Toys

Optimus Prime (1984) .::. The original Optimus Prime toy, with Combat Deck and Roller. Originally part of Takara's 1983 Diaclone line under the name "Battle Convoy", the figure was designed by Hiroyuki Obara and Shoji Kawamori. The figure's definitive mouth-plate has become a design element in most incarnations and variants of Prime down the years (bar a few exceptions, noted individually below). Integrated into the first year of the Transformers toyline, the toy was given its new name, Optimus Prime, by comic book writer/editor Dennis O'Neil. His removable fists are one of the most easily-lost parts of the figure, and have proven to be a step in transformation that future toys based on this body have striven to eliminate. Roller was included in many colors, including silver (matching his trailer), indigo (matching his fists and legs), and blue (matching the trailer legs on a unique variant). A special promotional version of the figure was released in 1985, with a Pepsi sticker on the trailer. In Japan, the toy was released again twice within the original line, in multi-figure packs, both times with blue windows to closer represent the cartoon. The toy was reissued in Japan in 2000 in its original incarnation, but with Roller molded in indigo, covered in silver paint. At the same time, it was recolored almost entirely in black as an exclusive for the JAFCON convention. The toy was reissued again in Japan for New Year's Day in 2002 with blue windows, sky blue eyes (inspired by the cartoon), a die-cast Matrix accessory. It was reissued again in 2003 with a new energy axe accessory. Reissued in the west by Hasbro in 2002, the toy had to be modified for safety reasons, and features shorter smokestacks and longer missiles, as well as having Roller's spring-loaded launcher deactivated. As a Diaclone mold, the toy features an opening "cockpit" in his chest where two Diaclone drivers can sit. Diaclone drivers can also sit in the cockpit of the missile launcher, as well as in Roller's 4 seats. The Matrix accessory which shipped with Galaxy Force/Cybertron Optimus Prime fits perfectly inside this compartment. The cab of the toy was later redecoed into the cab of Ultra Magnus and Pepsi Convoy.

Decoy Optimus Prime (1986) .::. A small, red rubber model of Prime, part of a large number of similar figures of other Transformers that were packaged as promotional items with figures in the 1986-87 toyline.

Powermaster Optimus Prime (1988) .::. Two years after his original toy left store shelves after his death in Transformers: The Movie in 1986, Prime was restored to life as part of the new Powermaster sub-group. As before, he transforms into a red truck cab with a grey trailer, and when his Powermaster engine parter Hi-Q is plugged into place, the cab becomes a robot, while the trailer transforms into a battle station. The major new feature of the toy, however, is the ability of the cab and trailer to combine together to form a giant "super robot" version of Prime. The head for the super robot is a separate piece which must be attached, and the original design for the toy was to have this be an upgraded Roller, who would transform from buggy, to robot, to head. This did not come to pass, however, and the head is left to sit separately with no function in any other mode (although it can be stored in the trailer in truck mode). Another version Powermaster Prime was released in Japan the same year and given the separate identity Ginrai. While the American version of his cab, is made of plastic with decals for windows, Ginrai's cab was cast in die-cast metal, with translucent plastic windows. His smokestacks were shortened and chromed, his small robot mode's eyes were painted sky blue, and the plastic used for his trailer and shoulder weapons was molded in a silver or metallic gray. In addition, the arms for Super Ginrai had retractable blue fists, as opposed to Optimus Prime's solid red arms. Ginrai, called Super Ginrai when combined with his trailer, was sold together and separately with a tandem trailer named Godbomber which turned into an additional robot, as well as combined with Super Ginrai to form a larger robot. Ginrai was reissued in Japan in 2001, in both his original color scheme, a red and orange "Fire Guts" eHobby exclusive, and in black as "Nucleon Quest Convoy." This reissue, in its original colors, was later released by Hasbro, branded as Powermaster Optimus Prime (the name of its American counterpart), with Godbomber renamed Apex Bomber.

