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Post by Benn on Feb 14, 2016 9:51:53 GMT
He's not a Powermaster as we used to know it. Looks like he comes with a wee Hi-Q dude, but whether he's a headmaster or no... I don't know.
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Post by Shockprowl on Feb 14, 2016 10:19:12 GMT
Oh yes, the Hi-Q will sit inside his Powervagina wont he?
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 14, 2016 10:35:43 GMT
Cab in vehicle mode, like Minimus Ambus and Alpha Trion, head in robot mode.
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Post by Shockprowl on Feb 14, 2016 10:40:53 GMT
That's not so bad. Not too unPowermastish.
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Post by Pinwig on Feb 14, 2016 11:31:26 GMT
Powermaster Prime was a toy that passed me by back in the day because it just looked too much like a brick to me compared to the much more impressive large scale figures that had come before it, like Scorponok. However in a moment of reckless abandon a couple of weeks ago I bought Graham's one from the mega sale, and have in the last week or so gone through all the various modes and had a good look at it. I'm not sure about the Godmaster mode with the Apex Armour (or in this case Godbomber because this is a Takara reissue one) but the Powermaster Prime mode is much more appealing than I thought it would be, and looking at the pictures of the new TR one I can now see how closely modelled on the original it is. I think it's going to be a really impressive figure.
Incidentally, having fiddled with Powermaster Prime now I can see how much of a half way station it is between the original and the way Primes would go from RiD onwards. I don't think I've ever appreciated quite how different this would have been in 88 the first time round. Magnus did the combining with the trailer idea first, but this is definitely the next step on. I had no idea the basic truck is pretty much in scale with the original Prime, and that (to my shame) it has a standard robot mode without armour that is pretty much in keeping with the original Prime. I also learned that this is the first one with a fake chest, which puts the moaning about that idea in recent years into much more perspective, and that despite the lack of articulation he really is quite imposing. If anything I'd say the head is unnecessarily big, but then I see that's really to make sure that when combined with GodBomber it doesn't look too small. I feel much more educated about this figure now; it's more than being the 'Prime with cardboard tubes stuck to the side of his face' he used to be to me in the comics. '88 is outside my current target range for G1 collecting, but I'm glad I bagged this chap.
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Post by Bogatan on Feb 14, 2016 11:51:09 GMT
Its not just from RID onwards. Star saber shares essentially an identical play pattern, just replacing lorry with jet. Star Convoy, while ditching the combining element keeps a lot of the look of the combined robot mode as well as the base mode. And if Turbomaster Hyperdrive had happened instead of or as well as Thunderclash that looks like it was the missing link between Star Convoy and RID Prime.
The oversized head I think is left over from when Prime was designed as a headmaster or the head was roller or something cool that didnt happen.
The fake chest also shows how long Transformers have been taking their influence from the Sunbow cartoon. The guy who designed the original Prime then designed Powermaster Prime with a a fake chest to better match the cartoon model.
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Post by Bogatan on Feb 14, 2016 11:56:19 GMT
Yeah - looks much closer to the back-of-package artwork from the Powermasters line than the original toy did. That might be whats throwing me about Fort Max, it looks like its borrowing from the box art too, which confuses me as for years I thought it was a really mis drawn Metroplex rather than a strangely drawn Fort Max. Now theres a Fort Max remoulded from Metroplex that looks like the weirdly proportioned Fort Max I thought was Metroplex. Its like they set out to make my brain hurt. |
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Post by Shockprowl on Feb 14, 2016 12:02:37 GMT
Powermaster Optimus Prime was one of the last Transformers I bought back in the day. He was a revelation to me, the truck combing with the trailer to form a super robot. Brilliant stuff. However as Doc' said above, the toy didn't quite live up to what was in my mind's eye. This figure looks the business, but I am acutely aware there is no small robot mode. That is unfortunate, I feel we're so close to 'The Perfect Optimus Prime', but just come up short. But maybe a small robot is too much to ask.
