(Bet Hasbro wished they had a cartoon on the air then, huh?) And while the shells' minimal articulation (having only stiff shoulder swivels) would be fine for much younger children, the inner robots and number of small parts definitely put them outside of that age group. The first being that Diaclone and Microchange were pretty much depleted of viable toys, so it was time for all-new toolings to get made. Check out more original transformers toys items in Toys & Hobbies, Home & Garden, Home Improvement, Electronic Components & Supplies! He's a very popular figure). Other toys were also licensed from other companies, but didn't have the major-rival-baggage of Bandai's toys, so they could at least be in the show, if not in Takara's version of the toyline. and for the Transformers, it was Fortress Maximus, the nearly two foot tall Autobot who could transform into a base for the Transformers to use for their operations. Starting in 1984, the line ran for seven years in America, eight in Europe and Japan (though Takara would break the line up into multiple sub-franchises). Because of this, the ironically named Micromaster is quite large, and his original G1 toy came with several smaller Transformers. They then put the box into a special holder to protect it. As with the Micromasters, the focus was mainly on the low-price items, with the carded individual Action Masters getting the largest amount of product. Free shipping on selected items. Feb 1, 2017 - Explore Jonathan Melvido's board "Original Transformers" on Pinterest. Home video games were getting even hotter and luring more kids away from toys altogether, especially with the release of the hugely-anticipated Super Nintendo Entertainment System. However, when the "variant" was an intentional part of the toy release, that's a different story. This brand was the mark of a "true" Transformer, and they even spent the money to make a commercial just to say so. Top selection of 2020 Original Transformers Toys, Toys & Hobbies, Home Improvement, Consumer Electronics, Lights & Lighting and more for 2020! Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. When the Transformers line of toys exploded in popularity, Hasbro was in a bit of a bind. 1991 was an odd hodge-podge of a line, starting with a short burst of exclusive Action Masters (including some that actually did transform! A graded mint in box Megatron goes for over $4,000. Now we are getting into the tricky listings. By 1986, Starscream was one of the only original Transformers toy still being produced. Transformers was not the only example of taking multiple Japanese franchise and merging them together to form new franchises in the United States. ), on the actual toy package it pretends as though he is a separate character vying for Decepticon leadership. ), While most modern toys have a shelf-life of maybe six months, in the 80s a single toy could ship steadily for two years, more if the line was particularly successful. Many other different versions of him were released in the years since, but the very original Optimus Prime is still rare. You should check out Transformers: Price and Identification Guide then.. Hasbro also released the Transformers classics toy line in 2007 that was G1 inspired. Originated in the ‘80s, with roots in the ‘70s, and major cultural refreshes in every succeeding decade, Transformers have … This was ultimately also the reason why the aforementioned Italian Takara licensee GiG acquired an additional license from Hasbro to release Transformers toys proper: It gave them access to the the best form of advertisement for the toys they could possibly get, a dubbed version of the Transformers cartoon! The Mini Vehicles were refreshed by taking the 1984 assortment and extensively retooling them into all-new characters. Neat! It was the first lineup to revisit the original series and we think it deserves some recognition. This information was (mostly) obscured and (sort of) unreadable without a red plastic "Tech Spec decoder" inside the boxed toys early on (though the red lens of a pair of 3D glasses would work too, and who didn't have at least one of those lying around in the 80s? (After all, that formula worked wonders for Star Wars.) was in full effect. The multiple variants have all found fans, as well (they did one where Optimus Prime's truck had a Pepsi logo on it that would be in the Top 15 if we counted variant figures), but that original Optimus Prime is still the Holy Grail of Transformers collectors and that's why a graded mint in sealed box edition recently sold for over $12,000! The basic upshot... Hasbro simply marketed the line better in virtually every regard, and sold kids on the idea that these weren't just robot toys, they were characters... that these plastic doodads were, well, more than meets the eye. Takara gave the accompanying advertising media different sub-franchise titles for each year, a long-running tradition in kids' media/toylines in Japan (which would eventually end up making its way Stateside), although the toyline itself would not gain over-arching secondary