Optimus Prime MPC

[Beware of Blast]

This is very bad. The toy isn't even out yet, and I'm getting a boner just by looking at the transforming pictures. I'm also wincing in pain at the same time, everytime I catch sight of the neutered stacks.

Edited November 12, 2003 by Beware of Blast

[Mechafan]

That is amazing. The MPC Prime is going to be great.

[Godzilla]

This is very bad. The toy isn't even out yet, and I'm getting a boner just by looking at the transforming pictures. I'm also wincing in pain at the same time, everytime I catch sight of the neutered stacks.

TMI, my friend. I didnt want to know that much. Yes, I feel the pain of the neutered stacks as well.

[GobotFool]

the masssive complexity of that toy makes me want to cry. Stand over Smokescreen, shiver in fear 1/48, run for your life Dancougar. There is a new king of absurdly complex transforming mecha in town and his name is prime!

[JRock]

I'll be crying tears of joy and tears of pain when I'll transform Prime. Just like when I first transformed Smokescreen (STILL haven't gotten used to that.)

Edited November 12, 2003 by JRock

[Wabbit]

Woooooooooooooooooow!

[Beware of Blast]

TMI, my friend. I didnt want to know that much. Yes, I feel the pain of the neutered stacks as well.

I'm so sorry. But look at that piece of "TMI" on the bright side, it's positive advertising!

[Godzilla]

TMI, my friend. I didnt want to know that much.    Yes, I feel the pain of the neutered stacks as well.

I'm so sorry. But look at that piece of "TMI" on the bright side, it's positive advertising!

Thank you for the apology. It gave me a bad image ya know? Now I have to goto therapy... wasting money on therapy when I should be buying 1/48 yammies. J/K.

[GobotFool]

I just keep marveling at the pictures. Damn I can't wait to have this toy in my house!!!

[Anubis]

Sweeeeeeeeeeet!

[VF-19]

Is there any proof to the shortened stacks on the stateside version? All I've been hearing from various groups is that the USA version will not have the shortened stacks...

I'd like some comfirmation on it...

As to me, I love it! I've had mine on pre-order for about 2 months, and he's shipping via EMS. I want him before the year is out (hopefully).

[mister_e]

Is there any proof to the shortened stacks on the stateside version?  All I've been hearing from various groups is that the USA version will not have the shortened stacks...

I'd like some comfirmation on it...

As to me, I love it!  I've had mine on pre-order for about 2 months, and he's shipping via EMS.  I want him before the year is out (hopefully).

No, there has not been any confirmation as of yet regarding the length of the smoke stacks. People are just assuming that they will most likely be shortened because of what happened with the Hasbro Prime reissue. We do know that the Hasbro version WILL have the same level of die-cast content and it WILL (for better or worse) have the battle damage decor.

[Dangard Ace]

Nov 13, 2003

TRANSFORMERS Web site Q and A for the week of November 10th.

Q. Are there plans for a G1 reissue of SOUNDWAVE, MEGATRON or JETFIRE?

A. Not at this time.

Q. Will the 20th ANNIVERSARY OPTIMUS PRIME have shortened smokestacks (compared to the Japanese version)?  Are there other differences?  Will there be die-cast parts?

A. The US release of 20th ANNIVERSARY OPTIMUS PRIME will have die-cast parts, just like the Japanese release.  The US release also has some limited battle damage.  It is our intention to have the smokestacks be the same size as those in the Japanese release, but it is not finalized yet.

Q. Will there be DECEPTICONS  in the TRANSFORMERS ALTERNATORS line?

A. Yes.

Q. When will the initial TRANSFORMERS ENERGON Waves be available in stores?

A. (Availability varies by location)

Wave 1 and 1.5: December/January

Wave 2: February/March

Q. Do ENERGON MEGATRON and OPTIMUS PRIME combine in any way?

A. No.  OPTIMUS PRIME combines with his 4 vehicles, but there is no interaction between these particular characters.

[drifand]

I just hope this DOESN'T mean Hasbro will pressure Takara to go for a short stack - thus eliminating any US/Japanese release differences. :-/

[Anubis]

Even if the Hasbro has the proper smoke stacks, it sill still have the battle damage, so it's gonna be Takara for me.

