We’re back with another gallery from the Titans Return line, and this time, we’re putting the focus on the big red truck himself, Optimus Prime! He’s been reincarnated in his Powermaster form for the Titans Return line, as a very thorough reworking of the Ultra Magnus released in the Combiner Wars line – with the majority of his parts completely remolded, and even some new steps in the transformation. It’s a pity, though, with so much work done on making Powermaster Optimus his own toy, that he then recycles the rifles from Ultra Magnus – of course, Renderform has you covered with their Power Rifles if you feel the need for some Generation 1 styled guns.
Poseability is carried over from the previous Leader class Ultra Magnus – so in other words, it is excellent, with good all-round mobility in the joints. One thing to note – because of the new transformation on the leg panels, it is harder to stand Powermaster Optimus Prime with his legs together. There’s some rather glaring hollow spaces on the forearms too, and a lack of paint on the Titan Master, Apex. Shout out to a very cool touch which makes the face beneath the Optimus Prime helmet that of the E-Hobby style Orion Pax.
However, you may have noticed that most of these points are mostly minor complaints. Powermaster Optimus Prime is a fine flagship release for Titans Return along with Blaster who gives us fans a long-awaited update of the 1988 rendition of Optimus Prime. He’s got a solid, strong look distinct from Ultra Magnus, with many of the design touches which defines the Powermaster design, with the head in particular looking a lot like the Marvel Comics artwork. All in all, a solid release and worth the price of admission – check out this 177 image gallery, and see for yourself:
Titans Return Powermaster Optimus Prime
[Wing_Saber-X]
hmm, I wonder if we have seen at least a sneak peek at the God Bomber/ Apex Armor toy yet?
primalxconvoy
In your opinion, maybe, but it could be said that they are no-more "silly" than any other aspect of the toyline, including headmasters. If they are so silly, why would the official toy have the term "Powermaster", but not the feature?
This is the point. It's not about whether the features were good or not, but rather that they were removed, and that the figure was still labelled as such. Galaxy Force Convoy basically channels PM/Star Convoy, but it's not condemned as such as it homages those figures. The other point was that this should have been mentioned in the review. It might not be something that everyone agrees upon, but that doesn't mean that the aspect should not have been mentioned.
It is akin to the next wave of Titanmaster toys being sold
with non-transforming mini figs, with normal heads as part of the Titans Return Line.
primalxconvoy
If you are referring to the design sketches in the Japanese book, showing Godbomber (in pre-production toy mock-up) being able to transform, rather than parts-form, with a "roller" styled Headmaster, etc, then yes.
Regardless, those are only pre-production designs, and not the finished product, and thus "not" Powermaster Prime.
knoted
Not to the extent that production g1 pmop differed from his original blue print design. Have you even ever seen those?
primalxconvoy
I disagree. Many, if not most figures differ from designs made for them along the way. Granted, if a feature has been gimped (downsized classics Galvatron), obscured by features not originally intended (arguably TR Galvatron et al), or if a hyped/promised feature doesn't appear at all (such as the infamous videogame, "No Man's Buy"), then it wouldn't be unfair to give criticism.
However, in PM Prime's case, the final toy WAS the toy. We didn't have access to the designs for it as kids, so any "missing" features is a moot point (expert for the Takara chrome and hands/wrists on the Ginrai version perhaps). Thus, my comment still stands, ESPECIALLY as Hasblow had the gall to call it "POWERMASTER Optimus Prime", rather than "Titanmaster Optimus Prime" (or, you know, just "Optimus Prime"). Even if we suspend belief and welcome the headmaster part, then why didn't they use the ORIGINAL design? I'm sure most of us would have loved to have a small buggy that became his head in some way or another.
knoted
The irony is however, that the original Pmop…actually omitted major features from his original design spec; such as the cab being a triple changer, including jetmode.
And the fact he was indeed initially intended as headmaster.