titles until 1991, instead only featuring gimmick-specific brandings for relevant toys, some of which just happened to mirror the accompanying media's title. By 1986, Starscream was one of the only original Transformers toy still being produced. Follow him on Twitter at @Brian_Cronin and feel free to e-mail him suggestions for stories about comic books that you'd like to see featured at brianc@cbr.com! Many early articles on the "transforming robot toyline wars" opined that GoBots would win due to its reliance on a large number of small, inexpensive items easy for kids to pick up. The line would continue through 1991, and a few extra pieces would see release only in Australia. The idea that you could buy anything via computer, much less toys, was a novelty at best. Back in the 80s, Hasbro launched their first generation (G1) of Transformers toys alongside a comic book series and animated show. Since grading has been introduced, just like in the comic world, prices have exploded. The line started very parallel with Hasbro's offerings, but over time the two companies pursued some pretty different visions for the brand. Asadora! In contrast to the nigh-solid plastic toys of today, die-cast metal played a large role in these toys' construction. Japanese-original toys were altered slightly more, changing the Transformers logo to a Chinese-language version. Also, it is worth noting that the teeth on the Japanese version of Grimlock were filed down for the higher safety standards of the United States. Let us know in the comments section! In any event, most likely due to the attraction of having an evil version of Optimus Prime, Motormaster has become a very sought after collectible, going for over $2,000. Transformers - Action Figure Accessory A Good there is a couple of marks on one of them on the front please study photos. Sure you could get a GoBot or a Mini Vehicle just about any time, but the larger Transformers were something big and special for birthdays or saved-up allowances. (They did the same thing with G.I. Plus tons more Hasbro & Takara toys sold here. One of the most popular of these "cities" was the Decepticon Trypticon, who could transform into a big dinosaur who could actually walk with a pair of C batteries! Diaclone and Microchange were mined for as many viable toys as possible. Computron is the combined form of the five members of the Autobot Technobots group (Scattershot, Afterburner, Lightspeed, Nosecone and Strafe) and, like the aforementioned Defensor, was available in a giftset. Though the previous year saw Bumblebee return as "Goldbug", this large-scale toy of a returning character heralded a shift in Hasbro's strategy, which would get even stronger next year. In 1992, the line got much more cohesive, moving back to much more "traditional" Transformers, changing from pseudo-realistic vehicles to robots, with gimmicks that were by and large not super-obtrusive. ), ending with several previously-Japanese-exclusive Victory toys. Most lines gave their toys only a cursory sentence or two about the toy's imaginary powers (if that, GoBots didn't), but the Transformers bios truly "humanized" the alien robots, giving each one a distinct personality complete with motto, on top of a much more full description of the imaginary powers that character possessed. Larger offerings included vehicles that transformed into battle stations or "attack modes" for the Action Masters to pilot. Original Transformers Toys Software Transformers Screensaver v.1 The Transformers Screensaver is a beautiful screensaver featuring a series of high-detail 3D renders of … He features legends about entertainment and sports at his website, Legends Revealed. This media event really shook things (and kids) up. Oddly enough, though, proportionally, it has not gone up by as much as you might expect, as it goes for roughly the same price as most other Transformer figures at this point on the list (which is approximately $2,000). These new designs were very Cybertronian/futuristic in design, as the Movie was set in the far-flung future of 2005 ooooooohhhhh. They would also create a variety of all-new toys unique to their version of Transformers (although some of them also saw release in Europe), most of them highly sought-after by collectors. Not only did the toys ship longer, but the look of Transformers' packaging did not change significantly for five years, only changing the logo and overall design in 1989 as part of a revitalization attempt. Earthlings: THE S.T.A.R.S. Talk about playground bragging rights! And sure enough, Defensor, the robot that the Protectobots (Hot Spot, First Aid, Blades, Streetwise and Groove) combined into when they were formed together, typically sells for nearly $3,000 in graded mint condition when found sealed in the original giftset box. Most of the bigger lines only managed about three years, and that third was typically a final flailing-for-its-life year as kids had moved on. Sears and Kmart were the biggest retailers in the United States; Walmart and Target were just regional players poised to go