Edited November 13, 2003 by Anubis

[Prowlus]

i still don't think its a good idea to have battle damage .

Do people really want a "Don't play with matches" Optimus Prime

[MrDisco]

yes but Danguard 'intent' is not the same as definite. it is my intent to win a million dollar dollars doesnt make it happen

[isamu_dyson]

i've preorder yhe japan version from hlj. I want die cast.

and with this new pictures, i can't wait to have this reel masterpiece

[eriku]

While I prefer the longstacks to the shortstacks (more of an aesthetical thing for me rather than an anime accuracy thing), it's the charred deco that I find putrid enough to make me shun the Hasbro Prime for the illigitimate bastard that it is.

Oh, and even though I open everything, I'm sure Takara's packaging will look much cooler. Hasbro's may be similar to Takara's like the Binaltech/Alternators packaging, but it'll look better in some way or another.

Edited November 14, 2003 by eriku

[Subotnik]

The latest Q&A from Hasbro still hasn't cleared up the smokestack issue, but they've confirmed that the US version will also have diecast, something far too many people had been doubting for some reason, and that the US version will have the battle damage. The wording of the answer makes it sound a lot like the US version only will have the battle damage, not the Japanese one.

Here's hoping.

[Dangard Ace]

yes but Danguard 'intent' is not the same as definite. it is my intent to win a million dollar dollars doesnt make it happen

I know that. I'm just finding it funny some people say, "Yes it will have long smokestacks!" and others say, "No it wont!" If Hasbro themselves doesn't know for sure, then either side can be right. But have fun and speculate away! You guys have until Jan/Feb before you'll know for sure.

Me, I'm getting the Takara version. One, I can't wait. Two, NO BATTLE DAMAGE!! Three, highly unlikely to be neutered.

Oh, and I'm going to win that million dollars before you do!

[VF-0S FAN]

Nov 13, 2003

TRANSFORMERS Web site Q and A for the week of November 10th.

Q. Are there plans for a G1 reissue of SOUNDWAVE, MEGATRON or JETFIRE?

A. Not at this time.

Q. Will the 20th ANNIVERSARY OPTIMUS PRIME have shortened smokestacks (compared to the Japanese version)?  Are there other differences?  Will there be die-cast parts?

A. The US release of 20th ANNIVERSARY OPTIMUS PRIME will have die-cast parts, just like the Japanese release.  The US release also has some limited battle damage.  It is our intention to have the smokestacks be the same size as those in the Japanese release, but it is not finalized yet.

Q. Will there be DECEPTICONS  in the TRANSFORMERS ALTERNATORS line?

A. Yes.

Q. When will the initial TRANSFORMERS ENERGON Waves be available in stores?

A. (Availability varies by location)

Wave 1 and 1.5: December/January

Wave 2: February/March

Q. Do ENERGON MEGATRON and OPTIMUS PRIME combine in any way?

A. No.  OPTIMUS PRIME combines with his 4 vehicles, but there is no interaction between these particular characters.

Decepticons in the Bianltech/Alternator line ! wowww

[isamu_dyson]

anyway you can find a significant price difference between the us and the japan version.

the takara version 'll cost about $ 90 (77.5 €), and the hasbro version about $ 70 (59.5 €). (both will cost the same for me with S&H and custom fees).

Where do the $ 20 difference came from ? more die cast ? different life-cost ? profit ? commercial goal ? ....

[David Hingtgen]

Skip to the last half of this post for interesting info on real-life truck stack lengths, start here for my opinions and ranting.

