Microman

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Microman is a line of toys manufactured by Takara (since 2006 known as TOMY in English and K.K. Takara-Tomy [株式会社タカラトミー ] in Japanese [1]) from 1974 to the present. Microman toys were originally imported to the United States by Mego Corporation as Micronauts until they went bankrupt in 1982. Later some of the toys became a part of the first line of Transformers.

The bulk of the line consists of small 3.75" action-figures that are known for their high number of articulation points (30 avg.) compared to similar sized toys. It also includes vehicles and robots, and interchangeable parts that can be attached from one toy to another.

Contents

[edit] Microman in Japan

In 1972, Takara released a series of 8" and 12" action figures named Henshin Cyborg ("Transforming Cyborg"). The Henshin Cyborg line was a spin-off of the earlier Combat Joe line. The Combat Joe line was created from the mould of the 8" and 12" G.I. Joe figures that Takara licensed from Hasbro. The body of the Henshin Cyborg was molded in clear plastic to expose the gleaming inner cybernetic implants and the "atomic engine".

Since the cost of producing the vehicles and playsets for the 12" dolls was prohibitive, as well as taking up space in living rooms, Takara decided to produce a miniature version of the Henshin Cyborg line which was called Microman.

The first series, Microman Zone, included four figures and several vehicles in kit form that needed to be assembled. Microman Zone proved to be popular and by its second year, the Microman line was spun-off from the "Henshin Cyborg" line.

Unlike other toylines at the time, Microman figures were marketed as being the "actual" size of the real thing. Microman figures were cyborg beings from the planet Micro Earth that disguised themselves as toys. All of the Microman toys used 5 mm connectors and ports, which allowed parts from one toy to be attached to another toy to form new toys.

Recently, Takara has expanded the Microman brand to include various licensed brands, including Batman (comic-based and Batman Begins), Superman (comic-based and Superman Returns), Evangelion, Street Fighter, Godzilla, Alien vs Predator and Kinnikuman. (A Spider-Man toy had been announced at one point, though no pictures ever surfaced; its product number eventually went to one of the Predator figures.)

[edit] Microman in the US

[edit] Micronauts

When the Micronman toys were imported to the US, different US companies acquired the licence and took the toyline in different directions. The Mego Corporation in the US acquired the licence for the 3.75" action figures and vehicles and released them in the US as the Micronauts.

[edit] Transformers

In the early 1980s Takara produced a second Microman line called New Microman. Many of the playsets and accessories were based on, or disguised themselves as "life-sized" realistic objects. A subline called MicroChange was lauched which featured toys that transformed into vehicles or robots which could be used with the Microman figures.

In 1984, Hasbro acquired the license for the transforming vehicle toys from the "Micro Change" subline and the Diaclone toyline. With help from Marvel Comics to flesh out the back-story, the two were combined to create the Transformers toyline.

Former MicroChange toys re-badged as Transformers include:

  • "Megatron" - originally a black-and-brown Walther P-38 who turned into a robot wielding a laser gun and a sword. Although the Japanese version (sold in 1985) was this version, the American version was the U.N.C.L.E. variant (named for the hit TV show), featuring a chrome body, "extensions" (a sight, scope, and barrel extension/silencer). However, the sword, also included with the Japanese "U.N.C.L.E." version, was excluded from the American Megatron, possibly for fear that children may stab themselves in the eye with the sword. Furthermore, the original Japanese toy's ability to fire plastic pellet-like bullets was removed from the American toy. The U.N.C.L.E. extensions converted into a cannon capable of being operated by one of the Micromen.
  • "CassetteMan" - a micro-cassette recorder that turned into a robot. This toy was converted into the Decepticon Soundwave and was capable of carrying a number of other robots who turned into actual-sized micro-cassettes. (The Transformers version was imagined in comics and TV as changing into a traditionally-scaled cassette recorder.)
  • "Car" - Seven MicroChange robots were made to disguise themselves as "toy cars". Three of them were made to resemble Takara's own Choro Q (Penny Racers) cars. All seven were released as Transformers (more specifically Autobot Mini-cars), but only six of them were sold as named characters:
The seventh (modeled after a Choro Q version of the Mazda Familia 1500XG/Mazda 323) was sold on "Bumblebee" or "Cliffjumper" cards and thus uses one of two names created by the Transformers' fan community (Bumblejumper or Bumper).
  • "Perceptor" - a microscope (originally black) that changes into a robot wielding a rifle and missile launcher, plus the microscope's own magnifying scope as a weapon. The Transformers version was recolored dark red and became the Autobot scientist, Perceptor. In Japan the toy was released in black again by the company e-HOBBY as a Decepticon named Magnificus.[2]
  • "Blaster" - the second micro-cassette-holding radio for MicroChange. However, this one is made to resemble a much larger boom box. Also unlike CassetteMan/Soundwave, this cassette player came with a special component resembling a micro-cassette that allowed it to receive FM radio broadcasts. While the original version of this toy was molded in dark blue with a light blue cassette door/chest, a recolored version for Italian company GiG was also produced in red with a dark blue door. The Transformers version, the Autobot Blaster, is based on the Italian red version with all electronics removed from the toy. Its ability to open its cassette door (without excessive force) was also removed (as the Autobots did not have cassette/robots at the time Blaster was released - this feature was later restored, however, when new tapes were made specifically for Blaster in 1986).

Additionally, the Transformers: Superlink line in Japan included a Microman figure of the character "Kicker" (the American Transformers: Energon line did not import this figure. However, a new sculpt based on that of a G.I. Joe was made instead).

[edit] Microman

In 2004, Takara started exporting Microman toys to the US again under the original name. Of these, one interesting sub-line is the Material Force assortment, consisting of "blank", featureless male and female mannequins, molded out of different colored plastic and packed with several interchangeable hands, which proved very popular as templates for custom made characters.

The basic female figure from the Material Force line (known as Microlady), in addition to the differences in plastic color, was also issued in varying bust sizes (S,M,L and L+). Another addition to the line made in 2006 was the introduction of a new female mannequin dubbed the Micro Sister, which depicts a waifish female, with the innovation of toe articulation.

[edit] References

  1. ^ タカラトミー
  2. ^ E-Hobby Shop

[edit] External links

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