Editing Pre-Transformers

{{disambig2|the fandom term for toys derived from lines that existed before ''Transformers''|the cartoon character called "Pre-Transformer" in the script|Guardian Prime}}
[[File:Diaclone Car Robots.jpg|350px|thumb|Pffftt, like these silly novelty gizmos will ever become a decades-long pop culture phenomenon!]]
In [[Fandom|fan terminology]], '''pre-''[[Transformers brand|Transformers]]''''' is an umbrella term for the ''[[Diaclone]]'' and ''[[Micro Change]]'' toylines, as well as for the original, non-''Transformers''-branded versions of such toys as [[Jetfire (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Jetfire]] and the [[Mini-spy#Toys|Mini-spies]]; all of which originally made up the entirety of the [[The Transformers (toyline)|original ''Transformers'' toyline]] for (roughly) the first [[1984|two]] [[1985|years]] of its run. Some of these figures also sported different color schemes than their more well-known ''Transformers'' counterparts.

In many instances, future [[Generation 1 reissues|reissues]] of these figures or new toys of those characters would be [[redeco]]ed to [[homage]] the pre-''Transformers'' color schemes originally unused in the ''Transformers'' [[Franchises|franchise]].

==Overview==
[[File:Microman-Countach.jpg|thumb|left|250px|It's because of me that you spend a significant portion of your income on silly plastic robots!]]
===The early history of transforming robots===
The first known instance of a transforming toy robot toy comes from Japanese company [[Yonezawa Toys]], with their battery-powered "Space Explorer" tin robot - released sometime during the late 1950s <ref>There are multiple conflicting presumed dates for the release of Yonezawa's Space Explorer, ranging from 1956 to somewhere in the late 1960s - nonetheless; 1959 seems to be the most commonly-cited date on auction and antique websites. Notably, his "first-transforming-toy-robot" status would still remain even if the later dates are correct, as the next second-oldest known instance of a transforming robot toy is Popy's ''Raideen'' all the way in 1975 - so, Yonezawa was very early to the genre!</ref> - having the ability to automatically convert into a simple box roughly resembling a television set. It would only be in 1975 when something closer to a modern transforming would be produced by means of toy manufacturer {{w|Popy}} (ポピー), with their figure of the titular robot protagonist of ''{{w|Brave Raideen}}'' featuring the then-innovative ability to transform into a spaceship and back, a design concept that was quicky iterated on by multiple other Japanese toy manufacturers throughout the remainder of the decade. Quickly, transforming toy robots started appearing ''everywhere'' across the country, both as mechs and sentient characters in anime and as action figures in toy aisles.

In 1977, [[Takara]] would enter the transforming robot scene with an often-overlooked but very important addition to the genre. As the [[Microman]] line was at the height of its popularity, they'd supplement it with a series of automobiles that'd transform into alternative "attack" modes featuring extra play features, releasing under the ''Microman Command'' subline. Among these was "Cosmocountach", a - as its name suggests - Lamborghini Countach whose alternative mode was a rudimentary-looking wheeled robot. The key innovation here was the "Countach" part: while previous transforming robot toys converted into spaceships or other generic futuristic vehicle (or, in the case of Yonezawa's Space Explorer, into a household object!), Cosmocountach was the first to transform into a real-life vehicle, a major feature of the success of the transforming toy robot genre that was about to burst into popularity during the next decade.
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===Diaclone, Micro Change, and the rise of the early Transformers===
{{stub|A brief summary of the history of Diaclone and Micro Change, other licensed international releases of pre-TFs}}

Beyond Takara with their ''Diaclone'' and ''Micro Change'' figures, many other Japanese toy brands also jumped into the rapidly growing market of transforming toy robots. [[Bandai]] was arguably as much of a genre pioneer as Takara, with the famous ''[[Super Dimension Fortress Macross]]'' series and its squadrons of mechs that transform into realistic jets releasing in the same year as the ''Diaclone'' Car Robots. ''Machine Robo'' - the predecessor to the American-localized ''[[GoBots]]'' - would also release in 1982, further competing with Takara within the field of robots that transform into realistic vehicles. Other Bandai toylines like ''[[Special Armored Battalion Dorvack]]'' and ''Armored Insect Corps Beetras'' would also extensively feature transforming robots, albeit with more distinctively sci-fi alternate modes instead. Yonezawa Toys, the very progenitors of the transforming robot genre, would also release their own transforming robot toys during this time, most of them being gimmicky battery-powered toys: of note is their ''Remote Change Robo Series'', which featured small auto-transforming robots capable of converting into chibified real-life cars.

