An article regarding Gobots and Transformers

[Sam]

I found something that I thought was kinda funny so decided to post the link here:
http://rooktopia.wordpress.com/2007/08/14/gobots-that-are-now-transformers-and-the-gobots-that-should-be/

[Pulse]

Interesting points were raised about which ones would be good crossovers. Hmm...
The only ones I can picture would be Rocklords being used as soccerballs by the Dinobots. :D

[GoktimusPrime]

If the children of the 80’s are really, truly honest with themselves, then they would admit both shows had their own qualities.
The only qualities I see in Gobots over Transformers are:
1/ The Gobots (as a toyline) came before Transformers. Transformers was created by Hasbro in competition with Tonka's Machine Men.
2/ Gobot toys were generally cheaper (hence Clerk II referring to Gobots as "K-Mart Transformers").
3/ Gobots were unafraid to have female characters. Female characters based on toys.

...other than that, Gobots SUCK.


GOBOTS THAT SHOULD BE TRANSFORMERS

* #6 - PATH FINDER
Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us
The Guardian Path Finder has a very unique transformation: that of a flying saucer. Transformers easily need more Flying Saucer alt-modes. OK, I know that the Autobots already have Cosmos, but you’ve got to admit Path Finder looks cooler.

S/he knows about Bug Bite but not Pathfinder?! (o_O)

http://www.cliffbee.com/reviews/images/pathfinder.gif

[roller]

Gobots suck

i rented a video years ago to see what it was like, 4 eps of total rubbish

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I have a soft spot for the Machine men and Rocklords crossover movie.


I think its cancerous:D

Seriously though, I like the movie.

[Paulbot]

Rewatching some Machine Men cartoons recently on YouTube I'm reminded that the show did suck. Really honestly, Wheelie is nothing compared to Scooter. Many of the toys are cool and I have affection for the Crasher toy and character.

[SilverDragon]

Whoever decided that robots that turned into ROCKS was a good idea must have been really out of his mind at the time.

Of course, there is a reason why they never survived the 80s, and that reason is THIS. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpaNhFPyu2E)

[Kyle]

As I grew up in HK, I prefer to call them by their original Japanese name "Machine Robo" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Robo ). They did make a pretty cool cartoon series in Japan in the 80's called "Machine Robo: Revenge of Chronos" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Robo:_Revenge_of_Cronos ). It was a series much much better than what Australia and America were getting. It definitely made the toys much much cooler in the eyes of children in Asia. The main robot of the cartoon series, Baikanfu, appeared in a few of the Super Robot Wars games and was released as a SOC toy around November last year ( http://www.collectiondx.com/node/2134 ).

The more recent modernised series (both cartoons and toys) from only a few years back was called Machine Robo Rescue (MMR) ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Robo_Rescue ). It didn't do too bad in Japan and Hong Kong either. It was followed by another series (toys only) called Mugenbine which is still kinda going on.

[Lord_Zed]

Gobots had a crappy toon, but I have to admit they often had far more interesting alt modes than TF's. We only got the first TF submarine a few years ago but the Gobots already had one. And they still have the only realistic looking A10 changing robot.

[kup]

Gobots had a crappy toon, but I have to admit they often had far more interesting alt modes than TF's. We only got the first TF submarine a few years ago but the Gobots already had one. And they still have the only realistic looking A10 changing robot.

The had a Gobot Limo who transformed into a robot with a top hat! You can't beat that, Transformers need something like that!!

Seriously, I do agree. I am too getting sick to death of the same sports car, Construction vehicle or fighter jet alt mode. Something more unusual and original every now and then would not kill their profits.

[roller]

yeah

there should be a Chinese New Year Lion dancing transformer

or a kettle, the electronic gimmick could be that it whistles simulating water boiling

[Pulse]

The had a Gobot Limo who transformed into a robot with a top hat! You can't beat that, Transformers need something like that!!

I reckon! How cool is this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/king_emmanuel/2342312866/in/set-72157594528241074/ &

http://www.flickr.com/photos/king_emmanuel/2342312864/in/set-72157594528241074/ (It wouldn't let me mirror the images).

