The Energon Pub

I do want roddy, make no mistake, but I am still not seeing anything justifying the commander class price point. I know less hollow parts and higher piece count really makes a lot of difference, I get that. But still

I'm willing to guess in terms of sheer dimensions this Rodimus Prime is very close in size to ER/Kingdom Optimus Prime. I'm sure the bot modes themselves will be almost identical in terms of height and parts count/transformation. It's just that while Prime's trailer is fairly simple and lightweight, Rodimus' Trailer has a much higher part count/plastic use/engineering so it will be heavier. That plus the accessories is where Hasbro tries to justify the CC price point. I think a very early comment about this release being "divisive" is quite appropriate. I mean it has nothing to do with whether you like Rodimus as a character or not (I think even among the oldest fans like myself, the idea of "hating" a character for an interpretation of a fictional event was dropped many years ago by most). The divisive part comes solely from the cost. Some are ok with it, and some are not.

Immortal Starscream wrote:I do want roddy, make no mistake, but I am still not seeing anything justifying the commander class price point. I know less hollow parts and higher piece count really makes a lot of difference, I get that. But still

It was also the only place to put him really, with all the other slots filled, plus the plastic in the trailer alone would have pushed him further then Leader Class. Its far chunkier then Leader ops trailer. Plus looks like Rodimus got more plastic in him as well

I was on YouTube watching Rodimus Primal's reaction to Kingdom CC Roddie, and I started thinking about what Rodimus Primal's alt mode would be outside of the zoid looking lion

And considering he was a truck like prime in G1 I think its only right that he has an alt mode similar to Optimus primal. So I've arrived at the conclusion that Rodimus Primal should be an Orangutan hahahaha

o.supreme wrote:I'm willing to guess in terms of sheer dimensions this Rodimus Prime is very close in size to ER/Kingdom Optimus Prime. I'm sure the bot modes themselves will be almost identical in terms of height and parts count/transformation. It's just that while Prime's trailer is fairly simple and lightweight, Rodimus' Trailer has a much higher part count/plastic use/engineering so it will be heavier. That plus the accessories is where Hasbro tries to justify the CC price point. I think a very early comment about this release being "divisive" is quite appropriate. I mean it has nothing to do with whether you like Rodimus as a character or not (I think even among the oldest fans like myself, the idea of "hating" a character for an interpretation of a fictional event was dropped many years ago by most). The divisive part comes solely from the cost. Some are ok with it, and some are not.

yup. this. it's just waaaaay too much money for what we get imho, despite the cost probably being justified by the plastic quantity....which I am still going to be dropping on this guy because OMG LOOK AT HIM HE IS GLORIOUS.

never let it be said that I are smarts.

Avoiding discussion on pricing, the figure's articulation looks amazing. It looks like the legs are the same articulation/transformation scheme as ss hotrod, just scaled up, which I have no complaints on because I was impressed with how clean and articulated it was there. But those arms. My god those arms. double jointed elbows, presumably with a swivel in the middle. what looks like a mushroom peg in the armpit to give it a butterfly joint. and those hands, with two points of articulation in the fingers, with a separate 2 point index. I'm pretty sure just the two arms have a higher parts count than some deluxes.

alekese wrote:Avoiding discussion on pricing, the figure's articulation looks amazing. It looks like the legs are the same articulation/transformation scheme as ss hotrod, just scaled up, which I have no complaints on because I was impressed with how clean and articulated it was there. But those arms. My god those arms. double jointed elbows, presumably with a swivel in the middle. what looks like a mushroom peg in the armpit to give it a butterfly joint. and those hands, with two points of articulation in the fingers, with a separate 2 point index. I'm pretty sure just the two arms have a higher parts count than some deluxes.

This is definitely where the cost of the figure is. I'd rather have something along these lines than hollow forearms and other things that are due to cost cutting.

Still not sure what to make of the top of the windshield / spoiler area. It's not cartoon accurate which is a bummer because the rest of the toy looks fantastic.

I do like the look of Rodimus, but I just don't care enough about the character to justify spending $80 on him. I was initially like "Oh well I want to get Galvatron from what we've heard of him, I should get Rodimus to go against him", but I think I'll be fine just not. There's been enough time travel shenanigan stories with Galvatron that I can just pretend that's what's going on there and why he's posed fighting alongside Megatron against Optimus and other '84 bots who died in the 1986 movie.

