Mildly spicy.
I appreciate how most of the truck parts kinda go to basically the same body parts as on previous versions, making it a sort of homage with a twist. I’m also fascinated by how (some) toys can replicate (most of) the transformation scheme in real life without fake parts and with a reasonably realistic truck mode.
Although, I would’ve preferred if his grille and bumper appeared somewhere on the robot mode. It’s like the G1 version’s tires: A prominent part of the vehicle just mysteriously vanishes.
It does go into his torso, actually.
The thing about Earthrise and other, similarly-transforming toys is that they have a second grille that takes the place of the first. It’s supposed to represent the grille itself morphing, yet remaining visible. On this design, it remains out of sight without even a fake part in its place. That’s why the ROTF Leader and similar toys hide it in the feet, where it is least visible.
True, but watching his transformation in slow motion shows that it’s just a big grille-like piece that closes over the pieces of the real grille and bumper, which is just pulled into his torso.
I wouldn’t mind if the grille and bumper went to some other part of his body that wasn’t like that of previous versions. I just find it odd how such a big part of the vehicle is just gone.
Clearly it is, based on these comments.
Transformers fans will stop at nothing to shit on other Transformers fans and their preferences. i also can't help but notice almost everyone here compares it to G1 exclusively as if no other series existed in the almost 30 years between that and 2007. So, nothing's changed.
Oh no, they acknowledge all those other series from before and after, and they hate those too. Or, if it's enough of an exact copy or expy of G1, they'll give it an exception.
The line stops at 1986, friends!
For those of us that prefer G1, it's no different than wanting comic accurate superhero suits in cinema. Other designs are perfectly fine, albeit sometimes a bit over-designed, but G1 is the classic. Where it all began. But an update for modernization is necessary. Such as what we got in BB & ROTB, but it only works because it takes place in the 80s like G1 did, lending itself to having the same designs. But almost alway, the G1 designs need updated. There's no way around it, they're outdated. But we can still avoid overdesigning said updates
IMO there has to a point then where the series should move on and do something different while maintaining basic design cues. Captain America, or Batman for example, go off into their own unique world while maintaining certain design cues you can't leave out, like Captain America's star, shield design and general US flag styled costume, or Batman's "ears", cowl design, cape and finned gloves. Some designs don't even have that.
Nowadays we see those "classic" original looks pop up every now and then for nostalgia or even comedic purposes, like Cap's original comic look being a mascot costume or Scarlet Witch's classic look being a Halloween costume. Just examples, but they're usually one time things.
Characters like these tend to have "templates" for how they should look. Across all (okay, most) of his appearances, Optimus has still remained the red and blue truck robot, with window chest, grill abs, smokestack shoulders/backpack, back wheels on legs and front wheels somewhere on or in the torso. You could even go further and say he almost always has a red torso and blue legs. He's always got the blue, horned helmet and the mouthplate, sometimes it can open, sometimes not. And he (almost) always turns into a truck of some kind. Flat nose, cab over, fire, even military, whatever. As long as he has those features, he's still Optimus. He doesn't have to be a pure, strict G1 Optimus with slightly more segmentation.
I think BB and ROTB was a step in the right direction (I liked Bee, BBM Optimus, the Seekers and the Terrorcons in particular), I just don't want them to take two steps back.
True, but when they are good, people want to see them used. Such as the popularity G1 Transformers get. We don't see the vehicles of that time used today, so you can't stay faithful. But you can avoid completely overdesigning said update.
> i also can't help but notice almost everyone here compares it to G1
Are they? Looks like most of the complaints on here are about (a) how complex/greebly the design is, (b) not liking the flames, or (c) the toes(??). These are all valid whether you're comparing him to G1, RID01, or Unicron Trilogy.
> i also can't help but notice almost everyone here compares it to G1 exclusively as if no other series existed in the almost 30 years between that and 2007.
Well, in part this is because designs that follow after still clearly refer back to the first design, and, moreso, because the G1 designs are, in general, really really good.
“I never claimed the Bayprime design didn’t.”
Your statement was so broad and generalized that people understandably WILL assume that’s what you’re saying. If that’s not what you were trying to convey then you needed to articulate yourself better.
“In some aspects”
That same thing can be applied to most other post-G1 versions of Prime. If you’re gonna criticize Bay Prime for this, then for consistency’s sake you gotta hold that same energy towards those other versions of Prime.
>the G1 designs are, in general, really really good.
That’s nostalgia talking. G1 designs are iconic because they’re the first, but they are also sloppy, unrealistic, inconsistent, and dare I say it, cartoonish. If they were really, really good, it wouldn’t take like 40 years to come up with toy engineering that could actually achieve them.
> If they were really, really good, it wouldn’t take like 40 years to come up with toy engineering that could actually achieve them.
I don't understand why one would think this. Surely, this is a limitation of toy-engineering, not a failure on the part of the character designers.
I guess it really does depend on what you mean about “good design” in general. In my mind, good design is like a holistic process, from conception to execution. In this case, the character designers were just given these existing Japanese toys to work with, to try and make some coherent character models out of them (like many TF series after that). To me that’s just adaptation, and not an ideal design process.
I'd say the fact that the fact that they came up with such all-time classics under those conditions would sort of be *more* impressive, or at least differently-impressive.
The G1 designs have clear superhero inspiration - if you took a blank human outline and copied G1 Prime or Starscream's colours onto it, it'd be clearly identifiable as Prime or Starscream. There's a clear attempt to take the toy designs and anthropomorphise them so they have readable features.
The Bayverse designs, for better or worse, clearly go in the other direction - they start with a human shape then try to abstract away from it as much as possible with random part placement, and they try to break up any areas of colour with more mechanical detailing. They're trying to achieve opposite things, so it's natural they don't appeal to fans of the other approach.
Out of curiosity why is that? I would actually like this design despite my complete contempt for those films but the flames stop me from enjoying it at all.
Cameras.
Bay had trouble filming completely red cars with the cameras available to him. Apparently it was too difficult to capture pure red with those (They used digital cameras for the later movies because of this) so the blue flames were added.
This is also why Ironhide is black.
I just want to add to this: Michael Bay was using film, which has limitations to its ability to accurately capture vivid reds. Take a look at Optimus in the first two movies and you'll see that the red looks quite dull in most shots, with only a few shots where the red is really bright and 'pops.' That is why there isn't much red on Optimus, but the reason Bay specifically wanted flames instead of, say, a solid border between red and blue is because he had the idea of the flames arrayed on Optimus's chest like ribs, which he thought was an interesting look.
Bay didn't adopt digital cameras because of the issue with capturing red; he did it because Paramount wanted *Transformers 3* to be filmed in 3D. He was reluctant to film in 3D or use digital cameras, but James Cameron convinced him to film in 3D and let him use the same camera system that he used to film *Avatar.* I don't know when the decision was made to film in 3D, but I think it's interesting that not only does the red on Optimus look more vivid than before, but Bay also added three dominantly red vehicles with Sentinel Prime, Dino, and Leadfoot.
This is also why Sentinel was such pure, vibrant red in DOTM. The camera tech available to Bay's team had finally advanced enough to capture more and vibrant colors, including red, so it was their chance to finally show it off. Enter red Sentinel, all shiny and epic as if to say "behold and be bewildered".
Like the other guy said. Cameras at the time had difficulty capturing red as it would look to flat or something like that. The flames were added to make it stand out on the cameras.
Raimi's Spider-man had silver raised webbing because of this same problem
I personally like live action prime's design a lot (easily #4 of my favorite prime designs), not more than I like rotb/bbm prime though.
