The Energon Pub

I’m curious would you all mind sounding off with +\- for PotP Primal?

I love the toy, but the new version and the original are like two very different toys that do very different things. The action features the gimmicks, articulation, all similar but different.

I think I’m asking just as a conversation starter do most of you prefer the original Optimal Optimus or the new PotP version?

Not like oh no it’s a fire and I can only grab one, think of this more passive like you can only play or display one which one would you pick.

I go back and forth a lot. The original is a monster of lights and gimmicks and chrome whereas the new one looks really great and tells a story; it’s is a stellar homage to the ‘evolution’ of the character.

Stargrave wrote:I think I’m asking just as a conversation starter do most of you prefer the original Optimal Optimus or the new PotP version?

I hate the original toy because it just transform into nothings. Plus all those detachable parts are annoying as hell.

However, I find the POTP version to be much more cohesive and all those hommages in a single toy is mind blowing.
I may not have enough interests to get it full price, but if I can come across one that is complete and unbroken for cheap, I'd bite.

A small word of warning for the Primal hunters: Optimal Optimus and Air Attack suffer from GPS. The wheels and turret on the former, and the feet on the latter are the common breakage points.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:A small word of warning for the Primal hunters: Optimal Optimus and Air Attack suffer from GPS. The wheels and turret on the former, and the feet on the latter are the common breakage points.

I didn't knew about Optimal Optimus, but I knew about Air Attack. Got mine when he was already broken for cheap and I also sold it for cheap because of that. At least the Platinum Optimus colored version is rock solid and I think the recent Takara reissue don't have the GPS issue. Plus that recent reissue have the ultimate paint job for show accuracy.

I only have 3 Primal figures so I can't argue the points on this list too much. but of the 3 I have, they would be ranked:

1) Throne Primal
2) PotP Primal
3) Bat Primal

I enjoy the PotP mold, and the Throne one is a pretty dang good repaint

The PotP mold gets a no from me. I voted for Optimus Primal in the poll, not Optimal Optimus. If I knew we were getting a discount OpOp at the time I would have voted for Dezarus. It's an OK mold (my retail and SDCC versions are both really floppy, though), but it isn't a top 5 mold for me and it represents a lot of loss potential, especially the way Hasbro botched its distribution. Everything about it felt like a minimum effort from a Beast Wars hater like Warden.

So what does my top 5 look like? Forget that, here's my top 10 without any mold duplications! (I own all of these molds, but not necessarily all of these figures.)

10) Deluxe BM Optimus Primal


9) Blast Punch Optimus Primal


8 ) Basic Optimus Primal


7) Telemocha (Robotmasters) Optimus Primal


6) Dawn of Future's Past Optimus Primal


5) Encore Optimus Primal


4) Transmetal Optimal Optimus


3) Transmetal Optimus Prime


2) 10th Anniversary Optimus Primal


1) MP-32 Optimus Primal


There's actually a few molds I didn't use (mainly 10th ann. Deluxe, PotP, and Titanium). In my head canon Pretender Optimus Prime is also Primal, and if he were he'd probably be my number 7 and bump everything down.

If you're curious, the ones I don't own from the list are 5 (I have the YOT version), 6 (I have Dark Crumplezone), and 7 (I have the original RM version).

Emerje

Emerje wrote:The PotP mold gets a no from me. I voted for Optimus Primal in the poll, not Optimal Optimus.

I agree hence why the mold in it's original colours would never have made this list. Throne of the Primes was interesting though. Stargrave asked between the two which is better and it's hard to say since while they are both the same design, the toys are very different and they each have their pros and cons.

Original Optimal Optimus is a more solid feeling toy, and really attracts your eyes with the chrome, plus he is really imposing. However, the exploding arms don't add much for me, he has odd proportions and I am not a fan of there being no effort for any variation in the legs between both molds.

The POTP version fixes all those mentioned flaws. The exploding forearms are dealt with, he has better proportions in both robot and beast mode and the legs do undergo an extra transformation step to make the gorilla a bit more distinctive. But he feels cheap and thus becomes a lot more like a discount Op Op (plus he has one less mode, not that I car for that mode much). But he has that evolution gimmick and I feel it works better with the throne of the prime colours since we get our black and grey gorilla from our black and grey mini robot. So it becomes more of an homage than redoing Op Op and I appreciate that much more.

And Emerje, our top 5 lists are very very close with the only difference being POTP Op Op replaced by TM1 Primal. That is the one toy people have been saying that's truly missing from the list and I get it. However, this is all subjective and truth be told, I don't like that toy. Maybe it's because as with Optimus minor or TMII Cheetor my thoughts on it have not changed from when I first experience them as a kid. And as kid, I had major issues with TM1 Primal, on a design level. I just don't like the full on reversal of organic and robotic on that toy. It was a theme in the transmetal toys (like cheetor having the traditional cheetah spots on his robot mode instead) but Optimus took is to a whole other level. You switch these cool robot hands for monkey hands when he becomes the robot, what?! Plus that face has all that weird musculature with the brow, it's just off putting. I remember transforming him by simply keeping him with his beast mode chest (that blue looks great) and giving him the robot head turning it backwards to be alligned with the beast chest, and straightening out the legs. That looked better to me.

Anyways, all to say that while I was impressed by the look of many Optimus Primal toys, that TM1 never did it for me.

Oh and Emerje, you didn't use the TR deluxe either, is he not good enough to be on the list?

That's a sound argument, but I'm still not a fan of it.

william-james88 wrote:Oh and Emerje, you didn't use the TR deluxe either, is he not good enough to be on the list?

TR Deluxe? I'm actually not sure what figure you're talking about.

Emerje

Emerje wrote:That's a sound argument, but I'm still not a fan of it.

william-james88 wrote:Oh and Emerje, you didn't use the TR deluxe either, is he not good enough to be on the list?

TR Deluxe? I'm actually not sure what figure you're talking about.

Emerje

The mindwipe redeco.

Would’ve been upset if the original Optimal Optimus wasn’t on this list. Great figure that’s lowkey one of my grails.

Not a bad list. Out of them, the only one I don't own is Air Attack Optimus Primal. Gotta admit, I never liked his Beast Machines toy. It just doesn't do anything for me.

william-james88 wrote:

Emerje wrote:That's a sound argument, but I'm still not a fan of it.

william-james88 wrote:Oh and Emerje, you didn't use the TR deluxe either, is he not good enough to be on the list?

TR Deluxe? I'm actually not sure what figure you're talking about.

Emerje

The mindwipe redeco.

Ah, him. I love that figure, but Convobat is technically a different character.

Emerje