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==Notes==
==Notes==
[[File:Brave jumpcar.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|I'm Bat-Robô.]]
[[File:Glasslite-Mutante-Turborg.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|200px|[[Batman|"I'm Bat-Robô."]]]]
[[File:Brave jumpcar.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|200px|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKCmyiljKo0 "I'm Bat-Robô!" "I'm Bat-Robô!" "I'm Bat-Robô!" "I'm Bat-Robô!"]]]
* The name "Bat-Robô" is based on Portuguese for "crash", "bater" being the verb and "batida" being the noun.
* The name "Bat-Robô" is based on Portuguese for "crash", "bater" being the verb and "batida" being the noun.
* The Bat-Robô molds were originally made in Japan,<ref>https://www.battlegrip.com/review-pow-r-trons-fy-ton-1985/ The Ertl Power-R-Tron packaging states they were made in Japan</ref> designed by Masahiro Tao (田尾正弘) of [http://www.frextoys.co.jp/company.html Frex Co., Ltd.] (株式会社フレックス)<ref>https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/c1800/PU/JP-S61-051893/FC7BD90B47AE8A95735A028C9B03860409B63703B49E7F7D8972A48DCDE299A6/23/en Frex Co., Ltd. patent for the toy that would become the Pow-R-Trons</ref> and manufactured in association with [[wikipedia:ja:シー・シー・ピー|Asahi Tsusho KK]] (朝日通商 株式会社),<ref>https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/64/52/b2/7b40ee9726bcc8/GB2164263A.pdf Asahi patent for the toy that would become the Pow-R-Trons</ref> otherwise known the Asahi Corporation. After being created in 1984, it seems the designs were shortly thereafter licensed by the Ertl Company in 1985 and sold as ''Pow-R-Trons'' in North America, the United Kingdom,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ5gAjVqgj4</ref> and Europe. Ertl's use of the molds included the evil '''Distroid''' (grey/black truck) and '''Fy-Ton''' (black/grey car) versus the heroic '''Zoomer''' (red/black truck), '''Turboid''' (yellow/grey car), and '''"Knight Rider"''' (black/red car, based on the TV show, possibly only available in the UK and mainland Europe).<ref>https://www.the-liberator.net/site-files/robot-toys/pow-r-trons-powertrons-ertl.htm</ref>  
* The Bat-Robô molds have a surprisingly complicated history, having been re-released countless times across numerous toylines all across the world.
* From there, the ''Pow-R-Trons'' were sold in 1985<ref>https://ameblo.jp/56780-05/entry-12553017556.html</ref> by Fujisho (株式会社不二商) - a sister company or subsidiary of Asahi with a large business as a toy importer<ref>Among the brands Fujisho were known to import included [[LEGO]], Fisher-Price, [[wikipedia:Märklin|Märklin]], and [[wikipedia:Ravensburger|Ravensburger]].</ref> - who marketed Ertl's unchanged toys, minus "Knight Rider", as the "Fairlady 300ZX" and "Dattora Turbo"<ref>"Dattora" (ダットラターボ) is a Japanese slang contraction of "DATsun TRuck".</ref> in a short-lived Japanese toyline called ''Attack Change Machine Powertron'' (アタックチェンジマシーン パワートロン).<ref>https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/butto/diary/201502260000/</ref> As far as can be discerned, Asahi seems to have made the physical toys for Ertl, then had Fujisho put the Ertl stock they were already making into localized packaging for Japan.
