General Information:
Release Date: January 2011
Price Point: $5.99 (varies depending on retailer)
Retailer: General (Toys R Us, Target, Wal-Mart etc.)
Accessories: None
*Text below and images from Transformers.com
Race into action with this fierce PROWL figure! Press the button to reveal this figure’s robot allegiance and then prepare him for a battle. In robot mode, this fighter is as tough as they come. When it’s time to chase down his enemies, convert him to police car vehicle mode so he can “tear up the streets” in hot pursuit! Ages 5 and up.
As of this writing, it amazes me that we live in an era where you can have multiple scale figures representing the same character. Once upon a time, there was one Megatron toy, and that was it or one Optimus Prime toy per year. Nowadays, multiple versions of the same character can be readily found (even if not released in the same year) thanks to the success of the "Transformers" line (and online shopping). One example of this is an addition to the Legends Class of "Reveal the Shield" figures: Prowl. Prowl has already been released previously as part of the Universe 2.0 toy line, but this version represents the character in a whole new size class.
Robot Mode:
Prowl's robot mode design is one of the most iconic of all Transformers designs. Since his appearance in Generation One, the essential characteristics of the car's front end as the chest, doors on the back and the rear of the vehicle forming the legs has been one of the longest constants in the Transformers toy line, even including the live action movie designs. This design is a variation on that classic design, where most of the parts are in the same place with some minor variations in terms of detailing. First, let's go over what's the same as the G1 Prowl (and the Universe 2.0 version as well):
- Prowl's head sculpt is the same as his G1 and Universe 2.0 design. The basic elements are a helmet with a central crest and horns sticking out the sides. The face is a generic "human" looking face with two eyes, a nose and a mouth.
- The vehicle mode's front end becomes his chest.
- The car doors wind up on his back, but to be fair they are not fanned out to the sides as they are on the G1 model.
- The arms have a blocky design based on the G1 version of the character complete with a forearm with several segments. The shoulders have a raised shape on them resembling the police shield found on G1 Prowl.
- The waist area is similar in design to the G1 figure, down to having an arrow sculpted into the waist piece, a detail carried over from a sticker found on the G1 figure.
- The lower legs have the rear window halves on them, just like the G1 figure.
- On the hips, you'll find square shaped "saddle bags" sculpted into the sides, a detail that G1 Prowl had as well.
- If you look on the middle of the body, there are sections that angle out to the sides and then go straight up. The front has several horizontal lines that look like vents. This is another detail borrowed from G1 Prowl.
This figure isn't a G1 clone however. There are some differences in the design, mostly owing to the fact that this incarnation of Prowl does not transform into a Datsun Z. The chest is fairly wide for instance, and the curves of the wheel wells are different than the Datsun. Also, in this figure the doors partially wind up on the sides of the robot arms instead of completely swinging out to the back. These are not huge differences of course, but they are worth noting.
Prowl is cas tin black and white plastic. The white makes up most of the figure while the black makes up sections such as the mid-body/waist area. Paint applications are done in red, silver, black and metallic blue. The red is found on the head, where it is used to paint the horns. Silver is found on the robot face. The black paint is found on the chest, where it comes to a point in the center, much like G1 Prowl. His forearms are painted black as well, another G1 influenced color selection. The metallic blue color is found on his legs, chest and the windows/doors on his back. It's a very clean and simple color scheme that works well and has some nice G1 homage design elements.
Prowl has eight points of articulation in this form. This includes ball joints at the shoulders and hips, allowing for a wider range of motion.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Swing the robot chest up.
- Connect the lower legs together.
- Swing the lower legs back and up to form the rear of the vehicle.
- Straighten the robot arms out to line the up with the rest of the figure.
Swing the rear section up to complete the vehicle mode.
Vehicle Mode:
Prowl may no longer be a sleek Datsun Z, but he is still plenty slick looking. The overall shape of the vehicle is less oval than the G1 version and instead has a wide front end where the sections with the headlights curve up slightly. The middle of the vehicle narrows a bit and then widens at the back where the rear wheel wells are located. Also on the back is a large spoiler and on the otp of the vehicle is a lightbar, paying homage to Prowl's G1 disguise, which was a police car as well. The design looks really great and it reminds me a bit of the Mazda RX-7 with touches of other cars thrown in. I especially like the sleek lines formed by the middle section narrowing. I'd definitely pay attention if this car went by me in the street!
Prowl's primary plastic colors remain black and white. The lightbar is red, but I am not 100% sure if it is another color plastic painted red or just red plastic (I lean towards red plastic). Aside from the red light bar, the deco that will remind you the most of Prowl's G1 self is the "Highway Patrol Police" text on the sides of the doors. As mentioned earlier, the front end has a black deco that comes to a point in the middle, similar to the original Prowl (it's a bit less pronounced here) and of course he has a heat sensitive rub stucker right in the middle on the hood. All the windows are painted metallic blue, matching the colors of the headlights. I like the metallic blue used here, it's very eye catching and looks great against the white plastic.
Final Thoughts:
Legends Prowl is a really cool take on the character. He joins the likes of Legends Jazz and Warpath in expanding the G1 cast in the Legends size class and he brings a fresh, yet familiar aesthetic to the character. Highly recommended!
