Firstly, I want to showcase a comparison with the Hasbro Commemorative Series version's box. They share similar aesthetics, like logo and box art placement, coloring, the grid lines, and the character name on the bottom. The Commemorative version is more of a recreation from what we normally saw in G1 while Missing Link feels closer to the 1985 Japanese box. I also say this since Hasbro Commemorative Prime's box isn't exactly the same as the 1984 US box, mostly with character art and the franchise name being on a flap. Also, be ready to anticipate me going between calling the Missing Link toy as Convoy or Optimus Prime.
Out of the box, Missing Link Convoy has some wheels and missiles on sprues, a practice common with G1 toys. These are easy to remove and are thankfully not in need of shaving any excess plastic off.
This means Roller comes out of the box without the wheels. Thankfully, the assembly is easy thanks to the wheels snapping in place properly.
This little baggie comes with the instructions, a sticker sheet, a collector's card, and a red piece of film meant to go over the tech specs. Remember when Transformers toys from 1984 through the last few bits of the mid-2010s had tech specs where applicable? Another baggie has the fuel pump, nozzle, and hose. I should mention that though the toy has sculpted details to match the vintage stickers on the forearms, knees, and toes, they are still present in the sheet if you really want to be redundant. That being said, we have other stickers meant for the trailer interior.
Here we have Missing Link Convoy in vehicle mode, and I think we already know how to describe this toy's looks. It's a recreation of the original toy we saw since 1984, a repurposed of Diaclone Battle Convoy, and has been reused for years bla bla bla. There are some differences worth mentioning, but I will say that without any awareness of the Missing Link line this could almost pass for the old toy. Just about everything is identical to the old toy at first glance. We have the die-cast where it should be, rubber tires and chrome are intact, what else is new?
The trailer's functions are still the same as we've seen before, so the head of the Combat Deck can poke out from either hole like the old version. Radar dish spins, cockpit opens, missiles launch, claws articulated at 3 points, again what else is new? Oh and we have the rubsign.
For a cab comparison (cab-parison?), from left to right we have Commemorative Prime, which I got back in 2014 for my birthday, the Missing Link Convoy in the middle and the Hasbro 2019 reissue that came without a trailer for some reason. Their shades of red and blue vary from figure to figure, but the biggest difference is that Missing Link has the headlights sculpted differently, no longer utilizing holes meant for the fists to plug into. Yes, we now have integrated fists for this specific design of G1 Prime, which is a godsend for anyone worried about losing these crucial parts. I'm also happy that Hasbro made this a direct import and continued giving Optimus long smokestacks. Seriously, why would you market the G1 reissues to older fans yet make them kid-friendly? I doubt G1 fans would like their eyes out with their Prime smokestacks or choke on the missiles unless they cope with the "pain" from Michael Bay living in their heads rent-free. Oh, and the bumper is now filled in while the pegs on the front wheels no longer stick out.
Even the trailers have some differences, mostly in terms of the Commemorative one being a lighter shade of gray versus the Missing Link version being the same, darker shade from the G1 toy. The lighter shade of gray ccomes from the Universe 2008 reissue of the figure, where the blues were brighter while the reds were paler. The version of the Commemorative reissue I own, however, is an Asian-market variant that has the proper shades of red and blue yet the trailer is a lighter gray. Why it looks like that is beyond me.
And here we have Missing Link next to Legacy United. 2 different approaches in remaking the G1 Optimus Prime design in 2024: one is a direct copy with very minor differences in terms of functionality, while the other is a recreation of the same design with deviations here and there due to different plastic quality and engineering choices. While Missing Link looks nicer, Legacy United isn't a cheap imitation; it's cheaper, yes, but it's not THAT kind of cheap imitation. I remember when TFWiki called it the little brother of Legacy United before calling it Missing Link at Home despite the At Home joke belonging to SS Gamer Edition Devastation Prime. It later received the caption "Somehow Robotmasters returned" because both it and the RM figure looked bad, but don't diss the Legacy United figure, fell-offs!
