Review #62: Softimus Prime
Another G1 Optimus Prime! Except wait... something's not quite right here. This isn't a plastic action figure! This is a plush toy! What is this?
That's right, it isn't Optimus Prime, folks... It is Softimus Prime! Thank you to the fine folks at Hasbro for that truly terrible pun. So what is this and how did it come to be? Let us flash back to the year 2007. It was a good time to be a Transformers fan. The Classics toy line had just started the year before, bring new versions of beloved G1 characters to toy shelves everywhere. And even people who were not rabid fans were starting to notice the franchise as anticipation for Michael Bay's live action adaptation grew. (Oh, if only we knew then what we know now... Well, I suppose technically the first one wasn't that bad...) Where was I? Ah yes. Softimus Prime! |
Well, with all of this public interest in Transformers at the time, you don't think Hasbro would miss out on the chance to merchandise the heck out of the franchise, do you? 2007 probably had a selection of Transformers merchandise on store shelves that was so numerous and varied that to surpass it you'd have to look back to the mid-80's when the original G1 program was in its prime! Transformers action figures! Transformers clothing! Transformers candy! Transformers shampoo! Transformers books! Transformers games! Transformers flame throwers! The kids love that one... (One item in the proceeding list may have been a joke.)
And as a part of this merchandising blitz, Hasbro released two plush toys. These toys, despite being released in anticipation of the live action film, were based on the G1 versions of two characters. There was the even worse pun of Slumblebee, and the toy we are reviewing today: Softimus Prime.
And as a part of this merchandising blitz, Hasbro released two plush toys. These toys, despite being released in anticipation of the live action film, were based on the G1 versions of two characters. There was the even worse pun of Slumblebee, and the toy we are reviewing today: Softimus Prime.
So yeah. You have a plush toy truck. Shape-wise, of course, he is a bit of a sloppy mess. His cab is a bit floppy and quite rounded where it should be boxy. Detail-wise, however, he is pretty spot on. He has all of the features you expect a G1 Optimus to have. Most of this detail is screen printed on, and it has held up very well over the years with no visible wear or loss of detail. (Of course, I have kept him pretty clean, and have not needed to wash him. I could not say if this would be true for anyone who may have needed to try cleaning him, especially if they used machine washing.)
So, is that all that this is? A plush truck? Not so fast! I don't collect Transformers that don't transform! It is in their name, after all. If they can't do it, I don't see the point. Transformers transform!
So how do you transform a plush toy? Pretty simple, actually. I've even provided a video demonstrating! You can take a look at it to the right. Basically, his back (which is held together by Velcro) opens up, you pull his cab inside out to reveal robot bits within, stuff all of the cab bits inside, and reseal the Velcro. Pull his legs (also held together by Velcro) apart, and presto! He is now a robot! And, I would dare say, in robot mode he is an excellent plush representation of a G1 Optimus Prime! |
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He is shaped much better in robot mode then he was in vehicle mode. I suppose the chest cavity, being smaller and flatter then the truck's cab, is able to be filled much better then the cab was. Detailing is quite nice, both in the screen-printed details (including some interesting mechanical detail visible on his back) and in the shape of his pieces such as his smoke stacks or the antenna on his head.
No accessories come with this version of Optimus Prime. So sorry, no plush ion blaster or energy axe. I suppose, if you just happen to have an extra Matrix of Leadership lying around, you could store it inside his body, if you don't mind going in through the back rather then through his chest.
Articulation on this toy is a mixed bag. On one hand, he is a plush toy! So you can bend him any way you please. On the other hand, he is a plush toy. So it isn't as if he actually has joints. After you let him go, he will return to his standard, neutral pose. It is possible to get him to stand unaided, assuming you have a flat and hard surface to stand him upon. But he isn't at his most stable doing so, so it is probably best to have something to lean him against. Fortunately, he is quite tall, so if you are planning to display him with other Transformers you can have him in the back of the display where he can lean against the wall, and he will still be nicely visible.
A definite advantage this toy has is durability. I would dare to say that if you took toys such as G1 Optimus Prime, Classics Optimus Prime, or either Masterpiece Optimus Prime and threw them hard against a wall or dropped them off of a 100 foot tower, you're likely to end up with some disappointment. I'd also dare to say that if you did that with Softimus Prime, afterwords you would still have a perfectly fine Softimus Prime. (Also, infinitely less chance of damaging your wall. Why the heck are you throwing toys against it, anyway?)
Softimus also travels quite well. Stuff him in a suit case, stuff him in a back pack, it's all good! My Softimus has accompanied me on business trips, camping trips, or overnight stays at my girlfriend's famly's house. Technically, with care, you could do the same with any Transformers toy, but the point is that Softimus removes the need to care. He's not going to be smashed into pieces if the baggage handlers at the airport are rough with your bag!
No accessories come with this version of Optimus Prime. So sorry, no plush ion blaster or energy axe. I suppose, if you just happen to have an extra Matrix of Leadership lying around, you could store it inside his body, if you don't mind going in through the back rather then through his chest.
Articulation on this toy is a mixed bag. On one hand, he is a plush toy! So you can bend him any way you please. On the other hand, he is a plush toy. So it isn't as if he actually has joints. After you let him go, he will return to his standard, neutral pose. It is possible to get him to stand unaided, assuming you have a flat and hard surface to stand him upon. But he isn't at his most stable doing so, so it is probably best to have something to lean him against. Fortunately, he is quite tall, so if you are planning to display him with other Transformers you can have him in the back of the display where he can lean against the wall, and he will still be nicely visible.
A definite advantage this toy has is durability. I would dare to say that if you took toys such as G1 Optimus Prime, Classics Optimus Prime, or either Masterpiece Optimus Prime and threw them hard against a wall or dropped them off of a 100 foot tower, you're likely to end up with some disappointment. I'd also dare to say that if you did that with Softimus Prime, afterwords you would still have a perfectly fine Softimus Prime. (Also, infinitely less chance of damaging your wall. Why the heck are you throwing toys against it, anyway?)
Softimus also travels quite well. Stuff him in a suit case, stuff him in a back pack, it's all good! My Softimus has accompanied me on business trips, camping trips, or overnight stays at my girlfriend's famly's house. Technically, with care, you could do the same with any Transformers toy, but the point is that Softimus removes the need to care. He's not going to be smashed into pieces if the baggage handlers at the airport are rough with your bag!
To the left, Softimus Prime standing, for size comparison, with a standard sized DVD case.
This is a fun Optimus Prime. If you are an adult who is an Optimus collector looking to add something a bit more unique to the collection, or looking for a version of Optimus who is a bit more durable for travel or otherwise bashing around with, this could be a great addition to your collection. (Or if you want to cuddle and snuggle with an Optimus... you're a bit odd, but whatever floats your boat! Go for it!) Also, if you have a younger child you want to infect with Transformers fandom, this could be a great gateway toy! Alas, availability could be an issue. Obviously, it has been years since this guy will have been in regular stores. As for the secondary market, a quick check of eBay at the time I was writing this review turned up no results! But if you can find this guy, and if he isn't outrageously priced, I highly recommend him! |
Review added 20 August 2014 by Yotsuya. Comments are welcomed! And remember... cuddles are the right of all sentient beings!
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