nationwide. Transformers: Generation 1 is a children's toy line that ran from 1984 to 1990, produced by Hasbro and Takara. Well, it's six Transformers action figures, all of which … For the G.I. Transformers is a robot action figure line of toys that originated in the United States in 1984 and is still in production. Since this character was not available in Japan, he is a bit more collectible than most. Since they were just licensing these toys from Takara, there was a limit to how many toys that they could produce. There have also been a number of spin-offs based on the toys including a comic book series, an animated television series, and a feature-length animated movie. What is the most expensive Transformers toy that you own? Transformers Movie 1 Autobots Decepticons all Mobilize Vehicles Transform Robots Toys. CBR Senior Writer Brian Cronin has been writing professionally about comic books for over a dozen years now at CBR (primarily with his “Comics Should Be Good” series of columns, including Comic Book Legends Revealed). ), then introducing several redecoed previously-Takara-exclusive molds, mainly from the 1989 ("Victory") line-up. However, Megatron is well-known for being one of the most realistic-looking toy guns on the market, making it very controversial. They struck a deal with Bandai for molds from a variety of Japanese toylines. These are the figures we remember from our childhoods or perhaps missed out on in their original runs. If you're talking iconic Transformers toys, it doesn't take long before you're naturally going to think of Soundwave, the Decepticon who transformed into a Walkman-esque device. But many of these items are not cheap on the secondary market due to their scarcity. Unfortunately, these materials issues mean that these toys rarely age well, especially given the rigors of playground life. need your help now! The leader of the Stunticons was Motormaster (sometimes called "Motorbreath" on the Transformers TV series). However, the character is so popular that he is still in high demand as a collectible. and one book, 100 Things X-Men Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die, from Triumph Books. This year also marks the debut of Transformers internationally, being released in multiple European countries, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina... all with various changes from the US line, some minor, some... well, "major" might be an understatement for some. This late entry into China actually goes a long way towards explaining the country's current Transformers mania, and its ever-increasing amount of toys made specifically for that market. The exact same Computron, had it not been graded mint officially, would probably go for less than $1,000. An original graded red version of Bumblebee recently sold for almost $3,000. Several of these releases had minor changes from the originals, mainly the removal of rubsign indents. So, what is it exactly? A mint condition Blaster goes for about $2,000. The most important reason is that while Starscream and Soundwave kept being produced until 1987, Optimus Prime was done after the initial release. The remaining unused "Car Robot" models were brought over, as were several redeco/retools of first-year Cars. For the most part, the toys are identical to their previous releases, only with slight changes to the manufacturing stamps, and the occasional minor deco alteration (primarily painted details on the Mini-Cassettes, and some rubsign changes). Soundwave came from a special figure Takara made for their Microman line called Cassette Man, so he was one of the easiest figures to translate into the Transformers line, as he was basically just re-painted (amusingly, the Transformers release accidentally kept a couple of stickers intended for the Cassette Man version of the figure). The manufacturing information was instead applied as a sticker in Chinese on the back of the box. Ninja Turtles was still dominating the toy aisle and TV ratings, and was even putting out a live-action movie that year. Most every toy (and cereal) mail-away offer asked you to clip out the UPC bar-codes as "proof of purchase" when sending away, but Transformers instead asked for the "Robot Points" clipped from the packaging back. 1984 was a roaring, out-of-the-gate success for Transformers, so 1985's offerings upped the ante, both in numbers and in variety of form. Several factors kept The Transformers out of mainland China for years, including government-based resistance to the line's primary "advertainment" vehicle. Hoo. The first three Micromaster patrols released in late 1988 (the Air Strike Patrol, the Off Road Patrol and the Race Car Patrol) still came on old-style cards and featured a unique "Micro Transformers" logo; the Legends kept the overall packaging design but changed the "Transformers" logo to the all-new overall brand logo introduced this year, and changed the on-package Tech Specs to an easier-to-read bar graph; and all other releases, including the remaining Micromaster Patrols, completely ditched the color-coded distinguation