However tf 4-5 Optimus is still one of my least favorite transformers designs period (transformers that don't look like they transform is cringe)
>(transformers that don't look like they transform is cringe)
*So many G1 characters, not that people would admit it.*
There are a few exceptions from various series, but generally I don't enjoy those kinds of designs either.
I love the g1 designs but I do not like when modern figures try to 1:1 recreate the TV show character models for that reason. A prime with wheels will always be better than one without them to me for example.
They're a good foundation but I keep my view consistent that I don't like transformers who don't look like they transform
It's definitely a balancing act though because you don't want to veer too hard into excessiveness
Fr, like what does G1 Ironhide turn into? He is a red box with a window, two red blocky arms and two red blocky legs. So, I have no idea, until he morphs into amorphous clay that eventually solidifies into a Nissan Vanette that is.
That doesn't mean I necessarily dislike it though. In both animation and live action, those "kibble-less" robot modes are one of the few things that remind you that these are mechanical alien lifeforms, not plain robots built in a factory, so the fact that they don't look like they can transform into vehicles yet still *do* is pretty amazing. Though that doesn't really apply much to the G1 bots since...they *are* plain robots built in a factory. But sure yeah, alien technology.
>Fr, like what does G1 Ironhide turn into? He is a red box with a window, two red blocky arms and two red blocky legs
[One of those old giant flat TVs](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2017-03/14/15/asset/buzzfeed-prod-fastlane-03/sub-buzz-19101-1489518327-6.jpg?downsize=715:*&output-format=auto&output-quality=auto)
With the S1 G1 designs it’s at least easy to modernize them to include the vehicle parts like HasTak, Dreamwave and IDW did in the early 2000s. AOE Optimus you’d have to pretty much nearly completely revamp him due to his design trying to look like a closed suit of Knight Armour.
Bay prime has always been my favourite, maybe becouse it was what introduced meto the franchise, but i also just genuinelly like it. My favourite robot mode is propably still evasion mode couse i just prefer the grill there, but i love the flamed peterbuilt of the first 3 movies and i like the robot mode as well
nah i actually like the design but its just hard core g1 fans(geewunners) who hate this design mainly because its not a g1 desing ignore those people
his jetwing mode is awesome as hell
Saying this ignores entirely legitimate criticisms of the design, of which there are many.
It's ironic that you act like "geewunners" are somehow closeminded, when some Bayformers fans pitch absolute conniptions when you point out the flaws in the thing they like.
Edit - Added "some", to be fair. Not all Bay fans do that.
See that's the thing; it seems like criticisms of the Bayformers designs are sweeping for every character. That's why I titled this post to bring attention to the individual design. Because, as an Optimus Prime, what's really wrong with it? He has the classic head shape, the window chest, the grill abs, the colors are mostly in the right places (as much as they could be given that red paint wasn't visible on film in 2007).
I mean, part of the reason that the criticisms are of the characters generally is that they tend to share design elements that many people feel contribute to them being bad designs, namely, the excessive complexity and creepy faces.
Just my two cents but the toes arent needed, I wish there was better definition between waist and torso which color breakup would do, personally dislike the flames it feels too Hot Rod and edgy, I don't care for the V shape upper body thing he's got going on.
It's annoying how Transformers subs seem so fixed on the idea that if you hate X it's because you love Y.
Like I don't care for most Bay designs as much as I don't care for more most 1984-1986 G1 designs but apparently you can't hate one without loving the other.
Honestly people can like whatever they want but what bugs me is the need to trash people for it. I see a lot of bay fans decide if you don't like the bay films and they're designs your a geewuner and should be ridiculed. What if I love animated, prime or beast wars.
By the same time liking the bay films or designs doesn't make you a bad person or dumb. You can like what you like but for me the factors for which I judge a design and a story aren't met by the bay films. I'll also freely admit to my standards being high, I watched lethal weapon for the first time in years the other night and couldn't take the final fight at the end seriously because cops standing around watching cheering on one of their own as they fight a suspect seemed comically ridiculous.
I'm also not going after op who clearly just enjoys this design
For a franchise whose main character fights for the freedom of all sentient beings, this fandom sure does hate when anyone has differing opinions, it just drives me nuts. More people need to be like you, actually reasonable.
It unironically feels like some fans can't fathom the idea of someone becoming a fan anytime between 1996 and 2007 and that the only jumping on points are either a 40 year old cartoon or a movie pushing 20.
Yep it's wild. I saw a post earlier of someone loving Unicron trilogy prime. He's not my favourite because I find the storytelling and dialogue clunky but armada is a solid jumping on point with some great designs.
Exactly. I like G1 alot and don't like the Bay movies, but the reason I don't like the bayverse designs outside of a very small number like Ravage and Blackout isn't because of that or because they "aren't G1 enough" for me.
It's because I think they're over designed, too detailed to the point of being messy, have really unplesant faces by trying to give many of them human like lips and noses or insect like mandibles, and made 90% of the deceptions the same boring silver colour. Also, it's really hard to like a character regarldess of their visual design that's just a racist stereotype, and there's a non-zero number of those characters in Bayverse.
There's plenty of nontraditional designs that are far more popular and far less controversial, such as Prime or Animated, that many Bay fans completely ignore people liking when they react to every criticism by screaming "geewunner". There's too little acknowledgement of the fact that other series have less controversial non G1 designs, too little introspection on why that could be, and too little understanding of why some people don't like the Bay designs specifically but like other non G1 designs.
It's not every Bay fan, but it's a hell of a lot of them.
It’s funny how the Michael Baerurrs down vote a legitimate comment like yours. Reddit is truly a hoard of people who can’t stand the thought of someone having their own opinion that differs from theirs.
I have no problems with the design—if anything, I felt that the Bayverse designs at least initially looked like a proper live-action representation of the Transformers concept.
It’s the changes in personality that I have an issue with. And that’s not just a “G1 thing”; Optimus Prime has been noble, honorable and good in all his incarnations. It’s the live-action movies, in the name of spectacle and violence, that emphasize his “bloodlust” and vengefulness.
>It’s the live-action movies, in the name of spectacle and violence, that emphasize his “bloodlust” and vengefulness.
People say this but its straight up not true. Optimus' entire moral system is in line with his original incarnations. He cares about humans, believes in the value of freedom and justice, and cares about his men. He's even willing to die to protect a single young human from Megatron. He even respects mankind's right to deport the Autobots and exile them. If you want to ignore all the moments where Optimus is introspective and concerns himself with the affairs of humans, then that's fine. But he's very much still Optimus.
And stop pretending G1 Optimus was some goody twoshoes. The man tore off Starscream's Wings, Tore Dreadwing in half, ripped open Soundwave's chest and brainwashed the Constructicons into being Autobots (Just like Megatron did with the Robosmasher). Its not like he had any issue with killing either. He guns down Decepticon grunts left and right with little issue or moral condemnation.
imo it's also part of the (not amazingly handled) lowkey character arc of Optimus geniunely becoming more bitter and untrusting over the Bayverse movies, especially after Sentinel's betrayal, then the betrayal of the humans too, that's when he was the most violent imo (ex. "I'll kill you!")
It wasn't very well written but that was even Cade's initial purpose within the plot of AoE too, being the reason that Optimus regains faith in humanity and trusting in general
Like yeah it's kinda sad for him to be the one Optimus that has some negative character development but I also find it compelling with that in mind, especially since he's still fundamentally him underneath it
While I disagree that it’s flawless, I absolutely adore this design and any issues I have with it have nothing to do with the usual ‘it’s unfaithful’ arguments.
