Masterpiece Grapple further solidifies Takara’s spot at the top of the Masterpiece heap.
Producer: Takara
Price: Approx. $139.99 USD
Release Date: Feb. 2017
Item Height: Approx. 8.5″
Item Weight: N/A
WHERE TO BUY: The Chosen Prime
Takara continues to impress with MP35 Masterpiece Grapple which uses the base mold of their MP-33 Inferno and gives it some nice tweaks (retooling) to bring Grapple to life. The video review covers the differences between Grapple and Inferno with a side-by-side comparison as well. Even with those differences, the core functionality/articulation of the two remains pretty spot-on with each other. The tight joints and solid articulation really make this a fun piece to play with and things like the working piston in its alt. mode give it even more play time and exploration.
The look of Grapple is absolutely stunning in hand. The palette of oranges, grays, and whites really make this pop and the sculpting on the helmets and faces are also outstanding. I much prefer the default styling to the “anime-accurate” helmet, faces, grill, and nozzle that come with, but they don’t look bad by any means. His accessories also include things like the Solar Tower (and tool he used to work on it in-show,) his blasters, and different attachments for his vehicle mode. I love what Takara is doing with accessories in that they’re things that make you think back to particular episodes and really get those nostalgia-feels going.
Overall Score: 9.0/10 – Just like Inferno, this is a piece that really shows what Takara’s design team can do without the restraints of retail budgets. Another secondary show character has become a must-have collectible thanks to them.
Check out the gallery below, and if you like what you see, order yours at The Chosen Prime.
