yeah, I agree. Especially considering that most Transformers are released as toys first before we see them appear in media. Kids are often drawn to well designed toys, even without awareness of their media. Look at 1984 -- the first year of G1 had grossed US$1.4 million during a time when the media was still in its infancy. The G1 comics had only run four issues and most kids wouldn't see the G1 cartoon until 1985; but still, it broke the world's record for the highest grossing debut toyline based primarily on the strength of the toys. Look at RiD when that first came out in Australia -- it was months before the cartoon aired on TV here, but yet the toys were flying off shelves when it came out! And let's face it, RiD isn't the most awesome TF story ever written (it's clearly aimed at a very young audience) but people love it because of the toy designs (i.e. contemporary engineering with licensed vehicles as alt modes). A crap toyline will sell poorly even with a higher awareness of media -- look at Beast Machines... the cartoon came out shortly after the toys (and in N. America they managed to get the cartoon out before the toys hit shelves) -- yet it shelfwarmed terribly (though the fact that the cartoon was only available on Foxtel didn't help ).