I AM OPTIMUS PRIME.

I cannot tell you how hyped I was when I first saw the video review for this guy all the way back in 2009. I couldn’t believe how screen accurate he was and what kind of sorcery was put into the transformation. I thought the 2007 Leader Optimus looked amazing but this guy made the old Leader look absolutely pitiful in comparison.

I actually didn’t get the first version of this mold until very recently. I got the Buster Optimus Prime in 2010 but I only got this guy in 2019. There are many versions of this mold available but there’s just something pleasing about having the first version of something, isn’t there?

Vehicle mode

Optimus is a long nosed truck. This is the standard for Bayverse Optimus trucks now but this was a serious improvement over the 2007 Leader Optimus’s truck mode. There are less gaps, better proportions and more detail in general here. The paint is also nothing to be scoffed at. The flames and color gradient on the hood are there as well as silver paint on all the rims. True, there’s no chrome like some recent releases but all the molded detail is there and it just needs to be brought out with paint. Later repaints and remolds did exactly that in fact.

One thing about this figure that I appreciate now that I didn’t when I first handled it is that everything pegs together nicely and stays in place. MPM-04 Optimus cannot boast about being able to do this.

For functionality, all six wheels roll just fine. Because Optimus is a Leader, he rolls fast and can ram things because he’s got heft. He also has lights and sounds but I’ll talk about that later.

Transformation

Now this is the sticking point. I always say that ROTF Transformers are notorious for having difficult transformations. Optimus here is the absolute worst of them. I can do it pretty easily now but the first 20 times were an absolute nightmare.

No one can deny that the transformation is brilliant but it’s still a lengthy process. I have the transformation etched in my brain but it still takes like 15 minutes going from one mode to the other. For reference, it takes less than 5 minutes to transform the AOE Leader Optimus.

Also, Optimus’s harder to transform from robot to vehicle mode than he is transform from vehicle to robot mode.

Robot mode

Now this is what got everyone excited back then. The truck mode was an improvement, yes. The robot mode was quantum leap forward. This robot mode was witchcraft put into to toy form.

This was Optimus Prime. Out of the screen and into your hands.

The beautiful headsculpt, the heroic proportions, the excessive amount of molded detail. The screen accurate back kibble. The paint left a bit to be desired but he was still just so impressive to look at. It was nothing short of mind-blowing to see this guy back in 2009.

Optimus has a lot of posability even by today’s standards. He’s only really missing a waist joint. His head can swivel 360° as well as look up and down. His arms rotate as well as go up and down at the shoulders. He has bicep swivels and bending elbows. His hands rotate at the wrists. His legs rotate as well as go in and out at the hips. His thighs swivel and he bends at the knees. His feet are ball-jointed.

Gimmicks

“I am Optimus Prime.”

“I am Optimus Prime.”

“I am Optimus Prime.”

I get that you’re proud that you’re using actual voice clips now Hasbro but could you turn down the sensitivity just a little?! Transforming Optimus with batteries in is a nightmare because moving his head just a little triggers the lights and sounds. He also makes the transforming noise when his waist is plugged in or pulled out. In truck mode, pressing a button on the back activates truck engine noises and flashing lights from the windscreen.

Optimus’s Mech Alive gimmick is activated by pulling down the lever on his waist. His chest panels and head flex while the gears behind the windows move. And of course, he says “I am Optimus Prime” while lights flash in his chest and eyes. There’s some extra exposed detailing inside his upper arms that rotate when you use his bicep swivels. I’m counting that as Mech Alive.

Optimus’s last trick up his sleeve are his spring loaded arm blades. Literally. Up his sleeves. I’m not apologizing for that. Pulling the trigger on his inner arms snaps the blades forward. The blades themselves are a nice size. They’re translucent plastic and have some nice molded detail on them. If there’s one thing that came from the live action Transformers movies that everyone should be thankful about, it’s integrated weapons in Transformers. It’s just awesome.

Toy or collectible?

Optimus is complicated and will frustrate any child. You should still give Optimus to children. People always complain children are getting dumber. Well, what are you gonna do about it? Challenge them! Give them Optimus here! He’s like a Rubik’s Cube but when you solve him you either get an amazing robot mode or an amazing truck mode! He’s also available at decent prices used and there are plenty versions of this mold available.

For adult collectors… this is one of the best Transformers ever released and they’ve probably got more than one version of this mold in their collection already. I’ve got two. This guy and the Buster Optimus Prime. Still, there’s something special about having the first use of this prolific mold. I’m sure many would agree with that.

Closing

ROTF Leader Optimus Prime is a marvel of toy engineering. He’s a modern classic and deserves to have a presence in everyone’s collection.

Young or old. Love or hate the live action movies. Team Autobot or team Decepticon.

Everyone needs a version of this Optimus Prime in their collection.