Hasbro Transformers Masterpiece Prowl Sighted at US Retail

worth every cent

wow that's really expensive..

He is not worth that much I'm sorry. He should be $49.99-$54.99 and not a penny more. Again I'll stick with my KO I got off Ebay for $34 shipped...he was worth every penny.

Good find Tony. Probably be the only one we see in our area.

If that is the price for the Hasbro release, you would probably do better just buying the TakaraTomy one.

So the Hasbro releases of the Autobot cars will cost as much, if not more, than a well priced ("good find") TakaraTomy import? That... seems like a horrible business strategy. I suppose I'll just be importing the rest of the cars, as there's little point in waiting if the local price isn't lower. Of course the jacked up price could just be TRU, who love to mark up their merchandise and seemingly hate Transformers of late.

Trikeboy wrote:If that is the price for the Hasbro release, you would probably do better just buying the TakaraTomy one.

Yeah, I'm definitely not going to be waiting for the Hasbro releases anymore. I only wish I had found a Sunstorm at the same time to take advantage of the BOGO 50% sale.

reluctantyouth wrote:He is not worth that much I'm sorry. He should be $49.99-$54.99 and not a penny more. Again I'll stick with my KO I got off Ebay for $34 shipped...he was worth every penny.

Couldn't disagree more, and buying KOs of current MP figures does nothing but harm to the future of the line.

ScottyP wrote:

reluctantyouth wrote:He is not worth that much I'm sorry. He should be $49.99-$54.99 and not a penny more. Again I'll stick with my KO I got off Ebay for $34 shipped...he was worth every penny.

Couldn't disagree more, and buying KOs of current MP figures does nothing but harm to the future of the line.

Still, he does at lest have a point about the price. A Hasbro MP shouldn't be more expensive to buy in the U.S. than a Takara MP.

Sabrblade wrote:

ScottyP wrote:

reluctantyouth wrote:He is not worth that much I'm sorry. He should be $49.99-$54.99 and not a penny more. Again I'll stick with my KO I got off Ebay for $34 shipped...he was worth every penny.

Couldn't disagree more, and buying KOs of current MP figures does nothing but harm to the future of the line.

Still, he does at lest have a point about the price. A Hasbro MP shouldn't be more expensive to buy in the U.S. than a Takara MP.

I disagree with that too. I don't know where this price argument comes from.

- My Takara Prowl was about $60 shipped from HLJ when they were brand spankin' new. The ¥4,640 tag they had before shipping was discounted from the Takara MSRP of ¥5,800. Had I paid the Takara MSRP and shipping, it would have cost just as much as at TRU now. Also, HLJ sells out quick - some luck is involved to get that sort of price.

- A lot of collectors probably went with BBTS and paid, after shipping, around $90 (assuming POL was not used), or about $81 if they shipped it with other stuff in a POL. That's more than TRU, easy.

Hasbro does not owe us a significant discount for domesticating the release. I can't explain how on Earth they do the seekers so cheaply when Takara won't, but I just don't see the problem.

Now, increase the TRU price another $10-$20, and I'd say yes, it is not worth it to buy the domestic one over the import. As it stands now, it's roughly the same, and I don't get the big deal.

This figure is NOT worth 69.99. I was hesitant to pay $60 shipped off ebay. Plus the box is nothing but a waste of material, you could fit 3 prowl in it.

I can't wait for people to bitch about takara magnus and wait for the US release. Let's see hasbro beat anime-export.com price of $122.

Sorry...didn't mean to start a price argument here.

I based my argument solely on the fact that come on now Prowl is priced only $10 less than a seeker like Sunstorm? You're getting a lot more bot for your buck with a seeker than Prowl. Granted if Sunstorm was $99 and Prowl was $69 then I'd say that price point is justified no matter how ridiculous it is. As it stands now Prowl remains overpriced in my opinion.

I'm not trying to discredit the future of the line by buying into KOs either. But heck, despite being highly educated with a masters, I entered into a field that pays diddly. Being able to get a decent representation of something I collect for a price I can actually afford means the world to me. That is why I would support a KO now and then.

Not everyone has the extra funds to enjoy this hobby...and a mighty pricey hobby it is.

