Transformers Masterpiece MP-10 Optimus Prime review

Everyone knows about who G1 Optimus Prime is, seen to many as a childhood father figure and to others as the most overrated incarnation of the character. It was interesting going back to a time where getting the most accurate version of the character was a rarity at the time, before we got MP-44 and Siege in 2019, then Earthrise, then all the third-party Masterpiece figures, and then the SS86 Commander version coming soon. Before we got over-saturated with all those figures, this was seen as a holy grail for many Transformers fans before the repaints got carried away. Does it still hold up to this day and age? Let's find out.

Here we have MP-10 Optimus Prime in his truck mode. This truck looks quite impressive when it comes to nailing the proportions of the Freightliner truck G1 Optimu Prime turned into, and the included trailer further completes the look. Some will say that the Autobot insignia is a little further back than it usually is, while others would find the coloring to better fit the toy thanks to the blue lines, but I prefer the toy coloring for the trailer more than the cartoon coloring for the trailer. The silver paint, the chrome accents for the rims and some of the parts on Optimus, and the red and blues on Optimus look great together. Yeah, this version of MP-10 has the Hasbro cartoon blue that is distinct from the Takara navy blue. The steering radius could be better if it weren't for how close the front of the trailer is to what will become Prime's waist. 

The head of the Combat Deck can be deployed from within the trailer by opening it and hinging down the hole covers to let it poke its head out, like the G1 toy. There are no missiles nor effect parts, but you can articulate the satellite dish. As for Optimus's truck mode, it was certainly one of the best renditions of the character at the time. In addition to looking refined compared to MP-01, tons of sculpted details add a bit of life within a toy that is normally seen as cartoon-accurate, especially when you add the silver paint/chrome as well as the trim around the windows; hell, the fog lights that Takara didn't pick out with yellow paint are added for the Hasbro release! The back section that will become the legs is bulkier than usual, so they had to add some ladders on the back. Still, I like how hefty it looks and feels, especially compared to Optimus's first and third versions in the Masterpiece line. 

The windows open up so you can place Spike Witwicky inside, a bit of gimmickry that I find reminiscent of the Human Alliance toys from Revenge of the Fallen and Dark of the Moon. Spike, however, is smaller than those figures and lacks any facial detailing. MP-44 did have the doors open by comparison, and this figure sadly has the head exposed, even if it's the back side only. Spike's articulation consists of shoulder rotation, the hips move front and back, and the knees can bend. The somewhat wide hips aren't as bad as on Daniel's minifigure that came with Ultra Magnus, while the knee joints are at least forgiving for a figure this small. His work clothes showcase how he always gets involved in the same jobs as his dad.

After opening the doors of the trailer as well as moving the ramp out, Roller can be seen waiting to be deployed. Unlike the old toy, Roller sticks out a little closer to the opening since there is a barrier hiding the Combat Deck module. Unlike the original Hasbro MP-10, this trailer has the interior painted in silver apart from the flooring.

Roller himself is toy-accurate blue instead of silver, but it doesn't matter to me. The blue looks good for him, and it's not like he's randomly black or purple, the latter fitting even less with the colors associated with Optimus. Anyways, I like that he can have Spike ride inside the seat (not pictured), though it's just the one versus the old toy's Roller having more room for Diaclone pilots. There is a clear red bit of plastic representing the siren, though it doesn't light up since you'll be able to have him use the Ion Blaster for an attack mode.

He, too, can haul the trailer on his own, which is a possible explanation as to how the damn thing disappears off-screen. It's almost like how smaller vehicles tow larger trailers or planes in an airport somewhat. Ironic how we don't have an MP Huffer to haul this.

MP-10's trailer is compatible with MPM-4, which makes sense as they both predate the new trailer system that MP-44 utilizes (which Bumblebee Movie Optimus uses). I guess the steering radius is a little better than with MP-10, though it feels weird for a truck with entirely plastic tires to share a trailer with rubber tires. I don't know how a DOTM version of MPM Prime would work.

For a truck mode comparison with the original, you can see how much more refined the details look on the newer toy, in addition to the added paint apps, improved assets like the rear-view mirrors and headlights. The way MP-10 looks is the best depiction of the G1 flat nose cab, especially in the front section.

