Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys

He can't deal with the obligatory joke now!

Sometimes Ultra Magnus looks a lot like Optimus Prime. There are a lot of Optimus Prime toys, and they need to be redecoed into SOMETHING. Ergo...

Toys

Generation 1

Honkimus Prime

• Ultra Magnus (1986, 2000, 2002)
  • Japanese ID number: C-69
  • Accessories: Large robot head, Rifle, chest plate, 2 trailer connectors/waist plates, 2 small robot fists (left & right), 2 large robot fists (left & right), 2 missile launchers, 4 missiles

Ultra Magnus is a redeco of the Diaclone Powered Convoy toy, which itself was a redecoed Battle Convoy (pre-TF Optimus Prime) with a new trailer that combined with the cab robot to form a super robot. Whereas the original Japanese use was an upgrade to Convoy, Hasbro released him as a separate character and both the comic and the cartoon ignored the cab robot in favor of the super robot.

Ultra Magnus transforms into a white Freightliner COE with a blue and red car-carrier trailer. He comes with a rifle that has two pegs that will fit into either the fist of the cab robot or fist of the super robot, and he also comes with two missile launchers that can plug into either the front of the trailer or the shoulders of the super robot. Additional accessories include the cab robot's fists, the super robot's fists, the super robot head, the super robot chestplate, and two crotchplates/trailer hitches.

The original American toy was released in at least two versions -- one with rubber tires and paint on both heads, and a second with plastic tires and no paint on either head.

Ultra Magnus was first reissued in Japan in December of 2000 with little to no changes. Two years later, Ultra Magnus was reissued as a Toys "R" Us exclusive in the United States in the first wave of the Commemorative Series; the American reissue's missiles were elongated and both smokestacks were shortened to pass modern safety laws. Both reissues had rubber tires and the facial paint.

Till All Go Number One!

• Shining Magnus (2000)
  • Japanese ID number: C-69
  • Accessories: Large robot head, Rifle, chest plate, trailer connector/waist plate, 2 small robot fists (left & right), 2 missile launchers, 4 missiles

With a yellow cab and a clear yellow trailer, Shining Magnus (シャイニングマグナス, sha-i-ni-n-gu ma-gu-na-su) is intended to recall the moment in the animated movie, just before Optimus Prime dies, when the Matrix is passed to Ultra Magnus and he is bathed in its Matrixy yellow light. It was also released in December of 2000.

This version is sometimes known as "Matrix Glow Magnus" amongst collectors. A less favourable nickname among fans is "Urine Magnus", or slightly less-polite variations of the same.

Shining Magnus was available exclusively at 20th Century Toy Museum toy show at the Mitsukoshi Department Store in Yokohama Kanagwa, limited to 800 pieces.

Blue Honkimus Prime

• Ultra Magnus Movie Preview Version (2001)
  • Japanese ID number: C-69
  • Accessories: Large robot head, Rifle, chest plate, trailer connector/waist plate, 2 small robot fists (left & right), 2 missile launchers, 4 missiles

In the early stages of the development of the 1986 animated movie, several promotional clips for the movie were produced, including one depicting Ultra Magnus in the original Diaclone Powered Convoy color scheme. The Movie Preview Version (予告編バージョン Yokokuhen Bājon) toy was released in February of 2001 based on that brief (and premature) appearance, featuring a blue colored cab. As he is just a redeco in the colours of Powered Convoy, he does not come with a Diaclone pilot or the Powered Buggy accessory.

Movie Preview Version Ultra Magnus was available exclusively at the Toy Festival 2001 in Japan, limited to 1,500 pieces.

Transform Gōkin

• Ultra Magnus (Gokin) (1985)
  • Japanese ID number: C-69
  • Accessories: Laser Blaster, fists, cardboard trailer

Transform Gōkin Ultra Magnus is a redeco of the Gōkin Convoy toy. He featured a very similar transformation sequence, but had no clear windows nor rubber tires. He was intended as a low-cost alternative for younger children.

He did not have a plastic trailer included, but did have a cardboard trailer that the owner was supposed to construct themselves. The trailer cannot become a larger robot armor.

