Prowl (G1)/toys
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Prowl has many toys! All of them are pricks.
Toys
Generation 1
- Prowl (Autobot Car, 1984/1985)
- Japanese ID number: 09
- Accessories: "Acid pellet gun", left & right missile launchers, 3 "wire-guided missiles"
- Originally a Diaclone "Police Car Fairlady Z", Prowl was one of the original assortment of Autobot Cars released in 1984. He transforms into a Datsun 280ZX sports car (known in Japan as a "Fairlady Z") decorated in police car livery; the original figure featured the world "Diaclone" on the police badges that decorate his shoulders and chest, but these were naturally removed for the Transformers version of the toy. He is armed in robot mode with a silver-chromed hand-held acid pellet gun, and two shoulder-mounted missile launchers. The spring-loaded firing mechanism for these launchers was disabled by Hasbro, but remained intact on the Takara release of the figure.
- In 1985, a heat-activated rubsign was added to the front of Prowl's hood. That same year, his Mexican release featured a more startling variation: this release of the figure rendered his helmet, arms, and boots black, plus his "POLICE" decals became "POLICIA". There was also a widely available running change variant (or just factory error) that left out the black paint on his car hood.
- Prowl's toy has been reissued as part of the Classic Heroes line in 1990, The Transformers Collection in 2002, and the Commemorative Series in 2003. See below for individual entries on these releases.
- This mold was retooled to create the simultaneously-released Bluestreak, and again for Smokescreen.
- Turbo Cycle with Prowl (Action Blaster Vehicle, 1990)
- Accessories: Turbo Cycle, small cannon, 2 missiles, 2 engine intakes (left & right), shield/gas tank cover
- Action Master Prowl is a non-transforming action figure whose appearance is styled after his cartoon model, with a few toy-based liberties taken. Like all Action Masters, he can interact with all the line's vehicles and weapons; as part of the "Action Blasters Vehicles" assortment, Prowl came packaged with the Turbo Cycle, which transforms from motorcycle to a gun emplacement.
- Classic Prowl (Classic Heroes, 1990)
- Accessories: "Acid pellet gun", left & right missile launchers, 3 "wire-guided missiles"
- The original Prowl toy was first reissued in Europe alongside several other early Transformers, as part of the "Classic Heroes" range. He is not entirely identical to the original, however: for reasons unknown, the Classics release of Prowl features the original Diaclone labels on his chest and shoulders, with the word "Diaclone" on his police badges, while his forehead crest, previously a pair of stickers, is now painted.
Beast Wars
- Magnaboss (Ultra, 1997)
- Accessories: Tail
- Prowl transforms from a lion into a robot, with his cat-butt turning into a "cyber tail claw" weapon. He is able to combine with Ironhide and Silverbolt, his package buddies, into Magnaboss. Prowl transforms into Magnaboss' head.
- This mold was used to make Lio Junior.
- The Magnaboss toy included no information about its three components beyond their names. The character was established by IDW to be Generation 1 Prowl in 2007's Beast Wars Sourcebook.
Machine Wars
- Prowl (Basic, 1997)
- Accessories: Gun (gun body & barrel)
- Sharing a mold with Machine Wars Mirage, Prowl transforms into a Formula-1 race car, and converts to robot mode with a spring-loaded, one-step transformation. His rifle-halves store in his legs in car mode. He—and the entire Machine Wars line—was available only at Kay-Bee stores.
- Prowl's usual function is strategist, but, in an ironic twist, in this first non-police car form he's described as chief of security.
- This mold was also used to make Robots in Disguise Skid-Z.
The Transformers Collection
- Prowl (2002)
- ID number: 2
- Accessories: "Acid pellet gun", left & right missile launchers, 3 "wire-guided missiles"
- Takara's first reissue of Prowl was the second instalment in their Transformers Collection line of reissues, and was mostly identical to the original figure, save for a few small differences: the text on his hip stickers is changed to "2002 08" from the original's "2800 ZP", his rubsign is relocated from its original obtrusive spot at the front of his hood to just below his windshield (winding up on the back of his head in robot mode), and like the Classic Heroes version, his forehead crest is painted. As with the previous Takara release of the figure, his missile launchers are functional.
