MF: Ginrai (First Transform)

From: A Hero Is Chosen - His Name Is Ginrai

This is NOT Optimus Prime. Say it with me: this is NOT Optimus Prime. One more time: this is NOT Optimus Prime.

Those of you who know who Ginrai is, you can skip the rest of this description, as it's purely to catch up the people who don't and I won't be talking about anything you don't already know.

Okay, so, please pay attention. The Powermaster Optimus Prime toy was sold in both Japan and the US. In the US, it was simply a new body for Optimus Prime. However, in Japan, they went in a different direction. It was instead treated as a lifeless Transtector (non-sentient transforming body) used by Ginrai, the first Autobot Godmaster human, and therefore named Ginrai after the human pilot. The human does NOT become Optimus Prime, he's still just himself, but he wears a big giant mech body with the face of Optimus Prime.

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Ginrai

It was never explained in the series why Ginrai looks like Optimus Prime/Convoy, and it wasn't until a special Masterforce video feature was released that it was revealed that Ginrai's transtector was intended to be a new body for Optimus Prime, but it was mysteriously diverted to Earth, where Ginrai bonded with it. Optimus Prime did eventually get a new body in Japan as Star Convoy.

But what's bizarre is that nobody bats an eyelid about it. This is still the G1 continuity that started with the Ark crashing into the volcano, and nobody recognizes the face of the great Autobot leader - not even the Autobots themselves. Okay, the Autobot Headmaster Jrs don't know what the frack is going on (in general), but the Pretenders are Cybertronian Autobots. Yet nobody says a word.

If you watch the RTM 1 dub, they incorrectly use the US names for everyone, and therefore he refers to himself as "Optimus Prime", not just when combined with the transtector, but even when he's just walking around in his regular human pants. Just as the little blonde girl calls herself "Nightbeat".

As you will probably be aware, I'm not in the habit of uploading entire episodes, but I'm going to do so for this episode, because it clears up a bit of the WTF.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Transformers
• Super-God
• Masterforce
• Godmasters
• Ginrai
• transform

[silverbolt25]

wht does this imposter look like prime this is bull

[AeonMagnus]

@silverbolt25 No, it's just different.

The truck was intended as a new body for Convoy, but was mysteriously diverted, hidden on Earth and then one day bonded with the human, Ginrai. This created the Cybertron Ginrai, who was one of the most powerful fusions of human and machine, one of this cartoon's major themes.

[jesuszapata19]

As I can get this whole series?

I hope your answers.

[AeonMagnus]

@jesuszapata19 Shout Factory are working on a DVD release of Super-God Masterforce, in addition to Headmasters and Victory.

You may also be able to find the dodgy English dub on eBay, or the Japanese version (with English subtitles) on Bittorrent.

[SeoulMan]

I always thought the Godmasters had it hardest, their form being attached in such an open and vulnerable position.

[Benicthehedgehog]

wow....

[Primus2X]

@starscream265 True, Optimus Prime saved the world lots of times and was the Decepticons worst enemy yet no-one recognises Ginrai looks allot like Optimus.

[PunchSydeiron]

1:13 Bastards!

[zvermilyer3]

@AeonMagnus

Technically, that's right. On the other hand, it should be noted that Megatron's Optimus clone and False Convoy were nothing more than mindless drones remote-controlled by their creators. The robot Ginrai was actually a sentient being who acted quite Optimus-like at times. Since he was created from Optimus's body (at least, a body that was intended for Optimus), I like to think of him as being Optimus's son. It's sad that they never met.

[AeonMagnus]

@zvermilyer3 Essentially accurate, as seen in Big Book of Masterforce. Except that fully-robot Ginrai wasn't equivalent to Optimus Prime living again, any more than Megatron's clone or False Convoy were. He was a robot with the personality of (human) Ginrai, wearing a body resembling Optimus Prime.