===Licensing and the transition into Transformers===
The act of licensing out Japanese transforming robot toys (and robot toys in general) to Western markets appears to have also started with Popy. Popy started off as a part of [[Bandai]], but separated from them in [[1971]] to explore other avenues, creating lines such as the ''Popynica'' line, which made toys for the ''{{w|Kamen Rider}}'' franchise, and the ''{{w|Chogokin}}'' line, which made toys for franchises such as ''[[Mazinger Z]]''. The toys released in these two lines ended up being licensed out to [[Mattel]] as part of their popular ''{{w|Shogun Warriors (toys)|Shogun Warriors}}'' franchise in the 70s. The aforementioned ''Brave Raideen'' also licensed out to Mattel. All of this would eventually lead to the creation of the ''{{Gb|Machine Robo}}'' toyline—but due to the declining popularity of robot toys in the very early-80s—Popy was reintegrated into Bandai in [[1983]], which thus led to the partnership between Bandai and [[Tonka]], that created ''[[GoBots]]''.
{{stub|A brief summary of the transition between pre-TF toylines and Transformers}}

[[File:Mysterians_mobile_force.jpg|250px|thumb|A mystery indeed.]]
There is a credible case that the unreleased ''[[Mysterians]]'' toyline from American company Knickerbocker Toys was the origin point for the not-[[Choro-Q]]-inspired figures in the first wave of Generation 1 [[Mini-Vehicle|Mini-Vehicles]] - those being [[Brawn (G1)/toys#The Transformers|Brawn]], [[Gears (G1)#The Transformers|Gears]], [[Huffer (G1)#The Transformers|Huffer]], and [[Windcharger (G1)#The Transformers|Windcharger]]. These designs were shown in internal Knickerbocker documents in 1982, then Hasbro purchased Knickerbocker in 1983 and the molds were released in ''Micro Change'' in 1983. But the chronology is not entirely clear, because Takara designer [[Masaki Maruyama]] is typically credited as designing these figures (as well as the other Mini-Vehicles). Perhaps Knickerbocker designed the toys and Maruyama's attributed credits are wrong... or early Takara designs were at first licensed to Knickerbocker for a release that never happened... or the two companies were designing them in tandem. Conclusive details about who gets full credit for such obscure unreleased products from a long-defunct company are likely lost to time. Notably, the other non-pre-Transformers ''Mysterians'' designs would eventually get released by a different company called Marchon (also under the ''Mysterians'' name), although it is unknown what (if any) deal they cut with Hasbro and/or the late Knickerbocker.

===The legacy of pre-Transformers===
By [[1986]], almost all of the pre-''Transformers'' toy-molds that made up the original ''Transformers'' toyline had started to trickle out in favor of the all-new molds based on [[Floro Dery]]'s concept artwork designed for ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', though, a few [[Diaclone#Posthumous Diaclone|unutilized ''Diaclone'' concepts]], as well as [[retool]]s of previously-released pre-''Transformers'' molds from [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] found their way into the mix. By [[1987]], the Hasbro ''Transformers'' line ([[1992]] in the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)|Takara line]]) had reached the point where ''only'' original molds were being produced.
{{stub|A summary of post-G1 releases of pre-TF toys and decos, later decos and characters inspired by their pre-TF versions}}

==Pre-Transformers lines==
The molds released across the Generation 1 toyline — counting [[The Transformers (toyline)|the original American version]] and its subsequent [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)|Japanese equivalent]], as well as its many [[Generation 1 toylines in Latin America|permutations across Latin America]] — add up to a bulk of figures whose roots can be traced back to a staggering ''twelve'' (or [[Pre-Transformers#Honorable mentions|maybe even thirteen]]!) different toylines, produced by a total of seven (or, again; potentially eight!) different manufacturers, the majority of them based in Japan. 