Generation 2

File:G2 LaserUltraMagnus toy.jpg

Probably the only Magnus repaint of Prime we'll ever get who isn't just white.

• Laser Ultra Magnus (2006)
  • Japanese ID number: TRF-13-S
  • Accessories: Gun, sword, 5 discs, ripple missile launcher, 10 missiles, 1 foam missile, foam missile launcher air bellows

An e-Hobby exclusive, Generation 2 Laser Ultra Magnus is a redeco of Laser Optimus Prime, transforming into a mid-1990s Western Star 4964EX extended-hood truck pulling a blue and white tanker trailer. He was packaged in the reissue Laser Optimus Prime's box, along with Prime's instructions, bio card and sticker sheet. Yes, the stickers that have "Optimus Prime" written on them.

In robot mode the bottom of the truck became his familiar windowed chest based upon the original Optimus Prime toy (and the original Ultra Magnus' cab). His main gimmick was light up LED headlights, and a lightpipe in the bottom of his right fist, illuminated by an LED in his right forearm, that would illuminate his clear sword or his double-barreled rifle if they were used in that hand. All three LEDs were activated simultaneously by pressing the sunroof-like depression on the roof of the truck.

The trailer unfolds to form a battle station bristling with many firing weapons. Primarily, it can fire an air-powered missile launcher, a ripple rocket launcher with 5 missiles that can be launched individually (this turret can also be mounted in Laser Magnus' hand) and a 'disc launcher', that fired several white plastic discs. This disc launcher is the only weapon that can be used in vehicle mode.

This release uses the toolings that were modified for the Robots in Disguise Scourge toy, and thus has smooth discs and a less pointy sword.

Masterpiece

I looked like this in a comic once. ONCE!

• Ultra Magnus (2004)
  • Japanese ID number: MP-2
  • Accessories: Rifle, Megatron gun with removable silencer, scope and stock, Matrix of Leadership, energon axe

Masterpiece Ultra Magnus is a white redeco of Masterpiece Convoy (Optimus Prime) with all the same accessories, though some have been redecoed. Additionally, his box can be refolded into his classic trailer configuration, but doesn't hold up since it's, well, cardboard. He retains the Matrix, which he can indeed open. Damnit, open.

As a Takara product, Masterpiece Ultra Magnus was never released in the US, but was eventually released by Hasbro Australia in 2005 for their market as a Target-exclusive, retaining his Japanese packaging, with simple stickers stating a recommended age of 8+, as well as presenting Hasbro Australia's details and explaining what the product was.

Additionally, TakaraTomy reissued Masterpiece Ultra Magnus in 2008 sporting their logo in the top right-hand corner of the box to replace the Takara logo in the bottom right featured on the original release in 2004. This reissue has been met with some QC issues much like that of Masterpiece Convoy Complete edition such as bad paint applications and chipping, misaligned doors and even misassembled headlights which have been installed upside down.

Classics

Arctic Camo Prime!

• Ultra Magnus vs Skywarp: Battle For Autobot City (Multi-pack, 2007)
  • Accessories: (Ultra Magnus) Smokestack/laser cannons, Wind vane/blaster, (Skywarp) 2 missile launchers, 2 missiles

A redeco of the Voyager class Optimus Prime, this release is part of the Target exclusive Battle for Autobot City set with Skywarp. The final production toy has several major paint application differences compared to the toy depicted on the packaging, including the loss of all light blue paint (including his faceplate and crest, both replaced with silver, darker blue on his thighs. Also his red eyes are replaced with the light piping color (blue). Additionally, it seems the smokestacks/double-barreled gun was originally going to be cast or painted white instead of the final version's black.

Like Optimus Prime, the toy's gimmicks are in his weapons - his smokestacks fold together to become a double-barreled gun, and his aero fairing splits and unfolds to become a large shotgun-like blaster. The two weapons also combine into a double-barreled shoulder cannon.

The mold was also used to make "Shattered Glass" Optimus Prime and Universe Nemesis Prime.