Action Master Optimus Prime (1990) .::. Part of the new sub-line of Transformers figures which did not actually transform, Action Master Optimus Prime is a poseable action figure resembling a composite of the original toy and his animated appearance. The Action Masters' articulation was based in part on that of 3¾" G.I. Joe figures. Instead of transforming himself, he came packaged with the "Armored Convoy," a large truck which could transform into a battle station and an aircraft. This body was the basis for the new form the Last Autobot reconfigured Hi-Q/Prime into at the conclusion of the original U.S. Marvel Comics series. In 2000 Takara released L-20 Micro Trailer with Secret Breaster Pilot Edison in Japan, which was a recolor of Optimus Prime's Armored Convoy truck in green and white, with a Microman pilot named Edison.

Star Convoy (1992) .::. A Japanese-exclusive from the final year of the toyline, Star Convoy is the reborn form of Optimus Prime, and comes with a Micromaster version of Hot Rod. He transforms from a truck into a robot (without the usual cab/trailer separation), and can also become a battle station for Micromasters. His electronic "Tread Unit," apparently a new form for Roller, allows him to roll forward or backward in vehicle or robot mode, and becomes a conveyor to roll out Micromasters in base mode. These electronics can also be linked with Star Convoy's fellow Autobot Grandus, to operate that toy's base-mode elevator. A third Autobot, Sky Garry, can also connect in base mode, and the three can link up in vehicle mode, with Grandus hitched to the rear of Star Convoy, and Sky Garry atop him, in a combination called the "Battlestars." Star Convoy was reissued in Japan in 2005, his white parts replaced with metallic silver, and his yellow chest cross in chromed gold.

Generation 2 Optimus Prime (1993) .::. A redecoed and slightly remolded version of the original Optimus Prime toy, this is the form to which Prime is returned at the beginning of Marvel's Generation 2 comic. With his trailer now black instead of grey, Prime is also equipped with an electronic sound box which emits various laser noises, and the phrase "I am Optimus Prime!" Two firing missile launchers can plug into the side of this box, which can be wielded in Prime's robot fists, while the box itself mounts either on the front of the trailer, or on Prime's back.

Generation 2 Combat Hero Optimus Prime (1994) .::. This new figure's primary feature was a bellows-operated cannon; by slamming your hand down on the small plastic bellows attached to the toy by a hose, a jet of air blasted a rubber-tipped missile through the air. This figure is the form into which the Swarm reconfigured Prime at the conclusion of Marvel's Generation 2 comics, although there, it was rendered with his traditional color scheme, instead of the toy's more unique one. Prototypes of a recolor of Combat Hero Optimus Prime were made in a dark blue color were made, but the toy was never sold in that color. Hero Prime was released in Europe as a different character named "Sureshot," changing the chest stickers which displayed Optimus's name. The toy was later redecoed in black, grey and teal and released as Destructicon Scourge for the Transformers: Robots in Disguise line in 2002.

Generation 2 Laser Optimus Prime (1995) .::. Part of the "Laser Rod" sub-group of 1995 (hence leading him to often be incorrectly referred to as "Laser Rod Optimus Prime"), this incarnation of Prime had a light-up electronic fist which illuminated his clear plastic sword, and light-up heads for his tanker truck vehicle mode. In traditional fashion, the cab became Prime himself while the trailer transformed with spring-loaded action into a very heavily armed battle station with missile launcher, disk launcher and bellows-operated cannon. Highly poseable for the time, this toy was for a long period viewed as one of the best Transformers toys created. Laser Prime was later redecoed in black, grey and teal as Black Convoy for Takara's 2000 Car Robots line, who was then in turn imported and turned into Scourge for Transformers: Robots in Disguise in 2001. In 2006, the figure was redecoed again into the Japanese eHobby exclusive, Laser Ultra Magnus.

Generation 2 Go-Bot Optimus Prime (1995) .::. As part of the large sub-line of free-wheeling, simplistic "Go-Bots," this was an unusual Optimus Prime figure, a redeco of an earlier figure named Firecracker which transformed into a red Lamborghini Diablo. Go-Bot Prime was the first Optimus Prime figure to lack the characeter's distinctive mouthplate, but was the first Optimus Prime to score a perfect set of 10s in his tech spec numbers. Additionally, the toy's tech spec gave an explanation for the large number of bodies Prime had been going through during the Generation 2 toyline, crediting an "Internal Reconfiguration Matrix" with the transformations. The US version of the toy came with no Autobot symbol and a plain chest, whereas the Japanese version has a blue Transformers logo on it.

