Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US

Sunday, March 31st, 2019 2:14PM CDT

Category: Toy News
Posted by: william-james88 Views: 29,650

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Do you remember the Chinese Zodiac Transformers figures? They consisted of an redeco of an Optimus figure of some sort released every year (sometimes with another character) to commemorate the new lunar year. The final release was the Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime figure. While it was released in Asia and Canada, where it can still be found on Walmart.ca, it was never released in the US. However, Bigbadtoystore seems to finally have it in stock. This is probably overstock from asia, since the price is heavily discounted to $75. This toy is indeed two years late (we are the year of the pig now), but better late than never. This was told to us by fellow Seibertronian Carytheone:

carytheone wrote:This fool has finally showed up stateside.

https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Product/ ... ails/91434

Product description:

In celebration of the Chinese New Year, we are proud to present Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime!

This Platinum Edition figure features a high level of detail, as well as premium features and packaging. The Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime showcasies the Autobot Leader with special edition deco and die-cast parts.

This Platinum Edition figure features die-cast parts and a converting trailer. It comes with an Autobot Roller vehicle, 6 additional figure hands, converting blaster, Matrix of Leadership, jetpack, and Energon axe accessories, plus a figure stand.

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Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017365)
Posted by Decepticon Stryker on March 31st, 2019 @ 3:53pm CDT

I might pick this up cause I'm a sucker for little Transformers and it's been hard finding a good Legends-ish Optimus to go against my Iron Factory Tyrant.

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017366)
Posted by -Kanrabat- on March 31st, 2019 @ 4:11pm CDT

Decepticon Stryker wrote:I might pick this up cause I'm a sucker for little Transformers and it's been hard finding a good Legends-ish Optimus to go against my Iron Factory Tyrant.

It will be just perfect for this match-up. And 75$US is perfectly reasonable, especially if you are American.

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017371)
Posted by blackeyedprime on March 31st, 2019 @ 6:30pm CDT

I forgot I had the orig Hybrid Optimus figure, havent seen it in a looong while so I'm guessing it's in storage with my G1 stuff. Thought this listing might have been an early April fools rather than a real thing.

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017381)
Posted by Rodimus Prime on March 31st, 2019 @ 9:50pm CDT

Sabrblade wrote:
Rodimus Prime wrote:Was C**k Prime the last of these released? I don't remember seeing a Dog Prime or a Pig Prime anywhere...
Nothing came after Rooster Prime, yes.

Did HasTak give a reason for this? It's not like they ran out of Primes to repaint. :lol:

It would have been nice to get 12 of them.

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017382)
Posted by Sabrblade on March 31st, 2019 @ 9:53pm CDT

Rodimus Prime wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
Rodimus Prime wrote:Was C**k Prime the last of these released? I don't remember seeing a Dog Prime or a Pig Prime anywhere...
Nothing came after Rooster Prime, yes.
Did HasTak give a reason for this?

Not to my awareness.

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017389)
Posted by Zeedust on March 31st, 2019 @ 10:25pm CDT

I was always kinda disappointed that the Year of the Rooster was the last one, because the Year of the dog, which is my Chinese zodiac sign, would have been next.

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017402)
Posted by -Kanrabat- on April 1st, 2019 @ 4:31am CDT

Rodimus Prime wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
Rodimus Prime wrote:Was C**k Prime the last of these released? I don't remember seeing a Dog Prime or a Pig Prime anywhere...
Nothing came after Rooster Prime, yes.
Did HasTak give a reason for this? It's not like they ran out of Primes to repaint.

It would have been nice to get 12 of them.

They don't have to give a official reason. Platinums were always hard to sell and the last ones are still clogging some store shelves two freaking YEARS later. So it's no wonder they pulled the plug from this unprofitable line.

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017403)
Posted by Rodimus Prime on April 1st, 2019 @ 5:13am CDT

-Kanrabat- wrote:
Rodimus Prime wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
Rodimus Prime wrote:Was C**k Prime the last of these released? I don't remember seeing a Dog Prime or a Pig Prime anywhere...
Nothing came after Rooster Prime, yes.
Did HasTak give a reason for this? It's not like they ran out of Primes to repaint.

It would have been nice to get 12 of them.

They don't have to give a official reason. Platinums were always hard to sell and the last ones are still clogging some store shelves two freaking YEARS later. So it's no wonder they pulled the plug from this unprofitable line.

So can't they just make the figure in a smaller quantity? Look at the average sales for the previous figures and go by that.

