Review: #764
Name: Prowl
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Autobot
Line: Generations - Legacy: Evolution
Year of Release: 2023
Size Class: Deluxe (Wave 2)
Mold Status: new
VEHICLE MODE:
Based upon his Animated showing, and similar to the other Legacy figures, this figure incorporates G1 styling. However, unlike Bulkhead, this figure is much truer to the Animated design in both vehicle and robot mode.
This is a black and gold police bike, and it looks really nice here. The gold paint used has a metallic sheen to it which compliments the shiny black plastic.
Prowl is an okay size, given that he transforms into a bike, he will always feel a little bit smaller than any Deluxe but it's not so bad here.
The only negative are his hubcaps. Given they involve the robot weaponry gimmick, each side has one unpainted hubcap and it looks fairly bad like that when the other is painted gold.
A neat aspect is the speedometer and other dials that you can see, even neater is that this is the back of the robot head. It's a nice little feature that the designer didn't have to do.
There's little play value here but Prowl doesn't need it, he looks nice and that's all well and good.
TRANSFORMATION:
Heavily inspired by the Animated version, it's a good thing that the designer didn't mess with what was possible one of the best, if not the best, motorcycle transformation scheme ever. Conceptually, it's pretty much the same as the Animated version, with only some differences here and there to the way things are tab. Basically, the back folds out to become the arms. The whole lower section is the legs which wraps around the wheels as they make the robot's shins. The front becomes the torso, where you fold it down, which also reveals the head.
ROBOT MODE:
This is how a G1-fied update to a heavily stylized design such as Animated should be. Prowl is still instantly recognizable as the character, and the proportions are just enough to make him blocky to fit into G1, but still retain the curves of Animated. In summary, this is a great update.
By having the motorcycle wheels integrated so nicely into the robot mode, there is very little in the way of kibble. Prowl is lean and athletic.
The head sculpt is likewise updated to be more in line with G1 aesthetics, and it's not bad looking here.
He's a bit short, and also slimmer than most Deluxes, but again, this is something that comes with transforming into a motorcycle.
He is very poseable, although he swaps all the balljoints of the Animated figure with swivels instead. He has joints for his head, shoulders, elbows, waist, hips, knees and ankles.
It's really awesome that they kept Prowl's best gimmick, which is that the hubcaps pop out. The spikes are geared so that you turn the hubcaps to reveal the blades, forming throwing stars or shurikens.
His hands are molded so that he can hold the stars, although his left one is in a more open position so it doesn't hold it as tightly. The gearing on the stars are also finnicky, they misalign very easily.
The only thing that feels out of place here are the handlebars on his back. The originally didn't have them, and having them in this version breaks the otherwise sleek (but still buff) profile.
This is a fantastic robot mode and one that doesn't have any major flaws.
OVERALL:
Prowl is a fantastic update, and it is great that they didn't screw up this figure by doing a radical redesign like they did with Bulkhead. Prowl is still recognizable as the Animated figure, with a similar transformation, similar design, but just G1'd up. The mash between the two different aesthetics actually works here and Prowl is one of the best toys in the line. Now, will we ever get a samurai armor update...
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