Bigger Higher Quality Images of Takara Tomy Transformers MP 19 Smokescreen

Interesting, BBTS has it in-stock first quarter 2020

chuckdawg1999 wrote:Interesting, BBTS has it in-stock first quarter 2020

Hasbro pulse says, "This pre-order item will be available to ship on approx 01.26.2020." and to pre-order by 7/30/2019

transformers_va wrote:

chuckdawg1999 wrote:Interesting, BBTS has it in-stock first quarter 2020

Hasbro pulse says, "This pre-order item will be available to ship on approx 01.26.2020." and to pre-order by 7/30/2019

That makes perfect sense, thank you

AllNewSuperRobot wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:More likely because he's a Convoy and this is the 35th anniversary of the brand. Takara likes celebrating anniversary years with Convoys/Supreme Commanders.

I see your point. I had assumed Takara was adding Leo to the Beast Line, as the next standard entry after Blackarachnia. I didn't consider him as a One off, like Star Saber. Which is actually quite annoying by the same token. As although I'm not particularly interested in SS or another Convoy/Prime, I would have been interested in MP versions of their antagonists...

According to this, Lio Convoy is considered a part of Takara's way of celebrating the 35th anniversary, along with the Gold Convoy Statue and other celebratory things.

Ah, I see. A real shame, much like MP Star Saber

Posting this as a general precaution to anyone concerned.

If you come across the following image being touted around (like it is here) as a teaser for a potential Masterpiece 3.0 take on Starscream, do not be fooled. For this is not a MP 3.0 Starscream teaser, rather it is the original teaser image for the very first Masterpiece Starscream from back in 2006.

Apparently, MP Hound will come with a G1 toy accurate rifle.

Good. The cartoon pistol was a case of animation model error.

I'm hoping the next MP will be of ROTF Jetfire, to make up for the Studio Series version. That or a real Masterpiece Movie Ironhide to replace the marginally-better-articulated knockoff of the DOTM Leader-class toy.

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Good. The cartoon pistol was a case of animation model error.

I'm hoping the next MP will be of ROTF Jetfire, to make up for the Studio Series version. That or a real Masterpiece Movie Ironhide to replace the marginally-better-articulated knockoff of the DOTM Leader-class toy.

I agree on Ironslide, but Jetfire? I think his Studio Series figure is so good, it can last years without an update. I mean, what is there to make up for on that figure?

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Good. The cartoon pistol was a case of animation model error.

I'm hoping the next MP will be of ROTF Jetfire, to make up for the Studio Series version. That or a real Masterpiece Movie Ironhide to replace the marginally-better-articulated knockoff of the DOTM Leader-class toy.

I hope if thats the case,that they can do a Jetifre toy without it having to combine to Masterpiece Movie Optimus Prime,so the vehicle mode and robot mode can have more focus.

Nathaniel Prime wrote:

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Good. The cartoon pistol was a case of animation model error.

I'm hoping the next MP will be of ROTF Jetfire, to make up for the Studio Series version. That or a real Masterpiece Movie Ironhide to replace the marginally-better-articulated knockoff of the DOTM Leader-class toy.

I agree on Ironslide, but Jetfire? I think his Studio Series figure is so good, it can last years without an update. I mean, what is there to make up for on that figure?

What is there to make up for on that figure, you say?

TulioDude wrote:I hope if thats the case,that they can do a Jetifre toy without it having to combine to Masterpiece Movie Optimus Prime,so the vehicle mode and robot mode can have more focus.

That's what. He's not quite as badly off as the original in robot mode (because he's not having to lug around the stupid speaker and battery box) but he's still gimped from being shoehorned into combining with Optimus (And don't go "But they combined in the movie" because they didn't; Ratchet and Jolt kitbashed Jetfire's corpse. Saying they combined is like saying Scrapmetal combined with Movie 1 Megatron to make ROTF Megatron). And his vehicle mode looks to be even worse off than the 2009 toy's.

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:

Nathaniel Prime wrote:

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Good. The cartoon pistol was a case of animation model error.

I'm hoping the next MP will be of ROTF Jetfire, to make up for the Studio Series version. That or a real Masterpiece Movie Ironhide to replace the marginally-better-articulated knockoff of the DOTM Leader-class toy.

I agree on Ironslide, but Jetfire? I think his Studio Series figure is so good, it can last years without an update. I mean, what is there to make up for on that figure?

What is there to make up for on that figure, you say?

TulioDude wrote:I hope if thats the case,that they can do a Jetifre toy without it having to combine to Masterpiece Movie Optimus Prime,so the vehicle mode and robot mode can have more focus.

That's what. He's not quite as badly off as the original in robot mode (because he's not having to lug around the stupid speaker and battery box) but he's still gimped from being shoehorned into combining with Optimus (And don't go "But they combined in the movie" because they didn't; Ratchet and Jolt kitbashed Jetfire's corpse. Saying they combined is like saying Scrapmetal combined with Movie 1 Megatron to make ROTF Megatron). And his vehicle mode looks to be even worse off than the 2009 toy's.

