Autobot (G2)

This article is about the Generation 2 watch-Autobot. For the faction to which he belonged, see Autobot.

Autobot is an... Autobot from the Generation 2 portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

Available in the finest vending machines across the country.

The confusingly-named Autobot transforms from a human wristwatch (or "time machine"—take that as literally as you will) to a humanoid robot.

Fiction

Ask Vector Prime

Autobot was in actuality Vector Prime, back when he was a Time Warrior and was known by the popular moniker "The First Autobot". Ask Vector Prime, 2015/09/11

Toys

Robot Time Machine in watch, "battle station", "galactic shuttle", "cosmic tank", "solar creature" and robot forms. No, this time we're not joking.

Sadly not featured in a hilarious rap-filled commercial.

Generation 2

• Autobot (Watch, 1993)

• Accessories: watchband
• Known designers: Takashi Matsuda (TakaraTomy)

Autobot originated in the 1983 Microman Micro Change line as MC-06 Watch Robo, where he was available in four different colors. In 1993, he was released directly by Takara in North America as part of Generation 2, alongside Scorpia and the wristwatches of Superion, Galvatron, and Ultra Magnus.

He transforms from a boxy silver chrome robot to a boxy functional digital watch that attaches to a plastic wristband.

This toy was repurposed as Azimuth and Vector Prime in Ask Vector Prime.

• More information on Autobot at TFU.info

Notes

Aiee! Fruit!

• After being released in Micro Change, Autobot was sold by Takara in a line called Watch Q in 1984. The watches who would become Kaltor and Scorpia were also sold in Watch Q, as were a bunch of other transforming watches who were never sold as Transformers.
• Autobot was also sold as part of Takara's North American Kronoform line, where he was called "Robot Time Machine" and had the unique honor of appearing in a television commercial that advertised him as being, at the least, a Six Changer (albeit a highly unconvincing one).

• He has the distinction of being THE prototypical transforming watch toy of the 1980s, with scores of knockoffs produced during that era. Surprisingly, one of these was advertised within an issue of Marvel's Transformers series! "The Next Best Thing to Being There!" featured an ad from the Nabisco company for a "Robot-Watch" (plainly Autobot, with "Quartz" replacing "Takara" on his chest) at the cost of $3.95 and 3 "Bonkers" candy labels.
  • Curiously, modern US-based clothing brand Los Angeles Apparel still currently produces copies of the "Quartz" clones, selling them under the "WCHROBOT" name.
• Two versions of Autobot's packaging are depicted in Transformers Generations, one using his Micro Change art with an Autobot symbol slapped on and the other with original art. According to the text, the former was a packaging mock-up; the one shown on this page is how he was released.

External links

• Kronoform Robot Time Machine commercial on YouTube