Transformation is nearly the same as the old toy, with the main differences being the integration of the fists as well as the hips functioning on sliding rails that admittedly could have better tolerances for the tabs along with the ones for the legs. The legs still go down, but not with the same system that the G1 toy did. Robot mode is about the same as before, though the improvements are more noticeable with the forearm, knee, and toe details now sculpted and painted rather than utilizing stickers; those spare stickers are better saved for a G1 Prime that could need them. The elbows also look different, no longer having exposed springs and instead utilizing ratchet joints. The hands also appear somewhat more defined, no longer looking like mini boxing gloves. Tooling-wise, the biggest difference can be seen from the back, with the hips now transforming somewhat differently and no longer using that small slot meant for the G2 version's soundbox. There is, however, a flight stand hole new to this figure.
What is new to this figure is the ability to house a Matrix of Leadership chamber if you want to cover up the seats AND the hole visible through the windows. It is also removable and can be held in his hands, though it is a very annoying task to do. I'm spoiling the articulation somewhat, but you are able to have him in the Light Our Darkest Hour pose in spite of how wide his upper body is. I think an upgrade kit that Optibotimus reviewed long ago had something similar, only the parts are not chromed though the Matrix could open. In fact, the same upgrade kit has articulated hands that at least on his copy were stuck in place. Also, the Matrix is all gold except the core, but I do believe that it unintentionally predicted its coloring in the recent Transformers One movie.
Now the biggest selling point on Missing Link Convoy is the articulation. In the left is how the figure used to pose, with rotation at the wrists, shoulders, and above the elbows while the elbows and knees would bend. I guess the arms can hinge back due to transformation. The updated articulation now features neck rotation, outward arm movement at both a normal shoulder joint and one in the armpit a la most ToyBiz Legends back then, articulated hands fingers mentioned earlier, a slight waist joint, hips that move front and back as well as in and out, thigh rotation, and feet that can pivot as well as hinge upwards. The elbows and knees now have proper ratchet joints implemented, making them more stable for any crazy poses thanks to the die-cast in the chest and feet.
Utilizing a flight stand to recreate the box art, Optimus Prime can hold his Ion Blaster, now modified to be held in the proper handle with a 5mm port where the faux handle was. A second port is included if you want to recreate the toy-accurate look, I guess. Also, he has an ab crunch joint to make some of those poses carry a little more personality than they normally would have. It's barely noticeable, and somewhat tight to untab from the torso, but it is manageable.
He also features an Energon Axe, which simply opens from the bottom of the orb to let the handle slide through the fist before closing the clamp. Pretty seamless, and it is another method of giving Prime an Energon axe without leaving the hands looking exposed from any angles. At least here, it looks like he's generating the power of the axe.
Of course, what is a G1 Optimus Prime toy without his trusty trailer? And here, it's about the same as one would expect for the most part. Roller now has a light on the back, which can be swapped for the same 5mm port if you want to utilize the cannon. The stickers from the walls of the Combat Deck can be applied here, though that is optional.
Roller can use the Ion Blaster as mentioned earlier, but you are no longer able to launch him from the trailer. However, the Combat Deck's drone assembly can slide out from the trailer and roll on its own set of wheels. This was a feature seen rarely in the G1 cartoon, though it is a feature I believe MP-44 recreated. SS86 Prime can pull off a similar trick by using Roller as the bottom for the assembly.
In terms of reuses, Convoy Anime Edition uses a brighter shade of blue, a more yellowy shade of orange for the Matrix, a more thorough paint job for the eyes, blue windows, and yellow for the bumper to match the waist. He has no trailer, and the toy-accurate details are not painted other than solid silver for the toes, but this is great for anyone not interested in a trailer.
