Vault Review: Transformers
Prime AM-05, Megatron

Megatron here is my last Transformers Prime review from the latest wave.  I decided to take a chance on the Takara version because I was so intrigued by these new Minicon figures.  Unfortunately a few issues kept me from liking the figure more.

Like Skywarp, Megatron came packaged in a box instead of a bubble card.  Mostly in vehicle form, his weren’t fully transformed to cut down on the amount of space he took up.  Also in the box were his instructions, Minicon sprue, Minicon instructions, and sticker sheet.

I actually really like Megatron’s design in Transformers Prime.  His body has interesting proportions that give him a look of muscle and armor.  His hands look more like razor sharp claws, while his feet look like a sinister version of the Jaws of Life.  Megatron’s body is covered in various spikes.  Even the rounder parts are designed with sharp looking curves and angles.  Everything about him screams dangerous and gives the feeling that he doesn’t really need an arm cannon to rip apart some Autobots.

One of the things I was a little disappointed in was the size of the figure.  Since he’s one of the larger characters on the show I was hoping he’d be on the tall end of the scale.  But this figure is a rerelease of the Deluxe scaled Megs from the First Edition two pack.  (That two pack never made it to the US, so I was a bit clueless to that.  But our sharp readers helped correct my mistake.  Thanks again to Cythagen, Josh, and 3B!)  The figure ended up being a bit taller than Soundwave, and a little smaller than the First Edition Starscream.  It’s not a bad look, but I really wanted a hulking Megatron.  So I’ll probably end up getting the larger Voyager class figure.

I really do like this figure’s head sculpt though.  I think the design does a great job of taking the basic look of G1 Megs and altering the square bits into sharp angles.  The figure really has fantastic light-piping that makes his eyes glow a bright purple.  But I think my favorite detail is his teeth.  Even at this size you can see detailed serrated rows that form a menacing grin.

If you read my Transformers reviews, you’ve probably noticed I buy most of these figures for their robot modes.  I don’t really hate alt modes, I just think robots are cooler than vehicles.  But every once in a while I’ll come across an alt mode that I just don’t understand.  Megatron is one of those figures.  In the cartoon, Megatron turns into a sleek looking Cybertronian fighter jet.  The toy resembles this design in alt mode, but is really just too bulky to pull it off convincingly.  To me, he looks more like some sort of insane crab tank.  His head popping out doesn’t really cut down on the ridiculousness either.

Like Skywarp, most of Megatron’s parts are molded in the color they need to be.  Mostly there’s a lot of light and dark grays.  But I was surprised to see that Takara did add some purple highlights and silver decos to break up the monotony.  The figure comes with a sticker sheet to add more details, but I don’t think I’m going to use them.  I may add a Decepticon symbol, but other than that I think he looks pretty good as is.  Continue to page 2…

16 thoughts on “Vault Review: Transformers
Prime AM-05, Megatron

  1. I really, really dislike vehicle mods made of kibble, that are a clear statement of “We made this awesome robot, but totally dropped the ball on what sort of alt-mode he is supposed to have, so we’ll fold this bit to look like wings, push these shoulders out to look like so, and then fold the legs like this, and open the torso, and whaaalah! A…space ship…robot fighter plane…thing. It’s a thing. Kids’ll love it!”

    No.

    1. Yeah. Most modern Transformers do a really good job with their vehicle modes it seems, but Megs here didn’t quite make the cut.

      I wonder if the larger figure does any better?

  2. You know, I think Gola not only resembles Animated Lugnut a bit, but also the G1 casette-bot Beastbox. Is it just me?

    1. With him being a purple gorilla, I can definitely see the Beastbox connection. I didn’t even know about that character. Thanks for bringing him up, Sandman.

  3. Takara’s Micron Arms Megatron actually isn’t a Voyager Class figure. Rather, it’s a re-hash (with added Minicon ports) of the Megatron from Hasbro’s First Edition box set featuring a Deluxe-scale Megatron and Optimus Prime (which was scrapped for release in the US). The actual Voyager class figure is every bit the hulk that he should be and towers over the other Deluxe. Sadly, the makeshift alt-mode fares no better in the larger scale. The Cyberverse Commander is the smallest so far, but the transformation sequence is well-executed, and the alt-mode holds together surprisingly well.

    1. So this is the same figure as the First Edition box set? I did not know that. Thanks for the info, Cythagen!

      So now I need to find the actual Voyager class figure. Too bad his alt mode isn’t any better…

  4. I’ll have to echo what Cythagen said. This is no Voyager Class figure, its the same as the Entertainment Pack Deluxe. That part of the review really threw me for a second.

    The Voyager class is a very nice figure, though the alt-mode is perhaps worse than this one you have now.

    1. Thanks Josh!

      I think I’ll be getting the real Voyager figure. Although I’m disappointed his transformation isn’t any better.

      1. Admittedly, the Voyager version has an even worse transformation. Especially going from Robot to Alt-mode. The Entertainment Pack Deluxe stands as my favorite Transformers Prime Megatron. The show accurate cannon, and added silver paint really helps.

        Thats not to say the Voyager is a bad figure, because its a cool toy, and definitely worth having if you want a more imposing Megatron.

        Looking forward to more Transformers review from you! (Or really any reviews from you, for that matter. Always enjoy ’em!)

        1. Thanks, Josh. 🙂

          I’ll probably have a couple more Transformers reviews in the next month or so. I ordered the Takara versions of Arcee and Soundwave. Damn Minicons coned me into buying figures over again. :/

  5. I’ve changed the article to reflect the proper classes, so hopefully I won’t be spreading too much more misinformation.

    A big thank you to everyone who helped correct my mistake. 🙂

  6. wait, so this is a deluxe? wow… impressive. second Prime/RID Megatron review I’ve seen, and I’m leaning more and more towards picking one up. Love it!

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