Trasformer: Difference between revisions

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[[Category:Generation 1 franchises]]
[[Category:Generation 1 franchises]]
[[Category:Toylines]]
[[Category:Toylines]]
[[Category:Non-transformer toylines]]
[[Category:Non-Transformer toylines]]

Revision as of 21:51, 10 July 2012

Let's see what you can see...

This article is in need of images.

Specifics: logo, box design something.

Trasformer [sic] was a unique international release of Takara's Diaclone and MicroChange lines by an Italian company named GiG that was launched in 1983. The toys are infamous for featuring several characteristics of Hasbro's Transformers versions of those toys, even though GiG initially only had a license from Takara for importing their Diaclone versions.

History

In 1983, GiG had acquired the license for selling imported Diaclone and MicroChange toys on the Italian market from Takara. Initially, GiG simply released the toys under the name Diaclone, such as the Dia-Battles combiner, the Dia-Train or the Power Bases playsets.

And you thought American safety standards were ridiculous.

However, when Hasbro had launched their Transformers version of the line with considerable success the following year, GiG quickly realized the potential. Since GiG didn't want to pay for a second license, they came up with quite an original concept: As they couldn't directly mimick Hasbro's Transformers toys, they would now release the Diaclone toys in color schemes based on the Hasbro versions, even using the same sticker sheets as the Hasbro toys, omitting the pilots (in most cases, anyway) and renaming the line into Trasformer, with the Diaclone "Car Robos" (the Autobot Cars) being called "Auto Robots". The packaging, however, was still more or less based on Takara's Diaclone packaging, and the toys featured no bios or any kind of fiction that would identify them as Hasbro's Transformers characters. The Trasformer line also included the Diaclone jet-helicopter Triple Changer, which was never released as part of the Transformers line. On the other hand, GiG also undertook some bizarre safety modifications, replacing the toys' regular missiles with all-new missiles that featured ridiculously oversized rubber tips. Interestingly enough, GiG also released their version of the Omega Supreme mold as part of the Trasformer line, even though the toy wasn't licensed from Takara, but another company named ToyBox.

Obviously, Hasbro weren't too happy about this and thus quickly pressured GiG into acquiring a proper license. In 1985, GiG then abandoned the Trasformer line and instead re-released the toys in actual Transformers packaging, albeit keeping a small remainder of the old Trasformer logo in addition to the larger Transformers logo (the small Trasformer logo would finally be dropped for good starting with the Pretenders toys from 1988). Still, GiG would keep their ties with Takara, which allowed them to release toys as part of the Transformers line which Hasbro would never release (such as a Bruticus giftset or Galaxy Shuttle).

Toys

The following list is not a complete overview of the entire line but lists some of the pre-transformers that made it into the Gig Trasformer line.

Auto Robot

Shiny!

Dinosaur Robots

  • 1 Tyrannosaurus (Pre-Grimlock) blue crotch Diaclone version, later versions had the usual red crotch
  • 2 Triceratops (Pre-Slag) Blue and white Diaclone version, later versions were red
  • 3 Brontosaurus (Pre-Sludge)
  • 4 Stegosaurus (Pre-Snarl) Black chest, later versions were red
  • 5 Pteranodon (Pre-Swoop Not released by GiG, but distributed in Japanese box

Tripla Trasformazione

Scatter

Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.

Destroy Car

  • [unnamed] (Diaclone Change Attacker "Oneboxcar Vanette"; never released as a Transformer)
  • [unnamed] (Diaclone Change Attacker "Starion Turbo 2000"; never released as a Transformer)
  • [unnamed] (Diaclone Change Attacker "Lamborghini Cheetah"; never released as a Transformer)

Others

TAKARA

  • MC-11 Magnum Robo (No Transformer release)
  • MC-12 Walther P-38 (Predecessor of the Japanese version of Megatron)
  • MC-13 UNCLE Walther P-38 (Predecessor of the US/European version of Megatron)
  • MC-17 Lock Robo Dial Man. (Transforms from a working dial lock to a robot. No Transformer release)
  • MC-18 Lock Robo Magneman. (Transforms from a working key lock to a robot. No Transformer release)
  • A number of watches including Crono Laser

OTHERS


  • It only exists when no one's looking.
    It only exists when no one's looking.
  • Security more questionable than Red Alert.
    Security more questionable than Red Alert.
  • James Bond WISHES he was this cool.
    James Bond WISHES he was this cool.
  • A contest? As if anyone needed incentive to want DEVASTATOR.
    A contest? As if anyone needed incentive to want DEVASTATOR.

Notes

  • "Ligier JS11 F-1", the Trasformer version of Mirage, sports "Ligier" decals on the sides of the vehicle mode rather than the standard "Citanes" logos found on the Diaclone and Transformers versions. Two known variants exist, with either "Ligier" stickers covering the original tampographed "Citanes" logos, or tampographed "Ligier" logos. The "Citanes" version was first, the "Ligier" decals were a later version, and the tampographed "Ligier" was the last of the Trasformer releases (1984) before GiG released the Hasbro-style "Mirage". However, the first release boxes contained the "Citanes" logo Trasformer figure.
  • The GiG versions of Powered Convoy and the Diaclone "Car Robots" had the same boxes as the Takara versions, except for the Italian inserts.
  • The police version of pre-Sunstreaker was released in Italy and Spain from 1983 to 1987. The spoiler and the chrome intake were painted white and the Japanese stickers removed; the spoiler sticker read "Polis Countach". This could be one of the rarest of the "pre-Transformers".
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