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Series: Henkei! Henkei!
Year: 2010
Allegiance: Cybertron
Class: Deluxe
Prelude: Remember that really, really bad Optimus Prime figure that came out in 2007, the one you only bought because it was in a 2-pack together with a pretty good Megatron figure? Well, three years later Takara figured that could work one more time and reissued that really, really bad Optimus Prime figure in a 2-pack together with a very good Rodimus figure. Why change a winning system? So here is that really, really bad Optimus Prime figure, called Convoy in Japan. Let’s say go!
Robot Mode: Convoy here is a retool of Ultimate Battle Optimus Prime, whom I reviewed way back in 2007. I reread my old review in preparation for this one here and found that I don’t really have much to add, to be honest. This version of the figure is cast almost entirely in translucent plastic, but otherwise it’s the same figure as it was back then. Not bad-looking in robot mode, mind you, but with a rather ridiculous “flying fists” gimmick, a rifle that looks like a Tommy gun, and only the (for the time) excellent articulation as a redeeming quality.
So bottom line, same as before. The robot mode is definitely the better mode of this Optimus figure, but even way back in 2010 there were far better Optimus Primes one could have used for this 2-pack here.
Alternate Mode: Where the robot mode is okay, though no more than that, the truck mode is really a disgrace. The front part doesn’t really fold together well at all, showing numerous gaps and a barely hidden Optimus Prime head on top, while the back part does not even attempt to disguise the fact that it’s a pair of robot legs. Really, we’ve seen this done so, so much better, even back in 2010. The gun can still be mounted on the back and a smaller figure could serve as a gunner, but really: there is really no reason to EVER transform this figure into truck mode.
Remarks: In the year 2010 Takara enacted a special celebration brand called “Welcome to Transformers 2010”, seeing as the third season of the original Transformers cartoon was set in 2010, at least the Japanese version. So when the real year 2010 came around, Takara released a rather eclectic collection of repaints and retools to celebrate the occasion. Among them were two “Sons of Cybertron” 2-packs, one containing the Animated versions of Optimus Prime and Rodimus, the other pairing up the Classics versions. So a translucent redeco of the excellent Classics Rodimus was forced to share a box with this figure here instead of the far, far better Classics Voyager Optimus. Poor Rodimus.
I won this two-pack in a raffle at the CONS convention, which is the only reason I own it. The Animated 2-pack is really great, but this one here? Even if you’re after the excellent Rodimus figures, there are better options to get one that won’t force you try and sell off a nearly unsellable second figure. So bottom line: the 2-pack might be something worth getting if you’re into the whole “Welcome to Transformers 2010” thing, but this figure here? Please don’t get it! Any version of it.
Rating: D
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