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Talk:The Transformers (European toyline)

2016-02-02T13:23:38Z

Matty-b: /* UK 1987/1988 Releases */ - Added resource of old Argos catalogue scans. Confirm source?

When were the classic green-and-purple Constructicons (in original packaging) released in the UK? I believe it was around 1990-91, but don't know for certain. There were also some Minibots that showed up around this time, again in original packaging: Bumblebee, Seaspray, Beachcomber and possibly others. These might just have been rediscovered stock from 1985/6, but the Constructicons were only available in the UK at this time so they must have been a release of some kind.--[[User:Tribimat|Tribimat]] 14:01, 25 March 2006 (UTC)
:Those might have been the imported Mexican toys that plagued Europe in 1989.--[[User:Nevermore|Nevermore]] 19:20, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

::The US Constructicons DID come out in the UK at that time with a host of other G1 toys with the Chinese stickers in the corner. Constructicons, Combaticons, Protectobots and several (possibly all) Minibots were being sold alongside the G1/G1.5 stuff in 1991-93 in original G1 packaging at major stores like Woolworths. There may have been other figures too but I didn't see them. --[[User:Specimen-17|Specimen-17]] 13:10, 30 September 2007 (UTC)

Started making this page something other than "Toys We Never Got In The USA". Will try to keep details about language variations as short as possible.

I consider a toy "confirmed" released in a specific version when I have seen it in packaging, or at least the corresponding instructions. Exceptions are combiner teams where I haven't seen all members (Hasbro didn't start making a habit out of releasing incomplete combiner teams until Energon), or Italian Astrotrain, where Blitzwing being named "Triplex Due" makes it pretty reasonable that Triplex Uno (Astrotrain) also existed.--[[User:Nevermore|Nevermore]] 23:01, 18 November 2006 (UTC)

I'll have to remember next time I go to my parents' house but I'm pretty damn sure my Skystalker came in Italian packaging, which if nothing else, has the I-names for some of the other MM bases. (Countdown's was... Uranius, I think. One of 'em was definitely Uranius.) [[User:Hooper X|-hx]] 19:40, 30 November 2006 (UTC), got it sealed for $40 at BC... '01, maybe?

A few things. There was no Gen1 Classics version of Slag? I remember getting all four land Dinobots (poor Swoop) as Classics -- of course my memory isn't evidence... and he might have only seen the light of day in Australia, anyway. Secondly -- Windmill? In what way does he resemble Ultra Magnus? And where does the rumour about Turbo Master come from? Seems like bollocks and speculation based on the design drawings in Generations: Deluxe, to me. --Jhiaxus.

Between this article and the one on Euro Classics, I'm really starting to wonder if someone at Hasbro thought that Australia was in Europe... --[[User:Ratbat|Ratbat]] 03:47, 7 January 2007 (UTC)

==Scandinavia==
Anyone want to take a stab at adding some info about the Scandinavian countries to this article?--[[User:TVsGrady|TVsGrady]] 23:09, 19 December 2007 (UTC)

== Japanese mini-franchises ==

I've mocked up a central page for the Japanese mini-franchises at [[User: Khajidha/sandbox]]. It would serve as a main page to place in the franchise nav-box. I'd like to hear any input. [[User:Khajidha|Khajidha]] 21:16, 4 April 2010 (EDT)

== Commercials as proof? ==

In my efforts to construct the page for [[Commercial/International|international commercials]], I listed several ads that could be considered proof that certain toys had European releases. After all, why produce and release a commercial for toys you aren't selling? The ads in question would be the [http://www.ina.fr/pub/culture-et-loisirs/video/PUB3784153101/hasbro-transformers-action-masters-jouet-vehicule-figurine-combat.fr.html French ad for Action Master Vehicles] and the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQwnSrnGxOc German ad for Action Master Optimus Prime]. Since they appear to include brand new footage for Optimus Prime and Megatron, I think we could safely add those as confirmed releases. Not so sure about the other Action Master vehicles though. --[[User:Tigerpaw28|Tigerpaw28]] 13:10, 2 August 2010 (EDT)

