Microman
Microman (ミクロマン Mikuroman) is one of two Takara toy lines (the other being Diaclone) from which the original Transformers toys came. It consists of 3.75" action figures whose hallmarks are being highly articulated for their size and distinctive chromed head, along with vehicles and accessories.
Strangely enough, it is both a descendant of Hasbro's 12" G.I. Joe toy line via the Henshin Cyborg line, based on original G.I. Joe molds licensed to Takara and cast in transparent plastic, and the ancestor of Hasbro's 3.75" G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line, which used construction identical to the modified Microman construction developed by Mego for licensed character figures after bringing Microman to the West as the Micronauts line. It is also the immediate ancestor of Diaclone, the 1.25" chromed-head Diaclone drivers being a one-third scale version of Microman just as Microman was to Henshin Cyborg.
Vintage
First released in 1974, Microman was the first line of poseable 3.75" figures. Robotman, the first toy to transform from a robot to a vehicle, was added to the line in 1975. In 1978, the "Cosmo Countach", the first car-to-robot transforming toy (although the "robot" form was still a half-robot, half-car hybrid), was released as part of the "Micro Command" sub-line.[1] Its vehicle form later served as the inspiration for the Diaclone predecessor of Sunstreaker, whom Hasbro considers the first fully-fledged transforming car-to-robot toy ever designed.[2]
Thus the impact of Microman on the global boys' toy market can scarcely be overestimated, despite the fact that Microman itself is little known outside of Japan. In 1983, a new "Micro Change" theme was introduced, under which all but a few of the robots and vehicles made to interact with the figures would have the ability to disguise themselves as ordinary household objects. The next year, these would end up in North American and European markets as part of Hasbro's Transformers line, and at the end of 1984 Takara canceled both Microman and Diaclone in favor of reimporting the Transformers with their new animated series (which these lines both lacked).
1999 revival
15 years after being taken off the market, Microman returned, picking up a motley assortment of Transformers-related vehicles such as Action Master Optimus Prime's Armored Convoy, Micromaster Countdown's Rocket Base and the Laser Cycles along the way. Although supported by an anime, the new toys lasted only 2 years.
Though it has not been verified, several Transformers items released in Japan are said to have been originally developed for this Microman line, such as the Beast Wars II Tako Tank and Niagara Base, and the Arsenal Force weapons in Robotmasters.
In Japan, a short animated film based on the then-current version of the Microman line was packaged alongside a Super Doll Licca-chan short film and the Beast Wars episode "Cutting Edge" for the 1999 Summer Toei Anime Fair.
Modern
Another new line of Microman figures appeared in 2003, reinvisioned as an adult-oriented collectible. TakaraTomy still continue to produce this toy line, and in addition to a variety of original characters, they add multiple new sets of licensed characters each year under the "Micro Action" subline. These include such diverse properties as Neon Genesis Evangelion's Rei and Asuka, Batman and several female supporting characters as well as Ra's Al Ghul, Street Fighter's Chun Li and Sakura, the Predator, and Godzilla (the figures actually go inside rubber monster suits!), among many many others. This series was the genesis of the Transformers Microman Kicker and Ga'mede figures.
This version has prided itself on "Full Action Bodies" (30+ points of articulation).
Surprisingly, some of the modern Microman figures can use the older Microman accessories, such as the gun turret formed from Megatron's gun attachments.
Meanwhile, multiple efforts to revive the Micronauts' adventures State-side amounted to little (primarily by Abrams-Gentile Entertainment, licensor of the remnants of Mego), though members of the team continue to make appearances in various other Marvel series (often in recent years under the modified title of The Microns). 2016 saw IDW Publishing prepare to debut a new Micronauts title not long before the Revolution crossover event including many other Hasbro-based titles; this, and the Rom the Space Knight title would suggest that whatever legal issues Hasbro and Marvel may have had were cleared up.
Fiction
Animated cartoon
Wyatt Toys advertised Diaclone and Microman toys for sale in the Detroit Powell Press. The AllSpark Almanac
Notes
- The Micronauts-exclusive character "Antron" appeared as a video game character in the Transformers Animated episode "Where Is Thy Sting?".
- The 1975-era Microman M121 Mason (and Robotman, in a special move) appeared in the cross-company DreamMix TV World Fighters video game, representing Takara's properties alongside Optimus Prime, Megatron, and, uh, Licca-chan.
