Bat-Robô

The Bat-Robôs are a faction or a subgroup from the Generation 1 continuity family.

The mysterious Bat-Robôs have the capability to hit walls and become invincible robots. In that order.

The Bat-Robôs include:

• Pick-Up
• Turbo

Toys

The Bat-Robô molds were not created by Takara (or even Bandai), but by a Japanese company called Fujisho. Pick-Up and Turbo were originally sold as "Distroid" and "Turboid" in Fujisho's "Powertron" (パワートロン) line. Estrela evidently licensed the toys to sell in Brazil, and included them as part of their unique Transformers range.

The toys feature a friction-driven motor, which, as part of their gimmick, is used to trigger their transformation. After pulling them back, they drive forward until they hit something with their front bumper, whenceupon they spring up into robot mode.

Notes

• Both of the Fujisho Powertrons were released in North America by the Ertl Company as Pow-R-Trons. It is uncertain if Estrela licensed the molds from Fujisho or Ertl. In any event, the color schemes Estrela used appear to be unique to Brazil.

• Nowhere on his box are Bat-Robôs indicated as Autobots or Decepticons; factioned robots did not appear in Brazil's toyline until the advent of the "Optimus x Malignus" subline . However, the Turbo Bat-Robô was used as a Malignus in the Transformers Collectors' Club Withered Hope text story, so make of that what you will.

• Korean Brave and Transformers licensee Sonokong released several Korean-exclusive Brave toys with the same gimmick as the Fujisho Powertrons, often in police car decos.

External Links

• Bat-Robos at Super Toy Archive
• Pow-R-Trons Toy Commercial