Masterforce D-307: Overlord MIB (#3, my third one)

I wanted the title to read 'Yet another D-307: Overlord MIB', but thought that it would be too cavalier and perhaps not respectful of how difficult this piece could be to come by for some collectors.

 This is the 5th Overlord that I have in my collection (a fact). It is one of 3 MIB pieces, amongst the 5 pieces I have (or had).

I guess I have been fortunate that, as a collector of vintage TFs, Overlord (which is a holy grail to many) has been relatively easy and straightforward for me to acquire over the years. I wish I had this same good fortune with all TFs, but it seems that the good fortune only works for Overlord.

Almost all the Takara boxed Destron Headmasters (except D-93: Mega Zarak; D-311: Black Zarak)

Following from my earlier post of the Takara boxed Cybertron and Destron Headmasters (see here), I went back and took a shot of almost all the Destron Headmasters.

Obviously, D-93: Mega Zarak and D-311: Black Zarak are not in the photo. D-93 is in Singapore and not with me in Hong Kong - see here for D-93. D-311 whilst here with me in Hong Kong, is buried so deep in my cabinet and I just could not dig it out in time for the photo - see D-311 here and here.

Left column: D-85: Skull (Skullcruncher); D-86: Wolf (Weirdwolf); D-87: Wipe (Mindwipe). D-85 I bought from my usual shop; D-86 and D-87 I bought off of Yahoo HK.

Middle column: D-99: Apeface; D-100: Snapdragon. Both of these I bought as a set from my usual shop here in HK.

Right column: D-301: Wilder (Fangry), D-302: Bullhorn (Horri-Bull), D-303: Cancer (Squeezeplay). D-301 and D-302 I bought off separate sellers from Yahoo HK. D-303 was from Devstar37.

Hasbro G1 Pretender Splashdown MISB

This was part of a lot of 4 pieces of MISB Pretenders that I bought when I was in Japan last December. Yes, there was some wheeling and dealing while I was snowboarding in the mountains of Niseko. Such is my reticence and the extent of my backlog that I have only now gotten to them some 7 months later.

This is the third piece - Pretender Splashdown MISB. Splashdown is 1 of 6 large format Pretenders that were actually "USA exclusives", in other words, these 6 has never seen a corresponding Japanese release. The six are - Autobots Groundbreaker, Splashdown, Sky High; and Decepticons Iguanus, Finback and Bugly.

Of this 6, Splashdown is commonly regarded as the most difficult track down and complete. It actually has quite a lot of accessories, which could be one of the reasons it is difficult to complete. So, to be able to get it in MISB condition, well, I pounced on it!

Hasbro G1 Pretender Groundbreaker MISB

This was part of a lot of 4 pieces of MISB Pretenders that I bought when I was in Japan last December. Yes, there was some wheeling and dealing while I was snowboarding in the mountains of Niseko. Such is my reticence and the extent of my backlog that I have only now gotten to them some 7 months later.

This is the second piece - Pretender Groundbreaker MISB. Groundbreaker is 1 of 6 large format Pretenders that were actually "USA exclusives", in other words, these 6 has never seen a corresponding Japanese release. The six are - Autobots Groundbreaker, Splashdown, Sky High; and Decepticons Iguanus, Finback and Bugly.

Hasbro G1 Pretender Landmine MISB

This was part of a lot of 4 pieces of MISB Pretenders that I bought when I was in Japan last December. Yes, there was some wheeling and dealing while I was snowboarding in the mountains of Niseko. Such is my reticence and the extent of my backlog that I have only now gotten to them some 7 months later.

This is the first piece - Pretender Landmine MISB. Perhaps one of my favourite large format Pretenders from 1988. I don't know why, I just like Landmine. I know some collectors think he is the worst Pretender toy, but I like Landmine. Deal with it.

vintage G1 Transformers Masterforce D-301: Wilder aka Fangry MISB!

Today, I am showing an MISB specimen of D-301: Wilder.

I actually bought this at a local auction site yesterday evening.

Today evening, I met the seller at the train station near my work and completed the transaction - all within a span of 24 hours!

I'm very happy that transactions here in HK can take place, so fast, with no frills, no shipping costs and is such a pleasure!