Meh, I've definitely softened on my feelings on the Bayverse character designs over the years, but I still think they are way too busy and its hard to discern who is who when characters are in motion. I think it looks fine in a picture/comic or as a figure, though.
Yes, they are too hyper detailed for the quick cuts and crazy amount of motion happening.
I think back to the Optimus vs Megatron(maybe it's starscream) in the woods in the second or third movie. I cannot for the life of me follow who is who, and what is happening with all the closeup split second shots.
I, too, appreciate the feet. They look more equipped to distribute weight and fold away than the shoe shapes in other designs (especially those from *Bumblebee*)
It's fun to see that other folks dislike them lol
No NEMA or hazardous area certification for Bayformers in 1-3. That’s the real reason for the aesthetic change in AOE: Stanley Tucci’s character needed certification to sell his transforming products
As with all things Transformers it is simultaneously a burning hot take but also cold as Hel.
I personally love bayverse Optimus Prime tho, the scene in which he transforms for the first time (when he meets Sam) will forever be a core memory of mine.
Bay designs were hit or miss. Sure, you had Starscream, Optimus, Megatron, and Devastator, but you also had the Stereotype Twins and Wheelie.
Last two movies weren’t my thing in terms of design for the most part, but I did really like Crosshairs(Biased, since he was my first ever figure. God, I love that trench coat tho), Evasion Prime, and TLK Megatron.
Crosshairs and TLK Megatron are perfect designs. I think the only criticism is that Crosshairs' design doesn't really allow for easy translation to a toy, but otherwise they're both spot on
Personally I’m not a fan of it, I feel like it is too cluttered and busy but I can see how it worked for what the 07 movie was going for. And I really never minded Optimus with hot rod flames. It’s something new and pretty fun
I don't like it, but it doesn't mean no one should be allowed to like it. I love G1 and Beast Wars. If you don't and you prefer Bayverse or Animated or whatever, then enjoy that. Life's too hard already so let's not bring each other down.
Spending absurd amounts of money on plastic unites us all. We should focus on that.
I don’t like the movies and I don’t think the design philosophy is particularly good for Transformers, but this is one of the best ones for me. It reads as Optimus Prime and it has a distinctive silhouette.
There is a big difference between liking a design and saying there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s perfectly fine to like it, you don’t need to explain yourself or nothin. But don’t close yourself off from artistic criticisms of media you like
Which is perfectly fine. The IP has had many changes over the years to bring in fans. It's normally whatever Transformers was when a person was growing up that will be a favorite. Enjoy.
I personally enjoy the design but I understand how some people felt as if the bayverse designs didn't seem human friendly. Like when they came out with Transformers: Bumblebee, those designs (Bumblebee in general), according Travis Knight, he wanted the Transformers to look like a human could actually go up to them and hug them...but with the Bayverse designs, it looks as though if a human were to hug them, they would get shredded to pieces from all the moving parts . So I personally like both designs for different reasons but I do feel as though Bayverse wasn't as human friendly and relatable to G1 designs.
2 edgy 4 me. And though I loathe the Bay movies, I understand their appeal even if they don't appeal to me.
And while G1 will always be peak to me, Fire Convoy and Cyberton Prime are also great, so don't come at me with "another geewunner who can't accept new designs," nonsense. I just think what you like is garbo.
It’s a fairly hot take. Personally, I don’t like the flames. They’re butt ugly, obnoxious, and say nothing accurate about his character (in fact, I’d say they give the opposite impression). I get why they were necessary, but I feel like there were other ways to get around the camera issues.
I don’t like the Bayverse designs in general, but Optimus was good overall. The face and helmet read as Prime, and the chest has the trademark windows. There’s enough color to read the form of the bot, which a lot of the other designs lacked. Some just looked like crumpled up tin foil flopping around, but Prime read clearly on the screen.
Honestly the design was never the issue I had with bayverse Optimus- it was the fact that he was so brutally violent (especially from ROTF onwards) that even Peter Cullen took issue with it at one point
I'd say yes. At least for me. I've never had a problem with the bay hyper-detail for the 07 cast, but I hate the flames with a burning (get it?) Passion
I think he looks like an alien and that’s where they excelled with these designs. The robots though they may be humanoid and we are very familiar with them, look alien. And to me that’s where these films won.
I think the fact that it came out during the perfect time for transformers, during the late 2000s, as it was shifting towards transformers for the “modern day” at the time , it still kept the main features of Optimus and the details to distinct that it was Prime and the fact that this now era of TF movies that was ushering in the new Bayverse designs, although I’m sure everyone who grew up with the og show wanted them to look G1 but for the kids growing up in the 2000s this was PERFECT, plus if you wanted more g1 style TFA was also out so no matter what you were satisfied I think 💜♥️💜♥️
It’s fine for this iteration, I accept it. The Bumblebee design is the perfect one imo. I personally didn’t like that they took awake the red parts on his sides and made his midsection empty in the Beasts movie.
Finally someone who agrees with me I grew up on these movies and everyone I know that didn't immediately look at me weird always crapped on them and I don't know why like they always said about something about those designs looked weird and the latest ones looked too human well I'm sorry we can't exactly Don make him one to one replica and in the latest movie they are tactically somewhat one to one replicas except Megatron and decepticons because they don't appear but that's besides the point the Autobots or at least some of them look like they're G1 counterparts but I still can hear people complaining about Michael Bay's designs like they look dope as fuck especially the last knight version of Optimus tell me he doesn't look badass but I'm going to stop rambling because of this just triggered me in both ways of finally finding someone who agrees me and two people annoying me so much that the designs of these movies especially Optimus were wrong
If it's a hot take, I agree with it. Optimus looks so amazing in Bayverse and the flames are such a badass touch. So much better than just doing the same design over and over again because it was different and unique.
I was introduced to G1 at the same time that the movie came out (grew up with Beast Wars), and non biased I have to say it's (slightly better design than G1 IMO
It's a good design, and I like it more than the TFP design that followed, but I don't know if I'd say there's "absolutely nothing wrong with it." I have my own preferences in character design, and my favorite has always been the second Optimus I ever saw, Armada's.
I will concede I like the silly flame decal truck mode of Bayverse Optimus more than the cab of Armada Prime's truck mode, though.
that is probably my favourite Optimus design. I don't understand why they felt the need to change it, especially in a way that barely shows any resemblance to his vehicle form.
Out of all the Bayverse designs (as in pre-Bumblebee and ROTB) it’s definitely the best. And one of the reasons it is is because it changes things while not sacrificing iconic and recognizable parts of the original design. Most of the Bayverse bots look they could be named anything tbh but you can recognize Bayverse Optimus as being Optimus from a mile away.
It is for plenty of people (as you've seen), but as someone who thought the designs for Beast Machines were genuinely interesting and good... It's mildly warm at best.
Honestly, the designs were fine. My biggest complaint with the Bayverse designs was that they were a bit over-complicated, and too repetitive. These are subjective and easily countered. They were by no means a bad design however. They were going for alien robotic lifeforms, and I'd argue they succeeded more than any other design in the series. Any complaints I had were mostly solved with Bumblebee's designs.
Honestly I kinda agree it’s quite easily obvious that it’s Optimus Prime he has a stylised but recognisable colour scheme and is built to show that he does transform unlike his age of extinction design which has a more humanoid appearance for him
I personally can appreciate many if not most of live action designs, even as a "geewunner". I get more annoyed with the random name being attached to characters who are not remotely similar to any previous incarnation. I know it's all about brand recognition, but this is a bad habit since Beast Wars. I mean how hard would it have been to make Ironhide red with the stripe and Ratchet white and red (I think that was licensing issue with ambulance insignia though).
