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EXCLUSIVE
 GA'MEDE & MAGNIFICUS e-HOBBY  TF COLLECTOR'S EDITION SERIES

MICROMAN 2005

 

 

RELEASE DATE : 7/05

RETAIL PRICE : 5,040 Yen

 

Destron Joint Force Ga'mede & Magnificus came in the traditional Collector's Edition packaging (vintage style package).

 

 

 

MICROMAN / DIACLONE & RISE OF THE TRANSFORMERS (by Paul L> & Micro Bry)

 

From the beginning, it was obvious that there was some types of connection between Takara, then, new Diaclone line and the relaunch 1981 New Microman series. A recent research by my good friend Bryan uncovered these hidden synergy of the two line that ultimately became the Transformers. It all began in late 1970's when Takara hold of sci-fi market was slipping.  Microman popularity peaked in 1977 but had since then been on a steady decline.  By 1980, Takara decided on new marketing strategy to take on the die-cast robot toys market dominated by the like of Popy. Takara's plan was essentially to split their sci-fi series into two "scale" of toy lines. The action-figures line was left to the newly revamped Microman series called the "New Microman". This new Microman pretty much took the concept started with the 1979-1980 series and expanded it further. The new line now focus on Microman size  transforming robots and armored-suit that interact with the Microman scale figures. (Microman still retained their 1:1 scale).  While Microman line tackled the action-figures market, the new line called Diaclone was to take on the "giant robot" sector.  Diaclone too began life as a concept expanded from the Microman toys.  By 1980, Takara had already attempted to enter the giant robot market by introducing toys like Death King and Death Marck, but this was not entirely successful due mainly to the fact that Microman at its core was still an action-figure line. So instead of introducing giant robot into Microman line, Takara stared with a new series that centered around giant robots. Diaclone shared much of the basis of late Microman design but the series was done on 1/60 scale with the "action-figure" only about an inch tall.  The focus of this line was on the giant bases and vehicles that could transform into robot for these miniature figures. (The figures had chrome head and magnetic feet and look much like a mini-scale Punch Microman). Diaclone was pretty much a "Micropolis-realized", something that Takara had long wanted to do for Microman but could not, due to the size of Microman figures. The robots and bases in Diaclone, literally formed a sci-fi world for these Diaclone figures.  The figures in Diaclone became the "accessory" instead of the main focus.

By early 1980's, both the toys and anime world were fast changing with the introducing of realistic robots with shows like Gundam and later Macross taking over the super-robot series. Takara designers seized on this "real" concept and spin it into their sci-fi lines. This was something that Takara seem to always excel at, taking the popular concept and adapted them to their line. Before 1983, most of the Diaclone and Microman toys featured futuristic designs, but that was all changed with the introduction of two new series - "Car Robot" for the Diaclone and "Micro Change" for the Microman.  The "Car Robot" featured realistic looking cars that could transformed into robots for the Diaclone pilot while the "Micro Change" (also known as Chameleon Good) featured realistic object that transformed into robots and vehicles that interacted with the Microman figures. These two new line were dubbed the "Real & Robot" line - a combination of "real" world object with the fictional "robot".  The "Real & Robot" would flourished for couple of years until Hasbro (a US toy company) took these two "Real & Robot" lines and combined them together and gave them a whole new story called "The Transformers" for the US market.  The new series proved immensely successful and Takara decided to imported the idea back to Japan.  It was quite ironic that Hasbro accomplished what Takara had been trying to do since the day of the Victory Project - a unify single line for all of their main sci-fi toys. To be fair, Hasbro did have one big advantage over Takara, it was able to start from scratch with new story, something Takara could not do with their already establish brands.  This new "victory" for Takara however did not come without a cost.  With the successful fusion of the two lines under "The Transformers" banner, it was no longer necessary for Takara to keep neither the Microman nor the Diaclone line going.  By 1985, both line were canceled and replaced with the new single sci-fi line called "Fight Super Robot Life-form Transformers".