Optimus Primal (1996) .::. Although the later storyline of Beast Wars would go on to depict Optimus Primal as a different character than Optimus Prime, the comic which shipped with the original Beast Wars toy versions of Optimus Primal and Megatron depicted them as new incarnations of Optimus Prime and Megatron. Presumably these forms - Primal as a bat, Megatron as a crocodile - were their new bodies after the original series. This toy was redecoed into the BotCon 1996 exclusive toy, the black and grey Onyx Primal, and the Japanese-exclusive Convobat, in traditional red and blue Prime colors.

Machine Wars Optimus Prime (1997) .::. The short-lived Machine Wars toy line from Hasbro featured an Optimus Prime figure that was a recolored version of Thunderclash, a 1992 Turbomaster - part of a line of Transformers exclusive to Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Thunderclash was not ill-suited to the job, given that he was a truck with a cab that became a robot and a trailer that became battle station. As a repaint of an existing character, this incarnation of Prime also lacked the characteristic mouth-plate, although the toy's box art depicted him with one, being as it was retooled art from Laser Optimus Prime's packaging. He continued the trend of perfect 10s in his tech specs, but was for a long period regarded as one of the worst Prime toys, not because the toy itself was bad by some fans, but because it was visibly un-Prime-like.

Smallest Transformers Optimus Prime (2003) .::. A miniature, two-inch-high version of the original Optimus Prime figure sold in the first wave of the blind-packaged "Smallest Transformers" series (often incorrectly called "World's Smallest Transformers," or "WSTF"). His trailer was available separately, and the figure was later recolored into a cartoon-based paintjob for another release in 2004, alongside a white version of the figure, dubbed "White Mode," but clearly a reference to the shared mold of the original toy and Ultra Magnus. A black version was also produced.

20th Anniversary Optimus Prime, with Megatron (2004) .::. Released in 2004 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Transformers franchise, this 12" tall, 3 pound version of Optimus Prime strove to reproduce his cartoon appearance in the most intricate detail, going so far as to feature a particularly complex torso transformation in the name of featuring a different design of grill for truck and robot modes. Featuring several die-cast metal parts, working suspension with rubber tires, a removable light-up Matrix of Leadership and flip-up wrist communicators, this highly-poseable Prime was armed with his traditional ion blaster (originally released in grey, later amended to the correct black), his energy axe, and even a gun-mode Megatron with stock, scope and silencer. In Japan, the toy was released as "Masterpiece Convoy," and was able to feature longer smokestacks due different safety regulations. The Japanese version of the toy also lacked the painted "battle damage" scorch marks. The packaging could be folded up to create a cardboard trailer to hitch up to the back of the cab. Takara later redecoed the figure in white in 2005 as "Masterpiece Ultra Magnus." In honor of the 20th anniversary of Transformers: The Movie, this figure has been re-released with a new electronic display base which speaks re-recorded phrases from the film. The new release of this figure is in the cartoon-correct colors, without the "battle damage" scorch marks from the 2004 version.

Robot Masters Optimus Prime (2004) .::. The Japanese Transformers: Robot Masters toyline naturally featured a new toy of Prime, here referred to as G1 Convoy in order to distinguish him from the also-appearing Optimus Primal, also called Convoy in Japan, and here equipped with the qualifier of "Beast Convoy." Designed to look like a small version of the 20th Anniversary figure, the Robot Masters incarnation of Prime featured an overly simplistic transformation that resulted in an unimpressive truck mode, but came with his gun and axe. The figure was redecoed in black as a Dangeki Hobby exclusive in 2005.