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Post by Llama God on Feb 14, 2016 12:02:49 GMT
Yep, that was why I loved PM Prime as a kid - the fact that his robot mode looked like the animation model. And screw the fact the transformation scheme was wrong - he just looked good.
It did, however, amuse me when I finally saw Masterforce, and realised that they'd changed the animation model to match the toy. THAT'S NOT THE POINT! (And yes, I know they're two different characters. But still.)
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Post by Pinwig on Feb 14, 2016 12:05:09 GMT
Fascinating! I love filling in the gaps. Yes, of course, I see now. He combines with himself too doesn't he... I am also at the moment on a concerted effort to finish watching Victory, and have just reached the point where Star Saber is looking likely to combine with Victory Leo, which looks like the next step on from Ginrai and Godbomber.
Interesting that by the time we get to RiD Prime is combining with Magnus, then Armada is a more traditional combine with trailer to facilitate the auto transform bit, then with Energon he almost becomes a full blown five figure combiner in himself but the Powerlinx feature means he has additional options like Jetfire (have I remembered all that right?)
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Post by Bogatan on Feb 14, 2016 12:18:35 GMT
Armada combines with Magnus and or Jetfire too so is continuing the evolution. Energon can combine with Omega Supreme. Not sure about Jetfire.
Cybertron Prime maybe back tracks a little. He combines with the trailer and can combine with Wingsaber or that weird Leo breaker arm combine, but it still feels like they pulled back on the gimmicks after Energon.
After that they come full circle all the way back to an original Prime non combining toy. Which is largely where its been ever since, ROTF Jetfire and last years CW being the main exceptions that I can think of.
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Post by Pinwig on Feb 14, 2016 12:35:14 GMT
Oh yes! I'd forgotten Armada Prime combines with Overload and Jetfire. I don't think I have Overload in Magnus colours. I'm trying to remember now if I ever actually combined Armada Prime with either of them. They're in a box in the loft now. So I suppose there's been a consistent evolution of leaders combining with their own components or with others for most of the run of the toyline. Interesting. Recent ones like TAV33 cheat because his trailer doesn't detach, it's alrady part of the transformation. It does some clever stuff though, like the fact the top of the cab splits and actually rotates on arms right down the length of the body to become his feet. It makes me smile doing that.
(5000th post!)
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Post by Llama God on Feb 14, 2016 12:38:23 GMT
Oh, I didn't know that. NOW I'm more interested in TAV 33.
(Also, gz!)
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Post by Toph on Feb 14, 2016 12:48:51 GMT
Armada can combine with both Armada Jetfires, Timelines Astrotrain, Armada Overload, Universe/OTFCC Sentinel Maximus and Energon Ultra Magnus.
Energon can combine with Energon Wing Saber, Energon Omega Supreme, and Energon Omega Sentinel.
Cybertron can combine with Cybertron Leobreaker, Cybertron Nemesis Breaker, Universe Leo Prime, Timelines Razorclaw, Cybertron Wing Saber, and movie Wingblade.
