Via Weibo user Suoli, we have an in-hand look at the Year of the Monkey edition Optimus Primal. This Supreme class figure has a complicated history – originally designed for the Beast Machines line, he was cancelled, and eventually released as a Toys R Us exclusive under the original Robots in Disguise line. This release takes that toy, and redecos it in the traditional reds and blues of Optimus Prime.
Year of the Monkey Optimus Primal is so far the only 2016 Chinese New Year special edition Transformer that we know of. Typically, these releases come in pairs, so could we be seeing a second release under the banner of the Year of the Monkey next year? Watch this space for more news – and in the meantime, enjoy the new images of this Year of the Monkey Optimus Primal.
flux convoy
Except Primal Prime is neither Prime nor Primal.
Autovolt 127
Oh god I can just see the ridiculous mark up on a shitty voyager figure no one liked.
Inikalord
Make it the Beast Machines figure and you're on point.
Johntimus Prime
For Year of the Rat, they could just charge $80 for a purple and pink redeco of Basic Rattrap!
GoseiWonder
And yet they didn't pick any reissues of Mach Kick last year.
Autovolt 127
when you say canon do you mean fiction or nipple canons?
KingStyle
Marvel wants Thanos' head back.
wearelegion69
Yeah, that is basically what I was getting at. And I think we still would but only due to price. Hell, if this was the same thing but below 100$, I think we would all be saying something else.
Anyways, this product was made for the asia market who apparently can afford 150$ redecos so I say they can keep em.
Oh thats another point I had. Would any of us be bitching if this was NOT available stateside, at the prices it seems to be aiming to be (upwards of 150$) ? Would anyone then be compelled to buy it on RK for 120$ + shipping (which is like 50$ more)?
Johntimus Prime
YOTS Omega had effort put into the retooling and new deco. Hell, Energon Prime doesn't look bad as a YOTS toy.
Even though Supreme Starscream is a shit toy, at least HIS deco is decent. But G2 Prime and MP Soundwave, dear God, those clear and gold decos make my eyes bleed.
But would we be bitching if this HAD been Primal Prime in a deco similar to the Energon YOTS toys?
wearelegion69
We did get transtech cheetor…in a way:
Also my thing with Primal Prime was just to show that we did accept Prime colours on a Primal mold before. The reason why we did was because there was some cannon to back it up. So if thats all that is stopping us from enjoying this deco, then just make something up. In the end, you still have a toy on a shelf that is a primal mold with Prime colours and it doesnt hurt anyone. Now, if its executed correctly, then thats another story and thats what I preffer discussing. I think this is lazy as all hell and a far cry from YOTS Omega Supreme who I think was worth that expensive amount. I just hope they list him on BBTS soon so that I can just stop looking like a fool when I predict him being over 150$.
Johntimus Prime
Like everyone else wishing for proper TransTech toys, I know it's an impossible dream. The closest we've gotten is that design cues from TransTech have seeped into many many many toys made since it was canned, so in a way, TransTech does live on and has influenced the toys in subtle ways.
Autovolt 127
I don't know what was going on with that line.
Maybe someday….maybe.
I disagree. At least this doesn't have both clear plastic and gold plastic…the worst colour combination EVER!
Johntimus Prime
To be fair, Primal Prime is technically an Optimus…in that he's a multiversal amalgam of various Primes and Primals.
Raiyuki
Primal Prime had the excuse of being a new character.
To each his own. I found YOTH Prime to be a very good looking figure. The two year of the snake figures were also pretty well done. Omega got that extensive retool and a deco to make him FOC and G1 looking and Optimus, aside from the unpainted wheels, had a nice G1 deco barring the grey feet (which I don't feel looked out of place on that particular figure).
I have to disagree. Having gotten Deluxe Jetstorm recently that mold is actually quite well made. Decent posability and clever transformation. Heck it actually looks better than Jetstorm's show look.
I hadn't even known Animated had inconsistent scale. Voyager Optimus and Leader Megatron seem to be the right size for each other at least.
Smasher
And I thought Year of the Goat Soundwave was the ugliest thing ever.
wearelegion69
He goes for about 70$ mint so at least half what this guy is going for right now.
This has been going on since Beast Wars era with Primal Prime being a Primal toy made in Prime colours.
Afterburner
That's what they do, they just randomize everything into one big rehashed mess where everything is essentially the same in it's irrelevance.
I haven't looked at what Beast Machines Supreme Primal sells for, but I am betting you would be able to get one for cheaper than this release. Let that set in.
Booster Gold
Wow! I did not know this, what a jip! The sound gimmicks, especially the fact the original toy had proper sound clips from the show/spoken by Garry Chalk was one of the best things about it.
Agreed its carrying a 29th anniversay logo and yet it barely resembles Primal! How about colouring the souls more like his Beast Wars deco at the very lest?
Instead what we have is something that looks awful and sounds awful, you gotta wonder who this figure is aimed at.
Bring on Masterpiece Primal please.
BW megatron
They should stop coloring primal like prime, he's primal, not prime.
Johntimus Prime
Aaah. Yeah, in that case get a good Primal and a junker so you can switch.