1981

«	1981	»

The year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) predates the launch of the Transformers brand by three years.

For further information, see: Transformers timeline

Events

Non-Fiction

• Takara relaunches the Microman line as New Microman, which eventually leads to its spin-offs: Diaclone and Micro Change.
• Pioneer Laserdisc Company, later known as Geneon Universal Entertainment, the Japanese company that holds the domestic rights to the Generation 1 cartoon and its sequels, including The Transformers: The Movie and the various Beast Wars series, is founded.
• June 18 — First flight of the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk (alt mode of Predator Falcon, Shadow Jet, Skyjack, G1 Air Raid, Aero Raid, Delta Seeker, Armada Wind Sheer, Shattered Glass Whisper and Revenge of the Fallen Mindwipe)
• July 31 — Jimmy's favourite band, Journey release their 7th album, Escape.
• October 15 — The first issue of Comic Bom Bom is released.

Births

• ??? — Francesco Mei

January

• January 30 — Chieko Higuchi

March

• March 9 — Todd Casey

April

• April 30 — Grzegorz Woś

June

• June 4 — T. J. Miller

July

• July 15 — Tomasz Błasiak

August

• August 3 — Travis Willingham

September

• September 1 — Michael Adamthwaite
• September 8 — Eryck Webb

November

• November 15 — Sammy Sheik

December

• December 15 — Victoria Summer

Fiction

Knights of Unicron

The Knights of Unicron are top of the pops again with "Thunder Touch", the single from the multi-platinum album Sonic Interference. Behind the Music pack-in booklet