The trailer can open to reveal the Combat Deck, allowing it to maintain a battle platform display option with Roller doing his titular action while the head module's neck can articulate at two points and the claw can move via a handful of joints. Like the old toy, the cockpit can open to allow Spike pilot access, Diaclone style.

Two other seats can be utilized, also reminiscent of the Diaclone days. When not in use, the backs of the seats flip down. 

Transforming Optimus Prime should be familiar to you if you have seen the way MP-10 works. Though it borrows steps from MP-01 like the waist swivel, most of the upper body sequence, and the legs extending, it does have a few differences with the shin panels, the hand transformation, and the wheel covers for the legs with the gas tanks hinging downwards. The resulting robot mode, though not super-duper accurate to the cartoon like MP-44, still looks good. The balance between resembling the cartoon model and having sculpted details works well like with Earthrise, though I feel this guy's torso looks better proportioned. Some will say that the arms may be a little too long, but you can probably fudge the sliding joint that extends them during transformation. I like seeing the embossed Autobot insignia on the left shoulder, though some would wish he had another one on the right for symmetry sake. The windows, despite being clear and colorless, do look nice with the chrome bumper inside. In terms of die-cast parts, the feet and the joint for the upper body to hinge during transformation as well as the waist swivel are two of the three examples shown here. While I appreciate the yellow segments on the waist being clear plastic, I wish there wasn't an obvious hole in the middle. Looks off and almost like he's about to lubricate on Seymour Simmons. As for the black square on the back, we'll get to that.

His head sculpt looks great. Not much else to say since it's a G1 Prime head that we'll later see recreated in varying degrees on smaller figures. The antennae do articulate, so let's discuss how the rest of his articulation works. He has a neck swivel and hinge combo for the head, shoulder rotation, outward arm that goes outwards even further if you extend the arms, bicep rotation, elbow bends at 90 degrees from the transformation, wrist rotation, two points at the index fingers, and a single hinge for the middle, ring, and pinky fingers conjoined (said to be a downgrade from MP-01). The waist swivels, the hips ratchet front and back, yet they hinge in and out. There are swivels at the thighs and below the ratcheted knees, while the feet can pivot up and down as well as rock inwards. The Ion Blaster can be held in his hands, though it looks a little undersized if I'm honest.

His gun can be stored away by folding it and inserting it in his back, though my copy doesn't have it close all the way. The die-cast part can barely be seen here but it is painted blue on this version. Eh who cares. His axe is definitely bigger on this guy, and it can slide over his hand instead of clipping on a folded-away space. My copy seems to have the middle part between the head and the spiky ball somewhat bent. Just barely.

The Combat Deck can be stood up for a repair bay mode, allowing you to recreate the toy-based memories of having Optimus and crew received their needed repairs. Also unlike MP-01, which had the option to either have the bumper or Matrix cover visible, you have two layers covering said Matrix on this toy.

The panel, of course, can reveal the MacGuffin within, and it looks marvelous as always. Everything except for the jewel is die-cast, which adds a nice bit of weight to an artifact like this. It doesn't open like on MP-01, and it doesn't have the light up chamber, but it looks the part.

As far as the reuses are concerned, this is actually the original TakaraTomy version, where all of the reds were painted for better consistency, the grays are darker, and the blue is a navy color. The biggest detractor to their MP-10 has to be the eyes being unpainted, thus making them look dead compared to the blue of Hasbro's MP-10.

The figure would then get numerous repaints from here. After MP-10 Optimus Prime's original Japanese and US releases, we got Nemesis Prime, aka Black Convoy. His eyes are also unpainted, but they match the evil color scheme better. He didn't come with the trailer, Roller, and Spike. The Decepticon insignia is a full-on tampograph instead of a sculpted part.

After that, we received an admittedly cool Year of the Horse Optimus Prime. The red and blue are darker, there is gold chrome on every vac-metal part except the rims for some reason, the trailer is translucent, and the back of the trailer as well as the right shoulder have the modified Autobot insignia representing the Year of the Horse. Roller nor Spike are included.

