The DNA kit is a great add on for animated Optimus. It completes both modes well, is durable and reasonably priced. Recommend it. Note that the Optimus figure and trailer here have had paint modification done, namely a less green yellow over the yellow parts, extra yellow detail on Optimus,wheels, taillights, the black on Optimus’ feet and the stripe on the trailer being painted with a darker silver as the stock version uses a bright silver that doesn’t match the stripe on the truck.
Vehicle mode is the complete fire truck occasionally seen in Animated. New wheels roll and it holds together well. Kinda annoying that the wheel attachment doesn’t match Optimus but eh.There is a minor clearance problem with the front of the trailer and a tab on the truck mode but it just means that the truck and trailer don’t sit 100% flush. I cut the tab since it doesn’t really affect anything in truck or robot mode but modification is not strictly necessary. It looks good from all angles and has multiple 5mm ports all over. No dedicated axe storage though. The trailer contains and requires the boots, gauntlets, wings and hammer for structural integrity. When put together, it’s solid as a rock
Faceplate accessory attches evurely and looks pretty good for the most part. IMO the silver part out of the box was too wide so I removed some paint to slim it down as seen above. Looks better this way.
Super mode is stable and looks good. May want to tighten Prime’s hips though. It’s not overly heavy or anything just that Animated OP has a tendency to be floppy.
You can leave the boots off for an Animated finale accurate look. Wonky proportions though.
Prime’s articulation isn’t impeded at all but the short thighs and long shins can limit posing. Also the gauntlets make two handed hammer poses tricky. Apart from the shoulder guns, the ladder can be held as a Cybertron-esque cannon.
The visor doesn’t stay on very well and comes off easily. I just store it inside the hammer. Plenty of space but it does rattle.
The Magnus hammer is a nice piece. It uses two 5 mm rods and two adapter pegs to make a long handle. Works well with Commander Magnus and so I ordered the standalone hammer release. The extended handle also works with the Solus Prime hammer I’d given Magnus.