COUNTDOWN: MPG-17 Optimus Prime – 6 questions we have!

When it was announced that the Masterpiece Transformers line was rebranding to “MPG”, we knew some further surprises would be in store!

The remit of the updated line is seemingly quite broad – the G stands for “great”, “giant”, and “gattai”, which can mean “combine” – and at this early stage, it’s likely that we only have a small window into what the future will hold. Still, with every new release comes more evidence of TakaraTomy’s plans, and so it is in the case of the recently revealed MPG-17, which is, you guessed it, another high-end take on Optimus Prime!

True, this is now the fourth release on the character in the so-called Masterpiece style we’ve seen since 2003. However, it also looks to be the most uniquely stylised and has certainly inspired plenty of curiosity since its debut online. So today, let’s dive in with the major questions (and some answers!) regarding this new figure and see what it’s all about.

#6: OK so what is it?

A new Masterpiece/ MPG Optimus design was always going to create a lot of conversation. Even then, it’s fair to say this one has led to more confusion than most! For one thing, its style has perplexed many collectors, as although MP stuff is typically known in recent years for its unswervingly slavish cartoon accuracy, MPG-17 looks to be a wholly stylised take free of any such requirement. It would be tempting to say that many of the classic ‘evergreen’ Optimus flourishes are still present and correct, perhaps as expected, although there are also plenty of embellishments to set it apart from the previous MP-44 effort: sizeable smokestacks, a bigger truck bumper, noticeable moulded greebling, visible wheels in robot mode, a blend of influences for the accessories and, perhaps crucially, unprecedentedly long antenna for the head sculpt. Add it all up, and you have something which is wholly different to any previous iteration of the character under the MP/G banner (although there are admittedly some strong MP-10 vibes from the overall look and transformation of the thing) and one which promises plenty more surprises besides, as we will see.

#5: What size is it?

Rumours persisted that this new release was going to be significantly smaller than either the MP-10 or MP-44 takes on Optimus Prime, perhaps bringing it more in line with mainline Generations fare in the process. As it turns out, it’s now been confirmed that MPG-17 will stand at 24cm in robot mode, which, for the record, is the same height as those previous attempts at the character! That might be a surprise for some, considering the simplified look of the hand design here, not to mention the use of what appears to be mainline-style 5mm accessory ports on areas such as the arms. In any case, there’s no doubt now that MPG will continue the scale adopted by Masterpiece ever since the MP-9 / MP-10 era.

#4: How much will it cost?

With MP-44 clocking in at a whopping JP¥50k (approximately just under $350 USD) on release back in 2019, it’s understandable that collectors may be nervous about how much this subsequent version of the character may cost, and especially given it’s going to be about the same size. Fortunately, it’s less than half the price of the toy from six years prior, dropping at a comparatively reasonable JP¥24,200, which equates to a little over $160 on current exchange. True, it appears MPG-17 won’t include a trailer and the wealth of additional accessories featured alongside the MP-44 release, but considering the cab-only MP-44S repaint was JP¥33k (a little under $230), this seems more reasonable in contrast, even if it’s still a sizeable sum overall.

#3: What gimmicks will it have?

Despite the cheaper price, MPG-17 still manages to boast a good few gimmicks and accessories, and although some of them are entirely expected given what has already been established by previous MP Primes (and their mainline equivalents!), there’s some new stuff here too. Firstly, the chest doors open to reveal a Matrix of Leadership, so that’s a box ticked. Likewise, the classic ion blaster and orange energy axe are present and correct. In a slight twist, however, it seems the gun can also peg onto Optimus’ shoulder, which appears to be a direct nod to some of the pre-Transformers artwork for the original Diaclone Battle Convoy figure. There’s more, though, and this is where things get a bit weird, as also included is a set of wrist-mounted swords that are clearly a homage to the big-screen live-action films (I’m coining the term “Bay blades”, assuming it hasn’t been done already!), and a battle axe that is unmistakably lifted from the War For Cybertron: Siege interpretation of the character! Both of those options are entirely unexpected on a quasi-G1-styled Prime, but very welcome nonetheless! What’s more, it appears all the weapons can be mounted and stored on the rear of the toy in both modes, made possible via an included clear plastic adapter piece. Neat!

#2: What else can we expect from it?

Beyond what we’ve discussed above, there are plenty of other elements to talk about with MPG-17, not least of which is the seemingly quite cohesive design of the figure. The vehicle mode looks pretty sleek, with nary an exposed gap or unsightly compromise, and a notably tidy truck bed to boot. The clean silhouette and stylistic flair have seemingly gone down well with most fans, and it seems the move away from cartoon accuracy has allowed this design to flourish by being unencumbered of having to look a certain way. However, it’s not just the style on show that’s worth a comment, as evidently TakaraTomy has big ambitions for this figure and where it leads the MPG line next. Their marketing blurb hails it as the first release of “Style Gen.”, and whilst it’s not exactly confirmed what that means (some had taken it to mean the toy would be in scale with Generations figures, as above!), they also talk of it being “a new interpretation of the transformation difficulty, proportions and details, movement and posing, vehicle play, and weapon play“.

Awwww yeah! pic.twitter.com/Kthk3YbROJ

— Sixo (@SixoTF) April 3, 2025

Again, a lot of this is open to interpretation (do they mean the transformation will be more difficult or less? It doesn’t look so hard from the video above!). Still, it sounds like we can expect something quite intriguing when it comes to how the figure handles, poses and plays!

#1: What does this mean for MPG moving forward?

And finally, the big question of them all! Whenever a new landmark Masterpiece or MPG figure of this kind pops up, it inevitably creates intrigue about how it might impact the wider line, and that’s especially prevalent here given the obvious stylistic change MPG-17 represents! Have we seen an end to the slavish cartoon accuracy which has been part of Masterpiece for the last decade or more? Will we see further remakes of characters already made under the Masterpiece banner, such as the Autobots cars and the like? Does this mean a complete ‘reset’ of the existing MP/G line as we’ve previously known it? Understandably, a lot of collectors are concerned about these very points, but they’re also the questions we simply don’t have the answers to right now! One thing is for certain: it’s not just about MPG-17, but whatever next new mould follows it, as that will be the figure which ultimately shows the way forward from this point on. Until then, we’ll have to see how the new Optimus pans out!

So that’s our list! Are you excited about the new MPG toy?

TTFN