Perceptor (G1)/toys
From MediaWiki
Perceptor is the definitive Transformer microscope.
Toys
Generation 1
- Perceptor (Autobot, 1985/1986)
- Japanese ID number: 39
- Accessories: Concussion rifle, missile launcher, 3 missiles
- Formerly the Micro Change MC-20 Micro Scope, Perceptor transforms into a functional microscope. His magnification is limited to 14X[1] due to the relatively crude nature of his lens. In robot mode, Perceptor is armed with a red "Concussion Rifle" and a rocket launcher that holds one of three red missile-shaped projectiles. On the original Micro Change toy, the launcher fired via a spring-loaded mechanism, which was disabled for the Hasbro release of Perceptor, but re-enabled for Takara's version of the figure.
- Perceptor can also be configured into a third "vehicular" mode. In the Micro Change line, this form was a mobile artillery emplacement that repurposed his scope into a cannon barrel. It had two configurations; it could be angled forward to serve as a tank, or upward to serve as a mortar cannon, and could be manned in both by a Microman action figure, who sat in the "seat" formed by his chest tray. The Transformers release of the toy chose to reinterpret the mode as a "mobile laboratory" in its instructions, which depicted it in its angled-upwards "mortar cannon" configuration, but Perceptor's Universe profile didn't go along with this, and referred to it as an artillery emplacement like it was in Micro Change.
- The Japanese version does not launch missiles from the scope, despite what some sources say.
- There is an odd variant of this toy: some have a more golden-hued chrome than the normal silver. This is not a very common variant.
- The mold was later redecoed to make Magnificus.
The Transformers Collection
- Cybertron Perceptor (Transformers Collection, Japan 2005)
- Japanese ID number: TFC-19
- Perceptor was reissued in Japan as part of Takara's Transformers Collection line.
Classics
- Perceptor (Legends, 2006)
- Available as part of the first assortment of Classics Legends of Cybertron, Perceptor is a redeco of the Legends of Cybertron Red Alert. He transforms into a BTR-90 armored personnel carrier with a large missile/laser cannon/microscope/telescope.
Universe (2008)
- Perceptor (2009)
- Series: G1 Series
- Accessories: Concussion rifle, missile launcher, 3 missiles
- Hasbro did their own reissue of Perceptor as part of the Universe line. The Toys"R"Us exclusive was issued in a box with an opening front cover and advertised as a "Commemorative Edition", much like the earlier Soundwave and the Insecticons (which were released at the same time as Perceptor).
- Strangely, the spring of the missile launcher was not weakened like most Generation 1 toys, but were straight-out omitted from the gun. This makes the missiles totally useless, because they don't even clip into the gun. Additionally, the box labels his mobile-laboratory mode as a tank mode while not including his actual tank mode.
Transformers (2010)
- Perceptor (Deluxe Class, 2011)
- Part of the sixth wave of the 2010 Transformers toyline, Perceptor is based on a combination of Generation 1 Perceptor and Animated Perceptor. His alternate mode is a generic "scientific expedition" vehicle with the front half resembling a modern off-road vehicle similar to a Land Rover Defender or a Jeep Commander. The rear section features treads instead of wheels, making it a half-track vehicle (which aren't actually produced anymore).
- The gun on top of his truck mode can also be turned into a small microscope in a nod to his original toy's alt mode. His license plate reads "MR 51409", the exact significance of which is not yet known (though it might have something to do with the possible birth date of Bill Rawley's daughter). In addition, Perceptor has some vacuum-metalized parts, which are kind of unusual for a mainline Hasbro toy. The chromed dials on his forearms feature bars compatible with C joint accessories. Like all Reveal the Shield subline imprint figures, Perceptor has a rubsign, which is located behind a translucent door on his chest that can be opened. His hands are compatible with 5mm posts, such as the ones on the guns of his original toy.
- The instructions incorrectly tell you to position the feet horizontally in vehicle mode, which causes them to press against his knees and prevent the vehicle mode from tabbing correctly in numerous places, when they are meant to be positioned vertically and rest against the trunk. Strangely, the correct position can be seen in the numerous steps depicting the underside of the vehicle, but it immediately switches to the incorrect position on the steps concerning the feet. Additionally, packaging stock photography depicts a considerably different Perceptor than the final product. The photos show him having silver paint operations on his upper legs and inner forearms, but said parts appear to be made of unpaintable plastic, rather understandably causing the paint operations to be dropped. Additionally, the shoulder laser, chest, and arm knobs sport silver paint rather than chrome.
- According to Hasbro back at BotCon 2010, the toy was planned to eventually be retooled into Reflector, using a new head that looks like Perceptor's original toy head.[2] This head mold was used when the mold was retooled into Generations Magnificus.
