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[[Image:BattleBeastsDreamwave1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Adorably vicious]]
{{disambig3|Beastformer}}
The '''''Beastformers''''' toy line, developed jointly by [[Hasbro]] and [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] in 1986, was released as part of the Japanese ''Headmasters'' series (in 1987) and even made appearances within the series' cartoon and manga.
[[File:Beastfamily.jpg||thumb|upright=1.4|A bucolic {{w|Sylvanian Families|Sylvanian}}... er, Beastformer family, before the Decepticons invaded.]]


The American/European version of the line, called '''''Battle Beasts''''' was, until recently, fictionally unconnected to ''Transformers''.
The '''Beastformers''' (ビーストフォーマー ''Bīsutofōmā'') are a species of anthropomorphic animals that reside on the planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]]. Vast numbers of them have been cybernetically enhanced, a seemingly normal process for the species.


:''Portugese name'': '''Bestias Combate'''
They are also known as '''Battle Beasts'''.
:''French-Canadian name'': '''Comba Nimaux'''
:''French name'': '''Les Dragonautes'''


==Transformers fiction==
==Fiction==
===Japanese cartoon continuity===
===Japanese cartoon continuity===
====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
====''The Headmasters'' cartoon====
[[Image:Beastfamily.jpg|right|300px|thumb|A bucolic Sylvanian... er, Beastformer family, before the Decepticons invaded.]]
The [[Autobot]]s came into contact with two refugee Beastformers who were seeking help. They said that their world, planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], was a happy and peaceful one ruled by a just hereditary monarchy of lions (what else?) until the [[Decepticon]]s invaded and helped the enemy forces of [[Alligatron]] take control. The Autobots traveled to Beast inside of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] and helped the good Beastformers free planet Beast from Decepticon tyranny. [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] left the [[Monsterbot (G1)|Monsterbot]]s behind to protect the planet from any future Decepticon incursions. {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}}
The [[Autobot]]s came into contact with two refugee Beastformers who were seeking help. They said that their world, planet [[Beast (planet) | Beast]], was a happy and peaceful one ruled by a just hereditary monarchy of lions (what else?) until the [[Decepticon]]s invaded and helped the enemy forces of [[Alligatoron]] take control. To all appearances, this tragedy changed their society from [http://www.sylvanianfamilies.com/index.php a girls' toy brand] to [http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/east/158/pictwo.html a boys' toy brand]. The Autobots traveled to Beast inside of [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] and helped the good Beastformers free planet Beast from Decepticon tyranny. [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] left the [[Monsterbot]]s behind to protect the planet from any future Decepticon incursions.


After [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] blew up [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] and Rodimus Prime departed to find a new homeworld, the Monsterbots rejoined the Autobot forces under Fortress Maximus. This led to further suffering for the Beastformers as the Decepticons invaded again (see below) and Scorponok took many of them to the planet [[Zarak (Nebulan)|Zarak]] as slaves to build him a giant [[transtector]]. Smooth move, Monsterbots.  {{storylink|Rebellion on Planet Beast}}
Despite that victory, [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] took many Beastformers hostage. Transplanting them to the planet [[Zarak (planet)|Zarak]] as slaves, they were forced to build him a giant [[transtector]]. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}}


====''The Headmasters'' comic====
====''The Headmasters'' comic====
Once again, the Decepticons teamed up with Alligatoron to take over planet Beast. The good Battle Beasts under the command of [[White Leo]] (with help from human-turned Battle Beast, [[Kane]]) sent for assistance from the Autobots, who arrived to help defeat the Decepticons and Alligatoron. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}}
Once again, the Decepticons teamed up with Alligatron to take over planet Beast. The good Beastformers under the command of [[White Leo]] (with help from human-turned-Beastformer, [[Kane]]) sent for assistance from the Autobots, who arrived to help defeat the Decepticons and Alligatron. {{storylink|The Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}}


===Dreamwave Generation 1 comics===
====''Beastformers'' comic====
While hunting down the rogue [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s search brought him to planet Beest during the middle of a battle amongst the Beastformers. {{storylink|Welcome to the Jungle}}
The Beastformers were an offshoot race of the [[Laser Beast]]s, who had been created by the [[Three Wise Ones]] to carry on their work. When the Laser Beast society became too cold and unfeeling, a small group who remained faithful to the Three Wise Ones' ideals left their underground civilization and traveled to the surface long ago. This group would in time become the Beastformers. {{storylink|Legend of the Three Wise Ones}}