Ah, I see. Yeah, I definitely agree with you on that. Maybe we could get a standalone figure that doesn't have any combining gimmicks, and then some separate armor set to attach to Prime?

I would love a sleek profile Blackbird, as that is one of my favorite planes.

Happy Saturday Seibertronians! Just in from ShockDave on Twitter is an in-hand image of Transformers Masterpiece MP-18+ Bluestreak! Now keep in mind ShockDave has added a few cell shaded decals to the windows which doesn't look half bad, but these decals do not come with the actual figure.

Are you going to be snatching up the Praxian talker who's a shocker? Let us know in the forums and as always stay tuned to Seibertron for the ultimate in Transformers news.

From ShockDave's post:
"Got the new MP+ Bluestreak, and I love him! Had an extra cell window set for Datsuns, and was good to go!"

That + headsculpt just looks so perfect, bravo!

Yeah that's the thing you'll notice since Megs, they nailing the faces.. Everything is so much better than it was when they first started.

Also coming in from Snakas.blog are some new images from the Tokyo Wonderfest of Transformers Masterpiece MP-48 Lio Convoy! We've seen several images of Lio so far but this time he has his weapons drawn and is ready to take down an army of vile Predacons. There's also a great close up of the roboticized lion's mane. He is not shown with Artemis and there are likely more accessories on the way. Be sure to throw in your thoughts on what else he might come with in the forums and stay tuned to Seibertron for the ultimate in Transformers news!

Dang, those are some nice looking guns

I find the transforming shoulder so compelling it’s like a magic eye picture I just stare at it every time I see it. I feel like I see a new hinge or flap every time.

I think it’s a real testament to these figures, Siege too, when they’re so well made and interesting and fun looking that you are drawn to it whether you’ve read the comic or watched the show the character was featured/expanded in. I’ve never seen an episode of Lio’s show but I know him as an iconic character and it’s just an incredibly cool figure.

Stargrave wrote:I find the transforming shoulder so compelling it’s like a magic eye picture I just stare at it every time I see it. I feel like I see a new hinge or flap every time.

I feel the same way.

Thanks to Youtube and them finally making some English Subtitles, I've been watching Beast Wars II over the weekend and man, what a goofy, but still fun series. It's interesting seeing how Lax and too cool of school Japan "Convoys" are compared to Optimus as characters. IT's also interesting seeing just how on point this MP actually is. I know people at first complained about the lion on the robot mode, but that's literally what it looks like when he becomes a robot. I literally turns more robotic looking.

Ebonyleopard wrote:Thanks to Youtube and them finally making some English Subtitles, I've been watching Beast Wars II over the weekend and man, what a goofy, but still fun series. It's interesting seeing how Lax and too cool of school Japan "Convoys" are compared to Optimus as characters.

If I may ask, how far along are ya into the series?

And, if you wish to share any more in-depth thoughts about the show, here's the sort of 'de facto' discussion thread for Beast Wars Second (and here's the one for Beast Wars Neo, when you get to that series).

Stargrave wrote: I’ve never seen an episode of Lio’s show but I know him as an iconic character

Because of the Prime head sculpt?

Initially as a big fan of Beast Wars and back then I wasn’t really on the internet so much as a toy magazine nut and that’s probably where I learned about Beast Wars II and Neo and the awesome toys I didn’t have access to (drats!)

I can vividly remember wishing I could snag that white lion Prime I thought it looked rad. I can remember seeing the old BW Unicron in a magazine for the first time and it blowing my mind.

I never learned Japanese but I would always grab Hobby Japan any time my local comic shop had one scanning every page for hours. I’m sure through that and other media at the time crossing over to the states I became familiar with the look and the cast if not the storyline.

Much like the G1 Takara series, I had no idea BWII or Neo existed back in the day. Now, I loathe comic relief. In my view, you can be funny with your dialogue without resorting to stupidity and guffaws.
So when I did try to watch the pilot for BWII many years later, it completely rubbed me the wrong way. To be frank, I am completely indifferent to the Japanese BW Shows, to the point I see/acknowledge no link between them and the Mainframe series. As for the toys, the only figures from those lines I like are redecos or retools of existing BW figures. In their original colours, of course. As some of the repaints, such as Spittor and Claw Jaw, look terrible in Second/Neo.

My query however, was that you stated you'd never seen an episode of Second, but know Lio as an "iconic character".
As I said, yes, from a visual standpoint, he is Optimus Prime: The Lion. Aside from that. as he was a field commander of a single season show, he isn't really anymore iconic a character, per say, than other one off characters, such as Car Robot's Fire Truck Optimus or BM Nightscream...

Well I mean there you go, he’s got Prime’s head. Just like Primal or Nemesis Prime he’s one of those significant Primes of a feather so to speak. I am admittedly assuming he’s still popular given the MP treatment.

I'd say Lio is iconic, but mileage would vary between perspectives. I also have no problems with how BWII and Neo turned out. Remember they were kids shows and geared as such, and don't forget cultural differences.

ZeroWolf wrote:I'd say Lio is iconic, but mileage would vary between perspectives. I also have no problems with how BWII and Neo turned out. Remember they were kids shows and geared as such, and don't forget cultural differences.