United
- Autobot Perceptor (Deluxe Class, 2011-02-26)
- Japanese ID number: UN-15
- United Autobot Perceptor features several differences from his Hasbro Transformers (2010 toyline) counterpart, covering his red vehicle panels with metallic red paint, replacing the clear yellow with colorless clear plastic, and adding some additional detailing to his vehicle mode and robot mode. Other notable details are blue translucent paint on the eyes, as well as silver detailing on his chest. As with all United versions of the Transformers (2010) toys, Perceptor lacks a heat-sensitive rubsign, replacing it with a tampographed Autobot sigil. Surprisingly, he lacks any of the chrome from the Hasbro release, leaving those corresponding parts either painted silver or unpainted light gray plastic.
Kre-O
- Perceptor (Kreon Micro-Changer, 2013)
- Collection: 2
- Bag number: ***** 74
- Accessories: Stand-brick, large rifle
- As part of the second wave of blindpacked Micro-Changers, Perceptor is a Kreon patterned after Generation 1 Perceptor. He can be rebuilt into a microscope.
- This Collection was still in circulation at "dollar" stores and drug stores up through 2015. They eventually lost the individual-identifying bag codes, but other changes were hidden inside the bag. The 2015 releases replaced the 2x4 logo stand-brick with a new 3x4 logo plate. The Kreon was also given the slight retooling to the arm seen in the 2014 Kreons, making the "cuff" parts more sharp-cornered and better adapted to being used as studs. Some of the add-on pieces may also be slightly off-color, possibly due to a change in factories in mid-production.
- Kreon Class of 1984 (Kreon figure set, 2014)
- Set number: B0090
- Voted: Class Brain
- Accessories: Large rifle, microscope slide (?)
- This version of Perceptor, part of the Kreon Class of 1984 (despite the fact that Perceptor did not appear in Transformers in any capacity until 1985), has much more detailed toy-based tampographs than his prior version, including a masked face. He comes with a clear blue 2x2 tile that one can only assume is supposed to be some kind of microscope slide.
- He was only available in a San Diego Comic-Con 2014 exclusive pack of 30 Kreons dubbed the "Kreon Class of 1984". Remaining stock was to be sold at Hasbro Toy Shop online, only there was no remaining stock after the show.
- Perceptor (Kreon Micro-Changer, 2016)
- Collection: 2
- Accessories: Logo plate, large rifle
- In 2016, Collection 2 was re-released in a whole new production run for Dollar General stores in the US as part of a large collection of re-released Kre-O sets. But where most of these releases are nigh-identical to the originals, the re-released Micro-Changer blind-bags use the almost-entirely-retooled 2015 Kreon, with slightly-differently-hued plastics than the originals. (It is possible for some of the add-on pieces to be in the older hues.) Perceptor's tampographs got some color changes, replacing the light gray with shiny silver, and changing his light blue toe paint to black.
- Sadly, this release has no individual-identification code on the bag, requiring you to use the feel-through-the-bag method or just buy blind and hope.
Generations
- Autobot Warriors (multi-pack, 2014)
- Reveal the Shield Perceptor was re-released in a three-pack with Universe Ratchet and Generations Sergeant Kup, available from Hasbro Asia and TakaraTomy Mall. All three Autobots feature new metallic paint decoes.
Platinum Edition
- Autobot Intel Ops (2015)
- Accessories: Concussion rifle, missile launcher, 3 missiles, 6 slides, slide holder
- Hasbro again re-released G1 Perceptor in 2015 as part of the Platinum Edition toyline. He was co-packed with Blaster, Eject, Ramhorn, and Steeljaw in a box with an opening front cover.
- A new feature included in this set specifically for Perceptor are six 'microscope slides' featuring different pictures, and a slide holder / cage which can hold all six slides. The slides fit snugly onto the mirror of Perceptor's mounting platform, although looking at them through the scope is an underwhelming experience, to say the least.
- Although Perceptor's missile launcher is included, once again the firing mechanism is completely gutted, with the trigger glued into the launcher. However, the missiles are still able to plug into the launcher and are held firmly in place by friction.
- In the United States, this set was officially a Target exclusive, though it was initially only ever found at a single Target store, otherwise only available via the company's website. It was later revealed that multiple Target stores had kept it in their stockroom and eventually put it out on instant clearance many months later. However, it was also stocked by US-based online retailers BigBadToyStore and TFSource, who supposedly obtained it as an import from Asia. It was available in several of Hasbro's Asian markets (namely Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore; it's currently unknown whether it was exclusive to any particular stores there or not). In Australia, it was sold at Toys"R"Us stores.
- In the United Kingdom, it was both sold at Toys"R"Us stores and officially available via the UK division of Amazon, making this the first official UK release of all the toys contained within! In Spain, it was officially available via the Spanish division of Amazon. In Germany, it was originally available via Bankroft, an online retailer that otherwise specializes in Nerf blasters and accessories, as part of a special "Fan Edition" arrangement through Hasbro Germany, with the help of several German fan sites. Due to low sales, the unsold stock was later sold to Actionfiguren24, a German online retailer that specializes in imported toys, who was able to lower its price for its existing stock of imported Autobot Intel Ops sets as a result.