Titanium Series

Oh, that's right, this Ultra Magnus guy had a trailer or something, didn't he?

• Ultra Magnus (6-inch Cybertron Heroes, 2007)
  • Accessories: Laser rifle, display stand, 2 rocket launchers

Titanium Cybertron Heroes Ultra Magnus is an all-new sculpt constructed mostly of die-cast metal. For the first time, Ultra Magnus' cab and trailer are one piece, rather than a partformer like the Generation 1 toy version, although the cab is only held on by a peg, and can be detached resulting in a small superdeformed cab. The toy's wheels can all spin. He transforms very similarly to the original toy, but the aforementioned truck cab now folds down into his back rather than detaching and reconnecting, with his head flipping out of the back of the cab.

Ultra Magnus is armed with a gray laser rifle and two shoulder-mounted non-firing rocket launchers which, due to some mistake, face top-down when attached in robot mode. It is unknown whether the launchers were somehow mirror-flipped in manufacture or if his shoulder assemblies were switched. The latter is perhaps supported by the orientation of molding detail shown in the instructions and on the Generation 1 toy, although the tampographs could argue against this. One can easily "correct" this by unscrewing his blue forearms and swapping out the shoulders, allowing the launchers to face top-up.

Unfortunately, due to the robot mode-oriented design of this figure, as well as size limitations, the rear ramp is now solely part of his legs as detail and cannot fold down, nor is there clearance space for any other vehicles to be transported. Like most, if not all 6-inch Titaniums, his joints are very floppy. His left shoulder contains one of the loosest (if not the loosest) balljoints on a Transformers figure ever.

His chest panel can flip up to reveal a shallow recess for the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, though no Matrix accessory to date is actually flat enough to fit inside.

He can't deal with being a non-canon supported redeco right now.

• (War Within) Ultra Magnus (6-inch Cybertron Heroes, 2007)
  • Accessories: Laser rifle, display stand

A redeco of the 6-inch War Within Optimus Prime. In white!

Revoltech

Don't I look awesome in naked?

• Ultra Magnus (2007)
  • Series number: 019fs
  • Accessories: Photon rifle, 3 extra hands (right gun-holding hand, left open palm, right handshaking hand)

Ultra Magnus is, unsurprisingly, a redeco of a simultaneously-released Optimus Prime/Convoy figure. A non-transforming but highly articulated action figure, Revoltech Ultra Magnus uses the Revoltech "revolver joints" for maximum poseability. His sculpting is explicitly in the style of Pat "serfdom" Lee's interpretation of Prime.

Magnus comes with a photon rifle accessory, as well as a few alternate hands. A unique extra "hand" is a single molded piece of Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime's hands clasped together diagonally, so that when attached to both Prime and Magnus's respective wrists, it allows one to create a scene of the two Autobot leaders shakin' like homies. Additionally, although Magnus comes pre-assembled with the standard black revolver joints that Prime has, his packaging includes a sheet of replacement white joints one can use to customize Magnus with less obtrusive matching white joints (although not enough joints of the right style are included to swap out all black joints to optimal effect).

Merchandise

Generation 2

• Ultra Magnus (Watch, 1993)

Super Collection Figure

• Ultra Magnus (Super Collection Figure, 2002)
• Ultra Magnus (Super Collection Figure, 2003)

"Movie preview" redeco of the Ultra Magnus PVC, based on the original toy's Diaclone colour scheme as seen in early trailers for the 1986 movie.

Heroes of Cybertron

File:HOC-figure UltraMagnus.JPG

He can deal with not being a Prime redeco.

• Ultra Magnus (Heroes of Cybertron, 2003)

The Hasbro release of the Super Collection Figure Ultra Magnus was cast in blue plastic and painted almost entirely, except for the back of his head and his eyes, to allow for a light-piping gimmick.

Hard Hero Bust

He can't deal with his lack of legs right now...

• Ultra Magnus (Hard Hero bust, 2004)

The cold-cast porcelain bust of Ultra Magnus was the 13th in Hard Hero's series of Transformers busts. It was designed from line art by Dan Khanna.