We got a trilogy of A Bathing Ape redecos, or BAPE for short. Much like the G1 toy, we have one in green, one in red, and one in gray. None of them have the trailer nor the associated accessories.

Neon Genesis Evangelion had a bit of unexpected rep in the Transformers franchise in the 30th anniversary of the TF brand, giving fans an Optimus Prime colored like Eva Unit 01, a trailer and Roller with NERV livery, and Spike wearing the organization's uniform. He won't be piloting the actual Eva-Unit 01 since Optimus scanned the giant mech in the associated fiction to combat Angelscream, but he might have less of an issue taking on both the Angels and the Decepticons than Shinji, Rei, and Asuka combined.

We then got Shattered Glass Optimus Prime out of this mold, which has him without chrome in favor of a bullet wound in his right window pec. His deco is different from the first two toys he had, with different shades for the head, lower legs, thighs, and hands. He lacks an alt-universe Roller, and he also doesn't have an evil Spike. 

Do you like 7-Eleven? I got news for you! Because Japan has an Ultra Magnus cab-colored Optimus Prime with 7-Eleven decals for the shoulders and trailer! Don't expect him to get a Magnus armor set compatible with him. Oh and he was only in Japan since the US chains don't make giveaways with toys like this.

While he wasn't part of the Lucky Draw contest compared to MP-01, this mold did get a gold repaint for the Golden Lagoon line along with Combiner Wars Starscream, POTP Beachcomber, and Titans Return Beachcomber, Perceptor, and Soundwave. There are parts that are molded in gold plastic instead of being in the same chrome as the rest of the toy, resulting in some mis-matching comparable to the stock photos.

Since Transformers and Ghostbusters both turned 35 in 2019, this repaint serves to go with the Collaborative line's Ectotron. It decks Prime out in appropriate livery for busting ghosts, including green slime on the trailer as well as the logos related to the in-universe group we know as the Ghostbusters. Instead of Spike or an axe, he comes with new accessories meant to turn Roller into a ghost trap as well as a proton pack that conneccts to either his back and Ion Blaster or the top of the trailer.

A random selection of Atmos Safari-themed repaints for the last few runs of the line. This one is the LeBron version. Yes, we got a LeBron-themed Transformer before we got one for Michael Jordan. I wonder if this guy could play the Vine clip that goes "LeBron James. LeBron James. LeBron James." He lacks chromed rims since they are now a dark brown.

This one is called the Duckcamo version, so named because it's got two shades of green on parts of the figure while the rims and weapons are orange like a duck bill and duck feet probably.

And then there were four more repaints that likely got canceled by the time we had MP-44 take over this mold. From left to right, we got the Elephant camo (which is basically black and white with teal bits and a Decepticon insignia), Viotech camo (which is colored to look vaguely like Animated Swindle), and Tiger Camo in black and yellow (one looks like an altered Elephant camo while the other is more orange than yellow but okay).

For a comparison with prior toys, here is MP-10 with his more notable counterparts in my collection, with the G1 version and the Earthrise figures being the examples I chose. He certainly looks the best out of the trio in my opinion, especially without looking fat like the old toy or having the upper body not stick out too further, in addition to having a better proportioned stomach region and arms that don't look as short as seen on the Earthrise.

And here he is with the Power of the Primes counterpart. That Leader Class figure was a stand-in for so many years ever since I got it back in 2018. I was in the belief that I would never get a chance to own MP-10. Now that I do own the figure, it's time to determine what to do with the POTP version...definitely not selling it, but his spot has been taken a la what happened with Combiner Wars Megatron.

And finally, here we have a photo with MP-36 Megatron. While Megs better matches the newer phase of aesthetics regarding cartoon accuracy and engineering, Optimus still looks good with his nemesis, making me happy I don't have to go back and buy MP-44 given how I don't like that figure compared to this guy. And honestly, I think you can get some good deals out of MP-10 if you choose to buy this guy online instead of MP-44. While there aren't many gimmicks or display options on this version, it's got the best balance of cartoon-accuracy and sculpted detailing that we didn't get on the latest mold. Just be on the lookout for any knockoffs unless you buy the Hasbro version.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