My *opinion* is that Hasbro knows d*mn well the US one will have the short stacks, but they're simply not going to say it until it's too late to pre-order the JP one.

Anyways---I would be *stunned* if the JP one had short stacks. What possible reason would there be? The long stacks exist. There's a mold, it's been used. It'd be very different if ONLY short stacks had been made and Takara would have to make another mold for the JP market, but that's not the case.

My main concern is real life stacks, regardless of TV/comic accuracy (though since the original G1 model, and thus TV was real-life accurate, it's the same)---IMHO, MPC Prime sacrificed a lot in truck mode, G1 has a more accurate truck mode. (of course the overall tradeoff is well worth it---1,000x better robot for an 80% as good truck). The reason I'm not an Armada fan is sucky vehicle modes. (And loved RID) (Ironically, for G1 etc, the main concern was a good robot--you were guaranteed a good vehicle, since they were real). I don't need REAL vehicles, just realistic. RID Ultra Magnus is a good example. Not a real truck, but very realistic. Armada Prime is a bad example---not a real truck, looks like a parallel universe's Ford F350. (That's probably my #1 beef with Armada--Prime's not a semi! He's a pickup on steroids. Whoever designed it obviously has no clue what makes a semi a semi, and not a pickup with stacks)

Finally---I posted a much longer version of the following at the TF2005 boards, I'll post a quick version here

Stack shape/size is not determined just by what the owner thinks looks cool. It is determined by what the truck will haul. Hauling van-type trailers (e.g. Optimus Prime) requires the tallest stacks of all. Why? Because if your stacks are short, they will exhaust right in front of the trailer, staining and corroding it. (Possibly acoustic damage, if it's a loud truck). This is bad (diesel truck exhaust is far, far worse than the worst car exhaust).

So if you haul a trailer, you want stacks high enough to exhaust ABOVE the trailer. They will also often have the tips canted outwards 45 degrees, to have them exhaust on either side of the trailer, further helping to prevent exhaust from damaging the trailer.

Of course, you can't be TOO tall, you'll start hitting bridges/overpasses. Standard "tall" stack height in the US is 13ft, 6 inches above the ground. (Lots of people go with 13ft 5in for a little extra safety margin) This will clear like 99% of overpasses in the US, and exhaust above like 99% of all trailers. (This is why you never see a sign saying "Clearance 15ft"---any truck will fit under it, no need to post a sign. But anything less and you'll start seeing listings--mostly 12 and 13ft, which most trailer-hauling trucks will not clear, though many tanker-hauling ones can)

(I could go into tankers if you want, but suffice it to say, they MUST be shorter, and luckily they CAN be shorter without damaging the tanker)

Edited November 14, 2003 by David Hingtgen

[ComicKaze]

I was bored.

[ComicKaze]

Speaking of MP Prime...here's what I said on another forum:

This head sculpt is just totally not doing it for me. I've never liked it from the beginning and now these extreme high-quality close-ups are making me depressed.

The beak of his "cap" is virtually missing, it's just a curved band around his head. His ear antenna are virtually flat, without his "headset" pieces. The faceshield and eyes just feel very alien for some reason. His eyes are just not "Prime".

There's something I can't quite put my finger on but it is really bugging me. It just feels like this Prime is "unfriendly".

I think maybe it's because the mask is removable so it's sticking out too far as well as being too large, kind of creepy especially when you know what's underneath. The eyes are also the wrong shape. But I think the biggest problem are the sides are square enough and they don't have the "cap/visor" shape (Metal Force Prime, Action Master Prime - and virtually all the cartoon versions) and instead went with the "flat-band" across the forehead (MP Prime, Original Prime LaserRod/Scourge). All these years it's been the cartoon Prime that I've liked and this just feels wrong...skeletal. I also don't like the vent in his crest recessed.

Anyway, I bought a 1/48 so Prime is out the equation for me at the moment. There are too many things I don't like about it (hydraulics, patches of grey on the legs, battle damage that looks like a 5-year old took charcoal to Prime, likely short stacks, his back, grey gun, etc.).

