General Information
Release Date: January 2023
Price Point: $34.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: "Lio Missiles"/Blasters (Long) x 2, "Lio Missiles"/Blasters (Short) x 2
Official images and text in italics are from Amazon.com:
- CELEBRATE THE LEGACY: Transformers Legacy Evolution celebrates the last 40 years of Transformers history. The Maximal Leo Prime action figure is inspired by Beast Wars II Super Lifeform Transformers
- 2 EPIC MODES: Transformers action figure converts from robot to lion mode in 35 steps
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: This Maximal Leo Prime toy for 8 year old boys and girls comes with 4 missile blaster accessories that attach to the figure in both modes
- EVOLVE THE BATTLE: Transformers toy robots are upgraded with Evo-Fusion battle features! Evolve the battle by flipping out the claw blade features from both lion paws in robot mode
- REVEAL TECH SPECS: Scan the code on each package to reveal character tech specs! Collect other Transformers figures to discover facts and abilities (each sold separately, subject to availability)
The battle is evolving with the Transformers Legacy Evolution Maximal Leo Prime action figure! Leo Prime comes off as harsh and militaristic, but behind his tough exterior is a sense of gentleness. Transformers toys are upgraded with Evo-Fusion technology! Experience the evolution and flip out the claw blade features from both lion paws to prepare for battle! Celebrate the last 40 years of Transformers history with Transformers Legacy action figures for boys and girls. Transformers Legacy opens the portal to a whole new universe of More Than Meets the Eye, bringing together every generation of Transformers like you’ve never seen before. Collect and combine different characters to create your ideal Legacy lineup. Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro. Hasbro and all related terms are trademarks of Hasbro.
Background:
In 1997, Japan was riding the wave of the success of Beast Wars and they felt good enough about it to commission a Japanese exclusive Anime series called "Beast Wars II". This series was not a continuation of the Mainframe Entertainment show, but rather it featured a whole new cast of characters. The Cybertrons (aka the Maximals) were led by LioConvoy, an Optimus-Prime (or Primal)-esque character who transformed into a lion. This character would go on to have many incarnations in toy form over the years including a Legends Class "Leo Prime" (as he has become known outside Japan). This figure is a brand new interpretation of the character based on his appearance in the 1998 Anime.
Packaging:
Leo Prime is packaged in the standard Legacy Evolution box design. The box is roughly rectangular with an angle on the top and side. The front features an open window and there is a cardboard hook on top. The graphics are very similar to previous years of Legacy boxes with blue and purple tones. The tray Chase sits in features various shades of blue for details, offering nice contrast to the darker outer box. On the left side is a box referencing the "Maximal" with Leo Prime's name under it. The Legacy Evolution logo is under artwork of Leo Prime in beast mode. The left side of the box (if you are facing it) features Leo Prime's robot mode art.
The back of the box shows Leo Prime in both modes calling out a 35 step transformation. A small window to the right shows his "Evo Fusion" weapons built into has arms. The other window shows the blasters attached to his mane to create his "Lio Missile" attack.
Accessories:
Leo Prime includes four accessories, each inspired by the "Lio Missiles" seen in the Anime and the weapons included with the original 1998 LioConvoy action figure:
- Blasters (Short): The shorter blasters look like small scifi guns made up of four cylinders of varying sizes with a 5mm peg as a handle. The front of the blasters feature a peg for Blast Effect parts. This piece is made of gold plastic with no paint applications.
- Blasters (Medium): Calling these blasters "long" would be a stretch, but they are longer than the other two blasters. These feature a few cylinders making up the barrel of the weapon with tabs at the end instead of 5mm pegs. These tabs allow you to attach the accessories to Leo Prime including areas like his lion mane and the sides of his robot legs where they can "double" as thrusters, allowing him to "fly" as seen in the Anime.
Robot Mode:
LioConvoy had a very distinct robot mode in Beast Wars II. His head design was very much a riff on the traditional Optimus Prime head design but for the most part the rest of his body had a much more Beast Wars era design sensibility. This new version of the character does not look to reinvent the wheel, but instead the designers worked to fit a bunch of designs from what was once a Leader Class-ish level figure into a Voyager Class. Fortunately, a lot of the aesthetics carry over beautifully. Here's a rundown:
- Head: LioConvoy's head design had many of the traditional Optimus head design elements including a large central crest, antennae on the sides and a mouth plate. All those elements are present here on Leo Prime's head design and it looks fantastic.
- Shoulder Armor: Significant chunks of the lion beast mode wind on the shoulders in robot mode. The right shoulder features the lion head and mane. The left shoulder has the rear of the lion including the tail.
- Torso: The chest on LioConvoy featured two panels, one on the right side with machinery sticking out and the other had a panel which opened to reveal a non-removable Matrix inside. These panels (perhaps unconsciously) evoked the truck windows on G1 Optimus Prime. Both of these design elements are featured on this figure. Meanwhile, Leo Prime has "abs" under the chest section but oddly, only four of the abdominal "muscle" designs are painted with the ones on the bottom left unpainted.
- Arms: Each arm has one of the lion legs dangling off of it and a section of the lion mane on the forearms. These details are both carried over from the original LioConvoy design. Yes, the lion legs on the arms are a bit awkward (okay, very awkward) but they are true to the character's overall design.
- Legs: The rear legs of the lion mode form LioConvoy's legs complete with distinct knee armor sticking out and feet that have large lion claws at the end. Leo Prime's legs follow this design pattern and they look powerful with a nice blend of organic and mechanical details.
