There have been some big action figures, and some big Transformers, over the years. But the sheer presence of this Optimus Prime makes him one of the most epic figures I’ve ever owned.
Toys Alliance is a relative newcomer to the very populated scene of Transformers toys. From the outset last year, they seemed intent to make their Mega Action Series line stand apart from that scene in two distinct ways. The first was to build their large scale figures with consent and cooperation of Hasbro, and second, possibly because of this, they would be “Action Master” types Transformers — the type that don’t transform.
Obviously, this type of just “action figure” have been done before. In fact Oritoy, the company behind Acid Rain, took on a similarly licensed Optimus figure just year. There is also a massive Unimetal Optimus figure that is almost as large, and there are several high-end 12-inch tall-ish Optimus figures from many heavyweights in the 1:6 and designer figure worlds.
But none of them are this Optimus.
Clocking in at nearly 19 inches tall, and almost a foot wide at the shoulders, this Optimus has an intimidating profile that is unlike any Transformer I’ve ever owned, even in the face of Titan ‘bots like Metroplex and Fort Max. But it’s not just the dimensions that are at play here. Prime’s design, incorporating massive shoulders and arms, thick lower legs and a barrel chest, scream “powerhouse” at every angle. While not exclusively G1 in style, there’s no mistaking that this is the original Prime. He’s almost equal parts modern and classic style, with a little bit of IDW and maybe even some Dreamwave elements to him.
The paint is really impressive. The muted red has a great metallic touch to it, and while not the candy apple or firetruck red that we usually see, the color does a great job of setting this one apart from the MP versions. There is a ton of small paint details on the various panels, almost too many to try and list at once.
The lack of an alt-mode thing is a little tough, even when you know about it going in. But there was certainly a payoff to that sacrifice: this is one sturdy, articulated Autobot. With joint set ups rivaling a 6-inch modern figure, Prime has double elbows, knees, tilting ankles, articulated fingers, butterfly joints, and an ab-crunch. Most of these joints are sturdy ratcheting ones, with some, like the hips, making me a little uneasy with their hard dead-timber clicks. But there is an overall feeling of quality in the joints in plastic that has sustained some almost non-stop posing and playing over this last weekend. The addition of hinged panels on his hips and “hidden” joints that leave no gaps when they’re being used take this figure really over the extra mile, making him look incredible in just about any pose.
And he’s not without his special features. He has a massive Ion blaster, which slots securely in his hands, that can be held in both hands. With the addition of some 377 batteries, his eyes blaze a bright blue, and his opening chest compartment houses a removable Matrix, which also can light up a dark room.
In terms of scale, I would say his true home would be with the 1:18 figures. But at this kind of size and bulk, he can run with the majority of my collection, and still feels intimidating as all hell. Even your bigger 1:12 figures don’t clear his shins. The size of his feet, hands and head, the massive tires and gas canisters on his legs, and the huge smokestacks on his shoulders give him this unique ability to defy traditional scaling problems and pretty much go wherever you’d like him to.
Clearly, this figure has struck a chord with me. I normally like setting something this size up with a backdrop, or some stage setting, but I opted to just show him off on his own, with some comparisons here and there. Hopefully, this makes him a little easier to look over on his own merit. But I actually would like to do a follow-up on him soon, with some other big Transformers, or some Beast Wars figures, hell, maybe a flash fiction. If that’s something you want me to take on, let me know in the comments.
In terms of reviewing and recommending though, this one is easy. If you are all but the most casual Transformers fan, you should get your hands on this Optimus. If you’ve ever longed for giant robots to go with your Joes, the wait is finally over. And you should especially grab him up if the prospect of a similarly styled Megatron for him to fight with gets you giddy, since he’s on the way. And I expect to see many a too-late-adopter wishing they had grabbed him at the relative steal he retails for — under $200 — rather than a sure-to-be-rough aftermarket price.
