The Energon Pub

I know that in the beginning Hasbro went around buying up the rights to any transforming toy they could find and then jammed them all into a cartoon so hardly any or none of these were designed to be sold under the Transformers brand name but under names like Diaclone. Loads of new toys were designed for the 86 film. My question is: what was the first toy designed for Transformers after the brand name Transformers was created/copyrighted? The first 'real' Transformer, if you will.

That could be hard to say without someone who worked their coming forward and saying so. As Designed first doesn't mean released first. It may have sat around in the planning stages longer than the others before it was released.

Was it Hot-Rod / Rodimus?

Aerialbots?

-Kanrabat- wrote:Was it Hot-Rod / Rodimus?

Yes, probably something from the TFTM toyline... when they introduced tons of their "own" character. Im sure scourge, cyclonus, and maybe galvatron were desinged by hasbro... As a result cyclonus looked like one of the worst G1 toys in history IMO

Scourge,Cyclonus,Hotrod/Rodimus Prime and Galvatron were designed by one individual.......Floro Dery. Unlike the 1st and 2nd Season, the movie 'bots were designed first before actually getting a toy.

As for the 1984 crew, I've read that Sunstreaker was the first figure that was actually designed for the diaclone series. The Battle Convoy that would eventually become known as Optimus Prime was the last.

Soundwave and Megatron were actually designed waaaaaaaay before the diaclone cars hence the "U,N.C.L.E" Wather P-38 from the TV series Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Soundwave more or less together with what would become Blaster were also designed much earlier.

fenrir72 wrote:Scourge,Cyclonus,Hotrod/Rodimus Prime and Galvatron were designed by one individual.......Floro Dery. Unlike the 1st and 2nd Season, the movie 'bots were designed first before actually getting a toy.

As for the 1984 crew, I've read that Sunstreaker was the first figure that was actually designed for the diaclone series. The Battle Convoy that would eventually become known as Optimus Prime was the last.

Soundwave and Megatron were actually designed waaaaaaaay before the diaclone cars hence the "U,N.C.L.E" Wather P-38 from the TV series Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Soundwave more or less together with what would become Blaster were also designed much earlier.

And despite that, IMO soundwave is one of the bests G1 - designs. I even display him with my classics!

Mykltron's question was more or less

"Who was the first Japan based figure back in the 80's who got to be TMed or labeled as a"Transformer"?

Not who had the best design.

More or less for such a question, maybe a research in the United States' Patent office records could answer this mystery.

But on a related note, there are some assertions that Prowl and Soundwave served as the inspiration for the Autobot and Decepticon sigil so they were more or less like among the first batch of figures Hasbro brought from Japan.

fenrir72 wrote:Mykltron's question was more or less

"Who was the first Japan based figure back in the 80's who got to be TMed or labeled as a"Transformer"?

Not who had the best design.

More or less for such a question, maybe a research in the United States' Patent office records could answer this mystery.

But on a related note, there are some assertions that Prowl and Soundwave served as the inspiration for the Autobot and Decepticon sigil so they were more or less like among the first batch of figures Hasbro brought from Japan.

Oh wait. Seemed like he meant which TF did hasbro 1st design themself ... Since Diaclone, microman ETC never planned for their toys to be used as TF, that question is kind of invalid, and should be which was the 1st Japanese toy proposed to be used as a TF ...

In that case, it would be Prime or the prowl mold, im quite certain i read it before on the Deciples of boltax blog or TF-1. Where they were showed to Hasbro, and hasro decided to spin the TF story off them.

@ Mykltron

TM or Copyrighted?

Now that is a conundrum. Pre 1984, that would be trademarked right? Post 1985, by that time copyrighted?

Again, to be sure, US Patent's Office.

bionic_radical wrote:Aerialbots?

As far as I know, all 1986 Scramble city bots where designed for the Diaclone line, but never got their release. They where released as TF's instead, designwise they are Diaclone. I don't know how that holds up for guys like Abominus and Computron, though Raiden is Diaclone.

I'm guessing the first TF design specifically for 'The TransFormers' (derp) should be in the movie-batch.

fenrir72 wrote:Mykltron's question was more or less
"Who was the first Japan based figure back in the 80's who got to be TMed or labeled as a"Transformer"?

No. You're right that I'm not asking about the best design though. I'll try and clarify the question:
Prime, Soundwave, Shockwave et al were designed by various companies under various labels and then bought by Hasbro. My question is nothing to do with them and their kind. Who did Hasbro design first for the TF brand?

I know the movie toys were designed by Hasbro with the intent of being released under the TF banner but wondered if anyone knew if others from the previous series were also designed under the TF banner.

fenrir72 wrote:@ Mykltron
TM or Copyrighted?
Now that is a conundrum. Pre 1984, that would be trademarked right? Post 1985, by that time copyrighted?