70 bucks for THIS? No. I'd rather just import them from Takara. Glad I already have this and the other Autobots. Good for those that don't already have this figure and now have an opportunity to get one but this is TRU marking they hell up with all their prices. That's what sucks about TRU being the only place that sells Masterieces (remembers the time buying MP Starscream at Walmart for $50 and then many MP Skywarps on clearance).

omega666 wrote:70 bucks for THIS? No. I'd rather just import them from Takara. Glad I already have this and the other Autobots. Good for those that don't already have this figure and now have an opportunity to get one but this is TRU marking they hell up with all their prices. That's what sucks about TRU being the only place that sells Masterieces (remembers the time buying MP Starscream at Walmart for $50 and then many MP Skywarps on clearance).

Ahhhhh...yes those were the days. I bought 3 Starscreams at full pop. I bought 4 Skywarps at $20 a piece. Made out like a bandit 2 years ago on those.

Just in time for my birthday today! I'll be stopping by my local Toys "R" Us today: if they have even one Prowl, I'll be jumping on it.

reluctantyouth wrote:

omega666 wrote:70 bucks for THIS? No. I'd rather just import them from Takara. Glad I already have this and the other Autobots. Good for those that don't already have this figure and now have an opportunity to get one but this is TRU marking they hell up with all their prices. That's what sucks about TRU being the only place that sells Masterieces (remembers the time buying MP Starscream at Walmart for $50 and then many MP Skywarps on clearance).

Ahhhhh...yes those were the days. I bought 3 Starscreams at full pop. I bought 4 Skywarps at $20 a piece. Made out like a bandit 2 years ago on those.

This was exactly what I said a couple pages back. TRU already usually marks things up a couple of dollars but then they have to sit for an eternity to be clearanced if they ever are. Even then it's only by maybe $5 or $10 dollars. I would really love these to show up in Target the way the do things now. I've seen TF's clearance in Target 75% 2 months after release.

where are you guys getting the Takara version shipped from? Every place ive seen has him at 59.99 (or more) and nearly $20 in shipping. I'd just get the Hasbro released one.

Seriously. Math guys. If I had found it cheaper to import I's be for it, but it isn't.

Optimizzy wrote:where are you guys getting the Takara version shipped from? Every place ive seen has him at 59.99 (or more) and nearly $20 in shipping. I'd just get the Hasbro released one.

Seriously. Math guys. If I had found it cheaper to import I's be for it, but it isn't.

I might be mistaken but I think the fact of the wait for the US release vs having months ago plays into as well. My thing is the price overall. This is price $10 less than Masterpiece Grimlock.

reluctantyouth wrote:He is not worth that much I'm sorry. He should be $49.99-$54.99 and not a penny more. Again I'll stick with my KO I got off Ebay for $34 shipped...he was worth every penny.

$69.99 works out at £41.45 and I would take that price any day. TRU UK wanted to charge £60 ( I think ) for this which is about $100. They cancelled it. I wouldnt have paid that for it but £40? Yes please.

I paid $63 shipped for a genuine Takara version.

I would pay $49.99 at most for this version, even with the lovely box!

$70 your kidding right? This is why TRU should be banned from having exclusives, Target would be selling it for $50 & thats about all its worth. How can they really justify that price, sunstorm is what $10 more and almost twice the size & come with more accessories. People need to stop buying TRU exclusives so hasbro picks a better store to use cause this has officially gotten out of hand.

Optimizzy wrote:where are you guys getting the Takara version shipped from? Every place ive seen has him at 59.99 (or more) and nearly $20 in shipping. I'd just get the Hasbro released one.

Seriously. Math guys. If I had found it cheaper to import I's be for it, but it isn't.

TakaraTomy MP Autobot cars are around $70-$80 USD with local US shipping rates. Nippon-yasan has the cars for between $45-$80 USD with international shipping rates. Either of those gives me a 100% chance of actually getting the figure.

Hasbro MP Autobot cars are TRU exclusive with a current price of $70, if you find them in stores. Based on their track record with MPs (and TFs in general) it's all down to luck whether or not TRU's pants-on-head-stupid distribution ever gets an MP Prowl anywhere near one of your local stores. And if TRU puts it up on their site you will have to pay shipping with them. Add to that the good chance that if they "rare-ify" Prowl, his price will increase.

