Toy Review - Magnus Prime

MAGNUS PRIME
Series – Generations
Sub-series - Titans Return
Size/class - Leader
New/remould/redeco - Redeco of LG Super Ginrai, which is a retool of TR PM Optimus Prime, which is a retool of CW Ultra Magnus
Wave - Siege of Cybertron box set
Released here – ???
RRP - $169
Approximate Size - 23cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode – Tractor trailer truck
Main Features/Gimmicks – Headmaster
Main Colours – Red, blue, grey
Main Accessories – x2 black guns, x2 grey guns, "Ginrai" Titan Master

ROBOT MODE

https://image.ibb.co/f7RXok/magnusprime01.jpg

Visually more attractive than Optimus Prime, especially with the use of darker greys and metallic blues. The replacement of the atrophied Godbomber with an atrophied Hi-Q looks better. I also like the way that the panels behind the arms fold up more. The fingers and thumbs are blue with red on the outer hands, resembling Ginrai's cartoon colours. Similarly, the torso is very red. I prefer the extra grey on Optimus Prime as it's more toy accurate, but I understand that TakaraTOMY were going with show-likeness with their LG Ginrai toy, and Magnus Prime has inherited this trait. Oddly enough, Magnus Prime has lost the more G1-accurate white crotch which has been replaced with dark metallic blue. Still looks nice though (and a lot better than the flat light grey on Optimus Prime). The retooled hands are much better than Optimus Prime's Ultra Magnus hands. Having solid fist holes means that the toy doesn't end up dropping his guns. And the symmetrical guns suit the character better than the Ultra Magnus guns from Optimus Prime. The inside head is also like LG Ginrai's and has a faceplate. This isn't any better or worse than Apex's head mode with the Orion Pax style face, just a matter of taste.

Unfortunately Magnus Prime has inherited one weakness from LG Ginrai and that comes from having smaller feet -- less stability in robot mode. This toy is far more prone to falling over backwards whereas Optimus Prime is pretty rock solid. It does have two red heel spurs to help support it, but they don't work nearly as well as just having the two big Ultra Magnus feet that Optimus Prime has. Obviously this was done to allow Ginrai to combine with LG Godbomber, but it's still a compromise to the base robot mode. This toy ought to be able to stand properly without Godbomber (just as G1 Ginrai can stand well without Godbomber).

https://image.ibb.co/gdO1g5/magnusprime03a.jpg

TRANSFORMATION

Coincidentally (or maybe deliberately) the arms have been retooled allowing the fists to slide - just like with G1. Only that G1 Ginrai's fists retract whereas these fists extend. The panels on my Magnus Prime are more easily prone to snapping off and the trailer is a massive pain in the butt to get all the panels to align and tab in correctly without popping another tab out. :( Don't have this problem with Optimus Prime - his tabs click in much more easily. I suspect that it may be the result of the additional joints added to the panels and arms that don't exist on Optimus Prime. The feet fold in and tuck away more tightly than Optimus Prime's feet.

TRUCK MODE

https://image.ibb.co/er8pZQ/magnusprime05.jpg

Much nicer looking than Optimus Prime, although I prefer how Optimus Prime's trailer has more grey on it. But otherwise I love the extra paint ops, the retooled cab and painted hubcaps.

https://image.ibb.co/k33dTk/magnusprime06.jpg

GINRAI

https://image.ibb.co/ehsGEQ/magnusprime03.jpg

I would have preferred "Hi-Q," but Ginrai is fine. Better than "Apex." Nicer colours too, but still no where near as nice as LG Ginrai's little Ginrai.

https://image.ibb.co/cUGnM5/magnusprime02.jpg

OVERALL

Basically just as good as any of the previous versions of this mould. It is better in some areas but weaker in others, so on the whole more or less on par with its predecessors. Worth buying? Only if you don't have TRPMOP or LG Ginrai and you want to get another toy from the Siege on Cybertron set. Otherwise it'd be easier and cheaper to get either TRPMOP or LG Ginrai separately.

WHO THE HELL IS MAGNUS PRIME?

As TFwiki points out, there's conflicting canonical information that indicates that he could be Ultra Magnus or Optimus Prime. So uh, take your pick. I'm going with Optimus Prime.

I wasn't that impressed with TR PM Optimus, so this was my first experience of this mould as Optimus and I quite like it. As mentioned the ankles joints are a bit loose, and tend to bend and collapse at unfortunate moments.

Unfortunately this is a bigger issue when you connect Godbomber as the additional weight on the body puts more pressure on the ankle. I find that with Godbomber connected I need to find something to lean him against.

My figure at least has the widely reported issue of missing a Godbomber connector in the bottom of the feet. There are enough additional connection points that I can attach the boots, but they are not on as solidly as they should be and will pop off if I'm not careful. I can understand why Hasbro decided to cut this corner given that they won't be releasing Godbomber themselves, but it is still disappointing.

Thanks, looks like I'll continue to skip LG Godbomber then (unless I find it cheap :p). Looking at comparison pics I can't see any physical difference between Magnus Prime and Ginrai. TFwiki said that the missing connector only occurs on some figures, so I think mine is okay. Where is this connector? (not sure what I'm looking for)

The difference in is the bottom of the feet, near the heel spur. The best comparison pic I've seen is here: https://www.allspark.com/2017/08/mag...rror-reported/

I heard about the missing part after I'd combined them and initially thought I didn't have a problem as the Godbomber parts went on without any hassles. It's only looking at those pics later I realized that one connection should be stronger than it is.

While Godbomber himself has quite a few problems, the combined mode does look very impressive indeed.

Thanks for that. I just checked mine and yeah, it has the connectors. So... yay? :o
I'm going to Japan next year so if I happen to find one cheap (like maybe a loose one) then I might get it. Don't care enough about it to pay full quid. But nice to know my options. :)