Toy Review - Optimus Prime (Animated, Legacy)

[GoktimusPrime]

Animated Universe OPTIMUS PRIME
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Legacy
Hypo-line - United
Size/class - Voyager
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - I
Released here - December 2023
Approximate Retail Prize - $53
Approximate Size - 17cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - emergency truck
Main Features/Gimmicks - extendable axe handle
Main Colours - red and blue
Main Accessories - axe, lightbar



















I can't find a review thread for the original 2009 Animated Voyager Optimus Prime toy, so here are the review threads for its redecos for reference:
Black Animated Optimus Prime review thread
Wingblade Optimus Prime review thread
Heh, I got this toy last year - still not a fan of the clear coloured plastic. I was hoping that Hasbro would release a solid repaint, but 13 years later it never happened so I caved

Compared to the original Voyager...

PROS:
+ Much more solid figure in both robot and vehicle mode. Gone are the floppy shoulders and back panel.
+ Detailed cab interior
+ Super articulation/poseability
+ It has an Autobot logo tampographed on the shoulder
+ His axe actually looks like an axe
+ Axe can be mounted on his back
+ Painted side windows
+ The more G1-esque design makes him look less "Animated," which may be a pro for those of you who dislike Animated designs.

CONS:
- Less Animated-accurate design, and the more G1-esque design makes him look out of place next to other Animated figures. But also out of place next to G1 CHUG figures.
- Paler colours make this toy look far less vibrant.
- No yellow accents on the helmet or feet. No painted headlights.
- No retractable faceplate.
- No gun.
- No light-piping and no clear detailed sculpted windows (they're just plain solid black).

NEUTRAL:
/ Truck mode is just a truck with a lightbar. There's nothing about that makes him a fire engine (e.g. fire department logos, hoses, ladder etc.). But to be fair, the cartoon model and all other Animated Optimus Prime toys are guilty of this too. It's just something about the Animated Optimus Prime design that I'm not a fan of, but I can't blame the toy for the shortcomings of the source material.
/ The spinning waist transformation gimmick is gone (yay), but the waist itself has very little clearance (boo). So be careful to angle the toy correctly when rotating the waist, or you might just remove and reattach the waist entirely. I've been able to make it rotate without detaching it, but I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't tricky. Both the original and Legacy toys have issues with the waist transformation, so I can't really say one is better/worse than the other; they comparatively cancel each other out.
/ This whole not-quite-Animated-but-not-quite-G1 CHUG design on the toy feels very Rise of Skywalkery to me. And I feel the same about Legacy toys based on characters from TF Prime and other Animated Legacy toys... because these toys are based on original designs which broke away from the orthodox Japanese mecha anime aesthetic of most other Transformers. This can make Animated an acquired taste, leading to many fans either loving or hating Animated's designs; same with TF Prime and Bayformers... any time Transformers makes a departure from the mecha anime thing, it can be polarising. But this toy feels like it's trying to make both sides happy, and in doing so, leading to the toy not really looking like he belongs in either camp. But maybe that's just me.

OVERALL:
If you don't care about Animated-accuracy and just want a good solid toy, then this toy may please you. If you're looking for an updated version of the classic Animated Optimus Prime, then you might be disappointed in some of the design choices that were made to make him conform with CHUG. Overall, I don't think that this toy really improves over the original that much that it was worth getting. If you have the 2009 Voyager and you're perfectly happy with it, then go ahead and skip this toy.

P.S.: I wish that Legacy would fill in the gaps of Animated characters never released as toys in the original series.
e.g. Constructicons, Omega Supreme etc. Heck, they could do a Core Class Sari Sumdac.

[Deano85]

Picked up Animated Optimus the other day. Had to paint the wheels and his window frames to make him pop. Another solid Optimus figure to add to the collection.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

The vehicle mode looks pretty swish and animated looking, and I can see where they wanted to go with the design by making him a bit more G1 designed, but, I can't help but feel that that very same theory has taken away a bit of his fire. I love the animated line because it did something very different to what we usually get and with them making them more g1-esque looking much of that charm is lost.

I thought I might get this guy, but after seeing pictures decided not too and I'm happy with that. I'm glad that people can enjoy it, but it just doesn't click for me. That's been the same with all the Legacy Animated figures for me though.

I also agree that it would be nice to see some of the unproduced figures. Marauder Megatron and Hot Shot would definitely be a stronger reason for me to fork out my cash than smooshed together characters I already have.

[reillyd]

He has lost the prominent “Jay Leno chin”, and I much prefer this rendition of the character. I was kinda on the fence, until I saw the two versions side by side and noticed the improvements. He looks like he could fit well on display with other (non-animated) Legacy figures as an early iteration of Optimus/Orion.

I think after seeing and reading the review. Hasbro has one more sale.