Beastformers (franchise)
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Transformers: Beastformers (トランスフォーマー ビーストフォーマー Toransufōmā Bīsutofōmā)—later just Beastformers, dropping the Transformers branding in its second year—is a sub-line/spin-off of the Takara Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers toyline released in 1987, concurrent with the The Headmasters series. The series focuses on the titular Beastformers, a race of alien anthropomorphic animals from the planet Beast, whose struggles intersect with those of the Transformers.
The toyline at the center of this series had been released in Hasbro's markets the previous year, as 1986's Battle Beasts; the toys were developed jointly by the two companies, as most of the Transformers line was at this point. Battle Beasts had no fictional ties to Transformers whatsoever (it barely had fiction at all), but as the toys are overwhelmingly identical between the two markets, most western fans consider them to be functionally the same thing as Beastformers, and don't care if their "White Leo" is technically a "Pirate Lion". But since Beastformers is the one genuinely tied to Transformers, this wiki defaults to using the Takara names, and only covers the Hasbro iteration of the line in brief for comparison.
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Fiction
Beastformers
Transformers: Beastformers got its big fictional push with a backdoor pilot episode early in the Headmasters cartoon, "Rebellion on Planet Beast". In it, Galvatron helps the evil Alligatron in his attempted takeover of Beast in exchange for prisoners of war, and the heroic Beasts put out a call for help from the Autobots, with of course the good guys winning in the end. After this episode, the series never returned to planet Beast again. A few toy-based Beastformers appeared as prisoners in a later episode, and a cartoon-original Beastformer played a small but vital role in yet another, but otherwise, that one episode makes up the bulk of original Transformers-era Beastformers fiction. The Autobots and Decepticons return to Beast in a special installment of the Headmasters comic, "The Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!", although this would later be seemingly ignored/forgotten.
Outside of these handful of Transformers appearances, the main story of Beastformers was told through text stories included in numerous pack-in pamphlets and catalogs, which fleshed out the world of Beast a bit more. While at first tying in to the Headmasters episode (such as including the Sharkticons and Repugnus), those stories would eventually drop connections to Transformers as the Beastformers brand tried to establish its own identity.
When the series was given a soft-reboot sequel and rebranding as just Beastformers in 1988, the lore of planet Beast got even deeper, finally properly tying in the toys' Fire/Wood/Water theme that the previous fiction had all but ignored. The series introduced the Three Wise Ones, ancient entities who founded planet Beast and were the progenitors of the Laser Beast race that later spawned the Beastformers. The six gems balancing the powers of Fire, Wood and Water they left behind had become unbalanced due to the prior war (now ended) and were causing natural disasters. Worse still, said disasters flooded the subterranean home of the still-extant Laser Beasts, who moved to the surface and started a war of conquest. Once again, this story was mostly told through packaging blurbs and pack-in materials, with the characters' included bio cards expanding on the various societies of planet Beast. There were two "big" pieces of new fiction, in the form of two issues of the Hero Special mook (magazine/book) series: Hero Special 4: Beastformers and Hero Special 12: Laser Beasts. Aside from character bios and setting text, these also featured fumetti "photonovel" comics assembled from photographs of the actual toys set up in diorama environments, telling the tales of major moments in the Beastformers' past and present (minus those pesky Transformers).
And after that, a whole lot of nothing as the Beastformers line ended. While there would be a few unnamed cameos in Transformers media here and there (mostly in Hasbro-backed media, amusingly enough), these rarely amounted to more than a single panel or obtuse reference in text. However, in 2017, the Beastformers story was picked up again in the Transformers Legends comic, beginning in "Vol. 47: LG51 Doublecross Prologue", continuing from the unconcluded Beastformer/Laser Beast war that had been untouched for the better part of three decades... notably tying it back to Transformers pretty extensively.