Robot Heroes

• Ultra Magnus and Megatron (2007)

He can't deal with his adorability right now!

This is a small, non-transforming super deformed figurine with limited articulation from the Robot Heroes line, in a two pack with Generation 1 Megatron. He may be the sassiest bitch on Cybertron.

Transformers - Mini Bust

Commander of the Metroflex.

• Ultra Magnus (Diamond Select, 2009)

Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2009, Ultra Magnus was sculpted by Mark Wong of Art Asylum and limited to 1000 pieces. He is posed holding his laser rifle above a base of the planet Cybertron. His shoulder missile launchers are also positioned forward presumably to deal with things instead of nowhere in particular as they are in the promotional picture.

Trivia

"Do you guys think my hair would look better in blue?"

• In the early promotional trailer/test footage for The Transformers: The Movie, Ultra Magnus can be seen in alternate Autobot City sequences in his toy's original Diaclone color scheme, indicating the final coloration may have been a late change to the toy. This footage has appeared in various Transformers DVDs over the years.

• On that note, The Diaclone toy that would become Magnus --called "Powered Convoy"-- came in a couple different varieties. Aside from the version that was eventually turned into "Movie Preview" Magnus, there was a "Mekki" (meaning "chrome") version that used a lighter gray outer plastic and chromed the central body/lower ramps of the trailer unit. This Mekki version was also available in a multi-pack with a red version of the toy that would become Mirage, and the toy that would (20-ish years later) become Deep Cover.

• The chest-plate for the large Magnus robot was originally a mini-jet for a single Diaclone pilot. The raised rectangle in the center is actually a mounting point for the large robot head, using the hole in the crest, which forms a booster engine and blasters for the craft. Because of this, the Diaclone version had wheels on its underside that were removed from the Transformers release.

• All versions of the Diaclone Powered Convoy toy came with a red "Powered Buggy" partner-robot that transformed from a futuristic buggy (with a space for a Diaclone pilot) to robot, which could also use the large rifle in either mode. Why this was excised from the Transformers incarnation is unknown. The Italian Trasformer (sic) line by GiG, however, did release the vehicle as the "Super Buggy" on its own.

• The "Sport Label" subline from Takara features a Convoy (Optimus Prime) that transforms into a Nike sneaker. A redeco of this mold was done in white and aqua, giving it a very obvious Ultra Magnus vibe... but was marked as Convoy again. So, officially...

(As an odd postscript to this tale of footwear-induced madness, although the promo pictures all showed the shoeformer as a white and navy blue sneaker that transforms into a white and aqua blue robot, the product actually released sported [geddit?] much darker colours for all the robot-mode parts, with a deep teal instead of aqua, and almost all the white replaced by an icky tan-cum-cream-cum-grey colour, including the head. Basically, the figure looks like the promo picture viewed through really dark sunglasses. Although this certainly doesn't make it look any more like Prime, you might argue that it looks a little less like Magnus. Sorta. Maybe. Not really.)

• Also in 2007, Takara's boutique "Music Label" line featured an all-white redeco of Optimus Prime using the Ultra Magnus retooling (as identified by the elongated wheel posts) and featuring a new, ball-jointed head sculpt (a miniaturization of the Masterpiece toy's) and pulling an all-new trailer that "transforms" (charitably) into a working iPod dock. However, much as you might think that this all-white Prime is obviously intended to be yet another white-redeco Magnus... iPod Convoy is officially Optimus Prime, not Ultra Magnus. That makes it twice in one year that Takara has released a white Prime that is actually Optimus rather than Magnus. Dissed, Magnus. Dissed.
• To add insult to injury, despite iPod Convoy ultilizing the Ultra Magnus toy's hubcaps, its retooled head is not compatible with Magnus' super robot head, meaning you can't even use him to give Magnus super-mode neck articulation. Dissed again, Magnus.

• On a lighter note, a working super mode trailer has been made for Classics Ultra Magnus. This is awesome.

External links

• Ultra Magnus at TFU.info

• Diaclone Powered Convoy at Diaclone.net (Japanese-language site)