We also have to talk about the unexpected Sentinel Prime, based on the truck and trailer that the Sky Spy scanned to repair the stasis-locked Autobots. The coloring is different likely thanks to the LaserDiscs not utilizing the same bluish filter that Shout Factory uses in their G1 DVDs, a similar issue to how Dragonball DVDs by Viz have a green tint and Sailor Moon DVDs also by them have a pink tint. Anyways, this is almost an unexpected redeco that matches the IDW 2005 design in terms of coloring, and the lack of an Autobot insignia is also new to this figure. If you don't feel like getting another G1 Prime, then this redeco will be worth buying.
For a comparison with other G1 Primes I own, here is Missing Link between the Commemorative and 2019 versions, each with stickers applied or not and varying degrees of condition to their paint on the die-cast. I'm impressed at how much this could just about look like an original figure if you don't look too closely. Still, there will be people who think that the original will be fine enough if they own articulated versions of the toy or prefer less articulation. Either way, I think the modified hip joints make ML Convoy slightly taller than either Prime at a barely noticeable level.
Roller also has a comparison worth discussing, mostly with the colors; the Commemorative version has been colored blue while the Missing Link version is painted silver. Either look is interchangeable, and I don't mind if Roller is meant to look toy-accurate or show-accurate. That being said, my copy of Commemorative Roller has one of the pegs look distorted, and I'm thankful I didn't have to assemble it given how fucked up the peg was.
And here we have Missing Link Convoy next to Legacy United G1 Optimus Prime. The Deluxe figure's proportions are a little chunkier than on the original toy, hence why it looked more like it was pulling off a similar-yet-different approach to its conception in contrast to Missing Link Convoy's approach in looking like a replica whose articulation and other differences aren't immediately noticeable. Either way, the way they transform and how their weapons work isn't really the main point about the comparison, because I want to showcase how different their articulation is between one another.
In terms of differences in articulation, Missing Link uses two shoulder joints that can both provide a higher reach reminiscent of a ToyBiz Marvel Legend as mentioned earlier. Missing Link's arms can only move up by 90 degrees. They can rotate their arms 360 degrees and bend their elbows at 90 degrees without issue. As for the hands, Missing Link's can rotate in addition to opening at the fingers, with the wrist rotation being something I expected on Legacy United. As for their necks, Missing Link is on a swivel while Legacy United is on a ball joint.
The ab crunch means that Missing Link can at least look down on Legacy United without the need of a ball-jointed neck. The waist swivel on Missing Link is nowhere near as effective as Legacy United.
Their forward leg movement on Missing Link works simimarly to the joints on Studio Series ROTB Prime, though they nearly reach 90 degrees if not for the bumper. Legacy United's joints work more like normal hip joints, and while the bumper moving out isn't the best look, it does at least grant him a slightly higher kick.
The hips have nearly the same range moving out, though the tightness on Missing Link makes it impossible to reach a perfect split until the tires rub on the thighs. Legacy United, however, can at least do a perfect split. This already reminds me a lot of the ankle rocker pivots that Glenn Webb used to go excited over. RIP, king.
Missing Link's knees bend more than Legacy United, and his feet can hinge upwards for more natural walking poses while Legacy United's feet can also swivel like the thighs would. Otherwise, they both have the same range for the thighs. Regardless of what toy you own, I think it's great to see two versions of G1 Optimus Prime feel less like corporate mandates and more like labors of love. One made to experiment on old toys with better articulation, and another to feel more like the same design if it was made into a modern action figure. These two, along with SS86 Optimus Prime, feel like the best offerings HasTak have given us this year when it comes to Optimus Prime and the 40th anniversary of the Transformers brand. As for the rest of the Missing Link line, I'm 50/50 on the Bumblejumper set, but Sunstreaker and Arcee intrigue me.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
In case anyone is wondering, I don't plan to get the Hot Wheels Optimus Prime from Mattel Creations. Maybe someday, but I'm already starting to have enough of this specific look for G1 Prime. I'm surprised it sold out and went up to $80 for its size. The paint's beautiful, though.
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