== UK release ==

The initial release of Transformers here in the UK was in 1984. Argos were selling Optimus Prime, Autobot cars and Decepticon 'strike planes' (Seekers) in their autumn/winter 1984 catalogue (I got Optimus Prime and Sideswipe for Christmas in 1984) and Decepticon cassettes were available in WHSmith (I got them up just after Christmas in December 1984). [[User:J'mie|J'mie]] 14:03, 28 August 2010 (EDT)

:This is very true. The UK comic launched in mid-September '84, and given that TFs appear in the [http://www.flickr.com/photos/16628151@N03/2958326804/in/faves-66347557@N00/ 1984 Autumn/Winter Argos] they would have to have been available by at least August of that year to be on-sale upon its launch. I've added a 1984 section just for the UK range, and also expanded the 1985 section to document the toys released and unreleased in that year.

:Regarding yellow & red Cliffjumpers & Bumblebees. I know CJ was definitely available in both colours in 1984 and 1985 as I've owned both rub-and pre-rub yellow versions, and they seem common enough. It seems a reasonable extrapolation that the same is true of Bumblebee, since they would be sourced from the same old Microchange toys that were used for the US, but did anyone ever see or own a red Bumblebee that was bought at UK retail? I've never even seen them on eBay UK, nor Bumblejumper for that matter.

:Finally, as far as I can tell Cejii Revel Prime is a weird aberration compared to the rest of the 1984/85 toys. If you check his trailer he's not just a repackaged Takara-produced toy, the figure itself is actually stamped "MADE IN FRANCE". I've never seen any other year 1 TFs with this distinction, or the corresponding change to the packaging. Cejii Revel were already selling the figure as part of [http://1501bc.com/pretf/fr_diaclone.html their own Diaclone line], so I guess they were making Convoy figs in-house for whatever reason, and Hasbro struck some sort of deal to use what they'd produced as TF Primes.

:This must have cut both ways, with TFs being sold as Ceji Revel Diaclones. In a Poundstretcher in Glasgow in the Summer of '88 I purchased a [http://www.toyarchive.com/Diaclone/Joustra/JoustraGearsMOSC.html "Diaclone" Gears on a Ceji Joustra card]. As you can see in the photograph, he has Autobot stickers! There must have been some "grace period" where Ceji Revel / Joustra Diaclone toys and Hasbro Transformers were being produced side by side.--[[User:Asukasboy|Asukasboy]] 18:01, 21 December 2010 (EST)

== UK 1987/1988 Releases ==

Ok, taking a look at these [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-toy-discussion/1018470-g1-argos-catalogue-uk-1984-1990-a.html Argos catalogue scans], there's not a lot to go on for 1987. Is there a confirmed list for Headmasters from this year, released in UK? In fact there's nothing on the page at all about '87 UK releases. Taking a look at the 1988 scan, Quickswitch is in the catalogue, does this confirm his status as a UK toy for the year? He's not mentioned on the page.

I've found a very good resource of [http://issuu.com/retromash/docs/argossuperstore-1987-autumnwinter online scans of old Argos catalogues]. Do we want to assume that if they made it into Argo, that they were ull, proper UK releases?

== El Greco 1985 ==
I see the autobot minibots are listed as a 1985 release in Greece here. This is however incorrect. The back of the card has an image of the glow in the dark TF:TM poster that was inserted in the US boxes for the 86 line. As Europe was usually a year later in releases in those days these toys are 86-87 at the earliest and probably even 88. Further proof of this are the GS versions for combiners that feature european classic style molds. The same holds true for second wave Italian Gig GS releases. The 'classic' re-release by Gig of the Devastator set for instance features chinese stampings. (It also replaces the rubsigns for silver stickers btw)--[[User:Argus|Argus]] 07:16, 7 September 2011 (EDT)

== "Swideswipe" ==

I assume it's a typo, but it wouldn't be the weirdest name a foreign Transformer has had, so I thought I'd better check. --[[User:Flicky1991|flicky]][[User talk:Flicky1991|1991]] 12:30, 18 June 2013 (EDT)

