MP-12: Sideswipe

[glaug]

Soundwave alt mode pics are linked on amazon jp in the other thread, and it looks no worse than his G1 counterpart. He is exactly "faithful to 'original toy but better articulated,'" which for the MP line is fine for me.
I am more interested in Sideswipe at his current price, but it's certainly nothing to write home about. I think I prefer it to his Binaltech incarnation after all though.

Tigertrack repaint, perhaps? And then Clamp Down, Deep Cover...

[Bogatan]

£40 for Sideswipe. Thats actually less than I thought. Probably less or about the same as the UK TRU price will be if they get any Hasbro release.

[primenova]

At least with colour photos you can see the rear panel of the legs folds round - see the black strips inside. Also pile driver arms that flip round

[Philip Ayres]

White arms are annoying me, should be silver chrome. But I like it.

[Toph]

I think both the original G1 toy, and the Universe toy both look a lot better than the MP. He has no style, no flair. He's just... bland.

[Stomski]

Why is this windscreen blacked out in the photos taken with prime?

[Dezzeh]

I loved these new pics, pre-ordered from HLJ already!

[The Doctor]

Rrrrrrrrrrrrum rrrrrrrrrrrum!

-Ralph

[legios]

Sideswipe doesn't look bad at all. I'm not hugely motivated to buy him at first glance - Sideswipe has never really grabbed me as a character (except in some TMUK stories) and I have the Classics version and the G2 version already so I'm not so sure.

Karl

[Bogatan]

Anyone interested in a joint order to try and reduce the shipping and customs.

Right on the fence about Takara or hoping for a Hasbro release.

[Bogatan]

Just placed my first order with HLJ for the first time since MP Megatron. Hopefully MP Sideswipe wont work out quite so expensive.

[Shockprowl]

I'm going to pass on 'Swipe, and put all my dosh into Soundwave. He doesn't look bad at all to me, but I agree with some of what's already been said in that he looks a tad bland. I'll stick with my Alternator Sideswipe.

R.I.D. Prowl from this mold would, predictably, make me poo my pants.

[blueshift]

Masterpiece Sideswipe
bbs.actoys.net/read.php?tid-1172884.html

Not doing it for me. I know it sounds perverse given that it is a fully articulated G1 Sideswipe, but... it might be because it's SO close to the G1 toy.

[The Doctor]

I can understand what you mean. My brain too tells me it is just a mild re-do of the 80's toy (which is one of the moulds of that era that I think still holds up really well).

-Ralph

[legios]

It isn't bad at all. Very effective upgrade, but I kind of know where you are both coming from - it is just an upgrade rather than a radical step-change. It is nice, but as I already have a G2 Sideswipe and a Classics one I will probably give it a miss.

Mind you, if I didn't have a Sideswipe I would probably jump at it.

Karl

[Bogatan]

I agree, except that, that is exactly what I want from Masterpieces toys. Grimlock is almost a straight up redo, but is by far my favourite MP figure. It's the reason I like MP Megatron too. I was the same with Binaltech, Smokescreen/Silverstreak remain my favourites because of being so close to the originals.

Also the robot mode has just enough animation model look about it, that it makes me think of the Actionmaster.

[Marc Graham]

I like it a lot.

[Stomski]

MP Sideswipe comments are interesting if you let google translate.
"How to look like a classic, unlike mp" And there you go.

Also... Plastic wheels... wha??

As for Beast Hunters; Bulkhead has a "fashionable viking helmet".

[Stomski]

Sideswipe is here - some specific comments...

I feel a little underwhelmed. It is a great posable figure when in robot mode and the roof/windows fold up enough to maintain a decent profile. Shoulder cannon is great.

However! The legs are hollow and don't clip together too well meaning that if the joints were a little looser I can think of possible issues.

Also - the red paint apps on black plastic really don't match the red plastic, giving the alt mode a horrific two tone effect. This would be acceptable in a standard deluxe, but in a Masterpiece I'd like to think they could get past this problem.

The main problem though is the level of engineering has not allowed for a proper cockpit. For all of Alternators sins, at least they managed this - and Alternity has done so in superb fashion solving the issues of it's older brother - so why couldn't such techniques be used here? The issue arises from the legs unfolding along the underside of the roof. And this explains the blacked out windows - to hide the feet under the windscreen.

Also - no backpack accessory, but we knew about this from the off.

[Shockprowl]

That's interesting, Stom, sorry you're not totally pleased with him. Your thoughts have cemented my decision not to get MP Sideswipe. I must say I'm disapointed and troubled by the concerns you've raised. Concerned for the future of the MP line. Is Sideswipe a backwards step for MPs?

[blueshift]

Oh wow, that's... not great

[Bogatan]

Nov 16, 2012 11:15:40 GMT Stomski said:

Sideswipe is here - some specific comments...

I feel a little underwhelmed. It is a great posable figure when in robot mode and the roof/windows fold up enough to maintain a decent profile. Shoulder cannon is great.

However! The legs are hollow and don't clip together too well meaning that if the joints were a little looser I can think of possible issues.

Also - the red paint apps on black plastic really don't match the red plastic, giving the alt mode a horrific two tone effect. This would be acceptable in a standard deluxe, but in a Masterpiece I'd like to think they could get past this problem.

The main problem though is the level of engineering has not allowed for a proper cockpit. For all of Alternators sins, at least they managed this - and Alternity has done so in superb fashion solving the issues of it's older brother - so why couldn't such techniques be used here? The issue arises from the legs unfolding along the underside of the roof. And this explains the blacked out windows - to hide the feet under the windscreen.

Also - no backpack accessory, but we knew about this from the off.

Just rereading your post now I have both and wondering if you found the little panel that flips out from the front leg panel. It fills in about half of the side of the leg and makes the whole thing far more solid.

Otherwise I have to disagree with most of your issues. The lack of cockpit doesn't bother me, on a car that size it would have compromised the design too much I suspect. I did have a chip/blob on the chest paint but otherwise it seemed fine. On Red Alert I haven't seen any problem yet.

Whether they are really worth £60+ I don't know, for me I guess they are, but if either get a Hasbro release for under £35-40 I'd recommend it to anyone.

[Stomski]

Jan 24, 2013 12:57:14 GMT Bogatan said:

Just rereading your post now I have both and wondering if you found the little panel that flips out from the front leg panel. It fills in about half of the side of the leg and makes the whole thing far more solid.

Yeah, I found this a few days after I'd posted. One of the perils of never reading instructions.

Jan 24, 2013 12:57:14 GMT Bogatan said:

The lack of cockpit doesn't bother me, on a car that size it would have compromised the design too much I suspect.

Pffffffft. I have higher standards it seems!

[Bogatan]

I'm proud owner of the Animorph Tri-Rex, having higher standards than me is not even worth noting.

Loving the avatar by the way.

[Shockprowl]

I'm now seriously considering MP Sideswipe, given how impressed I am with MP Soundwave.

[Shockprowl]

ASSISTANCE PLEASE MY CYBER CHUMBS!

I'm thinking of getting a Sideswipe from ebay. But there's rumors that some are knockoffs, or seconds. What to do?! Any advice Chumbs?

[Jim]

He is being reissued later this year, so if you can hang on a bit you can be reasonably sure to get the real deal:

www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=TAK11736&mode=retail

-Jim

[Bogatan]

Preorder the g2 one, it has extra awesome.

[Shockprowl]

I'm a G1 man, man!

Thanks for the advice, I think that's what I'll do.

[The Huff]

I bought the knock off for £25 on ebay - I think. Absolutely fine and worth it to save the extra money.