[Bartrim]

I reckon! How cool is this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/king_emmanuel/2342312866/in/set-72157594528241074/ &

http://www.flickr.com/photos/king_emmanuel/2342312864/in/set-72157594528241074/ (It wouldn't let me mirror the images).

Bay should use this in the new movie. I think he'd be all sorts of coolness.

[kup]

Even if they don't want to move away from cars and jets, it wouldn't hurt them to try something more 'common' like G1 used to do.

Not all TFs need to be expensive luxury/sports cars. Why not stuff that is more down to Earth?

Another awesome thing would be something like a WWII line with the Autobots using WWII era Allied vehicles and the Decepticons Japanese and German war machines?

There is a million ways that they could do cool stuff yet they don't :(

[Gutsman Heavy]

There is a million ways that they could do cool stuff yet they don't :(

Sometimes they get halfway there. (SWTFs)

[Paulbot]

Another awesome thing would be something like a WWII line with the Autobots using WWII era Allied vehicles and the Decepticons Japanese and German war machines?

Don Figueroa's GIJOE vs Transformers designs would be perfect, as they had that theme and looked like working toys (until Jae Lee drew them!)

[Robzy]

A lot of the GoBot/Machine Men/Machine Robo toys were really fantastic! I've got a large collection of them as well as TFs (mainly cos I LOVE anything that "transforms" - I see it as an artform, not just a toy). IMO many MR figures were far superior to the minibot TFs.

Rocklords were the first Movie Protoforms! ;)

The cartoon wasn't great, but that has more to do with Hanna-Barbera's involvement rather than the actual toys! I try not to confuse them if possible :p

Kyle's right on the money with "Machine Robo: Revenge of Chronos"... I wish an American Co did what Harmony Gold did to create Robotech! It may have even rivalled TFs for longer!

[dirge]

I concur re the choices of alt modes in the Gobot line. The plethora of generic sports cars and generic jets gets tired - especially in recent series where we've seen three or four of each.

The submarine has been rather underdone. We've yet to see a Transformers bus or forklift.

I really enjoyed the Real Gears purely because they're something we've not seen for a while.

[Lord_Zed]

Wow Kyle is so right. Found these Machine Robo clips on youtube, they look everybit as cool as the TF toons of the time plus the token female chracter is hotter than Carly.

Keep your eye out for Cy-kill and Leader One who look way cooler in thier Japanese Incarnations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn_rPAz-Xj0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWBBwn_VB2k&feature=related

Aside from the A10 I also miss the more diverse Helicopters, the Limo, the wierd monster guys and I seem to recall the Machine Robot equivelant of a Duocon was superior to the Flywheels and Battletrap.

[liegeprime]

oooh cykill looks a bit like a cone head heheheeh. but the toon does feel like TFs nice mecha toons, neat.

[Robzy]

Even though it's a different storyline to Revenge of Chronos, I always thought the Machine Robo comics were better than the GoBots TV show...
http://counter-x.net/gobots/comic/robo_machines/index.html

Cy-Kill isn't the leader. He's created by a being called Stron-Domez. Leader-1 is part of a group of "Guardian Police" who are led by the giant Ex-El.

:)

[Kyle]

Wow Kyle is so right. Found these Machine Robo clips on youtube, they look everybit as cool as the TF toons of the time plus the token female chracter is hotter than Carly.

Almost bought the Leina Stol action figure while I was in HK last April:

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee16/Kyle_Chow/soc/leinastol.jpg



Ended up getting the SOC version of the show's main robot Baikanfu when I had another trip in December. The SOC set already contains a small version of Leina (Mircoman size)~

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee16/Kyle_Chow/soc/Baikanfu.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee16/Kyle_Chow/soc/SOCGX39_Baikanfu_03.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee16/Kyle_Chow/soc/SOCGX39_Baikanfu_01.jpg

[Lord_Zed]

Mmmmmm Japanese robot toys "drool".