Well, folks, it finally happened. Optimus Prime has had enough of fighting robots, saving the universe, and transforming into a truck. So, he decided to take a vacation… in the Capcom’s Monster Hunter universe. That’s right. In a bizarre twist of interdimensional chaos, our favorite Autobot leader has scanned the terrifying Rathalos, and what do we get? Liolaeus Prime—a fire-breathing, winged Optimus with a flair for medieval weaponry. Because, why not?
Optimus lands in the Monster Hunter world [JP] thanks to a glitch in the ol’ Space Bridge (classic), looks around, and realizes that a giant red dragon is probably a better disguise than, say, a big rig. Naturally, he scans the Rathalos, and boom!: we’ve got a new hybrid warrior with wings, claws, and the ability to roast his enemies while still preaching about freedom and justice.
Now, Liolaeus Prime [JP] has two modes. First, there’s the Monster Mode, where our beloved Autobot turns into something that looks like it crawled straight out of a Monster Hunter nightmare. He’s got a fully posable head, neck, wings, and legs, and—get this—he can open and close his mouth. Perfect for when he’s contemplating deep philosophical questions or just roaring at Decepticons.
In Robot Mode, he gets serious. Optimus ditches the claws and fangs for a massive sword and shield. But here’s where it gets better: the sword and shield can combine into a giant axe. Because, of course, Optimus can’t just have one weapon; he needs to dual-wield and then combine them for maximum carnage.
The pièce de résistance? The Matrix of Leadership isn’t just any Matrix this time. No, no. When Optimus scanned Rathalos, some mysterious gemstone inside reacted with his Matrix and turned it into something that granted him the power to soar through the skies and control fire at will. So, if you thought Optimus Prime was already overpowered, imagine him now: flying around, setting things on fire, wielding an axe, and probably giving some epic speech while he’s at it.
And don’t forget, this isn’t just for show. Whether in Monster Mode or Robot Mode, Liolaeus Prime is ready to unleash chaos in whichever battle you throw him into. Fancy taking on a T-Rex-sized dragon robot with a sword-axe hybrid? Be our guest. Need him to strike a heroic pose? Those posable wings and neck will make sure he looks fabulous while doing it.
As for the price of this fiery, sword-swinging, dragon-bot fusion? Well, you’ll have to cough up a little cash to own a piece of this absurd, amazing collaboration. And that’d be 7,150 Japanese money with tax [JP], which is around 50 in greenbacks. I’d say it’s a fair price for a long-awaited crossover which is a timely collab, btw, since Transformers is marking its 40th anniversary this and Monster Hunter is celebrating its 20th year of existence.
Images: Takara Tomy [JP].
