Seaspray was an Autobot Mini Vehicle released in 1985 with the second series of Generation 1. Seaspray transforms into a blue, white, and yellow two-rotor cargo hovercraft.
Origins
His mold was very likely originally designed by Akio Kitamura to be included in Takara’s Microman: Microchange line, but was never released in this capacity due to the line’s cancellation in early 1984. Unlike Diaclone, the Mini CAR robo assortment of Microchange (of which Seaspray was presumably to have been a part) were intended to represent toy vehicles rather than real ones, causing many of the figures to have somewhat distorted proportions. Seaspray’s US Patent, titled Reconfigurable toy boat (aka Transformers G1 Seaspray) was filed on Oct 25, 1984 [JP] (U.S. Patent No. USD290481 S).
Description
Seaspray is a generic cargo hovercraft with blue skirts, a white rear cabin, and a tall yellow spoiler on the back mounting two spinning three-blade rotors. He features three black rolling wheels under the hovercraft skirt that allow him to roll along the ground. Seaspray was released exclusively with the inclusion of a rubsign. The rubsign is accommodated by a shallow, square depression on the cabin, unlike 1984 releases, where the rubsign was typically placed over existing details, causing them to look out of place. His transformation is simple, and very similar to some of the other 1985 Minibots. The front of the vehicle is extended, then rotated to form the legs and feet, the arms rotate straight up from the shoulders, and the head is pulled up from the rear of the vehicle by tilting the rotor section back.
Date stamp location: Bottom of vehicle front
Rubsign location: top center of foward cabin
Collector Notes
Seaspray is a fairly sturdy figure, but his rotor blades are often broken, worn, or cracked.
Variants
Seaspray is does not have any major production variations in the US, however his date stamp evoloved over the original run, and several international market variants exist.
Type 1: Takara 1984 Japan
Type 2: Takara Co. Ltd. 1984 Japan
Type 3: Hasbro 1984 ©Takara Co. Ltd. 1984 Japan (on raised block)
Type 3CN: ©Hasbro 1984 [BLOCK] (on raised block), lighter yellow
Type ?FR: ??
Type ?GR: ??
Availability
Seaspray was available worldwide in 1985, and again in the US in 1986, this time with or without a randomly packed iron-on patch. He continued to be available Europe (this time likely supplemented by the Ceji-produced Type ?FR, see “Variants”, above), and was introduced in Greece (as the El Greco-produced Θαλασσόλυκος [Thalassólykos, Sea Dog... in the old sailor sense]) in 1986.
Case Assortments (Item#/Asst#): 1985: Mini Vehicles Asst. 2 (F5901/5710), 4 per 24; 1986: Mini Vehicles Asst. 3 (F5901/5711), 1 per 24, Mini Vehicles Asst. 3 with Iron-On Patch (F5901/5711.05), 1 per 24
MSRP: $2.99
Packaging: Blister card with instructions and Tech Spec on back, white border around vehicle photo (early 1985), or gray border around vehicle photo (mid 1985-)
Robot Points: ½ Autobot
Paperwork included (1986): none (1985), iron-on patch with “Prizes in Disguise” entry form (early 1986), “Look Inside for a Special Offer!” (late 1986)
Redecos & Retools
Seaspray was redecoed in 1993 as Generation 2 Seaspray, using a metallic blue finish on most of his skirt and forward cabin.
Character Bio
FUNCTION: NAVAL DEFENSE
“Be unyielding as the ocean waves and your enemies shall fall.”
| STRENGTH | INTELLIGENCE | SPEED | ENDURANCE | RANK | COURAGE | FIREPOWER | SKILL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 7 |
