Over 20 Years of Transformers Toys

2009 will mark the 25th anniversary of the hit Transformers cartoon series and subsequent toy line. I have had the pleasure to collect figures from most of each toy line. With 25 years being such a landmark, I figure now would be a good time to take a look through those years to see how the toy line evolved and how each line differentiated itself from its predecessors as the Transformers made itself a niche in US toy history.

Note that this piece primarily focuses on the toys released in the United States and does not cover Japanese exclusive toys.

Transformers: Generation 1 (1984-1990)

In 1983, Hasbro came in contact with Japanese toy company Takara and their Diaclone and Micro Change toy series. Both toy series were toys of robots that could change into every day objects like cars and planes. Hasbro bought the rights to produce these toys and merged them all into one name: Transformers. Hasbro contracted Marvel Comics to develop a storyline and characters based on the toys, which evolved into a giant robot war between two factions: the heroic Autobots and evil Decepticons. Hasbro used the cartoon series to promote new figures and retire old ones. The largest display of such promotion was the 1986 Transformers Movie, which did an efficient job of literally killing off most of the older line of toys/characters and replacing them with the new line of toys/characters.

In 1984 the toys and cartoon series hit the United States. I began watching the show and asking my parents to buy me the toys. Back in those days, toys were more durable and had metal parts. Now that I look at my collection of Generation I toys, I see that most of the toys look nothing like their cartoon counterparts. The robots were blocky and featured limited articulation. The scale between characters was really off sometimes. But this first incarnation was responsible for setting up most of the main characters who would appear in later incarnations of Transformers. There was the brave leader of the Autobots Optimus Prime the red commercial truck and his trailer. Megatron was the merciless leader of the Decepticons who converted into a Walter P-38 pistol (A really cool toy that thanks to today's toy gun laws is pretty much illegal now). And for nearly every Megatron was a scheming Starscream trying to usurp Megatron of the Decepticon leadership. Toy collectors now seek the Generation I figures for their nostalgic value.

Transformers: Generation 2 (1992-1995)

The second incarnation was dubbed "Generation 2" and its predecessor retconned to "Generation 1." Generation 2 toys were revamped to include bright, vivid colors and electronic components featuring lights and sound. Several Generation 1 toys were recolored and resold. A comic book series introduced this new generation. The familiar characters of Generation I were redesigned based on the new color schemes and safety measures. With the new toy gun laws mentioned before in effect now, Megatron was now redesigned into a giant tank to appease the parents and law officers. Perhaps due to the sudden change in familiar characters, this toy line did not sell very well.

Transformers: Beast Wars (1996-1999) & Beast Machines (2000-2001)

"And now for something completely different." Recovering from the failure of Generation 2, Hasbro decided to start completely anew. Gone are the Autobots, Decepticons, vehicles, and robots in disguise. Now the transforming robots have a brand new storyline involving the heroic Maximals led by Optimus Primal and evil Predacons led by Megatron (no relation to the previous two Megatrons) battling on a prehistoric Earth. The corresponding cartoon was entirely computer generated, a new thing for its time that took some getting used to.

To go along with this reboot, all Beast Wars toys went from robot to animal. The animal modes did a great job of resembling their living counterpart, but the robot mode resembled robots with bits of animal sticking out of them. I didn't care much for these toys, but the cartoon brought forth creative plots and storytelling in addition to memorable characters like Rattrap and the ever-so-victimized Waspinator.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001-2002)

Takara wanted to go back into the robot to vehicle toys from 1984 so they built new toys based on that concept. US toy collectors paid high import prices to collect the Japanese releases. Hasbro picked up the line and subsequent cartoon series. Optimus Prime was retooled into a fire engine while Megatron, leader of the Predacons, had a new toy mold that enabled him to transform into at least six different modes (hand, bat, dragon, jet, car, and robot). One feature of this toy line included combining, where two different robot toys could combine into a large robot toy. With Robots in Disguise hitting US shelves, it was a lot cheaper to buy them here than importing from Japan.

