Transformer Fan First, Or Robot Fan First?

[VodooCaMo]

A while back I met a couple and they were spending about just over $1000 on gundam kits.

I talked to the girl and I said the robots are awesome, and that is why I watch some of the battles. She said the reason she likes them are because of the story line. She was not that much of a robot fan.

I think might be that many transformers fan like the transformers story and characters more so than the detail that they are robots?

I like transformers because I like robots. But the conversation made me now really inquisitive as I notice now some collectors who prefer to collect the same characters. I really wonder and I don't have friends who like transformers, so do you like transformers as the story character first or because you are a robot fan?

This would help me sleep better at night loloolol.

oh, and is there a poll option on this forum? thanks for reading this, replies appreciated.

[FatalityPitt]

I think when it comes to Transformer collecting, the only rules are; buy it if you like it and can afford it, and of course; be kind to other Transformer fans (especially kids). :)

Beyond that, there are no hard and fast rules. Everyone's got different buying patterns, and admittedly, mine change as much as Madonna changes outfits.

If I had to choose, I would describe my toy-purchase-decision-making like this; I try to buy all the cast members of my favourite continuities/storylines, but within a budget.

My 4 favourite Transformer continuities are (in no specific order):
- Headmasters (Japanese G1 Continuity)
- American G1 Continuity (Sunbow cartoons, Marvel Comics, etc)
- Transformers Prime
- Beast Wars

I generally try to buy at least one toy (or representation) of all the characters from these continuities. Which is why I was nuts about the small Legion class figures back in the day; because it meant I could buy each of the main cast members without blowing hundreds of dollars.

I tend to ignore toys unrelated to the above continuities. I don't have toys from Transformers Animated or the Unicron Trilogy (Armada, Cybertron, etc). I have a few movie toys (but almost all of those were unplanned impulse buys). Not saying toys from those lines/continuities are bad, I just don't have as strong an emotional connection to them.

If I was faced with a choice between a Bad G1 Starscream toy and a Good Movie Barricade toy; the Bad G1 Starscream would take priority, because I like the character more.

I guess to answer your question, I lean towards "story character first".

[Paulbot]

I might have liked other robots first (possibly Voltron, Astroboy) but when TFs came along they were all I really cared about as a kid (and today!). And my interest in Tfs is why I would have watched other shows like Machine Men, Robo Story, Robotech, Mighty Orbots, Metal Mickey etc.

[GoktimusPrime]

I like both. There are some Transformers toys which can be brilliant characters but pretty mediocre toys. G1 Thunderwing and Carnivac are examples of this. Others can have excellent toys but otherwise dull characters. An example of this is G1 Overdrive. He has a pretty cool G1 Omnibot toy and a really excellent Binaltech figure, but as a character there's really not much to him. While G1 Wheelie's character sucked in the G1 cartoon, his character in the original bio and other canonical material besides the cartoon was actually decent. But the G1 toy has always been the worst of the G1 Mini Vehicles. And there have been a lot of really interesting characters who've appeared in Transformers lore which didn't (at the time) receive toys, and some still remain toyless (which I personally find frustrating because I want toys of 'em!). These include...
* All of the female Autobots in G1
* Alpha Trion
* Nightbird
* Devcon
* Emirate Xaaron
* Impactor
* Rack 'N' Ruin
* Straxus
* Jhiaxus
* Scrounge
* Primon
* Prima
* Prime Nova (Nova Prime)
* Sentinel Prime
* Boltax
* Wipe-Out
* Spanner
* Liege Maximo
* Ferak
* Man of Iron
* The Navigator
* Warmonger
* Macabre
* Fusion
* Flame (the scientist, not the Motorvator)
* Octus, Seizer & Legonis - at the very least Octus, cos who doesn't wanna see a Decepticon Dalek? ;)
* Toaster
* Tusks (the piano Transformer)
* Maccadam (the toy's insert tray could be printed to look like the Old Oilhouse ;))
* Death Cobra (could be retooled from CW Vortex!)
* Dion
* Hauler
* Rung
* Nautilus (not to be confused with Nautica)
* Riptide
* Velocity
* Ten (he could be an accessory-former like TFP Unicron, or build figure like Transmutate)
* Transmutate
* Solus Prime
...and many more

[BigTransformerTrev]

I might have liked other robots first (possibly Voltron, Astroboy) but when TFs came along they were all I really cared about as a kid (and today!). And my interest in Tfs is why I would have watched other shows like Machine Men, Robo Story, Robotech, Mighty Orbots, Metal Mickey etc.

