This is far from being a complete collection of Optimus
Prime models
- a quick look in the booklet which comes with Masterpiece Prime proves
this - but these
are some of the main ones. This collection shows that Optimus Prime
(known in Japan as
Convoy, a name taken from Takara's Diaclone range) has remained a
popular choice as leader
of the Autobots in every range of Transformers since they first started
out, 20 years ago.
Without further ado, here is my collection of Optimus Prime models, now
listed
chronologically... More recent additions
are at the bottom until I have time to completely redo this page!
(1) Original Optimus Prime - isn't he dinky? Never one of the larger TransFormers, the first ever Optimus Prime works very well as both truck and robot (though not half as good in robot form as 20th Anniversary Prime). The only downside, really, was that his fists are plugged into holes in his truck headlights when the transformation from truck to robot is complete. Exactly the same model (in white, and minus the clear windscreen) was later used for the 'innards' of original Ultra Magnus. Good rubber tyres, but (obviously) lacking the suspension of the collector's piece.
(2) Powermaster Optimus Prime - with Hi-Q plugged into his chest, Optimus Prime combines with his trailer to form one of the boxiest, least articulate versions of Optimus Prime ever. Later versions revised the design slightly (giving him retractable hands, for example), but the fact remains that this is actually a pretty terrible toy. In 'standard' mode, Prime looks puny, is pretty inarticulate, all the tyres are plastic rather than rubber, and most of the figure's detail is in the stickers (no real windows?). The trailer's 'base' mode is completely uninspiring, and does very little... though the grey guns can seat any Powermaster. Not that I have any others... they all seemed pretty crappy.
(3) Optimus Primal - the Beast Wars incarnation. Only the head is recognisably Optimus Prime, the rest of him is just a gorilla that transforms (loosely) into a robot. It's among the least complicated transformation sequences ever (second only to Powermaster Prime, and much simpler than BW Megatron). The gorilla is quite convincing, but the robot looks awful. The only good point is the spring-loaded release for the shoulder-mounted rocket launchers, and the concealed weapon in the left wrist.
(4) Omega Prime (inset) - almost as tall as Masterpiece Prime, and one of the best things about the Robots In Disguise range, Omega Prime is a combination of Optimus Prime (main torso, and most of the legs) and Ultra Magnus (chest, head, lower arms and lower legs). Surprisingly articulate for a gestalt TransFormer, and very well armed, with a gun which can take three forms (with separate sound effects for each). Literally covered in molded detail and a fair bit of paint, this is a very impressive robot, even with no die-cast parts.
(5) RiD Optimus Prime (Fire Convoy) - One of the few versions of Optimus Prime that isn't an articulated truck, Robots in Disguise Prime is a firetruck (with lights and sound). This is his 'Super' form, where the cab combines with the back of the firetruck to create a larger robot. Very heroic looking, but very different from the other versions.
(6) Armada Super Optimus Prime - very close in stature to Omega Prime and Masterpiece Prime, this is also one of the least posable versions of Prime, though still far better than the chunky Powermaster. Add to that, the lights and sounds, and the very impressive auto-transforming trailer and you have a fairly decent Prime for a few games of TransFormers Pokémon... oops, I mean Armada. The right fist of the Super robot contains a red LED, activated by a small grey button on the shoulder. This makes the gun flash as it's fired, or lights up (part of) the Star Sabre when Prime holds it.
(7) 20th Anniversary Masterpiece Optimus Prime - a full 12" of Heroic Autobot Leader. Designed to be as much like the cartoon Prime as possible, while still transforming into a reasonable truck, this is a most excellent action figure and collector's piece. His transformation is far more complicated than the original, and yet still quite similar, broadly speaking. The amount of superfluous detail - the line work all over the figure, the windscreen wipers, the 'vent' things on his legs - manage to add quite a lot to an already impressive figure.
(1) Original Optimus Prime (just for comparison)
(2) Powermaster Optimus Prime (Truck only) - easily one of the worst looking versions of Prime, this doesn't even use the front of the truck as his chest - it's an anime-style chest from the inside (behind the folded-back arms) of the truck. The silver on the legs comes from a couple of stickers, and the chunky feet are joined. Worse still, the arms are only articulated at the elbow, and the guns are so large, he can only aim downward.
(3) RiD Optimus Prime (Cab only, inset shows upgrades) - the basic version of Robots in Disguise Prime is the tallest of these 'basic' Primes. He keeps the colourscheme of the original, more or less, but gives it a shiny, Sci-Fi style. The head shares common elements with the original Prime, and with the larger, combined version of this model. Even at this size, the robot is very poseable, certainly more so than RiD Ultra Magnus, but his gun is utterly weedy. Parts of the trailer can be used to augment this robot, giving him shoulder-mounted missile launchers (straight out of Gundam, Macross and Virtual On) and a larger fist with a cannon mounted on the arm.
(4) Armada Optimus Prime (Truck only) - a very stocky robot, and one which would be a lot more poseable if it weren't for his 'skirt' (which actually becomes his shoulders when in Super mode). Like Powermaster Prime, the gun looks a little large for this robot and, in fact, the instructions suggest that his smokestacks should be taken off his arms and joined together to form a smaller gun. The cutest thing about this version of Armada Prime is that - like the 20th Anniversary model - he has a button on the top of his head to make his mouth plate move.
