Takara Tomy officially revealed Masterpiece MP-60 Ginrai and MPG-09 Super Ginrai, and the crew is split.

Diecast preordered it on the spot, inspiring the episode title.

John Warden rejoins the Transformers brand team, and Takara Tomy appears to be folding Masterpiece into MPG.

Swapticons, a Bingo Sports Corvette Optimus Prime and an Osaka 40th anniversary exhibit round out the news.

Don receives half a dozen Core Class Cheetors and pleads for mercy.

News

Transformers 40th Anniversary Fathom Events Screening

The crew revisits the Fathom Events 40th anniversary screening of More Than Meets the Eye on May 15. Brian, Diecast, Don and Chris all plan to go. The crew explains how cel-animated episodes can be rescanned from film for a sharp big-screen picture. They also wonder whether this hints at a G1 Blu-ray. [Source: BWTF]

The Masked Singer to Feature Transformers on April 10

The Masked Singer is airing a Transformers-themed episode. Don watches every week and is excited to hear the song choices. He calls it a cultural milestone, closer to the stage shows Japan builds around its heroes. Don promises a report next week. [Source: BWTF]

John Warden Rejoins Transformers Brand Team

John Warden is back on the Transformers team, apparently as a director, after time on Power Rangers and Ghostbusters. Don has met him and recalls Warden telling him not to flip Submarine Sixshot upside down. The crew credits Warden with the Thrilling 30, Combiner Wars and Titans Return eras. One host calls Combiner Wars his favorite. Another notes his era leaned harder on G1 and Japanese G1, plus plenty of battle damage. The crew welcomes a fresh set of eyes on the current design approach. [Source: TFW2005]

Takara Tomy Masterpiece MP-60 Ginrai and MPG-09 Super Ginrai Officially Revealed

Takara Tomy officially revealed Masterpiece Ginrai and Super Ginrai, now up for preorder. Brian and Don are not fans, and Don says the combined mode just does not look right. Diecast preordered it on Amazon Japan, calling it something he has wanted since childhood. Matt likes it but points to the arm proportions in the super mode. Rob would rather wait for a Commander Class Powermaster Optimus Prime. In Discord, Eric Crownover offered the take that became the title: money isn’t real to Diecast. [Source: TFW2005]

Transformers Masterpiece Will Be Unified Under the MPG Brand

MP-60 Ginrai is the 100th Masterpiece release, and the line appears to be moving under the MPG banner. The crew reads it as a brand refresh, not a change in scale. One host suggests it keeps the numbering friendly for newcomers. They expect Movie Masterpiece to stay separate. [Source: TFW2005]

First Look at Takara Tomy Karakuri Statue KS-01 Optimus Prime Prototype

A prototype of the motorized Karakuri Statue Optimus Prime shows the motors and gears tucked into its base. One host says it looks like Optimus Prime riding a Roomba. Another notes the truck mode leans on G1 engineering. [Source: TFW2005]

Swapticon Gimmick Line Listings Found

Listings for a new Swapticons line pair characters such as Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus, Megatron and Shockwave, Cheetor and Tigatron, and Nemesis Prime and Clench. The crew guesses they are part-swapping figures in the vein of Hero Mashers, with a reversible torso. One host got excited at Clench, then lost interest. [Source: TFW2005]

Transformers x Bingo Sports Collaboration: Corvette C7 Optimus Prime

Bingo Sports announced a Corvette C7 Optimus Prime that appears to use the Crosshairs mold. The crew is not feeling the robot mode. Diecast loves it as a Corvette and plans to pick one up unless the price is unreasonable. [Source: TFW2005]

Rumor: Transformers One Trailer Debuting April 18

The Transformers One trailer is rumored for April 18. One host is curious but no longer feels obligated to see every movie. The crew trades takes on Rise of the Beasts and the Bumblebee movie. [Source: TFW2005]

