Image Guide to Pre-Transformers

If you think Optimus Prime and Megatron were all new toys when they hit toy stores in the United States in 1984, think again. They actually have their origins in Japan and other countries, and different toy companies contributed in different ways to the crucial first two years of the toy line. Check out this gallery to learn about where these Transformers came from, how to identify early Transformers, and why some Transformers caused problems from a marketing standpoint.