Where do Transformers come from, Daddy?

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Time Traveller
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Where do Transformers come from, Daddy?

Post by Time Traveller »

The one thing that throws collectors for a loop in generation one is the fact that much of the series was ecclectically assembled from bots coming from purchased molds. There was not one original figure to the line until 1986, and even that year there were "borrowed figures". These borrowings account for a lot of inconsistencies in the toys. Once you read this quick and hopefully useful run-down , you'll nod your head, and say, oh, i get it now.
Diaclone, by Takara, early 80's, almost all the figures came with little drivers. This explains a lot of random compartments. Diaclone really procreated transformers. Please note that some modifications were made to some figures, mostly colours, but the 1985 jets wings were all new. The following were originally Diaclone:
Autobot cars (except the movie cars)
Seeker jets
Jumpstarters
Dinobots
Optimus Prime & Ultra Magnus
Insecticons
Omnibots (no drivers)
Constructicons (no drivers)
Trainbots (Japan only)
Blitzwing and Astrotrain (no drivers)
Powerdashers

Microman, or Microchange, by Takara, mid 70's. The oldest of the Transformer "parents". This was a series of realistically scaled objects, and, randomly, the minicars. There was a lot of microman we didn't see as transformers. The "M" you see on the hood of gears, the side of huffer, and the side of brawn was a Microman logo

Megatron
Soundwave (and his original cassettes)
Blaster
Perceptor
Minicars (note: redecos never appeared like that in microman, i.e. pipes)
Browning (Japan only)
Microx (Reflector)

Toy Box, and Toy Co, miscellaneous companies produced electronic transforming toys, that were quickly devoured by hasbro. Neither had series, just random figures. Interestingly, Sky Lynx was never produced by its original company.

Shockwave (Toy Co)
Omega Supreme
Sky Lynx

Beetras, by Takatoku. They went out of business before making the fifth in the line. interestingly, Ransack never made it to production in Beetras, but did in transformers.

Deluxe Insecticons

Dorvack, by Takatoku. Another small line, we only missed one major character, "Bonaparte Tulcas". Again, taka died, and Hasbro devoured.

Whirl
Roadbuster

Macross, by Bandai, in association with matchbox (if i recall correctly) was a popular 80's robot toy, associated with robotech. Jetfire was originally a Macross Valkyrie, a transforming space fighter with supreme capabilities. Some g1 Jetfires still have the Valkyrie logo on them.

Jetfire

Mecha-Warriors, by Takara, yes, believe it. Four models, in red or blue. 480 Yen each.

Minispies

Finally , I leave you with this enigmatic tidbit. Metroplex was once rumored to have been in the works as a Diaclone toy, but the project was halted, likely because the cars were too big. Then, of course, hasbro had the minicars, so they pounced on it. I'm not sure what really happened here, but my guess is he was only a concept that sparked the idea for our metro. But hey, who knows? Think about it...


Hope this helps.

Yours,
TT
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Post by Shanti418 »

Sweet TT. Hopefully that helps out people. Way to do the time and research to type that out for everyone.
It's really kind of crazy, when you think about it. All these different robots, thrown together in the same kind of boxes and given new names just for the purpose of making a buck. And the cartoon and comic were simply ways to facilitate making that buck.
But when you look at those figures now, you see so much more. Starscream is more than the name of a repainted Diaclone figure. Shockwave, just some random electronic figure and NOT the coldly logical and ruthless Decepticon lieutenant/leader? Pshaw, I say. Pshaw.
Where did it all start? Do you guys think it's just about the toys, and that you're just hooked on robots that transform? Is it about precious childhood memories and the faint glow of nostalgia? Or do you feel that, given the decades of cartoons and comics, that TF has managed to transcend its beginnings as "toy line trying to make a buck" and is now "legitimate science fiction?"
Just some things to think about as you read TT's post and think about the sheer madness of it all. :)
So, in Transformers, Les Claypool is God?
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Post by Time Traveller »

to me, it's a religion, a way of life. this stuff is me. i think that it's evolved from cool transforming bots to a mythology, a pantheon of heroes and stories of their battles. granted hasbro isn't doing this because they love us, but if we didn't love transformers, they'd be out of business. and you're welcome by the way. that's why i call myself a transformerologist.
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