Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)
Kiss Players (キスぷれ, Kisu Pure) is a Japanese Transformers franchise which began in 2006. By virtue of being the only Transformers toyline and fiction released in Japan by Takara between the conclusion of Cybertron and the live-action movie, it was also effectively the main Transformers line in the country for that time. It takes place in the Generation 1 cartoon continuity, specifically in the five-year mileu between The Transformers: The Movie and Transformers 2010.
The series derives its name from its (controversial) gimmick, which involves Transformers getting "power-ups" when they are kissed by human girls - the eponymous "Kiss Players" - who fuse with the robots and share their adventures. Although this plotline may seem like a shift in demographics to little girls, it is said that this line was aimed at a much older (and creepier) adult male audience. Indeed, the toys bear an "ages 15 and up" warning, and the subject matter of the accompanying manga is far from child-friendly.
The Kiss Players franchise comprises:
- A toyline
- A weekly radio drama series and a manga, which together tell the story of the line
Following the conclusion of it's first storyline in late 2006, Kiss Players moved into its second (and apparently final) phase, Kiss Players Position, which shifted focus to a distinctly more PG-rated themes.
Trivia
The official logo for the series says "Kiss Play" in Japanese text and "Kiss Players" beneath it in English. To avoid confusion, the English title is used here.
