proportioned to look like Autobot "car-bots" relative to Optimus Prime. Autobots like Jazz and Prowl had wider upper chests, skinnier thighs and bulky lower legs, due to their transformation. This version of Starscream appears to emulate that look.
@@cadsux Still I think Starscream looks sleeker in the cartoon than this figure does. Maketoys comes much closer to the actual cartoon model imo. I'm betting the new 3P DS01 will destroy them both though. I'll probably stick with MP11 because I prefer the toyetic look, already dumped MT awhile back. I'd never consider replacing it with 52(KO) even if the QC was perfect, it just doesn't evoke the seekers to me.
I agree with you. It's not the Starscream for me. Maybe it's the Starscream we deserve but not the one we need right now? And I dislike it for the same reasons you mentioned - head doesn't look like Starscream, gray is too dark, proportions are off. I'm sticking with Maketoys for now because overall it seems more cartoon accurate to me with the right colors and proportions. But I'm interested in checking out the new Deformation Space Starscream.
That's one thing I can't do. I'm all about 3rd party because they do all the design work and heavy lifting in the creating process. But I can't support a company that's flat-out ripping off another's work.
@@geewunder1171 I get where you're coming from but the other argument to the point would be why would you support a company that keeps screwing your wallet? Takara is making inferior products (in terms of quality) and are charging insane amounts of money for those products. Why support that?
Dammit Bobby you're so innately funny! When you said what am I an air and Space Museum? Coffee nearly shot out my nose LOL I appreciate all of your opinions when it comes to Transformers! Thanks again for taking that time and energy!
I know it's not entirely unreasonable to claim that this is just a bad copy of the figure and not indicative of widespread issues, but I'd argue at $250USD, there shouldn't be any bad copies, especially not when many of the "bad' copies have the same problems as many others. Many criticisms are highly subjective, but QC is not.
@@ReGo001 Look if you don't mind it that's fair, but you don't have to lie to us or yourself to justify it. It looks awful... Who's really going to pose the jet mode so that the bottom is visible? Especially when the top does look really nice.
It really sticks out and looks bad. If they made it look like a giant bomb, then that would mask it somewhat, but it just looks out of place on something that is supposed to be a sleek jet. It's a nice figure, but they could have hid it better, lol.
Well, this video was the final nail in the coffin for me. I had two outstanding preorders for Takara Starscream and Thundercracker, and I cancelled them both. If your figure cannot stand on its own two feet, it doesn't matter if it costs $10,- or $250,-, it is a worthless figure.
@@FvTv_ Takara doesn't need you to defend them. I don't like this V3 mold for several reasons and Takara's latest MP offerings were all disappointing. I decided this is not worth the obscene asking price and I don't know why it bothers you that someone else made a different choice than you did. If you bought it and you like it, you win.
I bought this figure because I think it looks cute, and I also wanted to give Takara's MP line one more chance after being disappointed so many times with their most recent offerings. After playing with the figure in-hand, though, Skullface is right; not worth the money for its many issues. At least he still looks cute in bot mode, but this is my final MP purchase from Takara. They've really lost it.
Nine years since MP-11, by the way. They're essentially labelling MP-11 as a "version 1.5" as this is officially "version 2.0"... which is stupid because it's still the third version regardless of MP-11 being a retool, but anyway, TakaraTomy.
Hate to break it to you but the way they state it is correct. MP-3 and MP-11 are the same mold and the retooling is just a revision, MP-52 is brand new so the 2.0 is correct. I don’t understand why this creates such an issue 🤷🏻♂️
Hit the nail right on the head bobby. Youre the only reviewer to point out how much of a dealbreaker that lack of a waist swivel is. 35 years of toys and a ton of 3rd party starscreams and they still couldnt figure out how to give him a waist swivel. Thats like making a sports car without a steering wheel
Yeah, all of your points are valid in regards to the knees, ankles, and oversized head…but I like him much more than the make toys. It looks good on the shelf and it has a lot of articulation as opposed to its competitors. Thanks for the review though.
I think the head looks great and doesn't seem out of proportion, at least from the video maybe it's different in person. It's unfortunate how loose the legs are. If you can't pose him properly it's pretty much worthless.
@@kek23k Be careful with the ankles and tailfins, folks are reporting cracks and breakages in those areas in a lot of their copies. At this point i think it is widespread in the majority of figures, like Convoy 3.0 kness and Hound's piss poor plastic.
I was initially tempted by MP-52 when it was first announced. I never liked MP-11 or the MakeToys versions, but I needed a Starscream and didn't know if we would get another any time soon. I had complaints about it just from the pictures, but it looked good enough. Then we saw the price and Zeta announced theirs (I forget which order) which lead me away from ordering it in the end. I have been very happy with the TW Coneheads, their issues are minor to me, and I had been hoping for the Zeta Seekers but thought they were dead when this was announced. I am also interested in the newly announced 3P version, though I admit being concerned with it being a new company (as far as I know) and the fact they haven't shown alt mode pictures yet. Congrats on not having cracks in the plastic of your figure at least, that is always a win.
