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{{short description|Toy line}}
{{inline |date=October 2025}}
{{nihongo|'''''Diaclone'''''|ダイアクロン|Daiakuron}} is a toyline by [[Tomy|Takara Toys]] launched in 1980. It consisted of transforming vehicles and robots piloted by miniature, magnet-shoed figures spin off from the prior [[Microman]] toy line.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Creation Of The Transformers |url=https://www.cultureslate.com/explained/the-creation-of-the-transformers |access-date=2025-10-20 |website=CultureSlate |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1984 the toys would be rebranded for the North America market creating the [[Transformers]] toy line.<ref>{{cite web |date=11 May 2011 |title=Transformers: Dark of the Moon — The Third in the Movie Series from Michael Bay & Steven Spielberg: TRANSFORMERS Movie Series of Transforming and Interconnecting Robot Toys (Worldwide Launch Begins May 14, 2011) |url=https://www.takaratomy.co.jp/english/product_release/pdf/p110511_en.pdf |access-date=20 October 2025 |publisher=Takara Tomy Co., Ltd. |language=en |format=PDF}}</ref>

== History ==
The toys in the 1980 line were designed by future ''[[Macross]]'' designers [[Shoji Kawamori]] and [[Kazutaka Miyatake]] (both contracted from [[Studio Nue]]), who designed the [[mecha]] and the [[action figure|figures]] respectively. Unlike Microman, which featured "full-scale" toys of its 10-centimeter-tall alien cyborgs, the figures in Diaclone represented full-sized human (and enemy alien Waruder) pilots, and were in approximately 1/60 scale. 
 
In 1982, the line later featured the '''Car-Robots''' set of transforming robot toys, invented by [[Ōno Kōjin]] with some initial designs by Kawamori and others. While the original series featured fanciful robots and vehicles, Car-Robots added the feature of the robots being able to disguise themselves as various late 20th century-era contemporary vehicles. In 1984, [[Hasbro]] licensed the Car-Robots toyline along with the Microman's [[Micro Change]] toyline from Takara and merged the two series of toys to create the [[Transformers (toy line)|Transformers]]. Most of the original [[Autobot]] vehicle-based characters came from the Car-Robots set of Diaclone robots.

Other Transformers characters that came from the Diaclone line included the Dinobots, [[Insecticons]] (from the enemy Waruder toys), the Jumpstarters, the mail-order exclusive Powerdashers and Omnibots, the [[Decepticon]] planes (originally from two "JetRobo" toys, produced in the colors of future Decepticons [[Starscream (Transformers)|Starscream]] and [[Thundercracker]]) and the [[Constructicons]], who also came from the Car-Robots set. The Constructicons came from near the end of the series, at which point Takara was starting to abandon the Inch-Man pilot figures and being limited to the 1/60 scale. The six TrainRobo were also produced in the same sub-line as the Constructicons, but would only become Transformers (as the Trainbots) in Japan's 1987 line.

Takara eventually discontinued the Diaclone and Microman toylines in 1985 in favor of the [[Transformers (toy line)|Transformers]] rebranding. Takara has since revived the franchise, however; first announced at Tokyo Toy Show 2015, the first proper figure of the new ''Diaclone'' line was revealed at [[Wonder Festival]] of 2015. The [[BotCon]] storyline for 2015 also features several concepts from the Diaclone series, and several figures were based on Diaclone characters.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{Cite book | title=Transformers: The Ultimate Guide | last=Furman | first=Simon | author-link=Simon Furman | year=2004 | publisher=DK Publishing Inc.| ISBN=1-4053-0461-8 | page= 63}}

==External links==
* {{in lang|ja}} [http://diaclone.net/ DIACLONE.NET]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091027142423/http://www.geocities.com/futuristgroup/vdiaclone.html  ''Pre-Transformers'']
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ap88xLFp14 Multiforce 14/Warudaros commercial]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_590CkmWJ7I Commercial for Battle Convoy, later known as Optimus Prime]

{{Portalbar|Japan|Toys|1980s|2010s}}
[[Category:1980s toys]]
[[Category:2010s toys]]
[[Category:Toy mecha]]
[[Category:Transformers (toy line)]]
[[Category:Transforming toy robots]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1980]]