Here's a better comparison. It's missing the top design piece of the windshield ... which makes the windshield look much bigger than it should.










And here's the more detailed Studio Ox model as well which has the same design piece ...






And here is the G1 toy and the Masterpiece toy which both have that design element.


Transformers G1 1986 Rodimus Prime (Rodimus Convoy) Gallery


Transformers Masterpiece Rodimus Prime (MP-09) (Rodimus Convoy (MP-09)) Gallery

alekese wrote:Avoiding discussion on pricing, the figure's articulation looks amazing. It looks like the legs are the same articulation/transformation scheme as ss hotrod, just scaled up, which I have no complaints on because I was impressed with how clean and articulated it was there. But those arms. My god those arms. double jointed elbows, presumably with a swivel in the middle. what looks like a mushroom peg in the armpit to give it a butterfly joint. and those hands, with two points of articulation in the fingers, with a separate 2 point index. I'm pretty sure just the two arms have a higher parts count than some deluxes.

I seriously doubt his arms have that high of a parts count, but their articulation is definitely impressive, especially the hands. I'm curious to see how well his hands work at this size, because those point fingers are going to be tiny.

The one Rodimus image missing from the news post:

Kingdom Rodimus looks great!

His Transformation looks quote involved. More complex than most figures so far. There's also a ton of hinges and swivels which add to the parts count.

A few more accessories and yes, he certainly seems intricate enough for Commander Class.

The lone car look like HotRod on steroids. Way better than the OG G1 where it was a HotRod skeleton.

Mindmaster wrote:Definitely getting Rodimus now. We can only hope the rumored Galvatron won’t be ruined...

Freakin' A!!!

I'm laughing at how I mentioned his dual cannon in the trailer gimmick days ago and look what they gave us!

Either way I will be parting ways with POTP Rodimus for this impressive looking version. Even if the Hot Rod piece doesn't look very good I don't plan on displaying Rodimus out of his RV mode when in alt-mode...'nuff said!

Overcracker wrote:His Transformation looks quote involved. More complex than most figures so far. There's also a ton of hinges and swivels which add to the parts count.

A few more accessories and yes, he certainly seems intricate enough for Commander Class.

I think that is part of the whole problem for some fans though. A super nice version with lots of details and some extras may fit the complexity and price point of commander class, but it comes at the expense of another bot or figure that could only work at commander class such as Star Sabre, Deathsaurus or Tidal Wave. There were other options for doing a pretty good Rodimus Prime, but using commander class takes that slot away from someone that could only fit as commander class and pushing bots that really need an update further into the future.

TF-fan kev777 wrote:

Overcracker wrote:His Transformation looks quote involved. More complex than most figures so far. There's also a ton of hinges and swivels which add to the parts count.

A few more accessories and yes, he certainly seems intricate enough for Commander Class.

I think that is part of the whole problem for some fans though. A super nice version with lots of details and some extras may fit the complexity and price point of commander class, but it comes at the expense of another bot or figure that could only work at commander class such as Star Sabre, Deathsaurus or Tidal Wave. There were other options for doing a pretty good Rodimus Prime, but using commander class takes that slot away from someone that could only fit as commander class and pushing bots that really need an update further into the future.

Well, on the other hand, starting next year, we're reportedly getting TWO Commander Class figures and NO Titan Class figure at all. So, that's another slot opened up. Maybe it will be Star Saber and Deathsaurus? I also now want a Commander Class Optimus Prime based on the Earthrise design, but with more articulation, more paint apps, and a much bigger and more interactive trailer.

I want to comment on how this doesn't match up to the value of the past 2 commander class figures, but then I realized we have no idea how tall this figure is in the first place. that'll also tell us just how big this trailer actually is. I'll go ahead and wait til that's revealed to make my judgement.

Wolfman Jake wrote:

TF-fan kev777 wrote:

Overcracker wrote:His Transformation looks quote involved. More complex than most figures so far. There's also a ton of hinges and swivels which add to the parts count.

A few more accessories and yes, he certainly seems intricate enough for Commander Class.

