General Information:
Release Date: March 2019
Price Point: $19.99 (Varies by retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Target, Walmart, Amazon etc.)
Accessories: None
*Images and text below from Amazon.com:
- 7.5-INCH OPTIMUS PRIME FIGURE: 7.5-inch Ultra Class Optimus Prime Action Attackers figure inspired by the Cyberverse animated series. Similar figure scale to Voyager Class Transformers action figures. Makes a great gift.
SIGNATURE OPTIMUS PRIME ATTACK MOVE: Convert the heroic Autobot Optimus Prime to activate Bash Attack move. Fun attack move can be repeated through easy reactivation steps. - 2-IN-1 TOY: Transformers conversion for kids ages 6 and up! Convert Optimus Prime toy from robot to truck mode in 12 steps. Please note that since Transformers toys are made for children, some parts are designed to detach if play gets too rough. That way, the pieces can be reattached without damaging the toy.
- G1-INSPIRED CLASSIC CYBERVERSE CHARACTER: Classic red and blue Optimus Prime truck toy inspired by the noble Autobot leader from the Transformers Cyberverse cartoon, as seen on Cartoon Network and YouTube.
- TV-SHOW-INSPIRED: Transformers robots are giant battling bots from the planet Cybertron. The Autobots and Decepticons traveled from Cybertron on their spaceships, the Ark and the Nemesis, in pursuit of the powerful Allspark. Each Transformers robot has 2 modes. They convert from robots to vehicles such as cars, trucks, jets, and tanks! Each bot has a special ability known as an Action Attack move; these signature attack moves activate in battle! In season one of the Cyberverse television series, Windblade helps Bumblebee connect to the Hivemind to recover his lost memories.
"Picture this: me, on Earth, still cooler than everyone this side of Optimus Prime, but I’ve got zero memories. Now I’m on a mission to recover my memories and discover all of my awesome powers. I’ll have to battle Decepticons, outrun an explosion or two, and be heroic- basically, I’m in for one epic ride across the Cyberverse." --Bumblebee Convert and attack with Transformers Cyberverse Action Attackers figures! Convert Optimus Prime figure from robot to vehicle mode in 12 steps. The last step of conversion activates Optimus Prime figure’s Bash Attack move! Once converted, attack move can be repeated through easy reactivation steps. Kids can collect other Action Attackers figures, each sold separately, to discover the signature attack moves of favorite characters from the Cyberverse series -- one of the best ways to introduce young kids and new fans to the exciting world of Transformers! Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.
Packaging:
Optimus Prime is packaged in an open box, tied to a bubble. The front features Optimus' artwork in the left corner. On the right side is a vertical Transformers logo with an Decepticon symbol above it. The front section that goes over the legs features Prime in vehicle mode using his "Bash Attack". Next to that is the "Transformers Cyberverse" logo with his name under it. This packaging features distinctive colors including black, grey, light blue and yellow which really helps it stand out on shelves.
The back of the packaging focuses on the yellow and blue colors from the front. It features Optimus Prime's name and function: "Noble Leader". He is shown in both modes with a callout for a 14 step transformation. The upper right hand corner shows the "Bash Attack" feature. Towards the bottom are cosells featuring Grimlock and Slipstream.
Robot Mode:
"Cyberverse" Optimus Prime's design is based on the iconic G1 Optimus Prime design with modern flourishes. He has a lot of the key G1 details including the head design with a crest on top and mouthplate, windshield windows on the chest, smokestacks on his shoulders, a grille on the torso and vents and wheels on the lower legs. However, a lot of these details have been streamlined or changed slightly. For instance, the proportions of the upper body are a bit different than other Optimus figures. His chest is wide and leads to broad shoulders, giving him a tough appearance. The grille on the torso is not just rectangular, but more of a trapezoid with overlapping panels. Overall, I really dig the design.
This figure looks great overall, but there is one big flaw with the sculpt: the arms. First, they have what I call the "claw cover" syndrome where the front parts of the vehicle mode wrap around the hands. "Authentics" Optimus Prime suffered from this, but that is a lower priced figure so it can be (somewhat) forgiven. On a mainline figure like this however I really don't like it. It would have been better if the panels slid out of the way somehow. The other issue is that the arms are too short. If you look at most action figures, the hands should go a bit past the hips. However here they are right next to them, and Optimus winds up looking like he is either perpetually shrugging or someone cut off a bit of his arms. I'll be honest, most kids won't care about this but it is something that bugged me about the aesthetics of the figure right out of the package.
Optimus is cast in red, silver, black and blue plastic. All these are iconic Optimus Prime colors. The red and silver contrast very nicely with the darker blue color on the head and lower legs. There is a good amount of deco on the figure too. Light blue is used on the eyes and windshield windows. Silver is used on the head, grille and thighs. Black is used to outline the windshield windows and paint in the windshield wipers (this level of detailing is always appreciated). Black is also used on the shoulders and lower legs. The forearms have yellow painted into the triangles. The finishing touch is tampographed Autobot symbols on the shoulders. From a deco perspective this figure looks great.
There are eleven points of articulation on this figure. This includes three on each arm and two on each leg. The big shame is that there is no knee articulation. Normally I would say the designers could have easily given Optimus knee articulation here at minimal cost, but in this case the figure has an action feature which would have made knee articulation a bit problematic from a functional perspective, so I get why they didn't do it. Each fist has 5mm ports, allowing you to attach weapons from other figures.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Swing the arms out to the sides.
- Pull the chest forward to separate it from the back piece.
- Rotate the upper body around (the joint is behind the grille).
- Swing the robot head back.
- Push the feet together.
- Swing the shoulders back.
- Swing the forearms forward.
- Push the front of the truck down to lock it in place.
Vehicle Mode:
Optimus Prime's vehicle mode is a stylized version of G1 Optimus Prime's truck mode. The front is a boxy, "flat nose" truck with the robot legs sticking out in the back. However, this time out Optimus has many details that differentiate it from his predecessors. This includes the beveled halves of the front fender, an angled grille section and a very wide front section. The result is a more futuristic looking version of Optimus' vehicle mode.
There are no newly revealed details here except perhaps for the headlights which were wrapped around the hands in robot mode. Still, all the deco on the figure comes together very nicely and from a color perspective this mode is bright and vibrant.
Optimus' transformation is an interesting one, because it asks you to leave the legs extended out to activate his action feature. Push the legs in and an Autobot shield slides up from the bottom of the truck over the front, effectively creating a shield that can double as a battering ram. This is what I was referring to earlier. If there was knee articulation, it is possible they could possibly bend and disrupt this feature. You can technically have the legs pushed in without the shield coming up. To do this, you need to manually push the shield into the red compartment on the bottom of the truck mode. This will help the truck look more compact and proportional.
Final Thoughts:
Ultra Class Optimus Prime is a good figure, but there are aspects of it that bug me, most notably the arms. I do also wish these figures included some type of accessory. Still, for younger fans this is not a bad Optimus Prime to have and I could see kids having a lot of fun with it. Mildly recommended.
Pros:
- Lots of nicely sculpted details.
- Good deco in both modes.
- Fun action feature.
Cons:
- Arms in robot mode are too short.
- Despite it being potentially problematic, I would have liked knee articulation on this figure.