Hence, "Pmop" not staying true to roots, is something he had done already before the G1 version was even production finalized and thus this TR Pmop is indeedy doing nothing more wrong than G1 Pmop.
primalxconvoy
That's true, but it was still bigger than the original G1 version. Fans, I think, didn't want that. It wasn't the biggest deal breaker, though. If it was cheaper, had a Powermaster and Powerbomber wasn't a complicated, brick-forming mess (even more so than the original), then I would have snapped it up.
Also, it was made by the same people that brought us the infamous GI-Joe Thunder-whatsitsname green/red optimus prime, so I doubt many people had faith in them.
SouthtownKid
See, that's what I don't get. It's exactly the height it should be, if you want the regular cab to slot in as its chest and have the figure be in proportion.
primalxconvoy
If people spend over 200 dollars (or even less) on a third party product, then they expect authenticity, posability and quality before anything else (such as a different artistic direction, etc). "Trailerforce" simply didn't give the fans those things. Collectors saw the lack of Powermaster, waited for God/Powerbomber to come out (to see if it would be included with that), saw what a mess THAT figure was, and gave up. It was also too bloomin' big, to be honest.
A similar thing would happen with a third party version of Starsabre coming out with no brainmaster, and then a
silly version of Victory Leo that combined with it WITHOUT the smaller jet.
Anyway, this is why I'm also not interested in the new (Mastermind Creations?) third party Overlord; no included Powermasters, and it's too big for CHUG IMO.
SouthtownKid
I've never understood why people weren't satisfied with Trailerforce. I think that first set is a fantastic PMOP. It was only the second set where they dropped the ball, imo.
primalxconvoy
The interesting thing is that not even third parties have made a convincing PM Prime yet. I would have thought that, apart from the original, it would be THE Prime of Primes.
Sol Fury
To be honest, the reason I did not mention the Powermaster not being there, or the lack of cab transformation – they simply did not stand out to me. I've accepted those things won't happen on the toy made at today's prices, and the end result was good enough, I did not notice them.
I'd not have objected to either feature being there – but they aren't dealbreakers or even at the forefront of my mind.
WishfulThinking
I'm sure that, eventually, they'll make a Masterpiece version that does everything you want it to do.
In the meantime, I think this figure does a good job of capturing the essence of G1 Marvel OP. It may not have Hi-Q as a Powermaster…but the original prototype was supposed to also be a Headmaster with Roller as the head. This essentially combines the two ideas.
Like you, I'm a little disappointed with the lack of a cab-former bot…the same way I'm disappointed with Ultra Magnus for not having one. But I'm quietly marking time for when either Hasbro gets it right or a third party company steps in to right this. But it's not like Hasbro will NEVER make another G1 Powermaster Optimus Prime or G1 Ultra Magnus ever again…
Mecheon
Powermasters were a silly gimmick and the removal of that gimmick to give Hi Q/Ginrai/Whoever something else to do outside of "Plug him into a port and forget his existence" is a good decision.
There, I said it.
primalxconvoy
Thanks. Except that he doesn't have a Powermaster. The Powermaster is the figure that becomes his engine. He's got a Headmaster, and no original robot that forms the cab.
These are important points, that remove from the figure.
SouthtownKid
It has the cab. The cab just doesn't separate. Whoop-dee-doo. And it has what looks like an updated Powermaster right on the new chest. Or you could look at it as the Titanmaster still acts as a Powermaster except he now plugs in as the head, rather than in the grill.
But yeah, if you don't like it as much as the rest of us, you are perfectly entitled to pass on it.
primalxconvoy
It bothers me, which is why I didn't bother buying it.
primalxconvoy
That's not my point. The reviewer/poster mentioned negative points to the figure, or mentioned aspects that some might or might not want. The omission of a Powermaster from a so-called Powermaster figure, plus the omission of the original cab is equally a point worth making.
Whether everyone, someone, or noone agrees or likes/dislikes those features is another matter.
jestermon
So, what would magnus look like in the base mode?
WheelWave140
Yeah, I don't think this bothers anybody anymore. It wasn't a big deal in the first place, really.