J2 Un-DS: Transformers Masterpiece Edition

The more I age, the more I want cling onto and  re-live the better days of my childhood. As we grow older, we seem to drift apart from that with having children, moving up in our careers, and major life events like marriage and getting the keys to our new homes. Yes, I've accepted the fact that the good old days are behind me. And yes, I do look forward to what the future holds for me and my future family. And yes, I do deal with the harsh reality of real life and adult responsibilities. But no, I'm not going to totally grow up. Yet, anyway.

Although Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was my favorite as a kid, I loved Transformers. Still do. I didn't like the movies so much (Michael Bay ruined great franchises.), but I also grew up watching G1 and Beasties. I remember walking through toy stores as a kid thinking to myself 'When I grow up, I can buy whatever I want!'. To an extent that does hold some truth and now that I've found a toy worth collecting/buying, I cashed that chip in a couple years ago.

The Takara/Hasbro Transformers Masterpiece series is a perfect representation and re-imagining of the 1980s-early 90s G1 series in a larger and more complex scale. Some would say it's 'kids stuff', but all on the contrary lol. These joints hit the spot for adult Transformers fans and toy collectors alike:

1. We ARE the generation that grew up with G1. I'm 30. I'm actually at the bottom of the threshold for G1 fans in a sense that if I were born any later than 1985, I probably would have been too young to get into the series in the first place.

2. These toys (even the packaging) are of extremely high quality with so much attention to detail. Nothing of which R&D really needs to put into your typical children's toy for $9.99 at Toys R Us. Comprised of endless moving parts, high tensile plastic and die-cast components and the endless hours of engineering put into it, Takara/Hasbro makes sure each piece is reminiscent to their G1 counterpart, which is dope as fuck.

3. With the previous being said, comes the price. There is no way a typical parent would buy their kid a re-hashed 1980s collectable toy for over $100 US. Some discontinued and rare models can go anywhere from $600-800. Like the BAPE x Takara MP-10 Optimus. Yes, they are quite expensive, but like any other hobby, what isn't?

4. The engineering is too sophisticated for a children's toy. These are a BITCH to transform sometimes. And good luck doing it for the first time without the set of illustrated instructions it comes with. Which is in Japanese BTW. I've almost broken some parts trying to transform a couple of these.

Now that's out of the way, I added new segment to the blog called "J2 Un-DS: Transformers Masterpiece Edition". I've been collecting these for a couple of years now. In 2014, my girlfriend and I were walking around the Calgary Comic Expo and I ran into a highly detailed, larger scale, transformable version of Soundwave. One of my favorite characters. Although I had no idea these even existed, I wanted to start collecting these. $285 was pretty steep, but hell, I had to have it. Hasbro's MP-02 Masterpiece Soundwave was as amazing as it was complex. I was hooked upon unboxing and with me well off into retirement from the sneaker culture, I figured I'd have some fun collecting something else I think I'd enjoy. Stay tuned.


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