Orion Pax and Barrelroller (2005) .::. A redeco of the 2005 reissue of Kup as Orion Pax, available exclusively through the Japanese online retailer, eHobby. Kup's Targetmaster partner Recoil was included as Barrelroller, a droid who transformed into a loading tool, intended as an earlier form of Roller.

Transformers: Alternators Optimus Prime (2006) .::. Originally, Hasbro intended for the Dodge Ram toy they had created for the licensed vehicle line, Transformers: Alternators to be a different character, but Takara insisted on the toy's identity as Optimus Prime, as pick-up trucks are an uncommon sight on Japanese roads, and Prime's character would help to sell the toy. This toy features a California vanity license plate featuring the Autobot logo and the word "PRIME". Oddly, however, when originally solicited, the Japanese version of the toy (the line known there as "Binaltech") was named Ginrai, after the Prime lookalike from Masterforce, but this solicitation was cancelled. When it appeared again, as part of the "Binaltech Aterisk" line - which featured small PVC figures of girls that could ride in the vehicles - it was as "Black Convoy." This too vanished, and Prime was finally released as himself, with different paint applications, in the "Kiss Players" line, with Marissa Faireborn, though on the box her name is listed as Melissa. Alternators Prime was redecoed into Nemesis Prime for the 2006 San Diego Comic Con. Only 3000 of these were produced, and are highly sought after by collectors. It was also redecoed into Binaltech Black Convoy for Wonder Festival 2007 and released in even fewer numbers, regularly selling for more than US$200. Black Convoy is the only version of the Optimus Prime Dodge Ram mold which features diecast components.

Hybrid Style Optimus Prime (2006) .::. Better known by its obtuse Japanese classification of "T.H.S.-02 Convoy", this version of Prime, based on his original form, follows on from T.H.S.-01, a highly poseable version of Transformers: Cybertron Optimus Prime. Redesigned by noted mecha creator Shoji Kawamori of Macross fame, this Prime included die-cast metal parts and interchangeable hands including his energy axe, rifle, Matrix and a replice of Sideswipe's jetpack, as used in More Than Meets the Eye, Part 3. As with the original figure, the trailer opened into a battle station, and came with Roller. The toy has divided opinions among collectors, praised for its high level of articulation and innovative new ways to represent Prime's classic transformation, but likewise derided for its lackluser truck mode, looking like nothing so much as Prime's torso balanced on a set of wheels.

Titanium 6 inch War Within Optimus Prime (2006) .::. Based on Optimus Prime's Cybertronian mode from Dreamwave's Transformers: The War Within comic book series, this transforming figure is part of the 6" "Cybertron Heroes" size class of Transformers Titanium Series figures. A repaint of this figure in white as Ultra Magnus was announced by Botcon 2006.

Titanium 3 inch War Within Optimus Prime (2006) .::. Based on Optimus Prime's Cybertronian mode from Dreamwave's Transformers: The War Within comic book series, this non-transforming figure is part of the 3" "Robot Masters" size class of Transformers Titanium Series figures.

Titanium 3 inch Optimus Prime (2006) .::. Based on Optimus Prime's original form, but actually his 20th Anniversary/Masterpiece figure, this non-transforming figure is part of the 3" "Robot Masters" size class of Transformers Titanium Series figures.

Transformers Classics (2006) .::. Intended to update classic characters into modern forms, Transformers: Classics included in its first wave a new version of Optimus Prime, who once again transforms into a red COE truck cab, though modernized and more aerodynamic than the original. This Optimus Prime does not have a trailer, and the attachment point for one is awkwardly rectangular. The exhaust stacks convert into a Lazor Cannon with the appearance of two Submachine guns grouped side-by-side, though they are not intended to be separated. The air deflector atop the cab converts into an Ion Blaster. Connecting the exhaust stacks to the air deflector makes it into a duo shoulder cannons. This figure was redecoed in white and blue as Ultra Magnus, sold in a two-pack with Skywarp.

Attacktix Optimus Prime (2007) .::. Part of a 4 pack starter set for Attacktix, Optimus comes with the original Megatron, Energon Landquake and San Diego ComicCon inspired Skywarp.

Other merchandise