I was searching for this review. So many others but Bobby gives it to you straight, pulling no punches. My Maketoys Meteor V2 is in the mail ;) here Thursday
@@UnicronsLeftNut Dude, did you see the review? The issues are there for all of us to see. I can see how you can't possibly defend any of that, but come on, try a little harder than saying it's just "Takara bad". If someone has confirmation bias here after watching this dumpster fire, it's you.
So I bought this bobby. I haven't had many of the issues listed Buti will address the stand. While disappointing I think the stand is more of a stability tool. If you have star scream standing straight you can plug him in either from the back of the stand or on the stand itself. I wish it was intended for more. But I see the utility init for robot mode. My onlygripe really is the hand don't hold the guns well. Otherwise being my first masterpiece seeker ever.i love him. Hemakes me so happy to watch on the shelf posed. Right now my dad's in the hospital from a stroke so it was definitely good it came in because it makes me smile remembeing him showingme the cartoon from when he was little and watching the 86 movie together. Starscream has always been my favorite character and this is just...... Starscream
I figured out what's up with the head proportions. Everything is correct except for the chin. The shaping is a little too broad. Like not broad in the sense of size because its a good size but it ain't a slender chin. Screamer does have a slender chin but it was done in a way where his face don't look smaller than it actually is
This thing needed ratchet ankles. No idea what they were thinking with that pinned crap. Looks perfect as far as visual design, but takara needs to get their shit together on build quality.
I don’t thing it looks "perfect" personally I dislike this aesthetic. I do agree though the ankles should've been ratcheted. They had to know it would be an issue if they did any play testing, but they shipped them anyway. We can disagree on aesthtics, but Takaras treatment of their fans paying 260$ a pop is just really gross!
I was waiting on this review before I made a decision and I'm glad I did. Most of the early reviews I saw on TH-cam were enthusiastic, but I wondered if part of that might just be people not willing to admit they paid $300 for something that's not built well. I'm not even sure I'm in love with the way this looks. Wish they'd cut out some accessories and cut the price by $100, then I'd probably be in.
That was a proper thrashing good sir, not undeserved however. TT bums me out man. It's not like they CAN'T do it well, they just WON'T do it well. Spare me the purple space poo and give me secure knees.
I have a problem with the scale and share many of the complaints but this mold is really good. I wish it didn't seem like Takara cares less than FansToys about their product.
Finally a honest review. The other reviewers sounds like this is the most awesome transformer ever made (probably getting something from hasbro). And the colour, he is just as grey as the mp megatron, that is too grey, megatron was always more grey. The best Starscream is the Maketoys starscream with the head that came with mp44.
2:42 had the same issue on the MP-57 Skyfire base. I ended up just supergluing it onto one position. That guy is such a beast he would fall over if it was anything other than perfectly balanced (and my kids kept knocking it over at the slightest touch).
Hey bobby. This is sledgemaster. Sorry I haven't seen ur show in a while. Been getting busy for the uspa nationals in palmsprings, California. It's one of the biggest competition in the u.s.a. that was nice of ur buddy to give u start scream
That’s a gorgeous robot mode, very cartoon accurate to my eyes. It maybe suffers from the “big underpants” look that the recent Prime and Megatron MPs have, but it’s nowhere near as bad as those. I think the default face looks more like Thundercracker, but the smirking face would fix that. Plane mode is a bit less successful, it looks great from the top but looks like a folded-up robot from the side and bottom. This would have been pretty much perfect if the joints weren’t so loose. I worry how bad they’ll be after a few years and several transformations?
That last crazy "O" face is from the early scene in the 1986 Movie, where Starcream is holding the Megatron gun and firing on Brawn. Call it, "Instruments of Destruction" face.
That's two for two transformation videos where the guy damn near snapped off this little spikes on the wings and they got real floppy after. Great design, Takara! That flap over the chest panel in altmode is just the absolute pits. I think I would have rather had it partsform.
Phew, sO glad I didn’t go in on this & am a huge Starscream fan… soon as I saw it & the price point, knew I had to wait & see an honest review on it. I couldn't agree with you more in your impression of it.
Not sure if you’ll see this in time but if you’re going to do a companion with the MT I could send you the new EX version so you can compare the newest Takara to the newest MT.
Another sacrifice to do fan mode for another series . If they would've focused on the knees instead of focusing on trying to be Macross.. At least you found your coronation Starscream.
Yes I remember the episode. the only thing is, it's not an excuse for them not to make a stronger ratchet joint. in fact, the gimmick is an argument that it would be reinforced. I loved hasbro since I was kid but even I know when a company is trying to rest on its laurels and price stuff based on its namesake and not quality.. And because it's falling apart at the seams is why I said the coronation Starscream.