Heck, I'd be shocked if his price isn't higher at my local TRU simply because NYC TRU prices are ridiculous. I'm heading out tonight (to see Guardians of the Galaxy) so I'll try to swing by my local TRU and see about his status.

I wish Hasbro would stop all these TRU exclusives. TRU has jacked up prices, terrible distribution, a horrendous website stock, and just generally seems to hate the Transformers brand. At least in NY.

$70.00? Oh, hell no.

I'm buying the KO and calling it a day. I wanted to go official with this, I really did, but if Takara Tomy can release these in Japan around the $45-55.00 range, there's absolutely no reason an item such as this, mass produced with the US market in mind, should cost this much.

I can see BBTS and the like charging that much because they have to cover their import costs and overhead and whatever else, but this? This is a rip off, pure and simple. Most of that giant box is all hollowed out because he's the size of a friggin' Voyager.

Screw that, I'm not giving them $70.00

OmicronZero wrote:

Optimizzy wrote:where are you guys getting the Takara version shipped from? Every place ive seen has him at 59.99 (or more) and nearly $20 in shipping. I'd just get the Hasbro released one.

Seriously. Math guys. If I had found it cheaper to import I's be for it, but it isn't.

TakaraTomy MP Autobot cars are around $70-$80 USD with local US shipping rates. Nippon-yasan has the cars for between $45-$80 USD with international shipping rates. Either of those gives me a 100% chance of actually getting the figure.

Hasbro MP Autobot cars are TRU exclusive with a current price of $70, if you find them in stores. Based on their track record with MPs (and TFs in general) it's all down to luck whether or not TRU's pants-on-head-stupid distribution ever gets an MP Prowl anywhere near one of your local stores. And if TRU puts it up on their site you will have to pay shipping with them. Add to that the good chance that if they "rare-ify" Prowl, his price will increase.

Heck, I'd be shocked if his price isn't higher at my local TRU simply because NYC TRU prices are ridiculous. I'm heading out tonight (to see Guardians of the Galaxy) so I'll try to swing by my local TRU and see about his status.

I wish Hasbro would stop all these TRU exclusives. TRU has jacked up prices, terrible distribution, a horrendous website stock, and just generally seems to hate the Transformers brand. At least in NY.

Which NYC TRU do you frequent? I often try Times Square and Bronx Terminal... Occasionally Long Island City. Times Square didn't even get Grimlock... Hopefully they get Prowl.

Megatron Wolf wrote:People need to stop buying TRU exclusives so hasbro picks a better store to use cause this has officially gotten out of hand.

Hasbro doesn't necessarily pick the store in this case. I'm sure they'd sell the MP stuff everywhere if they could, but TRU is the only place that'll touch them. Target has never had an MP except maybe 25th DVD Prime, and even then I think I'm wrong on that. Walmart won't touch MP stuff ever since Skywarp literally had to go to Ross/TJ Maxx/etc. to get liquidated. I'm afraid TRU is all the US is gonna get anytime soon

Because of some random law bullshit and TrU's constant refusal to comply, ALL the MPs never got released in Quebec. I not even allowed to order them online! Still, there is hope. I litterally fell onto a MP Grimlock that a worker was trying to place on the shelf. It never landed there! It starngely had an English only box and it was the only one in the store. Maybe the only one in Quebec. Priced at 99$CAN. With taxes, it was 115$. A bit expensive but way less than buying from Ebay scalpers + shipping + import fees. I was lucky as hell. Another good thing. MP Sunstorm is marked at 90$ plus taxes and it dosent say "english edition". I also saw MP Grimlock on the site and it dosent say "English edition" either! So, in theory, I could ordewr them online. So, maybe, When Prowl come out over here, it will be 80$? Will I ever see them in store?

megatronus wrote:

OmicronZero wrote:

Optimizzy wrote:where are you guys getting the Takara version shipped from? Every place ive seen has him at 59.99 (or more) and nearly $20 in shipping. I'd just get the Hasbro released one.