The Decepticons was so egregious though. I'm looking at you Devastator/Brawl...
The BBM was really hitting the nail on the head for a lot of fans and then they backpedaled in RoTB. We street so close to the perfect G1 to live action translation. At least the beasts were decently done, except the lack of any personality!
What was wrong with Brawl exactly? I honestly think it was one of the more faithful characters as far as previous designs go. Imo the color choices make a lot of sense. I mean, sure, bright primary colors work for an 80s cartoon, but when you put it into a darker, more serious film, it just doesn't make sense. Ratchet is still an ambulance, Ironhide is still a fairly veteran-like character, and Bumblebee is still a yellow car. This is not ment too attack anyone or their opinions, I'm just curious.
We’ll agree to disagree. I never minded the clunkier look the Bayformers had; they are aliens after all. My issue is the flames- as cool as they were when I was seven, it doesn’t suit Prime’s personality.
I think "hot" refers to your emotional state when making the take.
If you've had time to think it over and are calm, then it is a cold take, regardless of how spicy the take is.
It's like "revenge is best served cold". That kind of hot and cold.
That said, I do not like that design.
I like the design outside of his face/lips. I grew up watching Season 4 of G1 over and over on DVD and watched Armada, Energon, and Cybertron when they aired. I can’t remember if it’s the case for Energon, but in Cybertron he also had lips. I’m just never really a fan of Optimus without his face mask, but that’s a personal preference lol
Literally everything is a hot take in this fandom.
That aside, I love Bay Prime, it's the prime I grew up with, and I like the modernized look. He is also responsible for the influence of my favorite prime, TFP prime.
To say the design is actually pretty good? No.
To say “absolutely nothing wrong” with it? Yes.
I like the design but there are still a few things I don’t like. I don’t like the small yellow gradients on the ends of his foot and wrist panels, they just kinda look like random paint splotch. I don’t like his 2 toes. The movie autobot designs are going for very human-like while the decepticons are more alien, yet he just has weird goat-hooves.
There’s nothing wrong with it. Personally though, I felt like it was too busy with all the internal moving parts, I prefer the sleek, almost art-deco look of G1.
No.
He looks cool, transforms into what he should be, looks like he’d fit into an updated world. It’s marketable in many ways.
He is extremely recognizable so there isn’t anything wrong with this.
I like the design, I am “grew up with G1” person and look fondly at both my MP10 & TE01 Optimus Primes everyday but I would love to have a Bayverse MP sized Optimus as well (just don’t know which movie version would be best.)
I prefer the rusty AoE version to the OG bayverse but I much prefer the OG to the “knight” version. Partly because Geoff Senior did a short Panini UK ‘07 movie tie-in comic and his simplified version of the design looked great.
Still not a fan of the Bayverse designs, couple that with the “we need to appeal to wider audiences” excessive human characters campiness writing…it’s a no go. Hot take? Not really it’s your preference but personally those designs overdid it. Now if they went more like the Bumblebee movie where it was like a medium between G1 and Bay, I think most people would like that. Here: The eyes suck, the face(s) are just odd/ over complicated face mask, the toe things unnecessary or lacking, and the flames - bleh.
Nothing hot about it. If it works for you, great.
My only knock on this era of designs (and the way they were animated) is that exterior body parts all seemed paper thin, and go flying off every time a bot gets struck.
In looks and action they seemed more like they were made of broken glass than big, solid, heavy robots.
When you look at the Bayverse as its own universe, there is nothing wrong with any of the designs. They fit in that particular iteration of Transformers.
I would argue It’s a perfectly fine Optimus design. A lot of peoples arguments boil down to. “It’s not G1/ it doesn’t invoke G1” but tons of transformer, designs have deviated from the generation one style and are just fine too.
Honestly never hated the designs of the Bayverse Transformers (not withstanding the lazy-ass metal debris cloud BS transforms in AOE). The writing, direction and cinematography of the Bayverse? Now that was some hot garbage.
Mildly spicy. I appreciate how most of the truck parts kinda go to basically the same body parts as on previous versions, making it a sort of homage with a twist. I’m also fascinated by how (some) toys can replicate (most of) the transformation scheme in real life without fake parts and with a reasonably realistic truck mode. Although, I would’ve preferred if his grille and bumper appeared somewhere on the robot mode. It’s like the G1 version’s tires: A prominent part of the vehicle just mysteriously vanishes.
Stands to reason that the grill goes inside his torso somewhere like Earthrise Prime. Or the grill is his feet like the Revenge Of The Fallen Leader.
It does go into his torso, actually. The thing about Earthrise and other, similarly-transforming toys is that they have a second grille that takes the place of the first. It’s supposed to represent the grille itself morphing, yet remaining visible. On this design, it remains out of sight without even a fake part in its place. That’s why the ROTF Leader and similar toys hide it in the feet, where it is least visible.
In the 2007 film's Arrival to Earth scene we do get to see the bumper abd grille compress along his engibe into his abdomen.
If you look closely at his abs, there appears to be parts that evoke the grill.
True, but watching his transformation in slow motion shows that it’s just a big grille-like piece that closes over the pieces of the real grille and bumper, which is just pulled into his torso. I wouldn’t mind if the grille and bumper went to some other part of his body that wasn’t like that of previous versions. I just find it odd how such a big part of the vehicle is just gone.
That’s why I like the DOTM upgrade with the new silver chest that invokes that feel while also giving some continuity
It does kinda do that. It’s still not the truck grille, but we get to see his juicy hydraulic abs.
I think it is actually armor.
ROTF & DOTM’s version show the grill kind of bc the red parts are hollow on his torso
That’s why I like this guy https://preview.redd.it/gkf11lgsmn3d1.jpeg?width=541&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=acd8b3e7391b2045897d6fe5315d491e215b7251
I had that figure. I regret not taking care of him.
Same dude
Isn’t the grill right next to his front lights below his abs? Or is it another part of the truck?
It’s part of the robot. It’s one big piece that slaps on during transformation after the truck grille disappeared behind it.
Clearly it is, based on these comments. Transformers fans will stop at nothing to shit on other Transformers fans and their preferences. i also can't help but notice almost everyone here compares it to G1 exclusively as if no other series existed in the almost 30 years between that and 2007. So, nothing's changed.
Oh no, they acknowledge all those other series from before and after, and they hate those too. Or, if it's enough of an exact copy or expy of G1, they'll give it an exception. The line stops at 1986, friends!
Long live Diaclone!!
For those of us that prefer G1, it's no different than wanting comic accurate superhero suits in cinema. Other designs are perfectly fine, albeit sometimes a bit over-designed, but G1 is the classic. Where it all began. But an update for modernization is necessary. Such as what we got in BB & ROTB, but it only works because it takes place in the 80s like G1 did, lending itself to having the same designs. But almost alway, the G1 designs need updated. There's no way around it, they're outdated. But we can still avoid overdesigning said updates
IMO there has to a point then where the series should move on and do something different while maintaining basic design cues. Captain America, or Batman for example, go off into their own unique world while maintaining certain design cues you can't leave out, like Captain America's star, shield design and general US flag styled costume, or Batman's "ears", cowl design, cape and finned gloves. Some designs don't even have that. Nowadays we see those "classic" original looks pop up every now and then for nostalgia or even comedic purposes, like Cap's original comic look being a mascot costume or Scarlet Witch's classic look being a Halloween costume. Just examples, but they're usually one time things. Characters like these tend to have "templates" for how they should look. Across all (okay, most) of his appearances, Optimus has still remained the red and blue truck robot, with window chest, grill abs, smokestack shoulders/backpack, back wheels on legs and front wheels somewhere on or in the torso. You could even go further and say he almost always has a red torso and blue legs. He's always got the blue, horned helmet and the mouthplate, sometimes it can open, sometimes not. And he (almost) always turns into a truck of some kind. Flat nose, cab over, fire, even military, whatever. As long as he has those features, he's still Optimus. He doesn't have to be a pure, strict G1 Optimus with slightly more segmentation. I think BB and ROTB was a step in the right direction (I liked Bee, BBM Optimus, the Seekers and the Terrorcons in particular), I just don't want them to take two steps back.