I came sooooo close to buying this (was even still tempted before watching this video), but now, I know better. Takara has lost their reputation, their magic, their quality. It’s one thing to design a figure and aim to have a certain aesthetic, but when you send your designs to the lowest bidder factories like in Vietnam or wherever and the craftsmanship, materials, hardware and assembly is shoddy, then you lose all reputation. 3P has overtaken Takara not because they set the bar higher, but because Takara kept lowering it.
Same over here. Though I would still buy it for 150-175 I think. I have the original Skywarp and the MT Starscream, but I'd like a complete set of seekers. Think I'm gonna wait for the DS version.
Yeah i am out on this.. no way i an paying 259.99 for a floppiity flop Starscream.. i paid 200 for DX9 Gabriel [Omega Supreme] and its solid as a Cinderblock
gotta be honest, the way the wings eat the fins is pretty cool
Absolutely. He kinda sucks IMO, except for those. Those shall now be standard on any future plane transformer of any kind when they jut out the back of the robot. Somebody go make that whole wing section deal as an upgrade for 2.0 lol
Props for an honest, straightforward review. You’ve never sacrificed your integrity for a review or fear of upsetting the collecting community. This is the first honest subjective review I’ve seen on him and look forward to the comparison with Meteor, a three year old product that was a third of the price at it’s release.
I can't thank you enough for this review Skully! I'm so happy I didn't get this now. The lack of die cast parts and that price alone made me second and third guess this acquisition. I'm now relieved that my wallet didn't suffer for this. I may now continue my quest to obtain the Maketoys Seekers!
Takara CEO: Maketoys was able to add a waist swivel, on their first attempt...... IN A CAVE !!!!
Takara designer : im sorry sir, im not maketoys
Great reference 🤣🤣🤣
The CEO's stuff should all be in caps, with spittle flying everywhere and the workerbee cowering in fear at his baldness.
WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS.
Great review, I'm tired of people defending this thing instead of being honest about what it does right and what it does wrong. It's too expensive, some bad qc, poor accessories, no waist swivel. It's beautifully painted, it looks pretty good even if some proportions are bad, it has almost no kibble.
24:11 "The Smooth Criminal of Cybertron."
You are so right about the head proportions to the rest of the body. Ever since I have seen this figure, I have been trying to put my finger on what the problem was, but you described it well.
Reminds me MP 44, where in robot mode, he doesn't even look like he transforms. That's neat, but the transformation looks annoying and loose joints on such an expensive figure is definitely a deal breaker
I agree, at this price point there should not be no QC issues. The inconsistent joints on this figure are a let down, but sadly, expected. I also think the head is a bit too big. The positive thing is I don't need to re-buy whole bunch of new Seekers. It seems Takara has been sacrificing quality for articulation. Unfortunately, with soft joints, articulation doesn't help any.
Hey Bobby.I just want to thank you for suggesting all the time during your collection critiques.You would say if you just would get some risers it would make a difference. I did and it does thanks man
Risers make such a difference, and such an easy add to a display. One of the cheapest additions to a display one can do. :-)
Mine has been issue-free and solid as a rock, but I'm aware QC issues have been horrendous (like Hound) elsewhere. He's almost "too" cartoony, looking like a giant action figure from the front, but that's an achievement in itself - whether or not the look works is subjective. I almost prefer him from the back with those gorgeous fractured wings hiding so much kibble, but I can see how he wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea.
Contentious figure, but the review was fair for the piece in hand. Love your work Skully.
its interesting you bring up the head size. this to me is one of the few figures that actually nails the size and proportions 100%. to each their own though, ty for the review!
I think looking at the cartoon images. Starscream does have a big head ( thighs too thin though). I get where Bobby is coming from: some prefer more natural/heroic looking proportions (e.g. fanstoys) than strictly 1-to-1 accuracy? I think its that debate again
He's VERY toon accurate. For better and worse.
Alright, the tail wing into the main wing is one of those "masterpiece moments" you don't usually get in 3rd party offerings. Credit where it's due, Takara. Still not different or better enough for me to switch out my Maketoys seekers, especially for what these cost.
Good move! I got the MP52 and thought it would be an easy swap out with my current maketoys…. (I have the mp44 starscream head on it)… the maketoys colors pop more on shelf and the takara isn’t all that much better that I could make that be my starscream. Still a decent piece, but I have to agree a lot with Bobby’s review on this one….no waist swivel, too dark of colors, and ankle and knee joints a little weak
That head reminds me of Danny DeVito as a Penguin in Batman Returns... Huge head, no neck... :S
Always makes me think of Mr. Peanut.
Love the honesty Bobby, the points you make in your final thoughts are very valid, I think takara seem to only care about pushing the price up on figures and not giving you the value for the money people pay, a lot of it IMO is takara knows collectors will buy the figures and decided to take advantage of this fact.
