Definition
An action figure franchise created by Hasbro and Takara in 1984 featuring robots that transform between vehicle forms (cars, planes, trucks) and humanoid robot forms. The characters, divided into the heroic Autobots and villainous Decepticons, became iconic toys and spawned multiple animated series and blockbuster films.
Example Usage
He spent hours transforming his Optimus Prime action figure back and forth, trying to perfect the conversion.
Origin
Based on Japanese toy designs licensed from Takara; the name comes from the central gimmick of robots that transform into other shapes.
Fun Fact
The original 1984 toy line is considered a cornerstone of the action figure industry, and vintage mint-condition Transformers from the first generation can fetch thousands of dollars.
Related Terms
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