Scaled to the same height as 20th Anniversary Optimus Prime and designed in only twelve days by Hisashi Yuki,[2] Masterpiece Megatron is an incredibly complex figure—potentially one of, if not the, most complicated Transformers toys to date—designed to depict a fairly show-accurate Megatron capable of transforming into a realistic (if oversized) Walther P-38. In achieving this seemingly impossible goal, Megatron winds up with the least articulation of the Masterpiece line, as well as a notably low percentage of die-cast metal.
Like Prime before him, Megatron comes with several of his iconic accessories from the Generation 1 cartoon: his energon mace from "More than Meets the Eye, Part 2", the energy dagger and laser pistol used in his duel against Prime in The Transformers: The Movie, and a tiny translucent Kremzeek figure. His fusion cannon also contains a powerful red LED activated when the round detailing on the side of his cannon is pressed. Unfortunately, Megatron lacks the extended-stock and silencer parts to complete his gun mode, leaving him as a standard pistol aside from the mounted-scope made from his Fusion Cannon.
Due to concern surrounding updated realistic toy gun laws, some online importers modified Masterpiece Megatron in order to safely get the toy through United States customs. This customarily involved inserting plugs into the tip of the toy's barrel, from rounded red ones affixed by adhesive to flat-tipped yellow ones that could be easily removed. Ultimately, there were no reports of problems with the toy making its way into America, but Australia was another matter. Considered a replica gun and therefore a "restricted import" by Australian Customs, both mass shipments and individual packages of the toy were seized, requiring buyers in some areas to obtain a special permit to own him.
Given the relatively thin clips throughout the toy to hold it tightly together in gun mode, Megatron's plastic components are particularly prone to breakage, especially on the clips on the upper black grip plates and some of the silver sections near the trigger. Many owners of this figure have also reported rust and tarnish problems on what few metal pieces he has.