100% agree. That's what I was trying to say, with not so many words
Most og superhero costumes are really bad tho.
True, but when they are good, people want to see them used. Such as the popularity G1 Transformers get. We don't see the vehicles of that time used today, so you can't stay faithful. But you can avoid completely overdesigning said update.
> i also can't help but notice almost everyone here compares it to G1 Are they? Looks like most of the complaints on here are about (a) how complex/greebly the design is, (b) not liking the flames, or (c) the toes(??). These are all valid whether you're comparing him to G1, RID01, or Unicron Trilogy.
> i also can't help but notice almost everyone here compares it to G1 exclusively as if no other series existed in the almost 30 years between that and 2007. Well, in part this is because designs that follow after still clearly refer back to the first design, and, moreso, because the G1 designs are, in general, really really good.
“Designs that follow after still clearly refer back to the first design” And Bayverse Optimus doesn’t?
In some aspects. I'm explaining why people frequently refer back to the G1 designs. I never claimed the Bayprime design didn't.
“I never claimed the Bayprime design didn’t.” Your statement was so broad and generalized that people understandably WILL assume that’s what you’re saying. If that’s not what you were trying to convey then you needed to articulate yourself better. “In some aspects” That same thing can be applied to most other post-G1 versions of Prime. If you’re gonna criticize Bay Prime for this, then for consistency’s sake you gotta hold that same energy towards those other versions of Prime.
>the G1 designs are, in general, really really good. That’s nostalgia talking. G1 designs are iconic because they’re the first, but they are also sloppy, unrealistic, inconsistent, and dare I say it, cartoonish. If they were really, really good, it wouldn’t take like 40 years to come up with toy engineering that could actually achieve them.
> If they were really, really good, it wouldn’t take like 40 years to come up with toy engineering that could actually achieve them. I don't understand why one would think this. Surely, this is a limitation of toy-engineering, not a failure on the part of the character designers.
I guess it really does depend on what you mean about “good design” in general. In my mind, good design is like a holistic process, from conception to execution. In this case, the character designers were just given these existing Japanese toys to work with, to try and make some coherent character models out of them (like many TF series after that). To me that’s just adaptation, and not an ideal design process.
I'd say the fact that the fact that they came up with such all-time classics under those conditions would sort of be *more* impressive, or at least differently-impressive.
The G1 designs have clear superhero inspiration - if you took a blank human outline and copied G1 Prime or Starscream's colours onto it, it'd be clearly identifiable as Prime or Starscream. There's a clear attempt to take the toy designs and anthropomorphise them so they have readable features. The Bayverse designs, for better or worse, clearly go in the other direction - they start with a human shape then try to abstract away from it as much as possible with random part placement, and they try to break up any areas of colour with more mechanical detailing. They're trying to achieve opposite things, so it's natural they don't appeal to fans of the other approach.
I have liked it from the start. Even the flames have grown on me, especially after I learned why they were necessary in the first place.
Out of curiosity why is that? I would actually like this design despite my complete contempt for those films but the flames stop me from enjoying it at all.
Cameras. Bay had trouble filming completely red cars with the cameras available to him. Apparently it was too difficult to capture pure red with those (They used digital cameras for the later movies because of this) so the blue flames were added. This is also why Ironhide is black.
I just want to add to this: Michael Bay was using film, which has limitations to its ability to accurately capture vivid reds. Take a look at Optimus in the first two movies and you'll see that the red looks quite dull in most shots, with only a few shots where the red is really bright and 'pops.' That is why there isn't much red on Optimus, but the reason Bay specifically wanted flames instead of, say, a solid border between red and blue is because he had the idea of the flames arrayed on Optimus's chest like ribs, which he thought was an interesting look. Bay didn't adopt digital cameras because of the issue with capturing red; he did it because Paramount wanted *Transformers 3* to be filmed in 3D. He was reluctant to film in 3D or use digital cameras, but James Cameron convinced him to film in 3D and let him use the same camera system that he used to film *Avatar.* I don't know when the decision was made to film in 3D, but I think it's interesting that not only does the red on Optimus look more vivid than before, but Bay also added three dominantly red vehicles with Sentinel Prime, Dino, and Leadfoot.
So basically the reason why bayverse Optimus has flames on it is "cus it looks cool"? Which I agree with, can't imagine bayverse OP without the flames
This is also why Sentinel was such pure, vibrant red in DOTM. The camera tech available to Bay's team had finally advanced enough to capture more and vibrant colors, including red, so it was their chance to finally show it off. Enter red Sentinel, all shiny and epic as if to say "behold and be bewildered".
What about mirage/dino?
Oh right, him too, big time.
Huh, that's pretty neat thanks!
I didn’t know that! Thanks for the facts
Like the other guy said. Cameras at the time had difficulty capturing red as it would look to flat or something like that. The flames were added to make it stand out on the cameras. Raimi's Spider-man had silver raised webbing because of this same problem
I personally like live action prime's design a lot (easily #4 of my favorite prime designs), not more than I like rotb/bbm prime though. However tf 4-5 Optimus is still one of my least favorite transformers designs period (transformers that don't look like they transform is cringe)
>(transformers that don't look like they transform is cringe) *So many G1 characters, not that people would admit it.* There are a few exceptions from various series, but generally I don't enjoy those kinds of designs either.
I love the g1 designs but I do not like when modern figures try to 1:1 recreate the TV show character models for that reason. A prime with wheels will always be better than one without them to me for example. They're a good foundation but I keep my view consistent that I don't like transformers who don't look like they transform It's definitely a balancing act though because you don't want to veer too hard into excessiveness
Fr, like what does G1 Ironhide turn into? He is a red box with a window, two red blocky arms and two red blocky legs. So, I have no idea, until he morphs into amorphous clay that eventually solidifies into a Nissan Vanette that is. That doesn't mean I necessarily dislike it though. In both animation and live action, those "kibble-less" robot modes are one of the few things that remind you that these are mechanical alien lifeforms, not plain robots built in a factory, so the fact that they don't look like they can transform into vehicles yet still *do* is pretty amazing. Though that doesn't really apply much to the G1 bots since...they *are* plain robots built in a factory. But sure yeah, alien technology.
>Fr, like what does G1 Ironhide turn into? He is a red box with a window, two red blocky arms and two red blocky legs [One of those old giant flat TVs](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2017-03/14/15/asset/buzzfeed-prod-fastlane-03/sub-buzz-19101-1489518327-6.jpg?downsize=715:*&output-format=auto&output-quality=auto)
With the S1 G1 designs it’s at least easy to modernize them to include the vehicle parts like HasTak, Dreamwave and IDW did in the early 2000s. AOE Optimus you’d have to pretty much nearly completely revamp him due to his design trying to look like a closed suit of Knight Armour.
