Sunday, April 9, 2017

Perfect Effect PC-15 Optimus Prime Upgrade

LG-35 Ginrai Powermaster Optimus Prime wit PC-15 upgrade Kit
I can see you
The TF Perfect Effect PC-15 LG-35 Ginrai Power-master (Head-master) Optimus Prime Upgrade Kit is a must have, and a fine teaser for what is to come. 

We are such big fans of Takara's LG-35 Powermaster Optimus Prime that we forgave them for making him a Headmaster - especially since the smaller Optimus Prime head formed by Ginrai is virtually useless.

Frankly we were not too keen about modifying a Takara, but Perfect Effect made him better, so.... here he is (And we absolutely hate the Hasbro version) with PE's Perfect Combiner - 15 (PC-15)

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

That and we're looking forward to the Perfect Effect Perfect Combiner (tPC-16) Super Ginrai upgrade whose color might not math the rather pale red used by Hasbro for their Powermaster Optimus Prime:
Perfect Effect Perfect Combiner 16 PC-16

As you can see Perfect Effect will really take some liberties with the LG-35.. But.... DAMN!!!! That looks hot!!!!

The box doesn't really say anything unless you can read Japanese. But Perfect Effect was nice enough to summarize with the words "LED" "ADD-ON" and "GOD ON"

Perfect Effect PC-15 LG-35 Upgrade BoxPerfect Effect PC-15 LG-35 Upgrade Box

Perfect Effect's Perfect Combiner - 15 (PC-15 ) features:
  • A replacement head for the LG-35's Ginrai and its "helmet head" - This directly addresses our first complaint about Takara's LG-35 Optimus Prime. With PC-15, no longer is Super Ginrai or Optimus Prime, a Headmaster. We also no longer have to think about what the tiny Prime head is for. 
PC-15 UPGRADE                                 ORIGINAL TAKARA HEAD
Perfect Effect PC-15 LED light-up headTakara LG-35 Powermaster Prime Head

  • A pair of light-up blue-LED eyes powered by two really tiny batteries. Perfect Effect was nice enough to provide the batteries. Take note early on of the etching on the battery hatch cover. A few notes:
    • You don't need to unscrew the head open. The hatch is a slide on-off hatch
    • Note the etching on the hatch itself, that will tell you where the two batteries should be facing. 
    • Removing Powermaster Optimus Prime's head is not that difficult. As you can see the swivel joint is not bound by anything. You can simply slide it out. 

Perfect Combiner 15 Battery CasePerfect Combiner 15 Battery Case
Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 Head Mount
Note how the hatch can be slid back in place the wrong way
  • A pair of plastic covers for the exposed spaces in Super Ginrai's inner thighs. The covers cllip on-and-off quite easily. This is a really cool cosmetic fix for an open gash.

Perfect Combiner 15 Inner Thigh CoverPerfect Combiner 15 Inner Thigh Cover
  • Ginrai, who transforms into the that thing that powers the Transtector that looks like Optimus Prime. Right now - unlike the cartoon - Ginrai rides inside Optimus Prime's chest and cant attach itself to the front grill of Prime in truck mode - for now (Based upon the prototype of the PC-16 upgrade, he'll be riding outside quite soon).
Ginrai mounted inside the Powermaster Optimus PrimeSuper Ginrai Truck mode with Ginrai
PC-15 Ginrai action figure
Ginrai: Small but terrible
We've seen reviews where people are struggling to place Ginrai inside Super Ginrai's chest - and we had the same problem given how stubby and large our fingers are, but there really is a simple solution: Lift the chest open and pull the white stand out:

Mounting Ginrai inside Powermaster Optimus PrimeMounting Ginrai inside Powermaster Optimus Prime

WHAT'S TO LIKE ABOUT THE PERFECT EFFECT PERFECT COMBINER 15 PC-15 UPGRADE?
  • FIRST: Ginrai. Aside from changing the Takara LG-35 Optimus Prime / Super Ginrai into what he should be - a Powermaster - Ginrai is 
    • Cartoon Accurate.
    • Pretty decently articulated mini-con sized figure - unlike his headmaster counterpart. He can even kneel. 
Perfect Effect Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 GinraiPerfect Effect Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 Ginrai
Perfect Effect Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 GinraiPerfect Effect Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 GinraiPerfect Effect Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 Ginrai
Perfect Effect Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 GinraiPerfect Effect Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 Ginrai

  • SECOND: The new PC-15 head is beautiful and also solves the "Dead-eye" look of the Takara LG-35 Optimus Prime. Shooting it was a bit of a pain though because we couldn't really make the LEDs shine as much as they really do - thanks to our own lights. So here's a low-light shot of the PC-15 upgrade:
Perfect Effect Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 LED light up head
Super Ginrai: Bright Eyes

And here it is in comparison to the dead-eyes of the LG-35

PC-15 UPGRADE                                   ORIGINAL TAKARA HEAD
Perfect Effect Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 LED light up headTakara LG-35 Optimus PrimePerfect Effect Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 LED light up headTakara LG-35 Optimus PrimePerfect Effect Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 LED light up headTakara LG-35 Optimus PrimePerfect Effect Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 LED light up headPerfect Effect Perfect Combiner 15 PC-15 LED light up head

  • THIRD: You can now transfer the old LG-35 head over to the Hasbro Powermaster Optimus Prime to replace that weird looking Orion Pax head. 

Takara LG-35 and Hasbro's Powermaster Optimus Prime
I still hate you

GinraisWHAT'S NOT TO LIKE ABOUT THE PERFECT EFFECT PERFECT COMBINER 15 PC-15 UPGRADE?
  • FIRST: Ginrai. If you're a fan of the base-mode of the LG-35 Super Ginrai, then Ginrai will no longer fit in the gun-cockpits - not that we really mind. 
  • We're a bit worried that the upcoming God-Bomber upgrade from Hasbro will no longer interact with Super Ginrai once it's been modified with both the PC-15 and PC 16. Finding another LG-35 is proving to be a price sensitive issue.
The Transformers Perfect Combiner PC-15 Upgrade Kits for the LG-35 Super Ginrai is available on Amazon for US$ 60 (Rougly PhP 3,060 plus shipping).

Transformers Perfect Effect PC-15 LG-35 Ginrai Powermaster Optimus Prime Upgrade Kit
The Future is Bright

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