Voyager Class : Autobot Optimus Prime
With all the hype of the latest release of the Transformers sequel, Revenge of The Fallen. The Transformers toys has suddenly become popular amongst toy collectors and even to people who have not watch the animation about 20 years ago also have learned to love them. I, myself a late follower of the Transformers cartoon but was nonetheless an avid fan of its franchise but just somehow lost interest in it anymore right after they released Beast Wars. IMO, the original G1 Transformers kick ass.
Girlfriend bought me one after seeing me basically drooling over the toys as an early birthday present. I will be making cross reference with the Gundam models i owned. I like the fact that the Transformers toys came assembled, it gives you that solid feel as opposed to those Gundams that you have to assembled yourself from scratch, just like a freaking 1000 pieces puzzle. But then again, probably that’s one of the joy to Gundam model hardcore collectors.
Girlfriend bought it “behind-my-back” =P by leaving me alone at Midvalley’s Sushi King with the excuse that she has to go to the toilet. It’s priced at RM110.00+ at Metrojaya and i’m quite certain that the price will drop, things always do -.- but then again, it’s a gift from my girlfriend so i will have to accept it with open heart *hugs* thanks baby! Love the toy!!
This is the Voyager class series hence it’s comparatively smaller in dimensions to its counterpart, Leader class series and is 2/3 more expensive with the advantage that it is more movie and color accurate but pretty much, it’s the same. Similar to the Gundam line, the difference in grade means difference in number of joints of the robot to give more movements and also the color accuracy.
Optimus Prime is based on a 379 Petebilt truck in the movie with a custom paint fire paint over the hood and so is the toy model. It’s made out of light but high quality plastic that will not snap easily. Gundam however are made out of cheaper plastic materials which will snap immediately beyond repair if while assembling them from scratch, you used excessive force. Assembling a Gundam model really requires a lot of patience and represents the living definition of “handle with care”. Not a pleasant process.
The Optimus Prime truck basically have most of the details given to you right at the time of purchase for instance this Autobot insignia right at the front of the hood which is fairly visible.
The paint job on the Voyager series is surprisingly good and shiny and i doubt it’s going to fade anytime soon because it seems like it is done behind a coating of transparent plastic cover so even if you scratch the surface, the color will still remain albeit some inevitable scratches.
This is something the Gundam model lacks, My Aile Strike Gundam was dropped from a table level to the ground causing one of the wing on the Aile jetpack to break off. Not only the wing broke off, the paint on the plastic chipped off. There goes my RM30.00
The one ting that i don’t really like is that the fact the Voyager series has this Chinese character written over it. On the hood it is written “Shanghai” and under it, i cannot translate and right at the rear it is written “Big Boss” or something like it. There was none in the Leader class but then again, the question here is why are there such imprints?
I know it’s made in China but what is not made in China these days? Locals are even marrying girls from China for crying out loud -.- there’s no need for an “express and loud” notice because WE GET IT! *gosh*
Many must wonder how in the world Hasbro is going to allow a perfectly build toy truck into something else that looks robotnic? Well, let’s just say this Optimus Prime truck has a lot under its body.
Most of of its robotnic parts are hidden brilliantly and well here, completely invisible to the naked eye in the vehicle more. Transformers “transformation” process is equivalent to Gundam’s assembly and i just thought of this crap lame joke, even toys manufactured in Japan are made in the assembly fashion.
Draw an analogy with car assembly in Japan, this is when goods are assembled in Japan, they are usually of superior quality and this is solely because everyone is trained since young to “assemble” geddit, geddit =D
Having done all the necessary “transformation” which i will not include because it would be a little absurd because there are like 20 to 25 steps which took about 5 to 6 minutes to complete. This is the end product of all those transformation. Pretty cool eh?
The only rather disturbing parts of this Voyager series is that the front hood of the truck doesn’t disappear and transformed into forming parts of the body but just moved to its back leaving a big buldge attached right behind it which can cause serious problem finding a pose that is stable but other than that, it is perfect.
Whenever we mentioned Transformers, some of us might think of Gundam or maybe Evangelion but i have to say, Hasbro does manufacture way better quality toys compared to Bandai on its Gundam line. I owned 5 High Grade Gundam models which is now being put in isolation out of use because there’s nothing harder than to stablized the Gundams on a decent pose. A slight blow of wind will simply bring it down to the ground and i have personally experienced it.
Conclusion, if you’re a transformers fan and wants collectibles. You can look at the Voyager class but if you have that extra budget, it is recommended that you purchase the Leader class ones.
