My KO/Bootleg Optimus Prime from
Transformers: Age of Extinction
I must admit, I'm a big fan of the Transformers movie franchise. I was figuratively frothing at the mouth when the original movie came out, it was a dream come true for any fan-boys like me to watch their child-hood heroes come to life on the big screen. That's when my current love affair for the franchise started and it went beyond the movies itself. Unfortunately, the fourth installment didn't really hit all the right buttons for die-hard fans and critics alike, I honestly hate the plot but I'd still gladly rate it slightly a notch higher than Revenge of the Fallen. Good news is, Michael Bay won't be returning for TF5, it's not as if he totally busted the movie, I mean he did a good job (For the most part) in introducing the Transformer Universe to a more broader audience, but i think it's high time that the franchise needed a new blood. a new director with a new direction..so..Hoorah! LOL.
There was a lot of hype surrounding the release of the TF4 movie-line toys, When it was finally released though, the general consensus among TF toy-collectors: the TF4 movie-line is probably the worst line of movie TF toys by Hasbro. The Deluxes scale were made smaller, Voyager classes were even scaled-down. Most of the figures are obviously targeted toward kids, and it's quite evident in the toys itself. Gone were the complicated transformations from the previous lines that appealed to adult collectors and children alike. Granted that it's a cost-cutting move by Hasbro, it's still a bad decision. One that turned off many long-time movie line toy collectors such as myself.
Imagine my surprise when I recently spotted a TF4 Optimus Prime KO/Bootleg version in a local bargain shop in 168 mall in Divisoria. This place is really a pure heaven for KO/Bootleg Transformer collectors and i usually go there twice a month to hunt for the latest KO's. Anyway, I bought this awesome TF4 Bootleg of Optimus Prime. This is a direct copy of the First Edition AOE Optimus Prime which was released just a few months back, only slightly larger. One has to wonder? how the hell did they managed to release these bootleg versions that fast?!? haha..I could only scratch myself in the head in amusement..
Thank God for Chinese ingenuity, perhaps? LOL..
For only Php 600.00 you can never go wrong with this Bootleg, I was totally blown away by the details of this mold that I bought two for myself. I'm not really a big fan of the present toy-line, per se, but this one is too damn good to be passed on. This bootleg also marks my first "Official" Age Of Extinction toy.
Only one stall in 168 mall sells this version of AOE Prime, it's on the 4th floor near the escalator. It's a store near Uncle Sam's Warehouse that also sells Gundam kits and mostly oversized Transformers. I tried to look for this particular mold in other stalls but all they had were some cheap versions, like Transrobots and Taikhongzhans. Not particularly very good bootlegs.
My only tip is you pick the one with the "Creativity" logo printed at the box. Because other versions of this mold were quite disappointing (Transrobots and Taikhongzhans), the plastic used is normally brittle and they have a nasty tendency to break off and the joints in the arms and legs are quite loose. The legs are so flimsy it can't even support it's own weight!
The "Creativity" Prime on the other hand, is quite decent for a KO, the packaging is neatly printed with words like "Creativity" and "Commander: Heroic Spirit", Yep. it doesn't make any goddamn sense and it doesn't matter anyway, considering the packaging of most Chinese Transformer bootlegs are normally filled with misspelled English words or phrases, which are sometimes not related to the toy. The packaging also includes an instructional manual most likely copied from the original. Expectations for this toy is really low since it's a bootleg.. but I can assure you, the robot and truck mode of this "Creativity" version is superbly done!!!
This guy is really huge, compared to the previous molds, The robot mode stands around at 11-12 inches high, making it slightly taller than the Leaderclass ROTF Optimus Prime. The head can rotate 360 degrees plus there's a light piping gimmick in the eyes which I assume is also present in the original. My only gripe is the kibble on his back which form parts of his truck mode, It looks like as if he's carrying a school bag off to battle. It's just a minor complaint and this can be easily remedied though, I've seen some resourceful customizers that somehow managed to remove the back pack and assemble it as a separate piece in truck mode.
Prime's alt-mode is no longer the Peterbilt truck that we have become so accustomed to in previous toys which is a good thing, since the present Western Star truck is much more imposing and intimidating in appearance. The toy's truck mode is very clean, with no obvious paint-smudges. the flame details are crisp, the chrome parts in the grills and the chest area are top-notch just like in the original. As with Transformer bootlegs, the Autobot and Western Star logos are obviously left out to avoid some copyright issues.
The weapons (Sword and Vector Shield) can be attached quite easily in their respective peg holes. The most impressive thing about this KO by far is the absence of hollow spaces at the back of the arms and legs unlike other bootlegs of the same mold.Everything is just solid...and he's no lightweight either, he's actually quite heavy! He's roughly the same weight as the KO Buster Prime.
I have no problem posing this guy in different action and dynamic poses, The articulation is simply outstanding. The robot mode have tight joints especially in the arm and leg swivel, you can hear the "clicking" sound it makes as you fiddle with the toy, at least you know it's not going to pop out of it's socket that easy.
Hope you enjoy my little review of this fantastic toy, although it's a freaking bootleg it's still worth it. It's a good stand-in in lieu of the original so I don't really mind this guy occupying a space in my toy-shelf!
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