====Molds released in Hasbro & Takara's ''Transformers'' toylines====
[[File:Sunstreaker-diaclone.jpg|250px|thumb|''Diaclone'' No. 1 Countach LP500S — the first ''Diaclone Car Robot'' and the predecessor mold that eventually led to [[Sunstreaker (G1)/toys#Toys|Sunstreaker]].]]
*From [[TakaraTomy|Takara]]:
**''[[Diaclone]]'' — predecessors to [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], [[Autobot Cars]], [[Seeker (body-type)|Seekers]], [[Insecticon (G1)|Insecticons]], [[Omnibots]], [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]], [[Constructicon (G1)|Constructicons]], [[Blitzwing (G1)/toys#Toys|Blitzwing]]
**''[[Micro Change]]'' — predecessors to [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]], [[Soundwave (G1)|Soundwave]] and his [[Mini-Cassette|Mini-Cassettes]], [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]], [[Mini-Vehicle|Mini-Vehicles]]

====Molds released in Hasbro's ''Transformers'' toyline only====
*From Takara:
**''Diaclone'' — predecessors to [[Jumpstarters]], [[Powerdasher|Powerdashers]]
** ''Watch-Q'' — predecessors to the [[Kronoform]] figures (first released as its own toyline, later rebranded into a ''Transformers'' subline)
**''[[Mech Soldier]]'' — predecessors to [[Mini-spy#Toys|Mini-spies]]

*From [[Takatoku Toys]]:
**''[[Armored Insect Corps Beetras]]'' — predecessors to [[Insecticon (G1)#Toys|Deluxe Insecticons]]
**''[[Special Armored Battalion Dorvack]]'' — predecessors to [[Deluxe Vehicle#Toys|Deluxe Vehicles]]
**''[[Super Dimension Fortress Macross]]'' — predecessor to [[Jetfire (G1)/toys#Notes|Jetfire]]
[[File:TakatokuSuperValkyrie.jpg|250px|thumb|''Macross'' 1/55 VF-1S Super Valkyrie — the predecessor mold that eventually led to [[Jetfire (G1)/toys|Jetfire]].]]
*From [[Toybox]]: "Super Change Robo Mechabot-1" —  predecessors to [[Omega Supreme (G1)#Notes|Omega Supreme]] and [[Sky Lynx (G1)#Notes|Sky Lynx]] (the latter being designed by ToyBox but only ever released as a Transformer).
*From [[ToyCo]]: "4 Changeable Astro Magnum" —  predecessor to [[Shockwave (G1)/toys#Notes|Shockwave]]

====Molds released in Takara's ''Transformers'' toyline only====
*From Takara:
**''Diaclone'' — predecessors to [[Trainbot|Trainbots]]
**''Micro Change'' — predecessor to [[Browning]]

====Molds released in South American ''Transformers'' toylines only====
*From [[Yonezawa Toys]]: "Remote Change Robo Series" — predecessors to the [[Eletrix]]

*From [[Asahi Corporation]]: "Attack Change Machine Powertron" — predecessors to [[Bat-Robô|Bat-Robôs]]

*From [[Best Join]]: "Radio Robot" — predecessor to [[Radio AM Robot]] (and, confusingly, also a [[knockoff]])
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==Licensed international releases of pre-''Transformers''==
[[File:TANDY_UK_Galactic_Man_variant_Electronic_space_robot_gun.jpg|thumb|185px|RadioShack/Tandy's "Galactic Man" — once thought by many to be a knockoff.]]
Hasbro's ''Transformers'' line was originally just one of several international venues for many of these figures. It was only when ''Transformers'' became such a huge worldwide success that it completely eclipsed these other versions, resulting in weird transitional phases in many instances. Some of these are frequently mistaken for [[knockoff]]s (not helped by the fact that there ''are'' knockoffs of many of ''these versions'' as well!).

