The Transformers: Collector's Edition

Hidetsugu Yoshioka drew this piece of promotional art for the original set of thirteen characters released under the "Collector's Edition" label in 2001.

Following on from the individual reissues of a small handful of Generation 1 toys of major characters in 2000, Takara broadened the scope of their re-releases in 2001 with the inception of the Collector's Edition, which offered more classic toys as exclusives through various Japanese conventions and retailers in the summer of that year. While reissues of major characters or especially large toys in their original Generation 1 packaging continued, the Collector's Edition afforded diligent fans the chance to obtain smaller and/or lesser-known characters. Seven sets were released, all but one of which contained two figures grouped together based on their shared mold.

In addition to these straight reissues, a small number of unique redecos of other, larger mass-retail reissues were sold under the Collector's Edition label through online retailer e-HOBBY in 2001 and early 2002. This became the defining aspect of the series when Takara then launched the Transformers Collection line in mid-2002, making numerous smaller Generation 1 toys available at mass retail. With its initial raison d'être now overwritten, the Collector's Edition line shifted to being entirely exclusive to e-HOBBY, and started to consist of redecos or retools of nearly every new Transformers Collection reissue as it came out, often using Diaclone and Micro Change colour schemes, creating some of the first major brand new characters to be added to the Generation 1 canon in the 21st century.

Toys

Reissue sets

This style of packaging was used for the Decepticon jets, Megatron and the Insecticon clones.

• Set A: Lambor and Alert (May 2001, exclusive to World Character Convention 12)
• Set B: Ironhide and Ratchet (June 2001, exclusive to e-HOBBY; this was the first release of Ironhide in Japan, Ratchet had previously only been available by mail-order)
• Set C: Skywarp and Thundercracker (June 2001, exclusive to Super Festival 21)
• Set D: Ramjet and Thrust (July 2001, exclusive to Jaf-Con 10)
• Set E: Dirge (July 2001, exclusive to 20th Century Toy Museum; Dirge had previously only been available via mail-order in Japan)
• Set F: Inferno and Grapple (August 2001, exclusive to Wonder Festival 2001)
• Set G: Hoist and Trailbreaker (August 2001, exclusive to C3)

e-HOBBY redecos

• Megatron Black Version (March 2001/February 2009, redeco of Megatron reissue)
• Starscream Black Version and Ghost Version (December 2001, redecos of Starscream reissue)
• Sideswipe New Year Special and Alert New Year Special (February 2002, unique stickers)
• Meister Gold Version and Streak Anime Version (July 2002, redecos of Transformers Collection Meister and Prowl)
• Road Rage and Crosscut (October 2002, redecos of Transformers Collection Tracks and Skids)
• Silver Chrome Streak (December 2002, redeco of Transformers Collection Prowl)
• Megaplex (December 2002, redeco of Transformers Collection Megatron)
• Clamp Down and Deep Cover (April 2003, redecos of Transformers Collection Lambor)
• RoadHauler and Sunstorm (July 2003, retool and redeco of Transformers Collection Inferno and Starscream, respectively; Sunstorm reissued alone in February 2009)
• Astrotrain Proto Color Version (January 2004, redeco of Transformers Collection Astrotrain)
• G1 GoBots (February 2004, redeco of Tranformers Collection MiniBot Team Set)
• Detritus (August 2004, redeco of Transformers Collection Hound)
• Insectron Clone Army (October 2004, redeco of Transformers Collection Insectrons)
• Overcharge (March 2005, redeco of Transformers Collection Blitzwing
• Cobalt Sentries (April 2005, redecos of Transformers Collection Jaguar and Buzzsaw)
• Magnificus and Ga'mede (July 2005, redecos of Transformers Collection Perceptor and Microman Walter)
• Orion Pax and Dion (September 2005, redecos of Transformers Collection Chear and Wheelie)
• Twincast and Flip Sides (April 2006, redecos of Transformers Collection Broadcast and Generation 1 Eject/Rewind)
• GADEP (September 2008, redeco of Transformers Encore Omega Supreme)

Notes

• With the exception of GADEP, the Collector's Edition figures all came in one of two styles of generic window-box packaging (both pictured above); the larger style was used only for Decepticons, while the smaller was colored either in Autobot red or Decepticon purple, with their faction written where their name would normally appear. This allowed the same design to be used for multiple different figures, though the packaging did of course vary in dimensions as necessary. Curiously, the Robot Masters two-pack of Thundercracker and Skywarp also used this generic packaging, with nothing but a small Robot Masters sticker covering the "Collector's Edition" label.
• There have been many other e-HOBBY releases which are not Collector's Edition figures. Check the e-HOBBY article for a complete list of their exclusives.