Kool Kollectibles content

9 Feb 2018

Transformers Masterpiece MP-39 Sunstreaker

What a long time it's been waiting for an official Sunstreaker! So long in fact that many thought it was never going to happen! MP-12 Sideswipe released around the 2012 timeframe, and it was thought that Takara would take advantage of the Lamborghini licence and release a Sunstreaker quickly after.

But after years of waiting, all hope seemed lost until Takara finally announced it back in 2017. And what an amazing figure it is! Absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, well worth the wait! Click through below to check out my thoughts over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel - make sure to subscribe and give the video a like :)



The set comes with a small array of accessories, along with the usual collector card and coin. The swap out face sculpts and alien mask show how Takara really have stepped it up to provide many options to replicate scenes from the original G1 cartoon series.



The car mode is absolutely spectacular. The engineering in this toy is astounding at times, and together with MP-36 Megatron really showcase a new era in the Masterpiece series. The designers have stated in past interviews that their focus has shifted to greater cartoon accuracy, greater articulation, greater moving parts, and greater use of paint. MP Sunstreaker brings those aspects in spades!



The classic car mode of Sunstreaker with the chromed engine at the rear is faithfully replicated. But the amazing thing is that they were able to design in a transformation sequence in the rear to be able to flip that exposed engine and revert it back to standard Countach mode!

Many speculate that this is one of the challenges that took Takara years to overcome in order to obtain official Lamborghini licencing for this character. Regardless, the fact they've been able to do so in such a seamless manner is an incredible feat of toy engineering.

The ability to fold the doors up and the head lights are the little attention to details that sets this figure apart. Not just from 3rd party figures, but also from his own MP brethren.




The transformation is bot mode was daunting for me. It takes me forever to transform MP figures, and with the higher level of complexity on Sunstreaker, it took me close to 40 minutes to complete the transformation the first time.

There are some scary parts that I discuss in my video review. The rotating windscreen requires finesse to get by what tiny clearances there are around the waist. I'm not even sure how I managed it, but it took me several attempts and some swearing to get it done!

The other scary part was the rotation of the backpack mechanism. Luckily I had read some reports of breakages at the location of the rotation. So I heeded the advice and rotated the part before clipping the backpack sections together. This certainly seems to require less force on the joint.



But there are aspects of the transformation that are a joy, and worthy to be noted as "Masterpiece Moments". I love the leg and feet transformation, and the final result alone makes this Sunstreaker far better than any of the 3rd party version. The way they've incorporated all the folding parts and the ability to tightly fold and clip it all together is amazing. It creates a beautifully streamlined lower half that none of the other versions have.

The "fake" windscreen doesn't bother me at all. The cartoon itself was a cheat that magically moved his Autobot insignia from the bonnet of the car to the roof of the car in the transformation. The way in which Takara have replicated that "cheat" is ingenious, and again creates a perfect cartoon accurate aesthetic in bot mode.



The articulation in bot mode is amazing! Everything nicely holds together, with firm joints in all the right places. With ratchet hips, butterfly shoulders, pivot wrists, and all the other usual articulation points, you will be able to get this figure into some incredible poses. It far exceeds that of previous MP figures, and sets a very high bar for future MPs.




Together with his brother Sideswipe, Takara have given us two incredible Lamborghini Countach figures. The first spawned a new age in the MP series back in 2012 along with Soundwave. And now the second in Sunstreaker helps launch this new era that takes Transformers engineering to the next level.

If Takara are able to announce long awaited characters like Jazz, Hound, Mirage, and Trailbreaker in this new style, it will continue to be an amazing time for Transformers fans.


Hot Toys MMS380 Doc Brown from Back to the Future Part 2

I got the new Hot Toys Marty McFly recently from Back to the Future Part 2, so it's good that they released the Doc Brown to complement Marty pretty soon after. This is unlike the original Marty release that still does not have a radiation suit Doc to display with him.

That aside, this new Doc Brown figure is still pretty nicely done by Hot Toys. Click through below to watch my full video review over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel! Make sure to subscribe and to give the video a like too :)



The set comes with a nice array of accessories, showcasing some of Hot Toys' attention to detail! The love the newspaper that the "before" paper to the newspaper that came with Marty showing the "after" paper with the altered history.

The case of emergency money is also nicely done, this time with little stickers that you apply to the case cover and for each money slot. Takes a bit of fiddling to get the stickers on, but gives it a nice unique touch to it.

The exclusive walkie-talkies are nice, and can be removed, but I'll keep them in their slip case. The set is rounded out with a couple of watches, the hynoptic device, his visor and binoculars, and various hands.



Of couse the most controversial part of the figure is the head sculpt. I think the likeness is OK, and the expression is really helped by the usual high quality Hot Toys facial paint app. The realism is nice, although the skin texture is a little too smooth. A few more wrinkles will add some age to the head sculpt for a bit more screen accuracy.

The use of the visor enhances the likeness too, but I went with the pose with him lifting them and looking at his watch. That sort of pose suits the facial expression the most I think.




The costuming is the usual high quality again, with various layers and details. The coat is nicely tailored, with a wire along the edge for poseability. I do think the coat and the pants are too yellow though. He comes across a bit too much like a canary, whereas in the movie the coat and pants were more of a dirty orange colour I think.

But still, the details in the red shirt, the socks, and especially the boots is very impression. I initially thought the boots had real laces, but they are simply molded laces well painted in red. The articulation is pretty good in the boots too, so that helps with some of the wide stances.



Together with the Marty figures and the Delorean, the Doc Brown figure looks fantastic. I really hope Hot Toys announces a radiation suit Doc from the first movie, as that's pretty much the only other figure I'd love to have in the collection!