This is an awesome answer and one I totally relate to - especially the Metal Mickey reference :D

[Deonasis]

Great question!

I like the transformations first and formost. Holding them in your hand like a puzzle, enjoying the engineering. So Gobots, Rocklords, and Mask also grabbed my attention. But as a kid, the show had me hooked far more than those other franchises. Transformers were always cool to me and a few homages in Energon and marveling at Alternators Smokescreen and I was hooked again.

I do like the TF backstories too but don't watch/read it much (I skim it mostly). I've always short-cutted books and i like what i know about Transformers. I am now far more facinated by the story behind producing the figures.

I like other robots (not as much) but they gotta have an identity or soul. Mech suits look really cool but i prefer the iron giant.

[Megatron]

I was a robot fan (generic) and talking cars fan (Knight Rider) before I became a Transformers fan. Then I became aware of the G1 US cartoon, and became a "Transformers character fan" first and foremost, and still am. The story not so much... or even the character profiles for the most part... but that's a different topic altogether. I collect the toys based on character, the closer they resemble their G1 versions the better.

[tinyJazz]

I think I'm both. :/ I've always liked sci-fi and especially robot characters, but that probably started with Beast Wars back in 1997. Although, I wouldn't have called myself a fan of transformers then and I only had one figure that I got as a christmas gift. After that I was really into Megaman and Megaman X games around 2001, because, again, it was sci-fi and the main characters are robots. Then in 2007 I watched the 1986 TF movie, which at the time was everything I wanted in a robot character driven sci-fi cartoon, so I bought the G1 box set and watched the whole thing.

tldr, I like the robots as characters first, toys secondary, and I buy toys of characters I like.

although, I'm also one of those people that collects every iteration of a particular favourite character so I now have over 300 Jazz items. :v

[GoktimusPrime]

(please forgive this lengthy post - I'm just really excited and this is an interesting topic :))

