A quickie on Optimus Prime :)

The title sounds rather wrong...

The intent, however, is all noble as I try to unravel, where possible, one of the mystery of the universe (lol) - the many versions / variants of Optimus Prime and how does one differentiate them in the market...and we are not even talking about the KOs (yet).

Pictures paint a thousand words. Have a look at these 4 variants first...can you spot the difference and identify the Optimus Primes?

Picture 1

Picture 2

 Picture 3

 Picture 4

In a glance :

All 4 cabs look quite similar - standard red body with blue legs but wait...check out the smokestacks and holographic rubsign. Prime (pic 1) has shorter smokestacks than the other 3 while Prime (pic 3) is without a holographic rubsign (ie. pre-rub). Prime (pic 4) has RED feet!!

All 4 trailers look quite similar too - in standard silverish grey color with the blue striped stickers and Autobot insignia but wait again...check out the metal plate tabs on the trailer (pic 3).

So, are you able to identify the Optimuses yet? It's alright, the answers could be found at the foot of this page. (Click on them for their individual reviews.) Yeah, definitely more than meets the eye *wink*...

(Answer : from top : TRU exclusive G1 Optimus Prime, standard G1 Optimus Prime, pre-rub "bloated fist" G1 Optimus Prime, Red Feet G1 Optimus Prime)

Back to 'basic'...Generation One Optimus Prime

FOC Optimus Prime at 50% off didn't happen...sigh...

I shall then continue my nostalgic walk down memory lane, yet again...this time with the 1984 Generation One (G1) Optimus Prime...

 Front

  

 Back - 1984 by Hasbro Bradley, after Hasbro acquired Milton Bradley

 Printed and manufactured in Japan, something you don't see nowadays...

 Empty box

 Cab and trailer - quite similar with the TRU version, only with longer smokestacks

 Chrome and stickers still look excellent

 Bottom of trailer - Takara Co. Ltd. 1980,1982, Hasbro 1980, 1982

 Yes, Prime comes with a holographic rubsign

 Booklets, instruction manual, catalogue

Hmmm...G1 or G2? Which Optimus Prime series (or generation) is better, relatively speaking? You would need to decide this on your own. Maybe you would prefer TF Prime instead? :P

G1 Optimus Prime (top), G2 Optimus Prime (bottom)

Commemorative series Optimus Prime

Following the success of the War For Cybertron (WFC) series (aka TF Generations), Hasbro followed up with the Fall of Cybertron (FOC) series which was recently released. Wave 1 consists of Optimus Prime, Jazz and Shockwave and consistent with how Hasbro manages its toy assortment nowadays, Shockwave ended up as the only sought-after item in the whole carton. Jazz had quality issues (if you're too rough transforming it, soon you would find extra pieces after transformation) while Optimus Prime...sadly to say, a fraction of who (or what) he should be...small and weakly looking as compared to its WFC predecessor.

Anyway, we'll revisit FOC Optimus Prime later...I don't feel the price is right for that small figure, not for now. Who knows, it might go on clearance sales at 50% off later?

In the meanwhile, let's stroll down memory lane and review the evergreen (after countless of reissues and minor modifications) Generation One (G1) Optimus Prime...this time, the 2002 release Toys R Us (TRU) exclusive Commemorative series I.

(top : Optimus Prime Commemorative series I, bottom : Powermaster Optimus Prime Commemorative series II)

Both series were in fact, TRU exclusive, released in 2002 and 2003 respectively. Optimus Prime were almost identical to its G1 predecessors (aka those releases of 1984, 1985, 1986 till 2000) except some recognizable (maybe insignificant to others) differences such as shortened smokestacks and longer firing missiles. I was made to understand that these modifications were done for safety reasons (yes, this is a toy, 5+ years up...haha!). 

Front

Back

2002 release...and yes, Made in China

 Empty box

Prime and its complete accessories...grey Roller here, quite similar with the bloated G1 Prime version



Chrome and stickers are still in good condition

 Desert Dog Formula tyres...still good

 Instructions

Holographic rub logo - changes color when touched

The 'man' himself - Optimus Prime 

Milk Magazine Optimus Prime

Nothing is of interest these days and please, enough of Vehicon...day in day out, it's all about Transformers Prime (TFP) and Vehicons...*yawn*

Again (for the umpteen times), what's with Vehicon!!??? Everyone seems to go ga-ga over this figure...*arrghhh*....

So, I thought it would be good to review something not-so-new, sort of a 'crossover' which probably did not garner enough attention since its release last year...

A sneak peek...