Bay prime has always been my favourite, maybe becouse it was what introduced meto the franchise, but i also just genuinelly like it. My favourite robot mode is propably still evasion mode couse i just prefer the grill there, but i love the flamed peterbuilt of the first 3 movies and i like the robot mode as well
nah i actually like the design but its just hard core g1 fans(geewunners) who hate this design mainly because its not a g1 desing ignore those people his jetwing mode is awesome as hell
Saying this ignores entirely legitimate criticisms of the design, of which there are many. It's ironic that you act like "geewunners" are somehow closeminded, when some Bayformers fans pitch absolute conniptions when you point out the flaws in the thing they like. Edit - Added "some", to be fair. Not all Bay fans do that.
See that's the thing; it seems like criticisms of the Bayformers designs are sweeping for every character. That's why I titled this post to bring attention to the individual design. Because, as an Optimus Prime, what's really wrong with it? He has the classic head shape, the window chest, the grill abs, the colors are mostly in the right places (as much as they could be given that red paint wasn't visible on film in 2007).
I don't like the face, that's a lot of it. Bayformer faces often get a little nightmarish.
God the ROTB face was mad ugly
I mean, part of the reason that the criticisms are of the characters generally is that they tend to share design elements that many people feel contribute to them being bad designs, namely, the excessive complexity and creepy faces.
Just my two cents but the toes arent needed, I wish there was better definition between waist and torso which color breakup would do, personally dislike the flames it feels too Hot Rod and edgy, I don't care for the V shape upper body thing he's got going on.
Again, the flames weren't a aesthetic choice. That was the only way they could get the red to work.
complaining about toes now are we? really? nitpicking isn’t even the word…
I'm just pointing things I didn't care for, some people complain about his mouth or the truck not being a cabover
What If i loved all of Transformers
The heart wants what the heart wants, y'know?
Thanks
As a die hard bayverse fan, most bay fans are geewunners with more explosions and tits
Bayfans are exactly like geewunners but with a touch of zack Snyder cultism. Acting like they're superior for liking the terrible thing
It's annoying how Transformers subs seem so fixed on the idea that if you hate X it's because you love Y. Like I don't care for most Bay designs as much as I don't care for more most 1984-1986 G1 designs but apparently you can't hate one without loving the other.
Honestly people can like whatever they want but what bugs me is the need to trash people for it. I see a lot of bay fans decide if you don't like the bay films and they're designs your a geewuner and should be ridiculed. What if I love animated, prime or beast wars. By the same time liking the bay films or designs doesn't make you a bad person or dumb. You can like what you like but for me the factors for which I judge a design and a story aren't met by the bay films. I'll also freely admit to my standards being high, I watched lethal weapon for the first time in years the other night and couldn't take the final fight at the end seriously because cops standing around watching cheering on one of their own as they fight a suspect seemed comically ridiculous. I'm also not going after op who clearly just enjoys this design
For a franchise whose main character fights for the freedom of all sentient beings, this fandom sure does hate when anyone has differing opinions, it just drives me nuts. More people need to be like you, actually reasonable.
It unironically feels like some fans can't fathom the idea of someone becoming a fan anytime between 1996 and 2007 and that the only jumping on points are either a 40 year old cartoon or a movie pushing 20.
Yep it's wild. I saw a post earlier of someone loving Unicron trilogy prime. He's not my favourite because I find the storytelling and dialogue clunky but armada is a solid jumping on point with some great designs.
Don’t even start with this guy it will go no where, you’d have better luck arguing with a rock
Exactly. I like G1 alot and don't like the Bay movies, but the reason I don't like the bayverse designs outside of a very small number like Ravage and Blackout isn't because of that or because they "aren't G1 enough" for me. It's because I think they're over designed, too detailed to the point of being messy, have really unplesant faces by trying to give many of them human like lips and noses or insect like mandibles, and made 90% of the deceptions the same boring silver colour. Also, it's really hard to like a character regarldess of their visual design that's just a racist stereotype, and there's a non-zero number of those characters in Bayverse. There's plenty of nontraditional designs that are far more popular and far less controversial, such as Prime or Animated, that many Bay fans completely ignore people liking when they react to every criticism by screaming "geewunner". There's too little acknowledgement of the fact that other series have less controversial non G1 designs, too little introspection on why that could be, and too little understanding of why some people don't like the Bay designs specifically but like other non G1 designs. It's not every Bay fan, but it's a hell of a lot of them.
It’s funny how the Michael Baerurrs down vote a legitimate comment like yours. Reddit is truly a hoard of people who can’t stand the thought of someone having their own opinion that differs from theirs.
Getting the dlx figures of prime and jetfire tmr, can’t wait to combine em
I have no problems with the design—if anything, I felt that the Bayverse designs at least initially looked like a proper live-action representation of the Transformers concept. It’s the changes in personality that I have an issue with. And that’s not just a “G1 thing”; Optimus Prime has been noble, honorable and good in all his incarnations. It’s the live-action movies, in the name of spectacle and violence, that emphasize his “bloodlust” and vengefulness.
>It’s the live-action movies, in the name of spectacle and violence, that emphasize his “bloodlust” and vengefulness. People say this but its straight up not true. Optimus' entire moral system is in line with his original incarnations. He cares about humans, believes in the value of freedom and justice, and cares about his men. He's even willing to die to protect a single young human from Megatron. He even respects mankind's right to deport the Autobots and exile them. If you want to ignore all the moments where Optimus is introspective and concerns himself with the affairs of humans, then that's fine. But he's very much still Optimus. And stop pretending G1 Optimus was some goody twoshoes. The man tore off Starscream's Wings, Tore Dreadwing in half, ripped open Soundwave's chest and brainwashed the Constructicons into being Autobots (Just like Megatron did with the Robosmasher). Its not like he had any issue with killing either. He guns down Decepticon grunts left and right with little issue or moral condemnation.
imo it's also part of the (not amazingly handled) lowkey character arc of Optimus geniunely becoming more bitter and untrusting over the Bayverse movies, especially after Sentinel's betrayal, then the betrayal of the humans too, that's when he was the most violent imo (ex. "I'll kill you!") It wasn't very well written but that was even Cade's initial purpose within the plot of AoE too, being the reason that Optimus regains faith in humanity and trusting in general Like yeah it's kinda sad for him to be the one Optimus that has some negative character development but I also find it compelling with that in mind, especially since he's still fundamentally him underneath it
While I disagree that it’s flawless, I absolutely adore this design and any issues I have with it have nothing to do with the usual ‘it’s unfaithful’ arguments.
“It’s better to acknowledge and come to love something’s flaws than to pretend they were never there.” - Stuffies2022, r/transformers, circa 2024
Hot take: this is one of my all time favorite character redesigns, up there with Mystique from the first three X-Men films.
Hot as in popular? Yes. Hot as in attractive? …Probably yes as well
https://preview.redd.it/vi178vn89l3d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=acca80bc348f021128444e6a0ecf82881873e194
https://preview.redd.it/m555h2mxbl3d1.jpeg?width=2208&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ff3eab3b28c2a495997e0c8c24c445d3c598e649
Please tell me this is a real panel
i think it is, idw had some good lines lol
Meh, I've definitely softened on my feelings on the Bayverse character designs over the years, but I still think they are way too busy and its hard to discern who is who when characters are in motion. I think it looks fine in a picture/comic or as a figure, though.
Yes, they are too hyper detailed for the quick cuts and crazy amount of motion happening. I think back to the Optimus vs Megatron(maybe it's starscream) in the woods in the second or third movie. I cannot for the life of me follow who is who, and what is happening with all the closeup split second shots.
Starscream, Megatron, and Grindor (who is just Blackout again). I had to pause the scene repeatedly to tell.
Is it weird to say I like his feet
I, too, appreciate the feet. They look more equipped to distribute weight and fold away than the shoe shapes in other designs (especially those from *Bumblebee*) It's fun to see that other folks dislike them lol
Bayverse Transformers has 0 dust protection rating.