Looking at the overall TF fandom in general, I would absolutely say that we are - generally speaking - fans of TOYS first and foremost. Reasons for this include...
Many Transformers toys have sold well in the absence of popular supporting media. When Transformers first hit store shelves in 1984 they grossed US$1.4 million. That's about AU$4.3 million in today's money. And the Pre-TF toy lines that they came from - Diaclone, Microman etc., were already successful in their own right in Japan. It was this domestic success which attracted Hasbro's attention at the 1983 Tokyo Toy Show. Hasbro didn't know how successful the toy line would be. They initially commissioned a 3 episode pilot for the cartoon and then green lighted more episodes after the toys raked in US$1.4M. Likewise the G1 comics were initially intended to be a four issue limited series (it explicitly said so on the top of the front cover of #1-4). The comics outlasted the cartoon and of course, the final issue ended with the caption "Issue #80 in a Four-Issue Limited Series."
Beast Wars is another example. Transformers was a dying line by 1995 but when Beast Wars hit the shelves in 1996 toy sales rocketed up allowing Transformers to become the 3rd best selling boys toy line. The cartoon came later and Beast Wars went from strength to strength, but very importantly it revived the Transformers brand.
Car Robot. How many of us were salivating when we saw pics leaked online? How many of us then imported these toys? Most Western fans I knew of didn't care about the story at the time, but we were all fascinated by the toys. Beast Wars level engineering with licensed vehicle alt modes! Then Hasbro released these toys in the West as Robots In Disguise in 2001 and I remember seeing these toys flying off shelves months before the TV show aired. And quite frankly, the TV show isn't the greatest. It's not bad, but clearly targeting a very young audience (unlike Beast Wars which simultaneously appealed to adults and children). But it was the toys that drove adult collectors nuts, and Takara have admitted that Car Robot has gone on to inspire Binaltech and Masterpiece, so their legacy lives on.
Binaltech & Alternity. The only stories that these toys have are the text stories printed with the instructions and bio cards. But let's face it, it's really the toys that appeals to people. Even obscure G1 characters like Overdrive were really popular just because he's a sweet 1:24 scale accurate Honda S2000! Die-cast metal panels, rubber tyres, convertible roof top, detailed interior, working steering, bonnet, boot etc. - and a rifle which is formed from his engine & drive-shaft! :D Then you have new characters like Zoom-Zoom... silly name that's nothing more than product placement and the 'character' isn't even a character (Zoom-Zoom is essentially a drone), but when that promotional animated video came out boy did we get excited! :cool: I have both Meister and Zoom-Zoom (and Laserwave), just cos the Mazda RX-8 BTs are just so awesome! :D
There have been many toys that have sold poorly despite prominently appearing on screen; e.g. G1 Warpath, G1 Wheelie, RotF Devastator etc. And conversely we've had toys sell really well despite not appearing in screen media (or in any media at all as with some examples listed in my last point). e.g. G1 Hubcap etc.
No matter how good the story gets, a series will ultimately be cancelled if toy sales are poor. We saw this with the G1 cartoon. As the series progressed it did start introducing more mature stories. Season 2 gave us the incredible episode "The God Gambit" which analyses what people will do in the name of religion and how religion can be abused to manipulate the masses. Season 3 gave Transformers a more science fiction theme with more stories occurring off world and Earth being a member of a Star Trek-like galactic federation (with Spike and Carly acting as ambassadors for Earth). But the G1 cartoon was cancelled with only 3 episodes of the fourth season (The Rebirth) made. Even the incredible G1 comics, which typically featured far more mature and sophisticated (and violent) stories than the cartoon. And of course Simon Furman was given complete control over the US comics (allowing him to align the continuity with his work on the UK comics), as well as introducing US comic readers to the work of incredible UK artists like Andrew Wildman and Geoff Senior. Under this team we had incredible stories leading up to, including and following the Matrix Quest. But just as the comics were hitting an all time high, they were cancelled due to dwindling TF toy sales in the early 1990s. Marvel tried again in 1993-94 with the Generation 2 comics, again, really well written stories and some amazing early artwork from Derek Yaniger. But alas the G2 comics were axed after only 12 issues (although what an epic ending!) :(
Conventions & Fan Meets: Toys are always the big draw card. In Perth you have the Nexus Fair, Melbourne has Sandown and Sydney used to have the Parramatta Fair which used to draw in pretty big crowds. I've been attending fan meets since 1998 and whenever a meet happens without a toy convention or fair we get small numbers. Toys attract people more than stories. When we did the OzFormers booth at Sydney SupaNova 2003 we attracted some numbers with our exclusive comic book. We conducted a survey then asking people what they most wanted to see in a Transformers convention and the overwhelming response was the opportunity to buy TOYS. In Sabretron 2004 we drew more people as we had a few toy dealers, and similarly in OzToyCon 2006. But collectable fairs, if they have a decent number of TF toy dealers, would command impressive attendance numbers. I've never been to BotCon, but I'd say a big drawcard for that convention was the opportunity to buy toys.

Here are some photos from some of the larger meets that I've attended that weren't linked to a toy fair or convention.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Transfan%20Meets/th_melbmeet.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Transfan%20Meets/Free%20Comic%20Day%20Wolverine%20Meet%202009/th_comicmoviemeet_2009_05_02b.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Transfan%20Meets/Osaka%20Meet%20Jan%2015%202012/th_osakameet_tigerconvoy1.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Japan/Japan%202016/th_japanmeet2016_a_zpspqxqhcjc.jpg

