Transformers Super-God Masterforce: God Ginrai

Presenting the Transformers Super-God Masterforce God Ginrai. With the pending release of the Xovergen TrailerForce TF-01 Robot Mode (Third Party Powermaster Optimus Prime), I thought that it would be nice to take a look at this classic Autobot before he became obsolete.


It took me a while to figure out whether or not my God Ginrai was the 1988 release of God Ginrai or the more popular 2002 re-issue of the Transformer. Search the web and you'll find wikis telling you that the difference is in the eyes of the smaller Ginrai - with the 2002 re-issue having blue eyes - 1988 had red eyes.This Ginrai had baby-blue eyes indicating it is the 2002 model.

It got confusing because I had purchased Ginrai loose and had to purchase Godbomber separately - which makes my Godbomber a 1988 model as the 1988 Godbomber was sold in a separate package. The 2002 Godbomber was sold as a set with Ginrai.

We're not going to debate the pros and cons of this particular Transformer because it's a classic which means it can't really do much but rocks our socks off.

The Masterforce concept was known as the Powermaster in the U.S.. In essence, this is not the story of giant-robots that come to Earth to defend it from the Decepticon - though there are a few robots that actually do known as Pretenders. Ginrai is actually the name of a Japanese immigrant to the U.S. who finds himself driving a Transtector - which in essence is an abandoned shell body of the legendary Autobot leader Optimus Prime (In essence, in this reality, Prime never came to Earth and is a separate character).

Anyway, Ginrai finds a pair of Masterforce bracelets in the cab of the truck he's assigned to - the Transtector - which imbues him with armor that allows him to merge with his truck.

This makes Ginrai a Powermaster - or an Autobot powered/run by a smaller being - in this case, the human known as Ginrai. This is a concept shared with the Headmasters - except the Powermasters transform into engines whereas the Headmasters become heads.

Of course all of this is unknown to Ginrai - including the fact that he's imbued with the Masterforce which allows him to combine. He transforms into his armored form and with the body of Optimus Prime purely by accident becoming a Godmaster (Lotta blasphemy in this cartoon, bear with me).

As a Godmaster, Ginrai comes armed with not one, but two "Superconductor Rifles". In this form, Ginrai can condense his "Chokon" power (Supposedly the Transtector has more power than the sun inside him) into an "Atomic Fire Guts" attack from one cannon which is a fire based energy attack. The actual toy unfortunately has limited articulation:

In a subsequent cartoon, Ginrai, now a reluctant member of the Autobots tasked with fighting the Decepticons and finding other Godmasters,  is transported by his Transtector back to his birthplace, and blasts the side of a mountain open to reveal his trailer:

Ginrai again by accident learns that he can combine with his trailer becoming Super Ginrai - a larger version of himself armed with an additional dual Particle Beam Cannons. His "Fire Guts" attack becomes a more damaging "Special Fire Guts" attack. 

Though not shown in the cartoons, Ginrai's trailer can also become a base:

Being the biggest, baddest kahuna on the planet, Super Ginrai becomes the reluctant leader of the Autobots and everything is fine till the younger brother of Fortress Maximus - Grand Maximus - comes over to tell the Autobots that they're all doomed because BlackZarak (Scorponok) is on his way to the planet. This forces them to start the development of the Godbomber (Apex Bomber), an Autobot Drone superweapon (That later gains sentience). Initially Godbomber was just a trailer. He only later reveals the ability to transform into a robot. 

Here's Godbomber in his robot form with his "Tachyon" Missile launcher or God Cannon:

The two eventually learn to fight side-by-side:

And form a really long trailer:

The two harness Super Ginrai's Chokon power to become God Ginrai who now uses the God Cannon and has the ability to transform his entire body in an ultimate strike attack called "God Fire Guts" which changes his entire body into a fireball.

God Ginrai also has another form where you lose the new arms and re-position the wings known - rather chickenly - as God Breaster - since he only has the God Breast attached:

Eventually the Transtector gains his own sentience based upon Ginrai's personality and goes to space - without the human - to join the greater war against the Decepticons. He's destroyed (Enter hideous laughter here) and is rebuilt as Victory Leo.

The full review and gallery can be found in Darklorddungeon.blogspot.com. 

We close with a look at the new Xovergen TrailerForce TF-01 Third Party Powermaster Optimus Prime which - personally - looks great, but in my opinion pay little homage to the original (that's a Battle-wagon, not a trailer) which is disappointing.