I love ya Bobby! Thanks for the brutal honesty! And thanks to that guy who sent you this to show us just how garbage this mold is so we don't waste our hard earned money on this! It's sad that the positives don't out way the negatives.
I absolutely love my MP Starscream "2.0" Totally worth the price for me.
Yea I will have to stick with MakeToys for Screamer and MP 2.0s for Skywarp and Thundercracker.
I had this on order with amiami and it was going to be my first MP because I just love starscream that much but I had to cancel it and honestly not too mad after watching this
A lot of people are having cracks at the heel joints…maybe you ought to have a look at yours Skully…if you do, it’s just toon accurate to the movie “aawww, my foot” scene
Mines stand perfectly fine if I just move the jet engines backwards, but I thought I'll have a look anyway and there the cracks are :/
@@skeggyrules though they were just cracks when putting the pin in due to manufacturing.
Great review. TT has severely dropped the ball when it comes to QC (I can name so many recent MPs from TT that are plagued with all short of issues). My Maketoys Starscream is still rock solid even after tons of back and forth transformation and it's built like a tank. Can't say the same for this $260 piss poor QC TT version. What I find even more sad - IMO - is so many within the fandom are coping and doing damage control for TT with: "just fix it yourself!", "use floor finish to tighten the joints!", "just glue the cracks!" are y'all for really?? If I paid this much for a supposed "premium official MP" I shouldn't have to do any god damn "fixing" or "modification" for it to works right - it's should be GTG right out of the box! No wonder TT continues to push out mediocre products like this - they have legion of blind fanboys keep on defending and throwing money at 'em.
Paid shills working hard on TFW2005 forum and Facebook groups.
@@ButtZilla I don't have an account at TFW but I lurk there occasionally and although there are a lot of good users there, you also have a good number of fanatical/toxic fanboys who are so emotionally attached to a certain company, and in this case it's TT. I see them trash BSF for pointing out blatant/obvious flaws of this $260 bucks figure ("BSF?? Who the fuck cares what that guy think??", and so on..). They also trash both BSF and Emgo for pointing out MP Arcee's flaws. I mean, god forbid we expect more from an industry veteran like TT and a figure that cost $260. Sure you can praise the sculpt and paints (of which I agree look very toon accurate), but it's undeniable that the QC and materials are abysmal
"you're being entitled!"
Entitled to a good product after paying over $250!?
Uhhh... Yes! Of course I wanna have a good product after paying that much!
I agree with you, these figures should not have any QC issues, it's unacceptable
This is why I don't mind going KO here and there. If I have to superglue something, file something down, or drop polish in somewhere, I really don't feel too bad about it since I paid less than half of full price. But I would absolutely be livid if I had to pay full TT MP price and it showed up with the same issues.
That "o" face..look at the movie when they was aboard the Autobot ship when he was holding Megatron. That's where that face comes from
“I’m going to blow you, Megatron!” face
Soyface Starscream
@@famyemil 🤣🤣🤣
I love the passion and I can feel the disappointment in a missed opportunity. Great review!
Bobby you wheeze laughing about the stand was the highlight of my day lol lol
PAIK's version had a ratchet to the side in only one leg as well. For this price I am disappointed in the hardware, and what's with no waist swivel, loose tolerances and the old school hip flaps?
That head looks large.
Was looking forward to your opinion. Always appreciated.
i agree.
The review I was waiting for!
Cheers!
Those ankles are absolutely unacceptable.
The head sculpt looks amazing and way better than the previous versions.
I’ll give 3.0 that, my only issue with Meteor was the head being too dark for my liking. IMO, you can barely make out the face. I prefer the lighter grey. If only there was a way to swap the heads (I talk like these are legos with interchangeable parts)
@@2dbeats3d- there is. Go on eBay… you can get the neck adapter and heads all sorts of places. Or use the mp44 starscream head and buy the neck adaptor. I have both and still like the maketoys better
@@hq9344 doesnt the starscream head that comes with prime work
@@PopePlatinumBeats yes… you can get other heads though too. And ya can get a neck adaptor for prime head if ya wanted.
Takara is hopeless. They got such a perfect sculpt with such great articulation and then couldn't even give the figure stable enough knee and ankle ratchets to support it's own weight. What a joke.
This was a particularly bad copy 99% are perfect he got unlucky
The “O” face is from a single moment in the ‘86 movie right at the beginning when he gets ahold of MeGUNtron and starts slaughtering the Autobots. Definitely an odd pick, but as he comes with MeGUNtron one can recreate that frame from the movie if they want to, I guess.
I think maketoys is far better that head sculpt does need an upgrade though but I put the prime starscream head on it and it looks great. This is not worth the money and I don't know why but TT seems to have basically lost interest. Don't know why but it will be interesting to see how their next one is as far as quality is concerned.