===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
In the modern day, a party of Beastformers led by White Leo searched for the Three Wise Ones' Water Gem of Stillness when it was preventing rain from falling in [[North Snarl]]. They may have encountered the Laser Beast [[Sur]]. {{storylink|The Water Gem of Stillness}}
[[Image:Beastformers GIJoe.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Beastformers acting as Unicron's antibodies.]]
In order to keep the planet-devouring chaos god [[Unicron]] from munching [[Earth]], [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]] and [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] traveled within the giant's body in order to deliver a devastating payload of metal-eating fungus to his brain. Flint and Cosmos were stalled by Unicron's antibodies, in the form of mind-controlled Beastformers. Flint and Cosmos fought past the Beastformers and defeated Unicron with the fungus. Whether this freed the enslaved Beastformers or not remains unclear. However, [[Joe Colton]] is charged with leading a mission to Unicron's dead body in order to bring assistance to its residents (presumably the Beastformers). {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 2 of 2|Black Horizon Part 2}}


==Beastformers/Battle Beasts fiction==
After millions of years of isolation, the Laser Beasts were forced to the surface as the imbalance of the six elemental gems caused natural disasters that devastated their kingdom. Unknown to the Laser Beasts, the surface of Beast was already inhabited: by the Beastformers! The Laser Beasts and the Beastformers then clashed in a massive battle, deciding which Beast lifeform would rule the surface of Planet Beast! {{storylink|Beastformers VS Laser Beasts}}


===''Laser Beasts'' comic===
====''Legends'' comic====
Tens of thousands of years ago, the Three Wise Men (later to be known as the God Beasts) crash-landed on planet [[Beast (G1)|Beast]] and quickly discovered that they could not survive due to the planet's incredible temperature, lack of water and virtually no breathable atmosphere.  Immediately, they located a cave and chose to live underground where they could survive somehow. Using their incredible knowledge, they created three machines capable of unfathomable destruction which they dubbed "Hunters". They used the Hunters to build a vast subterranean empire, but fearing the destructive power of the Hunters, had all three units separated and hidden across the globe.  Later, they developed a new kind of lifeform, the '''Laser Beast'''.  Using a lens located in its chest, the Laser Beast could absorb artificial solar energy and power itself.
Defeated by the Laser Beast [[Tigerburn]], White Leo fled to the [[Legends World]] to build a new civilization for his Beastformer subjects. Tigerburn followed him along with a mind-controlled [[Doublecross]], but the evil Laser Beast was himself followed by White Leo's sister, [[White Lune]]. White Leo became Doublecross's [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster]], restoring the Autobot's mind, and White Lune became Doublecross's [[Targetmaster (technology)|Targetmaster]], increasing the Autobot's power. Together, they forced Tigerburn out of the Legends World. Deciding it was better to fight for their homeworld than to run, White Leo and White Lune returned to planet Beast to defeat the Laser Beasts once and for all. {{storylink|LG51 Targetmaster Doublecross}}


20014 years later, the underground civilization of the Laser Beasts eventually succumbed to over-mechanization, destroying their own environment and causing a rift between the once-peaceful citizens.  A group of Laser Beasts, fearing the new hostilities, chose to leave the subterranean empire and journey to the surface for the first time ever.  Surviving the journey, the Laser Beasts found the surface of Beast to have changed drastically since when the Three Wise Men founded their civilization, as it was now a jungle brimming with life.  Almost immediately after their arrival, a great natural disaster flooded the subterranean empire of the Laser Beasts, destroying their city.  The surviving Laser Beasts then chose to travel to the surface of Beast, albeit reluctantly.
===Dreamwave ''Generation One'' continuity===
[[File:BattleBeastsDreamwave1.jpg|thumb|left|Adorably vicious]]


Unknown to the Laser Beasts, the surface of Beast was already inhabited: by the Beastformers!  The Laser Beasts and the Beastformers then clashed in a massive battle, deciding which Beast lifeform would rule the surface of Planet Beast!
While hunting down the rogue [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]], [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s search brought him to planet Beest during the middle of a battle amongst the Beastformers. {{storylink|Welcome to the Jungle}}