Seriously. Math guys. If I had found it cheaper to import I's be for it, but it isn't.

TakaraTomy MP Autobot cars are around $70-$80 USD with local US shipping rates. Nippon-yasan has the cars for between $45-$80 USD with international shipping rates. Either of those gives me a 100% chance of actually getting the figure.

Hasbro MP Autobot cars are TRU exclusive with a current price of $70, if you find them in stores. Based on their track record with MPs (and TFs in general) it's all down to luck whether or not TRU's pants-on-head-stupid distribution ever gets an MP Prowl anywhere near one of your local stores. And if TRU puts it up on their site you will have to pay shipping with them. Add to that the good chance that if they "rare-ify" Prowl, his price will increase.

Heck, I'd be shocked if his price isn't higher at my local TRU simply because NYC TRU prices are ridiculous. I'm heading out tonight (to see Guardians of the Galaxy) so I'll try to swing by my local TRU and see about his status.

I wish Hasbro would stop all these TRU exclusives. TRU has jacked up prices, terrible distribution, a horrendous website stock, and just generally seems to hate the Transformers brand. At least in NY.

Which NYC TRU do you frequent? I often try Times Square and Bronx Terminal... Occasionally Long Island City. Times Square didn't even get Grimlock... Hopefully they get Prowl.

Well I'm in the Bronx, so usually the TRU at Bay Plaza and the one off Bruckner. I also hit up the Times Square store whenever I'm searching for something. Only ever hit the Terminal one once or twice. TF stock sucks around here, even the Targets rarely have much merchandise. The best runs I've had are to the occasional WalMart when work sends me out to another office. Times Square had a boatload of Thundercracker a little after he was release, but that's the only MP I've seen really hit the shelves. Heck, the only Prime (2.0) I've seen on shelves was at a TRU down in Virginia. Luckily I've managed to snag my MPs from the online store's preorders.

I wasn't able to swing by the Bay Plaza store today, hit traffic on the way and the store closed at the same time the movie let out. Guardians of the Galaxy is amazing, btw.

Optimizzy wrote:where are you guys getting the Takara version shipped from? Every place ive seen has him at 59.99 (or more) and nearly $20 in shipping. I'd just get the Hasbro released one.

Seriously. Math guys. If I had found it cheaper to import I's be for it, but it isn't.

I bought all three of the Datsuna and a couple of the Lambos at HLJ when they came out. The only catch is they tend to sell out fast. I preordered Wheeljack for 5200 yen and with SAL shipping I expect it to be just under $60 total.

Swung by my TRU after work this afternoon and found 2 Sunstorms and 2 Prowls! They have a BOGO 1/2 off sale right now, plus on Thursdays I get 10% off when I use my TRU credit card. Saved $97.50! Hellz Yeah!

.

ScottyP wrote:

Megatron Wolf wrote:People need to stop buying TRU exclusives so hasbro picks a better store to use cause this has officially gotten out of hand.

Hasbro doesn't necessarily pick the store in this case. I'm sure they'd sell the MP stuff everywhere if they could, but TRU is the only place that'll touch them. Target has never had an MP except maybe 25th DVD Prime, and even then I think I'm wrong on that. Walmart won't touch MP stuff ever since Skywarp literally had to go to Ross/TJ Maxx/etc. to get liquidated. I'm afraid TRU is all the US is gonna get anytime soon

Exactly. TRU is the retailer willing to work with Hasbro. That's really all there is to it.

Remember how TRU's MP-10 was announced at $99.99 and then mysteriously, and suddenly jacked up to $119.99? That's TRU's MO. Really nothing we can do about it, so the misdirected rage is just not productive. If you want it, get it. If you don't, look to getting a Takara version on sale or on eBay.

But please, please don't buy MP KOs. Be patient and wait for a sale. It will come. Buying KOs is a short-term solution that just hurts the long-term potential of the line.

megatronus wrote:...please, please don't buy MP KOs. Be patient and wait for a sale. It will come. Buying KOs is a short-term solution that just hurts the long-term potential of the line.

I just wanted to parrot this.

