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Order Number: 201514933
<Item Name | Unit Price | QTY | Total >
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(In-stock)Transformers: Generations TG-24 Optimus Prime & Bumblebee | 2,820.- | 1 | 2,820.-
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Payment method: PayPal
Shipping method: SAL Small Packet(Unregistered)
Shipping fee: 560
TOTAL: 3380 JPY
Paid: -3380
AMOUNT DUE: 0
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Just picked up the set (pics owned by amiami)

First, one thing that bugs me is "who" makes the decision to drop which paint app ends on the final figure. My Tomy legend G1 Jazz/Meister lacks the visor paint apps (it costs more) while the domestic USA/World release has it (though the white plastic looks a bit darker). Kind of like a rip off.

Now back to the figure at hand.What a little paint apps and a different type of plastic can do for a figure. It's been a long time coming for a new non stylized earth mode G1 nesque release for Optimus, the last being Classic/henkei Optimus which imho was one of the best (despite losing the "stacks"). If I understood it from various posts in seibertron, a Voyager of this is in the works(?)

I kind of was sitting on the fence whether to get the domestic release or the Tomy version of the Legends class. Was the added waiting and cost worth it? Depends how "detailed" you like him.

1. The individual pack domestic release for Optimus had him mistransformed in the hip ( stupid packing Hasbro ) that almost drove me away from buying it. In the Tomy version, the figure is aligned properly. In Bumblebee's case, no issue.

2. Different plastic used. Metallic paint application. It has a glossy finish unlike the domestic which is kind of dull. Same with the paint apps, the chest, shins and forearms. It has a nice touch to it.

3. Size/height difference.When I compared his height to the recent EG01 metallic paint version release, he was a few mm taller but a few shorter than THS-02



4. Details? Optimus and Bumblebee's optics are painted blue like in the animation.Plus his helmet is painted in the iconic baseball/kabuto type design. Headlights, roof lights etc all in one package. Very nice to look at.

Bumblebee is simply so kiddie G1 friendly. Sorry, but I really don't like the insectoid style of the Bayformer iteration. Humanoid faceplates all the way. He does have weirs horse like feet.

5. Transformation? Of course its a simplified step, though their weapon's "automorph" targetmaster modes are quite interesting. It wasn't portrayed in the box photo itself but you can attach Roller's "bazooka" all the way to the front effectively extending him into a rifle of sorts. (There's a groove like design in between the legs that allow it)

So was the increase in the price worth it? In this case the paint apps of the added details make the mold shine more. What bugs me is that, sure you can ditch the added paint apps but why use different plastics anyway? Is the metallic like glossy plastic more expensive?

Overall, the Optimus and Bumblebee molds, despite the size limitation are already good. The paint/plastic changes just adds more "flavor" to it.

I'm waiting eagerly for the Megatron and Starscream versions this coming December 2103