Splitting hairs! I have no interest in the appropriate legal wording. I hope this reply doesn't sound rude.

fenrir72 wrote:As for the 1984 crew, I've read that Sunstreaker was the first figure that was actually designed for the diaclone series.

Thanks, I'd actually planned on asking this as well!

No offense taken. Now that we cleared the air, it seems that the Season 3 figures are technically THE Hasbro Transformers. This part is conjecture but this may be the reason why Broadside had two different animation models. The animated model came first before the toy unlike the pre Movie 'bots, it was the opposite.

*sigh* Trademarks apply to names only, copyright is for anything created from scratch, in this case, the toy molds and the fiction. It's not rocket science, kids.

Anyhow, I'll have to agree that the first toys specifically designed for Transformers were the ones for the 1986 movie. But like Beast Machines, those toys were based on pre-production sketches before they were touched up and refined. That's how some characters had two models, resulting in quite an amount of animation errors.

Now that I think about it, I know the origins of all non-Hasbro/Takara toys, except for one: Trypticon. He was never designed to function with Motormaster and Onslaught, unlike Metroplex who had that integrated instead of having to use extra pieces. Can anybody clarify this?

@Milady JZGR

Just razzing Mykltron about TM and (c). But I have to correct thee about Trypticon. He/It can interact with Onslaught and Motormaster just like Metroplex.

fenrir72 wrote:@Milady JZGR

Just razzing Mykltron about TM and (c). But I have to correct thee about Trypticon. He/It can interact with Onslaught and Motormaster just like Metroplex.

I specifically mentioned the connector pieces of Trypticon, indicating the feature was not planned when Trypticon was first designed.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:*sigh* Trademarks apply to names only, copyright is for anything created from scratch, in this case, the toy molds and the fiction. It's not rocket science, kids.

Anyhow, I'll have to agree that the first toys specifically designed for Transformers were the ones for the 1986 movie. But like Beast Machines, those toys were based on pre-production sketches before they were touched up and refined. That's how some characters had two models, resulting in quite an amount of animation errors.

Now that I think about it, I know the origins of all non-Hasbro/Takara toys, except for one: Trypticon. He was never designed to function with Motormaster and Onslaught, unlike Metroplex who had that integrated instead of having to use extra pieces. Can anybody clarify this?

I have no solid proof, but a theory. Both Metroplex and Trypticon are orginal TF's, all the Scramble City commanders and Diaclones originally (never released as such). It's very possible that someone on the designteam had a bright moment and integrated their designs.

Come to think of it, the Terrorcons and everything in that style that followed may have been orginal TF's and not borrowed designs from Diaclone. As Hun-Grrr, Scattorshot and Snaptrap lack basemodes (Scattorshot is a cannon, not a base) and are not designed to interact with the aforementioned bases.

Am I crazy for thinking this?

RhA wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:*sigh* Trademarks apply to names only, copyright is for anything created from scratch, in this case, the toy molds and the fiction. It's not rocket science, kids.

Anyhow, I'll have to agree that the first toys specifically designed for Transformers were the ones for the 1986 movie. But like Beast Machines, those toys were based on pre-production sketches before they were touched up and refined. That's how some characters had two models, resulting in quite an amount of animation errors.

Now that I think about it, I know the origins of all non-Hasbro/Takara toys, except for one: Trypticon. He was never designed to function with Motormaster and Onslaught, unlike Metroplex who had that integrated instead of having to use extra pieces. Can anybody clarify this?

I have no solid proof, but a theory. Both Metroplex and Trypticon are orginal TF's, all the Scramble City commanders and Diaclones originally (never released as such). It's very possible that someone on the designteam had a bright moment and integrated their designs.

Come to think of it, the Terrorcons and everything in that style that followed may have been orginal TF's and not borrowed designs from Diaclone. As Hun-Grrr, Scattorshot and Snaptrap lack basemodes (Scattorshot is a cannon, not a base) and are not designed to interact with the aforementioned bases.

Am I crazy for thinking this?

Just for thinking Metroplex is a TF original. The first four SC Combiners can connect to Metroplex to form Scramble City: Hot Spot and Motormaster on the sides, and Silverbolt and Onslaught in the front. The Diaclone subline was to be called "Jizai Gattai, which means "Free Combination". The later Combiners are indeed TF originals.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

RhA wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:*sigh* Trademarks apply to names only, copyright is for anything created from scratch, in this case, the toy molds and the fiction. It's not rocket science, kids.

