KÅjin ÅŒno
Kōjin Ōno (大野 光仁 Ōno Kōjin) is a TakaraTomy employee born on May 11, 1959 in Tokyo. He worked for Takara for several decades prior to the merger with Tomy. Ōno was one of the main designers for the Microman and Diaclone toylines, and designed many of the toys that were later licensed to Hasbro and repurposed as the first Transformers toys. His name is sometimes transliterated as "Koujin Ohno", "Kouzin Ohno"[1] or "Kohjin Ohno".
Among Ōno's designs were the first "car to robot transforming toy", the toy that later became the Autobot Sunstreaker, and the former largest Transformers toy ever, Fortress Maximus. Later Ōno played a key role in the introduction of the Beast Wars toy line to the Japanese market and designed toys for both the 2007 live-action movie line and its successor, Revenge of the Fallen.
He currently oversees the Masterpiece toyline and TakaraTomy's licensed crossover toys.[2]
Known design projects
Diaclone
Generation 1
Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers
- Autobot Cars
- Omnibots
- Dinobots
- Constructicons
- Others
2010/Scramble City
The Headmasters
- Trainbots
Super-God Masterforce
Victory
- Deathsaurus with Tigerbreast and Eaglebreast
Cybertron
| Scout Class |
Transformers (2007)
| Deluxe Class | Fast Action Battlers | Cyber Slammers
|
G-Shock × Transformers
Masterpiece
- MP-52 Starscream
- MP-53 Skids
- MP-54 Reboost
- MP-56 Trailbreaker[3]
- MP-57 Skyfire (with Optimus Prime, Jazz and Wheeljack)
G Series
Canon/Transformers
Notes
- Ōno has something of a soft spot for Skids' alt mode the Honda City R, having owned a red one in his youth. This would inspire his creation of Reboost for the Masterpiece toyline.
- Ōno cites the Steel Jeeg franchise as his original inspiration for the Headmaster gimmick.[5]
References
- ↑ Several of the US patents for the early Generation 1 toys that originated from Diaclone transliterate his name as "Kouzin Ohno" when listing him as the designer.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Designer interview in Figure King No. 303 (April 2023 issue)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Transformers Generations 2022 interview on the Masterpiece toyline.
- ↑ Figure King 285: Interview With MPG-01 Raiden Development Team – English Translation on TFW2005
- ↑ Interview in Diaclone Combat Chronicle Vol. 2
