Laser sword.

Laser Optimus Prime here has no long range weapon. Just a big honking sword. A laser sword.

This guy here is an update to the very well loved G2 Laser Optimus Prime. I never got my hands on one of those but I got this guy. Let’s take a look!

Vehicle mode

Laser Optimus is a long-nose truck which is no surprise. It’s funny to think that this style of truck is now more associated with the Bayverse Optimus even though G2 Laser Optimus did it first. This figure has flame details in truck mode as a nod to that fact. Also, about the paint. It’s gorgeous. There’s just the right amount of it, all the colours go well with each other and it’s all applied cleanly. So nice.

Not much in the way of obnoxious kibble unless you look underneath the truck and even then only his hands really stand out as robot bits. But honestly, if there’s kibble on the bottom of the vehicle, I can forgive it and so should you. All six of his wheels roll fine but there’s not much clearance for them.

Transformation

The transformation is complex for a Deluxe and is a bit finicky in some places. It’s still fun and interesting. The complexity of the transformation ensures the truck mode windshield is the robot mode chest.

Robot mode

Dear Primus. This is a beautiful robot mode. Laser Optimus is a great update to an already great design from the 90s. You know what was updated in the design? Almost nothing. Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke. They did update the face a little but I like the noodle. It’s nice and detailed. Speaking of detail, look inside the (actual) windshield chest. They molded a Matrix inside his chest. That is detail.

Laser Optimus has much more articulation than a standard retail Deluxe. Seriously. He’s got a ball jointed head. His shoulders rotate as well as go in and out. He’s got bicep swivels and bending elbows. He’s got hinged and ball-jointed hands. He’s got a waist swivel. He’s got ball-jointed hips, thigh swivels and knee bends. His feet are ball-jointed. Seriously, some Voyagers have much less than this.

Gimmicks

He has a big translucent sword. That is his gimmick. Well that’s not all there is to it. The sword is actually integral to the truck mode. It transforms into the truck hitch for truck mode and makes sure the legs stay tightly joined when transformed for truck mode.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Laser Optimus has a lot of light piping. Like his head and shoulders are built for light piping. They’re just loaded with blue translucent plastic. It’s very pretty when you can get everything picking up light at the same time.

Toy or collectible?

COLLECTIBLE. Laser Optimus is definitely an adult collectible. He’s an expensive Takara exclusive with really nice paint. He’s a throwback to a figure from the 90s. Definitely not for the younger ones. He’s also got a great truck mode, a complex transformation and an incredible robot mode. Adult collectors will love him.

Closing

There’s only one reason I can think of for why people don’t talk about Laser Optimus much. He’s small (even though that means he scales nicely with Hero Megatron). He’s a big Deluxe but I think he should be a Voyager at least. Actually, with this level of complexity, he could comfortably be upsized to Leader Class.

Wei Jiang, KBB. Hint hint.

Honestly though, even with his size problem I think Laser Optimus is one of the best CHUG Optimus Primes so far. That’s a high bar. You should definitely get a version of this mold even though they can be ridiculously overpriced nowadays. United Laser Optimus Prime is the one with the best paint though. You may as well splurge on him!