4 post a month? That's a record for me. Still have a long overdue review for the recently acquired RG GP-01 fb. But since the new Trasnformers Movie toy line just popped out near my area, I thought long and hard if I want to purchase this. Eventually my capitalist mind won and got the new Voyager Optimus Prime. Is it any good?
The last movie brought us the excellent evasion mode Optimus Prime. While a good mold, I just don't like how the retail one has the non-faceplated head. Was never a fan of the long face and super low mouth look. Despite all the Dinobots, I never really got into the line. I just hope this purchase won't become a rabbit hole for me to start buying Transformers again.
This is the "premier edition", where everything is in this box. That includes the deluxes. Will the box change? Probably. I have to say, It looks good in the box.
The back shows a crappy pose and a 3d model of what it should look like. Remember this image as the final product, as expected, looks different. It also shows the black version of Grimlock.
The side shows an impressive image of Sir Optimus Prime.
Sir Optimus Prime on Transformers 4 was a complicated piece of CGI. The transformation is even more insane. Especially Galvatron with a design that says screw you Takara engineers. This one is reminiscent of the Leader class from the last movie line, but much more streamlined.
The panels that hang from the shoulder and sideskirts are gone, while the it retains the truck nose one the shins and feet. All the panels collapse in the large backpack.
The entire roof is literally one piece, while the sides of the truck folds into two. I'm sure there's a way to have it collapse better, but most Bay-former toys after the golden age kinda has a solid chunk on it's back. It's more Voyager Galvatron and less Evasion mode Prime. The overall sleeker design of the TF4 onwards just makes it extremely difficult to make transforming representation while being on a budget.
It's not lacking in details mind you. Just look at the molding of the actual bot mode. It's a dream for customizers are it has so many little mouldings you can detail. It's tons more screen accurate vs the old Leader.
Main issue with mainline Transformers is paint. I don't mind loosing the flames as that is difficult, but they painted metallic blue on the collar. Why? They could have left it grey or painted it the same silver as the entire abdomen area. The blue just ends as there's still one more plate that's grey.
The paint is applied in splashes of color with the exception of the front skirt. The the blue and the silver are crisp. The hand armor is unpainted. Also lots of parts are pinned in, making dis-assembly for painting difficult. The eyes are painted over with this bright splotch of blue, drowning all the details with it. The details are all there, but the paint application is a bit poor.
Even the butt and the insides of the panels have nice mouldings. Also... the butt is painted.
Overall, the voyager is tons more accurate than the mainline retail Leader from Transformers 4. The paint is not as good, but one needs to temper expectations with mainline Hasbro releases. Overall, it's the aesthetic of this thing just standing in it's package is what draws me so it must have done something correct right?
Sir Optimus trades in the build it heat sword and guns for hand held sword and shield. Swords will often require the thing wielding it to be poseable right?
The head is on a ball joint. It has fantastic range going up and limited going down.
Side to side is restricted by the giant collar. I do wish the head is a wee bit smaller.
The arm articulation is decent. It has bicep swivels, shoulders and 90 degree elbows. It has no wrist swivel. The transformation doesn't hinder the existence of a wrist swivel. So why no wrist swivel? On a sword wielder!
It has a waist joint at least.
It has universal jointed hips and thigh swivels. The knees have a 45 degree bend, which sucks of course as it allows for more dynamic poses.
It also has no ankle tilts. I don't mind the lack of ankle tilts as you can always use a base, but the wrist and limited knee cripples it so bad. It's really difficult to find a decent action pose.
Overall, the articulation is sub-par. The lack of wrist and the limited knee hurts it so bad. If it was a gun toting bot, it would have been easy but man. I don't know if Takara will re-engineer bits and pieces of it... so waiting for a better version might take a while (i.e. WeiJiang)
Sir Optimus uses 2 things during movie 4. A sword and a shield.
The sword is painted in eye searing orange which means it's the active mode. There's actually quite a nice bit of detail here.
The shield should have a 3 barrel cannon on it's tip. Weird how this is just a plain thin plastic painted in eye searing blue. It's suppose to be silver with red details.
