Microman — BrandWiki

materials	Plastic/die-cast

Microman (ミクロマン) was a science fiction toyline created, manufactured and marketed by Takara Co., Ltd. from 1974 to 1984 as well as from 1998 to 2007. The Microman line was a series of 3.75 in action figures with accompanying vehicles, robots, playsets and accessories. Unlike other toylines at the time, Microman figures were marketed as being the "actual" size of cyborg beings called "Micros" that hailed from a fictional planet known as "Micro Earth" and disguised themselves as action figures while on planet Earth.[1][2][3][4]

Description

The core of the Microman line consisted of 3.75 in action figures which were known for their high number of articulation points relative to other toys of similar size/scale in the 1970s. The toyline also included vehicles, robots, playsets and accessories. Many of the Microman toys used interchangeable 5 mm connectors and ports that allowed parts to be transferred and connected between different toys.[5][6][7][8][9]

The Microman toyline was licensed and released in the United States by Mego Corporation as the Micronauts from 1976 to 1980.[10][11][12][13]

Some of the transforming Microman toys and vehicles from the Micro Change series created within the 1980s New Microman toyline were licensed by Hasbro, along with other similar transforming toys from Takara's Diaclone toyline, in the 1980s to be a part of Hasbro's Transformers toyline in the United States.[14][15][16]

History

Classic Microman (1974–1980)

Takara first released Microman toys in Japan in 1974 as a smaller version of their popular 8 in & 12 in 1972 Henshin Cyborg (Transforming Cyborg) line. Henshin Cyborg figures were based on 8 in & 12 in Combat Joe figures — which themselves were based on Hasbro's G.I. Joe figures — with their bodies molded in clear plastic, exposing their inner workings and supposed cybernetic parts.[5][1][2][17]

By downscaling their size, Takara sought to create the Microman line to offset the sheer cost of producing a full line of plastic-based 8 in & 12 in figures and related playsets as well as acknowledging that basic living space is limited—and considered a premium—to most Japanese households. Smaller Microman figures would not only cost less to produce during the energy crisis of the 1970s

Influence outside Japan

Micronauts (1976–1980)

In the late 1970s, the U.S. toy company Mego acquired the license for some of Takara's Microman 3.75 in toys and released them in the United States as the Micronauts. Mego manufactured and marketed Micronaut toys from 1976 to 1980 prior to the company's bankruptcy and dissolution in 1982. After Mego's demise, other toy companies such as Palisades Toys and SOTA (State of the Art) Toys attempted to revive the toyline over the years.[46][47]

Transformers (1984–present)

In 1981, Takara produced a new Microman line called New Microman. A few years later in 1983, Takara launched a new Microman series within the New Microman line dubbed Micro Change. The line featured toys that were seemingly ordinary items (such as cassette tapes, microscopes, watches and even guns) that could transform themselves and "change" into other forms to help Microman in their fight against the Acroyears.[32]

Microman Kodansha TV Magazine manga (1978–79)

In 1977, TV Magazine—a children's oriented magazine published by Kodansha Ltd.—began publishing an official, Takara approved serialized Microman manga drawn by manga artist Yoshihiro Moritou. This serialized manga was compiled into six volumes released from 1978 to 1979. Additionally, a set of 30 Menko cards featuring Moritou's manga versions of Microman characters and vehicles was released during that period as well.[49][50][51]

Microman Secret File Volume 1 catalog and manga (1984)

By 1984, Takara was continuing the trend of focusing their New Microman line away from the core 3.75 in Microman action figures to robots and other items.

Chiisana Kyojin Microman: a PlayStation game based on the franchise, developed by Wavedge and published by Takara, released in Japan on March 11, 1999.[59]

References

Paul Lorphanpaibul. Classic Microman - Original Microman Series Microman Forever, 4 June 2015, retrieved 4 June 2015^
Albert Calleros. The Micronaut Toyline Tree Hello Micro, 30 April 2006, retrieved 4 June 2015^
Paul Lorphanpaibul. Micro Heritage - Takara Henshin Cyborg Series

New Microman (1981–1984)

While a line of new Microman 3.75 in figures were released for the 1980 New Microman line, their history was completely different from the figures that preceded them in the previous Microman line. The new line consisted of 10 Microman figures that came in molded capsules. There was now a greater focus on the Micro Robot series of toys as well as larger robot-oriented playsets.[5][6][31]

New Microman (1981)

Micro Robot (1982)

Takara's focus of the 1982 line was on the new Micro Borg and Micro Robot toys. While the Micro Robot W Box Set came with a New Microman M004 Eiji (Blue) figure, these figures were only available in the box set and not as individual figures.[5][33]

