Takara Tomy Masterpiece MP-56+ Hoist

“Unveiling the Emperor’s Scroll” — The “Frankenstein’s Monster”: MP56+ Riggorus

▼The MP56+ prototype is based on the Diaclone yellow Trailbreaker. After being “MP-ized” by TT, it was repackaged with a new identity as a Decepticon medic named Riggorus. The toy’s outer box retains the classic Masterpiece (MP) car-style design. Upon opening, the contents are sparse: a main body, a pair of interchangeable hand cannons (manual calls them “Yellowing Cannons”), shoulder cannons, and a protective field effect part that originally belonged to MP56 Trailbreaker — we all know why this accessory was bundled with the niche 56+…

▼Included materials: a manual, G1-style sticker sheet, and a character card. Since mine is the Japanese release, the Chinese manual is absent (reportedly criticized by a certain YouTuber for terrible translations!). The character card shows Riggorus has surprisingly high stats!

▼Vehicle Mode: Shares the Toyota Hilux base with Trailbreaker, but Riggorus’ vibrant yellow paint clashes with its “work truck” premise. The overall vehicle looks sharp, though the legs tucked under the chassis are overly exposed, breaking immersion.

▼Robot Mode: Riggorus’ transformation feels like a patchwork of MP56 Trailbreaker and MP58 Hoist engineering. Complexity is moderate, with challenges concentrated in head storage and arm transformation — lots of flipping parts with interference issues. The retro head sculpt pays homage to the original G1 toy with refined aesthetics. However, to replicate the G1 toy’s iconic “giant shorts” silhouette, articulation suffers severely:No waist bend/swivel (a step back from Trailbreaker’s 3.0 articulation).Over-the-shoulder arm design limits lifting angles. This “3.0” toy’s posability regresses to 2.0-era levels.

▼Compared side-by-side with the 1980s Diaclone original, accuracy is impressive — but will modern fans embrace this vintage robo-chic?

▼Summary: For collectors who already own MP56 Trailbreaker and MP58 Hoist, and aren’t diehard G1 purists, this “Frankenstein’s Monster” can be skipped. However, for G1 old-school devotees, it remains a justifiable buy — absolutely worth considering.

07/11/2023
Takara Tomy Masterpiece MP-56+ Hoist
Pictures updated.