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Post by Pinwig on Feb 14, 2016 12:53:00 GMT
It's great because it's just so unusual. You have to ignore the gaping chasms in his legs because they're basically the trailer split in half, but TAV33 is a fun toy. This video is TAV21, but it shows the cab rotation to make the feet at the 8 minute mark:
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 14, 2016 12:59:53 GMT
Powermaster Prime was a toy that passed me by back in the day because it just looked too much like a brick to me compared to the much more impressive large scale figures that had come before it, like Scorponok. However in a moment of reckless abandon a couple of weeks ago I bought Graham's one from the mega sale, and have in the last week or so gone through all the various modes and had a good look at it. I'm not sure about the Godmaster mode with the Apex Armour (or in this case Godbomber because this is a Takara reissue one) but the Powermaster Prime mode is much more appealing than I thought it would be It's worth comparing the original Powermaster Prime with Super Ginrai, who forms the basis for both the reissue Ginrai and Reissue Optimus: Powermaster Prime www.tfu.info/1988/Autobot/OptimusPrime/optmiusprime.htmSuper Ginrai www.tfu.info/1988/Cybertron/SuperGinrai/superginrai.htmPowermaster Prime has a solid plastic cab, one piece red arms and hands, which stick up in truck mode, grey trailer sides & guns and no chrome. Super Ginrai has a metal cab with clear plastic windows, longer red arms with slide out blue hands: the arms on SG are the length of the combined arms and hands on PM Prime with extra moulding at the elbow* making up the differenece. The guns & trailer sides are silver and there's chrome on the bumper, Powermaster and upper legs. So although they're essentially the same toy they're actually REALLY different and the Japanese version is superior in every way. * The new moulded arm cogs at the elbows frustrate me. They shout "Bend here!" and you can't! That would have made the toy so much better: compare it to Star Convoy's arms. This then leads you to thinking of other ways the toy could be tweaked: see my review at tmukhub.proboards.com/thread/3134/phils-powermaster-optimus-prime-reviewWhile we're on the subject do you know what the name Ginrai mean in Japan? Effectively it's Thunderclash! |
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Post by Pinwig on Feb 14, 2016 13:05:18 GMT
That might be another reason why I didn't pursue Powermaster Prime back in the day. My lingering impression of that is that it was a big plastic brick, so if this Takara one is more refined and improved then I'm not seeing what originally turned me off the figure. Interesting.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 14, 2016 13:10:36 GMT
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 14, 2016 13:29:33 GMT
That might be another reason why I didn't pursue Powermaster Prime back in the day. My lingering impression of that is that it was a big plastic brick, so if this Takara one is more refined and improved then I'm not seeing what originally turned me off the figure. Interesting. I loved my PM Prime, but Ginrai is so so much better. If you ever get an opportunity put them next to each other. |
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Post by Llama God on Feb 14, 2016 13:59:16 GMT
While we're on the subject do you know what the name Ginrai mean in Japan? Effectively it's Thunderclash! NO WAY. That just makes Thunderclash even more awesome! Does that mean he can be considered as a reincarnation of Ginrai? All sorts of fanfic possibilities! And, I love how that Headmaster gimmick works with that Prime. Love it. |
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Post by Benn on Feb 14, 2016 14:23:56 GMT
Having this Prime be a proper Headmaster Prime doesn't bother me like I thought it would.
And then I realised, it's because the original PM Prime was a Headmaster, just his spare head didn't turn into a little man.
I am content with this.
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Post by blueshift on Feb 14, 2016 14:35:50 GMT
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Post by Llama God on Feb 14, 2016 14:42:55 GMT
Some 3P needs to get on that. Stat!
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Feb 14, 2016 18:34:19 GMT
Loving Titanmaster PM Prime.
Andy
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 14, 2016 23:02:03 GMT
Boxback  |
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Post by Llama God on Feb 14, 2016 23:48:13 GMT
It's an Optimus with a mouth! The first Optimus with a mouth since the last one! Let the complaining commence!
No complaints from me, though - I like it. Casualwear Prime.
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Post by Toph on Feb 15, 2016 1:12:52 GMT
He looks like Optimus got a job as the Postman.
Also, additional new info, the head is named Apex.
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primenova
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
Posts: 6,057
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Post by primenova on Feb 15, 2016 7:27:19 GMT
Anybody noticed how both Optimus & FortMax both have the rear slabs on the back of the arms? Apart from FortMax does not have them attached to his arms - but could this be an ongoing thing with all Leader toys. If we have another toy that is a character that is a leader they could have these slabs too?
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Post by Llama God on Feb 15, 2016 8:33:23 GMT
Postman Prime, Postman Prime, he's in a fight against white-collar crime...
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Post by Benn on Feb 15, 2016 9:15:32 GMT
It's an Optimus with a mouth! The first Optimus with a mouth since the last one! Let the complaining commence! No complaints from me, though - I like it. Casualwear Prime. Orion Pax, blue collar dock worker and part-time postman? Wartime wages that bad? And moonlighting as Optimus Prime, like some sort of crazy superhero? There's a story here, right? |
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