===Blackthorne ''Battle Beasts'' comics===
===''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers''===
[[Image:BattleBeasts comic 1.GIF|left|100px|thumb|The cover of Blackthorne Battle Beasts #1]]
[[File:Beastformers GIJoe.jpg|upright=1.1|thumb|Beastformers acting as Unicron's antibodies.]]
The Battle Beasts did get some outside fiction in the U.S., in the form of a short-lived (four issues) [[Blackthorne Publishing|Blackthorne]] black-and-white comic book. Good luck finding it.  
In order to keep the planet-devouring chaos god [[Unicron]] from munching [[Earth]], [[Flint (G.I. Joe)|Flint]] and [[Cosmos (G1)|Cosmos]] traveled within the giant's body in order to deliver a devastating payload of [[metal-eating spore]]s to his brain. Flint and Cosmos were stalled by Unicron's antibodies, in the form of mind-controlled Beastformers. Flint and Cosmos fought past the Beastformers and defeated Unicron with the fungus. Whether this freed the enslaved Beastformers or not remains unclear. However, [[Joe Colton]] was charged with leading a mission to Unicron's dead body in order to bring assistance to its residents (presumably the Beastformers). {{storylink|Black Horizon, Part 2 of 2}}
 
The comic is set on an unnamed planet inhabited by sentient, armored animals, each imbued with the power of one of the three elements:  water, fire, and wood. Their powers and the health of their world are maintained by the Soulspirit, a ghostly figure that—strangely for a planet of talking animals—appears to be [[human]]. By keeping her animal charges and their nature totems in harmony, the Soulspirit helps maintain a balance that prevents the return of her ancient enemy—Ruhin, the sludgy lord of chaos. An evil plot by the totem-switching, mind-controlling, rather [[Megatron (BW)|''Beast Wars'' Megatron]]-ish Chameleon, and his minions Blitzkrieg Bat, Rampaging Rhino, and Cutthroat Cuttlefish, disrupts the Soulspirit's planetary totem renewal ritual: the subsequent psychic totem disruption drives every creature on the planet insane and makes them start viciously attacking each other. The only beasts spared from this madness are Chameleon's forces and a small group of heroes (Horny Toad, Knight Owl, and Gargantuan Gorilla) who had already tried and failed to stop him. With their world now plunged into madness and nonstop war, the heroic faction must journey to find the one being on the planet—the near-mythical [[White Leo|Sunburst Warrior]]—who can restore the harmony and sanity of the Battle Beasts. But they must hurry, because the disruption of the balance of nature has also revived the evil Ruhin! 


===Ask Vector Prime===
The [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] of [[Aurex 615.03 Epsilon]] adopted Battle Beast [[alternate mode]]s during the "Elemental War" on [[Jungle Planet (Energon)|Jungle Planet]]. {{storylink|Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#June 3, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 03/06/2015}}
{{--}}
{{--}}


==Toys==
==Other media==
[[Image:BEASTFORMERS BACKcomp.JPG|right|300px|thumb|The care bear cousins will protect the Forest of Feelings at all cost!]]
[[File:BattleBeasts comic 1.GIF|100px|thumb|The cover of Blackthorne Battle Beasts #1]]
Battle Beasts/Beastformers are soft plastic figures of anthropomorphic animals in high-tech armor, each about 1.5 inches tall, with swivel-jointed shoulders and a unique weapon accessory.  Their primary gimmick is the use of [[Rubsign|rubsigns]].  In the initial Takara releases, they came in ''Transformers''-style boxes.
===Blackthorne ''Battle Beasts'' comics===
 
The Battle Beasts did get some fiction in the U.S., in the form of a short-lived (four issues) [[Blackthorne Publishing|Blackthorne]] black-and-white comic book. Good luck finding it.   
Their rubsigns were used to play a variation of "Rock-Paper-Scissors".  Each Beast could have one of three "elements" revealed by the rubsign: Wood, Fire or Water.  Wood beats Water, Water beats Fire, and Fire beats Wood.  A rare fourth element, Sunburst ("Burstsun" in Japan), could beat any other, though this symbol was introduced late in the line.  Since the symbols were heat-activated, it was impossible to determine what each toys' symbol was until the toys were freed from their packaging. (Reportedly, only [[White Leo]] was available as a "Burstsun" warrior in Japan.)  The [[Hasbro]] line packaged them as two-packs with randomized pairings, while the [[Takara]] series had individual boxes with bio cards.
 