That’s rough, man. Mine is definitely better built but even then, I have cracks in the forearm where the wrist folds out. It’s close to full-on breakage that I glued. I’d send it back, but that seems to be the only major problem. I absolutely do not get Takara’s QC over the last few years. I’m actually happy with this figure but I can’t continue to support a company that refuses to fix their problems. Hound should have been a wake up call.
I'm waiting 4 somebody to look at the box and see where the factory is located again. Remember the same type stuff w/ Hound made in their cheaper Vietnam Takara Hasbro factory, **NO OFFENSE TOWARDS THE COUNTRY Vietnam apologies 🙏companies want their products made in China globally. Takara made a statement or something when folks were having trouble with Hound Skully will remember it.
Damn Starscream got roasted!
I think that 3.0 is gonna have to come back as a ghost after you destroyed it. 🤣
@@PrinceRawD *flicking foot intensifies*
Than you for calling it what it is, 3.0.
3.0 out of 10, this should have never been put into production...
There's a new Starscream figure coming out soon from a company called, "Deformation Space". Google it. Many sites have pre-orders up already, and it looks amazing!
But can it stand up? Yeah, it probably can, what kinda bullshit company would build a Masterpiece Transformer that ca...Nevermind. MP52 is PERFECT, no need for an upstart 3P to take a blind stab at Starscream. This Takara Mr. Peanut version is the definitive one forever!
I'm really interested to see how that one turns out
My last MP was Sunstreaker (my faves are the autobot cars). Since then prices have gone crazy and bad QC issues. I've got the new MPM-12 and he is great
Sunstreaker had me worried. If that was the direction HasTak was going to move into my wallet would be in trouble. Sunstreaker was the peak of G1 MP official line. It has been a gradual decline in quality since that release.
@@phongdang9846 I would totally get a toy coloured official hound with fixed QC issues and just his basic accessories like the early days of Sideswipe and the Datsuns. I dont need all the extra stuff they throw in these days that just sit in the box and never get used. Ive had no need for Arcee or the Beast Wars figures. Definitely going to be an interesting time for MP's. especially when figures are costing over $400 here in Australia (MP-44 and the Seekers).
I agree that he is off. Before you even said the head was too big I was thinking he’s off and it’s all in the head. He’s just TOO cartoony. If the head was 5-10% smaller it would come off better. For me, this is the final nail in the coffin for cartoony mp. It looks too goofy and not like a collectible
Final thoughts: Now THIS is the Bobby I remember and love!
No waste swivel... One of the more (or one of the most) important articulation points in a figure... WTG HasTak!!!
No waist rotation and weak joint? Yeah, a hard pass for me. Not worth for the price they ask for.
Also the cracks and breakages in the ankles and tailfins are widespread at this point.
@@TheBatman39
Right, I ordered Starscream and they sent me Chip Chase..
I honestly don't see what you mean about the proportions. They look perfect to me.
I think the head is juuuuuust too big, but it’s better that it’s bigger than smaller tbh. It’s funny how the size of heads on transformers really translates the scale, over everything else. Smaller heads always gave me the impression that the figure in universe should be massive, which works great for the movie lines. The bigger heads always gave me the impression that they are smaller and more personably characters, which Sunbow always utilized (probably to help in animating the faces). It’s interesting to see the size of this figures head (very toon accurate) compared to other previous MPs that didn’t lean as hard into toon aesthetics.
Also just seeing you struggle with getting the figure to stand made my day, removing the fact that the QC is pretty rough.
Finally, a really honest opinion on this piece. I feel that everyone else's review is more glowing because they have to like it, given the price. Not to mention the bandwagon of "I got mine".
I don't like the bot size either. I prefer Starscream's height to be closer Megatron's like in the 1986 Movie and in the better animated G1 episodes.
Many people are defending the height saying it should be like this given the overall proportion on "the ark" (starscream is about 5/6 compared to megatron). But when I said then why is starscream's head to meg's shoulder and no in the real toy, they say "oh well, the character has been redesigned to fit the modern era, so the body part proportion is slightly changed". In other words, "I only look at proportions when that suits my argument" :/
My main complaint on his proportions is that he doesnt look like a sleek powerful warrior. He looks like a middle-aged man trying to fit into his military uniform to show he's still got it. From a purely visual perspective MP-11 looks like he'd eat this dudes lunch!
@@jkliao6486 Those people should rewatch the movie. Megatron, Shockwave, Soundwave & the Seekers are all the same height. Unless they are Brawn or Gears, it looks better on-screen to see same size bots carry their comrades in the battlefield.
The scale chart is questionable, and heights vary throughout the G1 series. In the 1986 movie, Springer & Arcee are about the same height (recall he grabs her hand as the Decepticons attack Autobot City), yet the scale chart makes Arcee look child-size next to him. Granted, Springer is more "muscular" than her.
@@GibDozer1 I thinks there are folks who think the Seekers should be sized and proportioned to look like Autobot "car-bots" relative to Optimus Prime. Autobots like Jazz and Prowl had wider upper chests, skinnier thighs and bulky lower legs, due to their transformation. This version of Starscream appears to emulate that look.
