Beast Wars Transformers Toys
I recall Beast Wars Transformers as being a kind of Red Flag series for me. Up to that point most of the Transformers toys had exclusively been Japanese made toys, or at least re-releases of older ones (like Generation 2).
So it shocked me to look at a carded Beast Wars wasp or bat and see "Made in China" scribed on the packaging and toy. Yikes, I thought, the end is coming to TFs and all is lost in the Chinese sea of bad quality. In retrospect I was a toy snob. It has turned out that the Beast Wars Transformers series was one of the most innovative transforming toys of the 1990's. As it ended up, Takara and Hasbro almost bit off more than they could chew with their expensive engineering.
Up to that point transforming toys were robots to cars, plans, trains, and a few dinosaurs. Yes, we had lame Transformers Pirahanacons (lame animals that is), and a few other attempts, but no one had really tried to make realistic animals. Beast Wars Transformers ended that, and almost bankrupted Takara in the process. It cost a ton to engineer these toys and then the idea didn't catch on quickly. The first series toys of rats and bats were a humble start, but the refinements of Beast Wars gathered speed over a few toy releases.
Beast Wars Transformers Series 1 Toys in the U.S. (1996)
As I recall, the toys were released in the U.S. with some timidity. We had three initial waves of Beast Wars toys and the series started off with a whimper. First Wave toys included a bat Optimus Primal and an alligator Megatron issued in a two pack. Both toys struck me as a bit hokey. Then we got Razorbeast, Ignanus, Terrosaur, and Rattrap for the series one release. Deluxe toys included Waspinator, Dinobot, Tarantulas (a favorite), and Cheetor.
Beast Wars Series 2 (1996)
Mega sized Scorponok and Mega Polar Claw were up-sized toys that caught my attention. Then we received Snapper, Insecticon, Tigratron, Blackaranachia, and Buzzsaw (recolored toys) along with Rhinox (a favorite) with Wolfang.
Beast Wars Series 3 (1996)
Beast Wars Basics - Razorclaw, Drill Bit., Airazor, Claw Jaw
Beast Wars Deluxes - Jetstorm, Cybershark, Manterror, Bonecrusher:
Beast Wars Mega - Inferno the ant
Beast Wars Ultras - Megatron the Large T-Rex and Optimus Primal the Large Ape
Beast Wars Series 4 (1996)
Basics - Lazorbeak, Powerpinch, Snarl and Spittor
Deluxe - Retrax, K9, Grimlock
Megas - Transquito, B-boom
Ultras - Magnaboss & Tripredacus
Beast Wars Transformers Pictures
Below are a sampling of some of my favorite Beast Wars Transformers. You will see the series start out with Optimus Primal, the ape, and the Megatron, the T-Rex. Later Beast Wars 2 toys included a few gestalt or multi-combination toys. Below are the first series Beast Wars toys with 1996 Japanese packaging. |