So, what has Milk got to do with Optimus Prime? Following the footsteps of an apparel company and its collaboration with Hasbro, Milk Magazine (basically, a Hongkong fashion magazine) released two versions of DOTM deluxe class Optimus Prime in conjunction with its 10th anniversary.

These two figures are apparently, exclusive and limited in nature...and the best part of it, they are hand-painted, comes in a premium paint job version (quite similar with the mass market release version) and black version (some says it resembles Black Convoy while others, Sleep Convoy). Whatever it is, I'm sold on the black...(couldn't manage to get my hands on the premium version though, so can't really compare...)

A real celebration in Prime style..haha...how apt...these figures were given away as commemorative gifts. I got mine off the market, fashion magazine ain't my cup of tea...

Yes, confirmed - it's by Hasbro... 

Simple packaging...Prime with its Mechtech weapon

Front view :

Back view :

Mechtech weapon (expendable to become a axe) :

Prime armed :

As this is hand-painted, didn't want to risk playing with it excessively...just by fiddling with it, I noticed some paint remnant on my palm. So, I stopped at the robot mode. If you really want to see it in alternate / vehicle mode, just google...cheers!

Yellowness hauls part 2...

A continuation of my yellowness hauls...

Finally, got my hands on this bling-bling beauty...Costco exclusive metallic Battle Ops Bumblebee!! I understand that this was a limited edition release...

(credit : google pic)

Not much difference between the normal HFTD Battle Ops Bumblebee and the Costco version - of course the color is different (duhh..), the Costco version comes with a rather 'classier' packaging, with 2 legend class figurines - Bumblebee (also gold in color) and Mudflap...unfortunately for me, the seller lost both...sigh...but doesn't really matter though...hmm, what else? Err...the fingers on the right hand is blue (normal) while it's translucent white for the Costco version, so when it's lighted up, the former is blue while the latter is red.

Both have equal play value in terms of electronics. Just press the autobot insignia - the eyes and front headlamps will lit up. Anyway, some simple shots before it is cabinet bound. In robot mode :

Vehicle mode : don't you just love these metallic colors?

In attack mode : just need to turn the cannons to face the front

LED lighted when buttons are pressed. Sorry for the blurred shot 'coz was trying to juggle between holding the camera and the Bumblebee :P

Bathing Ape Optimus Prime

What has Bathing Ape, basically an Japanese apparel store got to do with Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots?

They collaborated (yet again) and gave birth to Bathing Ape (BAPE) Optimus Prime (grey camo version)...this follows the earlier release of the green camo version which unfortunately, would be costing an arm and leg nowadays...wonder what will they come out next?? Maybe a purple version since it's the Shattered Glass version...

Nevertheless, as a fan of G1 Optimus Prime, how could I miss this for the collection? Buying from ebay saves me time and effort queuing in front of a BAPE store and the nearest one is down south..sigh...

Since I'm not going to unwrap this anytime soon, I'll just copy an image from the web just to illustrate the BAPE Prime being displayed...Now, to start the search for the green camo one...was on the trail of one earlier on ebay but lost to a fellow collector...*grumble*

Latest hauls of yellowness...

Wow...it has been a while since my last post...

Can't help it if I have no hauls since then. I've (in my opinion) completed my Optimus Primes (sure, there are some lines still missing eg. Alternity, Alternator, Robotmasters, Beast to name a few). I'm quitting Megatrons (still left 4 and are on my sell list). Rodimus isn't really my cup of tea (yup, also on my sell list). So, what's else to collect?

The other character which I do have a handful is none other than Bumblebee. Since this one is rather a shelfwarmer in most stores, hmmm....it's a good time to haul some then. More toystores are having their clearance sales, especially on the DOTM line which has bombed big time, relatively speaking to its previous 2 predecessors (TFTM and ROTF).

DOTM Bumblebees are going for "any 3 for RM100" and we have varieties to choose from...from the normal Bumblebee, Movie Exclusive Bumblebee (the one with numbers on its hood), Nitro Bumblebee to Cyberfire Bumblebee (bought this earlier, should have waited...)...wait, there's of course the Target Exclusive Bumblebee (slightly translucent in color and comes with a comic book).

The latest release of Transformers Prime (RID) Bumblebee unfortunately, falls into the same category of shelfwarmer. Having the most pieces in a case of deluxe assortment, its price has dipped recently from retail pricing of RM59.90 to RM30.00...

Coupled with my years-ago haul (Evolution of a Hero), behold - my latest Bumblebees collection...soon, I may need to change my nickname to "opbees" instead...haha