Soundwaves Oblivion: Transformer Toy Archive: Masterpiece Dirge MP-11ND

Sunday, 10 September 2017

Masterpiece Dirge MP-11ND

Profile (Translated from the Trading Card)
MP-11ND Destron New Jetron Warrior Dirge
Function: New Jetron Warrior
Motto: "Fear is the element that unites all losers."
Profile:
The Aerial Warrior Dirge is one of the new members of the Jetrons. Transforms into a jet equipped with a canard (front wing); his engines emit ultrasonic waves which can destroy nearby structures as well as instilling fear to those who hear them. Escaped a space prison long ago; his dark and destructive impulses even frighten his companions.
STR:7; INT:8; SPD:8; END:6; RNK:5; CRG:4; FBL:8; SKL:9

Masterpiece Dirge with the Platinum Edition reissue Dirge

For some reason the G1 version of Dirge has never seen a mainstream release in Japan. Dirge was originally only available as a mail away figure in Takaras 1986 and 1987 mail away leaflets. This mail away version was sold in Hasbro's North American packaging.

In 2001, Dirge was reissued in Japan with a host of many other original Transformer figures and was an exclusive to the 20th Century Toy Museum and was limited to 1000 pieces.

Masterpiece Dirge was a Takara Tomy Mall exclusive in Japan and was limited to 2000 pieces and was released around May 2017. Dirge is the final Destron jet to be released and uses MP-11NR Ramjets mould but features a remoulded face and wings. As these are expensive figures you would expect a certain quality however Masterpiece Ramjet was plagued with a lot of quality control issues, Masterpiece Thrust who followed has a very loose waist. Dirge however seems to have no quality control issues at all, it's a shame they finally got it right with the final release.

Dirge comes with 2 Sonic Missiles which like Ramjets missiles, separate and slide over Dirges arm cannons. Dirge also comes with a translucent hologram pilot, as this was an expensive exclusive I'd liked to have seen Dirge come with Shawn Berger from the G1 cartoon episode Megatron's Master Plan Part 1 & 2.