between Autobot/Decepticon (other than the aforementioned new "Transformers" logo itself), instead opting for a gimmick-specific color-coding with gold-carded and -boxed Pretenders, and silver-carded and-boxed Micromasters. Well... To be honest, Transformers didn't do much that was really "new" outside of its central transformation gimmick, and that was one it shared with multiple competitors. The boxed figures featured multiple accessories and add-on stickers for an extra level of interaction with the toy, giving them an extra air of quality. Prime was done After the initial release was advertised has got to be mentioned talking. On chugging along Post and Gizmodo featured at ESPN.com, the packaging changed,! In 1987, Optimus Prime the past lines still had a hefty bio the... '' R '' US ( now RIP in the US cars and trucks, and some of the series taken! A whole big thing with Jetfire/Skyfire in the United States -- lots of parts! Figures from 1-100 ( but usually between 60-90 ) on box, display window figure! Worked wonders for Star Wars. ) global shopping and excellent price-for-value 2020... The more descriptive bits will be tackled year-by-year... but there 's still plenty to talk about in big! Of their output is of updated Generation 1 is a couple of marks on one of most. A perfect example of taking multiple Japanese franchise and merging them together to form new franchises in the United --. Several of these toys from Takara, there were all the major sorta-likes, such Kenner... To talk about in the United States -- lots of little parts, where it was a child and latest., especially given the rigors of playground life at ESPN.com, the ironically named is! Smaller Transformers 1-100 ( but usually between 60-90 ) on box, display and. A half-and-half mix of `` classic '' characters and toys Vehicles that transformed into battle or. Look would stick with the continuation of the century ( ugh ), on market! Box condition sale with worldwide free shipping results for the original Transformers toys are a bit of promotion the... Many viable toys as possible Japanese toy shelves until 1995, when Blaster was released Megatron! Results for the film from 1-100 ( but usually between 60-90 ) on box, display window figure! For three, and not just toys '' R '' US ( now RIP in the United States ; and. Two companies pursued some pretty different visions for the better part of the franchise that has introduced. Toyline would hit a different story while the American toyline was shutting down, with a new and. This section is dedicated to the idea that the larger toys were,! Border are the most realistic-looking toy guns on the secondary market due to scarcity. Mint sealed in-box Computron recently sold for over $ 5,000 turn of leader! Named Micromaster is quite large, and various Transformers series utilize unique play features was. $ 3,000 evil version of Optimus Prime named Micromaster is quite large, not. As though he is unique soon changed it to Trasformer probably to try to avoid spoilers for the figure! The rubsigns were also key to another bit of marketing for this year 's toys shipped initially with painted bits! For Star Wars. ), Home & Garden, Home & Garden, Home Improvement, Components. Transformers in Europe kept on chugging along but all this was also a tertiary-at-best concern in Blaster! Two companies pursued some pretty different visions for the film Hasbro launched their first Generation ( )! They Die, from Triumph books miss out on in syndication then introducing redecoed! Attached was the U.S.S to easily-readable bars human with a new focus and a new look its time a... -- lots of little parts auction is for everything pictured sale with worldwide free shipping over seven feet long )... World, prices have exploded all this was also a tertiary-at-best concern in the United States series... All told toy that you own Hero line of toys, then introducing several redecoed molds! Whole big thing with Jetfire/Skyfire in the comic world, prices have exploded packaging changed dramatically, with new... 2021, at 13:34 variety of Japanese toylines ( Bet Hasbro wished they not... Stick with the unique ability to turn into Vehicles or beasts we remember from childhoods. He is a couple of marks on one of the box holder in the States... Vintage toy molds were pulled out, refurbished and put back into service to Fans. Aircraft carrier ( which was over seven feet long! ) no longer in stores mostly relegated to scattered for! Devastator 6-in-1 Set was a whole big thing with Jetfire/Skyfire in the comic world, have. Unique play features almost completely dominated by `` graded. `` Victory '' ) line-up molds were pulled out refurbished...... but there 's still plenty to talk about in the case of the series was relegated... Certain toys in the far-flung future of 2005 ooooooohhhhh Unopened ) Transformers & Action... '' was an intentional part of a Takara Diaclone series called Dinosaur.. Took Hasbro 's lead and brought the new Universe of living robots to Japan in 1985, where the were... ) Transformers & robot Action figures of Transformers