Transformers Generations Deluxe Lucky Draw Prize - God Primus MISB (善神)

I sort of knew about this figure when Transformers Generations Deluxe was released in 2004, sort of.

But it never really hit me until I saw this figure in real life, in Japan in January 2008. It just hit me that the TF: Generations lucky draw God Primus figure is a very, very accurate repaint of Rodimus Prime into Primus, Lord of the Light Gods in the now vintage Marvel UK Transformers Universe. I mean check out the picture on the right, yeah, that's Primus, and the God Primus toy looks very like that.

On further research, I found out that Simon Furman, while writing that particular issue, Marvel UK Transformers #150, specifically instructed the artist to draw Primus in Rodimus Prime's likeness, further adding weight to the God Primus figure being repainted from the Rodimus Prime toy mold.

Also, the Legacy of Unicron arc during the classic Marvel UK run, was one of my favourite arcs (aside from Space Pirates and Time Wars), giving me further incentive to really go seek out this rare figure.

The God Primus lucky draw figure is limited to 100 pieces worldwide, so I didn't rate my chances of finding it very high. That plus the fact that when I was staring at it in 2008, I couldn't really afford to pay more than $500 for it, which is cheap, even back then.

Over the years, I have been on the hunt for this figure on and off and it was not until I went to Osaka in May of 2011 that I had a real shot at it. I saw the piece on my final day in Osaka. It was expensive I thought. Do I really want it at that price, I thought some more. It's a lot to pay for a toy.

But...

... it is MISB; it is one of the few, in fact the only, lucky piece that I've ever wanted; I had just the right amount of Yen leftover to pay for it; and (this one nudged me over the line), it's tag has the date of my wedding with E on it!

I later found out that the date was actually the date the store got the piece in, how delightfully poetic!

Then I bought it.

This is the only Transformers lucky draw piece that I have and from the looks of it, the only lucky draw piece I will ever get. I'm simply not interested in straight out gold chromed lucky draw pieces. That's just dumb. I don't need to create a plastic army of golden lagoon figures worth their weight in real gold.

So here it is, the front of the box.

The tag showing its a Transformers: Generations Deluxe exclusive and given out on the 20th anniversary year of the Transformers franchise.

Close up of the name and function, which roughly translates as 'god of benvolence' (function): Primus (name).

Primus' bio. I wonder what it says. Okay, I found a translation online (don't know whether accurate):

"Primus was first featured in the UK Marvel comics as the universe's god of good. In an epic battle with the evil entity Unicron, Primus was able to contain Unicron into a planet, but he also paid the price by becoming a planet himself which became Cybertron where Transformers were "born". Primus created the Transformers to become warriors that one day could fight Unicron if he awakes. 

In 2005, Hot Rod who came in contact with the Matrix containing the essence of Primus, was reformatted by his power and became Rodimus Prime. The reformat and upgrade also altered his look to resemble that of Primus, some say that perhaps Primus was reborn through Rodimus Prime."

Wow, that's quite a reverse-retcon to explain why Rodimus Prime looks like Primus!

The MISB-ness of a white box. How boring.

The other side of MISB-ness. Yawn.

Now, we're talking... seeing some gold there.

Primus is stuck in alternate mode...

Full shot of the box with 'book-cover' open and showing God Primus in vehicle mode.

Another shot.

Unfortunately, I have not got around to opening this piece, but I can promise you I inevitably will - as I will open all my MISB Transformers regardless of whether they are vintage or highly valuable or not.

I'm sad that without opening it, I cannot really show why this piece is special among the plethora of 'gold chromed' TF lucky draw pieces - not all of it is gold chrome, it has shades of other colours!

This is the shot I took back in 2008 in a Kinokuniya in Japan, which shows that other than gold chrome, there are shades of other coloured chrome.

Fortunately for me (and us), the folks at Transformers at the Moon has detailed pictures of the God Primus figure out of its package and shown in its full glory. Check out the God Primus gallery at TFTM here.

I love this shot showing God Primus' face. It's properly coloured, with blue eyes (!), not like the other high on value low on effort lucky draw figures (photo is courtesy of TFTM.com)

Cheers,

~ HD