When the announcement came that Hasbro was releasing the MP-1 Optimus Prime as a 20th Anniversary Edition, everyone was excited. The excitement was mulled some with the 'modifications' Hasbro made to the figure, including the battle damage and the controversial "stack shave". Distribution (as usually is the case) was also off, with some locations getting boatloads and other locations being left in the dust. As much as Hasbro loves to offer more than one of the same mold, they released another Prime. This time, it was to coincide with the remastering and re-release of the original TF:TM. This review looks at this DVD version of MP-1.

Robot Mode

Optimus Prime has his Generation 1 alt mode of a COE (Cab-Over-Engine) semi truck. The paint is primarily red with a silver stripe running along the waistline. The rear end is done in blue. There is a ton of detail to this mode. For instance, all 6 wheels are spring loaded for "suspension". The lugs on the rims are done in fine detail. You can make out the windshield wipers, the clearance lights on the roof, the louvered grille and the exposed fuel tanks.

There are some minor niggles concerning this mode. The most noteable is the sides, where you can see the shoulder kibble clearly exposed. Granted, there is no other way to hide this kibble. However, it still throws off the profile. Also, the red is almost more like a burnt orange. For some reason, they used a dark blue composite for the headlights. This darkens them out quite a bit. Could be a good or bad thing. Oh yes, and the shaved exhaust stacks still exist.

Comparison with 20th Anniversary Prime

2 things immediately come to mind when comparing the 2 figures side by side. One, you note the color difference. DVD Prime looks faded compared to 20th Anniversary Prime. The other eye catching difference is the 'bling factor'. While 20th Anniversary Prime is decked out with a good amount of chrome, DVD Prime makes do with paint apps. At some locations, there is actually no paint at all. The alt mode for 20th Anniversary gets my preference, mostly because a semi truck is supposed to be shiny with lots of chrome. There are some other differences to DVD Prime, which are cost-cutting measures. The plastic on DVD Prime feels inferior to that of 20th Anniversary Prime. Also, instead of using composite for the taillights, DVD Prime makes do with paint apps. The transformation sequence for DVD Prime is identical to 20th Anniversary Prime.

Robot Mode

DVD Prime is every bit as good as 20th Anniversary Prime when transformed. Yellow shows up in several places in robot mode, including the waist, forearms and even a little on the cheeks. He proudly wears the Autobot insignia on his left shoulder. Included is his Ion Blaster, done up in blue and yellow.

One of the main draws to the 20th Anniversary Prime was the amazing articulation. DVD Prime is no different. There are no less than 28 points of articulation on this figure. This would include the feet, knees, 2 joints on each hip, waist, 2 joints on each shoulder, elbows, wrists, each finger (including thumb) and head. The legs, waist and shoulders employ ratcheting joints while the elbows, wrists, fingers, head and feet are on ball joints. If you have the patience, Optimus Prime has the pose that you want to see.

Besides his Ion Blaster, Optimus comes with other fun stuff. One item would be his Energon Axe. While only used in one episode for about 2min, it is nonetheless a cool weapon. Retract one hand and mount the axe. That's all there is to it. There is also Megatron in his Alt mode. His Alt mode is sized just right for Prime's hand, and includes the silencer, stock and sight. All those aforementioned pieces can be removed to view the core P-38 configuration. Overall, the detail is excellent for the size. To fit Megs in Prime's hand, simply extend the grip and slip it in.

The other accessory would be the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. This resides in Optimus' chest. The core of the matrix is translucent and you can activate a light in his chest to make the matrix illuminate, a very classy touch. The matrix is also removeable and expandable so it can be 'opened'. Unlike the 20th Anniversary edition, this matrix is not chromed out, just painted silver. The matrix fits well in Prime's hands. Wish the same could be said for his Ion blaster, which fits quite loosely.

Comparison with 20th Anniversary Prime

There are several differences between the 2 figures. The most noticeable is that DVD Prime looks like he walked out of an energon shower. There is no battle damage to be found on him whatsoever. Also, while the 20th Anniversary Prime had translucent eyes, DVD Prime has painted in eyes. However, the lighter blue actually makes it look better. One addition to DVD Prime is the yellow paint app to the cheeks, which 20th Anniversay Prime does without. Another improvement to DVD Prime is the windshield. It is tinted blue, whereas 20th Anniversary Prime's was clear. This does a much better job of hiding the internals which stood out like a sore thumb on 20th Anniversary Prime. Finally, there are the com devices. DVD Prime has a com on each forearm like 20th Anniversary Prime. However, on the right arm he can talk to Grimlock and on the left arm he can exchange words with Megatron himself. With 20th Anniversary Prime, he had his choice of Starscream on the right or Bumblebee on the left.

Perhaps the reason that this Prime is less shiny and the plastic somewhat inferior is the main 'draw' to this DVD edition. That would be the electronic talking base that Prime can stand on. The base is bronze in color with an Autobot insigina on the front. The floor of the base has a facsimile of the Autobot Matrix engraved on it. The base has several DVD and series phrases that are activated by pressing the top of the Autobot insignia. These phrases include the transform down and transform up sequences, "Autobots, transform and roll out!" (which wasn't a movie phrase), "I want you to make a special run to Autobot City", "Megatron must be stopped!" and "All we need is a little energon... and a lot of luck." Don't get excited, though. The voice dub for the phrases sounds NOTHING like Peter Cullen. Which, in essence, makes the base kind of a joke.

So is DVD Prime worth your hard earned change? Well, considering that I just bought mine tonight at a Walmart clearance (for $30) and it's been out since November... you get the point. For those that already have 20th Anniversary Prime, this isn't worth your money. If you're a completist or regret not getting a 20th Anniversary Prime for MISB purposes, this might be worth a look so long as you watch the closeout racks. If you never got your hands on a 20th Anniversary Prime in the first place, this give you a second chance to own one of the most coveted and superior figures in the TF Universe. While not as good as MP-1 or the original 20th Anniversary Prime, it's better than no Prime at all.

Reviewer	Blitzwing
Date	March 8th 2007
Score	(9 out of 10)
Reads	22787

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