Battle Beasts
By contrast (and really only here for comparison/completion's sake), Hasbro's Battle Beasts was uncharacteristically light on any form of fiction for toylines of the time, especially Hasbro's. The cardbacks largely just advertised the Fire/Wood/Water play gimmick with a slight in-universe flavor. The characters' names were not even readily available to kids, with the only source to name them all being a mail-away poster... in fact, the cardbacks even said that each beast had two identical doppelgangers with different elements, so were all three carp beasts named "Killer Carp", or...?
Comics publisher Blackthorne, the people responsible for the very short-lived Transformers in 3-D comics, put out a black-and-white Battle Beasts comic which was more successful than their Transformers one, in that it made it to four issues before being canceled. Good luck finding copies. Or even scans.
The comic is set on an unnamed planet inhabited by sentient, armored animals, each imbued with the power of one of the three elements: Water, Fire and Wood. Their powers and the health of their world are maintained by the Soulspirit, a ghostly figure that—strangely for a planet of talking animals—appears to be human. By keeping her animal charges and their nature totems in harmony, the Soulspirit helps maintain a balance that prevents the return of her ancient enemy Ruhin, the sludgy lord of chaos. An evil plot by the totem-switching, mind-controlling crime lord Chameleon, and his minions Blitzkrieg Bat, Rocky Rhino, and Cutthroat Cuttlefish, disrupts the Soulspirit's planetary totem renewal ritual: the subsequent psychic totem disruption drives every creature on the planet insane and makes them start viciously attacking each other. The only beasts spared from this madness are Chameleon's forces and a small group of heroes (Horny Toad, Knight Owl, and Gargantuan Gorilla) who had already tried and failed to stop him. With their world now plunged into madness and nonstop war, the heroic faction must journey to find the one being on the planet—the near-mythical Sunburst Warrior—who can restore the harmony and sanity of the Battle Beasts. But they must hurry, because the disruption of the balance of nature has also revived the evil Ruhin!
Not too unlike the 1988 Beastformers setup, by pure coincidence.
Toys
2) That lower row was the absolute $#!+ to 80s kids. Major playground bragging rights.
Battle Beasts/Beastformers are soft-plastic figures of anthropomorphic animals in high-tech armor, each about 1.5 inches tall, with swivel-jointed shoulders and a weapon accessory. The fist-holes and weapon handles are 3 mm wide, making them compatible with numerous later Transformers toys, particularly the Cyberverse/Legion-class toys.
Both beast and weapon have an ID number molded into them, making matching easy; this would turn out to be incredibly helpful, as Beastformers is somewhat notorious for mismatching weapons and beasts. You'd get the right weapon more often than not, but "not" still happened a lot. While this was actually turned into part of the line's gimmick in its second incarnation (matching weapon and beast gave advantages in the attached dice-based game), it's unknown why this happened a good year prior to the game's introduction.
Each figure features a "Battle Emblem" rubsign that shows one of three "elemental powers": Fire, Water or Wood. Since the symbols were heat-activated, it was (mostly) impossible to determine what each toys' symbol was until they were freed from their packaging. These rubsigns were key to a simple rock-paper-scissors-style battle game: Fire burned Wood, Wood floated on Water, Water put out Fire. A fourth power, Burstsun, was a rare special power introduced later in the line; decades later, this would be reused as the personal emblem of the otherwise unrelated Solarbot.
As Beastformers, they were packaged in individual boxes with bio cards; the design of both would change multiple times over the course of the year (detailed below). These were typically set out in large display boxes holding 36 individual figures. Battle Beasts packaged them as two-packs with semi-randomized pairings (we're not about to try and suss out all the patterns) and no personal information whatsoever, with only a mail-away poster providing names for the beasts once the first three series were released. Both companies also put out multi-packs and larger vehicles; Beastformers vehicles came with specific pack-in characters, while Battle Beasts simply tossed in a random figure.
