The Influence of the Transformers Toys
The Transformers are an iconic franchise. Its fame blew up after the 2007 movie from Michael Bay. Before big movie makers put the Transformers explosive battles and speedy car chases on the big screen, you and other kids were probably doing the same in your house in the 80s and 90s. Today, Transformers are common items on the shelves of toy stores. However, the real gems are the ones that avid fans, or OGs as kids today would say, call G1 and G2 or Generation 1. Because of their rarity, buying vintage transformers can be challenging, but if you are a true lover of this iconic toy line, then the journey is worth it.
The Impact of Transformers
Along with Star Wars and G.I. Joe, the Transformers were among the toys that shaped the childhood of the 80s and 90s. The impact of the Transformers in pop culture became even more relevant because of the comics and cartoons that depicted. From inanimate objects, these toys transformed into sentient beings on paper and on screen. It further fueled the imaginations of children. Suddenly, a car was no longer just a car. It could be a refugee Autobot hiding and waiting for their orders from Optimus Prime. The franchise put a different meaning to its taglines “More Than Meets the Eye” and “Robots in Disguise.”
The Toys
The toys themselves were also phenomenal. Designing and creating action figures require creativity. However, when you are making action figures that do not depict anything that exists, that demands ingenuity. If you want to create toys about the military, you can look at photographs of actual soldiers, weapons, vehicles, and past conflicts for inspiration. However, the story is different when you want to make a toy line about a warring robot race. Remember, the Transformers were from the 80s. If you wanted to make an action figure about giant human-like robots under a galactic civil war, you did not have a magazine or newspaper article to use as a reference. You only had your wits. Yes, the context was basic: Two action figures fighting each other, but the aesthetics were not. Will the robots look boxy and angular? Smooth and aerodynamic? Would their body parts have similar proportions as in humans? What about their colors? Robots do not have to wear clothes, so they also do not have uniforms. How would you distinguish them? Each robot, therefore, had to be functionally and aesthetically unique. Creating the Transformers toy line and its story was, hence, a creative challenge.
The Capabilities
The Transformers also set the bar when it comes to toys that you can manipulate. A common action figure would have a few points of articulation for the joints, such as the shoulders, knees, elbows, and neck. The Transformers, on the other hand, took the typical number of joints and skyrocketed it to the next level. This feature allowed robots with human-like figures to fold and bend so you can turn them into a truck or even a dinosaur.
Thanks to pop culture, the Transformers became a staple in the toy scene. The dedicated lovers of this franchise can better enjoy and appreciate its significance by buying vintage transformers. To these enthusiasts, they are getting more than just old toys. They are repossessing and preserving the joys of their childhood.
