Ratchet (G1)/toys
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Ratchet’s got a lotta toys!
Toys
Generation 1
- Ratchet (1984, 1986, 1990, 2001)
- Japanese ID number: 99
- Accessories: "Static Laser Gun", gun connector, 3 missiles
- Ratchet was originally a Onebox Ambulance Type toy from Takara's Diaclone line before Hasbro brought Transformers to North America. The toy transforms from a Nissan Cherry Vanette SGL Coach ambulance to a robot and gun-station. A variant of the toy includes red crosses on the top and sides of the vehicle. Ratchet and his retool/redeco buddy Ironhide, like all Diaclones, were designed to be piloted mecha, which is why he has a seat instead of a head. The Transformers version applied a face sticker to the back of the seat in lieu of a real sculpted noggin.
- In 1986, he was made available as a mail-away item (as he was no longer shipping to retail shelves) in multiple offers, including the Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction flier packed with most boxed Transformers toys. He cost $8 and two Robot Points.
- In Japan, Ratchet was originally only available as a S.T.A.R.S. mail-away, costing 1700 yen and 4 robot points. In 2001, he was reissued in Japan as an e-HOBBY exclusive, paired with Ironhide.
Timelines
- Autobot Ratchet & Flareup (2005)
- Accessories: Lightbar/blaster
- One of two "souvenir" packages exclusive to BotCon 2005, Ratchet is a retooling of the Energon Autobot Tow-Line with a new head, transforming into a large utility van. In robot mode, his lower vehicle portion becomes a mobile battle/repair platform. Ratchet can fold his legs back and up over his shoulders (wow!) and re-attach to this platform for a "battle mode". In this, ahem, position, Ratchet can also form the top half of a two-robot "Powerlinx combiner" with any Energon Deluxe Autobot, and any of them can also use his platform for their own combination.
- The mold's standard "receiver dish" weapon was not produced; instead, he came with a new "light bar" that pegged onto his roof in much the same manner.
- He could only be purchased in an at-show "souvenir" two-pack along with Flareup. This mold was also used to make Ironhide for the same convention.
Encore
- Ratchet (2007)
- Japanese ID number: 6
- Accessories: "Static Laser Gun", gun connector, 3 missiles
- In mid-December 2007, Ratchet was reissued again as part of TakaraTomy's Encore line. This particular version came with an illustration on one box flap depicting Ratchet's cartoon-design head and chest windshield. By punching out the image along the perforated edges, folding it just so and tucking it in behind the toy's windshield, one could give the toy a "real" head, just like in the TV series, instead of using the Diaclone-original windshield face sticker. Sort of. This version of the toy was retooled to add a pair of "clips" to the mobile platform's gun-base, designed to keep Ratchet more securely attached when riding it. However, these clips are right where a pair of decals normally go.
- Ratchet Emergency Green (2008)
- Accessories: "Static Laser Gun", gun connector, 3 missiles
- A redeco of his Encore reissue which homages the live-action movie Ratchet, Ratchet Emergency Green is a Japanese mail-away exclusive available with a purchase of the book Transformers Visualworks. After the book release on December 4, 2007, purchasers could mail in a ticket from the book and purchase either one (5200yen) or two (10,000 yen) of the item. Ratchet shipped to customers in April 2008. He comes in the same packaging as the regular Encore release, including packaging images, instructions, and the same white-headed cardboard torso punch-out.
- He's totally awesome.
Henkei! Henkei!
- Ratchet (Deluxe, 2009)
- Japanese ID number: C-14
- Accessories: Converting Cannon
- A redeco and retool of the 2008 Universe Ironhide toy, Henkei! Henkei! Ratchet transforms into an "emergency" SUV. He has a red Japanese-style emergency lightbar, is cast in bright white plastic and has a deco resembling Ratchet's appearance in the original cartoon series, down to his dark gray head crest. Like all Henkei toys, he features vacuum metalized plastic, specifically his headlights and taillights, as well as his "Converting Cannon" weapon. Unlike his Universe counterpart, the license plate is blank. The lightbar was also used for Henkei! Henkei! Alert.
Universe (2008)
- Autobot Ratchet (Deluxe, 2009)
- Series: Generation 1 Series
- Accessories: Medical Dispenser/Combat Blade
- Like Henkei Ratchet, Universe Ratchet is a redeco and retooling of the Universe Ironhide toy, and transforms into an "emergency" SUV, cast in pearlescent white plastic with a rather generic "Ratchet" deco. He sports the American-style emergency lightbar previously used for Universe Prowl (and later used again for Generations Red Alert) cast in translucent blue plastic (as opposed to Henkei! Henkei! Ratchet's differently sculpted red Japanese-style emergency lightbar).
- While similar in execution, there are a great many changes from Henkei Ratchet to Universe Ratchet. The red paint detailing on Universe Ratchet is different than that of Henkei Ratchet in color and layout. The Henkei version's stripes resemble that more of his original counterpart, while the Universe version resemble that of his Animated version. Henkei Ratchet uses chrome paint on his weapon and both sets of lights while the Universe version leaves them unpainted. Gray paint covers Henkei Ratchet's gun barrel and silver on his upper chest (behind the chest window), these parts remain unpainted on Universe Ratchet. The paint used for the windows of Universe Ratchet is a light blue while Henkei Ratchet uses a deeper metallic blue paint. Universe Ratchet has black forearms and upper thighs, while the Japanese version uses a pure white (different from the white used throughout the rest of the figure). Universe Ratchet has a yellow license plate (which reads H3L PU2) and red head crest, while Henkei Ratchet has a blank gray plate and gray head crest. Universe Ratchet features a blue blade on his weapon, while Henkei Ratchet features a red blade. Universe Ratchet also features a lighter red plastic than the Henkei version.
