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Burn wrote:the hook pivot was incredibly tight.

So thats what you call that special technique of yours?

fenrir72 wrote:The hardness of folding Grapple's extended part

william-james88 wrote:

Burn wrote:the hook pivot was incredibly tight.

So thats what you call that special technique of yours?

fenrir72 wrote:The hardness of folding Grapple's extended part

It was indeed hard. Kind'a stiff to fold down that I was afraid it was going to break Good thing it came to the point that I softened it up a few sweaty seconds later and folded it into his back torso.

Bumblebee21 wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Burn wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:

Burn wrote:Getting frustrated here ... what's the trick to getting the crane to sit flush?

From what I've seen (there's very few pictures of his back) the flap on his head/neck should fit over the fold of the crane yeah?

I can't get the crane to sit forward enough in the chest. grrrrrr

-edit-

Girlfriend figured it out. I'd missed the step in folding the hook down (I folded the hook, but not the arm it was attached too).

Crane magic isn't as much fun as ladder magic.

Noob.

I deserved that ... but then I also have trouble reading Japanese instructions.

Could always have Va'al translate

i want to see the translations on all the boxes. anyone find that

There was just one in the old bwtf for MP-01 but it was for the background of "Convoy"

william-james88 wrote:

Burn wrote:the hook pivot was incredibly tight.

So thats what you call that special technique of yours?

fenrir72 wrote:The hardness of folding Grapple's extended part

of course you would
crain brain is always funny

Really really now! Putting both figures, Red and Orange side by side, you'll get buyers remorse in reversed!

He wasn't my fave figure. It was Inferno who gets the top spot! Fire engines are just more exciting over some orange colored truck with and extendable hook connected to a long extended rod. Though that episode where we was hoodwinked by his fellow engineers (psychotic ones specifically) kind of made me feel sorry for his naivete.

But again, Takara hit the ballpark with this mold again since, well Grimlock (except the Tracks/Rodimus mold)

We get like what back then during our childhood, are near accurate representations of our G1 characters. Just comparing the actual product from archived model sheets of Grapple, it's so uncanny.

Whyizit that TFA, and its toys are near carbon copies and I don't recall hearing any complaints (except for the design style the show took among oppositors). Yet in MP it is mixed if not there are some loud oppositors.

Let's take, WJ for instance. The original inspiration of the Lancia was full of product endorsements. It's Diaclone incarnation was in fact kinda neutered with the decals. When he made the transition to MP, some criticism was that he didn't look like his anime counterpart (the product endorsement apps are in fact very neutered too) but he still retained those car details to a certain point. So from what I understand, he doesn't look at all kike his anime.

Then Takara pulls off a stunt of releasing anime Alert. Some complain it's a cash grab But his anime incarnation is indeed a dressed down version of the toy aka lack of details from the original.

Weird thing again or is it just a marketing strat by Takara to add details to the mold by increments? Grapple has more paneling and molding details but also switches some of the chrome apps off from the original Inferno mold.

Not a lazy retool, his hip wheel slots are quite different from Inferno's. For the latter, your swing them up to lock them on a peg. In Grapple's case, they both lock after you swing them downwards as the pegs are located in a different area.

Also, the crane folding gimmick also stands on its own. Following similar principles but also different from the ladder of Inferno. Just take a look at what happens back there (check his back and compare to Inferno).

He even has a back flap of sort but it swings/rotates horizontally and not vertically. Also, be veeeeeery careful transforming his extensions. What with the very thick paint apps of orange all over, bending those components was a bit stressful that it made me break out in sweat 'cause it scare me that I might break it.

Inferno didn't scare me that much. Owe that to I can't all read the manual.

Grapple is indeed another "beauty" and worth the purchase!

Now all we need to do is wait post April after megs and the rest of the cons and Convoy are released for the final version of the mold Artfire is released!

Wow.. just wow. Got Grapple today. I don't know how the Takara designers pull it off. They've thought about everything. Both Inferno and Grapple are perfect. The way the boom splits and folds into extra leg parts and his torso...

And whoever said it almost feels like transforming a different toy was right. Lucky that the cartoon designers didn't have a photo of G1 Grapple's back to work from, and mistook the crane for bits of the legs, cause now 30 years later we have a complex figure with a clear back. I can see why none of the 3P interpretations erased the crane, it feels like something only a company with years of experience can pull off; incredibly complex. Lots of moving parts.

MP-35 must be one of, if not the, most customisable Masterpiece so far. Both modes are adjustable. This also has to be the most extensive retool yet. They addressed every small difference from the model sheet between the two. When will Red Alert?

Cyberpath wrote:Wow.. just wow. Got Grapple today. I don't know how the Takara designers pull it off. They've thought about everything. Both Inferno and Grapple are perfect. The way the boom splits and folds into extra leg parts and his torso...

And whoever said it almost feels like transforming a different toy was right. Lucky that the cartoon designers didn't have a photo of G1 Grapple's back to work from, and mistook the crane for bits of the legs, cause now 30 years later we have a complex figure with a clear back. I can see why none of the 3P interpretations erased the crane, it feels like something only a company with years of experience can pull off; incredibly complex. Lots of moving parts.

