Takara have release repaints of their figures for decades now, and I'm definitely stuck in the web of buying the Diaclone repaints in this Masterpiece series. I have no idea why I bought this recent Crosscut figure, considering I already have the Skids and Reboost variants. There's nothing particularly special about this repaint, but hey, I'm just Takara's bitch at this point with these Diaclone repaints!
Click the link below to watch my full review over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel. Hope you can subscribe too to stay tuned for upcoming reviews 😀
The packaging and contents will be well familiar to Masterpiece collectors. It comes with the Motocompo scooter, this time in metallic silver. The chrome weapons are the same as with the previous figures, and still give off a very classic G1 toy vibe.
I'm still not sure why Takara numbered this release as MP-53+, when in fact it's a repaint of the MP-54 Reboost mold, not the MP-53 Skids mold. But I guess their numbering hasn't made sense for years now! Either way, the new metallic silver finish is very nice, although I would have preferred no Autobot insignia on the hood like Reboost.
I like the use of the blue tint in the windows that gives a bit more variation between the figures too. I think three versions of this particular mold will be enough for me, and is pretty much in keeping with my other Diaclone repaint figures.
The only other Diaclone repaint I'm still shocked they haven't released is the Black Ironhide version. No idea why they haven't done that, and after all these years I doubt they'll do it now. Hopefully a Hound repaint for Detritus comes out soon though!
In bot mode, you can clearly see it's an MP-54 repaint. The paint on the arms and thighs is nicely done, and it also has the nice painted highlights in the hips and lower legs. The accents bring out the detail in the mold, which is better in figures like this with an aesthetic that is more similar to the figures from the 2012 to 2015 era such as Prowl and Wheeljack.
This Honda City mold is definitely not one that suits the cartoon aesthetic of more recent figures, but still looks fantastic in amongst the whole Masterpiece collection. Now that Takara have just recently announced Trailbreaker, I am hoping Hoist is announced soon too. Then if only they would announce a Jazz and Mirage, I'd pretty much be able to die a happy Transformers collector 😂
The Honda City licenced release into the Takara Transformers Masterpiece series shouldn't really be a surprise for fans. Takara loves their official licences for the carbots, and it was only a matter of time for them to make a Honda release. It's only fitting that this release has been timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Honda City Turbo car from the 80s.
It's definitely a design from the earlier era of the Masterpiece figures, being very similar to the style and aesthetic of the Datsun and Lancia series of figures. I think it looks pretty nice, and still fits in with the overall cast of characters.
Click the link below to watch my video review of both figures on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel. Make sure to give the video a thumbs-up, and subscribe to stay tuned for the upcoming MP-52+ Skywarp review!
Packaging is the usual MP styled artwork, so you know what you're going to get. I'm still not a fan of the collector card art, but I guess they just get packed away into the drawer anyway. Accessories aren't all that much to write home about, and is definitely a lot less than more recent cartoon-accurate releases.
What you do get is decent in quality, with the chromed weapons definitely giving that G1 vintage toy weapon vibe. The chrome is good quality, so no issues there. It's a shame that Skids did not include the little Honda Motocompo. But I think the red variant that comes with the Reboost repaint is inline with the prevalent style and combination of car and scooter packages being sold in the 80s.
The motorbike does fold up to some degree to pack into the rear boot of the car. But it's a bit of a pain getting the handlebars back out of their folded position, so I won't be doing it again any time soon. Plus I think it looks better next to the car mode and the holographic mini-figure.
Car mode paint app is excellent on both figures. Everything on my copies is sharp, with no colour bleed or chipping. It's pretty rare these days that MP figures don't have some major controversy in paint application or plastic quality. But these two feel and look very sturdy.
Even the attention to detail to internal features is great, with very nice touches such as painted engine details under the bonnet. The decals and paint for the Honda logos and number plates is also very well done. I love the tamped on Turbo labels on Skids in particular.
The transformation is much simpler than recent, more cartoon accurate characters such as Sunstreaker and Hound. The sequence is much more reminiscent of earlier releases such as Prowl, Wheeljack, and Bumblebee.
That's not to say the transformation doesn't have its fiddly parts. Rotating and folding in and out the arms is perhaps the most difficult part, and getting the torso fixed under the armpits properly is also fiddly. But overall, it's a pretty nice, simple, and intuitive transformation that ends in a pretty damn nice looking bot mode.
I think the articulation in bot mode is pretty good too. Shoulders and elbows have a good range of motion, and I love the ankle rocking motion. The hips are on some soft ratchets, and do not move backwards behind the hip. Some collectors have complained about this, but I think that's pretty natural so I don't have any issue with it.
With the hips, knee, and ankle articulation, both figures can get into some decent walking and action poses. The head sculpts look nice too, and similar to the older figures do not have any swap out face plate features that have been a nice addition to more recent characters.
Together with the rest of the cast of MP characters, both Skids and Reboost fit right in perfectly. Yes, the shoulders are not cartoon accurate, but I think that was a wise decision by Takara on this one. The cartoon design in the shoulders is pretty ridiculous, and looks very weird. I think this design, which is more aligned with the G1 toy, is definitely a better looking choice.
For those that love the Diaclone repaints, Reboost fits right in with other red repaints. When MP-53+ Crosscut releases in a month or two, I'll have to decide which of the repaints I keep in car mode! Either way, it's always great to get another G1 character in the MP lineup.
Here's hoping Takara announce more carbots in 2022, such as Trailbreaker, Hoist, Jazz, and Mirage!