Possible First Look at Transformers One Optimus Prime Popcorn Bucket

A popcorn bucket may give the first look at the Transformers One Optimus Prime design. One host thinks it resembles an early Rise of the Beasts concept. He likes that it looks like neither G1 cartoon Optimus Prime nor the Bay version. Another host sees a bit of Commander Class Jetfire in the profile. [Source: TFW2005]

Transformers 40th Anniversary Exhibition in Japan Announced

An Osaka exhibition runs May 10 to June 3, covering G1, Beast Wars and the live-action movies. It will sell exclusives, including a clear Core Class Dark of the Moon Bumblebee. Diecast has vacation time and is tempted to fly over. The crew hopes for early wooden prototypes on display. [Source: TFW2005]

Ant From TFU.info Shares the Original Amazon Optimus Prime Mock-Up

Ant from TFU.info shared a presentation slide showing a mock-up of the long-discussed Amazon Optimus Prime. Clarifications afterward say it was a concept model, not the final mold. Don loves dual-branded Optimus Primes like Pepsi Optimus Prime. Brian would keep a holiday Optimus Prime over an Amazon one. Ant also shared images of an unproduced Fossilizers Tricranius on his Patreon. [Source: Instagram]

In-Hand Look at Legacy Sideburn

In-hand photos show Legacy Sideburn, a redeco of Shadow Striker. Don likes it but expects the same tab trouble he had with Shadow Striker. One host had hoped for a Studio Series Hot Rod redeco in Car Robots colors and is profoundly disappointed. He calls Legacy’s Robots in Disguise coverage a D-minus outside the HasLab. [Source: Snakas Blog]

What We Got This Week

Don

Six Core Class Cheetors arrived from listeners, and Don will donate them to Toys for Tots. Brian asks everyone to stop sending them and to support Elf on the Shelf-Former instead. Don got the Optimus Primal and Arrowstrike pack for about $3 and a Core Class Megatron for $6.99. He also got the Javelin and Cascade set for about $29. He picked up Gnaw, Gamer Edition Sideswipe and Bumblebee Movie Sunstreaker at Target. He calls Sunstreaker one of the strongest Deluxes of the year, with Sideswipe’s thin legs a step behind. His favorite was Legacy United Gears from Hasbro Pulse, a great transformation despite the chest plate on the truck bed.

Diecast

Diecast found Gamer Edition Sideswipe and Bumblebee Movie Sunstreaker at Target, plus Gnaws to add to his troop builders. He also got Studio Series 86 Blaster and loves the paint. Chromia arrived from Amazon, and he got a Leader One and Tarantulas. His surprise was Missing Link Optimus Prime with trailer, which arrived in G1-style packaging with styrofoam.

Chris

Chris took advantage of Target’s 30% off sale. He got Legacy United Silverbolt for about $20 and finds it a fine likeness but not a great toy. He misses wings over the shoulders and dislikes the leg tabs. He also got EarthSpark Deluxe Nightshade for $13.99 and likes the bird mode, though the packaging warped the wings. Studio Series 86 Blaster cost about $24. The Autobots United five-pack from Hasbro Pulse looks clean, though he would like Trailbreaker a bit darker.

Matt

Matt got the Autobots United five-pack. His Jazz has some paint bleed, and he noticed his older Studio Series 86 Jazz yellowing. He loves Hound and Trailbreaker. He also got Legacy United Gears, his first or one of his first Transformers, and calls it fantastic. Leader Sandstorm is excellent in all three modes, but his copy has a floppy chest whose tabs will not seat.

Rob

Rob got Legacy United Lunar Cruiser Prime. He finds it a little shell-like with somewhat hollow legs, but it looks great and stands taller than most Voyager Optimus Primes.

Brian Kilby

Brian got official licensed Transformers earbuds for about $15. Studio Series 86 Blaster, a Junkion and a Cybertronian Wheeljack went straight into storage. From John DeLuna he got the boxed Lio Convoy versus Galvatron set; he already had the toys but not this set.

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