Convoy wrote:

megatronus wrote:...please, please don't buy MP KOs. Be patient and wait for a sale. It will come. Buying KOs is a short-term solution that just hurts the long-term potential of the line.

I just wanted to parrot this.

Ditto.

Also, I consider buying a KO, meaning an exact copy (often at lower quality) of something, anything, to be the dumb thing to do. However, it's not the same as buying a 100% original mold from a 3rd party, even if that toy is closely based on an existing character.

-Kanrabat- wrote:

Convoy wrote:

megatronus wrote:...please, please don't buy MP KOs. Be patient and wait for a sale. It will come. Buying KOs is a short-term solution that just hurts the long-term potential of the line.

I just wanted to parrot this.

Ditto.

Also, I consider buying a KO, meaning an exact copy (often at lower quality) of something, anything, to be the dumb thing to do. However, it's not the same as buying a 100% original mold from a 3rd party, even if that toy is closely based on an existing character.

As (probably) the biggest supporter of KOs around here, I'd just like to interject some pragmatic arguments into this moralizing.

I've bought KOs of MP Sideswipe, Red Alert, and Frenzy+Buzzsaw, and because these MP KOs are made from actual leftover factory parts, often deemed below the cut for QC, it's a crapshoot; you pay half price but takes yer chances. My Red Alert's head doesn't want to stay together, and his gun doesn't really notch into his hand, so I'm going to have to replace him with the real deal someday.

I bought the 2 cassettes because I got Hasbro Soundwave, but wanted a better representation of Marvel Frenzy; I'm RIR/FIB for life, but even I keep calling the blue/purple guy Rumble because he's (ironically) more show-accurate than Takara's all blue guy. While the figure himself is okay, he came with two of the same gun. Buzzsaw's paint is all messed up, but I just wanted him for spare parts in case a real bird breaks.

My KO Sideswipe, on the other hand, is perfect. And for the record, that KO is NOT the same as the Takara MP because he has the better Tigertrack face (without Sideswipe's weird squinting), just barely nudging him into the same category as the CHMS Classics Seekers in colors Has/Tak has yet to do: The truly worthwhile ones for fans who want something there's no official option for. That's why I buy KOs: no matter how far Hasbro has come from the dark days of the '90s when it looked like they might just let the whole franchise keel over dead, there will always be a few things they can't do (including reissues of toys whose molds are lost or degraded), necessitating KOs to fill the gaps.

But back to my main point here, if you buy too many of those MP KOs to the exclusion of the real ones, in the long run you'll get what you pay for, with little savings to show for it. They're made from spare parts, and many of them are only good for being used as such when your real TFs break.

That brings up a potential advantage of buying from your local TRU that I'm surprised no one has brought up: It's a tad easier to exchange a defective MP in person. Though I admit, I don't personally know how much easier, since I've never seriously tried to return an online purchase, and exchanging it for the same toy isn't really an option for MPs like this year's Grimlock and last year's Soundwave that sold out immediately. In fact, I'd argue that buying KOs of the cassettes replace a few small parts is actually far more ethical than exchanging a figure as underproduced as that Soundwave, because sending that whole box of 6 TFs back defective means there's one less to go around; Hasbro could've cranked out twice as many, and supply still wouldn't have met demand on Sounders.

Yesterday, Westland MI's TRU got in 4 Sunstorms and 3 Prowls that sold out before noon, 1 of each by me, what with the BOGO (though that's mostly dumb luck; waiting for a TRU sale to synch up with them actually having the MPs you want might just be possible if you used layaway, but IDK the nuts and bolts of it.) Prowl has a paint defect on his hood, but I'll probably just sharpie it. If I want a more substantial fix, I can always buy the KO for the parts.

Side note: They also got that Joe "Danger at the Docks" set, which I thought was a SDCC exclusive, but then I wasn't paying close attention to any non-TF toy news.

And for the record, the biggest threat to the future of the MP line, and toy collecting in general, is not KOs, but rising plastic prices. F@#% the oil companies!

Regardless of size and whatnot, in my opinion the Autobot cars are just better figures with way better engineering and better show-accuracy (and real-world alt mode accuracy as well) than the Seeker mold; even the new and improved Seeker mold.