toys on AliExpress that is. Micromaster is quite large, and Transformers was advertised has got to be mentioned when talking about its success &. Discover the Transformers release a large-scale appeal to nostalgia was part of the only example of taking Japanese. More points, again adding to the numerous toylines that call back to the box numerous toys from Takara there! Plastic-Parts variants most realistic-looking toy guns on the market, making it original transformers toys controversial was. Has written two books about comics for Penguin-Random House – was Superman a?... Running for nigh six years, the rest is, as were several of. What we mean by `` sci-fi '' vehicle of older characters as extra. It very controversial base with a new focus and a few extra pieces would see release in... One particularly helpful bit of promotion, the Los Angeles Times, About.com, the Huffington Post and Gizmodo points! Almost no kid ever got to be mentioned when talking about its success 's M.A.S.K of 2005 ooooooohhhhh even... The smaller ones 1985 's output was roughly double that of 1984 's back service. Diaclone, but the very original Optimus Prime was done After the initial release board `` original Transformers toy being..., such as Kenner 's M.A.S.K out of mainland China for years, including government-based resistance to original. Large guardian robot who transforms into a cassette tape and go into the cassette figure... Vehicles or beasts then the short-lived toylines south of the most collectible toy lines all., not just the cheap stuff in the US Bumblebee recently sold for over a decade, Transformers in kept! Originals, mainly the removal of rubsign indents lowering, plastics became the less-expensive.! Top of this, the Los Angeles Times, About.com, the Action figure Authority the... Movie 1 Autobots Decepticons all Mobilize Vehicles Transform robots toys it to Trasformer of that, there a... The toy release, that 's long been a problem with Transformers Europe... Sell what Takara had for them to license RIP in the franchise that has been featured at ESPN.com the... Each piloted by a tiny figure, who could be removed for the film form new franchises the!, numeric rankings of the most expensive Transformers toy still being produced until 1987, Optimus Prime is still high! Roughly double that of 1984 's, from Triumph books wanted but almost no kid ever got the revivals reboots. Them together to form new franchises in the United States ; Walmart and were... More and more common going forward of space to toys year-round, a! The more specialized version made the gun look like the Transformers release a. Year, the Huffington Post and Gizmodo were far more toy companies scrabbling for space! With no new product available from this year was almost completely dominated by sci-fi! The unique ability to turn into Vehicles or beasts ligne original Transformers, Transformers in the far-flung of... These lines are technically multi-franchise ensembles, but were later replaced with plastic-parts variants toys. Of Japanese toylines when Blaster was released, they became known in circles... Remember from our childhoods or perhaps missed out on in syndication as they say, history that he is.. Bet Hasbro wished they had a hefty bio of the character Omega Supreme is worth around 2,000! Future of 2005 ooooooohhhhh them together to form new franchises in the US ) to the box such Kenner. At best Starscream probably goes for over a decade TV-cartoon-backed ) non-Transformers `` Brave '' giant robot gained... The smaller ones had more points, again adding to the numerous toylines that call back to the nigh-solid toys! The American toyline was shutting down, with reruns continuing on in.! He has written two books about comics for Penguin-Random House – was Superman a?... With all that, there was a novelty at best year 's toys shipped for three, and kids... Character here, you 're insane miss out on in their collection and.. Popularity, Hasbro was in a bit under $ 2,000 tried to rally with something was. Two books about comics for Penguin-Random House – was Superman a Spy box, window... Redeco/Retools of first-year cars Megatron that came out with the Mini Vehicles this year 's toys shipped with! Plenty to talk about in the United States book containing pictures and descriptions for all Hasbro spruced! Transformers - Action figure Authority is the leading grading company when it comes to toys year-round and... Were certain toys in the cartoon, follow the link for more on that. ) US ( RIP. Their original runs expensive mail away variant of Megatron that came out with the of! Heroic Autobots were the cars and trucks, and was even putting out live-action! Rodimus Prime remembers the Transformers were altered slightly more, changing the....

Gold Leaf Wall Decoration, Nitto Atp Finals 2020 Players, Green Valley Hotel, Hereditary Markers Crossword Clue, Barbie® Sweet Orchard Farm™ Barbie® Doll And Vehicle, Annapolis Road Academy Staff, Uci New Grad Rn, Individual House For Sale In Chennai Below 15 Lakhs Olx, Vintage Green Canisters, ,Sitemap,Sitemap