Commemorative Series
- Prowl (2003)
- Accessories: "Acid pellet gun", left & right missile launchers, 3 "wire-guided missiles"
- Released as part of the fourth wave of Hasbro's Toys"R"Us-exclusive Generation One Commemorative Series reissues, Prowl shared all the modifications made to the original toy for Takara's Transformers Collection, and a few more besides. Like his mold-mate Bluestreak, released in the previous wave, Prowl's gun and missiles are cast in unchromed black plastic, and his missile launchers are once again disabled, in lieu of enlarging the missiles to the disproportionate length required for safety reasons (as was done for several other Commemorative figures). Where his original toy's launchers merely had their springs removed, leaving their trigger mechanisms intact to hold the missiles in place, this figure actually recasts the launchers as solid pieces with no triggers, into which the missiles are simply popped.
Smallest Transforming Transformers
- Prowl (2003)
- ID number: GTF-09
- Released in Wave 2 of Smallest Transforming Transformers, this Prowl is the smallest possible transforming toy based upon the original Prowl toy. He faithfully reproduces the transformation sequence for the most part, but due to parts-cost limitations, he has little articulation, his legs cannot separate and his wheels do not roll.
- This mold was also used to make the Smallest Transforming Transformers version of Bluestreak.
Alternators/Binaltech
- Prowl (Alternator, 2005/2006)
- Alternator ID number: 16
- Japanese ID number: BT-15
- Accessories: Engine/gun, traffic direction baton aka "Blight Stick"
- Alternators Prowl transforms into a fully-licensed 1:24-scale Acura RSX with police lights, opening doors, hood and trunk. His engine becomes a (non-firing) gun, while a clear-plastic nightstick is hidden under his car-mode rear section. He was among the last of the "red box" Alternators, but was included in new "white box" assortments in 2006. The "white box" version of Prowl has additional Acura logos on the rear of the car that the "red box" version did not have.
- For his standard Japanese Binaltech release, Prowl got a different vehicle mode deco based on a real Japanese police car (the Hasbro version's deco being based more on the original Generation 1 toy), a different spoiler mold, "Type R" rims compared to the Alternators version's "Type S" rims, right-side steering, a Japanese police cherry blossom emblem instead of an Acura logo, and gray plastic instead of stony-blue. He was also labeled as a "Honda Integra Type-R" on the packaging, the model's make in Japan.
- Multiple reports suggest that at least the Binaltech version suffers from a design flaw: The wing mirrors are simply glued onto the doors for whatever reason, and the glue is not particularly strong. Trying to open a door by pulling on the mirror could likely result in the mirror snapping off.
- At OTFCC 2004, Hasbro stated that there was no Prowl Alternators toy in the works, but some other emergency vehicle (which got a chorus of boos). Considering the development schedule of Transformers toys, this was most likely referring to the fact that the Acura RSX sculpt was originally intended to be Red Alert, with a different head sculpt. Eventually, however, it was decided to release the toy as Prowl instead, even though the Subaru Impreza sculpt's robot mode had more resemblance to Generation 1 Prowl and the Acura RSX sculpt's robot mode had more resemblance to Generation 1 Red Alert. Control drawings of the figure with the originally intended Red Alert head sculpt can be found in the Japanese Transformers Collection 2007 book, among other places.
- Prowl Vivid Blue Pearl Edition (Binaltech, 2005)
- Japanese ID number: BT-15
- Accessories: Engine/gun, traffic direction baton
- Like Meister, Prowl got two different Binaltech decos released in equal numbers. The second version, known as Vivid Blue Pearl Prowl, is a civilian version with no police lights, a mostly blue interior, a Honda logo (instead of the cherry blossom emblem) on the grill, and a solid blue car shell. His robot-mode parts remained mostly the same color, however.
- This mold (the Japanese blue Prowl variant, combined with parts from American police Prowl) was used to make Alternators Autobot Camshaft.
- Prowl Satellite Patrol Edition (Binaltech "USA Edition", 2005?)
- Accessories: Engine/gun, traffic direction baton
- The Hasbro version of Prowl, using the Hasbro red box packaging, was supposed to have been released in Japan as an exclusive "USA Edition" to a satellite TV provider named Takarand. The only notable difference from the Hasbro version was the "Satellite Patrol" (spelled "satillite" in official preview photos) markings on his doors. It is unknown if this toy was ever actually released, however, as Takarand changed owners around the same time.
Universe (2003)
- Prowl (Autobot Spy Changer, 2005)
- Accessories: Gun
- A redeco of the Robots in Disguise Prowl 2 mold, Universe Prowl transforms into a modified Chevrolet Caprice police car with through-axle construction for super-speedy rolling on smooth surfaces. His gun hides as his car mode's tailpipe. Originally only available at Kay-Bee stores in packaging with no sub-line markings, his entire assortment was later repackaged under the Universe banner and sold through "dollar store" chains like Family Dollar.