Transformers: Armada (2002-2003)

The first of what would be dubbed "The Unicron Trilogy," Hasbro and Takara allied to form a single identical line of Transformers toys for worldwide release. The Autobots and Decepticons are once again fighting each other, and now they both seek out new gimmicks to augment their fighting forces. The gimmicks in question come in the form of Mini-Cons, tiny robots that can attach to their larger Transformers toys to activate features such as weapons, sound effects, lights, and even robot heads. Mini-Cons could also merge with fellow Mini-Cons to form giant weapons for a Transformers character to wield (a plot device of the cartoon). The concept of Mini-Cons brought forth a need for toy buyers to collect and catch them all, just like the Pokemon franchise.

Transformers: Energon (2003-2005)

The second part of "The Unicron Trilogy" featured two new sub-factions: Omnicons and Terrorcons. Both factions were able to produce weapons forged out of Energon, a valuable commodity in the cartoon. In relation to the toy line, the smaller toys of those two factions included giant weapons and chips made of translucent plastic that could be equipped by its larger toys. Certain Autobot toys could combine with each other to form larger toys while Decepticon toys could transform into alternative "attack modes."

Transformers: Alternators (2003-2007)

Alternators Transformers didn't have a specific story int he US. These toys were intended for older collectors who enjoyed the original Generation I toys. With most of the toys named after familiar Generation I characters, these toys transformed into 1:24 scaled vehicles based off real cars officially licensed from car manufacturers. Rubber tires and high attention to detail made these a high-end toy.

Transformers: Cybertron (2005-2007)

The finale of "The Unicron Trilogy" brought forth one final gimmick: Cyber Planet Keys. Transformers toys of this incarnation featured slots where an inserted key would reveal hidden weaponry just as Mini-Cons did. Each toy came with a key slot no matter the size. And some toys held specially colored keys to entice collectors.

Transformers: Classics (2006)

Intended as filler between the Cybertron line and the upcoming live action movie, Transformers Classics featured familiar characters from previous toy lines re-designed into new molds. This allowed older collectors a chance to catch up with their nostalgia without paying large amounts to buy the original toy and gave younger toy buyers a little history on their favorite toy line. On Classics toy to highlight is Megatron. Originally a realistic gun in Generation I, the Classics version gave him a gun mode but made the gun into a futuristic pistol that best resembles a Nerf toy gun.

Transformers: Star Wars (2006-Present)

Hasbro and George Lucas teamed up to make Transformers toys based off Star Wars vehicles and characters. An interesting concept, toys included X-Wing Fighters, Clone Gunships, and even Darth Vader transforming into a Death Star.

Transformers: Movie (2007-Present)

Michael Bay's summer blockbuster film Transformers brought forth renewed interest in the toy line. To coincide with the movie, Hasbro designed toys based on the on-screen characters and eventually many off-screen characters. The toys feature a realistic paint job to represent the real life vehicles of the film. Many toys also featured "Auto-Morph" technology, a gimmick that enabled easier and quicker transformation by having certain parts move to transformation in conjunction with moving certain other parts.

Transformers: Animated (2008-Present)

Following the movie came a new animated series and a reboot of all the characters. Now Optimus Prime is a new leader of a band of rag-tag Autobots protecting Detroit and the world from Megatron and the evil Decepticons. Contrary to previous lines of this century, Animated toys feature virtually no gimmicks. Instead, they made accurate toys to their cartoon counterparts with well planned transformations the gimmicks.

Transformers: Universe/Classics 2.0

Continuing from the Classics toy line and its discount Universe toy line, this new Universe toy line is meant to sell toys and characters of previous incarnations without a specific story. This line will usher in the toys meant to celebrate the 25th anniversary. Thanks to improved toy manufacturing technology, the blocky older toys will have a new look intended to reflect the cartoon models.

Transformers: Marvel Crossovers

Just like the Star Wars transforming toys, Hasbro teamed with Marvel comics to design toys based on Marvel superheroes and super villains. According to the fiction, characters like Spider-man, the Hulk, and Venom will wear special suits of alien technology that allows them to convert to vehicles that augment their superpowers.