Transformers: Prime First Edition Optimus Prime review

[Kaylee]

(Original posted here: http://karl-lynch.tumblr.com/post/16855 ... imus-prime which includes pictures!)

Summary

A glorious figure, with a pleasantly challenging transformation and an adequate vehicle mode, spiritually murdered through monstrous production conditions.

Robot mode

The robot form is based on Prime’s appearance from the Transformers: Prime cartoon show. He’s sort of half-way between the classic Prime look (that is, a pile of red boxes atop a pile of blue boxes) and the Movie Trilogy Prime (a pelican covered in scrap metal walking on stilts).

I like it - he’s recognisable as Prime, looks suitably realistic and robotic but nowhere near as busy as the Movie Prime looks. Seriously, when Movie Prime moves, it’s like watching a whirlwind tear through Maplin Electronics. This also means he is sufficiently distanced from the classic Optimus that he can bring something fresh to the table and look a little less hardcore 1980s. Lego Transformers have more articulation than the original Prime did!

Prime includes see-through windows (in both robot and truck form) and clear blue eyes that reflect light through a small patch in the back of his head. He has articulation points in his neck (for rotation), shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hip, knees and ankles and is very posable.

He has a slightly metallic colour scheme, making the reds and blues glint just enough to make them look like more than just plain-old plastic.

The robot mode stands about 9” tall (~20cm). He includes a long gun, modelled heavily on classic Optimus’ photon rifle, and a rubber blue energy-sword. These accessories fit neatly into his hands.

Alt mode

Prime’s alternate form, like the 4,682,102 Primes before him (…okay, except that one. And that one.) is a truck. He’s a six-wheeled red tractor (sans trailer) with a large cab roof and a big engine hood. He looks pretty much the same as Movie Prime, just without the go-faster fireballs motif.

The truck windows are transparent and all the wheels spin independently. There is storage on his legs (the back of the truck) for his guns and also a hole that looks suitable for attaching a trailer if ever one is produced.

The truck mode is fine but not amazing. There’s just something about the level of detail lacking that makes it look just less impressive than his robot mode: it’s a little too plain and flat.

Transformation

The process of turning Prime into his truck form was rather taxing at first… until I did away with the instructions. Something about the illustrations, a two-sided, A3 step-by-step guide, just made the whole thing so much harder than it needed to be.

Left to my own devices I had him worked out in about 10 minutes and was soon able to comfortably change him back and forth.

In both robot and truck form there are plenty of pegs and hooks to lock him into place, so he feels good and solid. There aren’t too many parts in the process that put strain on the joints either - I’m a little concerned about his chest (which folds up when you turn him into a truck) but I think he’ll be fine.

Complicated enough to be interesting but not so complicated as to make you miserable (Binaltech Smokescreen, I’m looking at you.).

Good points

Lots of stuff here. Overall the level of detail is really good, particularly in robot form. His colours are clear and cheerful and the level of articulation is lovely.

His transformation is cute and not overcomplicated. The truck form is absolutely fine and solid and his weapons are easily stored.

A lovely little robot.

Bad points

There is a small amount of red paint splatter on Prime’s legs and wheels, presumably from the cab panel which is blue plastic and painted half-red as part of his decor.

Also his laser-sword is made of rubber, which means it tends to flop about and won’t stay straight (ooh-er). I’d have preferred a clear-plastic laser-sword, but it really doesn’t matter.

Apart from that, not much to complain about regarding the toy itself. He’s an awesome figure with excellent features.

However there is an elephant in the room which really makes me regret buying this figure. If you will forgive a little preaching, this toy was probably produced in awful conditions in an East Asian factory.

Unfortunately it didn’t cross my mind until I’d got Prime home- otherwise I’d have left him on the shelf. Yeah I know, very convenient… but the fact remains his adorable head sculpt was probably painted, along with thousands of others that day, by an underpaid Chinese woman working for less than $1 per hour.

Every time I look at the paint splatter on his legs, I wonder what condition the painter was working in. Did it splatter because it was the 12th hour of a 14 hour day? Was it just a small transgression for the sake of rebellion? Or did it just come out of a painting machine looking like that?

I don’t know, and in honesty it makes me sick thinking about it. The doubt alone is enough to make me unhappy. It makes me angry to think I’m now, knowingly, an accomplice in this system. A heartless mind might say “Well, it’s either these people work in monstrous conditions or they won’t have work at all”, but I don’t understand why it’s a choice between those two terrible extremes: why can’t they work normally for a fair wage?

Why, having purchased a children’s toy, do I feel like I’ve helped make the world just a slightly worse place?

Naturally Hasbro say the conditions are fine, but lots of evidence from NGOs seems to say otherwise.

I allowed those concerns to drift out of my head and got myself suckered in by the recent news that the TF:Prime First Editions are cancelled in North America ie they might be quite hard to find. What a soulless reason to give money to a Hasbro when they let their figures be produced this way.

Now I have a hard time looking at this figure. I decided that if I was going to waste words on something trivial (like how well my coloured piece of plastic can stand up or fold down) then I should spend a bit of time tackling these thoughts in my head.

Sadly no answers, just my nice piece of coloured plastic. Yay, I suppose. All I can do is perhaps choose to not purchase another one of these figures until these conditions change: to choose not to participate.

How did things get so far that a child’s toy is manufactured with human misery as the lubricant? Hasbro: change this. Both yourself and Takara-Tomy, who I assume is also involved, should be ashamed of yourselves.

…I know I am.

[bumblemusprime]

Ah, the dilemma...

This isn't any fun for those who like new shiny figures, but there are plenty of figures going loose and well-loved on eBay. (And cheap!) They may have originally come from Satan's workshop, but when you only buy loose you aren't perpetuating the system.

Plus, I scored all three Animated Dinobots in one go, for 40$, that way.

[Hot Shot]

I wish we were getting the rest of the First Editions here.


I'll probably get burned at the stake for this, but I try not to think about the work conditions in China. I think it's disgusting, but it's nothing new or unusual there. Change is needed, but a handful of toy collectors isn't going to bring it about. All I can realistically do is live with myself, I suppose.

Here's an idea, though: $1 US is a lot in China. If you buy stolen, unpackaged figures from the factory workers via eBay you'll be paying them much more money directly, AND you'll get new figures early.

[Kaylee]

Thanks for the ideas, it's a very tricky thing. I'll have a look on eBay in future for some pre-loved ones maybe...

[Best First]

well put K-boo.

[Aaron Hong]

Ah, the dilemma...

This isn't any fun for those who like new shiny figures, but there are plenty of figures going loose and well-loved on eBay. (And cheap!) They may have originally come from Satan's workshop, but when you only buy loose you aren't perpetuating the system.

Jeez. I don't think I've bought a MISB one since freaking Energon. Well, there was Animated Magnus that one time but it was clearance season...