Toy Review: Takara Transformers Masterpiece MP-44 Optimus Prime (Version 3.)

Takara definitely swung for the fences with this third iteration of Masterpiece Optimus, but was it a homerun?

Producer: Takara

Price: Approx. $320 USD (when purchased overseas)

Release Date: Aug. 2019

Item Height: 9.25″

Item Weight: N/A

Batteries: 3x LR44 Cell (not included)

WHERE TO BUY: AmiAmi

Fans seemed to universally jump for absolute joy when Takara revealed that they were doing a third iteration of a Masterpiece-scaled Optimus Prime figure that released earlier this year. While normally there’s a bit (or a lot) of character fatigue that has set in by the time a third version was announced, the very toon-accurate aesthetic and loads of accessories were really attractive. Unfortunately for me when the product came to me in-hand, it didn’t live up to anywhere near the hype that I myself had set nor the product standards that Takara themselves had. Check out the video review as well as my written breakdown and gallery below.

Presentation: The box is the standard cardboard and stylization that Takara has been using since the inception. Honestly it’s one of those situations to where nothing’s broken so there’s nothing to fix as the packaging is stylish, consistent, and the contents are always well packed within their plastic trays. MP-44 Optimus Prime is no exception to standard here. The item itself is a genuinely good sculpt but has a very “broken” aesthetic due to an absolutely insane amount of panel lines throughout due to the transformation consisting of lots of moving pieces throughout the item.

Build: Takara’s MP-44 Masterpiece Optimus Prime is an all-plastic piece with paint on the majority of it vs. colored plastics. I’ve been informed that my opinion on the amount of paint used on pieces like these may be in the minority but IMHO it’s necessary on top of the finish not being solid enough to prevent scratches from simple play and transformation. There are also a number of build issues like bent antennas on the included heads, knees ratchets prone to breakage, and an abdominal hinger with absolutely no friction to keep it in place while bent rendering it useless.

Another thing I would like to touch on is the built-in voice box. I think that the idea of the voice box is a good one but should have been a clip on piece like the rocket pack due to how poorly it affects the robot mode’s aesthetic. I do have to give credit where due however for the excellent job that they did of hiding it in while transformed into cab mode.

Accessories: Here’s a list of the accessories taken from the product listings.;

[Set Contents]
-Convoy main figure x1
-Container x1
-Special FLAK x1
-Roller x1
-Energy Ax x1
-Beam effect x2
-Laser rifle x1
-Matrix x1
-Energy supply pipe x1
-Spike figure x1
-Carly figure x1
-Sparkplug figure x1
-Rocket booster x1
-Starscream head x1
-Starscream intake x1
-Adaptor x1
-Round head x1
-Damaged head x1
-Damaged waist x1
-Character card x1

I love what they were going for with the accessories in terms of really nailing that this is meant to be an end all, be all Optimus Prime collectible and it does do a good job of giving off that feeling. From the most notable items to pretty obscure ones, there’s a lot of G1 scene recreation and nostalgia that can be brought about with these.

Articulation: This Optimus has loads of articulation points but unfortunately the shoddy build quality really takes away from being able to make anywehre near as good of use of them as it should and it’s an absolute shame. It’s literally like paying over $300 USD to have 9.25″ of wasted potential on your desk.

Overall Score: 5.0/10 – Takara’s MP-44 Masterpiece Optimus Prime really takes on a grand task of being an all-encompassing piece but unfortunately falls short in key areas. The broken aesthetic, shoddy and inconsistent build quality, and poor decisions like the built in voice box really bring down what could have been one of the most inarguably amazing Transformers toys ever made. Unfortunately the search for that perfect Optimus Prime doesn’t stop here for us collectors.