- Like Universe Ironhide, the blue paint used for his opaque windows matches really, really badly with his translucent blue plastic windows.
- This mold was also retooled into BotCon 2012 Sir Soundwave.
Prime
- Autobot Ratchet (Deluxe, 2012)
- Series / Number: 1 / 006
- Japanese release date: 3-31-2012
- Japanese number: AM-04
- Accessories: Dual Battle Blades (Hasbro only), "R.A." Arms Micron (TakaraTomy only)
Prime Ratchet was repurposed as G1 Ratchet in The X-Files: Conspiracy: The Transformers.
- Part of the second wave of Prime: Robots in Disguise Deluxe Class toys, this larger-scale version of Ratchet has a "dramatic head reveal" gimmick, with his robot-mode head being spring-loaded to pop up once his "backpack" is pulled down. He features 5mm peg-holes for his hands, a pair on his front bumpers/shins, and a pair on his vehicle roof.
- He comes with a pair of battle blades that can mount/be held via 5mm post, and his hands can be swung down at the wrist to give the appearance of the blades sprouting out of his wrists, as seen in the cartoon. The blades can mount into the peg-holes on his front bumper, creating a battle mode, and the blades can store on tabs underneath his vehicle.
- His instructions depict an alternate head apparently intended for an as-yet-unreleased Gears. The sculpt was used as the basis for Prime Swerve.
- The Japanese release of Ratchet, part of the very first assortment of TakaraTomy Prime toys, omits an incredible number of paint operations, replacing them with customer-applied foil stickers. (On the other hand, this does give him his "lifeline" decoration missing from the Hasbro version.) As part of the "Arms Micron" gimmick, six 5mm peg-hole attachment points have been glued onto him (as opposed to having existing parts specifically retooled to include them like many other toys in the line) on his vehicle-mode roof, doors, and side-panels, which respectively end up on his legs, forearms, and shoulders. The Hasbro version's twin blades have been replaced by the Arms Micron, R.A., who transforms into a considerably larger version of one of the blades, and can still work as a "wrist-mounted" weapon.
- Ratchet was retooled into BotCon 2014 Cannonball.
Merchandise
- Cybertron Hero Collection 22 (Decoy multi-pack, 1985)
- In Japan, a red rubber mini-figure of Ratchet was available in part of a massive multi-pack of similar mini-figurines. The number etched into his back is the sum total of his Tech Spec ratings, as these figurines were used as game pieces for a variety of Transformers board games in which this number had some meaning to how the game was played or something.
- Ratchet (Decoy, 1987)
- Decoy number: 6
- The Hasbro Decoy release of the Ratchet game piece is almost identical to the Japanese version, except the number on his back is a simple "checklist" number. Like all Autobot Decoys, he was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded Throttlebots, Aerialbots, Protectobots and Technobots.
Super Collection Figure
- Ratchet (2002)
- A three-inch tall PVC figurine of Ratchet was available in "Act 6" of Takara's Super Collection Figure line, a slight retooling of the Ironhide figurine with a new head and "gun"-hand (despite the fact that their two character models are not quite identical). Like all the figures in the wave, it was available as both a standard full color figure and a metallic silver "pewter" version, one of each of which was available in a standard case of twelve blindpacked figures. Additionally, the pewter version of Ratchet came packaged with the left leg of the wave's Grand Maximus collectable "build-a-figure".
Heroes of Cybertron
- Ratchet (2003)
- Ratchet's Super Collection Figure PVC was released the following year by Hasbro as part of their Heroes of Cybertron line. Like all the figures in the series, Ratchet was given a light-piping gimmick by being cast entirely in translucent blue plastic then painted everywhere except on his eyes and the back of his head. Part of the fifth and final wave of Heroes of Cybertron, Ratchet was, unlike the Japanese figure, sold on an individual blister card and came packaged with the right leg of the Metroplex "build-a-figure".
Transformers Mini-Bust
- Ratchet (2009)
- Released by Diamond Select Toys in 2009, Ratchet was sculpted by Mark Wong of Art Asylum and limited to 1000 pieces. The bust continues the tradition of giving all Ratchet merchandise (but not toys) the red cross insignia on their shoulders to better match the Animation model. Ratchet's Bio credits him and Wheeljack with creating the Dinobots; effectively making him the cartoon version but he comes packaged with two heads for do-it-yourself retconning. Comic accurate red helmet with white chevron, or the cartoon accurate white helmet with grey chevron. Fans of the Universe 2.0 version (white helmet, red chevron) will have to buy some red paint when they pick their bust up. Three tools are also included with the Bust. One slightly resembling the power booster rod, the other a Cybertronian version of an otoscope and the third is some sort of medical gear shaft. They are not sculpted on nor do they possess a magnet and are simply lodged in his hands for display.
Notes
- In later years, toys sporting the name "Ratchet" require an additional "Autobot" prefix for trademark reasons, hence making the official name "Autobot Ratchet".
- Ratchet's original toy is part of a matrix of cross-referencing redecos:
- In 2008, the original 1984 Ratchet mold got a green redeco as "Ratchet Emergency Green" in obvious reference to his movie counterpart.
- Meanwhile, the movie counterpart's toys got a red and white "Rescue Ratchet" redeco... based on the original colors of the 1984 toy.
- Elsewhere, Animated Ratchet includes elements from both characters, including Generation 1 Ratchet's chevron crest and coloration. (Animated Ratchet later got a movie-based "Rescue Ratchet" redeco, to boot.)
