Are Transformers Alive?

Optimus Prime in the cartoon, like virtually all Transformers in the cartoon, was a very one-dimensional archetype. Optimus Prime was the "heroic saint" archetype. If you want any decent character development for G1 Optimus Prime you need to look toward the G1 comics.

Japanese cartoons have much less trouble with killing and swear words. Headmasters was full of swearwords that would never have been allowed in the US. Keeping that in mind, it was no problem for the writers to have Dai Atlas kill several Decepticons.

For the Japanese fandom it's a big problem. As I said before, it's one of the most contentuous topics of discussion amongst Japanese-speaking fans, many of whom have long since condemned Dai Atlas' ruthless tactics. If you ask a group of Japanese fans, that would be the general consensus.

As for swearing, it's not a huge cultural taboo in Japanese as it is in English; swearing on TV, even in a kid's cartoon, is permitted so long as it's in context (i.e.: it is part of that character's portrayal and serves a purpose in storytelling). But Japanese TV shows will still bleep out some swear words that are used outside of this context, e.g.: if someone accidentally lets a swear word slip on live TV. But overall the Japanese aren't as uptight about swearing. Different language, different culture, different rules.