Titans Return
- Convex & Perceptor (Deluxe Class, 2017)
- Accessories: Gun, Convex Titan Master
- Part of the fourth wave of Titans Return Deluxe Class toys, Perceptor is based on Guido Guidi's design for the character first seen in All Hail Megatron (complete with sniper rifle), and transforms into a microscope. Perceptor's microscope lens works, and a dial on the scope can be turned to refocus it slightly. Titan Masters can be laid across the tray in robot mode, or pegged into the tray in head mode. Perceptor comes with his Titan Master partner Convex, who transforms into his robot mode head.
- Perceptor is designed to transform into a new interpretation of the third mode of his original toy, with dedicated parts and clips to hold his body in place in the specific angled-upward position of the "motar cannon" configuration, but with his scope pointed forward like the "tank" configuration. It is omitted from his instructions for unknown reasons.
- Perceptor's transformation involves very little to lock anything in place in robot mode, relying on either friction or gravity to hold him together. This leaves him somewhat unstable, and his parts prone to shifting out of place when attempting to move his limbs. The large size of his scope also greatly restricts his head articulation.
- As with other Titans Return toys, Perceptor can accommodate any Titan Master figure in both robot and vehicle mode, though unlike most other figures in the line, Perceptor has no dedicated cockpit to hold them in. This means Titan Masters can really only lay in his tray in microscope mode, or attach to him via the small pegs sculpted onto the sides of his altmodes. There does appear to be a section sculpted specifically to hold a Titan Master's feet under the small flip-up silver panel on his chest that would allow them to "man" his third mode... except they don't actually fit in it.
- Some instructions erroneously spelled his name "Preceptor".
Legends
- Legends Perceptor is a redeco of his Titans Return toy with some minor differences, such as red shoulders and elbows and an Autobot insignia on his chest instead of stomach, and also lacking the toy-style tampographs on his legs. His Headmaster, redecoed from Convex, features detailed paint operations to resemble Perceptor himself and has blue instead of yellow eyes in head mode. Perceptor comes with Amhorn, who transforms into a weapon he can wield.
Golden Lagoon
- Beachcomber / Perceptor / Seaspray (Three-pack, 2018-11)
- Accessories: Gun, Headmaster
- Golden Lagoon Perceptor is a gold and gold chrome redeco of Titans Return Perceptor in homage of the original cartoon episode of the same name. Packaged with similar redecos of Titans Return Seaspray and Power of the Primes Beachcomber, this set was released exclusively at TakaraTomy Mall as part of TakaraTomy's celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary.
Merchandise
Decoy
- Cybertron Hero Collection 22 (Decoy multi-pack, 1985)
- Perceptor was among the many characters rendered by Takara as part of their series of 1.5" soft rubber keshigomu figurines. Like all the figures in the series, Perceptor featured a number sculpted into his back that was the sum total of his Tech Specs, for use in the various games that could be played with the figurines. He was available in red as part of a 22-piece box set of Autobot figures, in peach as part of various other randomly-packed box sets released by Takara subsidiary Seven, and in a wide variety of different colors in "gachapon" capsule machines.
- Perceptor (Decoy, 1987)
- Decoy number: 30
- The Perceptor figurine was later brought over to Hasbro markets as part of the Decoy promotion, largely identical to the Japanese release except for the fact that the number on his back was replaced with a simple "checklist" number. Like all Autobot Decoys, he was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded Throttlebots, Aerialbots, Protectobots, and Technobots.
Super Collection Figure
- Perceptor (2002)
- Super Collection Figure Perceptor is a non-transforming three-inch tall figure. In Japan, he was released blindpacked in the Victory-themed "Act 7" of the line, and came with the rifle necessary to build Star Saber into Victory Saber.
Heroes of Cybertron
- Perceptor (2003)
- Perceptor was released in the fourth wave of the Heroes of Cybertron line as a mostly unaltered version of the Perceptor figurine from the Japanese Super Collection Figure line, though as a HOC he uses the standard "all clear-blue plastic painted over" coloring process to give him light-piped eyes. He was released on a separate card instead of a blindpacked box, and came with the head and sword of the Fortress Maximus build-a-figurine.
Robot Heroes
- Perceptor vs. Hardshell (2009)
- Part of the fourth wave of Universe Robot Heroes, Perceptor is a super-cute figure packed versus Hardshell as part of the "Generation 1 Series".
Transformers Figure Collection
- Perceptor (01-2016)
- Standing 42 mm tall, Transformers Figure Collection Perceptor is a non-poseable soft-rubber figure based on his Decoy figure.
Notes
- At Toy Fair 2013, Kre-O Perceptor was shown having more or less Hardshell's alt-mode. Why? Lord knows.