Most of the normal Battle Beasts product was eventually released in Beastformers. Both lines have a number of variants and toolings not available in the other, though Beastformers certainly has more individual figures all told, thanks to the late-run Laser Beast releases (only about half of which saw very short-lived and limited distribution in Hasbro markets). As noted, the overwhelming majority of the toys are physically identical between the Hasbro and Takara markets, with the only recurring difference between all toys a small manufacturing sticker added to the soles of the Takara toys (which tends to fall off and get lost over time).
Transformers: Beastformers (1987)
Series 1
The initial assortment of Beastformers were packaged in Transformers-style boxes, with Autobot-allied beasts in red boxes and Decepticon-allied in purple, with the familiar grid pattern below. These boxes are otherwise generic, with no individual names or marking on the packaging whatsoever, with a plastic window to show the beast inside. These were shipped in display cases of thirty-six individual boxes, with "Pack A" and "Pack B" styles: each case had twelve different beasts packed at three each, with six beasts unique to each case.
Like the other Headmasters toys of the time, each one also came with an individual bio card, with a painted character image on a red or purple grid on the front, and character data and line-art of the toy on the back. The cards were held in black sleeves to keep them hidden while in-package, as there was a chance the card would instead be the rare "Holography Mirror" card instead, with a hologram image Platinum Tiger's toy on the front. It appears that this card was randomly packed in one box per case, but this has not been confirmed.
Oddly, despite the toys themselves having ID numbers molded into them (and their weapons), the bio cards do not have any form of ID number for the characters whatsoever, despite the other toys in the Transformers line having them.
The sleeves also contained a questionnaire pamphlet, and by sending five of these (filled out of course) to the address provided, the sendee would be entered into a drawing to win a Sharktron toy, which was not available in the normal-retail Takara Transformers line.
| Pack A figures | Pack B figures |
?? ?? ?? ?? ?? |
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| Mail-away prizes |
Series 2
At this point, Beastformers boxes changed to using green behind the grids for both sides, but kept the Autobot/Decepticon markings. The upper-right "flap" of the box also added the "Pack" letter of the shipping case, each one indicating a different randomly-packed prize card:
- C — The "Secret Photo" card featuring White Leo
- D — The "Bewitching Serpent Seal" card featuring Cobrander
Just as before, each case had six unique beasts, with twelve re-released Series 1 toys filling out the other halves. Once again kids could send away five filled-out pack-in questionnaires to enter a prize draw for a Transformer not available at retail, this time the "Firebot" Repug (aka Monsterbot Repugnus).
The pack-in bio cards also got a redesign at this point, with the returning characters' cards getting the change as well. The front of the card replaced the grid background with a forest backdrop framing a yellow sky, with the painted portrait in the middle. The nametags and cardbacks were otherwise the same style as before.
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Pack D figures |
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Series 3
With the third wave release, the line expanded slightly, with a new multi-pack (including exclusive variations of the two leader figures), as well as a transforming "Fortress" that unfolds into a large playset.
The packaging for this series did not change at all outside of the "Pack" letters, and again, each case had six all-new beasts and six re-releases. The rare prize card was the same for each Pack type: the "VS Holography Mirror", a double hologram card showing Platinum Tiger or Green Chameles depending on which way your turned it. Repug even stuck around as the mail-in-drawing prize.
While the packaging didn't change much, the bio cards for the new characters did change in one very significant way: they no longer used the fully-painted character images, instead using the comic-style line-art used for the Hasbro Battle Beasts checklist-poster. The re-released characters, however, kept the "series 2" style cards.
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Pack F figures |
?? (re-release) ?? (re-release) ?? (re-release) ?? (re-release) ?? (re-release) |
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Multi-packs
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Fortress
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Mail-away prizes |
Those familiar with Battle Beasts have probably noticed quite a few omissions in the above lists. Despite multiple checklists and promotional materials showing the full range of 76 figures found in Battle Beasts, only 54 of them appear to have actually been released in Transformers: Beastformers. Yes, even characters who appeared in the Beastformers episode of the Transformers anime were skipped in the Transformers line. Most of those missing toys would see release in the next version of the Beastformers toyline....
