1983

«	1983	»

The year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) predates the launch of the Transformers brand by one year.

For further information, see: Transformers timeline

Events

Non-Fiction

• The Family Computer, commonly abbreviated as the Famicom, a video game console and the Japanese equivalent of the Nintendo Entertainment System is released in Japan by Nintendo.
• Saban Entertainment is formed.
• Hasbro approaches Sunbow Productions about a television series based on their toyline of G.I. Joe action figures.
• The Japanese video game developer Altron is published.
• Fall 1983 — Richard Marcej graduates from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and begins working for Hasbro.
• Robin Riggs begins working for the UK Marvel Comics department.
• Don Hudson begins working for Marvel Comics.
• The Microman story is told exclusively through text and manga pages in the toys' pack-in catalogues, with no tie-in fiction.
• GiG acquires the license for selling imported Diaclone and MicroChange toys on the Italian market from Takara.
• Trailbreaker's orignal toy the Diaclone "4WD Hi-Lux" (as the Diakron "DK-3" Car/Robot), the red Diaclone version of Sunstreaker (as Diakron "DK-1" Car/Robot) and the black Diaclone version of Ironhide (as the Diakron "DK-2" Car/Robot) are sold by Takara in North America, seemingly just a few months before the toys would be rebranded as Transformers.
• The mold that would become Autobot is released in the 1983 Microman Micro Change line as MC-06 Watch Robo, available in four different colors.
• The mold that would become Wheeljack is released under the Diaclone line.
• A new "Microchange" theme in the Microman toyline is introduced, under which all but a few of the robots and vehicles made to interact with the figures will have the ability to disguise themselves as ordinary household objects.
• August – The toy that would ultimately end up as the original Optimus Prime toy is originally released as No.17 Battle Convoy from Takara's Diaclone Car Robo toyline in Japan.
• Henry Orenstein convinces George Dunsay, Hasbro's Vice President of R&D, to acquire a license for releasing Takara's Diaclone and Micro Change toys on the North American market
• Late 1983 – Hasbro first approaches Griffin Bacal and asks them to adapt two Japanese toy lines, Diaclone and Micro Change, for the American market. Hasbro later approaches Marvel Comics to create a storyline around a series of transforming toy robots they had licensed from Takara.
• October 15 — The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk (alt mode of Predator Falcon, Shadow Jet, Skyjack, G1 Air Raid), and others) starts being used by the United States Military.
• November 1 — Hasbro's licensing agreement with Takara is formalized.

Births

• April 5 — Andrew Elder
• May 20 — Josh Perez
• July 29 — Tania Gunadi
• December 22 — Yui Kano
• December 26 — Omar Soto

Fiction

2007 Movie

• Sector Seven is at least partially aware of the events of their universe's Beast Wars as early as 1983, as they are mentioned in the Takara Agreement.
• March 15 — To control the previous year's leaks about the Transformers to the public, S7 Industries collaborated with Japanese toymaker Takara to produce a movie based on the 'video game' about giant robots they were developing, allowing them to dismiss any claims relating to the Transformers or their world as fictional characters- hiding them in plain sight. This operation is codenamed Hungry Dragon.