The Energon Pub

[liveconvoy]

Now the proud owner of four G1 Dinobots (minus Grimlock, sadly), thanks to THIS guy:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/niceley/se ... 227051068/

My question for anyone is:

Why do they have little compartments in their chests? Energon cubes or what? Thanks! LC

[Core-1]

In the original (Japanese) toyline that the Dinobots were taken from, they were supposed to have pilots. That's what the little compartments were for.

[DREWCIFER]

DIA-CLOOOONE!

[Exulted Unicron]

they're pilot compartments, since the dinobots were part of the diaclone line, like many other transformers

[Patrick Bateman]

In the original (Japanese) toyline that the Dinobots were taken from, they were supposed to have pilots. That's what the little compartments were for.

What he said.

[liveconvoy]

Thanks DOODZ

[Raymond T.]

DIA-CLOOOONE!

Actually, the Dinobots WEREN'T Diaclones. They were part of the (Dinosaur) Robo line. Although both Robo and Diaclone were made under the banner of Takara and used the very same gimmick with the pilots, they were different toylines.

[DREWCIFER]

Thanx!

So, did this line also have little drivers like Diaclone? Same principle or totally different.

[Raymond T.]

Thanx!

So, did this line also have little drivers like Diaclone? Same principle or totally different.

Robo and Diaclone were spin-offs of the same concept, which is why they are often thrown together. And most dedicated fans even refer to the Robo line as Diaclone.

Insect Robo were the normal Insecticons. Deluxe Insecticons came from the Beet (or beetle) line which was not produced by Takara, but by Takatoku.

[jsmith41]

Now the proud owner of four G1 Dinobots (minus Grimlock, sadly), thanks to THIS guy:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/niceley/se ... 227051068/

My question for anyone is:

Why do they have little compartments in their chests? Energon cubes or what? Thanks! LC

I also picked up acouple figures from his collection, including an awesome Wheeljack. I highly recommend him.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

Thanx!

So, did this line also have little drivers like Diaclone? Same principle or totally different.

Robo and Diaclone were spin-offs of the same concept, which is why they are often thrown together. And most dedicated fans even refer to the Robo line as Diaclone.

Insect Robo were the normal Insecticons. Deluxe Insecticons came from the Beet (or beetle) line which was not produced by Takara, but by Takatoku.

I wouldn't call them spin-offs, but more like sub-lines. Even then, some "lines" only have one figure at best, like the Jet Robos (Starscream and Thundercracker, not Skywarp)

[Raymond T.]

Thanx!

So, did this line also have little drivers like Diaclone? Same principle or totally different.

Robo and Diaclone were spin-offs of the same concept, which is why they are often thrown together. And most dedicated fans even refer to the Robo line as Diaclone.

Insect Robo were the normal Insecticons. Deluxe Insecticons came from the Beet (or beetle) line which was not produced by Takara, but by Takatoku.

I wouldn't call them spin-offs, but more like sub-lines. Even then, some "lines" only have one figure at best, like the Jet Robos (Starscream and Thundercracker, not Skywarp)

Yeah, I guess the best way to describe it is comparing it to the Marvel Universe having titles like X-Men and X-Factor be of the same continuity, but being semi-seperate from each other.

[shortround]

So how many takara toy lines include pilot and were later turned into the orignal transformers series.

[Raymond T.]

So how many takara toy lines include pilot and were later turned into the orignal transformers series.

Diaclone, Robo, MicroChange & SuperChange. Also the Dasher series if you count the mail-away Powerdashers. These were all by Takara.

Roadbuster and Whirl were from the Armored Trooper Dorvack and the deluxe insecticons from Armored Insect Beetle line by Takatoku. Shockwave was released as Astro Magnum by ToyCo.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

So how many takara toy lines include pilot and were later turned into the orignal transformers series.

Quite a lot, though some lines were quite smal:

- Car Robo (Autobot Cars including Optimus Prime and Ultra Magnus)
- Jet Robo (Starscream and Thundercracker)
- Insecter Robo (Insecticons)
- Attack Robo (Jumpstarters)
- Double Changer (Omnibots)
- Triple Changer (Blitzwing and Astrotrain)
- Dasher (Powerdashers)
- Dinosaur Robo (Dinobots)

And without pilot:
- Construction Vehicle Robo (Devastator)
- Train Robo (Raiden)
- Microchange (though Perceptor can transform into a riding cannon for a Microman to use)

Mind you, in commercials they use the Japanese names instead of the English ones.

And Raymond, baby, Super Change Robo aka Omega Supreme was by Toybox, not Takara Here's a handy link:

The Pre Transformers Page

[DREWCIFER]

Thanx JelZe GoldRabbit, that was a great page.