@@cadsux
Still I think Starscream looks sleeker in the cartoon than this figure does. Maketoys comes much closer to the actual cartoon model imo. I'm betting the new 3P DS01 will destroy them both though.
I'll probably stick with MP11 because I prefer the toyetic look, already dumped MT awhile back. I'd never consider replacing it with 52(KO) even if the QC was perfect, it just doesn't evoke the seekers to me.
I agree with you. It's not the Starscream for me. Maybe it's the Starscream we deserve but not the one we need right now? And I dislike it for the same reasons you mentioned - head doesn't look like Starscream, gray is too dark, proportions are off. I'm sticking with Maketoys for now because overall it seems more cartoon accurate to me with the right colors and proportions. But I'm interested in checking out the new Deformation Space Starscream.
I would have waited an eternity for this!
You’re punny
I'll wait for the cheaper 4th party with improvements version in a year or so.
Facts
That's one thing I can't do. I'm all about 3rd party because they do all the design work and heavy lifting in the creating process. But I can't support a company that's flat-out ripping off another's work.
@@geewunder1171 well it’s ur wallet
@@geewunder1171 I get where you're coming from but the other argument to the point would be why would you support a company that keeps screwing your wallet? Takara is making inferior products (in terms of quality) and are charging insane amounts of money for those products. Why support that?
@@ssjMaximum22Goku Don't! Simply pass on the unit. That's easy.
Dammit Bobby you're so innately funny! When you said what am I an air and Space Museum? Coffee nearly shot out my nose LOL I appreciate all of your opinions when it comes to Transformers! Thanks again for taking that time and energy!
I know it's not entirely unreasonable to claim that this is just a bad copy of the figure and not indicative of widespread issues, but I'd argue at $250USD, there shouldn't be any bad copies, especially not when many of the "bad' copies have the same problems as many others. Many criticisms are highly subjective, but QC is not.
That giant gray tumor underneath the jet mode is completely unforgivable. Just no.
Dat face looks a little derpy like the Impossible Toys Tetrajets.
@@ReGo001
Look if you don't mind it that's fair, but you don't have to lie to us or yourself to justify it. It looks awful... Who's really going to pose the jet mode so that the bottom is visible? Especially when the top does look really nice.
It really sticks out and looks bad. If they made it look like a giant bomb, then that would mask it somewhat, but it just looks out of place on something that is supposed to be a sleek jet. It's a nice figure, but they could have hid it better, lol.
That "O" Face is definitely his "O $hit...I just got blasted by Galvatron" Face!!!
Great Review!
- o -
Or it's his "he got SOMETHING from Galvatron, alright" face.
*gasp* "Galvatron, your cannon is so BIG" :O
At least BENSCOLLECTIBLES has the only one in the world that didn't have issues! 😂😂😂
he never has "issues" with newly released figures.
Ben is a shill PERIOD
Coming in clutch with that Ditka technology!
Well, this video was the final nail in the coffin for me. I had two outstanding preorders for Takara Starscream and Thundercracker, and I cancelled them both. If your figure cannot stand on its own two feet, it doesn't matter if it costs $10,- or $250,-, it is a worthless figure.
Get over yourself this was a particularly bad copy
@@FvTv_ Takara doesn't need you to defend them. I don't like this V3 mold for several reasons and Takara's latest MP offerings were all disappointing. I decided this is not worth the obscene asking price and I don't know why it bothers you that someone else made a different choice than you did.
If you bought it and you like it, you win.
@@littledutch7549 ok big man
Any chance for a “Versus” with the Maketoys?
He said he was going to do it in the video.
he said there will be, "hopefully this week".
Thanks for a great review, you saved me a lot of money.
This pretty much seals the deal for me, going to go with MakeToys over the Takara 3.0 mold. Thanks for the honesty dude
I bought this figure because I think it looks cute, and I also wanted to give Takara's MP line one more chance after being disappointed so many times with their most recent offerings.
After playing with the figure in-hand, though, Skullface is right; not worth the money for its many issues. At least he still looks cute in bot mode, but this is my final MP purchase from Takara. They've really lost it.
Nine years since MP-11, by the way. They're essentially labelling MP-11 as a "version 1.5" as this is officially "version 2.0"... which is stupid because it's still the third version regardless of MP-11 being a retool, but anyway, TakaraTomy.
Hate to break it to you but the way they state it is correct. MP-3 and MP-11 are the same mold and the retooling is just a revision, MP-52 is brand new so the 2.0 is correct. I don’t understand why this creates such an issue 🤷🏻♂️
@@Xystus85 Because most people just see three Starscream releases. It’s the same with any software release but no one ever questions that.
