Toys : Transformers Encore Optimus Prime

In association with Amazon.com

Rating:

- Nostalgia
Well after the release of last year's live action movie I've been wanting to unearth my original Optimus for some time now. When I went to see the movie I picked up the Optimus Prime two pack, a pack that came with 2006's rerelease of the G1 Prime and a version of the movie Prime. Mostly I got the pack out of a desire to get a G1 Prime again. Of course that version was nothing like the original I got for my birthday in either '84 or '85, no trailer, no Roller, a tommy gun style machine gun that itself transforms instead of Prime's classic laser rifle, and a stupid punching action feature. While it was nice to at least have a G1 style Prime, it wasn't the same.

Then I saw the Encore version and I had to get it. Hey, it looked very much like what I'd gotten as a kid better than twenty years ago. Plus, it would be in one piece, something I haven't been able to say about mine since I lost it's fist's back in the spring of '86. Not to mention I wouldn't have to tear my place apart look for it.

So, how does the Encore version compare to the original Optimus Prime? Well, it's very similar, but not exactly identical. First off, once I got the box itself out of the shipping box my first thought was that the box seemed smaller than the one I'd gotten all those years ago. Ok, that's acceptable. Could be my memory is off (I did loose the box within a week or so of getting Prime originally) or it could be the use of more compact packaging. But once I got Prime out and transformed I was asking the same thing about him. Prime does seem slightly smaller than the '80s release, but not terribly so.

The trailer, on the other hand, I'm positive is smaller. I used to be able to fold the missile launghing unit down on it's base and close both halves of the trailer with just a fraction of an inch clearance between the top of the missile launcher and the top of the trailer. Here I've got to fold the missile launcher down over Roller in order to close the trailer.

Roller isn't the same Roller as I got back in the '80s. That Roller was kind of a dark blue and this one's a grey. However, Roller came in several different colors back in the '80s and even in the cartoon Roller wasn't always the same color. In at least two different episodes one had him grey, and the other a light purple. So grey here is perfectly acceptable. Size wise Roller seems the same as the original release.

Beyond size the only other differences I notice came from Optimus fists, his rifle, and the ability to launch missiles and Roller. Now on my original I remembe the fists as having holes that go clear through the fist for inserting his rifle. Here there are holes only on one side. This gives them a slightly better look, however there's still a little bit of plastic left over around the holes. This could, of course, be trimmed away for a more natural look. The rifle, however, is just wrong in my opnion. The rifle on my original Prime looked more like it did in the cartoon series. This one looks more like an image I've seen online from an IDW comic. It's something I can live with, but it looks so wrong to me. As for the launching of the missiles and Roller, the springs are much more powerful. I really like that on the missiles as mine never did launch on the original toy, they'd just get a fraction of an inch (probably a sixteenth or less) out of their starting postion and I'd have to pull them out. But for Roller I don't like it as much. On the original it was just strong enough that Roller would roll down the ramp rather than being blasted off the back of the trailer/deck without ever touching the ramp.

Beyond that, however, I find the Encore Optimus Prime quite a delight to have. Things are written in Japanese, which might be a problem for some. Having transformed my original probably around a thousand times or better it was like riding a bike. Once you learn you don't forget type thing. So I didn't pay attention to the transformation directions. But for someone who has never transformed a G1 Prime, at least the pictures should be able to be followed if they can't read the writing. Stats, unfortunately, are something those of us who can't read Japanese will have to hit the net for. Oh well, but that's not really what folks are after all. Their after the figure itself.

Price is something I expect to be in the range I paid. If you as me the Encore line isn't really marketed towards kids but more towards the adults who grew up with G1 Transformers. I've looked at some online shops selling vintage G1 figures and their certainly not cheap, as one should expect. On one site just the cab/robot alone (no trailer, fists, weapon, Roller, etc.) sells for about the same as what Amazon is charging for this Encore Prime. And that's just a starting price. To get a nearly complete Optimus Prime (just missing one accesory that really wouldn't be too heavily missed) will run $200. That's for a vintage figure folks, this isn't vintage. It's more of a rerelease in brand new condition. As I said, I expect this is being marketed more to those of us who grew up with Transformers starting in the '80s and want to capture a piece of our childhood we might have either lost or were denied at that time. So I'd expect it to be selling around $70-$75 or better.

What this set is really about is nostalgai. As I have already said, the Encore line is probably more gear towards those of us who were kids when G1 was all new. For the folks who have only experinced Optimus through the more modern cartoons or the movie, this version isn't going to look right. They might be able to accept the Classics line Optimus, they might even accept this one. But they are going to be more likely to be drawn to Optimus as he's appeared in Armada, Energon, Cyberton, and the live-action movie. This is the Optimus children of the '80s would know, and we'd be more likely to be attracted to it. Now we're in our 20s and 30s and we'd be looking back a little more fondly on things from our childhood. We'd be looking to relive that childhood, or at least manage to get things we couldn't back then. So why not market something that brings back a nostalgaic feel?

Over all, I am quite excited to once more have my very first Transformer in complete condition.

Rating:

- Similar to original
Product is similar to the original I had as a child. The fit and finish of the materials are also similar to the original. Product is fragile. It is a collectible and should be treated as such. A nice piece for any collector.

Rating:

- Encore Optimus Prime
For the price it seems rather small, however the Transformer fan was happy to see this under the tree!! Transforms quickly and is played with daily, I would not recomend this toy for any children under 10 years of age since the parts are small and could possibly break off if force is used. I think this is really a "collectors" toy but if you have Transformer fans then this is a good buy!

Rating:

- For It's Purpose, I Love it!
I'm a transformers geek and proud of it! When I heard about the movie a few years ago, I was amped up and counting down the days. Along with G.I. Joe, He-Man, Voltron, Go-Bots and M.A.S.K, I grew up with Transformers. These were the coolest toys to me and they were loads of fun to play with and there was a wide range of them to choose from, from the combiners to Omega supreme to the cheaper smaller robots to Megatron and Optimus.

As a kid, of course I didn't know what the future really held and that these would be such great collector pieces (if you did, you were a step ahead of the rest). But when I saw this Takara Optimus Prime re-issue come out, I had to check it out. For a small window, it was available on Amazon for a discount (along with Soundwave, Megatron and Starscream) and I had to pounce. What to say about it - it's a SPITTING image of the original Optimus Prime I had as a kid. All the way down to the trailer and even packaging - at least as best as I can remember. I have to admit though - I'm a 'in the box' type of collector so this one's not leaving it. But I do have my old, old Optimus Prime (and it's in very rough shape) and it is exactly the same. It's the same... can't say it enough. The back of the box, if you remember them as a kid, is like the old Transformer boxes in the early-mid 80's when they were new - with the scene of the 'toy-battle'. Mind you, this isn't of "Masterpiece" quality like a lot of the hard-core collectors are into. This one's just like the toy when I was a kid. Yes... I know... "if you're collecting toys, how can you say you're anything but a kid right now". lol

Anyways, I love that some of these nostalgic toys are becoming so widely available. I know that the current 'boom' for the transformers won't last forever - maybe a pick-up around the holidays, so I expect this one to get a little bit pricier again in the future. But this is a good one to display on the shelf - I like it.

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