The Transformers (European toyline)

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Originally, European countries got the same Transformers toys Hasbro had previously released in the USA, although different countries got different toys - and sometimes, the toys sported noticeable differences from their US counterparts. Initially, various sub-contracted companies were responsible for releasing the toys in the individual European countries (which involved language variations on the packaging), but over the time, they were either bought out by Hasbro or simply dropped in favor of a more and more unified European market. After Generation One ended in the US, the line continued in Europe until it was canceled in 1993 in favor of the Generation 2 Line.

1985

Notes

The Transformers toyline officially started in most European countries in 1985. It should be noted, though, that various European companies had already released licensed versions of Takara's Diaclone and Microman toys domestically prior to that ("Trasformer" by GiG in Italy; "Diaclone" by Joustra in France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands), some of which had already sported characteristics directly lifted from Hasbro's Transformers toys (some of GiG's "Trasformer" versions of the Autobot Cars sported color schemes originally conceived by Hasbro; Joustra's versions of the Minicars already sported Autobot logos). But it wasn't until 1985 that Transformers toys were officially introduced to the various European markets under that very name.

UK

Little is known about the earliest toys released in the UK. The common consensus is that they supposedly came in English-only US packaging. Recounts of which toys were and which weren't available in the UK vary depend on who you ask. Probably the most well-known UK release is an (almost) unique version of Optimus Prime with red instead of blue feet. The packaging is almost identical to the US version, but sports an additional copyright note linking this release to Ceji Revell (misspelled as "Revel"), which was owned by the same company as Joustra. It's possible that the other initial UK releases were also distrbuted by Ceji, but at the current point of time, there's no evidence supporting this theory.

Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain

The earliest toys released in continental Europe (minus Italy) were distributed by Milton Bradley, which was in the process of being taken over by Hasbro at that point. There's no solid evidence that all the MB toys were available in all these countries, but the packaging is sporting the four languages German, French, Dutch and Spanish. Therefore, MB covered the markets where Joustra's Diaclone toys were previously available on, with the addition of Spain. Known MB releases are:

Autobot Leaders

  • Jetfire
  • Optimus Prime

Autobot Cars

  • Prowl
  • Tracks
  • Wheeljack
  • Ratchet
  • Mirage
  • Jazz

Autobot Mini-Vehicles

  • Windcharger
  • Warpath
  • Cosmos
  • Beachcomber
  • Seaspray
  • Gears
  • Powerglide

Jumpstarters

  • Topspin
  • Twin Twist

Autobot Communicator

  • Blaster

Autobot Deluxe Vehicles

  • Roadbuster
  • Whirl

Dinobots

  • Grimlock
  • Slag
  • Snarl
  • Sludge

Decepticon Leader

  • Megatron

Decepticon Laser Gun

  • Shockwave

Decepticon Planes

  • Starscream
  • Thundercracker
  • Dirge
  • Ramjet
  • Thrust

Decepticon Communicator

  • Soundwave

Decepticon Cassettes

  • Ravage

Decepticon Triple Changers

  • Blitzwing
  • Astrotrain

Insecticons

  • Kickback
  • Bombshell
  • Shrapnel

Deluxe Insecticons

  • Venom
  • Barrage
  • Ransack
  • Chop Shop

Constructicons

  • Bonechrusher
  • Scavenger
  • Scrapper
  • Hook
  • Long Haul
  • Mixmaster
  • Devastator (giftset)

Notes

  • Thundercracker was sold in "Starscream" boxes and with factory-applied Starscream stickers.
  • Ravage was sold carded all by himself, rather than as a two-pack with Rumble as in the USA.
  • The box front of MB's version of Jazz sported an additional "Porsche" remark after his name. The significance of this is still unknown by this point.
  • Tracks was originally avalable in red rather than blue, based on the Diaclone version. Hasbro re-released Tracks in blue a year later, but due to the toy sporting a different color than its animated counterpart, red Tracks was selling poorly (which in turn later resulted in the toy being a much sought-after rarity).
  • Optimus Prime was originally not released by MB. A Dutch manufacturer of kitchen utensils claimed ownership of the "Optimus" trademark, and as a result, MB held back the release of Optimus Prime in Europe until the dispute had been settled and initially marketed Jetfire as the Autobot leader instead.

