Takara Tomy, the other half of the Transformers toy line that is mostly responsible for the high-end collectible Transformers toys, is getting into Masterpiece Combiners.
Kicking off the new series, dubbed MPG, is Raiden. Raiden is an Autobot combiner made up of Trainbots. There are six members and they are Shouki (a Zero Shinkansen bullet train), Getsuei (an EF-65-1000 electric locomotive), Yukikaze (a 200 Shinkansen bullet train engine), Suiken (a Tokai-type 153 express locomotive), Seizan (a 485 limited express electric locomotive) and Kaen (a DE-10 diesel locomotive).
Trainbots are essentially triple-changers as they can convert from transport mode (i.e. train) to robot and to the component (known as combine mode) of a giant robot. Strange that Takara Tomy decided to start with Trainbots which had a limited audience as it was a Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity.
Anywho, the first character in the new MPG line is none other than Shouki, designated MPG-01, who is the leader of Raiden that can transform between a Zero Shinkansen bullet train, a robot, and form the torso (chest) of Raiden combiner.
MPG-01 will come with a weapon, 2 seats, chest parts for the Raiden combiner, joint parts, as well as a section of a train track, and apparently, a display stand. Though we cannot confirm the latter.
Previously, Takara Tomy Transformers Masterpiece MPG-01 Shouki was announced for Japan market but now is officially offered in the U.S. market through Hasbro Pulse where you can pre-order it for US$158.99. Delivery is slated to happen on June 25, 2022.
Images: Hasbro/Takara Tomy [JP].
