Transformers: Factors

Why is the franchise as popular as it is?

1980s cult cartoon + Michael Bay?

It's a merch-selling machine. What eight year old boy DOESN'T get excited about a colorful and personable giant robot who can change into other random cool stuff? It's like two toys in one, much better mileage for your money than a boring human action figure who doesn't change into anything else. Whoever came up with that concept should honestly be given some kind of medal in toy design. Umpteen years later, and still we haven't seen any real improvements on the formula.

Plus the fact that giant robots are involved assures that the Japanese are always on board even if its popularity waxes and wanes in America. So you get a random anime spinoff and whatnot, with its own merch, of course.

Now, why does it keep older fans?

Nostalgia, and them realizing the existence of a Periphery Demographic (one with more pocket-money than the average 10 years old) and catering to them with more "mature" works.

-Cocks head-

Beast Wars, in that sense?

([[rule of cool]]) , my good sir. I mean, animals are beloved by everyone, and transformers has a massive fandom, cue massive increase in money for hasbro, and hate dom from g1 purists

Please see Text-Formatting Rules for coding concerns.

Besides the stuff already mentioned, you should note how Transformers are much more complex than normal toys. Many more fiddly bits, lots of articulation, much better than Power Rangers Megazords and other action figures. Of course, some Bandai Japan stuff beats T Fs in that department, but Bandai America doesn't.

Transforming robots? Just another reason why I like Robotech VF-1's. It's a plane! It's a plane with legs! It's a giant robot with a GU-11 gun pod and can shoot lasers out of its head!

I need a model of one that can transform.

Lapsed fan reporting here. Haven't bought a toy in ages, but that's largely because my kids destroy anything that go into my house these days. Enjoyed the first live-action movie for dumb popcorn fun, was disgusted at the second, haven't seen an animated series since Beast Wars.

—R.J.

Characterization. Transformers really puts Loads And Loads Of Characters to good use, where every toy has a fully detailed bio, every character has a chance for A Day in the Limelight, every personality archetype is represented from not just typically expected warriors but strategists, rich snobs, scientists and engineers of all specialties, even Non-Action Guys like journalists, architects, artists/musicians, and stand-up comedians (no, seriously).

Multiply this by continually reinventing itself in numerous continuities and styles, and you have a ridiculously rich playground for both fiction and making up your own stories with your toys.

You're really missing out if you haven't seen Transformers Animated yet.

edited 16th Jun '11 12:51:24 PM by Jeysie

Who did stand-up?

Pvtnum: I got a transforming VF-1 action figure. Its really not that great. I think they cut corners in the design to make it work, and it really feels cheap. Its always falling apart and takes 20 minutes to change from fighter to gerwalk because bits keep falling off. And this is the official action figure, made only 2 or 3 years ago.

But yeah, trucks=awsome, robots=awesome.

Transformers = trucks*robots=awesome^2

@MRDA 1981

Cybertron Armorhide

There's also the Shattered Glass versions of Darkwind and Dreadwind.

Oh, and SG Sinnertwin is a puppeteer. How is that not awesome?

edited 16th Jun '11 1:26:48 PM by Jeysie

That's pretty sweet. I can see Sinners doing a mid-transformation performance with his heads as the "sockpuppets".

As for Dreadwind and Darkwing, those two were near enough a comedy act in their main canon incarnations. Miserabilism and mirth go pretty well together.

Enkufka: Well, that's dissapointing... I had a snap-together model kit that didn't transform, but you could pose it and stuff. I never bothered painting it, but it was rather neat.

Love snap-together models.

And I really think the VF-1 would work if they jsut made a few design changes.

For instance, the rotary-joints for the arms are completely smooth, and slide right out. if they made it so that it fit into a notch at the end of the slot for the arms, it would stay together so much more.