The Energon Pub

Well I always thought Takara and Hasbro were the same company. Are they really two comletely different companies? My Protoform Optimus has "Hasbro written on one wing, and "Takara" written on the other. I'm confused.

Hasbro is 1 company that we know and sometimes love. And takara is a japanese robot creating like factory. All the figs we get are all made by Takara Hasbro purchased. But some Takara stuff Hasbro buys but alters a bit.

They also make the Masterpeice line, hence why all the boxes are in japanese.

Kanyon wrote:Hasbro is 1 company that we know and sometimes love. And takara is a japanese robot creating like factory. All the figs we get are all made by Takara Hasbro purchased. But some Takara stuff Hasbro buys but alters a bit.

They also make the Masterpeice line, hence why all the boxes are in japanese.

Not entirely true, HASBRO has done its own ventures, be it successful or not (BEAST MACHINES).

They are separate, especially since it is now Tomy-Takara, not just Takara. Takara and HASBRO seem to share the rights to the likenesses of TFs, To/Tak has less stringent toy laws to create for, as well as a mechloving collectors fan base which they seem to support quite well with exclusives, lucky draws, and cool store giveaways.

HASBRO has much more of a global approach to toys, but are governed by the US toy laws, as well as, being a larger corporation that has more diverse interests, and less desire to please fan bases/collectors. They like money a lot, and will do whatever it takes to keep it rolling in. Children and collectors are just pawns that they choose to move this way and that to achieve their goal.

tigertracks 24 wrote:

Kanyon wrote:Hasbro is 1 company that we know and sometimes love. And takara is a japanese robot creating like factory. All the figs we get are all made by Takara Hasbro purchased. But some Takara stuff Hasbro buys but alters a bit.

They also make the Masterpeice line, hence why all the boxes are in japanese.

Not entirely true, HASBRO has done its own ventures, be it successful or not (BEAST MACHINES).

They are separate, especially since it is now Tomy-Takara, not just Takara. Takara and HASBRO seem to share the rights to the likenesses of TFs, To/Tak has less stringent toy laws to create for, as well as a mechloving collectors fan base which they seem to support quite well with exclusives, lucky draws, and cool store giveaways.

HASBRO has much more of a global approach to toys, but are governed by the US toy laws, as well as, being a larger corporation that has more diverse interests, and less desire to please fan bases/collectors. They like money a lot, and will do whatever it takes to keep it rolling in. Children and collectors are just pawns that they choose to move this way and that to achieve their goal.

Well if then they are completely different companies, how do you explain near identical Movie Toys and packagings, and as I mentioned above, my "Hasbro" Protoform Prime that has 'Hasbro' AND 'Takara' labeled on the plastic?

They are different companies because HASBRO did not bail TAKARA out when the company was having financial difficulties. Instead, TOMY had to merge with them for the survival of both.

If they were the same company, TAKARA would not have needed to do that merger to escape ruin.

The stamps are both their because both companies own the right to the mold, I believe.

I don't know the particulars, and if I am wrong, so be it. Yes, they share an interest in the same property, TRANSFORMERS, but I believe that has to go back to the original agreement when HASBRO took the Takara created Diaclone line and gave it new life as TRANSFORMERS with bios, etc. Takara then adopted that because the brand sold much better this way, where as the Diaclone, un-unified and un-interesting in story, were replaced by the much more interesting TRANSFORMERS which now had a cartoon, and comic to support it.

Sorry about that, my thoughts just kept running.

Not sure if this means anything 2 any1. Takara IS the ORIGINAL "factory" which/who manufactured Transformers toys period. But back then times were different, which meant watz happen'n 2day wouldn't happen back then. There wasn't any cartoons for the toys. US "investors" paid a lump sum of money to launch this series AND produce toys, just like Takara(totally Japanese. DAH!). But obviously somethings we've yet to discover minimizes our "REAL" inside story of this matter. Furthermore, it's ridiculous not 2recognize the history of Transformers. I guess this is called generation gaps.


Transformers rocks.

DvDqNoC wrote:

tigertracks 24 wrote:

Kanyon wrote:Hasbro is 1 company that we know and sometimes love. And takara is a japanese robot creating like factory. All the figs we get are all made by Takara Hasbro purchased. But some Takara stuff Hasbro buys but alters a bit.

They also make the Masterpeice line, hence why all the boxes are in japanese.

Not entirely true, HASBRO has done its own ventures, be it successful or not (BEAST MACHINES).

They are separate, especially since it is now Tomy-Takara, not just Takara. Takara and HASBRO seem to share the rights to the likenesses of TFs, To/Tak has less stringent toy laws to create for, as well as a mechloving collectors fan base which they seem to support quite well with exclusives, lucky draws, and cool store giveaways.