**They were originally made in Japan,<ref>https://www.battlegrip.com/review-pow-r-trons-fy-ton-1985/ The Ertl Power-R-Tron packaging states they were made in Japan</ref> designed by Masahiro Tao (田尾正弘) of [http://www.frextoys.co.jp/company.html Frex Co., Ltd.] (株式会社フレックス)<ref>https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/c1800/PU/JP-S61-051893/FC7BD90B47AE8A95735A028C9B03860409B63703B49E7F7D8972A48DCDE299A6/23/en Frex Co., Ltd. patent for the toy that would become the Pow-R-Trons</ref> and manufactured by [[wikipedia:ja:シー・シー・ピー|Asahi Tsusho KK]] (朝日通商 株式会社),<ref>https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/64/52/b2/7b40ee9726bcc8/GB2164263A.pdf Asahi patent for the toy that would become the Pow-R-Trons</ref> otherwise known the Asahi Corporation. After being created in 1984, it seems the designs were shortly thereafter licensed by the Ertl Company in 1985 and sold as ''Pow-R-Trons'' in North America, the United Kingdom,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ5gAjVqgj4</ref> and Europe. Ertl's use of the molds included the evil '''Distroid''' (grey/black truck) and '''Fy-Ton''' (black/grey car) versus the heroic '''Zoomer''' (red/black truck), '''Turboid''' (yellow/grey car), and '''"Knight Rider"''' (black/red car, based on the TV show, possibly only available in the UK and mainland Europe).<ref>https://www.the-liberator.net/site-files/robot-toys/pow-r-trons-powertrons-ertl.htm</ref> The design company Frex notes the license agreement with Ertl on its webpage, and says the Pow-R-Trons sold a million units (although it misspells both).<ref>1984: ERTEL「POWERTRON」をライセンス契約。全世界100万個を超える販売実績のヒット商品となる。[http://www.frextoys.co.jp/company.html http://www.frextoys.co.jp/company.html]</ref>  
* While a 1986 Tokyo Toy Show catalog has the ''Powertrons'' being offered by Asahi Tsusho itself in unique decos,<ref>{{citesocial|quote=南米展開でトランスフォーマーとなった奴が朝日通商のパワートロンとして発売されてる！？コイツ等、南米でトランスフォーマーになったのいつ頃なんだろう！？ https://t.co/LsCZNe24nH|link=https://twitter.com/kyano13neo/status/1110136306762317824|name=kyano13neo|site=Twitter|year=2019|month=03|day=25|(defunct=)}}</ref> all of the samples on the Japanese aftermarket retain Ertl's color schemes, stickers, and copyright stamps, suggesting the toys weren't sold in Japan either before or after Asahi's collaboration with Ertl.
** From there, the ''Pow-R-Trons'' were sold in 1985<ref>https://ameblo.jp/56780-05/entry-12553017556.html</ref> by Fujisho (株式会社不二商) - a sister company or subsidiary of Asahi with a large business as a toy importer<ref>Among the brands Fujisho were known to import included [[LEGO]], Fisher-Price, [[wikipedia:Märklin|Märklin]], and [[wikipedia:Ravensburger|Ravensburger]].</ref> - who marketed Ertl's unchanged toys, minus "Knight Rider", as the "Fairlady 300ZX" and "Dattora Turbo"<ref>"Dattora" (ダットラターボ) is a Japanese slang contraction of "DATsun TRuck".</ref> in a short-lived Japanese toyline called ''Attack Change Machine Powertron'' (アタックチェンジマシーン パワートロン).<ref>https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/butto/diary/201502260000/</ref> As far as can be discerned, Asahi seems to have made the physical toys for Ertl, then had Fujisho put the Ertl stock they were already making into localized packaging for Japan.
* The design company Frex notes the license agreement with Ertl on its webpage, and says the Pow-R-Trons sold a million units (although it misspells both).<ref>1984: ERTEL「POWERTRON」をライセンス契約。全世界100万個を超える販売実績のヒット商品となる。[http://www.frextoys.co.jp/company.html http://www.frextoys.co.jp/company.html]</ref>