MP-35 must be one of, if not the, most customisable Masterpiece so far. Both modes are adjustable. This also has to be the most extensive retool yet. They addressed every small difference from the model sheet between the two. When will Red Alert?

And take a look at Grapple's knee part. The black part of his legs.Though sharing the same design with Inferno, it is slightly shorter. Really! Takara nearly pulled all the stops on this retool.

fenrir72 wrote:And take a look at Grapple's knee part. The black part of his legs.Though sharing the same design with Inferno, it is slightly shorter. Really! Takara nearly pulled all the stops on this retool.

And the inevitable MP Trailbreaker & Hoist will probably take Masterpiece retooling to a whole new level.

Cyberpath wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:And take a look at Grapple's knee part. The black part of his legs.Though sharing the same design with Inferno, it is slightly shorter. Really! Takara nearly pulled all the stops on this retool.

And the inevitable MP Trailbreaker & Hoist will probably take Masterpiece retooling to a whole new level.

The inevitable MP Trailbreaker needs to get here soon

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Cyberpath wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:And take a look at Grapple's knee part. The black part of his legs.Though sharing the same design with Inferno, it is slightly shorter. Really! Takara nearly pulled all the stops on this retool.

And the inevitable MP Trailbreaker & Hoist will probably take Masterpiece retooling to a whole new level.

The inevitable MP Trailbreaker needs to get here soon

wait 10 more years and well get one
but i do have news that mp-40 will either be jazz hound or a character out of left field.
its all rumors now but the big g1 figure coming iisnt a rumor

Bumblebee21 wrote:

D-Maximus_Prime wrote:

Cyberpath wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:And take a look at Grapple's knee part. The black part of his legs.Though sharing the same design with Inferno, it is slightly shorter. Really! Takara nearly pulled all the stops on this retool.

And the inevitable MP Trailbreaker & Hoist will probably take Masterpiece retooling to a whole new level.

The inevitable MP Trailbreaker needs to get here soon

wait 10 more years and well get one
but i do have news that mp-40 will either be jazz hound or a character out of left field.
its all rumors now but the big g1 figure coming iisnt a rumor

It had better be Jazz/Meister or I'm gonna cry all week

Seriously, Hound and Jazz might be a 50/50 chance. Takara already owns the Mitsubishi license with Inferno/Grapple/Artfire and Hound is a Mitsubishi Jeep. Jazz on the other hand, through Bumble, Porsche/VW.

Wish it was both.

Back to the retooling. We all know by know that in TR/TL, many figs shared similar molds to save on costs (master molds are most expensive to design and maintain). It would have been just a lazy business decision to just switch colors of the same parts but to actually share almost similar parts but altered to a few millimeters to emphasize cosmetic difference? Zat's crazy but Takara did it!

Too bad with that thing that sticks out of their shins as seen in the original "Diaclone" molds. If that was included too instead of just a flat space on Inferno/Artfire then it would have been more awesome!

Slight deviation, on Trailbraker. If I'm not mistaken, he's a Toyota HiLux. The license Takara has on the Toyota was the Optimus/Convoy release.

If Takara still retains the license, maybe we could get Trailbreaker. I look forward to whatever voodoo engineering they can implement to get rid of the back camper shell he's got.

fenrir72 wrote:Slight deviation, on Trailbraker. If I'm not mistaken, he's a Toyota HiLux. The license Takara has on the Toyota was the Optimus/Convoy release.

If Takara still retains the license, maybe we could get Trailbreaker. I look forward to whatever voodoo engineering they can implement to get rid of the back camper shell he's got.

thought prime was unlisenced

Bumblebee21 wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:Slight deviation, on Trailbraker. If I'm not mistaken, he's a Toyota HiLux. The license Takara has on the Toyota was the Optimus/Convoy release.

If Takara still retains the license, maybe we could get Trailbreaker. I look forward to whatever voodoo engineering they can implement to get rid of the back camper shell he's got.

thought prime was unlisenced

There was a Toyota FJ Optimus Prime released. That was sure to be licensed. But is the license still active? That's the question.

I like how Grapple's cab looks mostly the same when he transforms, while Optimus Prime's cab transforms into a muscular torso. Like in the cartoon.







And for those who like toy-accuracy for whatever reason.....

He looks damn good with the toy version head!

which is what they all should be.
a perfect mix of toy and cartoon accuracy

I should probably note that the head/face belongs to MP-33 Inferno. They're compatible.

Right. Grapple's black head is just his rounded cartoon head colored black, which he had in such episodes as "Auto Berserk".

Cyberpath wrote:

I-I-I'm so excited, I'm shorting my own circuits!





For sure the smiling face was based on this frame.







MTMtE

That last shot

I love Mp Grapple!

Scanned the Solar Tower blueprints in case anyone wants to use them with their CHUG Grapple, or just make copies.

BTW, Hoist is the only Transformer from this episode (Auto Berserk) without an MP.

Cyberpath wrote:BTW, Hoist is the only Transformer from this episode (Auto Berserk) without an MP.

False.