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017414)
Posted by ScottyP on April 1st, 2019 @ 7:47am CDT

Rodimus Prime wrote:
-Kanrabat- wrote:
Rodimus Prime wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
Rodimus Prime wrote:Was C**k Prime the last of these released? I don't remember seeing a Dog Prime or a Pig Prime anywhere...
Nothing came after Rooster Prime, yes.
Did HasTak give a reason for this? It's not like they ran out of Primes to repaint.

It would have been nice to get 12 of them.

They don't have to give a official reason. Platinums were always hard to sell and the last ones are still clogging some store shelves two freaking YEARS later. So it's no wonder they pulled the plug from this unprofitable line.
So can't they just make the figure in a smaller quantity? Look at the average sales for the previous figures and go by that.

Entirely possible a piece like this and that last Unicron repaint before it were already close to the "minimum" run of what was at one point rumored to be ~10,000 pieces.

I'm ok with them stopping. Already skipped year of the sheep as they went.

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017480)
Posted by Zeedust on April 1st, 2019 @ 5:15pm CDT

ScottyP wrote:I'm ok with them stopping. Already skipped year of the sheep as they went.

They actually did that one, but they referred to it as "Year of the Goat", which is apparently an alternate name for the sign.

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017741)
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on April 3rd, 2019 @ 2:49pm CDT

Zeedust wrote:
ScottyP wrote:I'm ok with them stopping. Already skipped year of the sheep as they went.

They actually did that one, but they referred to it as "Year of the Goat", which is apparently an alternate name for the sign.

It is, due to them sharing a character:

羊: Sheep
山羊: Goat (lit. "mountain sheep")

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017778)
Posted by william-james88 on April 3rd, 2019 @ 7:12pm CDT

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
Zeedust wrote:
ScottyP wrote:I'm ok with them stopping. Already skipped year of the sheep as they went.

They actually did that one, but they referred to it as "Year of the Goat", which is apparently an alternate name for the sign.

It is, due to them sharing a character:

羊: Sheep
山羊: Goat (lit. "mountain sheep")

Comes to show how much older the chinese language is to western taxonomy.

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017800)
Posted by no-one on April 3rd, 2019 @ 11:39pm CDT

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017820)
Posted by Agamemnon on April 4th, 2019 @ 7:17am CDT

I always thought Soundwave was the Greatest of All Time... :-s

I am severely tempted by Rooster Cogburn err Optimus. However, I believe there is some resistance to get him because of the alt mode. Bot looks fantastic, especially in such a small package, but I think the truck looks worse than Generations Deluxe Prime (that came with G2 megs way back when...)

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017926)
Posted by -Kanrabat- on April 4th, 2019 @ 4:47pm CDT

Agamemnon wrote:I always thought Soundwave was the Greatest of All Time...

I am severely tempted by Rooster Cogburn err Optimus. However, I believe there is some resistance to get him because of the alt mode. Bot looks fantastic, especially in such a small package, but I think the truck looks worse than Generations Deluxe Prime (that came with G2 megs way back when...)

I agree that the truck is complete garbage. However, it's basically an (almost) all die-cast Revoltech action figure. For any Legend scale display, it's a must. Plus a flight stand and a possible flight pose could be a good selling point. For 75$US instead of the absurd original price, I think now is the time to strike.

Unfortunately, it's not worth it for this here Canadian, with exchange rates, shipping, and sureshot custom fees.
I'm just waiting for my Walmart.ca to finally put the thing on TRUE clearance, like 50% off.

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2017932)
Posted by -Kanrabat- on April 4th, 2019 @ 5:18pm CDT

Oh hey.
If you want that Optimus, you don't live in the USA, and you have to import it anyway, might as well just get the original Takara.
Not too expensive on Mandarake:

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/det ... rs&lang=en

Re: Year of the Rooster Optimus Prime Finally Distributed in the US (2018743)
Posted by Emerje on April 11th, 2019 @ 3:43pm CDT

A little late to the conversation, but I'm guessing the demise of the YOT line had do with Hasbro Asia. I'm pretty sure these started as a Hasbro Asia initiative, but we haven't seen a Transformers Asia exclusive in years and now that Hasbro proper seems to be importing Takara Tomy Mall's exclusives starting with MP+ Bluestreak and Star Convoy there just isn't any reason to let Hasbro Asia do their own thing anymore. They threw them a bit of a bone with Rooster Prime, but even that was more of a reissue than the crazy repaints we've been accustomed to.

Emerje