*** While a 1986 Tokyo Toy Show catalog has the ''Powertrons'' being offered by Asahi Tsusho itself in unique decos,<ref>{{citesocial|quote=南米展開でトランスフォーマーとなった奴が朝日通商のパワートロンとして発売されてる！？コイツ等、南米でトランスフォーマーになったのいつ頃なんだろう！？ https://t.co/LsCZNe24nH|link=https://twitter.com/kyano13neo/status/1110136306762317824|name=kyano13neo|site=Twitter|year=2019|month=03|day=25|(defunct=)}}</ref> all of the samples on the Japanese aftermarket retain Ertl's color schemes, stickers, and copyright stamps, suggesting the toys weren't sold in Japan either before or after Asahi's collaboration with Ertl.
** But the most surprising part? The molds were also released by Glasslite in Brazil in the 1980s as the ''Crash Tron'' '''Blocker''' and '''Turborg''' under the ''Mutante'' toyline, one of the country's localization for the [[GoBots]] - meaning that yes, within the Brazilian market, these molds were simultaneously Transformers ''and'' GoBots!
** To top it all off, the Korean ''[[Brave (franchise)|Brave]]'' and ''Transformers'' licensee [[Sonokong]] released several Korean-exclusive ''Brave'' toys with the same gimmick and transformation scheme as the Fujisho Powertrons, often in police car decos. It is unknown whether these are directly licensed from Asahi / Fujisho.
*It is uncertain what company Estrela licensed the Bat-Robô molds from, as the only copyright stamps on them are for Estrela itself (which state the toys were physically made in Brazil). In any event, the color schemes Estrela used appear to be unique to South America.
*It is uncertain what company Estrela licensed the Bat-Robô molds from, as the only copyright stamps on them are for Estrela itself (which state the toys were physically made in Brazil). In any event, the color schemes Estrela used appear to be unique to South America.
* Due to the lack of [[insignia|faction symbols]] on the toy or packaging, it is not explicit what faction the Bat-Robô fight for. However, the toys do use [[Hasbro]]'s Autobot style packaging, so we're going to default to Autobot. (The red [[Turbo (G1)|Turbo]] Bat-Robô was used as a Malignus in the [[Transformers Collectors' Club]] "[[Withered Hope]]" text story, but that was 20 years after the original release...)
* Due to the lack of [[insignia|faction symbols]] on the toy or packaging, it is not explicit what faction the Bat-Robô fight for. However, the toys do use [[Hasbro]]'s Autobot style packaging, so we're going to default to Autobot. (The red [[Turbo (G1)|Turbo]] Bat-Robô was used as a Malignus in the [[Transformers Collectors' Club]] "[[Withered Hope]]" text story, but that was 20 years after the original release...)
* Korean ''[[Brave (franchise)|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==
==External links==