Italy

GiG had originally released toys based on their Diaclone license from Takara under the name "Trasformer", occasionally sporting color schemes only found on Hasbro's Transformers versions. Eventually, Hasbro cracked down on GiG and made them acquire a second license from them. In 1985, GiG launched their own version of the Transformers line, with the toys often sporting original Italian names (for example, the Autobots became "Autorobots", and the Decepticons "Distructors"). A small remainder of the old "Trasformer" logo would remain on the packaging until 1989. Known GiG Transformers releases are:

Autorobot Leader

  • Commander (Optimus Prime)

Autorobot Cars

  • Tigre (Jazz)
  • Freccia (Sideswipe)
  • Mistero (Mirage)
  • Alert (Red Alert)
  • Inferno
  • Gancio (Grapple)

Dinorobots (Dinobots)

  • Tiran (Grimlock)

Distructor Triple Changers

  • Triplex Uno (Astrotrain)
  • Triplex Due (Blitzwing)

Distructor Planes

  • Astrum (Starscream)
  • Vampiro (Thundercracker)
  • Corvo (Skywarp)

Escavators (Constructicons)

  • Scudo (Bonecrusher)
  • Braccio (Scavenger)
  • Ringhio (Scrapper)
  • Rostro (Hook)
  • Macigno (Long Haul)
  • Rollo (Mixmaster)
  • Devastator (giftset)

Notes

  • The Mini-Cars/Mini-Vehicles were apparently never released by GiG. Italian names for their characters are based on the Italian dub of the animated series.
  • Similar to Thundercracker being available in a Starscream box from MB, GiG released Astrom (Starscream), Vampiro (Thundercracker) and Corvo (Skywarp) in a multi-purpose box sporting all three names and tech specs for all three characters.
  • Whereas Mirage sported "Citanes" decals everywhere else in the world, GiG released their "Mistero" version with "Ligier" decals instead - originally as factory-applied stickers over the "Citanes" tampos, later with actual "Ligier" tampos.
  • The Constructicons came in small boxes based on the Takara versions, rather than carded like the version released everywhere else in the world. The boxes even sported numbers from "31" to "36", like the Takara versions did, and omitted the "Hasbro" logo on the box in favor of a "Takara" logo. The first of many examples of the liberties resulting from GiG's unique relationship with Takara.

1990

Classic Aerialbots

Autobots

Classic Stunticons

Decepticons

Classic Heroes

Autobots

1991

Action Masters

Autobots

Decepticons

Exo-Suit Action Masters

Autobot

Decepticon

Motorized Exo-suit Action Masters

Autobot

Decepticon

Action Master Elites

The Elites are rumored to have originaly been designed as wave 5 of the standard Action Masters, but to have been redesigned for licencing reasons, as Hasbro UK is a seperate company from the US Hasbro.

Autobots

Decepticons

Motorvators

The Motorvators are recolors of the Japanese Brainmasters Blacker, Braver, and Laster, but do not include the parts for forming Road Ceaser

Autobots

Classic Throttlebots

Autobots

Classic Dinobots

Autobots

Classic Triple Changers

Autobots

Decepticons

Classic Protectobots

Autobots

Classic Combaticons

Decepticons

Classic Heroes

Autobots

Others

Autobot

Decepticon

Classics Note

The rubsign indents on the Classic Protectobots, Combaticons, Throttlebots, and Tribpe Changers Sandstorm, Springer, and Octane were filled in. The Throttlebots also had standard Autobot symbols instead of rubsigns.

1992

Turbomasters

Autobots

Predators

Decepticons

Rescue Force

The Rescue Force were recolors of four members of the Breastforce, with new weapons replacing the partners. Names are in quotes because no offical names were given. Some parts were remolded such as the gun for Killbison now being a set of crane arms. These were not intended to replace the partners. These toys were also released with both red and gray weapons.

Note that these toys still combine but lack the head included with the japanese Leozak (and the two arms).

Autobots

  • "Drillhorn"
  • "Jaruga"
  • "Killbison"
  • "Leozak"

Constructicons

There are the European yellow G1 constructicons. These are diffrent from the yellow G2 Constructicons, as the purple parts were the darker G1 shade, the soft plastic parts were gray, no combiner parts were included, and there was no G2 stamp. Figure names are in quotes because these figures were not officaly named.

Decepticons

  • "Bonecrusher"
  • "Hook"
  • "Long Haul"
  • "Mixmaster"
  • "Scavenger"
  • "Scrapper"

1993

The Turbomasters and Predators were re-released. All new toys were rereleased in 1994 under the Generation 2 line in Europe, and were identical to the G1 release. The G2 symbol was created for this year's releases as the licence for the G1 symbols to Hasbro Intl. had expired. Some releases of these figures also had the "G2 Stamp" placed somewhere on the figure.

Obliterators

Autobots

Decepticons

Axelerators

Autobots

Skyscorchers

Decepticons

Aquaspeeders

Autobots

Stormtroopers

Decepticons

Lightformers

Autobots

Trakkons

Decepticons

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