Hasbro G1 Sixchanger Quickswitch

In 1988, Hasbro gave the Autobots their very own ultimate gimmickformer, the six-moded Sixchanger "Quickswitch". The Decepticons, of course, had the magnificent Sixshot from 1987, and now the Autobots too had a multi-form warrior. Quickswitch, over the years, has been roundly criticised as a Transformer based on his suspiciously non-descript modes and odd proportions. Sixshot is superior to most collectors. On my mission to collect mint examples of all 1987 and 1988 G1 Transformers, in order to experience them as they should have been, straight out of the box in the 80s, I knew I could find something to appreciate in this bizarre toy if I found him in the right condition.

Browning - One figure, 3 types of robot art

The Micro Change Series Browning is a popular and well known toy. It was also widely released throughout the world, first in Japan in two colours for Micro Change Series, then again as part of the Transformers Super God Masterforce line in 1988. In America they only got bootlegs but Europe got official pre-TF releases as part of the Ceji Joustra Diaclone line, GiG Trasformer in Italy and also as R-Kioski store exclusives in Finland. More on the European history of Browning here

C-310E Fire Guts God Ginrai

In Europe and the West, in 1988, we received Powermaster Optimus Prime and thought it was amazing. Japan, on the other hand, got Super Ginrai and then God Ginrai during the airing of Japanese Transformers series Super God Masterforce (or Chōjin Masterforce). Die cast, proper windows, chrome, retractable fists, generally better quality construction and an exclusive Godbomber figure too meant that for years the Japanese set was highly regarded and sought after. Then just after the turn of the century, Takara (because at that stage they were still just Takara) reissued C-310 God Ginrai as a giftset, and then came the exclusive recolour Fire Guts God Ginrai that you see here in 2002. Orange Powermaster Prime and orange Godbomber, if you'd like to oversimplify! 

New Arrivals - Mid July 2014 (Part 3)

I don't know why my first instinct was to post a disclaimer about this not being a 100% Animated haul post, because you should feel privileged if it was! The best TRANSFORMERS TOY line ever deserves to be made tribute to every single day of the week. In actual fact this is quite a varied series of bots that make up the back end of Transformers-Arriving-Endlessly-July, but Animated Cheetor being the looker that he is, earns the headline image.

Browning In Europe

The term "Browning" means something special to Transformers collectors. It's that beautifully elegant gunrobo from prehistory that - to most of us - was only available to the lucky children in Japan who first experienced it as part of Takara's Micro Change Series toy line, and then again as a Destron in the Takara exclusive Chōjin Masterforce series. Sure there were Kingdam bootlegs and such, but the real deal was just one of those rare toys we'd read about on the Internet. As it turns out, Browning was widely available - officially - in Europe back in the 1980s.