Revision as of 09:36, 28 December 2024

The Bat-Robôs are (possibly) an Autobot subgroup from the Estrela portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.
BIFF! BANG! POW! Comics aren't just for kids anymore!

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

The Bat-Robôs include:

Toys

Transformers

Nanananananana.
  • Bat-Robô (1986)[1]
    • Pick-Up (light grey/green & dark grey/orange)
    • Turbo (light grey/red & dark grey/blue)

The Bat-Robô molds were originally made in Japan. Their origins are complicated (see Notes). Estrela evidently licensed the toys to sell in Brazil, and included them as part of their unique Transformers range.

The two 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, whereupon they spring up into robot mode and then will roll back the other way as a robot.



Notes

"I'm Bat-Robô."
"I'm Bat-Robô!" "I'm Bat-Robô!" "I'm Bat-Robô!" "I'm Bat-Robô!"
  • The name "Bat-Robô" is based on Portuguese for "crash", "bater" being the verb and "batida" being the noun.
  • The Bat-Robô molds have a surprisingly complicated history, having been re-released countless times across numerous toylines all across the world.
    • They were originally made in Japan,[2] designed by Masahiro Tao (田尾正弘) of Frex Co., Ltd. (株式会社フレックス)[3] and manufactured by Asahi Tsusho KK (朝日通商 株式会社),[4] otherwise known the Asahi Corporation. After being created in 1984, it seems the designs were shortly thereafter licensed by the Ertl Company in 1985 and sold as Pow-R-Trons in North America, the United Kingdom,[5] and Europe. Ertl's use of the molds included the evil Distroid (grey/black truck) and Fy-Ton (black/grey car) versus the heroic Zoomer (red/black truck), Turboid (yellow/grey car), and "Knight Rider" (black/red car, based on the TV show, possibly only available in the UK and mainland Europe).[6] The design company Frex notes the license agreement with Ertl on its webpage, and says the Pow-R-Trons sold a million units (although it misspells both).[7]
    • From there, the Pow-R-Trons were sold in 1985[8] by Fujisho (株式会社不二商) - a sister company or subsidiary of Asahi with a large business as a toy importer[9] - who marketed Ertl's unchanged toys, minus "Knight Rider", as the "Fairlady 300ZX" and "Dattora Turbo"[10] in a short-lived Japanese toyline called Attack Change Machine Powertron (アタックチェンジマシーン パワートロン).[11] As far as can be discerned, Asahi seems to have made the physical toys for Ertl, then had Fujisho put the Ertl stock they were already making into localized packaging for Japan.
      • While a 1986 Tokyo Toy Show catalog has the Powertrons being offered by Asahi Tsusho itself in unique decos,[12] all of the samples on the Japanese aftermarket retain Ertl's color schemes, stickers, and copyright stamps, suggesting the toys weren't sold in Japan either before or after Asahi's collaboration with Ertl.
    • But the most surprising part? The molds were also released by Glasslite in Brazil in the 1980s as the Crash Tron Blocker and Turborg under the Mutante toyline, one of the country's localization for the GoBots - meaning that yes, within the Brazilian market, these molds were simultaneously Transformers and GoBots!
    • To top it all off, the Korean Brave and Transformers licensee Sonokong released several Korean-exclusive Brave toys with the same gimmick and transformation scheme as the Fujisho Powertrons, often in police car decos. It is unknown whether these are directly licensed from Asahi / Fujisho.
  • It is uncertain what company Estrela licensed the Bat-Robô molds from, as the only copyright stamps on them are for Estrela itself (which state the toys were physically made in Brazil). In any event, the color schemes Estrela used appear to be unique to South America.
  • Due to the lack of faction symbols on the toy or packaging, it is not explicit what faction the Bat-Robô fight for. However, the toys do use Hasbro's Autobot style packaging, so we're going to default to Autobot. (The red Turbo Bat-Robô was used as a Malignus in the Transformers Collectors' Club "Withered Hope" text story, but that was 20 years after the original release...)

References

  1. ↑ The Bat-Robô were not in Estrela's 1985 catalog, and were only advertised in Brazil's homegrown Transformers comics in issue 11 alongside the Optimus x Malignus toys, suggesting they were a later release.
  2. ↑ https://www.battlegrip.com/review-pow-r-trons-fy-ton-1985/ The Ertl Power-R-Tron packaging states they were made in Japan
  3. ↑ https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/c1800/PU/JP-S61-051893/FC7BD90B47AE8A95735A028C9B03860409B63703B49E7F7D8972A48DCDE299A6/23/en Frex Co., Ltd. patent for the toy that would become the Pow-R-Trons
  4. ↑ https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/64/52/b2/7b40ee9726bcc8/GB2164263A.pdf Asahi patent for the toy that would become the Pow-R-Trons
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ5gAjVqgj4
  6. ↑ https://www.the-liberator.net/site-files/robot-toys/pow-r-trons-powertrons-ertl.htm
  7. ↑ 1984: ERTEL「POWERTRON」をライセンス契約。全世界100万個を超える販売実績のヒット商品となる。http://www.frextoys.co.jp/company.html
  8. ↑ https://ameblo.jp/56780-05/entry-12553017556.html
  9. ↑ Among the brands Fujisho were known to import included LEGO, Fisher-Price, Märklin, and Ravensburger.
  10. ↑ "Dattora" (ダットラターボ) is a Japanese slang contraction of "DATsun TRuck".
  11. ↑ https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/butto/diary/201502260000/
  12. ↑ "南米展開でトランスフォーマーとなった奴が朝日通商のパワートロンとして発売されてる！？コイツ等、南米でトランスフォーマーになったのいつ頃なんだろう！？ https://t.co/LsCZNe24nH"—kyano13neo, Twitter, 2019/03/25
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