[REVIEW] Beginning of Dave's 20th Prime Rant
Dave Van Domelen
20th Anniversary Optimus Prime
This is a review that will definitely be "in progress" for a while.
Between the complexity of the toy and the fact that I have to get up early
the rest of the week, I'll be doing dribs and drabs each night. Unlike most
reviews I do in pieces, though, I'm making this available from the start, and
will probably incorporate various comments from readers as I go (please save
comments until I've covered a section...I've been following various postings
and do know about a lot of the features already).
CAPSULE
20th Anniversary Optimus Prime: Will update this later, but frankly, if
you have the sixty or seventy bucks to spare, get this big boy. $63.62 at
Wal-Mart.
RANT
This is the most expensive single Transformer (TM) I've ever bought
(although Gradion still holds the title of most expensive transforming toy),
although I was pleasantly surprised to find the final retail cost in the
$60-$70 range, not the $90+ expected when the toy was first announced. I was
also surprised to see the local Wal-Mart, which is preparing to move to a new
location, still committed to a case of these.
Packaging (unopened):
This is a big, heavy box with a slightly irregular shape and a "bay
window" clear plastic front. It weighs 3 lbs 9.4 oz, a mass of 1.624 kg.
It's a bit awkward to carry unless you have hands that can palm a basketball,
and it barely fits in a handbasket.
The total height is 15" (38cm), total width is 8.5" (22cm), total depth
is 5.5" (14cm). The top slopes down, so from the side the box is almost a
trapezoid, with the shorter front leg being only 14" (35cm) tall. It seems
like it should be even less than that, but the top only drops one inch from
back to front. From above, the shape is a rectangle with the two front
corners cut off at 45 degrees. The front length of this irregular hexagon is
5.5" (14cm), and the short sides flanking the front are each 2.25" (6cm) long
on the sloped top panel, 3" (8cm) at the flat bottom. For those counting at
home, yes, this is not quite right. In fact, the front panel slopes back
away from the front: the depth of the box drops to only 4.5" (11cm) at the
top, losing an entire inch of depth as you go from bottom to top.
The clear window is also irregular in shape, wrapping around the front
three sides of the box (the "true" front and the cut-off flanking bits).
It's about 10" (25cm) high most of the way around, although the 20th
Anniversary logo reduces it to 9" (22cm) high in the middle. There is also a
clear patch on the top of the box, more on that in a little bit.
Visible inside: Prime is in robot mode, more or less just standing there
holding his rifle, bound in by a lot of twist-ties and a few rubber bands.
His eyes catch any light and reflect it strongly, being foil-covered. All
panels and the like are closed. The energon axe is on the plastic tray next
to his right upper leg, and the Megatron gun mode is up over his left
shoulder, with stock bent down. The Matrix is on the tray over his right
shoulder. Behind all the twist-ties and plastic trays and stuff is visible
the repair bay pattern of the carboard tray.
General color scheme: Dark brown with red grid on front and top, some
red and orange "bleeding" onto the sides and in areas on the back. The back
has the grid as well, but a big glowy Autobot symbol, as well as orange and
yellow blocks around the pictures.
Front details (including flanking mini-sides): At the top is the G1
Transformers logo (1984 style) in metallic foil. To the left is the number
80500, to the right is a "Age: 5+" warning. At the bottom center is a big
gold-foil-enhanced Matrix with "1984-2004", huge "20th" and small
"Anniversary" in the middle. Below this is a red and orange box with white
border and "OPTIMUS PRIME" in white with black drop shadow and a foil-
enhanced Autobot symbol on the left. To the left of this is the advisory,
"Batteries included. Replace with 2 x 1.5V "A76" or LR44 size alkaline
batteries. Phillips/cross head screwdriver (not included) needed to replace
batteries." To the right is the usual choking hazard warning.
Left side: A stack of four pictures with captions. Each photo has a
glowing yellow aura and a background of jumbled orange/yellow boxes. From
top to bottom: Autobot Matrix of Leadership (shown opened), bust shot of
Prime removing the Matrix from his chest, upper body shot of Prime with chest
open with Matrix lit up, over the right shoulder shot of Prime talking on his
wrist communicator to what appears to be Starscream (will know more once I
actually open the toy).
Right side: Same sort of deal as the left. Top to bottom show: Prime
holding Megatron in gun mode, Prime holding his Ion Blaster, Prime with right
hand replaced with Energon Axe, closeup of rear wheels pointing out the
spring suspension.
Top: Upper left has a non-foil G1 logo. Upper right has the
Transformers.com logo. Lower right has the Hasbro logo. And in the middle
is a window in the shape of an Autobot symbol, with a painted clear plastic
Autobot symbol 2.75" (7cm) high. Placing this under strong light lets the
light stream in as if through a stained glass window, although the effect is
somewhat muted by all the plastic trayness inside.
Bottom: The usual indicia and legalese, such as "Product colors may
vary". The P/N is 6294330000, and I got the black gun variant. The P/N
normally ends in 0100 if it's an official variant, so it looks like the gun
color doesn't make the cut for that. However, it's easy to tell which gun
you have without opening the package, so the P/N isn't as vital to figuring
uot variants. Oh, and because some people care about these things, the UPC
code number is 0 76930 80500 8.
Back: Topped by the G1 Transformers logo and the 20th Anniversary logo,
but there's no foil anywhere on the back. Below this, with a big "F", is a
chunk of text I'll quote momentarily. Then there's photos of Masterpiece
Prime with the 20th Prime battle scorchings added (yes, it's definitely
Masterpiece Prime, it has the long smokestacks of the Japanese version).
Robot mode above, cab mode below. Below the pictures are some more legalese
and a stamped number. Mine was 33541, I think...hard to read. If this is a
number of issuing, there's a LOT of these babies out there.
Text: "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings..." That quote is
what makes OPTIMUS PRIME the most fearless and revered of all AUTOBOT leaders
throughout time. As keeper of the awesome Autobot Matrix of Leadership, he
is an eternal symbol of hope in the battle for peace in the Universe.
OPTIMUS PRIME is the protector of all life and the embodiment of wisdom,
courage, and the unquenchable spark of true heroism. Even in the face of the
harshest odds, his AUTOBOT comrades draw strength and inspiration from his
selfless acts of valor as he leads them on the path to victory against the
evil DECEPTICON forces. OPTIMUS PRIME leaps into the battle with his arch
enemy, MEGATRON, equipped with the massively powerful Ion Blaster, highly
advanced communication, interception and defense technologies, and the
ability to retract his hand and replace it with a deadly Energon Axe.
And that's abot as much as I can do tonight, my eyes are blurring and my
typo rate is getting annoying. Tomorrow or Thursday, I discuss opening the
box! And maybe even some basics of the robot mode, too.
Dave Van Domelen, kinda having issues with his new glasses....
Dan McCarthy
>Tomorrow or Thursday, I discuss opening the
> box!
Hoo, boy- you might need to devote an entire day for that one. It
took me longer to get the figure out of the box than it did for me to
learn how to transform him.