Leo Prime's colors are more based on LioConvoy's animated appearance than the original toy. As a result, his plastic colors are largely a bright white, a mustard looking gold plastic, some gunmetal grey and red. These color work together to form a very bold and striking deco. Having white as the primary "canvas" color allows the other colors such as the red to really jump out at you. Paint colors include blue, silver, gold and red.
There are twenty points of articulation on this figure. That includes four in each arm and five in each leg. I'm not including his play features in this. If you did you'd have to count the lion arms attached to his forearms being able to move. That would add two more points. Speaking of play features, the designers carried over some features inspired by the original Beast Wars II figure:
- Matrix: The panel on the left side of the chest can be opened to reveal Leo Prime's (non-removable) Matrix. This was a huge deal back in the day when the Matrix being included with any "Prime" was a rarity.
- Blasters (Small): The smaller blasters have 5mm pegs, allowing Leo Prime to hold them in his fists or attach to the flip out panels on the top of the lion mane.
- Blasters (Large): The larger blasters do not have pegs, but instead they have tabs. These can attach to the sides of the mane or the flip out "fur" panel on the forearms. These can also be stored inside the panel on the back of the robot mode.
- Lion Claws: The lion legs attached to the forearms have claws that can be swing out. Move the arm forward and now Leo Prime has a melee weapon! I will say these claws are a tad tiny compared to what I would have expected based on the original Beast Wars II toy but it is a cool nod to the that figure.
Transformation to Beast Mode:
- Detach the weapons and set them aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- On each foot swing the heel piece in.
- Pull the lion head to the right a big (it sits on hinges) and then swing it back (so the mane winds up behind the shoulder).
- Swing the back panel up.
- Swing the armor on the left arm back so it sits behind the shoulder.
- The lion head and tail sections both sit on the same bar. Rotate this piece so the lion head is above the robot head and the rear of the beast mode is on the other side.
- Swing the panels that form the chest out.
- Swing the robot head into the chest.
- Swing the section with the robot head in it out, rotate it around, then push it back into place.
- On each robot arm, swing the fists back and up against the forearms.
- On each forearm, swing the fur sections on the sides out.
- Swing the lion arms attached to the robot arms out.
- Rotate the arms around using the shoulder swivel joint.
- Swing the arms up at the red panel connected to the shoulders.
- Bend the arms at the elbows slightly. Your goal is to fit the wrist/forearm section under the lion head (in the area under the lion jaw). There is a slot on each wrist that attaches to the tabs on the bottom parts of the lion mane.
- Swing the robot chest panels in and connect them together.
- Move the front lion legs back and tab the white part of the legs to the small red tab on the side of the lion mode.
- Rotate the lower front legs around so the paws point forward.
- Swing the lower mane piece back and the side ones back.
- At the rear of the lion mode, swing the tail out.
- Rotate the lower robot legs around.
- Bend the robot legs to form the rear lion legs.
- Rotate the rear paws around.
- Push the section with the tail down.
- Swing the forward section with part of the mane sculpted into it forward and push it into place.
- Push the middle piece on the back down.
- The blasters can all be attached to panels that you swing out on the mane.
Beast Mode:
Leo Prime's beast mode is (as you'd expect given his name) a lion. In the case of this figure, the designers seemed to be going for a more "realistic" beast mode versus the more stylized appearance the character had in the Beast Wars II cartoon. This figure has fur patterns from nose to the tail and fur patterns sculpted all over the figure and sharp looking claws on each paw. There are some great touches including chunky looking paws, a poof of fur at the end f the tail and a mane with many layers of "hair" sculpted details. My main issue with the beast mode? The head/face. If there's one thing you should know about me, I love felines. Cats, lions, tigers etc. I get tons of videos of these critters on my social media feed daily. One thing I'm familiar with is how lions look and it seems in going for a more "realistic" looking lion face/head the designers created a head sculpt that looks like the lion has a really sad, droopy face. If you look at lion heads and faces from a certain angle maybe they look a bit droopy but not like this. Some fans compared the appearance to the Nina Chimera from "Full Metal Alchemist" and I have to say I agree. The face is intended to look fierce with its fangs but the rounded eyes and the droopy face just wind up looking like Leo Prime is super sad.
This mode mostly shows off Leo Prime's white colors on the body and head. The mane is gold (with metallic gold used on the white panel behind the mane). Some robot parts peek through on the sides and back legs so you get some red and gunmetal grey colors mixed in. The claws are all painted gold, which looks great. The nose is painted black.
There are nineteen points of articulation in this mode, most of which are focused on the rear legs. The blasters can all attach to the lion mane to create Leo Prime's "Lio Missile" attack. Sadly, his mane cannot be deployed in such a way that allows you to replicate his "Lion Typhoon" attack where panels of the mane swing out and spin around like a blade. Unfortunately there does not appear to be a way to store all the blasters in the mane and close it up so they are hidden, something you could do with the original toy.
Final Thoughts:
Leo Prime is a really impressive Voyager Class figure. The robot mode looks fantastic with beautiful and bold colors. His transformation is complex and interesting (but not frustrating) which is a neat hat trick. I also appreciate Hasbro taking time and resources to nod to the Japanese Beast Wars shows. My only reservation about this figure is the removal of elements like the Lion Typhoon attack and the droopy beast mode head. This is a really solid figure but it does have room for improvement. Recommended, especially if you can get it at a sale price.
Pros:
- Excellent robot mode sculpt.
- Beautiful deco.
- I love references to Japanese Beast Wars cartoons.
- Lots of play features including a cool transformation.
Cons:
- The sad, droopy beast mode face is...well...sad.
- Missing a couple key features of the original figure.