'''United States'''
*Takara
**''[[Diakron]]'' (featuring ''Diaclone'' figures, including the [[Powerdasher]]s that were first named as such here)
** ''[[Kronoform]]'' (again, later rebranded into a ''Transformers'' subline)

*[[RadioShack]] — "Galactic Man" (a version of [[Shockwave (G1)/toys#Notes|Shockwave]]'s mold)
*Village Toys — ''Convert-A-Bots'', featuring "N-4-SR" (''another'' version of Shockwave's mold in two different color schemes) and ''Pow-R-Bots'' (featuring ''Turbo Z'', ''Porsche'', and ''Jeep'' as versions of [[Esporte]], [[Porsche (Eletrix)|Porsche]], and [[Jipe (Eletrix)|Jipe]]'s molds)
*Select — ''Convertors'' (featuring "Wheels" and "Chopper", plastic versions of [[Roadbuster (G1)#The Transformers|Roadbuster]] and [[Whirl (G1)#The Transformers|Whirl]]'s molds, respectively)
*Ertl Company - ''Pow-R-Trons'' (featuring ''Zoomer'' and ''Turboid'' as versions of [[Turbo (G1)|Turbo]]'s mold and ''Distroid'' and ''Fy-Ton'' as versions of [[Pick-Up (Bat-Robô)|Pick-Up]]'s mold)

'''United Kingdom'''
*Grandstand — ''Convertors'' (unrelated to Select's US line of the same name; featuring "Omegatron", a version of [[Omega Supreme (G1)#Notes|Omega Supreme]]'s mold in its original Mechabot-1 colors)
*Tandy — "Galactic Man" (almost identical to RadioShack's version, due to both being owned by the same parent company)
'''Italy'''
*[[GiG]] — ''[[Trasformer]]'' (featuring ''Diaclone'' and ''Micro Change'' figures, some of them already in their unique ''Transformers'' colors; as well as "Megarobot", a version of Omega Supreme's mold)
[[File:ToyboxMechabot-1.jpg|250px|thumb|Toybox's ''Super Change Robo'' Mechabot-1 — featuring the color scheme that'd also be seen on its GAMA and Grandstand versions.]]
'''Germany'''
*GAMA — "Trans Robot" (a version of Omega Supreme's mold very similar to Grandstand's "Omegatron", with the packaging design being close to Toybox's original ''Mechabot-1'' version, but with the "Trans Robot" logo taking some cues from Hasbro's "''Transformers''" logo, also replacing the tank's long barrel with a radar dish because no war toys for you, German kids!)

'''France'''
*[[Joustra]] — ''Diaclone'' (featuring Takara ''Diaclone'' and ''Micro Change'' figures, some of them already sporting Autobot and Decepticon [[insignia]] [[sticker]]s)
*Orli Jouet — "Robotrack" (featuring "Mecabot", a nigh-identical version of Omega Supreme in Hasbro colors, possibly produced as part of a partnership with GiG, with the TV commercial even featuring footage from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|''Transformers'' cartoon]])

'''Finland'''
*Takara — ''Diaclone'' (featuring ''Diaclone'' figures, including a unique black version of [[Tracks (G1)#Black|Tracks]]'s mold)
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==Post-Generation 1 releases==
As Hasbro and Takara would eventually make newer ''Transformers'' toylines throughout the following decades, they would also overwhelmingly rely on all-new original toy designs, with both companies therefore mostly leaving the old pre-Transformers molds to the realm of occasional commemorative [[reissue]] toylines (and neither company ever again releasing rebranded non-Hasbro / Takara toys as ''Transformers'', like  Hasbro had formerly done with ''Macross'', ''Dorvack'', and ''Beetras''). Nonetheless, there would still be a few instances of figures and decos from pre-Transformers Takara toylines making their way into future Transformers toylines after the end of Generation 1.

