By way of Youtube user kbigstone, we can share with you this excellent video clip which has been doing the rounds on social media. What you can view, embedded below, is rare video footage from the 1983 Tokyo Toy Show.
The 1983 Tokyo Toy Show was where Takara exhibited their Diaclone and Micro Change toy lines. It was at this show that representatives of Hasbro, looking for new properties to introduce to the US market, discovered the toy lines and reported back to the higher ups at Hasbro with their findings – and the rest, as they say, is history.
Check out this clip of rare Transformers history below:
kylash327
One of the videos from 96 was showing robot toys that when you swap parts, change inside a video game on screen. Thats basically Skylanders swap force almost 20 years ago.
transmuseum
This is amazing. I love it!
Cha Chi
Man, the Japanese had it going on, watching that is more than just TF but the future of the world. From robots to remote control to computer games all awesome in 83 no less.
MindChamber
god that made me all sorts of melancholy :3
I miss my diaclone starscream…
conteddracula
Great treasure. Thanks. In this footage appears 2:07 prototype of standard and marlboor diaclone lancia stratos. From 2:47 to 2:51 about, there is what might be unproduced mc-22 beam robot (in a corner, on a shelf behind the man). Thanks Puffmarko.
cappeca
This is epic! What a find!
Dev1160
Interesting video, really took me back "a few" years. Not only did I like seeing all the Takara and Bandai toys, seeing the Power Rangers circa 1983, 10 years before they showed up here, was kind of cool.
BeeOtch217
Oh.
80sforged
Thought diaclone display was really cool, but my heart skipped a beat seeing that nice Fang of the Sun Dougram set-up.
Autobot78
this adds validity to it being possible, this post was in 2009, i did a screen capture of the post regarding the purchase of the diaclone and microchange line by hasbro. i seriously believe this video is why Transformers exist right now and is what was used to convince the higher ups at Hasbro to pick up the lines, its maybe the most important pieces of tfer history imo
here is link
The History of Transforming Robots! (abridged) – Page 2 – The SuperHeroHype Forums
kylash327
Toyfair 1987
1987
The_Black_Sheep
This video is the exact reason why I own so many Pre-G1's.
To Kbigstone (who ever you are), Thank You!
wikkiddavis
I wish I could jump into my computer screan!
TheShape
Awesome .. Just awesome
Extendarr
I watched every second of that video as if my life depended on it.
That. Was. Fucking. Cooooooooooool.
EightiesKid
I had a red version of that robot watch, it was awesome! Notnsure where i got it, or if it was a KO, but it was a cool piece.
Maz
The watches at 2:24 were originally released in Japan by Takara in the Watch-Q line, not all of the same colours/shades were used for Takara's Micro Change Series line, the ones which you see in the video are Micro Change Series. Watch-Q had this watch in black, gold, silver and gunmetal. The gunmetal colour never made it to Micro Change, it was replaced with blue. Here's a Watch-Q version:
There was another official Takara release of the watch robo in cubic packaging:
Here's the artwork for Micro Change Series black, silver and blue, not sure how the gold was offered…
And in package:
Those watches came out in North America under the Takara Kronoform brand, in Italy under GiG and also as part of the Ceji Joustra Diaclone line as "Kronoform", here's my set:
There are innumerable KOs of this watch mould in so many countries and regions, it would kill me to try and find/list them…but if yours said "Takara" or "Kronoform" just under the digital display, it was probably licensed, and if you are in the US, more than likely a Kronoform like this:
The mould was also used in Transformers by the way
Pic credits: Adam S, Davemamer and billprestonesquire on eBay amongst other quickly grabbed shots…
All the best
Maz
03Mach1
Star Convoy
BeeOtch217
Was that TF: Victory Convoy? And some of that stuff looked hi-tech by todays standards. lol
Gaokaiser
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