Beastformers and Beastformers: Laser Beasts (1988)
In 1988, Beastformers became its own line, all Transformers branding excised from the packaging, now branded with the tagline "Role-Playing! Animal Army!!" (ロールプレーイング!アニマル軍団!! Rōru Purēingu! Animaru Gundan!!, rendered as "Role Playing Animal Team" in English on the packaging). Importantly, this series saw the release of almost all the Battle Beasts figures that the Transformers: Beastformers line skipped, though in exchange many Transformers-era figures didn't make the jump to the "RPG" line.
While the figures were still (mostly) released in individual boxes, the packaging got a near-total redesign, though the forest backdrop from the previous series' cards remained. These boxes showed maps of planet Beast on the back, made up of thirty-eight kingdoms, each ruled by two Beastformer warriors in a post-Transformers-war setting. These boxes are again generic, now across the entire line. Early versions of the boxes (Packs G and H) advertised the possibility that the included bio card inside could instead be a rare holofoil card with a "Burstsun" Battle Emblem packed into a small baggie on its back for you to affix to the Beastformer of your choice, but later (and seemingly more common) releases dropped all "rare card" promos and the "Pack" markings, and added a sticker on the bottom-front with the toy's name on it.
The pack-in cards were similarly reworked. While they still used the line art from the Transformers era cast poster, the art was completely recolored to be more accurate to the actual toys, plus some characters who were drawn with incorrect weapons got edited art with the correct ones. The back of these cards have a lot more character information, and details on the powers of their "MVP Weapon" including rules and point values for the new "Beastformers Role-Playing Game" for the line. Pack-in catalogs contained rules for the dice-based battle game. And the ID numbers on the toys were finally added to the cards and name-stickers.
At this point, many Beastformers were also made available in gashapon capsule machines for the same price as the normal boxed toys (200 yen). These toys lacked bio cards, and came with completely random weapons. More importantly, there were rare all-white/cream "Rare Type" versions of (supposedly) fifteen of the gashapon Beastformers, which nowadays go for a couple hundred dollars a pop. However, only twelve white/cream versions have been confirmed so far, and all of them from the original Transformers "series 1" lineup. (It is also up for debate as to how many of the normal toys were available in gacha machines: the included paperwork does not say how many were available, and also shows Brown Gyro, a Beastformer not available in the RPG line... but we've already established that Takara's Beastformers paperwork is pretty unreliable so maybe even that "15 white Beasts" thing is incorrect and there were only ever 12.)
At some point in this series, the Beastformers' rubsigns underwent a change. Later samples of the toys (as well as late-run Hasbro Battle Beasts releases) could have Battle Emblems that revealed full color Fire/Water/Wood illustrations rather than the mood-ring-style black outlines against a multi-hued backdrop. (It does not appear that there was ever a full-color Burstsun symbol.)
The standalone Beastformers line saw a major expansion of available product. The Battle Beasts motorized "Battle Chariots" and remaining two transforming "Transport Stations" were released in Japan as the "Head Hunters" and "Fortresses" respectively, plus a re-release of the prior Red Phoenix Fortress in this new packaging style.
But most importantly, this series also introduced the Laser Beasts (レーザービースト, Rēzā Bīsuto) subline, tagged "Role-Playing! Neo Animal Army!!" (ロールプレーイング!ネオアニマル軍団!! Rōru Purēingu! Neo Animaru Gundan!!, rendered as "Role Playing Neo Animal Team" in English). This new faction of evil warriors emerged from an underground kingdom when the planet's three elements were out of balance and destroyed their home. Rather than having rubsigns, these beast warriors have clear marbles that would reveal their randomly-installed Fire/Wood/Water element when looked through into a light source. And instead of melee weapons, they came with large rifles. A number of new mini-vehicles and multi-packs were also released for this series. Laser Beast packaging was different, with a shadowy-blue theme and strange alternate versions of the planet's continents shown on the hidden inner box-flaps. Oh, also they cost 50 yen more than the 200-yen Beastformers, sold in cases of 24 (12 beasts packed 2 each, a completely different lineup in each case).