Contrast this with meets from collectable toy fairs, cons etc.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Conventions/th_sabretron1.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Conventions/OzToyCon%202006/th_oztoycon20.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Conventions/OzToyCon%202006/th_oztoycon19.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Transfan%20Meets/Parramatta%20Meet%20May%202009/th_parrameet_may09_6.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Transfan%20Meets/Parramatta%20Meet%20November%202008/th_parrameet_nov08_01.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Transfan%20Meets/Parramatta%20Meet%20November%202008/th_parrameet_nov08_05.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Transfan%20Meets/Parramatta%20Meet%20May%2022%202011/th_parrameet20110522_i.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Transfan%20Meets/Parramatta%20Meet%20February%202011/th_parrameet_20110220f.jpg

I've attended meets that involved stories and they usually don't draw crowds. The only two TF story based meets that I attended that drew massive crowds were:
* The advanced premiere screening of the Transformers film on June 16, 2007. Of course this was a HUGE event with the opportunity to meet Michael Bay, Rachael Taylor and Megan Fox. There were more celebrities there than you could poke a stick at - Deni Hines was literally standing next to me in the queue! :eek:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Movie%20Premiere/th_tfm15.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Movie%20Premiere/th_tfm13.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Movie%20Premiere/th_tfm11.jpg
* The IMAX advanced premiere of Revenge of the Fallen. Again, another big promo event (no celebrities this time though :p).
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Transfan%20Meets/Revenge%20of%20the%20Fallen%20IMAX%20Premiere%20Ju ne%2023%202009/th_rotfimaxpreview1.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Transfan%20Meets/Revenge%20of%20the%20Fallen%20IMAX%20Premiere%20Ju ne%2023%202009/th_rotfimaxpreview4.jpg

But most FCBD meets I've attended have had no other fans show up (people just trickle in and out at their own time, it's not an organised meet). In the late 90s I organised meets to binge watch Beast Wars and Beast Machines seasons before they aired in Australia. Remember that people couldn't watch shows online back then. I had the eps taped by a friend in the US and then sent over to me. I would have maybe 3 people turn up to these meets. I also had a G1 binge-reading meet... drew 1 other person. We binge-read the Marvel G1 and G2 comics for a week. :D But yeah, meets involving TF stories usually don't draw anywhere near as many people as meets involving toys. So I'd say that as far as the overall fandom is concerned, we are lovers of toys first. :)

[Deonasis]

^Not to be rude Gok but speak about yourself, that is what is interesting in this thread. I am enjoying reading about the different facets that keep each of us here.

[FatalityPitt]

I re-read the original post, and realised that I might have misunderstood the question somewhat. I'm very sorry. I still stand by my original comment in that I prefer to collect characters from my favourite stories rather than just toys.

But I sense that you might actually be asking; Do you like Transformers because you like the characters and mythology, or do you like them because you just like robots in general?

Well, I received my first Transformer when I was 5 years-old, and I saw that Transformer on TV, which excited me a lot. From then on, I was hooked on Transformers. Before that, the only interest I had were trains and locomotives. So no, I wasn't really interested in robots until after I got introduced to Transformers.

Several years later (I would have been about 8 years-old), my interest in Transformers dropped, and I became more interested in Superhero comics. Even then, my favourite superhero was Iron Man. Though he was just a man in a metal suit, he looked like a robot; like a Transformer! And that's why I liked him. Then as I grew into my teens, I became more interested in other superheroes like Spider-Man and X-Men, who weren't robotic at all. Then I became more interested in girls...

In my early-20s I became interested in Transformers again. It happened one day when I got really bored after university and bought a Transformer. I was so impressed with the design and engineering that I decided to buy another one..

Nowadays, as an adult (kinda sorta), I like sci-fi stories about robots and aliens because they all look different from humans; which makes it a nice way to escape from reality. Also, because the aliens/robots all look different (or the same depending on which story), you won't be reminded of the social problems we face as humans, like racism, money problems, etc; because those things don't apply in a world where everyone's a robot or alien.