===Pre-Transformers figures released after Generation 1===
[[Image:BW-toy DarkEggleo.jpg|right|thumb|210px|''Beast Wars'' Dark Eggleo, based on MC-15 Metal Leo.]]
Oddly, a few extra ''Micro Change'' toys would only be released as ''Transformers'' for the first time during the 90s:

**MC-06 Watch Robo  — [[Autobot (G2)|Autobot]], released in 1993 under the ''[[Transformers: Generation 2]]'' toyline
**Meteor Robos  — [[Egg Beast|Egg Beasts]], retooled and released in 1998 under the [[Transformers: Beast Wars (Japanese toyline)|Japanese ''Transformers: Beast Wars'']] toyline

===Pre-Transformers decos released after Generation 1===
Some decos for the classic molds in some of the aforementioned reissue toylines would be directly taken from their ''Diaclone'' and ''Micro Change'' equivalents.

*''Diaclone''
** Powered Convoy  — [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#MoviePreview|Ultra Magnus Yokokuhen Version]], released in the 2001 Toy Festival (later repurposed as [[Delta Magnus]])
** No.21 Corvette Stingray — [[Road Rage (G1)|Road Rage]], released in 2002 by [[e-HOBBY]]
** No. 6 Honda City R — [[Crosscut (G1)|Crosscut]], released in 2002 by e-HOBBY
** No.19 New Countach LP500S Police Car Type — [[Clampdown (G1)|Clampdown]], released in 2003 by e-HOBBY[[File:G1tigertrack toy.jpg|right|250px|thumb|''Figure Ō'' Tigertrack, featuring the deco of New Countach LP500S' yellow version.]]
** Powered Convoy DX Set — [[Deep Cover]], released in 2003 by e-HOBBY
** Finnish ''Diaclone'' Corvette Stingray — [[Tracks (G1)/toys#Black|Black Tracks]], released in 2003 as a [[Lucky Draw|Lucky Draw prize]]
** No.15 New Countach LP500S — [[Tigertrack#Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers|Tigertrack]], released in 2003 as a ''[[Figure Ō]]'' magazine mail order item
** Insecter Robos — [[Zaptrap#Toys|Zaptrap]], [[Salvo (G1)#Toys|Salvo]], and [[Shothole#Toys|Shothole]], released in 2004 by e-HOBBY
** No. 1 Jet Fighter Type — [[Overcharge (G1)#Toys|Overcharge]], released in 2005 by e-HOBBY
*''Micro Change''
** MC-13 Gun Robo Walther P-38 U.N.C.L.E. — [[Megatron (G1)/toys#BlackG1|Megatron Black Version]], released in 2001 by e-HOBBY
** MC-20 Micro Scope — [[Magnificus (G1)#Collector.27s Edition|Magnificus]], released in 2005 by e-HOBBY

Notably, most of these releases would canonize said decos as new characters, a good portion of which would later get all-new toys in modern toylines like [[Masterpiece]] and the "[[CHUG]]" ensemble!

==Notes==
* As mentioned above, Hasbro's once-rival, Tonka, teamed up with Bandai in 1983, to create the ''GoBots'' franchise using licensed-out ''Machine Robo'' toys. Much like Takara's attempts at releasing their products in Western markets through the ''Diakron'' and ''Kronoform'' lines, Bandai attempted the same thing with ''Machine Robo'', releasing the ''{{Gb|Robo Machine}}'' and ''{{Gb|Robo Machines}}'' lines in Europe; the {{Gb|Machine Men (North American franchise)|''Machine Men'' and ''Robot Machine Men''}} lines in America and Canada, respectively; and the (unrelated) ''{{Gb|Machine Men (franchise)|Machine Men}}'' line in Australia—all of which had varying degrees of success, and ran concurrently with one another.
*The [[Action Master]] [[Treadshot (G1)#The Transformers|Treadshot]]'s design was inspired by a toy originally manufactured by Sunmayor Ohkawa (サンマーヤ大川) Co., Ltd., the "357 Magnum Robo" (357マグナムロボ). It was later called the "Highway Patrol Robo" and released in [[GiG]]'s ''[[Trasformer]]'' line in Italy. It was even covered in Takara's ''[[Takara SF Land Collection Complete Works]]'' toy book for unknown reasons.

==External links==
*[http://www.fredsworkshop.com/vdiaclone.html Pre-Transformers!]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170913031534/http://1501bc.com/pretf/ The Pre Transformer Page]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Fan terminology]]
[[Category:Pre-Transformer]]
[[Category:Toys]]