Anyhow, I'll have to agree that the first toys specifically designed for Transformers were the ones for the 1986 movie. But like Beast Machines, those toys were based on pre-production sketches before they were touched up and refined. That's how some characters had two models, resulting in quite an amount of animation errors.

Now that I think about it, I know the origins of all non-Hasbro/Takara toys, except for one: Trypticon. He was never designed to function with Motormaster and Onslaught, unlike Metroplex who had that integrated instead of having to use extra pieces. Can anybody clarify this?

I have no solid proof, but a theory. Both Metroplex and Trypticon are orginal TF's, all the Scramble City commanders and Diaclones originally (never released as such). It's very possible that someone on the designteam had a bright moment and integrated their designs.

Come to think of it, the Terrorcons and everything in that style that followed may have been orginal TF's and not borrowed designs from Diaclone. As Hun-Grrr, Scattorshot and Snaptrap lack basemodes (Scattorshot is a cannon, not a base) and are not designed to interact with the aforementioned bases.

Am I crazy for thinking this?

Just for thinking Metroplex is a TF original. The first four SC Combiners can connect to Metroplex to form Scramble City: Hot Spot and Motormaster on the sides, and Silverbolt and Onslaught in the front. The Diaclone subline was to be called "Jizai Gattai, which means "Free Combination". The later Combiners are indeed TF originals.

Metroplex is a Diaclone design?

RhA wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

RhA wrote:I have no solid proof, but a theory. Both Metroplex and Trypticon are orginal TF's, all the Scramble City commanders and Diaclones originally (never released as such). It's very possible that someone on the designteam had a bright moment and integrated their designs.

Come to think of it, the Terrorcons and everything in that style that followed may have been orginal TF's and not borrowed designs from Diaclone. As Hun-Grrr, Scattorshot and Snaptrap lack basemodes (Scattorshot is a cannon, not a base) and are not designed to interact with the aforementioned bases.

Am I crazy for thinking this?

Just for thinking Metroplex is a TF original. The first four SC Combiners can connect to Metroplex to form Scramble City: Hot Spot and Motormaster on the sides, and Silverbolt and Onslaught in the front. The Diaclone subline was to be called "Jizai Gattai, which means "Free Combination". The later Combiners are indeed TF originals.

Metroplex is a Diaclone design?

You betcha. I can assure you Trypticon isn't, but it's possible Trypticon was designed by either Hasbro or Takara, otherwise we wouldn't have had his BWII retool Gigastorm.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

RhA wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

RhA wrote:I have no solid proof, but a theory. Both Metroplex and Trypticon are orginal TF's, all the Scramble City commanders and Diaclones originally (never released as such). It's very possible that someone on the designteam had a bright moment and integrated their designs.

Come to think of it, the Terrorcons and everything in that style that followed may have been orginal TF's and not borrowed designs from Diaclone. As Hun-Grrr, Scattorshot and Snaptrap lack basemodes (Scattorshot is a cannon, not a base) and are not designed to interact with the aforementioned bases.

Am I crazy for thinking this?

Just for thinking Metroplex is a TF original. The first four SC Combiners can connect to Metroplex to form Scramble City: Hot Spot and Motormaster on the sides, and Silverbolt and Onslaught in the front. The Diaclone subline was to be called "Jizai Gattai, which means "Free Combination". The later Combiners are indeed TF originals.

Metroplex is a Diaclone design?

You betcha. I can assure you Trypticon isn't, but it's possible Trypticon was designed by either Hasbro or Takara, otherwise we wouldn't have had his BWII retool Gigastorm.

That's some nice trivia right here. Thanks.

Connector pieces or not, maybe splitting hairs but it does allow them to "connect" or interact. Sure Metroplex's connecting parts were built in to him but do you think Trypticon's interaction was just an after thought?

Again, an inference on my part, I wouldn't be surprised if "Tomy" was responsible for Trypticon (the same way Omega Supreme and Sky Lynx was subcontracted to them by Toybox) Don't you see the similarities to Zoids? Battery powered moving parts?

Just a wild guess.

Trypticon does look a bit Zoidy to me, now that you mention it. But didn't they come in kit form? Mind you, that doesn't mean they weren't designed by the same team.

Just a wild guess anyway. As I previously mentioned, those two (Sky Lynx and Omega) were subcontracted by Toybox to Tomy. There might be a high probability the same could be said for Dinoser.

fenrir72 wrote:Just a wild guess anyway. As I previously mentioned, those two (Sky Lynx and Omega) were subcontracted by Toybox to Tomy. There might be a high probability the same could be said for Dinoser.

Except Gigastorm was released before the TakaraTomy merger. Were Trypticon designed by Tomy, the retooling would have been impossible thanks to licensing.