Toy Review - APS-01U Optimus Prime (Ultimate Edition)
OPTIMUS PRIME
Series - Asia Premium Series
Sub-line - N/A
Size/class - Supreme
New/remould/redeco - Redeco w/new hands
Wave - N/A
Released here - N/A (Hasbro HK exclusive)
Approximate Retail Price - USD230+
Approximate Size - 26cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - customised Peterbilt 379 truck
Main Features/Gimmicks - 'Premium' paint applications; accessories from previous releases of Optimus Prime
Main Colours - Red, blue, silver
Main Accessories - Buster gun fuel tanks, striker shield, mega-striker gun, battle blades, battle hooks, knuckle-dusters, AllSpark
http://i.imgur.com/6OQ3kT0.jpg
Vehicle mode: The well-known Peterbilt 379. This version has silver paint on the grille, bumper and sunshields, which, while not as shiny as chrome, should be more resistant to wear. Paint was applied smoothly and evenly. The windows are also darker than on previous releases, this time being a smoked, transparent grey.
http://i.imgur.com/w0HzSvz.jpg
The vehicle has one visible mould change: there are two 5mm holes at the back of the roof, on the grey hinge where the roof of the sleeper folds over.
http://i.imgur.com/XL9b9DT.jpg
Some have noted the lack of pinstriping on the flame deco, but the argument could be made that the pinstriping doesn't scale well, and that on the toy, it would have to be a fraction of a millimetre thick (warning: large file).
This toy has one other paint application that sets it apart from nearly every other release of this toy: the silver paint running around the base of the cab and sleeper on both sides, simulating the chrome on the 1:1 truck.
The light and sound feature is still present.
Robot mode: This figure is, with one not-so-small change, the Jetwing version from Dark of the Moon.
http://i.imgur.com/p6EYUYK.jpg
Frankly, it's beautiful. The original Hasbro release has been referred to as having Masterpiece-level engineering at a leader-class price point, and with this paint job, the figure really shines. In addition to the vehicle mode's red and blue, the figure is painted with silver and touches of gold. Some areas of dark grey plastic are left unpainted.
http://i.imgur.com/NbKi2Pd.jpg
The head sculpt lacks the faceplate, which may be off-putting to some, but I personally don't mind, since movieverse Optimus spends most of his time on-screen without it. This version has small dots of blue paint to simulate his eyeballs.
http://i.imgur.com/U8M5uK0.jpg
The one not-so-small change to this mould is that this figure (finally) has articulated fingers. The thumb moves on a ball-and-socket joint, while the four fingers are moulded in pairs, with two points of hinged articulation. To allow the figure to hold weapons or the shield, there are 'boxes' moulded into the palm of the hand with a slot on top for handles to slide into. The instructions recommend leaving the hand open, putting the accessory in the slot, then closing the fingers around the box. Interestingly, the design of the original leader-class figure from Revenge of the Fallen strongly suggested that it was meant to have articulated hands, but these were ostensibly dropped for cost-cutting reasons.
http://i.imgur.com/uaECAhR.jpg
The MechAlive feature has been retained: pressing the fold-out lever at the base of the abdomen triggers it, as well as the light and sound gimmick. The sound clip is of Peter Cullen saying "We must stop the Decepticons!", previously heard on the 2010 Hunt for the Decepticons release of Optimus.
Aside from the paint job, where this figure really shines is the plethora of accessories it comes with. Being a re-release of the Jetwing version of the mould, it has the two detachable fuel tanks that combine to form the buster gun. It also has the mega-striker rifle, which is composed of two pistols; the striker shield, capable of being used in either mode; two battle blades that can be held in Optimus's hands, first seen as an exclusive with Striker Optimus Prime; two battle hooks (which as far as I can tell, are based on the hooks from the 2010 HftD release of Optimus) that are also hand-held; a new knuckle-duster, which plugs into the back of either of Optimus's hands; and finally, the Jetwing (reviewed here). All the accessories are painted; none is just bare plastic.
http://i.imgur.com/zaETiAq.jpg
This could be down to variations in production, but my figure has a loose 'grip' on many of the weapons, particularly the left hand; they require a bit of wiggling in several cases to get a decent fit.
http://i.imgur.com/EVfzmtj.jpg
The Jetwing pack is slightly different to the original release: while it's still the same mould, it now has blue engine nacelles instead of grey, with the appropriate parts either painted or moulded in blue plastic.
http://i.imgur.com/R8duvha.jpg
All the accessories can be added to the vehicle mode to create what must be the ultimate attack vehicle.
http://i.imgur.com/XfXMFIZ.jpg
As an exclusive, APS-01U comes with a small diecast AllSpark and a metal collector's card. They're nice little extras, but they don't make or break the figure as a set.
http://i.imgur.com/5riiKr6.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Ic1CnWG.jpg
Verdict: With the paint work, the new hands and the panoply of weapons, it's not hard to see why this is being pitched as the ultimate edition of Optimus Prime. It truly is a thing to behold. However, it has a price tag to match, and current exchange rates certainly don't help.
Is it worth it? That's a bit of a tough one. If you want the ultimate iteration of movieverse Optimus Prime, then yes. Sell off your other versions of this mould if you have to; having this will make up for it.
If you want the premium paint job but are unwilling to pay the premium price, it might be worth sticking to Buster Optimus Prime or APS-01 if you already have one.