===Series 1 (1987)===
Packaged in ''Transformers''-style boxes, the initial Beastformers were divided between the Autobot and Decepticon factions on the basis of whether their species was an endothermic vertebrate (mammal or bird) or... well, anything else.  The one exception was the Decepticon [[Devilbat]].
 
====Autobot====
*1 - [[White Leo]] / Pirate Lion
*2 - [[Big Serow]] / Deer Stalker
*3 - [[Golder]]<ref>Spelling in English on Meiji trading card.[http://home.comcast.net/~BattleBeastSD/MGCFTiger.html]</ref> / Ferocious Tiger
*4 - [[Flykick]] / Colonel Bird
*8 - [[Elephan]] / Sledgehammer Elephant
 
[[Image:SnakeBomb-MIB.jpg|right|200px|thumb|You can&#39;t keep me in here! I have to fight He-Man!]]
*9 - [[Graysharp]] / Rocky Rhino
*10 - [[Gray Ox]] / Roamin' Buffalo
*11 - [[Battle Bear]] / Grizzly Bear
*13 - [[Bonga]] / Gargantuan Gorilla
*14 - [[Wild Thunder]] / Swiny Boar
*16 - [[Beafox]]<ref>Spelling in English on Meiji trading card.[http://home.comcast.net/~BattleBeastSD/MGCFox.html]</ref> / Sly Fox
*18 - [[Yellow Giraffe]] / Rubberneck Giraffe
*19 - [[Hedgehog]] / Prickly Porcupine
*22 - [[Rabbit Kid]] / Hare Razing Rabbit
*21 - [[Bowdog]] / Danger Dog
*23 - [[Bluehorse]] / Sir Sire Horse
*24 - [[Giader]]<ref>Spelling in English on Meiji trading card.[http://home.comcast.net/~BattleBeastSD/MGCWeasel.html]</ref> / War Weasel
*25 - [[Violet Horn]] / Bloodthirsty Bison
*26 - [[Bomb Sheep]]<ref>The English [[romanization]] on Bomb Sheep's Meiji trading card[http://home.comcast.net/~BattleBeastSD/MGCSheep.html] is "Bomsheep". The majority of the other Beastformer romanizations the wiki has adopted from these cards are otherwise widely open to interpretation; in this case, however, "bom" is assumed to be [[Engrish]].</ref> / Bighorn Sheep
 
====Decepticons====
*5 - [[Killer Fish]] / Killer Carp
*6 - [[Snake Bomb]]<ref>The English [[romanization]] on Snake Bomb's Meiji trading card[http://home.comcast.net/~BattleBeastSD/MGCSnake.html] is "Snakebom". The majority of the other Beastformer romanizations the wiki has adopted from these cards are otherwise widely open to interpretation; in this case, however, "bom" is assumed to be [[Engrish]].</ref> / Triple Threat Snake
*7 - [[Drillfrog]] / Horny Toad
*12 - [[Devilbat]] / Blitzkrieg Bat
*15 - [[Alligatron]]<ref>Spelling in English on Meiji trading card.[http://home.comcast.net/~BattleBeastSD/MGCGator.html]</ref> / Gruesome Gator
*17 - [[Black Turtle]] / Hardtop Tortoise
*20 - [[Badshark]] / Sawtooth Shark
*27 - [[Deaspider]]<ref>Spelling in English on Meiji trading card.[http://home.comcast.net/~BattleBeastSD/MGCSpider.html]</ref> / Webslinger Spider
*28 - [[Crab Hit]] / Crusty Crab
 
===Series 2 (1987)===
At this point, Beastformers boxes ceased to use the Autobot and Decepticon symbols and faction-coded red and purple backgrounds.  They were still divided between Autobot and Decepticon factions, with appropriate faction insignia on the bio cards included in their boxes.  The Autobot Beastformers were still exclusively mammals and birds, while the Decepticon Beastformers welcomed owls and a variety of mammals into their ranks.  And these are supposed to be the ''villains''.
 
====Autobot====
*31 - [[Power Jaguar]] / Jaded Jag
*32 - [[Strong Hippo]] / Humongous Hippo
*33 - [[Wave Moose]] / Major Moose
*35 - [[Jungaroo]] / Kickback Kangaroo
*37 - [[Sea Iron]] / Wolfgang Walrus
*39 - [[Dark Raccoon]] / Dragoon Racoon
*41 - [[Smile Duck]] / Run Amuck Duck
*42 - [[Underground (Beastformer)|Underground]] / Miner Mole
*44 - [[Beavop]]<ref>Spelling in English on Meiji trading card.[http://home.comcast.net/~BattleBeastSD/MGCBeaver.html]</ref> / Eager Beaver
*47 - [[Yellow Camelus]] / Hunchback Camel
*48 - [[Polar Battle Bear]] / Pillaging Polar Bear
*49 - [[Flying Attacker]] / Squirely Squirrel
*50 - [[Platinum Tiger]] / Sabre Sword Tiger
*51 - [[Bullhorn (Beastformer)|Bullhorn]] / Bludgeonly Bulldog
 
====Decepticon====
*29 - [[Iguanamonss]]<ref>Spelling in English on Meiji trading card.[http://home.comcast.net/~BattleBeastSD/MGCIguanna.html]</ref> / Icky Iguana
*30 - [[Brown Gyro]] / Armored Armadillo
*34 - [[Green Chameles]] / Delta Chameleon
*36 - [[Red Octo]] / Octillion Octopus
*38 - [[Scout Mouse]] / Powerhouse Mouse
*40 - [[Power Nozzle]] / Antic Anteater
*43 - [[Cuttledeep]] / Cutthroat Cuttlefish
*45 - [[Junior Dragon]] / Slasher Seahorse
*46 - [[Night Owl]] / Knight Owl
*52 - [[Ultragas]] / Pew-Trid Skunk
 
===Series 3 (1987)===
With the third wave release, the rubsigns were reworked so they featured full-color illustrations, rather than the black-on-mood-ring-colors of the old signs.  All Series 1 Beastformers were repackaged to fit with the new ''Beastformers'' brand and given the updated rubsigns.  The Series 2 Beastformers were also rereleased with the updated rubsigns in Series 3 boxes.  Numerous multi-packs --with [[exclusive]] variations-- were released in Japan as well.
 
Vehicles were also introduced to the line, motorized "Battle Chariots" and transforming "Battle Bases" that unfolded into large playsets.
 
====Autobots====
*53 - [[Strong Panda]] / Panzer Panda
*55 - [[Koala Gray]] / Killer Koala
*57 - [[Black Jaguar]] / Black Panther
*58 - [[Dream-Eater]] / Torrential Tapir
*60 - [[Baboon]] / Manic Mandrill
*61 - [[Dog Hunter]] / Pixilated Pointer
*62 - [[Būpink]] / Pillager Pig
*63 - [[Laser Cock]] / Rowdy Rooster
*64 - [[Musk-Horn]] / Musky Ox
*66 - [[Slo]] / Slowpoke Sloth
*67 - [[Earthhog]] / Ardent Aardvark
*68 - [[White Cow]] / Bodacious Bovine
*69 - [[Zebra Ball]] / Zealot Zebra
*71 - [[Duck Diver]] / Diving Duckbill
*73 - [['Mingo Kid]] / Frenzied Flamingo
*74 - [[Little Serow]] / Fleet-Footed Antelope
*75 - [[Peguinis]] / Pungnacious Penguin
*76 - [[Udan]] / Osified Orangutan
 
====Decepticons====
*54 - [[Shield Dragon]] / Leapin' Lizard
*56 - [[Demonkey]] / Tarsier Tyrant
*59 - [[Cobrander]] / King Cobra
*65 - [[Pangol]] / Tanglin' Pangolin
*70 - [[Eagle Killer]] / Harrier Hawk
*72 - [[Crowmax]] / Crooked Crow
 
====Battle Chariots====
*[[Battling Big Horn]]
*[[Battling Deer Stalker]]
*[[Battling Tearin' Tiger]]
 
====Battle Bases====
*[[Red Phoenix]]
*[[Shocking Shark]]
*[[Wood Beetle]]
 
===Laser Beasts (1988)===
An evolution of the gimmick was planned for both sides of the world, replacing the rubsigns with clear marbles that would reveal their element when looked through into a light source.  The US/Europe version of these toys, dubbed the '''Battle Beasts Shadow Warriors''', never made it to a wide release, though packaged samples of the toys have been uncovered.  In Japan, the entire range made it to retail, under the name '''Laser Beasts''', likely named as such due to the combination of their light-based gimmick, and that the melee weapons of old were replaced with blaster-riflesHowever, the Laser Beasts came out after the Beastformers had removed all their ties to ''Transformers'' (and, as such, will not be covered extensively on this wiki).
 
==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
The comic is set on an unnamed planet inhabited by sentient, armored animals, each imbued with the power of one of the three elements: water, fire, and wood. Their powers and the health of their world are maintained by the Soulspirit, a ghostly figure that—strangely for a planet of talking animals—appears to be [[human]]. By keeping her animal charges and their nature totems in harmony, the Soulspirit helps maintain a balance that prevents the return of her ancient enemy—Ruhin, the sludgy lord of chaos. An evil plot by the totem-switching, mind-controlling crime lord [[Green Chameles|Chameleon]], and his minions [[Devilbat|Blitzkrieg Bat]], [[Graysharp|Rocky Rhino]], and [[Cuttledeep|Cutthroat Cuttlefish]], disrupts the Soulspirit's planetary totem renewal ritual: the subsequent psychic totem disruption drives every creature on the planet insane and makes them start viciously attacking each other. The only beasts spared from this madness are Chameleon's forces and a small group of heroes ([[Drillfrog|Horny Toad]], [[Night Owl|Knight Owl]], and [[Bonga|Gargantuan Gorilla]]) who had already tried and failed to stop him. With their world now plunged into madness and nonstop war, the heroic faction must journey to find the one being on the planet—the near-mythical [[White Leo|Sunburst Warrior]]—who can restore the harmony and sanity of the Battle Beasts. But they must hurry, because the disruption of the balance of nature has also revived the evil Ruhin!
*[http://www.toyarchive.com/BattleBeasts/BattleBeasts1.html Battle Beasts info at Super Toy Archive]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5O26Dtubh0 Toy commercial on YouTube]


==Notes==
* In the world of ''[[Beast Wars: Uprising]]'', several Beastformers were recast as [[Maximal]]s and [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s, using names based on their Hasbro ''Battle Beasts'' counterparts where available (such as with [[Strong Panda|Panzer]] and [[Elephan|Sledgehammer]]) and their Takara names otherwise (as with [[Battlefennec|Fennec]] and [[Sea Panic]]).


[[Category:Beastformers]]
[[Category:Alien species]]
[[Category:Generation 1]]
[[Category:Beastformers| ]]
[[Category:Headmasters franchise]]
[[Category:Beastformers franchise| ]]
[[Category:Generation 1 species]]
[[Category:Legends franchise]]
[[Category:The Headmasters]]
[[Category:Planet Beast]]

Latest revision as of 20:50, 23 February 2026

The name or term "Beastformer" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Beastformer (disambiguation).
A bucolic Sylvanian... er, Beastformer family, before the Decepticons invaded.

The Beastformers (ビーストフォーマー Bīsutofōmā) are a species of anthropomorphic animals that reside on the planet Beast. Vast numbers of them have been cybernetically enhanced, a seemingly normal process for the species.

They are also known as Battle Beasts.

Fiction

[edit]

Japanese cartoon continuity

[edit]

The Headmasters cartoon

[edit]

The Autobots came into contact with two refugee Beastformers who were seeking help. They said that their world, planet Beast, was a happy and peaceful one ruled by a just hereditary monarchy of lions (what else?) until the Decepticons invaded and helped the enemy forces of Alligatron take control. The Autobots traveled to Beast inside of Fortress Maximus and helped the good Beastformers free planet Beast from Decepticon tyranny. Rodimus Prime left the Monsterbots behind to protect the planet from any future Decepticon incursions. Rebellion on Planet Beast

Despite that victory, Scorponok took many Beastformers hostage. Transplanting them to the planet Zarak as slaves, they were forced to build him a giant transtector. The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts

The Headmasters comic

[edit]

Once again, the Decepticons teamed up with Alligatron to take over planet Beast. The good Beastformers under the command of White Leo (with help from human-turned-Beastformer, Kane) sent for assistance from the Autobots, who arrived to help defeat the Decepticons and Alligatron. The Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!

