Transformers released in 1983..?

[Predabot]

I've heard something about this, that either you Brits, or some other market actually got a couple of TF's in late 1983, and not the official start of the line, 1984.

Is this true? Was there TF's released somewhere in the world, before 1984?

'Twould be swish if someone can enlighten me about this.

[Brendocon]

Is this true? Was there TF's released somewhere in the world, before 1984?

Er yeah. Most of the original ones. In Japan. As pre-TFs.

Nooch.

[Predabot]

Is this true? Was there TF's released somewhere in the world, before 1984?

Er yeah. Most of the original ones. In Japan. As pre-TFs.

Nooch.

Gee, thanks mate, for letting me know about this obscure knowledge that so few of us are aware of..

I might as well proper up a wee bit and explain why I was wondering if there were TF's in 1983, and that's because on another board there is a GO-BOT's thread, and there I found out the horrifying truth...

That Tonka managed to secure a deal for importing Japanese Ro-butt's before Hasbro did. Teh GO-BUTT's am TEH FIRST RO-BUTT'S!!

Sadly, all the evidence seems to point to the fact that the extensive work Marvel did with profiles, names and story, delayed the TF coming until the year 1983, while Go-Bots who had none of 'dat could just release on trough... Which means... that we are doomed.

DOOOOOOMMMMMED!!

[BB Shockwave]

I'm afraid it's true, mate... Gobots beat us to the game.

Well, TFs certainly outlasted them, though...

Funny thing is, Gobots were pretty good toys. For their size, some had very innovative transformations! Too bad the 6 guys most used in the show were the most simplicistic toys from the bunch.

Btw, I just found (after eons of searching) the japanese "Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos" series. It even has some (horrible) english subs. I can recommend it - sure enough the story is stereotypical anime crap which makes the g1 cartoon look like a gem, but the animation is beautifull (think Call of the Primitives) and you can see tons of Gobots, many of whom (like the dual machine robo or the Hot Rods) were never released in the west. Oh, and Rock Lords are in there, too...

I'll upload some screenshots soon.

[Ikijigoku]

I technically got my first "Transformer" back in 1983. I was visiting family in Japan. One day, my mother took my sister and I out for shopping. While we were shopping, I came across a really cool display. This display had a miniture diarama of a landscape. This landscape had some trains, and construction vehicles on it. Near these vehicle, there were some robots that looked like they could convert in these very same trains and vehicles. Near those robots, they're two even bigger robots. Those two bigger robots looked like they could have been a combintion of these vehicles also. It took me some years later to figure out that these toys were part of a display for the Diaclone Trainbots and Constructicons.

During that very same shopping trip, we were stopped by a young woman. This young lady was standing behind a table. She was hosting some sort of game. This table had one of those bingo cages and various prizes on it. I thought it strange that this game was free of charge. I know, something free in Japan? We each had a chance to play. One for my mother, one for my sister and one for me. My mother and I won some lame crap. My sister draws and the lady walks away from the table. She comes back with a small lame firetruck toy. Well, this firetruck had a little twist, it robot also converted somehow into a robot. It was the Diaclone version of Inferno. Since that day, I've been hooked.

While most of the planet was still infatuated with the world of Star Wars (Return of the Jedi was still in theaters), I was being introduced to Power Rangers, Macross, Microman and Daiclone. Never, would I ever imagine, 25 years later, they would make it over here and still be running strong.