The early 2000s marked the beginning of a major wave of nostalgia for Transformers — one that has continued ever since. A key part of that resurgence was Takara's 2002–2006 The Transformers Collection series, often referred to as the “book box” reissues.

In this episode we take a closer look at what made these G1 re-releases feel so special at the time. From presentation and packaging to timing and accessibility, we explore why The Transformers Collection played such an important role in reshaping how classic toys were revisited and celebrated.

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Despite being one of the formative Transformers toy lines of the pre-movie mid-2000s era, Takara’s Robotmasters is now largely overlooked by many collectors.

In this episode we take a deep dive into the 2004 line, exploring its unusual mix of concepts, characters, and execution. Along the way we uncover a handful of genuine highlights — and a few moments that raise a smile — as we reassess where Robotmasters fits within Transformers history.

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It’s our 100th episode extravaganza, so naturally we aimed high and invited back two of our all-time favourite guests. When that fell through, we somehow ended up with James Roberts and Nick Roche instead.

Jokes aside, the pair kindly helped us mark the milestone with an in-depth and genuinely brilliant discussion of IDW’s The Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers (2010) — one of the most celebrated Transformers comic stories ever published. We dig into its origins, themes, and lasting impact, as well as what made the series resonate so strongly with fans then and now.

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With the recent reveal of Liokaiser as a HasLab project, the whole subject of Transformers crowdfunding has come up for debate once again.

HasLab campaigns promise ambitious, high-end figures that might never exist at retail — but they also come with long waits, high price points, and plenty of passionate discussion among fans. So what are the real pros and cons of this approach to getting toys made?

In this episode we break down how HasLab works, why characters like Liokaiser end up in this space, and whether these crowdfunded releases genuinely represent good value for money — or simply ask collectors to buy in on faith.

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As Transformers began to wane at the turn of the 1990s, Takara stepped forward with a bold new direction in the form of Brave.

Originally rooted in unused Transformers concepts, the Brave series quickly became a popular Japanese franchise in its own right. In this episode we take a closer look at the first year of Brave Exkaiser figures from 1990, exploring how the line established its identity and set the tone for what followed.

So… are you feeling Brave?

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With Age of the Primes Superion recently revealed, combiners are firmly back on the minds of Transformers fans — along with the long-running debate over how these toys should work.

Should combiners rely on partsforming? Should they transform as all-in-one figures? Or has the latest approach struck the right balance with its “skeleton”-style conversion? In this episode we break down the different philosophies behind combining toys and explore what makes for a satisfying combiner in practice.

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We kick off 2025 with another deep dive into Transformers One — and this time, we’re going big.

Joining us are three special guests from Industrial Light & Magic, the team behind the film’s stunning visuals: Stephen King (Head of Animation, ILM Sydney), Amy Beth Christenson (Art Director and Lead Character Designer), and Alex Fry (Compositing Supervisor).

Together, they walk us through the creative process behind the movie, covering everything from character design and visual storytelling to hidden details and Easter eggs. It’s a fascinating look behind the scenes of one of the most visually impressive Transformers projects to date.

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As 2024 draws to a close, we take a moment to look back on a spectacular anniversary year for Transformers and celebrate some of the highlights from the past twelve months of collecting.

In this episode we reflect on the standout toys we picked up along the way, the surprises we didn’t see coming, and the curveballs that made the year such an interesting one for fans. It’s a relaxed, celebratory look back at a year packed with memorable releases.

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We’re back with another special Transformers design team guest as we’re joined by Hasbro veteran Brian Parrish.

Brian has enjoyed an incredible career working across a wide range of toy lines, but for Transformers fans his résumé is particularly stacked — from Universe 2003 and Star Wars Transformers to Rescue Bots, EarthSpark, Rise of the Beasts, Transformers One, and, crucially, the current wave of Collaborative projects.

In this episode we dig into his career, creative process, and what it’s like helping shape some of the most talked-about Transformers releases of recent years. Not one to miss.

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Beast Wars remains one of the most celebrated and colourful eras in Transformers history — but the Transmetal 2 line-up is notorious for pushing boundaries in just about every possible way.

In this episode, we take a tour through this weird and wonderfully chaotic ’90s roster, revisiting the designs, ideas, and excess that made Transmetal 2 toys so memorable — and so wild. From eye-catching finishes to truly unhinged aesthetic choices, it’s a line that still sparks debate decades later.

Love them or loathe them, we may never see a Transformers toy line quite like Transmetal 2 again.

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