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Series: Titanium
Allegiance: Autobot
Year: 2006
Chosen by the Matrix to lead the Autobots on their mission to Earth, Optimus Prime is the very embodiment of all that every Autobot strives to be. He is the soul of honor and compassion, dedicated to the preservation of life and freedom for all creatures. His affection for those he protects is matched only by his ferocity in battle. He has faced them many times, and knows that there can be no surrender and no compromise with the treacherous Predacons. In addition to being an ideal leader, he is a war machine of incredible power. Nearly unbeatable in single combat, his enemies have resorted to an endless string of dirty tricks to lay him low, only to see him rebound every time, stronger than ever before. His strength and confidence, however, hide a deeply reflective spirit. During solitary moments, he has been known to doubt his skill as a leader, for his deep compassion has - at times - clouded his judgment. Thankfully, his brilliant mind and the dedication of his compatriots have always managed to snatch victory from the evil claws of the Predacons.
Prelude: Many thanks to fellow TF-Fan BlackZarak, who loaned me Titanium Optimus for this review.
Robot Mode: Titanium RID Optimus Prime is, of course, paying homage to Robots in Disguise Optimus Prime, one of the coolest and most fun Optimus Prime figures ever made. That said and given that the Titanium figure is maybe a third of the size (or less) they didn’t try and cram everything from the old figure in here, instead deciding to go a different route. Titanium Optimus replicates RID Prime’s super mode only, leaving out the basic robot mode, and making the entire vehicle mode a fixed part of the transformation instead of having a separate trailer that turns into a suit of armor.
So Titanium Prime’s robot mode is RID Prime’s super mode and the likeness is very, very good. Some of the smaller details are missing, such as RID Prime’s opening chest panel or the missiles in the ladder / cannon, but otherwise we have an almost exact downsized replica here. Articulation is good, only slightly hampered by the bulkiness of the limbs, and you can flip forward the ladder onto Prime’s shoulder for big cannon action.
Only two slight flaws to this figure. One, the lack of a hand weapon, and two, the legs. For all that the lower legs perfectly replicate the look of RID Prime’s chunky boots, they are completely hollow and slightly prone to folding in. Not a big thing, but you kind of notice it when looking at this figure from any angle but the direct front. Otherwise, though, a nice homage figure that captures the look of the original superbly.
Alternate Mode: Titanium Prime becomes the same kind of Japanese fire truck that RID Optimus Prime became, naturally. A good deal smaller, of course, and the detailing is a bit less, but otherwise a pretty good likeness. The vehicle features a fully articulated ladder, which can turn, be raised, and has that water cannon on top as well. Not much else I can write here, I think we covered all the important facts. A good vehicle mode.
Remarks: The Titanium series was a rather strange kind of series with a somewhat eclectic selection of characters they decided to include. Characters from Dreamwave’s War Within series made sense at the time, as did some of the classics like Soundwave, Ultra Magnus and Rodimus Prime. But there were some strange choices involved as well, such as deciding on Optimal Optimus for paying homage to Beast Wars Optimus Primal, and then there is this guy right here. Make no mistake, I’m a big fan of the Robots in Disguise toys, few more so than Optimus Prime, but I don’t remember that many fans clamoring for a new version of him, especially seeing as the original one was pretty much perfect to begin with.
Anyway, the Titanium version of RID Optimus Prime is a good figure which replicates the look of the original but with a completely new transformation. So a nice mix of nostalgia and innovation in my book. Okay, it does have some weaknesses such as the hollow legs, but overall: nicely done. Certainly not a must-have, but a good figure.
Rating: B
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