HASBRO has much more of a global approach to toys, but are governed by the US toy laws, as well as, being a larger corporation that has more diverse interests, and less desire to please fan bases/collectors. They like money a lot, and will do whatever it takes to keep it rolling in. Children and collectors are just pawns that they choose to move this way and that to achieve their goal.

Well if then they are completely different companies, how do you explain near identical Movie Toys and packagings, and as I mentioned above, my "Hasbro" Protoform Prime that has 'Hasbro' AND 'Takara' labeled on the plastic?

But did you happen to notice that for Armada, Energon, Cybertron, the packagings were totally different?

And did it occur that if they were the same company, they wouldn't have to engrave Hasbro and Takara, coz it would mean the same thing.

Takara was the creator/manufacturer of Diaclone.

Hasbro suggested rebranding the line into Transformers.

They agreed, created Transformers, but they are totally separate companies.

tigertracks 24 wrote:They are different companies because HASBRO did not bail TAKARA out when the company was having financial difficulties. Instead, TOMY had to merge with them for the survival of both.

If they were the same company, TAKARA would not have needed to do that merger to escape ruin.

The stamps are both their because both companies own the right to the mold, I believe.

I don't know the particulars, and if I am wrong, so be it. Yes, they share an interest in the same property, TRANSFORMERS, but I believe that has to go back to the original agreement when HASBRO took the Takara created Diaclone line and gave it new life as TRANSFORMERS with bios, etc. Takara then adopted that because the brand sold much better this way, where as the Diaclone, un-unified and un-interesting in story, were replaced by the much more interesting TRANSFORMERS which now had a cartoon, and comic to support it.

Sorry about that, my thoughts just kept running.

You are correct. They both have the license and rights to the TF brand.

DvDqNoC wrote:Well if then they are completely different companies, how do you explain near identical Movie Toys and packagings, and as I mentioned above, my "Hasbro" Protoform Prime that has 'Hasbro' AND 'Takara' labeled on the plastic?

What the guys are telling you is true.Let me give you a briff history.......

The toyline that would become the Transformers hade been on the Japanese toy market for some years when a meeting took place between Hasbro and Takara at the Tokyo Toy Show in 1983. Hasbro wanted to take the Diaclone and Micro Change toylines of Takara, a Japanese company, and turn them into the Transformers. Hasbro and Takara have subsequently worked together for decades, including up to today, on character creation and concept work for the Transformers franchise.Hasbro markets and sells the toys internationally, though Takara still sells "Convoy" (known better here as Optimus Prime) and the rest of the "Cybertrons" (also known as Autobots) in Japan.

The back story for the Transformers toyline was developed by Denny O'Neill and Jim Shooter, two writers for Marvel Comics at the time. Comic book writer Bob Budiansky was also responsible for subsequent Transformer character names and profiles after O'Neill and Shooter’s original concept.Jim Shooter was a writer for DC's Adventure Comics,
created characters for The Legion of Super-Heroes, and, eventually became editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics from 1978 to 1987. He helped develop the massive and enduring popularity of the X-Men during the 1980s and also revitalized The Fantastic Four and The Amazing Spider-Man under his watch. It was his connection to Marvel that would help bring Transformers to life in comic books as well as the toy aisle, an essential cross-platform marketing that
helped turn the toy into more than just a plaything.

Denny O'Neill is best known for his incredibly influential Batman work (and came up with the name Optimus Prime), and Bob Budiansky helped re-define Ghost Rider before becoming largely responsible for what many fans consider the prime era of the Transformers. Budiansky was responsible for a large share of the Transformers legacy after the original
back story by Shooter and O'Neill. Budiansky named Megatron, Ratchet, and Ravage, along with writing the vast majority of those awe-inspiring tech spec biographies that inspired every kid's imaginations from the back of their toy packages.

The Transformers toys first hit US markets in 1984, and their success was almost immediate. In those early days, kids became obsessed with Megatron, the Decepticon leader, who became a Walther P-38 pistol (gun + robot = immediate boy-toy success), but he wasn't produced again after that initial run because of laws governing toy guns. In other words, if you have an original Megatron that can transform into a toy gun, keep it in its packaging. For those first couple years, Hasbro essentially just remarketed the already-existing Takara line for the US market and found instant success because of their clever cross-marketing with toys, comics.Still later in 1984, Marvel and Hasbro decided to try launching a cartoon based upon the Transformers comic book and toy line, perhaps to reach a larger audience and/or to compete with the new Go-Bots cartoon/toy line.

So to but it plainly Habro and Takara are partners on the Transformers Brand name [and maybe others] but they are not the same company.

Great question. This ties right in to why my Masterpiece Megatron came shipped in a box that says Hasbro! As far as I know Hasbro doesn't sell MP-05 directly, however maybe they have the rights or distribution in Hong Kong?

Vegitron wrote:Great question. This ties right in to why my Masterpiece Megatron came shipped in a box that says Hasbro! As far as I know Hasbro doesn't sell MP-05 directly, however maybe they have the rights or distribution in Hong Kong?

