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the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2011 12:06 am
by billprestonesquire
when i started getting into the history and lineage of Transformers i traced it back to 1964, when Hasbro released their 12" GI Joe Action series of action figures. this is some of my personal collection. many of you already know all of this stuff but i put in some notes for those that don't:

!964-Hasbro releases GI Joe Action series of figures (this is actually where the term "action figure" came from. Hasbro did not want to call them "dolls" because they were afraid boys would not buy them):

GI Joe Action series:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 9fe3788fc4

early 70's-Takara licenses the body of the Hasbro GI Joe mold and produces their own New GI Joe line (note that the heads are a lot more "manga" like):

Takara New GI Joe:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 06ef05d497

1972-Takara does not find success in New GI Joe and decides to make some changes. they name their new series Henshin Cyborg. as a side note, the word "henshin" means "change" or "transform" in Japanese. this is the beginning of Takara's multi-form toy idea, as the Henshin Cyborg figure has multiple limbs with different features that you can swap out. there were even sets you could buy to use part of the Henshin Cynorg figure and transform it into a motorcycle.

Henshin Cyborg:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... ee074c55e1

1974-Takara decides that Japanese market needs smaller toys because they are smaller people (it's okay, i can say this because i am half-Japanese). they take the idea of Henshin Cyborg and shrink him down to about 4". the iconic Microman line is born (this toy line is licensed by Mego Corp and brought to the United States as the famous Micronauts:

Microman
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 809310c832

1982-After many years of success with the Microman toy series Takara relaunches it in 1980 renaming it New Microman. two years later they introduce the Micro Change sub-series. this along with the sub-series Car Robots from the Diaclone line is where we get most of the Generation 1 Transformers that we all came to know and love.

Micro Change
part 1
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 152f76b84c
part 2
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 81584f105a

1982-Takara simultaneously launches the Car Robot sub-series from the Diaclone that they launched 2 years previous. (the "drivers' or "pilots" {called Inch-Man} from this series are a further shrinking of the original toy. you can see the influence of the Microman on the little pilots. they are also the reason why so many of the original G!'s had usable cockpits, even the Dinobots.)

Car Robots and Diaclone:
part 1
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 5604c369d4
part 2
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 12e01e0642

1984-Hasbro and Takara come full circle as they decide to work together. Takara has the product designs and Hasbro comes up with the story and cartoon series and Generation 1 Transformers is born, only to die a horrible death 2 years later when Optimus Prime and many of my other favorites were lead to the slaughter to make room for a whole new series of ugly toys (ok, that last part is my own personal rant. let me have it).

Transformers Generation One:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... b355b6476f

now here's some Watch Q's and Watch Robos for your enjoyment.

Watch Q/Watch Robo
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 29afeba7eb

one of these days i'll post photos of all the Binaltech, Alternity, Masterpiece, 3rd Party, and other various junk i got. but for now this should suffice.

these are my own personal photos and i do NOT give anyone permission to use them, especially for any EBAY auctions. thanks for looking and i hope you like 'em!
:BOT: :BOT: :BOT:

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2011 12:25 am
by billprestonesquire
i only started cataloguing everything about 2 months ago so there's a good chunk of stuff missing, like Fortress X, the Great Diaclone Base, VF-1S Valkyrie and Matsushiro G1 Jetfire, Pre-TF Omega Supreme, all the Henshin Cybrog-Cyborg Riders, and some other junk. i'll try to get them up within the next few months.

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2011 1:42 am
by Burn
Very very impressive mate. Great to see such history there and it tells a great story of how Transformers came about.

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Fri May 27, 2011 3:00 pm
by billprestonesquire
hey, thanks a lot. it took me a very LONG time to get examples of each line in the history. i think Combat Joe was the hardest. there is little to no information out there about this series. and i've never seen a boxed version. Takara relaunched the series in the early 80's changing the head molds yet again. so, the problem is that when you talk about Takara's "vintage" Combat Joe figures, most people think you mean the relaunched series and don't even know the originals existed. i have never even seen one still in the package. if anyone has any info like photos...or one for sale for that matter, i have been desperately looking for years!!!

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2011 9:33 am
by fenrir72
I can't access the pictures bro' :sad:

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2011 12:23 pm
by billprestonesquire
fenrir72 wrote:I can't access the pictures bro' :sad:


working on it. thanks for the heads up. i had no idea that there was a Public link i had to use instead. i'll switch them all now.

thanks again!

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2011 12:43 pm
by billprestonesquire
done, and done

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Sun May 29, 2011 6:01 pm
by craggy
WOW! I've never seen pictures of a good lot of these, and even those I have seen before, it's been limited. Always nice to see an appreciation of history, and the evolution of Transformers. Good work, Bill!

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2011 1:23 am
by Optimum Supreme
That silver orb Microchange guy reminds me of Armada Unicron's minicon. Wonder if that's an intentional homage or just a coincidence.

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2011 7:34 am
by fenrir72
@BPE

A most excellent collection kimosabe! Those diaclones are the Awesomeness crown jewels!

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2011 2:03 pm
by billprestonesquire
Dark Optimum Supreme wrote:That silver orb Microchange guy reminds me of Armada Unicron's minicon. Wonder if that's an intentional homage or just a coincidence.



the Unicrom Minicon seems to definitely be inspired by the Micro Change Orb. i remember seeing all three Micro Change Orb molds reused in a Transformers series a couple years ago. they weren't chromed out and had completely different paint jobs. i can't remember the name of which toy line it was. Hasbro/Takara/Tomy sure loves reusing their designs. i don't so much. it's nice seeing recolors.

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Mon May 30, 2011 5:55 pm
by craggy
iirc it was the same line that had the condor and kitty cassette molds reused.

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:35 pm
by Tigertrack
billprestonesquire wrote:
Dark Optimum Supreme wrote:That silver orb Microchange guy reminds me of Armada Unicron's minicon. Wonder if that's an intentional homage or just a coincidence.



the Unicrom Minicon seems to definitely be inspired by the Micro Change Orb. i remember seeing all three Micro Change Orb molds reused in a Transformers series a couple years ago. they weren't chromed out and had completely different paint jobs. i can't remember the name of which toy line it was. Hasbro/Takara/Tomy sure loves reusing their designs. i don't so much. it's nice seeing recolors.


The orbots (eggbots) were reproduced during the Beast Wars era in Japan. I have 5 of the 6 of them. All Clear plastics (blue, green, yellow, red, etc.)

I have a couple of those and envy you some of your pieces. Pre-TFs tend to be super-frustrating to collect, and super-expensive. The blue Blaster I have, I also have a red and blue version. Diaclone Snarl, and a diaclone Mirage round out my meager group (minus those that have been e-hobby'ed).

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 1:09 am
by Seibertron
Wow ... impressive collection! Very unique approach to the early stuff. Would love to add some of the pre-Transformers stuff to my collection. the only pre-Transformers TF I own are Astro Magnum and "Bumblejumper". I'd really like to get a prized piece like Marlboro Wheeljack into my collection. One day! Thank you for sharing these pictures with us.

Re: the complete Micro Change line, some Diaclones, Microman, and Henshin Cyborg

PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 5:26 pm
by Laserwave13
Wow... Just wow... All those pre-Transformers :HALUC:

Never knew that there was a yellow Trailbreaker... Just :BOWDOWN: :BOWDOWN: