EZ Collection

EZ Collection (EZコレクション Ījī Korekushon) is the TakaraTomy counterpart to the Legends Class and Cyberverse sublines, a series of smaller transforming toys. These releases are sometimes identical to Hasbro versions, and sometimes slightly-tweaked or altogether new decos. So far, there have been no molds unique to EZ Collection.

EZ Collection began as a subline of several larger franchises, though starting in 2013 some release were functionally sold as part of their own toyline under the branding. However, it continued to be part of the "main" toyline for each year up through Adventure, when it finally ended in 2016. While more toys of the type would be released in Japan in the following years (imported and adapted from Hasbro releases), the EZ Collection branding was no more.

It's important to note that not every toy released by Takara that used a Hasbro Legends class/Cyberverse/etc mold is an EZ Collection toy. Notably, the Henkei! Henkei! three-packs of Legends-class molds lack the title, as do the Goradora components from Go! despite being the Cyberverse Abominus molds.

Transformers: Galaxy Force

Like its Hasbro counterpart, EZ Collection got its start in Galaxy Force, Takara's version of Cybertron. However, its range of products was considerably smaller, consisting of a whopping three molds.

For the regular retail releases, the toys were packaged on the same blister cards as their Hasbro counterparts, only with the addition of Japanese legal text and a Japanese insert in the plastic bubble.

Wave 1 Galaxy Convoy Master Megatron Starscream		Multipacks GC-23 Megalo Convoy (w/ EZ Collection Galaxy Convoy Metallic Version)						"EZ Collection Clear Set" Galaxy Convoy
Lucky Draw Megalo Convoy Gold Edition (w/ EZ Collection Galaxy Convoy Gold Edition)		Magazine exclusives EZ Collection Clear Set (TV Magazine mail order, includes clear redecos of Galaxy Convoy, Master Megatron and Starscream)		Master Galvatron (free pack-in, September 2005 edition of Dengeki Hobby Magazine)

Transformers (2007)

For the 2007 movie toyline, EZ Collection toys were distributed via TakaraTomy's subsidiary Subarudo. The normal retail releases were identical to their Hasbro counterparts (Ratchet was only available as the less movie-accurate "off-color" variant), and sold in blind-packed packaging, but thankfully didn't include shortpacked or chase figures.

Regular releases Barricade Bumblebee Jazz

Megatron Optimus Prime Ratchet

Exclusives Bumblebee (Transformers First Impact 0602 exclusive) Bumblebee Scanning Ver. (free pack-in with August 2007 edition of Hyper Hobby magazine)

Bumblebee Metallic Ver. (pack-in with the movie DVD, exclusive to Tsutaya Records stores)

DVD-exclusive Bumblebee Metallic Ver.

First Impact Bumblebee was identical to the single EZ Collection figure, but came in Hasbro packaging.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

For Revenge, Takara massively expanded the lineup, and continued to blind-pack most of their EZ Collection toys. However, the toys engineered to combine into Devastator were released on regular blister cards, with a later release of a Devastator redeco in a multi-pack.

By and large, the regular retail toys are identical to their Hasbro releases, but there are a few exclusive decos scattered here and there.

EZ Collection Vol. 1 (June 27, 2009) EZ-01 Optimus Prime EZ-02 Megatron EZ-03 Bumblebee EZ-04 Starscream EZ-05 Jetfire EZ-06 Sideswipe EZ-07 Desert Tracker Ratchet EZ-08 Springer

EZ Collection Vol. 2 (December 26, 2009) EZ-09 Optimus Prime Damage Version EZ-10 Megatron Damage Version EZ-11 Ironhide EZ-12 Grindor EZ-13 Skids EZ-14 Sideways EZ-15 Wheelie EZ-16 Soundwave

EZ Collection Devastator (July 23, 2009) D1 Decepticon Overload D2 Decepticon Mixmaster D3 Decepticon Rampage D4 Scavenger D5 Scrapper D6 Long Haul D7 Hightower

Devastator "Origin Color" Set (March 20, 2010) Decepticon Overload Decepticon Mixmaster Bonecrusher Scavenger Scrapper Long Haul Decepticon Hook

Devastator "Origin Color" Set

Exclusives

DVD/Blu-ray freebies (December 18, 2009) Bumblebee Clear Ver. (Tsutaya Records) Stealth Bumblebee (general non-exclusive)		Amazon Japan Infiltrator Soundwave		Lawson (October 16, 2009) "Autobot Set" (Deluxe Bumblebee & EZ Collection Mudflap) "Decepticon Set" (Deluxe Soundwave & EZ Collection The Fallen)		Toys"R"Us Decepticon Rampage Desert Combat Demolishor Shanghai Attack		Amazon Japan exclusive Infiltrator Soundwave
Transformers Celebration 0530 Optimus Prime		Multiple outlets Defender Optimus Prime (Edion, Bic Camera & Yodobashi Camera stores)

The Celebration 0530 Optimus Prime was identical to the single EZ Collection figure, but came in Hasbro packaging. The Deluxe figures in the Lawson 2-packs are the same as their single Japanese and American releases: the EZ Collection figures were originally shown in stock photos with new paint details, but later, in-hand samples revealed they were the same as their Hasbro counterparts. Lawson later sold the EZ Collection figures separately.

Transformers Animated

With the switchover to Transformers Animated, Takara continued to put out these toys in blind-packs. However, a distinct lack of mold variety meant that half of each assortment was made up of Revenge of the Fallen molds, with a few new decos thrown in. The Animated toys in the first assortment were identical to their Hasbro Animated multi-pack releases.

Despite having only four Animated molds to work with, Takara went nuts with store-exclusive campaign item redecoes of them... helped by one of them being Starscream, who had his clone army as easy go-tos.

EZ Collection Vol. 3 (April 24, 2010) EZ-17 Optimus Prime EZ-18 Bumblebee EZ-19 Prowl EZ-20 Starscream

EZ-21 Optimus Prime Clear Ver. EZ-22 Jolt EZ-23 Bumblebee Lamé Yellow Ver. EZ-24 Arcee

EZ Collection Vol. 4 (July 24, 2010) Bumblebee Elite Guard Version Optimus Prime Elite Guard Version Optimus Prime Gold Version Prowl Elite Guard Version

Bonecrusher Brawl Ravage Scorponok

Bumblebee Elite Guard Version

Exclusives

Wave 1 (April 24, 2010) Bumblebee Clear Yellow Version (Ito Yokado) Optimus Prime Clear Red Version (Toys"R"Us) Prowl Clear Smoke Version (Apita)		Wave 2 (May ?? 2010) Starscream Clear Purple Version (JUSCO)		Wave 3 (July 24, 2010) Skywarp Clear Purple Version (Toys"R"Us) Ramjet Clear White Version (Ito Yokado) Sunstorm Clear Orange Version (Amazon Japan, Yamada Electronics)		Thundercracker Clear Blue Version (Ishimaru, Eiden, Deodeo, Bic Camera, Midori Electrical, Yodobashi Camera)		Starscream Clone Black Version, a "new" "character" (?)
Wave 4 (August 6, 2010) Starscream Clone Black Version (JUSCO)		Wave 5 (October 11, 2010) EZ Collection Limited Clear Version (Family Mart prize, includes Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Prowl, Starscream)

Autobot Alliance

Takara's Autobot Alliance series, their version of Hasbro's 2010 Transformers line, mixed another round of Revenge molds with two of the new non-combining Constructicon molds developed for this series.

EZ Collection Vol. 5 (October 23, 2010) Brawl Desert Mode Jetfire Delivery Mudflap Optimus Prime

Payload Stalker Scorponok Delivery Skids Skipjack

Delivery Mudflap

Transformers Chronicle

The blind packs were again rebranded, this time under the short-lived Transformers Chronicle line... where they made up the overwhelming majority of the line. The first volume was a mix of characters from Generation 1 and Revenge of the Fallen, while the second was entirely Generation 1 characters, though the Collection 2 Convoy and Megatron toys were in Generation 2-inspired decos.

EZ Collection 01 (July 16, 2011) Bumble Convoy Megatron Megatron

Meister Optimus Prime Thundercracker Trailbreaker

EZ Collection 02 (December 17, 2011) Convoy Hot Rodimus Hound Megatron

Prowl Skywarp Starscream Streak

Collection 02 Megatron

EZ Collection Real

EZ Collection Real was a small EZ series released under the TakaraTomy A.R.T.S label, which featured 6 Movie and Revenge of the Fallen molds, each available in two different paintjobs: "Real" (the regular version) and a metallic redeco.

Ez Collection Real (July 2011) Optimus Prime Bumblebee Ratchet Springer Jetfire Megatron

Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Prime

Takara ditched the blind-packed boxes for their Prime toyline, going with blister cards for the individual releases, and standard window-boxes for the larger vehicles. These toys are identical to their Hasbro counterparts, with the exception of the last-wave multi-packs.

Wave 1 (March 31, 2012) EZ-01 Optimus Prime EZ-02 Megatron EZ-03 Starscream EZ-04 Bumblebee		EZ-05 Cliffjumper EZ-06 Ratchet EZ-07 Decepticon Vehicon		Wave 2 (April 28, 2012) EZ-08 Bulkhead EZ-09 Arcee		Wave 3 (May 26, 2012) EZ-10 Spaceship Star Hammer & Wheeljack EZ-11 Ironhide EZ-12 Dreadwing		EZ-SP2 Decepticon Set
Wave 4 (June 30, 2012) EZ-13 Autobot Evac EZ-14 War Breakdown		Wave 5 (July 28, 2012) EZ-15 Energon Driller & Medic Knock Out EZ-16 Ultra Magnus		Wave 6 (October 27, 2012) EZ-17 Optimus Grand Base EZ-18 Skyquake		Wave 7 (November 24, 2012) EZ-SP1 Autobot Set (Optimus Prime (Open Face Type), Bumblebee, Ratchet, Bulkhead, Arcee, Wheeljack) EZ-SP2 Decepticon Set (Megatron, Decepticon Vehicon, War Breakdown, Starscream, Medic Knock Out, Terrorcon Cliffjumper)

Transformers: EZ Collection Gum

This brief line of candy toys added a tiny piece of candy-coated gum to the boxes to avoid certain sales taxes. The toys themselves are generally the same deco as in the second series of Chronicle, except this time these are made from shiny metallic plastic and paint.

Wave 1 (July 30, 2012) 1 Convoy 2 Hot Rodimus 3 Prowl 4 Megatron 5 Starscream

Hot Rodimus (and gum)

Transformers: EZ Collection

This phase of EZ Collection, while released during the same time as the Go! toyline, is not branded as part of it. Instead, it was released as its own toyline and features a mix of Prime and Generation 1 characters, once again on blister cards.

Wave 1 (April 27, 2013) EG01 Optimus Prime EG02 Bumblebee EG03 Prowl EG04 Smokescreen

EG05 Hound EG06 Tank Megatron EG07 Starscream EG08 Airachnid

Wave 2 (October 26, 2013) EG09 Soundwave EG10 Jet Vehicon

Canceled figures Beachcomber Turbo Cycle

Beachcomber and Turbo Cycle were originally slated to be released alongside Soundwave and Jet Vehicon, with Turbo Cycle sporting the ID number EG09, Beachcomber sporting the ID number EG10, Soundwave sporting the ID number EG11 and Jet Vehicon sporting the ID number EG12, but were ultimately never released.

EZ Collection Gum (2014)

Another new release of the EZ Collection Gum line produced under the "TakaraTomy A.R.T.S" name, this one is once again a round of Fallen molds, despite the age of the toys (and the existence of at least a few updated iterations of the molds), with generally minor deco changes from the various previous versions.

Wave 1 (November 10, 2014) Optimus Prime Megatron Bumblebee Ironhide Soundwave Grindor

A slightly different Optimus. Whee.

Adventure

For Takara's Adventure toyline (their version of Hasbro's 2015 Robots in Disguise), the main-line EZ figures were released in a series of multipacks. Meanwhile, a number of stores got exclusive campaign item redecos of the various molds.

Wave 10 (December 19, 2015) TAV-34 EZ Collection Team Bumblebee VS Megatronus Set (Bumblebee, Strongarm, Sideswipe, Megatronus)

TAV-35 EZ Collection Autobot VS Decepticon Set (Optimus Prime, Grimlock, Steeljaw, Underbite)

Wave 15 (May 28, 2016) TAV-48 EZ Collection Team Bumblebee VS Thunderhoof Set (Bumblebee, Thunderhoof, Fixit, Windblade)

TAV-49 EZ Collection Autobots VS Clampdown Set (Clampdown, Drift, Optimus Prime, Ratchet)

Clampdown

Exclusives

Toys"R"Us Bumblebee Clear Ver. Optimus Prime Clear Ver. Toys"R"Us Prime

TV Magazine Black Knight Bumblebee

Multiple outlets Grimlock Clear Ver. (Edion & Bic Camera) Sideswipe Clear Ver. (Ishinomaki, Yamada Denki & Yodobashi Camera)

Steeljaw Clear Ver. (Edion, Bic Camera & Kojima) Strongarm Clear Ver. (Edion, Bic Camera, Hakuhinkan Toy Park (Ginza) & Hakubotan (Ishinomaki))

Strongarm Clear Ver.