Tomica
Tomica (トミカ Tomika) is a long-running brand of Japanese toy vehicles produced by TakaraTomy (formerly Tomy). Akin to [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Matchbox (brand)|{{#if:Matchbox|Matchbox|Matchbox (brand)}}]] and Hot Wheels in the west, the line consists of small, detailed die-cast vehicles with smooth-rolling wheels and axles. The line is notable for a quirk of assigning ID numbers to its lines, and—when a toy goes out of production—replacing it with a new toy that takes the same ID number.
While primarily focused on realistic vehicles popular in Japan, Tomica has a long history of making toys of licensed fictional vehicles, and once Takara merged with Tomy it was perhaps inevitable that the line would come to cross over with Transformers.
Transformers merchandise released under the Tomica brand
[edit]Transformers Tomica
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A small line of Tomica toys released to promote the release of Transformers: Dark of the Moon; none of these toys had ID numbers.
- Bumblebee
- Bumblebee Revenge Version
- Optimus Prime
- Optimus Prime Black Version
- Transformers Wrapping Trailer
- Transformers Wrapping Bus
Dream Tomica
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Dream Tomica is an ongoing toyline that started in 2012, focused specifically on licensed vehicles and characters. As such, Transformers characters released under this brand mostly have ID numbers.
- No. 142 Transformers Bumblebee
- No. 147 Transformers Optimus Prime
- No. 148 Transformers Optimus Prime
- No. 151 Transformers Bumblebee
However, a small number of redecoed toys were released specifically for the non-Japanese Asian market, similar to the "GDO" Transformers: Generations toys; these exclusives, again, lack ID numbers.
Exclusives
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Ever since 1998, Tomy has created sets of toys exclusively for their shareholders; in some cases, these have included redecoed vehicles with Transformers branding.
The 2007 Shareholders Complimentary Limited Plan Set included "Tomica (Nissan Diesel Quon) Transformers Version", a truck-and-trailer emblazoned with the Autobot insignia and an image of Bumblebee; this was in fact the first Transformers-branded Tomica toy released, predating the Transformers Tomica line by four years. It also included a Choro-Q bus with [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Pokémon|{{#if:||Pokémon}}]] branding, while the version exclusive to those with more than 1000 shares also included a Toyota Estima Hybrid with the TakaraTomy logo on, a Mitsubishi Fuso truck with [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Pirates of the Caribbean|{{#if:||Pirates of the Caribbean}}]] branding, and a Licca-chan doll.
The 2011 Shareholders Complimentary Limited Plan Set included "Racing Transporter Ver. Transformer", a silver semi truck with an Autobot insignia, and a large trailer with the Japanese live-action film series logo and an image of Optimus Prime. It also comes with a Choro-Q toy of the popular Pokémon character Pikachu Car. As with the 2007 set, the 1000+ shares version also includes a Licca-chan doll.
Tomica Bond Combination Earth Granner
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Tomica Bond Combination Earth Granner (トミカ絆合体 アースグランナー Tomika Kizuna Gattai Āsu Gurannā, known as Tomica Kizuna Mode Combine Earth Granner in Southeast Asia) is a 2020 anime-supported toyline released by TakaraTomy to celebrate Tomica's 50th anniversary. A successor series to the 2017 anime [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Tomica Hyper Rescue Drive Head Kidō Kyūkyū Keisatsu|{{#if:Tomica Hyper Rescue Drive Head Mobile Emergency Police|Tomica Hyper Rescue Drive Head Mobile Emergency Police|Tomica Hyper Rescue Drive Head Kidō Kyūkyū Keisatsu}}]], Earth Granner centers on 12-year-old twin brothers Raiga and Kūga Kudō, members of the titular "Earth Granner" organization, as they battle the alien Dark Spinner with the aid of their partners: sentient, animal-themed vehicles called "Gao Granners" that can combine to form super-robots.
As an anime series about pre-teen kids partnered with living, transforming vehicle robots, developed to support a TakaraTomy toyline, Earth Granner (together with its predecessor Drive Head) is, in many ways, a spiritual successor to the Brave series, down to having multiple installments with only thematic, rather than in-continuity, links between them. The toyline, which features modular combinations and plenty of Light and Sound Action, takes a lot of influence from a previous TakaraTomy-exclusive toyline, Triple Combination: Transformers Go!.
The 2020 arcade game Toy Clash! Roboca Battle serves as a crossover between Earth Granner, fellow Takara transforming robot series Transforming Bullet Train Robot Shinkalion, and Transformers: Cyberverse.
Notes
[edit]- Drive Head and Earth Granner were not the first attempts by TakaraTomy to turn Tomica into an action franchise; the [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Tomica Hero Series|{{#if:||Tomica Hero Series}}]] of [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}tokusatsu|{{#if:||tokusatsu}}]] TV shows ran from 2008 to 2010, and was made up of two shows: Rescue Force and Rescue Fire.
See also
[edit]- Choro-Q, another multi-property Takara brand of tiny vehicle toys
- Generation 2 Go-Bots and Robots in Disguise Spychangers, which use Tomica-style through-axle construction
External links
[edit]- Transformers Tomica at the Tomica wiki
- [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Tomica|{{#if:||Tomica}}]] at Wikipedia
- [[wikipedia:{{#if:|:}}Tomica Kizuna Mode Combine Earth Granner|{{#if:||Tomica Kizuna Mode Combine Earth Granner}}]] at Wikipedia