Which was your first Transformer?

[GoktimusPrime]

Tell us the story of how you got your very first Transformer, and perhaps which Transformer made you into a collector.

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T'was the latter half of 1984, can't remember exactly when. But I remember mum bringing my brother and I into HobbyCo. in Sydney CBD. Not the one in QVB now, back then there was a street level store. We walked in and I picked Brawn, my brother chose Huffer. They became our first Transformers and we became hooked from that point. During university my brother lost interest in Transformers and so his collection fell into my custody. So in a way both Huffer and Brawn were my first Transformers, but technically it was Brawn since Huffer belonged to my brother at the time.

I've never been through a period of losing interest in Transformers then coming back. I've just been an avid fan of Transformers since getting Brawn, so Brawn would be the one toy that also made me a collector.

Brawn's arms are attached to his shoulders with these clip-ends, and one of the clips on my Brawn broke. Also the same shoulder join has deteriorated, so I always keep the door closed to hold the shoulder and arm in place. I've since replaced the broken arm with another from a reissue, but the shoulder joint remains busted.

As griffin said on another thread, even if the toy's decrepit the sentimental value of your very first Transformer toy is priceless.

"Might over microchips."

[SharkyMcShark]

I can't remember the circumstances surrounding buying it, but I remember it was from the local Toyworld (from which I still purchase most of my stuff to this day). I'm fairly sure it was before my sister was born which would make it before 1994 - I'm fair sure it was 1993 (which would make me 3 years old at the time). I'm also fairly sure it was my mum who got it for me (odd because then my pa went on to be the parent that encouraged me to collect, provided shelves and the like etc).

This was the one. Deftwing.

The thing I remember most about it is the scope gimmick thing. It's completely lost now, although I may try and find one in years to come for the nostalgia factor.

I've never looked back really. I remember really liking the rest of G2 (especially the Spychangers - called Go-Bots back then, which were the coolest thing ever when I was 5 years old), and totally digging Beast Wars. There was a bit of a lull during the Beast Machines era but ever since then I've been crazy about Transformers again.

Thanks mum!

[liegeprime]

I was in year 5 when Transformers began showing in the local channels back in Philippines, then when we went to our local malls , oodles of them were on the shelves, as in walls of em. Of course, Tfs back then, well till now are quite pricy, so my Mom suggested to me to write to my Aunts here in Aus to send me one for a Xmas present. I did write my aunt Daisy, and I remember her saying she went buy out the first one I described in my letter. She had no trouble finding it coz I was very precise in my descriptions. I actually asked for Soundwave, Megatron and Starscream. My aunt said the toys were pricy here as well so she got me only 1 which she thought of was a cool figure ( which I agree). SOUNDWAVE!! it was the two pack - with Buzzsaw. Came Xmas of '85 I was one happy camper when she handed it to me, I became oblivious to everything else that day. Up til this day I still have him, well and complete sans the box though. It quite funny that I got him from my aunt bought all the way here in Aus brought in Phils then I ended up migrating here, and have to "migrate" him back to Australia too heheheh. So officially he is the one who started it all for me.

[Hursticon]

Very interesting stories so far, I especially like Liege how your Soundwave has traversed many shores .

This is sort of a repeat of my Introduction thread but I suppose it's a tale of Loss and Survival, tears of Joy and Sadness etc,... Oh how this love of Transformers of ours can be a Rollercoaster at times.

For me, I just always liked Transformers but was never able to afford them.
My first "Transformable" toy was a My First Transformers Jet, way to young to remember when I got that but it was before I was 4 years old.

My first True Transformers figure/set was a gift from my Grandfather for my 4th Birthday: G1 Decepticon Micromaster Anti-Aircraft Base
I played with that set non-stop, that was until my two younger brothers found it within their hearts to break and misplace all of it apart from the little green Jeep.

That was the first and last store bought figure/set I had as a kid and I've found it near to impossible to find another to replace it using ebay etc., pretty much all the figures I had as a kid were second-hand bought from the local flee markets.

The one figure that has survived my childhood to this day (and has since inherited the title of first figure), where all the rest have fallen away, is G1 Ravage who was lost for near 14 years under a Hot-water Service and miraculously never rusted. He now resides within the chest of Soundwave for safety, that and the door mechanism is buggered on my Soundwave so I can't get him out anyway.

[kaiden]

mine is a terrible tale...

in jr primary, another kid brought optimus prime (he was missing his hands and weapon and trailer?) to school and traded it to another kid for a stretchy spiral coil clip keychain (weird i know.)

so the kid put his optimus away in his bag, and went off to play. i stayed behind and took it from his bag. when he came back i said this other kid did it.

[VERT]

My first was Ravage and Rumble back in 1984 cant remember when. Later half I think. I saw a friends Laserbeak the day before and I knew I had to have the cool cat one. Got them from toy world but they called it Toy Barn that year. This was at Bay Village on the Central Coast. The Bay does not have a Toy world now just the K-Mart I got my second Bot, Huffer

[Gutsman Heavy]

I'm fairly sure it was Soundwave. '84 figs must have had a decent market life here since I was born in 85 and remember getting Ironhide, Prime, Jazz Soundwave etc brand new. Hell I remember the store I got Mindwipe from.

[loophole]

I got my first 2 transformers on the same day it must of been my 4th or 5th birthday or something i just remeber that i had to go outside and help my mum put the clothes on the line to dry, and when i picked up a piece of clothing to my surprise underneath it was Grapple.

The second Transformer i got was Pipes im pretty sure i got him on the same day as Grapple but cant quite remember but ever since that day they have been the best of friends (well at least in my head anyway) i still have them both although a little beaten up, but they did get played with alot

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

I would have been about 3 or so, and in a clear sign of misanthropy to come seemed to spend quite a lot of time driving Matchbox cars over stairs to their not-quite-flaming doom. Until someone got me Wheelie, and mere cars falling off imaginary cliffs became kind of passe.
Sadly, poor Wheelie broke pretty quickly under the less than graceful hands of his giant toddler tormentor and I have no idea where his remains are these days, but still.
Also sadly, my first ever TF was Wheelie.

[5FDP]

The first Transformer that I ever got was Sideswipe back in '84 as a reward for being a good boy I had to wait until dad got home from work and then we went to Kmart. This was back when I lived in Adelaide. I remember that there was a restaurant right next to Kmart which had an 'apple' as the sign but I can't for the life of me recall its name.

Anyway, I remember how happy I was getting my first Transformer although I was never allowed to take him to school. In hindsight, that was probably the best decision my parents ever made because I still have him to this very day... with a few reprolabels to 'spruce' him up.

I collected Transformers up until about 1993. I guess I probably stopped because I was at that age when priorities changed at it was considered 'abnormal' for an 18 yr old to buy toys.

If I were to pick a Transformer that turned me back into a collector, it would have to be Alternator Smokescreen. A friend of mine bought one to work back in '03 and I was amazed at the engineering level and design. After some deliberation, I decided to buy one and also picked up HOC Soundwave from EB around the same time.

So all up, my involvement in Transformers has covered about 16 years of my life however I never ended up loosing that soft spot for my favourite Robots in Disguise.