COUNTDOWN: 5 more gorgeous Transformers G1 repaints

It won’t come as a shock to anyone, but I’m a huge repaint fan.

There’s just something about seeing an already familiar toy design rehashed in a bold new colour scheme that really gets the motor running. There’s often no better way to fully appreciate a particular mould than to admire it with a different look.

Having recently showcased examples from the Unicron Trilogy, CHUG, Beast Wars and RID 2001, now we’re back for a second helping of Generation 1. Simply put, here are another 5 gorgeous repaints for your consideration!

#5: Generation 2 Ramjet (1993)

Although the 1990s ‘reboot’ is oft thought of as being wall-to-wall repaints of original series Transformers toys, the truth is that they’re surprisingly thin on the ground compared to the sheer wealth of new designs and gimmicks that came thick and fast over just a few years. That said, the existing examples are often highly noteworthy, and there’s arguably no better evidence than Ramjet. Taking everything memorable about the original 1985 toy and entirely flipping it on its head, this new take on the character is now sultry black, shocking purple and blazing teal (with a few additional embellishments), all mixed to make something a world away from the more traditional white and red of the classic guise. Sure, he may look a smidge like he’s wearing washing-up gloves, but that aside, it’s a bold statement that cannot be ignored, which is precisely what you want from this kind of release. The only gripe for modern collectors is how easily this figure discolours over time, with the teal and even the purple going a very unfortunate shade of murky dark green if not looked after.

#4: Universe King Atlas (2004)

As mentioned last time, 2003’s Universe line is chock full of bizarre but undeniably gorgeous repaints, all of which take existing well-known designs and put a wholly new spin on them with shocking overhauled colour schemes. Yet the crowning glory of it all is surely King Atlas, and not just because of the figure’s impressive presence, given that it sits firmly in the upper echelons of G1 stature. A quasi-homage to Takara’s 1990 Zone hero Dai Atlas, this guy uses a very similar palette to significant effect but in a way that also feels entirely new, arriving at a result which sufficiently earns its place alongside the other two outstanding uses of this design. If anything, King Atlas’ prominent Autobot decals and more primary hues help him to feel distinct from both 1991’s Skyquake and 1997’s Machine Wars Starscream, as do the differently applied paint applications on areas such as the face plate, head crest, crotch and arms. The toy itself may quite famously be denounced as a brick by some, but when it’s as pretty as this, who wouldn’t want a brick for their collection?

#3: G1 Headmasters Stepper (1987 / Transformers Collection 2004)

The original 1984 Jazz toy is about as ubiquitous as early Transformers get. Yet, it still manages to pack in an almost unparalleled level of charm despite countless reissues to its name all these decades later. So, what could be more appealing than a sexy black and gold makeover with a blazing flame motif? Wait, and it has a Nebulon companion, too? Step on up! Bizarrely, though, Stepper went largely overlooked on first release in 1987, dropping right at the tail end of Takara’s Headmasters line and quickly being replaced by the incoming Masterforce merch for the subsequent year, which is especially weird when you consider this was one of the earliest Japanese G1 exclusives of the era. Still, it soon shot up in desirability, or at least until the rather fantastic 2004 reissue made it much more widely available to collectors. Either way, this is about as notable an overhaul as one could hope for on a toy of this kind, providing an astonishing new look for an already fan-favourite design, not with added Targetmaster.

#2: Collector’s Edition GADEP (2008)

There’s a strong argument to say we absolutely did not know what we had with the slate of Collector’s Edition e-HOBBY exclusives that ran from the early 2000s, especially now so many of the toys hugely overlooked at the time have gone on to become majorly desirable in the years since, not to mention almost crushingly expensive. 2008’s blue makeover of the classic 1985 Omega Supreme toy may have originated towards the end of all that, but it’s not missing any of the glory that retrospectively defines the era, nor the appeal as far as today’s aftermarket is concerned. GADEP, of course, homages the large Guardian Robots of Cybertron so memorably portrayed in the classic Transformers cartoon. It’s an idea resurrected of late for a modern Generations Selects figure, but still, this original outing remains about as worthwhile as they come. Supreme stuff all round.

#1: Micromaster Sixtrain Red Mode (2003)

Of all the many, many delights of the late-era Takara exclusive G1 line-up, the Micromaster’ Sixcombiners’ are pretty perfectly peak, in my opinion, and Sixtrain is undoubtedly one of the finest even amongst such strong standing. Originally released in 1991/2, mostly as part of the aptly and catchily named Operation Combination roster, they were later reissued under the more straightforward title of ‘Micromaster’ in 2002/3. Now blind-bagged for maximum collector confusion, the upside was the introduction of so-called ‘chase’ variants to the mix, whereby each case of twelve individual toys would contain a block-coloured alternative. In terms of Sixtrain, the six locomotive-themed lads could now be obtained in an eye-searing but hugely attractive shade of bright crimson red, which makes for quite the sight once you smush them all together in their (little) Big Man mode. It’s about as ‘hate plague’ as any official Transfomers toy has ever dared to be despite that not being the intention here whatsoever. In truth, these variants represent a bit of a ‘mare for modern collectors looking to assemble a full set, but no matter – they’re worth the chase!

So that’s our list! What are some of your favourite G1 repaints?

TTFN