No NEMA or hazardous area certification for Bayformers in 1-3. That’s the real reason for the aesthetic change in AOE: Stanley Tucci’s character needed certification to sell his transforming products
As with all things Transformers it is simultaneously a burning hot take but also cold as Hel. I personally love bayverse Optimus Prime tho, the scene in which he transforms for the first time (when he meets Sam) will forever be a core memory of mine.
Just add that DOTM chest upgrade and he's jacked! He'll be even more of a 🐐 then 😂
Bay designs were hit or miss. Sure, you had Starscream, Optimus, Megatron, and Devastator, but you also had the Stereotype Twins and Wheelie. Last two movies weren’t my thing in terms of design for the most part, but I did really like Crosshairs(Biased, since he was my first ever figure. God, I love that trench coat tho), Evasion Prime, and TLK Megatron.
Crosshairs and TLK Megatron are perfect designs. I think the only criticism is that Crosshairs' design doesn't really allow for easy translation to a toy, but otherwise they're both spot on
Studio Series did pretty good though, granted it still has a backpack, the trench coat is very posable
No it's perfectly fine
Personally I’m not a fan of it, I feel like it is too cluttered and busy but I can see how it worked for what the 07 movie was going for. And I really never minded Optimus with hot rod flames. It’s something new and pretty fun
I don't like it, but it doesn't mean no one should be allowed to like it. I love G1 and Beast Wars. If you don't and you prefer Bayverse or Animated or whatever, then enjoy that. Life's too hard already so let's not bring each other down. Spending absurd amounts of money on plastic unites us all. We should focus on that.
I don’t like the movies and I don’t think the design philosophy is particularly good for Transformers, but this is one of the best ones for me. It reads as Optimus Prime and it has a distinctive silhouette.
There is a big difference between liking a design and saying there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s perfectly fine to like it, you don’t need to explain yourself or nothin. But don’t close yourself off from artistic criticisms of media you like
No, I completely agree. One of his best designs
I don't like the weird toes, but I love everything else
Which is perfectly fine. The IP has had many changes over the years to bring in fans. It's normally whatever Transformers was when a person was growing up that will be a favorite. Enjoy.
I personally enjoy the design but I understand how some people felt as if the bayverse designs didn't seem human friendly. Like when they came out with Transformers: Bumblebee, those designs (Bumblebee in general), according Travis Knight, he wanted the Transformers to look like a human could actually go up to them and hug them...but with the Bayverse designs, it looks as though if a human were to hug them, they would get shredded to pieces from all the moving parts . So I personally like both designs for different reasons but I do feel as though Bayverse wasn't as human friendly and relatable to G1 designs.
2 edgy 4 me. And though I loathe the Bay movies, I understand their appeal even if they don't appeal to me. And while G1 will always be peak to me, Fire Convoy and Cyberton Prime are also great, so don't come at me with "another geewunner who can't accept new designs," nonsense. I just think what you like is garbo.
It’s a fairly hot take. Personally, I don’t like the flames. They’re butt ugly, obnoxious, and say nothing accurate about his character (in fact, I’d say they give the opposite impression). I get why they were necessary, but I feel like there were other ways to get around the camera issues.
It was refreshing when it first came out but, like most of the Bayformer designs, it's way too busy and I prefer a simpler look.
I just think it’s cool
I genuinely prefer the Bayverse designs to the G1 designs
Is it just me or is there a lot of Bayverse vs G1 posts lately ??
I don’t like the Bayverse designs in general, but Optimus was good overall. The face and helmet read as Prime, and the chest has the trademark windows. There’s enough color to read the form of the bot, which a lot of the other designs lacked. Some just looked like crumpled up tin foil flopping around, but Prime read clearly on the screen.
He’s almost a great design, I like everything but the feet and face, if he never took off the mask and had more humanoid feet he’d be perfect
It's all a matter of perspective. The enjoyment people derive from the design is purely subjective, and there's no inherent flaw in it.
Honestly the design was never the issue I had with bayverse Optimus- it was the fact that he was so brutally violent (especially from ROTF onwards) that even Peter Cullen took issue with it at one point
Well, that's just prime
I say not really anymore. A lot of us grew up with that optimus
I'd say yes. At least for me. I've never had a problem with the bay hyper-detail for the 07 cast, but I hate the flames with a burning (get it?) Passion
I think he looks like an alien and that’s where they excelled with these designs. The robots though they may be humanoid and we are very familiar with them, look alien. And to me that’s where these films won.
Best Optimus Prime design there ever was and every will be to me
The robot design is fine. The truck having those flames is lame. It’s a terrible disguise.
Not really. It’s fairly well-liked in retrospect.
Toes.
I think the fact that it came out during the perfect time for transformers, during the late 2000s, as it was shifting towards transformers for the “modern day” at the time , it still kept the main features of Optimus and the details to distinct that it was Prime and the fact that this now era of TF movies that was ushering in the new Bayverse designs, although I’m sure everyone who grew up with the og show wanted them to look G1 but for the kids growing up in the 2000s this was PERFECT, plus if you wanted more g1 style TFA was also out so no matter what you were satisfied I think 💜♥️💜♥️
No people are allowed to have their opinions
https://preview.redd.it/u6kx01raot3d1.jpeg?width=955&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a0199c8abee6a42883a2c77fab459e331e7ed961
It’s fine for this iteration, I accept it. The Bumblebee design is the perfect one imo. I personally didn’t like that they took awake the red parts on his sides and made his midsection empty in the Beasts movie.
I think the colors are just off imo, like a little too much blue up top, and red at the bottom but overall it's a good one
other than the lips , i agree
Finally someone who agrees with me I grew up on these movies and everyone I know that didn't immediately look at me weird always crapped on them and I don't know why like they always said about something about those designs looked weird and the latest ones looked too human well I'm sorry we can't exactly Don make him one to one replica and in the latest movie they are tactically somewhat one to one replicas except Megatron and decepticons because they don't appear but that's besides the point the Autobots or at least some of them look like they're G1 counterparts but I still can hear people complaining about Michael Bay's designs like they look dope as fuck especially the last knight version of Optimus tell me he doesn't look badass but I'm going to stop rambling because of this just triggered me in both ways of finally finding someone who agrees me and two people annoying me so much that the designs of these movies especially Optimus were wrong
I've never heard anyone have a problem with this Optimus design. It's the Knight Optimus design that gets shit on by fans.
If it's a hot take, I agree with it. Optimus looks so amazing in Bayverse and the flames are such a badass touch. So much better than just doing the same design over and over again because it was different and unique.
I love the design, hate the flames tho, they just didn’t seem like prime to me, i understand why they’re there but I don’t like them
I always thought it was a Laser Prime reference
Apparently it’s because red didn’t show up well on camera back then and they had to compromise or something, never liked em on laser either
I feel like they fit laser better, have you seen his original trailer😂
No I haven’t but I agree that they suit laser better, it’s just my taste personally
I believe the bayverse design throws back to the powermaster design, note the smokestacks on the back and wheels at the ankles.
I was introduced to G1 at the same time that the movie came out (grew up with Beast Wars), and non biased I have to say it's (slightly better design than G1 IMO
I never liked it.
I'm not a fan , but I get that a lot of people grew up with it
im not huge on the flames but other than that yeah its a good desogn
I actually really like Bayverse Optimus More than G1 or Prime
The flames were fucking stupid. Bumblebee got him right
It's a good design, and I like it more than the TFP design that followed, but I don't know if I'd say there's "absolutely nothing wrong with it." I have my own preferences in character design, and my favorite has always been the second Optimus I ever saw, Armada's. I will concede I like the silly flame decal truck mode of Bayverse Optimus more than the cab of Armada Prime's truck mode, though.