Micro Change (1983)

In 1983, Takara introduced a new Microman toyline called Micro Change. The Micro Change toys were seemingly ordinary items, such as cassette tapes, a microscope, watches and even guns, that could change into other forms to help Microman in their fight against the Acroyears. While the focus of the line had shifted away from the original Microman action figures, Takara released one last figure, dubbed Salam (M011).[5][34]

Micro Change to Transformers (1984)

1984 saw the end of the Micro Change/Microman line with no new figures released that year. After seeing the success Hasbro had combining Takara's Diaclone and Micro Change lines into the Transformers toyline in the U.S. market, Takara decided to end both the Diaclone and Micro Change toylines and instead focus their efforts on releasing their own Japanese versions of the Transformers.[35]

New Microman 3.75 in action figures (1981–1984)

Below is a basic overview list documenting New Microman 3.75 in action figure releases from 1981 to 1984. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all New Microman action figure releases/variants but rather a high-level overview of Takara's 3.75 in New Microman line offerings.[5][6]

Micro Millennium Series (1998–2003)

In 1999, Takara produced a whole new line of Microman toys and reissued older Microman figures. The new Microman series was divided into two distinct lines: the Magne Powers and LED Powers series and the Replica Microman series based on the success of Romando's previous reissues under their brand name.[5][37]

Replica Microman (1998–2003)

The Replica Microman series was mainly aimed at adult collectors and older fans of the original toyline. This series launched in 1998 with the Microman Founder (M10X) series which reissued the Microman (M10X) figures. That release was soon followed by the reissue of many other classic Microman figures such as Acroyear (A30X), Spy Magician (M14X), Lady Command (M18X) and others. In addition to reissuing versions that adhered to the original, vintage Microman color combinations, Takara also released several newly created, limited edition color variants with new character names and designations to add to the canon of the old series[38]

As the series progressed in the 2000s Takara continued to release more Replica Microman reissues as well as even more limited edition and exclusive color variants. While increasing variety of available product, this resulted in the Microman market becoming saturated with so many unsold, variants that by 2001 Takara decided to significantly scale back the release of the Replica Microman. By 2003 the Replica Microman series continued to put out releases but only on a very limited basis and mainly through Takara's e-Hobby Shop.[39][40][41]

Magne Powers & LED Powers (1998–2000)

On December 26, 1998, Takara officially launched the Magne Powers series which was followed in 2000 by the companion LED Powers series. The Magne Powers series and LED Powers series were designed for children with brand new toy designs and a new story line which included a Microman anime series. In addition to the anime, Takara also commissioned manga serial for Comic BomBom magazine.[5][42][43]

By 2000, Takara, which was dealing with financial issues, reduced their new LED Powers series to a few dozen of toys and canceled the Microman anime series as well as the manga in Comic BomBom magazine. Soon afterwards, Takara would put all of their new Microman properties on indefinite hiatus.[44]

type	Action figure
country	Japan
company	Takara / Tomy
inventor	Takara
from	1974
to

Description

History

Classic Microman (1974–1980)

Influence outside Japan

Micronauts (1976–1980)

Transformers (1984–present)

Related anime and manga

Microman Kodansha TV Magazine manga (1978–79)

Microman Secret File Volume 1 catalog and manga (1984)

Related video games

See also

References

Microman Zone (1974)

Project Victory (1975)

Spy Magician (1976)

Microman Command (1977)

Police Keeper (1978)

Rescue Command (1979)

Punch & Blizzard Man (1980)

Microman 3.75 in action figures (1974–1980)

Microman Zone (1974)

Project Victory (1975)

Spy Magician (1976)

Microman Command (1977)

Police Keeper (1978)

Rescue Command (1979)

Punch & Blizzard Man (1980)

Microman 3.75 in action figures (1974–1980)

New Microman (1981–1984)

New Microman (1981)

Micro Robot (1982)

Micro Change (1983)

Micro Change to Transformers (1984)

New Microman 3.75 in action figures (1981–1984)

New Microman (1981)

Micro Robot (1982)

Micro Change (1983)

Micro Change to Transformers (1984)

New Microman 3.75 in action figures (1981–1984)

Microman 21 Series (1996–1997)

Micro Millennium Series (1998–2003)

Replica Microman (1998–2003)

Magne Powers & LED Powers (1998–2000)

Replica Microman (1998–2003)

Magne Powers & LED Powers (1998–2000)

Microman Force Series (2003–2007)

Microman: The Small Giant Comic BomBom manga (1998–1999)

Microman: The Small Giant Studio Pierrot anime (1999)