MakeToys MTRM-11 Meteor

It has been mentioned before that MakeToys may be my new favorite Third Party company, and it has been mentioned a number of times that Starscream is my favorite Transformers character. So, how will a MakeToys version of Starscream, that came with a fair amount of hype, fare?

The short answer is “pretty damn well.”

Meteor is a third party Masterpiece-style G1 Starscream, borrowing a lot visually from the official Masterpiece Starscream do-over, MP-11. The Coffin’s only experience with that Takara mold was the Toys R Us exclusive Acid Storm, and then the Takara Coneheads who use the MP-11 mold but are pretty obviously heavily modified. The original Masterpiece Seeker mold, MP-03, is one that we are heavily versed in, owning it several times over, and since it’s not too removed from the newer version of it, I’ve always considered myself an expert on the toy in general. I mention this because, at some point or another, people have written about this MakeToys mold rendering the official Takara ones unnecessary, and that is a conclusion I am still grappling with, personally. But, Meteor came with a certain degree of built-in pressure, and I have to say: it totally delivered.

Meteor is more of a cartoon-accurate Starscream than the original Masterpeice figure, even in its Walmart exclusive G1-ish paintjob. This figure is really vibrant in its look, and faithful to the original in terms of colors and placement. One of the first thing one notices with Meteor is that it is just bursting with personality, something that the more clinical and lifeless Masterpiece versions have not been able to boast.  This may be a complete matter of personal preference, but there it is. The red and blue are exceptionally strong colors, and just burst off of the figure. Adding to the strong visual impression is the gold chest cockpit, solid plastic instead of the typical Masterpiece translucent version, and oh man does it just leap out at you. So, we have a strong red, a cool baby blue, a soft light grey, and a bold gold. It is an outstanding look, and not one that the official MP Starscreams are able to match. The head is the Seeker helmet head, and the face is painted in a dark grey, so it doesn’t stand out from the helmet very much, but the eyes are a solid red, which give some definition to the overall face. There are changeable face plates with different expressions, three of them in total, and a different head that is the Meteor head being choked by an attached hand. The hand works with Despotron, the MakeToys G1 Masterpiece-alike Megatron, and allows Despotron to strangle Meteor in that abusively loving G1 Megatron/Starscream relationship fashion. We’ll have to cover that piece at a later date though, when we eventually get to Despotron.

For weapons, Meteor comes with shoulder- or under wing-mounted pods that can accommodate either the traditional null ray, or a warhead, thus giving Meteor the G1 Seeker weapon options of null rays or bombs. Generally, and consistent with G1 product catalog images, robot mode was supposed to pack the null rays, and jet mode the bombs, but either arrangement works in either mode. The weapon pods are on the smaller side, so bomb mode doesn’t look all that great attached to robot mode. Like the weapons on the official MP Seeker, these plug in to holes on the upper arms and under wings, and are not attached to the figure the way they are in the MP-11 uses, such as the Coneheads. The weapons are attached to jointed arms, which allow them to be positioned at various distances away from either mode, and this is probably intended to aid in posing, but honestly, I’ve not found these joints to be necessary. They only function by extending the weapon away from the body, and not in any other way, so I’d thought for a while that maybe they were functional in some way I just hadn’t understood, but that does not seem to be the case.

Alt mode is excellent, a great representation of the F-15 that the Seekers so ironically are or were in G1. And, uh, that’s kind of it. It is just an F-15, free of any embellishments or upgrades or the like, and by this time, we have had the F-15 as an alt mode in various lines and forms, so there’s not a whole lot to say about it. The jet wears the colors of the figure wonderfully, with the gold cockpit again grabbing attention, as do the baby blue tailfins.

