Back when yours truly was learning about Transformers more often in 2011, I discovered different continuities, multiple toylines, and different parts of what makes the franchise exciting, which included TakaraTomy and the third party side of things. It was interesting to see upgrade kits for pre-existing figures, fully original toys, and shrunken down iGear versions of Masterpiece Prime and the Seekers. Now, it's common to see upgrade kits for G1-related lines, Movie figures, some Prime releases, and plenty more, especially for the Generations-themed lines that grew in prominence. DNA Design is best known for making upgrade kits for the Studio Series and WFC Trilogy, and now they dipped their toes in the Masterpiece Movie line by reducing the issues of Ironhide's stability, giving Barricade his partner, and resolving a sin that Starscream committed as an expensive, modern-day action figure. Now let's see what the DK-12 MPM-6 Upgrade Kit and the DK-26 Gear Master Accessory kit have to offer.
Let's start off the more required upgrade kit of the two, that being the DK-12 set. Included are a back brace, two rifles based on the ones from Dark of the Moon (each with their own different sculpts), two knives meant to go with the rifles, and two adaptors that may pass for ammo clips. Almost every accessory is molded in a black or dark gunmetal gray plastic with silver paint apps applied throughout the toy.
Here is Ironhide's back with and without the accessory. On its own, it doesn't really look that incomplete, but the gaps that go behind all of the parts do mean that there could have been a way to make it less noticeable on a figure this expensive. Luckily, the back brace keeps everything secure for the chest, keeping it from becoming loose and unstable from trying to pose the arms. You interestingly have an Autobot insignia outline in the center of it, though no badge is tampographed for obvious trademark reasons.
Here is one of the two rifles that he comes with, showcasing the level of details included from the sculptwork and the added paint apps. These are almost reminiscent of how I'd expect Hasbro to paint up the accessories of a Voyager Class figure, or at most a Leader, but they look good overall, and I do appreciate the faithfulness they have to the designs in the movie.
You can slide the knife out and have it be held in his hands, though the grip isn't the best. However, the guns can be held with no real issue, especially with the back adaptor.
These weapons can attach to the back, and I also like how they possess a similar level of asymmetry much like how the arm cannons on Ironhide did. With the back panels now in-between the two canons, Ironhide feels much more complete.
As for the adaptors, they add a much better connection to the panels and tabs of the forearms. While not 100% perfect because the pieces kind of like to be less secure with the clear parts on the forearm panels, they are a much better connection than whatever the fuck the HasTak designers were thinking. I mean, on top of having nonexistent solidity, you're relying on the least reliable use of clear plastic for something like this. So once again, not 100% perfect, but better than before.
Now your Ironhide is ready to kill some punk-ass Decepticons! I do find it sad that Hasbro could have easily included the Dark of the Moon guns so they don't have to worry about making the DOTM release any less interesting beyond the new weapons. I mean, if Optimus can have the two blades and the Matrix despite those being in ROTF, why can't Ironhide have the other guns? Oh and as the box shows, he comes with a Bad Mojo leaking lubricant all over his foot. Let's hope it's not going to rust.
Next up for the other upgrade kit, here's the Frenzy figurine. This guy is meant to go with Barricade given how the Decepticop was missing his little partner in the Masterpiece line as well as Studio Series. It's even worse how Scorponok was present in both lines while the boombox boi can't even pop up in that Buzzworthy 2-pack with his friend and Clunkerbee! Anyways, this Frenzy is designed to be inaccurate for the purpose of overall stability. In an essence, he looks like a more refined version of that Fast Action Battlers' toy, but not as fat and obviously lacking the ability to transform into a boombox. He's also got some spikes on his arms and back as well as some very long heels.
Head sculpt looks like how it should in the movie, with Frenzy having a very alien design that also possessed two pairs of eyes that are unusually blue for his allegiance. Apart from that, his articulation consists of a ball joint and two neck hinges, shoulders that are on ball joints for the butterfly joints and the shoulders, elbow bends with the very noticeable screws, a waist swivel, ball joints for the hips and the thighs, a knee bend, ankle hinges, and ball-jointed pivots. The tolerances of the ball joints could be better, though.
The gun mode's transformation is pretty neat with how the arms and the back spines serve as the front while Frenzy desperately tries to hide his head. The thighs, feet, and heels also become the back part of the toy as the latter serves as the handle. It's not a particularly unique design that sticks out for weapons, but it does feel alien enough.
The weapon does look as though it belongs to Barricade, though I have to admit I don't normally see Barricade as the kind of guy to use guns, since I know him best as the guy who uses a flail attack. The grip of the handle could be better, but so long as the fingers are tight, then it should be no issue. For a size-comparison, he is noticeably taller than he normally is in the movies, with Frenzy almost being 7 feet tall as was the case with the old figurine that came with the original Barricade. And I know people would wish for him to be in his chest, but I'd be okay if there was a display piece that lets you pose him coming out of the chest
And now for the Starscream half of the kit, you can tell how subtle the differences are at first glance. The sculptwork is different between the pieces, but believe me when I say that the result of the added articulation is much more appreciative. So on the left, the original forearms lacked any additional hinges meant to go with the swivels that were already on there, meaning any forearm rotation that worked with the elbow joint was nonexistent. Here, adding a new kind of joint for the latter, essentially a bicep swivel that also doubled with another elbow hinge, meant the arms can also bend inwards by using the replacement forearms.
The added articulation now has Starscream work with elbow swivels that were missing on the original release, something that should NOT be an issue for an expensive figure. I do wish his fingers would be replaced with more sturdy ones since my copy has them warped for the left hand somewhat. I will have to criticize them for not being tight enough to hold the weight of the weapons, something that affected the shitty ratchet joints of the shoulders. But regardless, these upgrade kits make for improvements that these figures should have had from the beginning. Okay, I would probably like to see HasTak implement the back brace without the partsforming, but Frenzy and added articulation on Starscream could have been easy additions for the toys. Regardless, these are highly recommended if you're not happy with the current state of the three figures in question.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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