Do I like Transformers because of the stories? Or because they're robots? My best answer: I started off liking just Transformers because of the toys and cartoons, then this love of Transformers made me appreciate robot-fiction more.. But still, the stories and characters are important to me, and plays a big part in my decision-making when I buy action figures.

Apologies for the long post. It's not an easy thing to explain. Perhaps there is no real explanation.. I just like Transformers :)

[Deonasis]

:confused: :confused: :confused: I never stated otherwise :confused: :confused: :confused:
Ok. The start of your post reads.. "Looking at the overall TF fandom in general, I would absolutely say that we are - generally speaking - fans of TOYS first and foremost." which made me easily think you were talking for/about everyone.

No offense meant. :)

[VodooCaMo]

Wow, to be honest I can now understand that transformers fans are all so different to me.

I am a robot fan first and foremost, and how different you all are!

Thank you so much for the responses. I am still reading some of the awesome replies (Goktimus, FataliPit) and all responses are very much so different and really amazes me the reason why people are drawn to transformers. I can understand now why and if third party robots might be frowned upon if they are in this forum.

[VodooCaMo]

And Gok, if you think you are excited, don't worry, we all are!!!

Transformers are the booooooommmbbbb!! :)

[Jetfire in the sky]

Great topic, and for some it is almost a chicken and egg question. I love robots but don't collect Gundam, although I think they look super cool.
I am pretty much Transformers only with my small Voltron collection and Masters of the Universe, but back to bots, if I wanted to spend $1000's of dollars on all the robot type items I think look great I would go broke, so maybe what keeps me from doing that is the lack of knowledge of storyline or continuity of, say, Gundam. With Transformers while I am not an expert by any means of the story, and hate the modern movies and associated toys, I think having a relationship with the overall story keeps me invested in the toy line which is currently mostly the Masterpiece line.

[VERT]

While I always loved Robots. I was into MOTU before Transformers. It was the story and characters that got me into it. And my first two bots I got started it all. G1 Ravage and Rumble.

[M-bot]

TFs first, always. Other robots are cool, but TFs is my priority.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'd say I like robots first, as I'm rather partial to cool robots/mecha (or similar) like Robocop, Terminator, Robotech and characters with cool masks like stormtroopers, boba fett, etc.

But Transformers is far and large my favourite robot series, as it's one of the few franchises with mostly robot characters with human sidekicks rather than the reverse.

[VodooCaMo]

I'd say I like robots first, as I'm rather partial to cool robots/mecha (or similar) like Robocop, Terminator, Robotech and characters with cool masks like stormtroopers, boba fett, etc.

But Transformers is far and large my favourite robot series, as it's one of the few franchises with mostly robot characters with human sidekicks rather than the reverse.

Never thought of that that way, robots usually are the sidekicks. Wow!

Now I know why I love tf.

[CHILENO20]

Transformers first then robots for me. I'm a huge anime fan and like a few here, am more partial to mecha series like Macross/Robotech, Gundam and Voltron. Love the old Saturday morning cartoons in the early 80's (showing my age here lol). But it was definitely Transformers that started it all for me :D

[GoktimusPrime]

But Transformers is far and large my favourite robot series, as it's one of the few franchises with mostly robot characters with human sidekicks rather than the reverse.
This is one of the frustrating things about the live action movies. All too often the Autobots are merely accessories for the human protagonists, and the Decepticons. They have about as much personality depth as the dinosaurs in Jurassic World.

When people ask me why I prefer Transformers over mecha anime franchises like Gundam, my response is that I like how the Transformers are a race of living and intelligent robots. They're not vehicles that need to be piloted by young emos.

[FatalityPitt]

... vehicles that need to be piloted by young emos.

Which is why I couldn't get into Neon Genesis Evangeleon. Too depressing for me.

[VodooCaMo]

Which is why I couldn't get into Neon Genesis Evangeleon. Too depressing for me.

when you are young with hormones flowing and still using the reptilian part of the brain (science and actual pattern of human brain development that actually in parrts mimics evolution- very interesting scientific fact)

you are bound to be "emo" I think these shows feed into those emotions that teens feed on.

