What exactly is a Transformer?
The Transformers is a line of toys designed and produced by the toy companies Takara and Hasbro. Initially reusing previously released toys from the Japanese toylines Diaclone and Microman, Hasbro issued the toys under the name Transformers in the United States in 1984. The premise behind the Transformers toyline is that an individual toy's parts can be shifted about to change it from a vehicle, a device, or an animal, to a robot action figure and back again. The taglines "More Than Meets The Eye" and "Robots In Disguise" reflect this ability.
The Transformers toyline is typically divided into two main factions: the heroic Autobots and their opponents, the evil Decepticons (known in Japan as the Cybertrons and Destrons, respectively). Transformers toys are sold at a number of price points, and various Transformers series utilize unique play features.
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