I don't really have an awful lot to say about this MISB figure other than showing some photographs of how absolutely gorgeous it is. As can be seen by the little thumbnail on the left, this is the Japanese version of the USA figure Fangry, which is a small sized Headmaster compared with the likes of Mindwipe, Skullcruncher, Weirdwolf for example.

In Japan, these small Headmasters were released as part of the 1988 Transformers Chojin Masterforce line as 'Headmaster Juniors'. D-301 is called 'Wilder' in Japan.

One of the rare few figures that has its box art entirely unobstructed.

G1 Japanese mailaway exclusive Masterforce C-200: Lander MIB unused

I had no idea this piece existed.

Yes, I did know that Pretender Landmine was released in the USA in 1988, but I did not know that there was a Japanese boxed version, C-200: Lander, that was correspondingly released in Japan as part of the Chojin Masterforce series in 1988.

For the longest time, it was common perception among my collector friends and I that the Masterforce Cybertrons “began” with Metalhawk, since he was numbered C-201, which corresponds with the Destrons’ “first” Masterforce toy, D-201: Blood.

Then, in the last year or so, when I was ‘nearing’ completion of my Japanese G1 toys and was ‘diversifying’ into other TF paraphernalia, I discovered several pieces of vintage Masterforce marketing material that showed Landmine. He was not shown with the other Pretender figures but as part of what appeared to be a ‘special offer’ figure. At around the same time, I heard whispers from other collectors that ‘just when they thought they are done with Jap G1, they discovered that there is still the mailaway C-200: Lander to acquire!’.

C-200, it's true, it exists.

Weekend update #1 - Shockwave and Triggerbots / cons

Catching up and updating on things that I acquired some time ago but not posted.

First its the MOSC Triggerbots and Triggercons. I bought these over a period of time at YMT. They were each on consignment, but the person who consigned them only put 1 piece up at a time.

The first he had up was Backstreet MOSC, which I intended to buy, but after deciding to walk around first then pick it was beaten to the punch by another person (I don't like him). A few days later, Override MOSC was put up for sale, but I decided to pass because it was yellowed inside the bubble and I didn't want that. Then, over the next weeks, these were consecutively put up and I managed to grab each one of them by being vigilant and visiting regularly! - Dogfight, Crankcase, Ruckus and Windsweeper.

Here they are...

Dogfight and Windsweeper

Crankcase and Ruckus

The Tiggercons - Crankcase, Ruckus and Windsweeper

Their package art is simply stunning (Ginraii may appreciate this)

***

Next up there is Shockwave (one of my all time favourite G1 Transformers in terms of both characterization and the toy).

I bought this from Skullcruncher on the OZ Formers boards as a for "robot mode" display piece, so I wasn't fussed about it missing its battery cover or the gun barrel. His left arm was however, broken off. Kup from OZ Formers was most kind and offered to help me repair the broken arm before on-sending it to me in HK.

And I have to say, Kup did a very very good job repairing it!

Here is Shockers in his full (restored) glory!

Close up

The arm has been repaired

The tip of the gun barrel was also broken off, but I asked Kup to leave it as it (he did sand it), because I thought a shorter barrel was more cartoon like.

G1 Shockwave with the Hard Hero Shockwave bust

G1 Shockwave with Encore #20: Devastator. Shockers is taller than Devvy!

Transformers Masterforce C-303: Minerva / Minelba MIB unused

This is a little of a catch up post for me.

I actually bought this some months back and have not properly updated it here on my site.

This was a very exciting purchase for me and like all my other exciting purchases, E was there with me when I bought this - it is arguably one of the rarest Masterforce figures to obtain and probably one of the rarer Japanese exclusive Transformers out there. 

However, rare as it could be, there seem to be a fair few people that have this piece (some not unused).

The figure is Masterforce Minerva (or Minelba), the very first female Transformer toy.

C-303: Minelba MIB

Box = C9.5

Toy = C9.5, unused

Paperwork = complete

Sticker sheet = unused

Damn sweet...!

Minelba headmaster figure

Beautiful box art

Close up shot of the Minelba transtector

Box side

Back of box, very slight flap crease

Tech specs

The money shot

Unused paperworks packet (never opened, it appears)

Close up shot

The money-er shot - 2 pieces of unused Minelba (I've since sold the loose one)

A Shameless plug... Minelba with other rare TF gems...

How rare is rare?

On the back of the very intense attention and excitement that my unused Marlboor Wheeljack has generated, I woke today thinking about the question - just how rare is rare?