Transformers are more of the better series (the G1 and G2) in my taste because they don't need to cater to susceptible feelings or beiber like fever lolol. Like the way michael bay uses "exxxxplosions" and Bug-formers.

who knew robots would look like the appendages from mirelurks in fallout 4? XD lolololol

[Smint]

I was a G1 fan more than a robot fan. As i explored the hobby more i find myself buying robots based on the engineering and design.

The holy grail for me is always a robot with a combination of good looks, cartoon accuracy, engineering and articulation. Often one or more of these elements needs to be sacrificed for the other but some of the recent MP figures are just brilliant.

[DaptoDog]

What set apart Transformers for me from my other loves as a kid (MOTU, TMNT, Knight Rider) was the fact that they transform. I also loved Voltron (five lions merging to form Voltron). Of course, the great characters also won me over but the whole idea of a car transforming into a robot was what first got me hooked.

As an adult, Transformers is still number one but I also appreciate other robot stuff like Pacific Rim, Terminator etc.

[BigTransformerTrev]

Good question. I guess I was a fan of Astroboy and maybe Voltron before Transformers came out but was swept away by the TFs. I do love robots and robot movies but I'd have to say I'm a TF fan first.

[MayzaPrime]

I blame my parents for my Transformer addiction :p. As a 2 year old they controlled the TV and put this new show on called Transformers and from there I was a Transformers fan first. As a 2 year old I didnt know what a robot was but because of Transformers I enjoyed other robot shows, Go-Bots for example... :D

[langzixinxin]

my story is a different one.

I grew up in Beijing, China. Transformers hit the TV in 1986 while I was 8 years old. Chinese just turned their view on western world from evil capitalism hell to another extreme: wealthy heaven.

And suddenly, TV stopped broadcasting old yellow film Russia/Czech/East Germany cartoons anymore and Transformers showed up. The shock was toooo big to me.

And another shock, the cost of the toy, Optimus Prime cost 200 RMB while my parents' monthly salary was around 50 RMB (most of the grocery back that day were priced in cents). When me and my classmates talked about the price, no one believe anything (not a toy) could price that high in this world.

There was one class (not joking at all), when teacher said something like "today China is open to the western world but our goal is still a communism state (peole are laughing this kind of thing today now)", then many kids raised their hand and asked, "so the government will give everyone an Optimus Prime?"

When I was about to participate a math contest, my father said if we can get a price, he can buy a transformer to me. So I asked, "can I get soundwave", withouth know what is soundwave and how much it is, my father promised. I didn win the test, highest score of 1st price award, I was entitled to pick any middle school I want in my area without going through any further exams. However after know that soundwave cost 80 RMB, my father told me we really really couldn't afford it.

Transformers became a never-fullfiled wish or maybe pain in the heart in my childhood that I never fell in love with any other toys that cannot transform. I started hating all my toys that cannot transform. TV changed its program from Transformers to others, Gundam, many others i can't remember, but Transformers become the only thing in my head. I once told my wife, I wouldn't buy any toys unless 1) it can transform; 2) it has autobot/decepticon symbol on it.

While growing up, my attention natually move to girls, girls, girls, until 2007 the transformer movie brought me back, when I was already in Australia. I went to the supermarket with my salary money, I was so excited that I can afford now. However, my first toy was bought in 2009. Because in two years, I desperately look for G1 packaging. I missed classic OP for 25 AUD, coz I didn't know what the heck was it?

Today I have girls (my wife and my daughter) and transformers. I bought Victorion box set that I would like give it to my girl when she grew up a little bit. I have my son too, but he is only after cars. He won't touch the figure if I transformer them into robot. So I am not planning to give him my collection yet until he understands this trick. :)

[Megatron]

That's a really interesting story, langzixinxin. Thanks for sharing it with us. :)

[UltraMarginal]

That is the most extreme example of international price variation of toys I've ever heard!! I know transformers were a lot more expensive in the 80's than they are now, per average income but worth 2 weeks pay is insane.

I love the classroom response, 'will the government give us all an Optimus Prime' perfect question for the teacher.

