Toy Review

BEAST WARS: TOY REVIEW

Name: OPTIMUS PRIMAL
Allegiance: Maximal
Function: Maximal General
Beast Mode: Gorilla
Average Price: 45 AUD
Note: Known in Japan as Convoy.

(Above): Megatron cops a left hook from Optimus Primal.

BEAST MODE

Height: 15.5cm (on all fours)
Length: 13.5cm
Optimus Primal is a black gorilla with gray face, ears, chest, hands and feet. The eyes are blue and the teeth are a cream-white. The moulding on this toy is excellent. A very beautiful fur detailing extends throughout the toy and the facial features look neat too. However, a few robot parts are clearly visible in this mode, especially in the upper arm and leg regions. Also, the teeth moulding shows a zig-zag formation, implying that gorillas have razor-sharp teeth, which is nonsense. Why would you need razor-sharp teeth to eat bananas? Furthermore, the way the mouth is shaped is too anthropomorphic in my opinion. Gorillas are not known to grit their teeth in such a way. Actually, gorillas are quite peaceful creatures, but if they want to show anger, they'll open their mouths wide, exposing all of their teeth and gums... a very typical primate trait... even humans do it. But wait, there's more... look at the knees. They're pointing to the rear (ie: they're backwards!). All primates without exception have forward pointing knees (including ourselves).
This was obviously done to help the toy hunch over, but the same effect could have been achieved with forward pointing knees too. We see this in Apache (B'Boom). Also, the hands are kinda blockish and the thumb is waaaay too big.

Gimmick: Pull a lever on the back and the arms beat on the chest:

TRANSFORMATION TO ROBOT MODE

Extend the legs and flip in the gorilla feet. Turn the waist around 180 degrees and flip out robot feet. Upper arms fold up to form shoulder pads. But before you think you've got some weird reject from Planet of the Apes, flip down the gorilla head, push in the gorilla head and flip it round to form robot chest. Lo-and-behold, Optimus Primal with a whacky mutant head. Yuck. Actually, most fans like this mutant head. Whatever, I think it sucks. Turn the head round 180 degrees to get the robot head out. Aaah, much better.

ROBOT MODE

Height: 20cm (from head to foot)
I like this toy, oh yes I do, I like this toy and so should you! Alright, sorry for going Seuss there for a moment. Optimus Primal was the first Beast Wars Transformer I ever got. At first, I was amazed at the way the robot mode incorporated both beast and robot parts. Overall, it's a pretty nice looking robot mode. I like the way the gorilla face flips over to form a robot chest (whereas they could've very easily just left the gorilla head to sit on the chest like in Cheetor). I also like the way the gorilla feet become robot heels and the robot feet look great (love them 'hydraulic pistons')! The upper arms are slightly more mechanical, being mainly white and red. This colour scheme continues on the thighs and feet. The robot chest is gray with red accents and is clearly non-organic. Perhaps the best part of the moulding is the head. It resembles the original Optimus Prime head being blue with a gray faceplate and red eyes. The only quirky thing about the head is the rear section which is red. This was obviously done for the sake of the mutant head. Damn that mutant head. With sixteen points of articulation (including the feet), this is a very poseable toy, providing endless hours of fun. Weeee.

The only things that erk me about this mode is the simplistically moulded hands and the length of the arms, which are too long to be humanoid. Then again, it's a robot, not a human. The hands may be a bit Gumpy, but they're hands nonetheless... something which cannot be said for Megatron.

Some fans wonder why the toy doesn't have a mouth as in the show (or why he has a mouth in the show, whereas the toy doesn't... gettit?). As with most Transformers, the toy is developed before the show. This is no exception with Beast Wars. Optimus Primal was designed to strongly resemble Optimus Prime, since Kenner originally intended for the Beast Wars Transformers to be a new incarnation of the G1 Transformers. However, when Mainframe Entertainment took over writing the Beast Wars mythos, they introduced several new concepts, including one that the Beast Wars Transformers are not the old G1 Transformers, hence Optimus Prime is not Optimus Primal. In order to alleviate any confusion between the two, Mainframe gave Optimus Primal a mouth. All subsequent Optimus Primal incarnations (Transmetal etc.) have come with a mouth.

Gimmicks:
1. Pull back the tab behind the left wrist, *CLACK!!*, a double-barrelled missile launcher! Pow! Pow!
2. Open up the compartment on the right forearm, there's a mourning-star weapon with a spiked skull! It's clobberin' time! Smash! Smash!
3. Put the swords in his hands and pull the lever on his back to make the forearms swing round and round, woosh! Woosh!

4. Press the button on his arse and *KER-CHACK! KER-CHACK!*, two missile launchers! Blam! Blam!

RUB STICKER LOCATION

None.

OVERALL

This is one kick-arse toy. It features excellent poseability, fairly decent moulding as well as four nifty gimmicks... Might Makes Right, Yooooo Jooooeee!!

BEAST TRIVIA

The gorilla is the largest of the anthropoids (humanlike apes). Belonging to the family Pongidae, gorillas are forest dwellers native to equatorial Africa. There are three different races within the species Gorilla gorilla:

1. The western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), found in the lowland forests from Cameroon to the Congo River.
2. The eastern lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla graveri), found in the lowland tropical rainforests of the eastern Congo.
3. Mountain gorilla (Gorilla gorilla beringei), found in the Lake Kivu region.

The gorilla is a stocky, powerful ape with black skin and hair, large nostrils and a bare face and chest. It is larger than its relative, the chimpanzee and has flaring nostrils, smaller ears and a less boisterous disposition. The adult male gorilla has a prominent bony crest on top of the skull and a "saddle" of gray silver hairs on the lower lumber back region (which is why the males are known as silverback gorillas). It is about twice the weight of the female and may attain a height of up to 1.7 metres an a weight of 135-275 kilogrammes (captive gorillas in both sexes tend to be much heavier).

Despite the gorillas reputation for ferocity, studies indicate that it is an unaggressive, shy animal unless unduly provoked. Gorillas live in small groups that are led by a silverbacked male. The groups are composed of young females, infants, juveniles and young adult males (blackbacks).

The gorilla is diurnal and primarily terrestrial, usually walking about on all four limbs, with part of its weight supported on the knuckles. Females and young climb more than males. The diet is vegetarian and includes such foods as leaves, stalks and bamboo shoots. Much of the day is spent foraging and resting. At dusk, branches and foliage is used by each gorilla to build a nest. A new nest is built each night and is constructed either on the ground or in the tree.

Although the gorilla is a relatively quiet animal, it has a variety of calls including grunts, hoots and the roar given by an aggressive male. The well-known chest beating is performed by both males and females. When performed by males, it is a ritual which may include running about, tearing at vegetation and slapping the ground. This may be done in order to intimidate outsiders (gorilla or human) or to maintain dominance within the social hierarchy.

There is no fixed breeding season for the gorilla and the gestation lasts for about 250-290 days. Births are usually single. The life expectancy of a wild gorilla is about 30 years.

Humans are the greatest single threat to the gorilla. Due to habitat destruction and illegal hunting, the gorilla is becoming increasingly rare, with the mountain gorilla already classified as being endangered. Damn... we suck.

Bibliography: Encyclopaedia Brittanica

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