Over the years, I have been acquiring things that are rare and always at the time of acquisition, I would be thinking to myself - 'this is the rarest thing I have so far'. Then, the next thing comes along, and redefines my understanding of rare.

Such was definitely the case with Marlboor Wheeljack. There is little doubt that it-is-one-of-the-rarest-pieces of TF history out there.

So I got out of bed, and took a snapshot of the following (just because they were handy), all of which at the time of acquisition, I thought were the next best thing to sliced bread and rare as diamonds.

Top left: MC-05: MicroX giftset (aka Reflector)

Top right (above): Car Robots No.3 Police Car Countach (aka Police Car Sunstreaker)

Top right (below): Car Robots No.18 Lancia Stratos "Marlboro" edition (aka Marlboor Wheeljack)

Bottom left: C-301: Go-Shooter MIB

Bottom right: C-303: Minelba MIB (unused)

And then, I thought further... what about these guys in terms of rarity?

Goodbye Mgatron giftset, unused?

C-114: Fortress Maximus MIB?

C-303: Minelba, unused - one MIB, one loose.

C-311: Grand Maximus MISB? (opened by me!)

C-328: Victory Saber giftset MISB? (opened by me!)

D-311: Black Zarak MIB?

D-328: Dinoking giftset MIB, unused?

So, how rare is rare? =)

Heavy hittin' acquisitions over the weekend

I'm still in shock. 

So, I'm not going to say too much other than I picked these up over the weekend from my usual rock-solid G1 shop in YMT (Henkeis from somewhere else). All of these he kept exclusively for me, so was never displayed on the store front although the stock has been there for a week.

Ok, will let the pictures do that talking...

Japan Day 1 - Shinjuku, Nakano and 麵屋武藏

E and I made it to Japan finally.

First, we wanted to go during the Christmas holidays last year, but didn't because the flights and hotels were way too expensive, and also E had a deal to close over Christmas meaning she had to work. So, that was shelved. We rescheduled to February, after Lunar New Year and would have preferred to commence the trip on 3 or 4 Feb because those were holidays too... but again the flights and hotels were either not available or unrealistically priced.

E managed to get a package for flights and hotels for the 7th to 14th Feb period that is very attractive - return flight from Japan including a domestic flight to Hokkaido; plus hotel stays at Sapporo and the Niseko Hilton for all our skiing needs - all for HK$7000 (approx). So we were good to go, but once more was almost derailed by work commitments. Fortunately, that ironed itself out from E's end.

... which is why I'm saying that "we finally made it to Japan", after breathing in a whiff of Japanese air.

We stayed at our usual Shinjuku haunt because its very central and very easy to get to placed from there. We were almost famished by the time we checked so, so we took a quick walk to E's previously No.1 rated ramen place for dinner - 麵屋武藏.

Yummy ramen, the pork is just heavenly...

Once we were on full stomaches, E quickly asked "do you want to go see some Transformers? Maybe Akihabara and Shibuya?" She's awesome!!!

I thought about it and concluded that it might be better to go to Nakano first because it was already around 6-ish in the evening and we are unlikely to do Akihabara and Shibuya (which are close together) before the shops close there for the night.

So off to Nakano....

There were a lot of exciting TFs in this store including a quite minty VSZ giftset and a loose by genuine Shuffler for 48,000yen (yikes!). This time round, I didn't manage to snap any photos of the store interior, just couldn't do it with the constant wave of people and staff walking around (sorry). If its any comfort, it looked like this last year.

Got a reasonable haul from the shops there.

- vintage Transformers TV Art Book #69 (featuring Masterforce)

- C-341: Grease Pit MISB

- C-342: Air Wave MIB, unused, sealed paperworks

- C-343: Hot House MIB, unused, sealed paperworks

- C-344: Iron Works MISB

(I was told that the above are not their Japanese names, but I don't know how to read Jap, so am using the US names).

The highlight was 2 fold, (1) being able to get all 4 Micromaster Bases MIB in one go and (2) the TV Art Book. These are such awesome books. I would love to get the whole series, but everytime I go, I can only manage to find but a handful (and in this instance 1).

Here are some interior shots to show how awesome these books are...

Super Ginrai with 3D cross section showing his internal mechanisms

Very large box art for Buster and Hydra

Grand Maximus!