Talk:The Transformers (European toyline)

2016-02-02T11:19:13Z

Matty-b: Trying to find info regarding 1987/1988 UK releases

When were the classic green-and-purple Constructicons (in original packaging) released in the UK? I believe it was around 1990-91, but don't know for certain. There were also some Minibots that showed up around this time, again in original packaging: Bumblebee, Seaspray, Beachcomber and possibly others. These might just have been rediscovered stock from 1985/6, but the Constructicons were only available in the UK at this time so they must have been a release of some kind.--[[User:Tribimat|Tribimat]] 14:01, 25 March 2006 (UTC)
:Those might have been the imported Mexican toys that plagued Europe in 1989.--[[User:Nevermore|Nevermore]] 19:20, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

::The US Constructicons DID come out in the UK at that time with a host of other G1 toys with the Chinese stickers in the corner. Constructicons, Combaticons, Protectobots and several (possibly all) Minibots were being sold alongside the G1/G1.5 stuff in 1991-93 in original G1 packaging at major stores like Woolworths. There may have been other figures too but I didn't see them. --[[User:Specimen-17|Specimen-17]] 13:10, 30 September 2007 (UTC)

Started making this page something other than "Toys We Never Got In The USA". Will try to keep details about language variations as short as possible.

I consider a toy "confirmed" released in a specific version when I have seen it in packaging, or at least the corresponding instructions. Exceptions are combiner teams where I haven't seen all members (Hasbro didn't start making a habit out of releasing incomplete combiner teams until Energon), or Italian Astrotrain, where Blitzwing being named "Triplex Due" makes it pretty reasonable that Triplex Uno (Astrotrain) also existed.--[[User:Nevermore|Nevermore]] 23:01, 18 November 2006 (UTC)

I'll have to remember next time I go to my parents' house but I'm pretty damn sure my Skystalker came in Italian packaging, which if nothing else, has the I-names for some of the other MM bases. (Countdown's was... Uranius, I think. One of 'em was definitely Uranius.) [[User:Hooper X|-hx]] 19:40, 30 November 2006 (UTC), got it sealed for $40 at BC... '01, maybe?

A few things. There was no Gen1 Classics version of Slag? I remember getting all four land Dinobots (poor Swoop) as Classics -- of course my memory isn't evidence... and he might have only seen the light of day in Australia, anyway. Secondly -- Windmill? In what way does he resemble Ultra Magnus? And where does the rumour about Turbo Master come from? Seems like bollocks and speculation based on the design drawings in Generations: Deluxe, to me. --Jhiaxus.

Between this article and the one on Euro Classics, I'm really starting to wonder if someone at Hasbro thought that Australia was in Europe... --[[User:Ratbat|Ratbat]] 03:47, 7 January 2007 (UTC)

==Scandinavia==
Anyone want to take a stab at adding some info about the Scandinavian countries to this article?--[[User:TVsGrady|TVsGrady]] 23:09, 19 December 2007 (UTC)

== Japanese mini-franchises ==

I've mocked up a central page for the Japanese mini-franchises at [[User: Khajidha/sandbox]]. It would serve as a main page to place in the franchise nav-box. I'd like to hear any input. [[User:Khajidha|Khajidha]] 21:16, 4 April 2010 (EDT)

== Commercials as proof? ==

In my efforts to construct the page for [[Commercial/International|international commercials]], I listed several ads that could be considered proof that certain toys had European releases. After all, why produce and release a commercial for toys you aren't selling? The ads in question would be the [http://www.ina.fr/pub/culture-et-loisirs/video/PUB3784153101/hasbro-transformers-action-masters-jouet-vehicule-figurine-combat.fr.html French ad for Action Master Vehicles] and the [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQwnSrnGxOc German ad for Action Master Optimus Prime]. Since they appear to include brand new footage for Optimus Prime and Megatron, I think we could safely add those as confirmed releases. Not so sure about the other Action Master vehicles though. --[[User:Tigerpaw28|Tigerpaw28]] 13:10, 2 August 2010 (EDT)