[Beware of Blast]

Here's another idea... telescopic smokes stacks!!!

Made easy for grown-up fans to pull up, but hard for small children to pull up them selves.

All Hasbro need to do is, bring in the Takara versions, spray the battle damage, and pack Prime with his smoke stacks retracted. That way, grown-up fans will know what to do.

They can also print a surgeon general box on the packaging conspicuosly that's saying something to the effect that, ...the smoke stacks are fragile, extending the smoke stacks are for cosmetic purpose only.

[VF-19]

Speaking of MP Prime...here's what I said on another forum:

This head sculpt is just totally not doing it for me. I've never liked it from the beginning and now these extreme high-quality close-ups are making me depressed.

The beak of his "cap" is virtually missing, it's just a curved band around his head. His ear antenna are virtually flat, without his "headset" pieces. The faceshield and eyes just feel very alien for some reason. His eyes are just not "Prime".

There's something I can't quite put my finger on but it is really bugging me. It just feels like this Prime is "unfriendly".

I think maybe it's because the mask is removable so it's sticking out too far as well as being too large, kind of creepy especially when you know what's underneath. The eyes are also the wrong shape. But I think the biggest problem are the sides are square enough and they don't have the "cap/visor" shape (Metal Force Prime, Action Master Prime - and virtually all the cartoon versions) and instead went with the "flat-band" across the forehead (MP Prime, Original Prime LaserRod/Scourge). All these years it's been the cartoon Prime that I've liked and this just feels wrong...skeletal. I also don't like the vent in his crest recessed.

Anyway, I bought a 1/48 so Prime is out the equation for me at the moment. There are too many things I don't like about it (hydraulics, patches of grey on the legs, battle damage that looks like a 5-year old took charcoal to Prime, likely short stacks, his back, grey gun, etc.).

Dunno... He looks pretty good in the first comparison picture right after the words.

There's one problem with getting Optimus right: The animation warps the head quite a few times, which can result in a distorted head. Best way to figure out if the head's right, is to look at the lineart for Optimus...

In my opinion, the head looks AWESOME. Well... They didn't need to toss in the mouth behind the mouth plate, but it is a nice bit of extra detail.

[Californium]

I like the MP prime head. Could maybe be better, but I don't think they were going for a straight port from the original cartoon. Little details all over the toy seem to suggest they were trying to update the design a bit. Works for me.

BTW ComicKaze, I much like your take on the 13th Doctor.

[MrDisco]

I know that. I'm just finding it funny some people say, "Yes it will have long smokestacks!" and others say, "No it wont!" If Hasbro themselves doesn't know for sure, then either side can be right. But have fun and speculate away! You guys have until Jan/Feb before you'll know for sure.

Me, I'm getting the Takara version. One, I can't wait. Two, NO BATTLE DAMAGE!! Three, highly unlikely to be neutered.

i fully agree. cant wait for my JP Prime to ship

[Kin]

Up right of the pic... that's the right head.

Btw it's funny... mouthcaps are cool just like having a beard

Edited November 14, 2003 by Kin

[MrDisco]

interestingly enough the latest toyfare mag has a pic of MP Prime US edition (read: sewer paint) with shiny long smoke stacks

[Dangard Ace]

interestingly enough the latest toyfare mag has a pic of MP Prime US edition (read: sewer paint) with shiny long smoke stacks

Yeah, but hasbro's original ads for the reissue optimus had long smokestacks too. I wouldn't call those ads "reliable".

[dr_vandermeer]

neutered stacks...WHY????!!!! GRRRRRR!!!

the earlier post showing the transformation clearly showed short stacks. good god, did hasbro not learn anything from their G1 reissue?! fans want their stacks long!!! this toy is for collectors, dammit!!!

[Hurricane29]

Get the Takara instead.