Toy Review - MP-32 Optimus Primal/Beast Convoy

[doublespy]

Kurt and T.C pretty much summed up my positive feelings towards this figure. What an incredible Masterpiece!

I will just put up some photos and a few comments here and there:

MONKEY GORILLA MODE:




It really helps with the show accuracy when they have the 3D character model from the show. The hydrographic-printed fur details look amazing in person. And the painted chest area has smooth transition across different parts.


The back is mostly clean. Considering how much robot bits need to be concealed it's a necessary compromise. Same with the should pads. Industrial design has a lot to do with setting the priorities and comprising.

There's a 5mm peg that swings out on the back. Anybody know what it's for? I thought it was for Generations Rattrap to ride on his back but it would fit?





There's a hinge on the waist piece that allows the thighs to clear the stomach and be able to bend forward for quadruped poses.




Pose-ability is pretty good in this mode. I find it surprising that he can be so emotive without proper knee bends.




All of the faces are painted/tampograhed with crisp details and full of personality.

TRANSFORMATION:
Nothing really wows but it's a very satisfying process. Everything has a place to tab in. The panel shifting on the legs is really clever.

'BOT MODE:





This robot mode is taking "like it's jumped from the TV" to the next level: including the texture. All the 3D texturing on the show model is amazingly recreated with metallic paint apps, which is something they couldn't when designing the G1-based MPs. I'm already imagining that beautiful contrast between the T-Rex skin texture and shining robot bits on MP Megatron






Pose-ability is great. If you're not happy with the 90 degree knee bend the transformation joint can be used as a double hinge. I have to mention the ankle joint. It's a pinned rocker joint on a rotational joint which allows front/back and side to side at the same time. And it's also connected to Primal's signature foot pistons.









Face-swapping in 'bot mode is equally fun. There's some really minor paint imperfections on the spare faces but overall the QC is top-notch.


The instructions aren’t very clear on how to take the face off. The antennae can rotate so you get your finger nail in the seam to pry it open. It's not the easiest way but it makes the head look more cohesive.


The obligatory shot.

VERDICT:
Do yourself a favor and get him. I ordered two and am having my fingers crossed that this one sells extremely well.

[kovert]

Is the display stand included or is it from MP Tracks?

[GoktimusPrime]

kovert: it looks like Tracks' stand. This reviewer has used another kind of stand, so I'm assuming that this toy doesn't come with one of its own.

I just noticed that the red from the robot mode's knee caps look to be concealed in beast mode! That's pretty neat. I understand that it's not possible to completely conceal all the robot parts in beast mode (even most G1 MPs can't do it - e.g. MP automobiles have visible robot parts on the underside), so reducing the amount of red on the beast mode by concealing the knee caps is pretty awesome! The printed fur detailing doesn't look nearly as nice as the beautifully sculpted fur detailing on the original toy, but it is more show accurate. With a TV show budget in the 90s this was as good as they could get with portraying fur. Mainframe animators actually had to write their own animation software as the off-the shelf stuff couldn't cope with their demands, so it was all quite cutting edge TV CG animation for its time. If Optimus Primal were to appear in a live action film, then yeah, you'd expect it to have a realistic looking CG generated beast mode (similar to say King Kong on the Peter Jackson film).

[GoktimusPrime]

Could someone please post comparative images of this MP next to the original figure? Thanks in advance.

[MEEEGGGAAATTTRRROOONNN!!!]

Could someone please post comparative images of this MP next to the original figure? Thanks in advance.

From Alfes2010:

[MEEEGGGAAATTTRRROOONNN!!!]

Beast mode comparison:





Alfes2010 review and pics: part 1, part 2 and part 3.

[kurdt_the_goat]

kurdt: feel free to copy/past the following into post #1 if you like. (I'll delete this portion of this post afterwards). I'm assuming that the toy's Approximate Size is the same as the original toy (as I don't have this MP yet), but do correct me if I'm wrong - and naturally feel free to edit anything else that you think may be inaccurate. Cheers/よろしくお願いします。

Thanks, i put it in.

Also he doesn't come with a stand of his own. I'd be more inclined to get one just for him if he had some booster effect parts! There's a little hole near the jets on his back...

[GoktimusPrime]

From Alfes2010:

Thanks for those. Wow, he's actually smaller than the original mould (which is a more show accurate size. Looks to be closer to 18cm which is more like the size of most other Ultras (e.g. Galvatron, Big Convoy etc.) Some Ultras like Depth Charge are 17cm. The original Ultra Optimus Primal is larger than the average Ultra Class figure. In this photo you can see that Optimus Primal is taller than both Lio Convoy and Big Convoy. And making him smaller is also more show accurate, as Mainframe animators did make him a bit shorter in the cartoon, as can be seen in this image.

Thanks, i put it in.

Awesome! If you can, could you measure the height of the robot mode? I just grabbed "20cm" from my old review of the original toy, but judging from MEEEGGGAAATTTRRROOONNN!!!'s photos I'd say that the MP looks to about 2cm shorter. Thanks.

Mine's being shipped by el cheapo super-slow postage, so I probably won't get mine until the new US President is sworn into office.

[kurdt_the_goat]

Yeap it's 18! I left it as 20 cause i thought i remembered that info coming in a magazine somewhere. That reminds me i need to unpack my Lio & Big Convoys now!

[DELTAprime]

Just got him, but a little late since Australia Post decided to send him on a tour of Queensland.

Anyone else have their box and clam shell double taped?

The plastic on the Beast Mode parts feel really odd in hand, most likely because of the decal transfers that are on almost every surface. Transformation is very complex yet easy to figure out without instructions. I'm very happy with him.