Kōjin Ōno

If it weren't for this guy, we wouldn't even be here.

Kōjin Ōno (大野 光仁 Ōno Kōjin) is a TakaraTomy employee born on May 11, 1959 in Tokyo. He worked for Takara for several decades prior to the merger with Tomy. Ōno was one of the main designers for the Microman and Diaclone toylines, and designed many of the toys that were later licensed to Hasbro and repurposed as the first Transformers toys. His name is sometimes transliterated as "Koujin Ohno", "Kouzin Ohno" or "Kohjin Ohno".

Among Ōno's designs were the first "car to robot transforming toy", the toy that later became the Autobot Sunstreaker, and the former largest Transformers toy ever, Fortress Maximus. Later Ōno played a key role in the introduction of the Beast Wars toy line to the Japanese market and designed toys for both the 2007 live-action movie line and its successor, Revenge of the Fallen.

He currently oversees the Masterpiece toyline and TakaraTomy's licensed crossover toys.

Known design projects

Diaclone

• Pretty much the every single real world vehicle, give or take a dinosaur.

Generation 1

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers

Autobot Cars Sunstreaker Hound Bluestreak Prowl Skids		Ironhide Jazz Inferno Mirage Sideswipe Trailbreaker		Constructicons Bonecrusher Scavenger Scrapper Hook Long Haul Mixmaster Devastator		Dinobots Grimlock Slag Sludge Snarl Swoop		Decepticon Planes Starscream Thundercracker Skywarp
Omnibots Camshaft Overdrive Downshift		Triple Changers Blitzwing Astrotrain

2010/Scramble City

Metroplex with Sixgun, Slammer and Scamper Galvatron Octane

The Headmasters

Fortress Maximus with Cerebros, Spike and Cog Apeface and Spasma

Trainbots Getsuei Kaen Seizan

Shouki Suiken Yukikaze Raiden

Super-God Masterforce

Metalhawk Super Ginrai

Victory

Deathsaurus with Tigerbreast and Eaglebreast

Zone

Metrotitan with Metroshot, Metrobomb, Metrodash, and Metrotank

Cybertron

Scout Class Overhaul

Transformers (2007)

Deluxe Class Protoform Optimus Prime Protoform Starscream

Fast Action Battlers Plasma Punch Bumblebee Disc Blast Decepticon Frenzy Cannon Blast Ironhide Ion Blast Autobot Jazz Power Hook Optimus Prime Axe Attack Autobot Ratchet Battle Blade Starscream

Cyber Slammers Barricade Bumblebee (Classic Camaro) Bumblebee (Concept Camaro) Optimus Prime

G-Shock × Transformers

Master Optimus Prime Master Nemesis Prime

Masterpiece

MP-52 Starscream MP-53 Skids MP-54 Reboost MP-56 Trailbreaker MP-57 Skyfire (with Optimus Prime, Jazz and Wheeljack)

G Series

Raiden/Trainbots MPG-01 Shouki MPG-02 Getsuei MPG-03 Yukikaze

MPG-04 Suiken MPG-05 Seizan MPG-06 Kaen

Canon/Transformers

Optimus Prime R5 Decepticon Refraktor R5 Nemesis Prime R5

Rise of the Beasts

Ultimate Optimus Primal

Notes

• For whatever reason, the American patent that credits Ōno for Sunstreaker also includes Bumper, leading to the mistaken impression that Ōno created both toys. The Micro Change Familia 1500 XG that became Bumper was actually created by a Takara designer named Masaki Maruyama.
• Ōno cites the Steel Jeeg franchise as his original inspiration for the Headmaster gimmick. Takara created a number of toys for the Jeeg series in the 1970s, including one that was retooled into the original form of Baron Karza.
• Ōno has something of a soft spot for Skids' alt mode the Honda City R, having owned a red one in his youth. This would inspire his creation of Reboost for the Masterpiece toyline.

External links

• Hall of Fame video

Interviews

• Translated Interview from Transformers Generations 2001 (p.126)
• Translated Interviews from Figure King Issue 278 and Transformers Generations 2021