The back has nice details though.
The shield pegs into the side of the forearms.
The sword sheathes into a slot at the back hidden by the cab kibble. No need to push it out of the way though.
And you get the completed Sir Prime. My main complaint: They're a bit too small. It's less great sword, more broad sword. The shield is also smaller than I would have liked. Still, it's more accurate vs the Original Hasbro leader.
You also have a port on it's butt to prop it to a tamashii stand.
Since it's a Transformer, it of course has to transform. It's certainly simpler compared to the HFTD Optimus. It's also a bit of a shell former but there is a nice trick to the way the arms and the feet transform into the hood. Overall transformation is nice. Would have loved more parts separation for the huge chunks of plastic but we're working on a budget here. The resulting truck is sleek. Would love to have painted rims but that's expecting too much.
I like it. I'm not sure if that blue stripe is suppose to be there though. You can watch the video review of Baltmatrix as there are parts of the transformation that's a bit abstract, like the shins.
The weapons store in the vehicle. The shield pegs into the back, while the sword neatly stores on a slot at the bottom of the truck. Here you can see the robot chilling inside the panels.
 |
| You know people who read these reviews tends to read message boards right? |
The last movie brought us the excellent evasion mode Optimus Prime. While a good mold, I just don't like how the retail one has the non-faceplated head. Was never a fan of the long face and super low mouth look. Despite all the Dinobots, I never really got into the line. I just hope this purchase won't become a rabbit hole for me to start buying Transformers again.
Package
This is the "premier edition", where everything is in this box. That includes the deluxes. Will the box change? Probably. I have to say, It looks good in the box.
The back shows a crappy pose and a 3d model of what it should look like. Remember this image as the final product, as expected, looks different. It also shows the black version of Grimlock.
 |
| Read: less paint |
The side shows an impressive image of Sir Optimus Prime.
 |
| Just because he's a "knight" doesn't mean he adheres to human medieval culture |
Aesthetics
Sir Optimus Prime on Transformers 4 was a complicated piece of CGI. The transformation is even more insane. Especially Galvatron with a design that says screw you Takara engineers. This one is reminiscent of the Leader class from the last movie line, but much more streamlined.
The panels that hang from the shoulder and sideskirts are gone, while the it retains the truck nose one the shins and feet. All the panels collapse in the large backpack.
The entire roof is literally one piece, while the sides of the truck folds into two. I'm sure there's a way to have it collapse better, but most Bay-former toys after the golden age kinda has a solid chunk on it's back. It's more Voyager Galvatron and less Evasion mode Prime. The overall sleeker design of the TF4 onwards just makes it extremely difficult to make transforming representation while being on a budget.
It's not lacking in details mind you. Just look at the molding of the actual bot mode. It's a dream for customizers are it has so many little mouldings you can detail. It's tons more screen accurate vs the old Leader.
Main issue with mainline Transformers is paint. I don't mind loosing the flames as that is difficult, but they painted metallic blue on the collar. Why? They could have left it grey or painted it the same silver as the entire abdomen area. The blue just ends as there's still one more plate that's grey.
The paint is applied in splashes of color with the exception of the front skirt. The the blue and the silver are crisp. The hand armor is unpainted. Also lots of parts are pinned in, making dis-assembly for painting difficult. The eyes are painted over with this bright splotch of blue, drowning all the details with it. The details are all there, but the paint application is a bit poor.
Even the butt and the insides of the panels have nice mouldings. Also... the butt is painted.
 |
| His obsession with nice hips is translating into an unnatural criticism of toy butts |
Overall, the voyager is tons more accurate than the mainline retail Leader from Transformers 4. The paint is not as good, but one needs to temper expectations with mainline Hasbro releases. Overall, it's the aesthetic of this thing just standing in it's package is what draws me so it must have done something correct right?
Articulation
Sir Optimus trades in the build it heat sword and guns for hand held sword and shield. Swords will often require the thing wielding it to be poseable right?
The head is on a ball joint. It has fantastic range going up and limited going down.
Side to side is restricted by the giant collar. I do wish the head is a wee bit smaller.