539
Hit the nail right on the head bobby. Youre the only reviewer to point out how much of a dealbreaker that lack of a waist swivel is. 35 years of toys and a ton of 3rd party starscreams and they still couldnt figure out how to give him a waist swivel. Thats like making a sports car without a steering wheel
Yeah, all of your points are valid in regards to the knees, ankles, and oversized head…but I like him much more than the make toys. It looks good on the shelf and it has a lot of articulation as opposed to its competitors. Thanks for the review though.
Great review as always, same issues with my copy, ratchets are way too soft and the floppy feet are unforgivable.
Could you possibly fix it by tightening screws? 😓
I think the head looks great and doesn't seem out of proportion, at least from the video maybe it's different in person. It's unfortunate how loose the legs are. If you can't pose him properly it's pretty much worthless.
I see the problem with the head also. It just doesn't look right but it's hard to pinpoint.
I cant believe I suckered myself into buying this, the Maketoys ones were just fine. I am so weak :D
me too. Won't be buying the others.
You have buyer's remorse?
@@TheBatman39 yes and I havent even received it yet :D
@@kek23k Be careful with the ankles and tailfins, folks are reporting cracks and breakages in those areas in a lot of their copies. At this point i think it is widespread in the majority of figures, like Convoy 3.0 kness and Hound's piss poor plastic.
Truthfully man I'm a happy camper with my MP-11 molds lol
Yup, definitely sticking with the Maketoys Seekers. Now if only they'd release the last two coneheads...
Right! It's been FOREVER!
I was initially tempted by MP-52 when it was first announced. I never liked MP-11 or the MakeToys versions, but I needed a Starscream and didn't know if we would get another any time soon. I had complaints about it just from the pictures, but it looked good enough. Then we saw the price and Zeta announced theirs (I forget which order) which lead me away from ordering it in the end. I have been very happy with the TW Coneheads, their issues are minor to me, and I had been hoping for the Zeta Seekers but thought they were dead when this was announced. I am also interested in the newly announced 3P version, though I admit being concerned with it being a new company (as far as I know) and the fact they haven't shown alt mode pictures yet.
Congrats on not having cracks in the plastic of your figure at least, that is always a win.
I feel like there was something positive I intended to comment on, but I can't remember it at this point.
After watching your review and a couple more... I'm perfectly happy with my Maketoys seekers.
That jet mode really makes me appreciate the engineering of MP-3. I've seen Silverbolts with less visible robot parts underneath.
The alt mode on this thing is just icing. Sweet and smooth top but no discernible structure underneath.
I was searching for this review. So many others but Bobby gives it to you straight, pulling no punches.
My Maketoys Meteor V2 is in the mail ;) here Thursday
Hello confirmation bias my old friend!
@@UnicronsLeftNut How much are they paying you under the table?
@@ButtZilla Takara bad! REEEEE!
@@UnicronsLeftNut Dude, did you see the review? The issues are there for all of us to see. I can see how you can't possibly defend any of that, but come on, try a little harder than saying it's just "Takara bad". If someone has confirmation bias here after watching this dumpster fire, it's you.
So I bought this bobby. I haven't had many of the issues listed Buti will address the stand. While disappointing I think the stand is more of a stability tool. If you have star scream standing straight you can plug him in either from the back of the stand or on the stand itself. I wish it was intended for more. But I see the utility init for robot mode. My onlygripe really is the hand don't hold the guns well. Otherwise being my first masterpiece seeker ever.i love him. Hemakes me so happy to watch on the shelf posed. Right now my dad's in the hospital from a stroke so it was definitely good it came in because it makes me smile remembeing him showingme the cartoon from when he was little and watching the 86 movie together. Starscream has always been my favorite character and this is just...... Starscream
I figured out what's up with the head proportions. Everything is correct except for the chin. The shaping is a little too broad. Like not broad in the sense of size because its a good size but it ain't a slender chin. Screamer does have a slender chin but it was done in a way where his face don't look smaller than it actually is
If it can’t stand it’s useless. Doesn’t matter how nice it looks if it can’t even stand there in a detolf. MT for the win. Thanks for the review!
This thing needed ratchet ankles. No idea what they were thinking with that pinned crap. Looks perfect as far as visual design, but takara needs to get their shit together on build quality.
I don’t thing it looks "perfect" personally I dislike this aesthetic. I do agree though the ankles should've been ratcheted. They had to know it would be an issue if they did any play testing, but they shipped them anyway. We can disagree on aesthtics, but Takaras treatment of their fans paying 260$ a pop is just really gross!
Even where they put ratchets they don't always hold.
I love when angry Bob pops off the moment he gets to those legs.
I was waiting on this review before I made a decision and I'm glad I did. Most of the early reviews I saw on TH-cam were enthusiastic, but I wondered if part of that might just be people not willing to admit they paid $300 for something that's not built well. I'm not even sure I'm in love with the way this looks. Wish they'd cut out some accessories and cut the price by $100, then I'd probably be in.
99% of the accessories from MP-44 Prime was never used for display by collectors and that was where majority of the price went.
