MP Rodimus Prime

[138 Scourge]

If the rest of the figure's unchanged, he'd still be able to turn into Rodimus Prime, just minus the trailer. Which, yeah, he wouldn't look like Rodimus in vehicle mode, but on the other hand, when did that battle station ever show up in the cartoon?

I'd love to have it, but it's not like I couldn't do without it, so I dunno. Wait and see I guess.

[Shockwave]

I'm ok with the 'Bro having gimped Grimlock's accessories, but if they gimp the trailer on Rodi, it'll be an easy skip for me and epic fail for Hasbro.

[138 Scourge]

I'd almost bet on there being cheap bootlegs of the trailer from KO Toys or something like that.

I'd be more upset about the potential lack of trailer if it did anything new. But instead it's just a duplicate of the original, only bigger. That's kind of simplistic for a "Masterpiece". I mean, again, I'd be thrilled by the trailer being there, but if it's not, I probably won't be that hurt.

[Shockwave]

Actually, now that I think about it, it depends on how they bill it. If they release it as "Hot Rod" and not the "Rodimus Prime" character then I might be able to accept it as such since Hot Rod never had the trailer. Maybe they could even release it twice: Once as Hot Rod and again as Rodimus Prime.

Shockwave
-Still waiting for a US release of MP04.

[JediTricks]

If the rest of the figure's unchanged, he'd still be able to turn into Rodimus Prime, just minus the trailer. Which, yeah, he wouldn't look like Rodimus in vehicle mode, but on the other hand, when did that battle station ever show up in the cartoon?

I'd love to have it, but it's not like I couldn't do without it, so I dunno. Wait and see I guess.

I think the figure turns into Rodimus Prime by changing his face, and... changing his driver's license. So it's really all in alt mode, where the crappy trailer makes the guy, what would he be without it, a Kup-like truck?

I'd be more upset about the potential lack of trailer if it did anything new. But instead it's just a duplicate of the original, only bigger. That's kind of simplistic for a "Masterpiece". I mean, again, I'd be thrilled by the trailer being there, but if it's not, I probably won't be that hurt.

Yeah, the original trailer ate ass, this one does too. "Masterpiece" seems to have a sliding scale of meaning, Megatron is hardly a masterpiece of the character except in scale, while Starscream G1 is a compromise in scale and the hip kibble. Masterpiece Movie Starscream meanwhile goes in an entirely different direction, being LC Starscream with better paint but a toyetic undercarriage and several play features. And Grimlock compromises masterpiece in scale and design, yet is a masterpiece of the concept of the character.

Actually, now that I think about it, it depends on how they bill it. If they release it as "Hot Rod" and not the "Rodimus Prime" character then I might be able to accept it as such since Hot Rod never had the trailer. Maybe they could even release it twice: Once as Hot Rod and again as Rodimus Prime.

Shockwave
-Still waiting for a US release of MP04.

UNNNNfortunately, Hasbro doesn't want to get into legal sticky matters concerning the name "Hot Rod", as they didn't protect it as an action figure name and it got used elsewhere. If they bill it as "Rodimus" without "Prime", would that be good enough for you? Or "Autobot Hot Rod" could work, but they haven't gone down that road so it seems like they're pretty afraid of this name. Dunno why, it's been a term long before TF, so the prior art should negate ANYONE'S claim to it.

As for Trailer Prime, they seem to be gunshy about that release, I would guess due to the higher cost on shelf - it'll take up more real estate and have to raise the price, then that'll risk lower sales which will raise the price, and then it'll be so high they won't want to release it at all.

[138 Scourge]

If they bill it as "Rodimus" without "Prime", would that be good enough for you? Or "Autobot Hot Rod" could work, but they haven't gone down that road so it seems like they're pretty afraid of this name. Dunno why, it's been a term long before TF, so the prior art should negate ANYONE'S claim to it.

I like how they're making that kind of thing work with Generations: Stuff like "Covert Agent Jazz" and the like. So maybe like, "Cavalier Hot Rod"? I mean, we're all gonna call him "Hot Rod" anyway, right? Did anyone call the Alternator Jazz "Meister"?

As for being Rodimus without the trailer, I was thinking more it'd be two robot modes, one alt. mode. From what I've gathered from the TFW thread, there's a little more to the Rodimus Prime vehicle mode transformation than "attach trailer". That could all be speculation, though.

[JediTricks]

I like how they're making that kind of thing work with Generations: Stuff like "Covert Agent Jazz" and the like. So maybe like, "Cavalier Hot Rod"? I mean, we're all gonna call him "Hot Rod" anyway, right? Did anyone call the Alternator Jazz "Meister"?

As for being Rodimus without the trailer, I was thinking more it'd be two robot modes, one alt. mode. From what I've gathered from the TFW thread, there's a little more to the Rodimus Prime vehicle mode transformation than "attach trailer". That could all be speculation, though.

The robot modes seem to have a different head, the stomach panel widens, and the thighs lengthen. The vehicle mode changes the entire front end as well as merging with the trailer, the front end swaps to one with a much shorter nose and no engine block.

[Shockwave]

Yes, I know, legal matters with the names, but for whatever name they slap on it, I wouldn't put it past Hasbro to do exactly that sort of thing where they release it once as "Hot Rod" (again with whatever name they replace it with) and then do it again as Rodimus Prime. Yeah, MP04 will probably never happen over here, but I can still dream damnit!

[JediTricks]

Yes, I know, legal matters with the names, but for whatever name they slap on it, I wouldn't put it past Hasbro to do exactly that sort of thing where they release it once as "Hot Rod" (again with whatever name they replace it with) and then do it again as Rodimus Prime. Yeah, MP04 will probably never happen over here, but I can still dream damnit!

Has that happened with ANY American MP figure before? I don't think so.

[Sparky Prime]

TFormers has posted some new images that shows off more of Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime's features and things the figure will come with. In-particular, it confirms that the figure will come with his own Matrix of Leadership and the figure has a compartment in his chest to store it.