Iconic, as in he looks like someone else. Like a famous older brother, you share a resemblance with. The character isn't really in his own right.

They're all kids shows, though. Sunbow to Beast Machines, Car Robots to [insert current show name]. The difference is not all of them narratively treat their audience like they are stupid.

Ah, yes Cultural differences... IE the horrendous Beast Wars dub. To this day, I am morbidly curious how they made Transmutate "funny".

Iconic as well as in his design, wearing the lion head like a trophy you'd expect to see on Herakles but that was my point about cultural differences, between how Japan handles kid shows to how the west does it. I'd say that the anime BW series were aimed at a younger audience then say shows like Naruto or the later parts of Dragonball Z

Indeed. The same tone is equally apparent in Car Robots and the Unicron Trilogy.
It is still so bizarre that they don't tailor these figure lines and releases to the majority of the world's view of Transformers. Preferential treatment of your home fanbase is one thing, but surely the international fans outnumber them physically and financially? It doesn't make sense to cater to the few over the many. MP Rhinox, for example, would have been infinitely more preferable over another Prime.

Depends on how the home grown fans feel and let's face it, they know that they will get overseas sales for Lio to boot, this is win win for them.

True. It is a Prime after all. HasTak know that literally, to a certain part of the fanbase, it is a head sculpt that prints money.

What's cool about Lio too is that this is falling into something Scotty and the Podcast have been talking about for months now. For the 35th anniversary, they are trying to make updates to all of the Primes/Supreme Commanders in some form or another, and they've been working this over the past few years.

G1 Prime
G1 Rodimus Prime (last year)
Fort Max (TR)
Ginrai (TR)
Star Saber (MP, hopefully something mainline soon)
Dai Atlas (Legends)
Star Convoy (Selects)
G2 Prime (TR)
Optimus Primal (MP,PotP)
Lio convoy (MP)
Big Convoy (Encore rerelease)
Armada Prime (looking like Selects)
Energon Prime (CW maybe?)
Cybertron Prime (Siege)

There aren't that many commanders left to do after the past few years

You left out MP-44 for an update to G1 prime... Or the siege figure

ZeroWolf wrote:You left out MP-44 for an update to G1 prime... Or the siege figure

I just said G1 Prime in general, he always gets updates

Doesnt exactly hold true when updates havent been better or plain reissues like bigconvoy (even the new big gun version isnt an update as such) but it will likely all have been covered by the 50th anniversary with the possible exception of that car robots/Rid armada prime as he first appeared in armada.

blackeyedprime wrote:Doesnt exactly hold true when updates havent been better or plain reissues like bigconvoy (even the new big gun version isnt an update as such) but it will likely all have been covered by the 50th anniversary with the possible exception of that car robots/Rid armada prime as he first appeared in armada.

that's why I included the Encore stuff: maybe not an update, but a reissue, like the RiD Magnus/Prime set.

They may not be new, and they might also not be better, but we are getting a version of all the commanders someway or another

Lio Convoy's iconography pretty much begins and ends in Japan, as he was the star leader of the good guys from one of the TV series that aired in that country, and of all Beast Era leaders best represents the particular heroic leader archetype that Japan views as ideal.

Though, while he sounds plain as paper to Westerners, he did get more interesting later in the series when Lio Junior was introduced and brought in some drama with Lio Convoy being unexpectedly thrust into a "deadbeat dad" role, and even later still when he and Galvatron would begin to partake in civil debates over their conflicting philosophies and ideologies.

I just like him because he is a transforming lion.

william-james88 wrote:I just like him because he is a transforming lion.

Amen to that shirt.

william-james88 wrote:I just like him because he is a transforming lion.

Cool Uncle Optimus lion. You can't really beat that

I will wait to news until we have an official source but for discussion, the price is said to be 20000 Yen. While its not the craziest price, it is enough for me to no longer want a figure I was kinda interested in (I do not know the character all that well).

Unless he comes with a trailer for £150 he had better be one big lion.

We still don't have a full list of the extras he comes with which will be the ultimate decider if the price is justifiable for many. Though given the recent price increases on the masterpiece line I'm not suprised really

ZeroWolf wrote:We still don't have a full list of the extras he comes with which will be the ultimate decider if the price is justifiable for many. Though given the recent price increases on the masterpiece line I'm not suprised really

Yeah, this sounds par for recent course. Hound may very well be the final official MP I purchase. 3rd party is now cheaper than official. We will see, though. If Takara manages to knock one out of the park...... but given the new Bumblebee design, and Prime’s price, I think those days are over.

An international shipping list from snakasblog says it’s actually 22,000y/$300:

Stargrave wrote:An international shipping list from snakasblog says it’s actually 22,000y/$300:

That number combination doesnt make any sense. Lets wait a bit for the real listing.

Yeah that’s like $95 off I don’t get it.

New pics of MP Lio Convoy, comparing him with the original 1998 toy, as well as some old Lucky Draws and original concept art sketches from way back then.

https://twitter.com/robo_fun/status/1157301777101799424

In light of Lio's default colour palette, they do seem to have missed out on one redeco in particular...