Also, Sunstorm isn't a mainstream character. Prowl is.

Put all that together and I can sort of see where the justification for the pricing might come from (though it doesn't mean I necessarily agree with it, just sayin' ).

I guess aside from the comparisons to the larger MPs, the fact that the internet has changed how we buy things (especially collectors) has had a pretty big impact on our expectations for things like this. I mean if you look at MP-10, it retailed at around $200~$250 USD for the Takara version and then Hasbro turns around and drops a slightly modified version with more paint and all the same accessories and a few different colors etc. for $99, it sets certain expectations I suppose. Likewise with the new Seeker mold. Starscream retailed for around $150~$200 (or more) for the Takara version and Sunstorm for even more because he was an Ehobby exclusive. Hasbro again turns around and dramatically drops the price. They did the same with MP-08 Grimlock. The recent Takara reissue is going for $200 or more retail (though maybe slightly less locally in actual Japanese shops) and TrU had it for a mere $50 (which I actually got one of since I never bought the original or the reissue just because that price was hard to resist for what it was). And here we are with the first of the Autobot cars and that steep discount is nowhere to be found.

That makes me wonder what is different about this particular MP when compared to all the others (even Soundwave, who got packaged with all of his cassettes as 'accessories' and still got a hell of a price) and the only thing I can come up with is the one thing that would modify Hasbro's cost vs the actual production cost of the figure (which is all the previous ones would have been based on since all they had to do was produce and package them), and that's LICENSING. I'd be willing to bet that the reason Mr Prowl (and likely Mr Sideswipe and any other MP Autobot cars they choose to import from the current line) costs so much is because Hasbro had to work out and pay for their own licensing deal with the automotive company that owns the rights to that vehicle, just like Takara did when they initially created them since licensing rights do not carry over to different companies and probably don't cross national borders either (i.e. they might even have had to pay separately to distribute it in the UK vs the US and possibly the same for Canada and other countries). If that is true, then it makes perfect sense why he costs so much, because Hasbro has to cover their initial overhead of not only production, but also the licensing fees in order to turn a profit.

xyl360 wrote: Hasbro again turns around and dramatically drops the price. They did the same with MP-08 Grimlock. The recent Takara reissue is going for $200 or more retail (though maybe slightly less locally in actual Japanese shops) and TrU (USA) had it for a mere $50 .

MP Grimlock cost 100$ in Canada.

Bumblevivisector wrote:

-Kanrabat- wrote:

Convoy wrote:

megatronus wrote:...please, please don't buy MP KOs. Be patient and wait for a sale. It will come. Buying KOs is a short-term solution that just hurts the long-term potential of the line.

I just wanted to parrot this.

Ditto.

Also, I consider buying a KO, meaning an exact copy (often at lower quality) of something, anything, to be the dumb thing to do. However, it's not the same as buying a 100% original mold from a 3rd party, even if that toy is closely based on an existing character.

As (probably) the biggest supporter of KOs around here, I'd just like to interject some pragmatic arguments into this moralizing.

No moralizing... just pragmatism. When you buy an MP KO, you're decreasing the chances the line will continue. Plain and simple. It's a self-defeating purchase.

Whether buying a KO is "wrong" or not is a completely different topic of conversation.

Bumblevivisector wrote:And for the record, the biggest threat to the future of the MP line, and toy collecting in general, is not KOs, but rising plastic prices. F@#% the oil companies!

Not only is that point debatable, it's irrelevant. We have no influence over oil or plastic prices. What we DO have power over is our buying habits.

i wont pretend that i havent bought any KO's, but they were only of things that werent actually available in an official sense. ie: the CHMS seekers.

if theres something i want and it exists in an offical sense, im buying the real deal. and if theres one thing, ONE thing to support, its the MP line. when it comes to MP's i dont even stray into the 3rd party territory because i think has/tak will eventually get to everyone.

i cant stand poor quality. if youre going into a purchase accepting that it might be crap, why are you buying it? instead of buying three KO MP cars, why not buy one or two official MP's? ive seen the prices of those cars, and for how cheap you can get the real thing (with some internet hunting) the money you save going with the KO is negligible.