Prowl (09) was released in
Japan in July, 2002 and sold for ¥3,000. Prowl is the
second re-issue figure
(#2) released in this new stylized packaging.
The box is made of corrugated cardboard with a front flap that is
secured by two strips of velcro. The box
is mostly White with Gold trim and measures
8.75"Hx6.75"Wx2.375"D. The
"Transformers" lettering is embossed on the front, which is a nice touch
along with an anime Prowl created by Dreamwave Productions.
The writing on the ends of the
box (front & sides) allow it to be displayed on a
shelf in different ways, horizontally &
vertically. The top & bottom is mostly printed in English
and each side panel can be displayed vertically or horizontally.
The horizontal panel is mostly in English whereas the
vertical is mostly in Japanese characters.
Opening the "door" reveals several things--a
nice layout with parts secured in a
molded plastic container and data cards attached to the backside of the
front flap. The cellophane cover is framed nicely with an
Autobot symbol on the front/top and "Prowl" printed on the
front/bottom.
The backdrop is Blue-Green
with Prowl’s name above the toy and Collection 1 below it.
At the very bottom of the backdrop is "Transformers". Each
accessory/weapon has a label either above or below the part.
Prowl looks very nice in this package
as did Meister!
The card catalog is a nice addition to this new
re-release of Transformers. It’s almost entirely in Japanese with
most of the page titles in English. The index page is glued to the
front cover of the box and outlines the contents of the card catalog.
This catalog can be removed from the box due to the perforated edge
and can be stored in a 6-ring binder, which is popular in Japan.
The following items were
included with this release:
1.
Prowl (Vehicle Mode)
2. Laser Gun
3. Missiles (x3)
4. Missile Launcher (x2)
5. Character Card
6. Sticker Sheet
7. Booklet
The following information is contained in the
booklet:
- Prowl Data
File
- 16 Megatron Data File
- Transformers
Season-1 Ep.Guide (10-18)
- Fold-out
Dreamwave Poster
- Fold-out
Catalog of Season-1 Destrons
(16-24)
Prowl's Weapons
WEAPONS:
Prowl's weapons are identified
as Missile Launcher, Laser Gun, and Missiles. The
launchers (Grey) attach to Prowl's head/shoulders. The Laser Gun can
be placed in either of his hands.
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VEHICLE MODE:
Prowl is a
Black & White Datsun 280Z Police vehicle comprised of
both plastic and die-cast metal. The tires are made of rubber and
attached to the chrome-painted wheel hubs. The lower-half
of the car is painted Black which is the only other color used on this figure.
Prowl rolls freely and smoothly on any
surface. There are a few stickers pre-applied at the factory
which is identified in all of my photos on this page. A White
strip is placed on the hood which has a Blue & Yellow shield as well as
a rub-sign. The word "Police" is placed on the front where a
license plate would be located. A Black & White sticker is placed
on both doors with the words "Highway Patrol Police" which also has the
Blue & Yellow shield. The rear of the vehicle has two stickers
divided down the center which splits the word "Police" on the license
plate. The Red & Yellow taillights are also part of these
stickers.
Prowl has tinted windows
on the front & rear and there aren't any windows on either side. A
set of Red police lights is affixed to the roof. Prowl is a nice
looking car and I don't have any complaints since it's put together
quite well.
I chose not to
apply any stickers to Prowl which is why the photos appear to
be plain. For those who are interested,
Prowl
measures 4.75"Lx1.75"Wx1.5"H in vehicle mode.
VEHICLE MODE
ROBOT MODE: To transform
Prowl into robot mode,
separate the rear-half of the vehicle to expose his legs. Flip the
car over and separate the robots fists from the pegs connected to the
front axle. Rotate the arms upward at the joint closest to the
wheels so that they are extended. Next, rotate the shoulder
sections (front wheel panels) outward 90°--should be able to partially
see Prowl's head and arms extended forming the letter "T". Flip
the car over once again and fold down the front of the vehicle
90°--Prowl's head is clearly visible. Tilt Prowl's head slightly,
then lift the Black tab at his pelvic region then rotate the lower-half
of the robot 180°, and replace the pelvic tab into place. Tilt
down the roof to set Prowl's head back into place. Next, fold down
the lower part of the vehicle to create his feet. As with Meister,
separate the feet to provide a stable base when in Robot Mode.
Rotate the shoulders 90° so that the wheels are at the back. Fold
down the arms at the shoulder and adjust the doors/wings outward.
The last thing to do is attach the Missile Launchers to the peg holes on
either side of his head and Laser Gun to either fist.
In Robot Mode, Prowl
stands at 4.25"Hx3.75"Wx2.25"D.
ROBOT MODE
Prowl has
a Silver painted face up to his eyes, a White helmet, and Chrome-Red
painted "horns". The details are decent and overall appearance
rocks! The color scheme, tight joints, and attachments make Prowl
stand out amongst Meister. This is how a re-issue should be
produced.
Overall, Prowl gets two thumbs up in my book!!
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