But for as little as the alt mode gives us to talk about in terms of newness or pizazz, it does have a startlingly controversial side: the underside of the wings are naked. At least, that’s what I’ve decided I have to call it, because I don’t really know what else to call it. While the undersides of MP Seeker wings are generally molded and, “complete,” I guess, Meteor’s have nothing going on other than some molding lines and the holes to peg the weapons in to. A lot of collectors apparently view this as some lack in quality, and hold it as a real black mark on the figure. There is no issue here, as this is a cosmetic issue if it’s a matter at all. Far be it from me to tell other collectors how to enjoy their hobby, but this is the type of thing that usually drives me wild in the fandom: an aesthetic matter that isn’t even visible in 90-something percent of the poses or display situations the figure could find itself in. Recently, MakeToys has announced an add-on kit that contains plastic parts to plug these unsightly gaps, and I have absolutely no doubt that someone at MakeToys HQ read a bunch of internet complaints about this, and thought, “people who have already given us $120 for this figure will now give us more money to a totally superfluous patch,” and then greenlit this project. Presumably, these patches will be released for Lightning and Skycrow, as well as their impending Coneheads, and some collectors will absolutely buy them. That’ll show MakeToys!

A far more pressing issue with Meteor are the feet, which, in true Masterpiece Seeker fashion, don’t really flatly contact the ground, making standing stability something of an issue. While far better than the MP-03 mold, Meteor’s feet are actually worse that the MP-11 mold, which at least has a swivel that the front part of the foot attaches to. It’s like MakeToys emulated the look of the MP-11 foot but not the execution of it. To be fair, there is something of an ankle joint present in the form of an outward-moving panel, but that compromises the overall solid look of the lower leg if utilized. This lack of stable foot isn’t all that surprising, given the close resemblance of Meteor to the official figures: Meteor shares a lot of the Takara molds’ flexibility and posing,  as well as general transformation pattern. Meteor deviates from that a little bit in the torso and jet nose, just enough to feel fresh. The tailfins are also jointed in the middle, so they fold over to form part of the lower legs, and there is a concern that, over time and use, the friction of the joints will wear out, making these parts floppy, without any clear way to restore them.

But, hanging around the edges of this article has been the question of whether or not Meteor is a suitable replacement for Masterpiece Seekers of either mold. This is something that I’ve been pondering fairly seriously since obtaining Meteor in May, as a constant during my Summer of 2018 was the thought of trimming my collection via upgrading pieces in it. The answer that I came to regarding this MakeToys MP Seeker is a solid yes, it is a very suitable replacement for the Takara version. It’s a totally capable figure, it looks terrific, it fits in with official Masterpiece figures of more recent vintage, say, MP-10 and onward. It fits with the other MakeToys Masterpiece style pieces, like Contact Shot, and is overall a more pleasant experience than the official Seeker MPs. I really don’t say that lightly, as I have bought the Takara mold several times. And I really enjoy it as a toy. I think it’s a good toy in general. But, MP-03 is over ten years old, and MP-11 is just MP-03 with some modifications. Meteor is heavily influenced by, or maybe based on, the Takara version, yet for all of its familiar moments manages to feel like something brand new. The Conehead versions of the MP-11 mold managed to achieve that feeling as well, which helps make those three of my favorite uses of the base figure.

Would I sell my MP-03, 06, and 07 in favor of Meteor, Lightning, and Skycrow? Pressed for an answer right now, I’d have to say no, since the slightest shade of doubt still exists in my mind that I’d be happy to part with them. But, if we’re all being honest here, the thought has begun to take root in my mind, so I’m sure a decision is only a matter of time away. This is generally complicated by the fact that Meteor looks outstanding alongside the official Masterpiece Coneheads, which are tonally different from the official Masterpiece Seekers, and I really, really appreciate the official Coneheads. MakeToys has prototypes for their Coneheads, which I am going to buy, and I feel like keeping official and 3P Coneheads would ultimately be a better arrangement than keeping official and 3P Seekers. Maybe I can just put the Takara Seekers into storage, but that seems to conflict with the general mindset of collecting I possess at present. So, I don’t know, the jury is still out on the official figures, but Meteor here is an excellent add to your collection. MakeToys really is rapidly becoming my favorite Third Party company, and it’s figures like Meteor that support that most strongly.