Masterforce

1988

In 1988 Takara developed its second domestic and exclusive Transformers series with Toei Animation studio, called Transformers Super God Masterforce. Based closely on the animated television series, the "Masterforce" toy range made a return to realistic Earth-based disguise modes for the Autobots and Decepticons, and this time as well as vehicles certain Transformers could disguise themselves as actual humans!


Most of the Masterforce toys were the same as their Western counterparts; several were different colours, and a few were manufactured to a much higher standard. For example "Super Ginrai" in Japan (who we knew in the UK as "Powermaster Optimus Prime") was built with die-cast metal parts, clear windows, a lot more chrome silver paint details and even featured retracting hands.

There were a handful of Japanese-exclusive toys as well including Metalhawk (a new Pretender whose inner robot had die-cast metal pieces), Godbomber (an additional trailer/robot/set of armour for Super Ginrai), Overlord (a double-Godmaster Destron), and Browning (a realistic semi-automatic pistol which was a carry-over from the Micro Change series).

The Masterforce series should also be noted as introducing the first-ever "female" Transformers toy. Minelba was a white and red paramedic car whose little girl driver could transform into her head. This toy was given a new colour scheme in the West by Hasbro and turned into the non-gendered robot "Nightbeat". I'm sure this goes a long way in explaining why Nightbeat had such feminine facial features in robot mode.