For me I was a transformers fan from the moment I saw the show on TV when I was a kid. I got my first two toys, Skids and Thundercracker for Christmas presents pretty early on. I would say I'm a Transformers fan first, I love the 'Robots in Disguise' concept and have enjoyed and still do enjoy many of the incarnations that has taken over the years.

I'm very much a Sci Fi fan, but even in shows like Star trek, I'm much more interested in collecting representations of the Starships than the characters. I liked other shows of the 80's, Voltron, Mask, Bravestarr, He-Man, Machine Men. But barring my late high school and uni years when Transformers was off my radar (I walked away around the time of beast wars and didn't come back till the Alternators/Binaltech line, not to mention that I didn't really have the money to collect while studying.) I've always come back to Transformers as a primary interest.

These days a lot of the interest is in the engineering, but I am still drawn to the media supporting it all.

[Bladestorm]

I was a robot fan (generic) and talking cars fan (Knight Rider) before I became a Transformers fan. Then I became aware of the G1 US cartoon, and became a "Transformers character fan" first and foremost, and still am. The story not so much... or even the character profiles for the most part... but that's a different topic altogether. I collect the toys based on character, the closer they resemble their G1 versions the better.

This is me also.
Robots are awesome. Cool vehicles that are sentient and talk (always wanted a black pontiac firebird trans-am) are awesome and the meshing of the two is a perfect balance for me.

I am a sucker for most robots - Gundam, Voltron, etc, but Transformers always resonates with me because they are sentient and normally have cool vehicular or animal transformations.

['07Camaro]

For me, I became a Transformers fan first; got introduced to the first live action movie, loved it, then got introduced to the Generation 1 cartoon. But over the years, I realised that the franchise influenced my interest in Japanese mecha such as Gundam, Evangelion, Macross etc. Since then, I became a huge sucker for giant robots, whether they are fighting each other, or just stand there to look cool.

Besides the movie/film aspect, I was always intrigued by the engineering that went into the figures/model kits of the robots. In fact, it's what made me interested in the franchise to begin with. Both the Transformers Masterpiece figures and the Master Grade Ver.Ka Gundam model kits are among my favourite lines of all time because their engineering and designs were more unique, complex and distinct in comparison to any other toy line or model that I had ever experience before.

[GoktimusPrime]

Same here.

Love for Transformers generated interested in mecha generated interest in anime generated interest in all things Japanese. :)

[Ark-Ivor]

For me it was Dinosaurs, loved the latin names.

As a 6 year old I was given a couple of Transformers as gifts, and I loved the conversion gimick, but I preferred Lego (afterall the conversion there was practically anything I could imagine). I didn't become a Transformers fan until the Dinobots appeared in the cartoon, and what seemed like years later (at the time) on the toy shelves. There weren't any decent Lego Dinos at the time, I couldn't afford the decent Technic sets to make better ones, and the olny other Dinosaur toys were those tiny rubbery ones, and it'd still be a couple of years before Dino-Riders (the next series I really liked), plus several of the Transformers had psuedo Latin names.
I didn't become a serious colletor though until 1989 when my local newsagent started getting the Transformers UK and US comic books, and the characters got decent showcasing stories. IMO the only good stories were in the comics and Animated Movie, the TV series (apart from those episodes with the Dinobots) were just forgettable for me.
I've never been able to get into other Mecha series much.

[GoktimusPrime]

For me it was Dinosaurs, loved the latin names.
Not sure if you mean the names of the dinosaurs or the Dinobots. Cos most dinosaur names come from Greek, which is certainly the case for Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus, Pteranodon, Brontosaurus and Triceratops. Although "Rex" is Latin. The Dinobot names are actually all English. As TFwiki points out (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformer_naming), most Transformer names are actually of English origin, but more "elite" sounding character names come from Latin (or pseudo-Latin) - but occasionally also Greek (e.g. Megatron, Alpha Trion, Omega). And some are Latin via French (e.g. Mirage etc.) :o

[Ark-Ivor]