- This mold was also used to make another Prowl for Universe, who is neither Robots in Disguise "Prowl 2" nor Generation 1 Prowl. Confused yet?
Universe (2008)
Classic Series
- Prowl (Deluxe, 2008)
- Accessories: Gun
- Prowl transforms into a modified Nissan 350Z similarly to Prowl's appearance in IDW Publishing's Generation 1 comics. Like previous Generation 1 Prowl toys, his paint job is based upon that of a Japanese police car. The prototype and pre-production versions of Prowl featured a traditional American-style rectangular light bar, but the production toy features a swept-back modern light bar.
- Many buyers have reported that after repeated handling of the toy, the paint on the pieces of Prowl molded from translucent plastic (his doors, his roof, the sides of his hood and front bumper) quickly becomes sticky to the touch and begins to smear and rub off. Presumably, this owes something to the plastic and paint failing to bond properly, although what allowed the toy to leave factories with this flaw undetected is unknown. Sticky paint has not been reported on every Prowl; there is some suggestion that temperature and humidity play a role in whether or not it occurs. It has been suggested that the problem only affects the first run of Prowl figures, but sticky figures have been purchased at retail when the line was launched in Europe just over a month after its American debut. Also, on a lot of the UK release toys, all the pieces that are molded white plastic have a very faint pink tinge.
- This mold was redecoed for Timelines Streetstar and retooled to make Universe Silverstreak and Smokescreen and Timelines Rapido. The lightbar was also used for Universe Ratchet and Generations Red Alert.
Henkei! Henkei!
- Prowl (Deluxe, 2008)
- Japanese ID number: C-08
- Accessories: Gun
- The Japanese Henkei! Henkei! Prowl is a retool and partial redeco of Universe Prowl, changing the swept-back American light bar with a more rounded Japanese lightbar, and having a more consistent coating of white paint. He also features vacuum-metallized silver parts such as his gun, Acid Blasters and his vehicle mode spoiler. Universe Prowl's orange Autobot symbol was changed to the more standard red for the Henkei release.
- Soon after his release, some customers have reported that Henkei Prowl suffers from the same sticky paint problem that plagued many Universe Prowls.
Titanium Series
- War Within Prowl (2008)
- Accessories: Display stand
- This version of Prowl transforms into a Cybertronic hovercar, based on his design from the Dreamwave The War Within comics. Initially canceled due to the end of the Titanium Series line, Hasbro eventually released this figure as a Toys "R" Us exclusive in the fall of 2008.
- The vehicle mode as pictured on the packaging for this toy contains two transformation errors (compared to the instructions). His toes (sticking up at the rear of the vehicle) should be folded back, revealing small red and blue emergency lights. Also, the left and right sides of the vehicle should be slid outwards, turning them into nacelles rather than integral parts of the main body.
Transformers (2010)
- Prowl (Legends Class, 2011)
- Part of the Reveal the Shield subline, Legends Prowl transforms into a police car resembling his 2008 Universe toy with a rubsign on the hood. As a robot he features limited articulation, and no painted eyes.
- This mold, without the lightbar, was used to make Transformers Chronicle Streak, and Generations Bluestreak. The instruction line art on the back of Prowl's packaging gave a hint of this by showing a robot mode with no lightbar on the back.
Chronicle
- Prowl (EZ Collection, 2011)
- Chronicle Prowl is a slight redeco of the Transformers Legends Class Prowl toy, without a rubsign. Like other Chronicle Legends toys, he is sold in a blindpacked box.
Masterpiece
- Prowl (August 31 2013)
- Japanese ID number: MP-17
- Accessories: "Acid pellet gun", left & right missile launchers, 3 "wire-guided missiles"
- This mold was retooled to create the simultaneously-released Bluestreak.
Merchandise
Transformers Milk Caramel
- Prowl (1985)
- A soft rubber figurine—known in Japan as a keshigomu— of Prowl was released as part of the second wave of Kabaya's Transformers Milk Caramel candy toy range. He came packaged with chocolate-covered caramel candies, and was available in red, blue, and yellow.
Transformers Choco
- Prowl (1985)
- A solid-color, snap-together model kit of Prowl was released by Kabaya as part of their Transformers Choco line of candy toys. It was available in various colors, and came with candy-coated chocolates.