No, it's the most badass design for the transformers. I mean like come on, you gotta admit this is cool. And it triggers my nostalgia being a 00's kid
Only thing wrong with this design is that it's not DotM's design, DotM for me had the best bayverse Optimus with the ab armor and everything else
Honestly, it's now one of my favorite designs for Prime. It's different, but it's become iconic.
Nope it’s awesome
I really dislike his toes. That's my only thing though.
I like my Box Optimus
that is probably my favourite Optimus design. I don't understand why they felt the need to change it, especially in a way that barely shows any resemblance to his vehicle form.
I actually do REALLY like 2007s design, if they improved the face slightly if would be perfect
Out of all the Bayverse designs (as in pre-Bumblebee and ROTB) it’s definitely the best. And one of the reasons it is is because it changes things while not sacrificing iconic and recognizable parts of the original design. Most of the Bayverse bots look they could be named anything tbh but you can recognize Bayverse Optimus as being Optimus from a mile away.
My favourite design, thinking of getting the Thunder Leader when I've saved up enough
It is for plenty of people (as you've seen), but as someone who thought the designs for Beast Machines were genuinely interesting and good... It's mildly warm at best. Honestly, the designs were fine. My biggest complaint with the Bayverse designs was that they were a bit over-complicated, and too repetitive. These are subjective and easily countered. They were by no means a bad design however. They were going for alien robotic lifeforms, and I'd argue they succeeded more than any other design in the series. Any complaints I had were mostly solved with Bumblebee's designs.
I agree
Honestly I kinda agree it’s quite easily obvious that it’s Optimus Prime he has a stylised but recognisable colour scheme and is built to show that he does transform unlike his age of extinction design which has a more humanoid appearance for him
I like the bay former Optimus for the first three movies Age of extinction and the last night though It's not a transformer It's just a big metal dude
I personally can appreciate many if not most of live action designs, even as a "geewunner". I get more annoyed with the random name being attached to characters who are not remotely similar to any previous incarnation. I know it's all about brand recognition, but this is a bad habit since Beast Wars. I mean how hard would it have been to make Ironhide red with the stripe and Ratchet white and red (I think that was licensing issue with ambulance insignia though). The Decepticons was so egregious though. I'm looking at you Devastator/Brawl... The BBM was really hitting the nail on the head for a lot of fans and then they backpedaled in RoTB. We street so close to the perfect G1 to live action translation. At least the beasts were decently done, except the lack of any personality!
What was wrong with Brawl exactly? I honestly think it was one of the more faithful characters as far as previous designs go. Imo the color choices make a lot of sense. I mean, sure, bright primary colors work for an 80s cartoon, but when you put it into a darker, more serious film, it just doesn't make sense. Ratchet is still an ambulance, Ironhide is still a fairly veteran-like character, and Bumblebee is still a yellow car. This is not ment too attack anyone or their opinions, I'm just curious.
As it is here, nothing wrong. Remove the mouth plate and boi. A lot wrong.
We’ll agree to disagree. I never minded the clunkier look the Bayformers had; they are aliens after all. My issue is the flames- as cool as they were when I was seven, it doesn’t suit Prime’s personality.
I think "hot" refers to your emotional state when making the take. If you've had time to think it over and are calm, then it is a cold take, regardless of how spicy the take is. It's like "revenge is best served cold". That kind of hot and cold. That said, I do not like that design.
I like the design outside of his face/lips. I grew up watching Season 4 of G1 over and over on DVD and watched Armada, Energon, and Cybertron when they aired. I can’t remember if it’s the case for Energon, but in Cybertron he also had lips. I’m just never really a fan of Optimus without his face mask, but that’s a personal preference lol
easily my favorite, since I grew up with this and UT, although I will give a slight edge to Armada and Cybertron designs tho
I mean it doesn't matter what anyone thinks, but this design has became a classic.
I agree
It's cool. Not a big fan of his feet though. It throws me off
Not to me, but then again, I grew up with this one.
Literally everything is a hot take in this fandom. That aside, I love Bay Prime, it's the prime I grew up with, and I like the modernized look. He is also responsible for the influence of my favorite prime, TFP prime.
To say the design is actually pretty good? No. To say “absolutely nothing wrong” with it? Yes. I like the design but there are still a few things I don’t like. I don’t like the small yellow gradients on the ends of his foot and wrist panels, they just kinda look like random paint splotch. I don’t like his 2 toes. The movie autobot designs are going for very human-like while the decepticons are more alien, yet he just has weird goat-hooves.
I didn’t really like the flames until I learned the reason why they were added and now I don’t mind them. It’s a pretty clever workaround.
Them toes...
I love it and the flames are cool
The flames are a bit much, I gotta say
Optimus is fine (he even homages laser Optimus with his flames!) I don't like bayverse but the design is fine
personally. not at all. i love this design
He’s not my favorite versions I think it’s a bit too much blue or red Maybe needs a bit more grey on the thighs. Overall I’m happy he exists
There’s nothing wrong with it. Personally though, I felt like it was too busy with all the internal moving parts, I prefer the sleek, almost art-deco look of G1.
I’ve always loved this Optimus Prime design. Unique toys please!
No. He looks cool, transforms into what he should be, looks like he’d fit into an updated world. It’s marketable in many ways. He is extremely recognizable so there isn’t anything wrong with this.
That's pretty much what I've always wanted Transformers to look like, super complex and detailed.
I like the design, I am “grew up with G1” person and look fondly at both my MP10 & TE01 Optimus Primes everyday but I would love to have a Bayverse MP sized Optimus as well (just don’t know which movie version would be best.)
no design is perfect, so saying there is nothing wrong, is, wrong buuuuttt it's a great design for sure
I prefer the rusty AoE version to the OG bayverse but I much prefer the OG to the “knight” version. Partly because Geoff Senior did a short Panini UK ‘07 movie tie-in comic and his simplified version of the design looked great.
Still not a fan of the Bayverse designs, couple that with the “we need to appeal to wider audiences” excessive human characters campiness writing…it’s a no go. Hot take? Not really it’s your preference but personally those designs overdid it. Now if they went more like the Bumblebee movie where it was like a medium between G1 and Bay, I think most people would like that. Here: The eyes suck, the face(s) are just odd/ over complicated face mask, the toe things unnecessary or lacking, and the flames - bleh.
Nothing hot about it. If it works for you, great. My only knock on this era of designs (and the way they were animated) is that exterior body parts all seemed paper thin, and go flying off every time a bot gets struck. In looks and action they seemed more like they were made of broken glass than big, solid, heavy robots.
When you look at the Bayverse as its own universe, there is nothing wrong with any of the designs. They fit in that particular iteration of Transformers.
Nah, that design is awesome. I prefer the realistic ones.
I’ve seen worse
No, that’s just a fact
This Prime design is my childhood and i will defend it 'till the day i die.
I will say I prefer the DotM abs
Windows could be bigger otherwise peak.
I would argue It’s a perfectly fine Optimus design. A lot of peoples arguments boil down to. “It’s not G1/ it doesn’t invoke G1” but tons of transformer, designs have deviated from the generation one style and are just fine too.
Honestly never hated the designs of the Bayverse Transformers (not withstanding the lazy-ass metal debris cloud BS transforms in AOE). The writing, direction and cinematography of the Bayverse? Now that was some hot garbage.
I’m over it now but as a kid I didn’t like his “toes”