Not sure if you mean the names of the dinosaurs or the Dinobots. Cos most dinosaur names come from Greek, which is certainly the case for Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus, Pteranodon, Brontosaurus and Triceratops. Although "Rex" is Latin. The Dinobot names are actually all English. As TFwiki points out (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformer_naming), most Transformer names are actually of English origin, but more "elite" sounding character names come from Latin (or pseudo-Latin) - but occasionally also Greek (e.g. Megatron, Alpha Trion, Omega). And some are Latin via French (e.g. Mirage etc.) :o

I suppose you know that Decepticon originates from Deceive and contra meaning "Trapped in Opposition" then.

I clearly wrote that I loved the dinosaur Latin names (and Latin names in general). :o I apologise for not being clearer, I should have used the more general term of "Romantic names" (being from the Romantic languages, which includes Greek & Latin and all the various ancient derivatives originating in the early Roman Empire - not to be confused with the Romance languages which are the living language descendants of the Italian Roman version of Latin only). I assumed, maybe falsely, that few people would know what a Romantic Language is these days, probably thinking it has to do with the romance genre, so to avoid this particular pedantic point, I grossly generalised by using the term "Latin". That said its more common than not to find dinosaur names originating from their discoverers/taxonomers or being just plain made up, rather than coming from any specific language group.
Slag, Sludge, Snarl, Swoop, Grimlock & Overkill are from the ancient Barbaric/Germanic languages (which includes Old English and Celtic among others), Slugfest is half'n'half (Slug Old English, Fest=Festival Latin), though Trypticon is totally Romantic (very slightly humorous pun intended - Trypti=Friction, though I suspect they preferred the Triptich=3 Plate spelling Greek & con=in opposition Latin).

But all that's beside the point and very off topic for this thread - no further pedantry here please.

All I was trying to say was that it was Dinosaurs (whose names I like, wherever they come from :p), and not Mecha, that got me into TFs, Manga and Anime. However my fan relationship with TFs never assisted me in any transition to being a fan of other Mecha series.

[Lord_Zed]

Robots first then Transformers for me, however that said Transformers was pretty much the dominant robot fiction for years in the 80's.

I really liked Voltron, and Battle Of the Planets, Star blazers Ulysses 31 etc before Transformers showed up, all those shows had robots or cool mecha space Ships, but pretty much all those shows had no or limited merchandise locally, so when Transformers came out it was the combination of the show having toys and the comics that really set it apart for me. The toys were cool and the comics (well the UK ones at least) were way less childish than the cartoon, and I really appreciated that.

I have to admit though as a premise I slightly prefer the concept of robots as weapons for humans (even if they are piloted by emo's) rather than sentient robots, the later always seemed less plausible to me, there's too many things that just didn't make sense to me.

As a child If you asked my favourite robot cartoon series I would say Robotech over Transformers, even as child I knew the story was comparatively more mature than the Transformers cartoon. The Transformers comic on the other hand, different story altogether.

Anyway to sum up I've always liked robots, or people in robot like armour, I like them even more so if they transform, and even more if they transform into dinosaurs, And even more than that if they transform into cool aircraft.

Transformers will always occupy it's own special spot for me thanks to the influence of the toys and the comic though.

[Zommael]

I love the mythology of the Transformers franchise, and some of the characters are great. But at the end of the day, I'm a robot fan first. For a long time, that meant I was solely a Transformers fan as Transformers was the only robot franchise I could get my hands on, but over the last two years access to Gunpla and an increasing interest in Power Rangers has meant Bandai are getting more of my money than Hasbro.

[dsaint]

Transformer fan first - I have fuzzy memories of watching the original show and they were enough to get me enthused when the cartoon was shown in syndication during my primary school years.

It was the fiction behind the toys that spurred me to ask my mother to buy the
"Classic" G1 releases out at that time. I was one of the happiest kids in the world when I got an original Starscream for my birthday because I loved the character so much.

The only other robot fiction I got into in between my toddler days and reacquaintance with Transformers was the Lionforce Voltron series but that did not last long...