This is the newly revealed Takara Tomy Transformers Masterpiece MP-48+ Dark Amber Leo Prime [JP]. I actually these images a couple of days ago. I was thinking it was intentionally grayed out before the official announcement a day or two later. Nope. They were not grayed-out images. It was in fact the color. Why??? Why, Takara???
It appears to be the Masterpiece MP-48 Leo Convoy but in dark amber color with some tweaks. Leo Convoy is, of course, a Maximal from the Beast Era portion of the G1 continuity.
Here’s the backstory of the Black Leo Convoy:
“Residual Angolmois energy derived from Unicron is concentrated and compressed in the earth’s crust to become jet-black dark energy, and the fateful prime “Dark Amber Leo Prime” was born by fusing with the sparkless body of the legendary green lion Leo Prime.”
Like the original MP-48, Dark Amber Leo can convert from a robot to a lion. If the transformation remains largely the same, then my opinion is that it will not be a fun figure to transform because the MP-48 isn’t. I own a copy and I am not loving the transformation sequence.
The figure will come with 4 missiles, 2 beam launch tubes, a weapon, and a collector’s card. Transformers Masterpiece MP-48+ Dark Amber Leo Prime is expected to be available in January 2023.
Meanwhile, you may pre-order it from Takara Tomy online (22,000 yen, or about US$162), Amazon Japan (16,088 yen, or around US$118.50), as well as Big Bad Toy Store (US$149.99).
Images: Takara Tomy [JP].
