Super-God Masterforce God Ginrai Reissue Review

For our Transformers celebration, we’re taking a look back at the 2001 reissue of Takara’s C-310 AKA: God Ginrai!

 

In 1988 I remember a new Optimus Prime toy came out called Powermaster Optimus Prime. What I didn’t know is that in Japan they got a deluxe version called Super Ginrai that featured a die cast truck cab, translucent windows, retractable fists in super mode and even chromed parts. To top all of this off, they also had another character called Godbomber. Godbomber could transform into an extended trailer for Super Ginrai and could become armor to transform Super Ginrai into God Ginrai.

Having never gotten Godbomber in the US, I jumped at the chance to get the God Ginrai set when it was offered in 2001.

Here we see the box has been reproduced from the original with only a few minor changes. On the front there is a black character box under God Ginrai’s right foot that doesn’t appear on the original. The back has a few more noticeable differences in the fact that is doesn’t have the Tech Specs for Super Ginrai, Godbomber and God Ginrai. The box shows many of God Ginrai’s features as well as the battle artwork for that time period showing Pretenders and Godmasters/Powermasters.

 

Inside the box we get a Tech Spec card for God Ginrai which has the box artwork and shows the toy in robot and vehicle modes.

 

Here is Super Ginrai in vehicle mode showing off the far superior truck cab. The front half is die cast metal with translucent blue windows. This is much better looking than the original US Powermaster Optimus that was all plastic with stickers for the windows. You’ll notice that while the smokestacks are chromed, they are also shorter. Apparently this was changed back in 1988 for Super Ginrai. The biggest changes in the trailer are the retractable fists and the silver plastic color on the sides and top.

 

 

Notice the area that Ginrai (Hi-Q in the states) plugs into the cab. The extra paint apps really make it look better than just having a large grey area around the grill.

 

Here is Ginrai himself, You can see that from the front he looks much like Hi-Q, but from the back you see he has a chromed part as well.

 

Now we see the robot form of Ginrai’s Transtector (In Japan, the Headmasters and Godmasters were humans that controlled a non-sentient transformer body, unlike in the US where they were partners with a sentient Transformer. The Transformer bodies in Japan were called Transtectors)

Like in vehicle mode, there are a couple of changes here too. The thighs are painted silver rather than have a silver sticker over blue legs. Also you’ll note that the Transtector’s eyes are blue. This is a change from the vintage Ginrai/Optimus as both of those had red eyes.

 

Here we have the fully formed Super Ginrai. You can see here that unlike Powermaster Optimus, the arms are sclupted all around whereas the vintage Powermaster had the side of his arms next to his body flattened and hollowed out. You can also see that the thighs are chromed on this version rather than the grey color Powermatser Optimus had.

 

Close up of the retractable fist

 

Super Ginrai fully armed. Notice that the double barreled guns are a silver color that match the sides of the trailer.

 

Battle Base Mode, just like all the vintage counterparts, Ginrai can sit on the double barreled guns.

 

Now we have Godbomber seen here in his trailer form.

 

The missles to his gun are chromed

 

God Ginrai in vehicle mode. Godbomber can attach to Super Ginrai by separating the legs/end of trailer and plugging Godbomber’s T-cross hitch into the hollows of the legs/trailer.

 

Godbomber can also be towed by the cab alone. Due to his modular nature, you can configure the wings differently and incorporate some of Super Ginrai’s weapons.

 

Here’s all of the Godbomber Robot/Armor parts. His “transformation” is much like early Diaclone “Multiforce 14” or more modern Transformers Kreo sets where you have to separate all of the parts to make the new form.

 

Godbomber in robot mode. The only articulation he has is his arms can rotate up and down and his head can swivel to look up. This amount of articulation just barely rivals Super Ginrai’s articulation, but a lot of the G1 Transformers can be described as bricks anyway so it’s not that much of a problem.

 

Godbomber stands a bit taller than Ginrai’s Transtector

 

Here we see the fully formed God Ginrai! He’s beefier and taller than Super Ginrai with Godbomber providing larger feet and chest armor along with the wings on the back piece. The arms even become slightly longer with the added pieces.

God Ginrai is a neat figure, though I do have to point out that like I said earlier, he is a brick with only arm articulation (Slight leg articulation if you spread the feet apart) I also find that most non transforming God Ginrai toys look better with longer, exaggerated wings and better proportions. But if you like Transformers that combine or have fond memories of Powermater Optimus, then I highly recommend God Ginrai. He’s definitely an upgrade to Powermaster Optimus Prime and the inclusion of Godbomber is a fun addition.

This was the first Transformer I ever pre-ordered (I think it was around $116 at the time) This release was heavily overproduced eventually being clearanced out for $60 or less. Hasbro also released this a little later as Powermaster Optimus Prime with Apex Armor in the US (which was also eventually clearanced out at TRU for around $35) So it shouldn’t break the bank to pick up a nice looking complete version.