I think that is part of the whole problem for some fans though. A super nice version with lots of details and some extras may fit the complexity and price point of commander class, but it comes at the expense of another bot or figure that could only work at commander class such as Star Sabre, Deathsaurus or Tidal Wave. There were other options for doing a pretty good Rodimus Prime, but using commander class takes that slot away from someone that could only fit as commander class and pushing bots that really need an update further into the future.

Well, on the other hand, starting next year, we're reportedly getting TWO Commander Class figures and NO Titan Class figure at all. So, that's another slot opened up. Maybe it will be Star Saber and Deathsaurus? I also now want a Commander Class Optimus Prime based on the Earthrise design, but with more articulation, more paint apps, and a much bigger and more interactive trailer.

Overquoting to ask for Commander Star Saber and Commander Victory Leo. Still, Victory Leo could work as a Leader so it would free Commander #2 for Deathsaurus.

That Rodimus Prime looks pretty good. This whole trilogy is rad. Darn it, HasTak, why you gotta up your game just when I'm cutting way back? Couldn't you have released these like ten years ago? There're just too many great-looking figures not enough space.

TF-fan kev777 wrote:

Overcracker wrote:His Transformation looks quote involved. More complex than most figures so far. There's also a ton of hinges and swivels which add to the parts count.

A few more accessories and yes, he certainly seems intricate enough for Commander Class.

I think that is part of the whole problem for some fans though. A super nice version with lots of details and some extras may fit the complexity and price point of commander class, but it comes at the expense of another bot or figure that could only work at commander class such as Star Sabre, Deathsaurus or Tidal Wave. There were other options for doing a pretty good Rodimus Prime, but using commander class takes that slot away from someone that could only fit as commander class and pushing bots that really need an update further into the future.

Except they wanted to make sure Rodimus Prime came out this year for the anniversary, and all the other slots were taken (oy a few Leader Class slots available) so commander class was the only option. That and recent leakers said that its likely we'll be waiting a long while for Star Saber and Deathsarus (I still prefer the Dezeras name, despite being incorrect!). Hasbro doesn't seem bothered about using them. I'd wager that it's more likely that Tidal Wave got the commander class treatment next.

Cyberpath wrote:Couldn't you have released these like ten years ago?

We all wish that, man. But ten years ago was a different Hasbro team with a different mindset. That team believed 80s altmodes wouldn't sell in today's market and that everything had to be changed, updated, and different in order to be appealing (hence their constant refusal to make Soundwave a tape deck again). In their minds, making new toys based directly on the old character designs was "backwards thinking", and that the toys' real future lay in the live action movies.

The current Hasbro team that's been giving us these proper G1 updates didn't form until around 2014, with their first Generations offerings coming in 2015's Combiner Wars, a mere six years ago instead of ten.

As much as I like Star Saber and Deathsaurus, that's not something Hasbro is likely to do. Nor would they have been considered for a Hasbro line at all. So no Rodimus is not taking up a slot for them. Not sure there's any other character that would fit a Commander class that is not a Japan only character.

They are Japan only characters, and Hasbro has not been very interested in those.

Unless Takara decides to go it alone on them, like they did with Star Convoy and Big Powered I don't see them happening at all in a Hasbro controlled line.

If they were to do them like they did those two, as heavy retools of an existing figure, I'm not entirely sure what figure they'd use for them anyway.

Overcracker wrote:As much as I like Star Saber and Deathsaurus, that's not something Hasbro is likely to do. Nor would they have been considered for a Hasbro line at all.

Except, both were in the fan poll for Power of the Primes. Now, maybe that was it, just a tease from Hasbro knowing (praying) neither would win, but they were at least on the radar of the design team in some form. They were also the only 2 that haven't gotten a toy since then, so maybe their absence since then is as close to confirmation they are out of the picture as we will get directly.

Commander Class Rodimus Prime looks pretty good so far! I wish the chest were a little cleaner. It looks like the "slope" near the "collar bone" is achieved with two different pieces at an obtuse angle, instead of one solid piece of plastic, but I'm otherwise quite pleased with the result, even if it is missing a few G1 toy/cartoon accurate touches like painted rims for the wheels and more maroon paint on the canopy. I also like that it's still more or less a car when you take the trailer off, unlike the original G1 toy. The car component itself looks like a convincing enough upgrade from Hot Rod to Rodimus Prime on its own. It's nice to have multiple options.