I think Hasbro handels Takara internatial shipping on large items.

DvDqNoC wrote:Well I always thought Takara and Hasbro were the same company. Are they really two comletely different companies? My Protoform Optimus has "Hasbro written on one wing, and "Takara" written on the other. I'm confused.

Any pics of it?

Transformation619 wrote:

DvDqNoC wrote:Well I always thought Takara and Hasbro were the same company. Are they really two comletely different companies? My Protoform Optimus has "Hasbro written on one wing, and "Takara" written on the other. I'm confused.

Any pics of it?

All TF toys have that...
For instance, Classics SS has (C) 2006 Hasbro Inc, (C) Takara 2006.

It is my understanding that basically, Takara is responsible for creating the original original transformers which came from other lines of transforming toys, like diaclone that i know of for example. Jetfire came from the Robotech line, and i do not remember details for others. Hasbro did a lot as stated already, but to clear up any confusion, hasbro has a sublicense from takara to market their products here.

Takara is responsible for the nuts and bolts of the operation, they do all of the engineering or most of it anyway. Hasbro on the other hand may come up with concepts or ideas, send drawings to takara and say "we'd like something like this that can do that."

What's the difficult concept here, comapnies colaborate. Some Saturns use Honda engines and the Pontiac Vibe is a Toyot Volt with a Pontiac emblem on it. Companies work together, it doesn't mean they are one.

DeathAura wrote:It is my understanding that basically, Takara is responsible for creating the original original transformers which came from other lines of transforming toys, like diaclone that i know of for example. Jetfire came from the Robotech line, and i do not remember details for others. Hasbro did a lot as stated already, but to clear up any confusion, hasbro has a sublicense from takara to market their products here.

Takara is responsible for the nuts and bolts of the operation, they do all of the engineering or most of it anyway. Hasbro on the other hand may come up with concepts or ideas, send drawings to takara and say "we'd like something like this that can do that."

Jetfire is a bad exsample.Takara never reproduce him as part of their Transformers toyline.Hasbro got the rights to you the toy mold them selfs for its toy Market.

Hasbro isn't as bad as some people on the message boards would have you believe. If it weren't for Hasbro, Transformers wouldn't be sentient robots but rather still be pioloted vehicles that transform into pioloted robots. Think more along the lines of something like Voltron or Power Rangers in that regard.

The best explaination that I can come up with as far as why a figure would be stamped both Takara and Hasbro is that I believe the figures are all pretty much made at the same factory whether they are distibuted by Hasbro or Takara.

sto_vo_kor_2000 wrote:

DeathAura wrote:It is my understanding that basically, Takara is responsible for creating the original original transformers which came from other lines of transforming toys, like diaclone that i know of for example. Jetfire came from the Robotech line, and i do not remember details for others. Hasbro did a lot as stated already, but to clear up any confusion, hasbro has a sublicense from takara to market their products here.

Takara is responsible for the nuts and bolts of the operation, they do all of the engineering or most of it anyway. Hasbro on the other hand may come up with concepts or ideas, send drawings to takara and say "we'd like something like this that can do that."

Jetfire is a bad exsample.Takara never reproduce him as part of their Transformers toyline.Hasbro got the rights to you the toy mold them selfs for its toy Market.

Yeah, my bad, i didn't articulate my point very clearly.

That sentence was illustrating an underdeveloped concept in my post. That concept would be how takara had bought licenses from other companies to market their products under their name, like jetfire, omega supreme and so on.

DeathAura wrote:

sto_vo_kor_2000 wrote:

DeathAura wrote:It is my understanding that basically, Takara is responsible for creating the original original transformers which came from other lines of transforming toys, like diaclone that i know of for example. Jetfire came from the Robotech line, and i do not remember details for others. Hasbro did a lot as stated already, but to clear up any confusion, hasbro has a sublicense from takara to market their products here.

Takara is responsible for the nuts and bolts of the operation, they do all of the engineering or most of it anyway. Hasbro on the other hand may come up with concepts or ideas, send drawings to takara and say "we'd like something like this that can do that."

Jetfire is a bad exsample.Takara never reproduce him as part of their Transformers toyline.Hasbro got the rights to you the toy mold them selfs for its toy Market.

Yeah, my bad, i didn't articulate my point very clearly.

That sentence was illustrating an underdeveloped concept in my post. That concept would be how takara had bought licenses from other companies to market their products under their name, like jetfire, omega supreme and so on.

But thats my point...it wasnt Takara that bought licenses from other companies to market their products under their name, It was Hasbro........Jetfire ,Omega Supreem the Delux Insecticons Roadbuster,Whirl and Skylinx were never released as part of Takara's Transformers toyline.Hasbro is responceable for those toy designs being inclued into our market.Shockwave is the ONLY one to be reproduce by Takara under their name.