The arm articulation is decent. It has bicep swivels, shoulders and 90 degree elbows. It has no wrist swivel. The transformation doesn't hinder the existence of a wrist swivel. So why no wrist swivel? On a sword wielder!
 |
| The Gundam IBO kits have spoilt him |
It has universal jointed hips and thigh swivels. The knees have a 45 degree bend, which sucks of course as it allows for more dynamic poses.
It also has no ankle tilts. I don't mind the lack of ankle tilts as you can always use a base, but the wrist and limited knee cripples it so bad. It's really difficult to find a decent action pose.
 |
| NEEEERDDD RAAAAGEEEE. Seriously, you think 10 year olds who are the target market will care? |
Overall, the articulation is sub-par. The lack of wrist and the limited knee hurts it so bad. If it was a gun toting bot, it would have been easy but man. I don't know if Takara will re-engineer bits and pieces of it... so waiting for a better version might take a while (i.e. WeiJiang)
Accessories
Sir Optimus uses 2 things during movie 4. A sword and a shield.
The sword is painted in eye searing orange which means it's the active mode. There's actually quite a nice bit of detail here.
 |
| it's not really that eye-searing |
The shield should have a 3 barrel cannon on it's tip. Weird how this is just a plain thin plastic painted in eye searing blue. It's suppose to be silver with red details.
 |
| now this is eye searing |
The back has nice details though.
The shield pegs into the side of the forearms.
The sword sheathes into a slot at the back hidden by the cab kibble. No need to push it out of the way though.
And you get the completed Sir Prime. My main complaint: They're a bit too small. It's less great sword, more broad sword. The shield is also smaller than I would have liked. Still, it's more accurate vs the Original Hasbro leader.
You also have a port on it's butt to prop it to a tamashii stand.
Since it's a Transformer, it of course has to transform. It's certainly simpler compared to the HFTD Optimus. It's also a bit of a shell former but there is a nice trick to the way the arms and the feet transform into the hood. Overall transformation is nice. Would have loved more parts separation for the huge chunks of plastic but we're working on a budget here. The resulting truck is sleek. Would love to have painted rims but that's expecting too much.
 |
| It's no longer pre-2008 people. |
The weapons store in the vehicle. The shield pegs into the back, while the sword neatly stores on a slot at the bottom of the truck. Here you can see the robot chilling inside the panels.
Size Comparison
It's a standard sized voyager, so it stands around the same as a normal Master Grade kit.
Here's a comparison amongst other Optimus Primes that you may have. Here it is standing beside one of the best voyagers out there, 1st Edition Optimus Prime from Transformers Prime. The 1st thing you notice is that the The last Knight voyager feels flat. There's a lack of depth on the toy as evident of it being abit shellformery.
 |
| he sure likes making grand statements |
Here it is beside the more heavily engineered HFTD Optimus. The best voyager movie Optimus there is.
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| yep, grand statements |
the engineering packed into the HFTD Prime is astounding.
A few more size comparisons to end this section.
Summary
This is the most accurate mainline release we have for Age of Extinction Prime. The 1st 2 leader class kinda sucked. Imagine what Takara would do with this if it gets the same treatment as Armor Knight Optimus. Also I don't know if we'll get a normal Voyager given that this is the premier edition. Will it get different paint apps and accessories? Who knows?
This toy could have been excellent, but due to the lack of wrist swivels and limited knee, it stops it from being a great mold. Sure it's a shell former, but given the design of Sir Optimus, it's understandable. Should you get one, if you're a fan of the movie Knight Prime, this is the best you can get right now as far as screen accuracy is concerned. Want better paint apps? Wait for the Takara version, but that will infinitely be more expensive than retail. It's a good toy, but it just not fun to pose. Maybe those chinese KO manufacturers can spruce it up like what they did with evasion optimus and hound.
Pros:
- excellent detail
- movie accuracy vs existing merchandise (except the model kit of course)
- looks good standing up
Cons:
- lack of a wrist swivel and hampered knee articulation.
- the paint is inconsistent on some areas (collar, shield)
- feels... flat.
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