(1) Original Optimus Prime - Considered at the time
to be the epitome
of cool, Optimus Prime's grey trailer opens up into the Command Deck.
Inside is Roller,
the semi-autonomous mini car (which doesn't transform) and a gun
station. Fairly basic by
today's standards, but it worked nicely. The trailer was large enough
to house one of the
larger Autobot cars, assuming Roller wasn't inside.
(See the Masterpiece Trailer at Mark's
Projects)
(2) Powermaster Optimus Prime - Again, Powermaster is the least impressive. Nothing but fold-out panels and the detachable elements from both truck and Robot modes. The two grey cannons protrude over the two side bays, and the pin which connects the trailer to the truck is supposed to be another gun. The bays are too small for larger Autobots, and look a bit silly with nothing but Minis.
(3) RiD Optimus Prime - Kind of a radar station with guns, and it doesn't look that great because there are so many parts which are recongisably parts of the Super robot. No connectors or bays for other Autobots on this one... but then, this was a small range of toys anyway.
(4) Armada Optimus Prime - A pretty incredible feat of toymaking, this one. Stick in the batteries (4 x AA, remember), transform the cab into Robot mode, and the trailer will automatically fold out into base mode... Assuming you've disconnected the side pieces, that is. If not, it'll just click for a while and not move. Plenty of interactivity in the form of lights and sounds, as well as a few Minicon-activated features and two Minicon bays at either side. Transform the cab into Super Torso mode, and the base folds back in to form the legs of the Super robot. What I don't quite understand is why only one of the legs has a missle launcher in it, when the other has the same shape molded into it...
More versions of Optimus Prime from throughout the ages...
(1) Galaxy Convoy - easily
the best of the most recent (non-Masterpiece) incarnations of Optimus
Prime, even though the continued use of 'Supermodes' seems to be
detracting from the original idea of TransFormers, quite apart from the
key-activated gimmicks used throughout the Galaxy Force/Cybertron line.
Like the RiD version, Galaxy Convoy transforms into a firetruck, but
this one is far more detailed and angular, making for a much sharper,
more impressive model in both modes. Add the crazy flight feature,
accessed by pulling down the truck's side panels to form 'wings' and
you've got an excellent model with lots of play value.
(2) G2 Convoy Reissue - a
much improved version of the original Generation 2 Optimus Prime, with
a chromed chest instead of the original dull grey. This reissue, unlike
the Nemesis Prime/Black Convoy/Scourge repaint, has the lighting
features - push a button on the robot's back (the roof of the cab, in
truck mode) and an LED in the right fist lights up, illuminating either
the double-barrelled handgun (quite effectively) or the clear plastic
sword (not so effectively, unless in a very dark room!). Back in
Generation 1 days, this would have been one of the most poseable models
around - with joints at the hips, knees, shoulders, and elbows... The
only thing that really gets in the way of some truly dramatic stances
is the lack of movement in the ankles.
(3) Beast Wars Neo/II Lio Convoy
- a Holy Grail of mine which, for many years, I thought I'd missed out
on. Then I discovered Ebay. Comparatively speaking, this model is
actually quite poseable, and the white lion alternate mode is very
impressive in its own way. Transformation is very intricate, and some
of the parts seem a little too flimsy for the job, to be honest. This
model has some quite neat special features, from the spring-loaded
missile launchers concealed in the lion's mane (which turn up on the
robot's wrists and on the right shoulder) and the push-button
shoulder-blade and lion roar (sadly no sound effect... leave that for
the Masterpiece version!). This model also has a door over its 'Matrix
Annex', though nothing within is removeable.
(4) Robot Masters Lio Convoy
- One that I snapped up almost as soon as it was announced, before I
managed to find the full-size version. Despite being about half the
size of the original, this version is far more poseable, thanks to
ball-jointed ankles. Other than that, it's basically the same model in
miniature, with a few design enhancements here and there. While both
versions have claw weapons in robot model, this version is the only one
to have a specific handgun, which can be upgraded by attaching the
separate pieces which act as the missile launchers of the larger
version. The shoulder-blade is no longer button-activated, though it
does still spin, and the lion roar is slightly enhanced, in that the
eyes change.
(5) Alternators Optimus Prime -
Plagued by loose joints, this nevertheless makes a halfway decent
attempt at bringing Optimus Prime into the Alternators/Binaltech line.
Obviously it's not quite up to the same quality as the eventual
Japanese release (which turned up as the first in the 'Kiss Player'
series), but a decent model nonetheless. From the outside, the
alternate mode - the Dodge Ram SRT pickup truck - looks very good, but
the design flaws become obvious once you see the gaping hole under the
bonnet.
(6) Hybrid Style Generation 1 Convoy - Easily the smallest, fully poseable Optimus Prime EVER, this is very much like the Masterpiece version, only about a fifth of the size. Also, unlike the initial release of Masterpiece Convoy, this model comes with a trailer which not only has the repair drone, but a mini Roller (with steering!) too. Despite the small size and complicated transformation (which often results in two halves of a model due to the ball-jointed waist), this has a much better robot mode than you might expect. While there's no hand articulation, as such, the package comes with six alternate hands (three of each), the energy axe seen in the TV series pilot, and a version of his rifle which can be held two-handed, just like in the animated movie. The only complaint one could level at this model is that the truck he transforms into just doesn't look right - the front wheels seem too small and too far inside the wheel arches, and the tail end of the truck looks eerily like two legs of a giant robot.