== UK release ==

The initial release of Transformers here in the UK was in 1984. Argos were selling Optimus Prime, Autobot cars and Decepticon 'strike planes' (Seekers) in their autumn/winter 1984 catalogue (I got Optimus Prime and Sideswipe for Christmas in 1984) and Decepticon cassettes were available in WHSmith (I got them up just after Christmas in December 1984). [[User:J'mie|J'mie]] 14:03, 28 August 2010 (EDT)

:This is very true. The UK comic launched in mid-September '84, and given that TFs appear in the [http://www.flickr.com/photos/16628151@N03/2958326804/in/faves-66347557@N00/ 1984 Autumn/Winter Argos] they would have to have been available by at least August of that year to be on-sale upon its launch. I've added a 1984 section just for the UK range, and also expanded the 1985 section to document the toys released and unreleased in that year.

:Regarding yellow & red Cliffjumpers & Bumblebees. I know CJ was definitely available in both colours in 1984 and 1985 as I've owned both rub-and pre-rub yellow versions, and they seem common enough. It seems a reasonable extrapolation that the same is true of Bumblebee, since they would be sourced from the same old Microchange toys that were used for the US, but did anyone ever see or own a red Bumblebee that was bought at UK retail? I've never even seen them on eBay UK, nor Bumblejumper for that matter.

:Finally, as far as I can tell Cejii Revel Prime is a weird aberration compared to the rest of the 1984/85 toys. If you check his trailer he's not just a repackaged Takara-produced toy, the figure itself is actually stamped "MADE IN FRANCE". I've never seen any other year 1 TFs with this distinction, or the corresponding change to the packaging. Cejii Revel were already selling the figure as part of [http://1501bc.com/pretf/fr_diaclone.html their own Diaclone line], so I guess they were making Convoy figs in-house for whatever reason, and Hasbro struck some sort of deal to use what they'd produced as TF Primes.

:This must have cut both ways, with TFs being sold as Ceji Revel Diaclones. In a Poundstretcher in Glasgow in the Summer of '88 I purchased a [http://www.toyarchive.com/Diaclone/Joustra/JoustraGearsMOSC.html "Diaclone" Gears on a Ceji Joustra card]. As you can see in the photograph, he has Autobot stickers! There must have been some "grace period" where Ceji Revel / Joustra Diaclone toys and Hasbro Transformers were being produced side by side.--[[User:Asukasboy|Asukasboy]] 18:01, 21 December 2010 (EST)

== UK 1987/1988 Releases ==

Ok, taking a look at these [http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-toy-discussion/1018470-g1-argos-catalogue-uk-1984-1990-a.html Argos catalogue scans], there's not a lot to go on for 1987. Is there a confirmed list for Headmasters from this year, released in UK? In fact there's nothing on the page at all about '87 UK releases. Taking a look at the 1988 scan, Quickswitch is in the catalogue, does this confirm his status as a UK toy for the year? He's not mentioned on the page.

== El Greco 1985 ==
I see the autobot minibots are listed as a 1985 release in Greece here. This is however incorrect. The back of the card has an image of the glow in the dark TF:TM poster that was inserted in the US boxes for the 86 line. As Europe was usually a year later in releases in those days these toys are 86-87 at the earliest and probably even 88. Further proof of this are the GS versions for combiners that feature european classic style molds. The same holds true for second wave Italian Gig GS releases. The 'classic' re-release by Gig of the Devastator set for instance features chinese stampings. (It also replaces the rubsigns for silver stickers btw)--[[User:Argus|Argus]] 07:16, 7 September 2011 (EDT)

== "Swideswipe" ==

I assume it's a typo, but it wouldn't be the weirdest name a foreign Transformer has had, so I thought I'd better check. --[[User:Flicky1991|flicky]][[User talk:Flicky1991|1991]] 12:30, 18 June 2013 (EDT)