 

 Original Microman Micro Change MC-20 Micro Scope Robo

 

 

GA'MEDE (MICROMAN)

Alien warrior who join up with a Destron (Decepticon) outcast "Magnificus". Together they form Destron Joint Force team. Ga'mede able ride in Magnificus Battle Chariot.

Destron / Joint Force set came with collector bio card with nice 1980s style artwork

Ga'mede Armor Set (Repaint of Microman 2003 Commander)

Ga'mede Weapon Set (also repaint of Microman 2003 Commander)

The set came with red missiles for the sprig-loaded gun. Spring-loaded launcher was standard gimmick of most Japanese robot toys in the 70's and 80's.

Ga'mede came with standard Official Microman Force Series stand

The figure came with matching extra set of hands like other Microman 2005 figures.

e-HOBBY TRANSFORMERS COLLECTOR'S EDITION

TAKARA release a second special Microman / Transformers set in 2005. The new set is called "Destron Joint Force" and sold by e-Hobby as part of their Exclusive Transformers (TF) Collector's Edition line. The Collector's Edition started out as reissue line for lesser known or minor Transformers characters. However, after the introduction of the TF Collection Series, the Collector's Edition become special line for reissuing the "alternate" color versions of G1 TF toys, several of which are the color schemes that were used in original Microman Micro Change or Diaclone series. So in a sense, when Collector's Edition released G1 Transformers toys in its original Microman Micro Change, they are essentially reissues of Microman toys.

 

Ga'mede & his Battle Chariot

 

DESTRON / JOINT FORCE - GA'MEDE & MAGNIFICUS

The Destron Joint Force set consists of Magnificus, a TF Perceptor mold done in its original Microman Micro Change Series MC20 Micro Scope Robo color scheme (Black), and Ga'mede, a repaint of Microman 2004 Microman Walter in an all new original color scheme that appears to be a homage to other popular 1980's sci-fi series.  The set comes packaged in the standard Collector's Edition reissue box and included all the accessories that were included with the original version of both toys. (See sidebar)

 

Magnificus in his tech-bay mode

 

TRANSFORMERS DESTRON - MAGNIFICUS

Magnificus is a reissued version of Transformers Perceptor done in the original black color used during Microman Micro Change series. In Microman series, the Micro Change robots were not sentient beings but rather they were Microman scale robots, with built in Artificial Intelligence, that were constructed to help Microman but also able to transform into ordinary household items to disguise themselves from adult human (Microman were disguised as action-figures!). Because of this reason, most Micro Change toys have the realistic color scheme instead of the gaudy toys-like schemes used by the later Transformers line. Magnificus in this case is an outcast Destron who happens to team up with humanoid alien named Ga'mede. Magnificus can transform into a Battle Chariot for Ga'mede (this mode was originally a tank cannon mode for New Microman figure) or into microscope-shape tech bay (disguise mode in original Micro Change series). Magnificus comes with all the stickers pre-applied, the stickers are the same as those used for Micro Change (you can still see MC-20 designation on his legs) and Perceptor but with added Destron symbols and the rub sign.

 

MICROMAN GA'MEDE

Ga'mede uses Microman 2004 Full Action body with the head from Microman Walter (Kiguru Microman Jet Jaguar). Ga'mede has painted head instead of the usual Microman chrome head but his forearms and lower legs are done in chrome. The design scheme for Ga'mede is clearly a homage to the 1970's and early 80's sci-fi characters. (Some even argue that he could be a homage to GI Joe Cobra). While the scheme might not be very Microman-like, a nod to other sci-fi shows from that period using the new Microman body is quite nice. Ga'mede comes with weapon accessories set, reused from Microman 2003 Commander Microman figure (molded in black plastic this time), and the usual Microman 2004 interchangeable hands and Micro Force Series figure stand. The set, while not spectacular, is another nice nod to the intertwine histories of Microman and Transformers series.