That was a proper thrashing good sir, not undeserved however. TT bums me out man. It's not like they CAN'T do it well, they just WON'T do it well. Spare me the purple space poo and give me secure knees.
Starscream are you okay?
Are you okay Starscream?
Thanks for all the reviews. Good work 💪
Looks like an F-15 with Starscream hanging off of the underside.
you mean like every starscream ever? lol
Guess what
It's cartoon accurate (look up the G1 model sheet it literally looks like that)
I have a problem with the scale and share many of the complaints but this mold is really good. I wish it didn't seem like Takara cares less than FansToys about their product.
Finally a honest review. The other reviewers sounds like this is the most awesome transformer ever made (probably getting something from hasbro).
And the colour, he is just as grey as the mp megatron, that is too grey, megatron was always more grey.
The best Starscream is the Maketoys starscream with the head that came with mp44.
2:42 had the same issue on the MP-57 Skyfire base. I ended up just supergluing it onto one position. That guy is such a beast he would fall over if it was anything other than perfectly balanced (and my kids kept knocking it over at the slightest touch).
The Q.C is strong with this one.
I have the first MP Starscream the one that's darker grey. Poses like a champ.
Apparently it's the QC -problems- that are strong with this one. Read the threads of people with broken parts and weak joints.
Roll on Deformation Space.
Hey bobby. This is sledgemaster. Sorry I haven't seen ur show in a while. Been getting busy for the uspa nationals in palmsprings, California. It's one of the biggest competition in the u.s.a. that was nice of ur buddy to give u start scream
That’s a gorgeous robot mode, very cartoon accurate to my eyes. It maybe suffers from the “big underpants” look that the recent Prime and Megatron MPs have, but it’s nowhere near as bad as those. I think the default face looks more like Thundercracker, but the smirking face would fix that.
Plane mode is a bit less successful, it looks great from the top but looks like a folded-up robot from the side and bottom. This would have been pretty much perfect if the joints weren’t so loose. I worry how bad they’ll be after a few years and several transformations?
That last crazy "O" face is from the early scene in the 1986 Movie, where Starcream is holding the Megatron gun and firing on Brawn. Call it, "Instruments of Destruction" face.
That's two for two transformation videos where the guy damn near snapped off this little spikes on the wings and they got real floppy after. Great design, Takara!
That flap over the chest panel in altmode is just the absolute pits. I think I would have rather had it partsform.
Phew, sO glad I didn’t go in on this & am a huge Starscream fan… soon as I saw it & the price point, knew I had to wait & see an honest review on it. I couldn't agree with you more in your impression of it.
Sonar is for water, Radar is for air :)
“Oooooh smooth criminal” woke my baby up I was laughing so damn hard 😂
Not sure if you’ll see this in time but if you’re going to do a companion with the MT I could send you the new EX version so you can compare the newest Takara to the newest MT.
Very telling review.
Good job!
Bobby "loves and hates his gift at the same time just like Gollum and the ring of power" Face!
“Smooth Criminal” 😂
Yeah Bobby, I do see it all too well.
Yeah sticking with Maketoys. Hope they finish the coneheads, but can go with HasTak if need be.
The proportions on Starscream here make him look skinny fat.
Takara's proportionality issues started with MP36 Megs and keep coming up on certain MPs.
A far cry from the warrior esque aesthetics of MP-11. This is dad bod starcream...
Another sacrifice to do fan mode for another series . If they would've focused on the knees instead of focusing on trying to be Macross.. At least you found your coronation Starscream.
There was a scene in one of the episodes where he landed with this legs out like that. It’s a “that one episode” gimmick.
Yes I remember the episode. the only thing is, it's not an excuse for them not to make a stronger ratchet joint. in fact, the gimmick is an argument that it would be reinforced. I loved hasbro since I was kid but even I know when a company is trying to rest on its laurels and price stuff based on its namesake and not quality.. And because it's falling apart at the seams is why I said the coronation Starscream.
I came sooooo close to buying this (was even still tempted before watching this video), but now, I know better. Takara has lost their reputation, their magic, their quality. It’s one thing to design a figure and aim to have a certain aesthetic, but when you send your designs to the lowest bidder factories like in Vietnam or wherever and the craftsmanship, materials, hardware and assembly is shoddy, then you lose all reputation. 3P has overtaken Takara not because they set the bar higher, but because Takara kept lowering it.
Same over here. Though I would still buy it for 150-175 I think. I have the original Skywarp and the MT Starscream, but I'd like a complete set of seekers. Think I'm gonna wait for the DS version.
Can't deal with loose parts, by now i need heavy ratchets on anything over 150 bucks.
Yes yes yes
Looking forward to the versus between MP Starscream 3.0 and MPM Starscream
Yeah i am out on this.. no way i an paying 259.99 for a floppiity flop Starscream.. i paid 200 for DX9 Gabriel [Omega Supreme] and its solid as a Cinderblock