Beastformers comic

[edit]

The Beastformers were an offshoot race of the Laser Beasts, who had been created by the Three Wise Ones to carry on their work. When the Laser Beast society became too cold and unfeeling, a small group who remained faithful to the Three Wise Ones' ideals left their underground civilization and traveled to the surface long ago. This group would in time become the Beastformers. Legend of the Three Wise Ones

In the modern day, a party of Beastformers led by White Leo searched for the Three Wise Ones' Water Gem of Stillness when it was preventing rain from falling in North Snarl. They may have encountered the Laser Beast Sur. The Water Gem of Stillness

After millions of years of isolation, the Laser Beasts were forced to the surface as the imbalance of the six elemental gems caused natural disasters that devastated their kingdom. Unknown to the Laser Beasts, the surface of Beast was already inhabited: by the Beastformers! The Laser Beasts and the Beastformers then clashed in a massive battle, deciding which Beast lifeform would rule the surface of Planet Beast! Beastformers VS Laser Beasts

Legends comic

[edit]

Defeated by the Laser Beast Tigerburn, White Leo fled to the Legends World to build a new civilization for his Beastformer subjects. Tigerburn followed him along with a mind-controlled Doublecross, but the evil Laser Beast was himself followed by White Leo's sister, White Lune. White Leo became Doublecross's Headmaster, restoring the Autobot's mind, and White Lune became Doublecross's Targetmaster, increasing the Autobot's power. Together, they forced Tigerburn out of the Legends World. Deciding it was better to fight for their homeworld than to run, White Leo and White Lune returned to planet Beast to defeat the Laser Beasts once and for all. LG51 Targetmaster Doublecross

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

[edit]
Adorably vicious

While hunting down the rogue Predacons, Megatron's search brought him to planet Beest during the middle of a battle amongst the Beastformers. Welcome to the Jungle

G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers

[edit]
Beastformers acting as Unicron's antibodies.

In order to keep the planet-devouring chaos god Unicron from munching Earth, Flint and Cosmos traveled within the giant's body in order to deliver a devastating payload of metal-eating spores to his brain. Flint and Cosmos were stalled by Unicron's antibodies, in the form of mind-controlled Beastformers. Flint and Cosmos fought past the Beastformers and defeated Unicron with the fungus. Whether this freed the enslaved Beastformers or not remains unclear. However, Joe Colton was charged with leading a mission to Unicron's dead body in order to bring assistance to its residents (presumably the Beastformers). Black Horizon, Part 2 of 2

Ask Vector Prime

[edit]

The Maximals and Predacons of Aurex 615.03 Epsilon adopted Battle Beast alternate modes during the "Elemental War" on Jungle Planet. Ask Vector Prime, 03/06/2015

Other media

[edit]
The cover of Blackthorne Battle Beasts #1

Blackthorne Battle Beasts comics

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The Battle Beasts did get some fiction in the U.S., in the form of a short-lived (four issues) Blackthorne black-and-white comic book. Good luck finding it.

The comic is set on an unnamed planet inhabited by sentient, armored animals, each imbued with the power of one of the three elements: water, fire, and wood. Their powers and the health of their world are maintained by the Soulspirit, a ghostly figure that—strangely for a planet of talking animals—appears to be human. By keeping her animal charges and their nature totems in harmony, the Soulspirit helps maintain a balance that prevents the return of her ancient enemy—Ruhin, the sludgy lord of chaos. An evil plot by the totem-switching, mind-controlling crime lord Chameleon, and his minions Blitzkrieg Bat, Rocky Rhino, and Cutthroat Cuttlefish, disrupts the Soulspirit's planetary totem renewal ritual: the subsequent psychic totem disruption drives every creature on the planet insane and makes them start viciously attacking each other. The only beasts spared from this madness are Chameleon's forces and a small group of heroes (Horny Toad, Knight Owl, and Gargantuan Gorilla) who had already tried and failed to stop him. With their world now plunged into madness and nonstop war, the heroic faction must journey to find the one being on the planet—the near-mythical Sunburst Warrior—who can restore the harmony and sanity of the Battle Beasts. But they must hurry, because the disruption of the balance of nature has also revived the evil Ruhin!

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