Transformers Gum
- Prowl (2009)
- Released in the second wave of the revived Transformers Gum series in 2009, this transforming model kit of Prowl is made from black and white plastic, with a lot of stickers for detail. It's based on the Henkei Prowl toy.
Decoy
- Cybertron Hero Collection 22 (multi-pack, 1986)
- Prowl was among the many characters rendered by Takara as part of their series of 1.5" keshigomu figurines. Like all the Autobots in the series, Prowl was molded in soft red rubber, and featured a number sculpted into his back that was the sum total of his Tech Specs, for use in the various games that could be played with the figurines. Prowl was available as part of a 22-piece box set of Autobot figures, and later, in a peach coloration randomly packed as part of various other box sets.
- Prowl (1987)
- Decoy number: 19
- The figurine was later brought over to Hasbro markets as part of the Decoy promotion, largely identical to the Japanese release except for the fact that the number on his back was replaced with a simple "checklist" number. Like all Autobot Decoys, Prowl was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded Throttlebots, Aerialbots, Protectobots, and Technobots.
Hard Hero
- Prowl (2002)
- A cold-cast porcelain bust labeled as number 3 in Hard Hero's series of Transformers busts, Prowl is sculpted to be six inches tall, having a seven-inch wide "wingspan", and wielding his acid pellet gun in his left hand. 100 copies of this product were signed by sculptor Jason Ray.
Attacktix
- Prowl (Booster,
2007)- Accessories: Missile
- Planned to be in part of the Series 2 wave of Attacktix, Prowl is a Captain class unit with the special ability to stun an opposing player unit. His sculpt is based upon his Generation 1 cartoon model with some additional details. His weapon is a hugely oversized version of his rifle, capable of firing a large silver projectile.
 Game over. |
3D Battle-Card Game
- Prowl (2007)
- A 25-point "uncommon" character in the 3D Battle-Card Game's "Energon Wars" expansion, Prowl "transforms" into a black and white police car that vaguely resembles a Nissan Z. He uses the same parts layout as Movie Barricade, Bumblebee, Swerve, and Mirage.
Transformers - Mini Bust
- Prowl (Diamond Select, 2009)
- Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2009, Prowl was sculpted by Mark Wong of Art Asylum and was limited to 500 pieces. Prowl, along with his "brothers" Bluestreak and Smokescreen, is exclusive to online retailer Toyrocket.com. The bust features Prowl's acid pellet gun and twin missile launchers, and the missile launchers and car doors can be attached via magnets on either side of his head.
Robot Heroes
- Prowl and Laserbeak (2009)
- Robot Heroes Prowl would have been a happy little non-transforming figure. The figure has the standard swiveling head and arms, and in a bizarre sculpting oddity, has a wheel well on one foot but not the other. He would have come in a two-pack with Laserbeak, but the Generation 1-themed portion of the Robot Heroes line was canceled before they saw retail release. Several unpackaged samples have made it into the hands of collectors, however.
 Proceed on your way to oblivion. |
Mighty Muggs
- Prowl (2010)
- Accessories: Gun
- This super-deformed, non-transformable Prowl figure mostly uses the standard Mighty Muggs body template, and features same door-wings molds as Jazz. He has swivel joints in his neck and arms, and comes with his trademark acid pellet gun. Prowl was originally meant to be released in the fourth wave of Mighty Muggs Transformers, but the Transformers section of the toyline was canceled before the wave was released. The toy was eventually made available as an exclusive at San Diego Comic-Con 2010.
Notes
- Prowl's Diaclone predecessor also came with additional, optional stickers that would identify him as being part of the police forces from existing Japanese cities, namely Tokyo, Sapporo, Sendai, Osaka and Fukuoka. The original Transformers instruction booklet shows a visible Diaclone label sheet, complete with these optional stickers, which did not make it to the final product.
- Machine Wars Prowl's card-art is actually an altered version of the art for the Generation 2 Laser Rod Jolt.
- Transmetal 2 Prowl may possibly be the same spark as the Generation 1 character reincarnated...though the IDW series makes this REALLY complicated. Urgh.
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- Upcoming toy releases
- Unreleased Attacktix
- Unreleased toys
- 3D Battle-Cards
- Action Masters
- Alternators Autobots
- Attacktix
- Beast Wars Maximals
- Classics Autobots
- Combiners
- Decoys
- Generation 1 Autobots
- Henkei! Henkei! Autobots
- KB Toys exclusives
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- Universe (2008)