The Laser Beasts were intended to be released in Hasbro's markets as the Shadow Warriors, but they never made it to a wide release: packaged samples of the twelve "series 1" toys have been found, plus some even rarer samples of "Battle Chargers", individually-sold Shield Battlers that included characters who weren't sold as Shield Battlers in Japan. Because of this, as well as the somewhat short lifespan of the line at this point, Laser Beasts routinely go for hefty amounts on the secondary market even in Japan, easily demanding hundred-plus price tags apiece... especially the second series of individually-boxed figures and box sets.
| Beastformers (Pack G) | Beastformers (Pack H)
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Beastformers (Name-sticker box)
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Laser Beasts (series 1)
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Laser Beasts (series 2)
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Battlecruisers
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Head Hunters
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Fortresses
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Multi-packs
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Other merch |
Finally... if you've been keeping track, you may have noticed that there are still two Battle Beasts/Beastformers missing from these lists. It does appear that, despite being in numerous checklists and whatnot across two different iterations of the line, even getting full "RPG" style bios, Scout Mouse and Yellow Camelus were ultimately never released in Japan.
Transformers Legends
After three decades of nothing, new toys of Beastformers characters were released in Takara's Transformers Legends toyline, as the Headmaster partners to the new Monsterbot toys. These molds were originally designed for Hasbro's Titans Return line, and while the small robots were modeled after the Beastformers characters, Hasbro chose to give them different names, treating them as Cybertronians who just happened to look that way. Takara, however, took the last step and directly named them after their sculpt inspirations, and made it very explicit that they were the same characters in the attached pack-in/online manga, and made some other toys out to be new forms for Beastformers characters as well.
General retail
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Notes
- Due to the manufacturing processes of the time, there are a lot of very minor variations for many toys in the Hasbro Battle Beasts line, particularly in the first Series; most of these boil down to "slightly lighter/darker plastic/paint tone" and "slightly glossier/matte paint" and the occasional "company info printing difference". This is on top of the more immediately-obvious larger variants (largely found in Series 2), like changed armor colors. It's uncertain how many of these variants were also present in the Beastformers run, not helped by many of them appearing in Beastformer catalogs and other materials.
- The "RPG" era pack-in fliers with the game rules hint at a possible promotional campaign that never was. In the section about the MVP Weapon use, it mentions something called "Gold Power" (
G パワー Gōrudo Pawā), which is tied to "lamé weapons" (ラメ武器 rame buki). But all it says about this is "Its power is not yet known to anyone"; no mention of this is ever made in any other Beastformers material going forward, and the reprinted game rules in the Hero Special 4: Beastformers mook omits that bit entirely. It sounds like Takara had plans to offer special "metallic" weapons at some point, and "store-specific promotional campaign" seems a likely outlet. But, in the absence of any other information on these, that's just speculation. - At the 2009 Comic-Con, it was announced that Diamond Select, the producer of Minimates, bought the Battle Beasts trademark. [1] In 2012, IDW Publishing released a Battle Beasts miniseries based on the Minimates, completely unrelated to Transformers... or the original Battle Beasts, for that matter.
- TakaraTomy's Beast Saga toyline shares many similarities to Beastformers, including being set on Beast and featuring several returning characters, but is not considered a direct continuation of the latter. A manga began serialization in Saikyo Jump in early 2012, and was adapted into an anime in January 2013, though the story is again unrelated to Transformers.
Foreign names
- French: Les Dragonautes, Comba Nimaux (Canada)
- Portuguese: Bestias de Combate
