Glow-in-the-dark
From MediaWiki
Glow-in-the-dark is a gimmick frequently used in children's toys and consumer goods. Typically, plastics or paints are designed with phosphorescent elements that absorb energy from bright light, then release that energy when in the dark, giving off a visible glow. Despite being fairly cheap and straightforward to manufacture (and thus a common sight in lots of other toylines), it's been oddly rare in Transformers, so don't expect this page to grow by much!
Toys
The Transformers
- Transformers Electric Racing Set (1985)
- The Transformers licensed Electric Racing Set was released by Tyco, and included two cars that were slight retools of each other: Freezon and Natron. Each in their robot mode feature glow-in-the-dark plastics, as do the "Nite-Glow" track elements included with them.
Generation 2
- Megatron (1995)
- Accessories: 12 missiles, 2 missile launchers
- A planned-but-more-or-less-cancelled redeco of Generation 2 Dreadwing, this two-pack of Megatron and Starscream was only released to test markets in Ohio, USA in very limited quantities, and never saw a wide release. Some of the few known specimens have Kay-Bee Toys price stickers on their boxes.
- According to the Toy Fair 1995 Transformers presentation, the pale plastic missiles could glow in the dark.
| Generation 2 mold: Dreadwing | ||
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Expanded Universe
- CatSCAN (Deluxe, 2002)
- One of several BotCon 2002 exclusives, Expanded Universe CatSCAN is a redeco of the Beast Machines Deluxe Class "Night Slash" Cheetor mold, transforming into a robotic tiger with flip-up rocket boosters on its back.
- CatSCAN has glow-in-the-dark paint, in patterns suggestive of wiring and circuitry.
EarthSpark
- Cyberglow Megatron (Deluxe, 2025)
- Accessories: Energon mace
- Decades later, and for the very first time as a standard mass retail toy, the "Cyberglow" version of Warrior EarthSpark Megatron used glow-in-the-dark materials for both some new paint applications and a new rubber Energon mace accessory. This may have caused the figure to be bumped up to the Deluxe Class price point.
New Legends
- Lio Convoy Legendary Green Lion Ver. (ライオコンボイ伝説の緑のライオンver., 2026)
- ID number: NL-01
- Release date: 2026
- Accessories: 2 guns
- Breaking the curse of glow-in-the-dark figures having especially large gaps between releases, New Legends Lio Convoy Legendary Green Lion Version is a redeco of Lio Convoy's 40th Selection toy based on his mythical green lion form introduced in the Beast Wars II episode "Legend! The Green Warrior", with the white and lighter turquoise parts being made from glow-in-the-dark plastic.
- TakaraTomy opened up pre-orders January 14, 2026.
Merchandise
Transformers Milk Caramel
- The Transformers 2010 series of Transformers Milk Caramel "keshigomu" figures, from 1986, were made of glow-in-the-dark rubber.
Decipher the Decepticon
- The retail toys that were part of the 1986 "Decipher the Decepticon" sweepstakes contest each included pack-in flyers, which could be linked together to form a large poster with glow-in-the-dark art.
