World’s Smallest Transformers: Tiny Titans

We’re looking back to the nostalgic early 2000s era of collecting for our new episode, remembering the delights of Takara’s Smallest Transforming Transformers line — the teeny tiny toys which took classic 1980s designs and shrunk them down to minute scale.Typically known amongst fan circles as ‘World’s Smallest Transformers’ or WST, these microscopic marvels were surprisingly on point versus their full-size forebears, but at a fraction of the cost and the space required. Yet none of that stopped them from packing in amazingly faithful transformation schemes and details. The toys were so popular that they inspired numerous unofficial and fanmade counterparts, a sign of some of the earliest third party figures on the collector market.Inevitably, the discussion leads to eBay, and a sad realisation that, as small as these toys may be, their aftermarket value has become rather more significant in the years since their release. Still, it’s fun to remember a time when the best things really did come in small packages.—Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.comJoin the conversation with us on DiscordSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover

Our latest episode celebrates the current 40th anniversary of The Transformers: The Movie in a different way, by turning our attention to the page and exploring two of the comic adaptations of the film from over the years — including both the original 1986 Marvel story and the 20th anniversary depiction from IDW in 2006.Both comics are wildly different in their approach, and we delve into them in equal measure. The 1986 edition, released concurrently with the film being in cinemas, assumes no knowledge of the big-screen adventure, but is clearly working from an earlier draft of the original script, making for many differences from the final storyline as we typically know it. Meanwhile, IDW opted for more of a love-letter approach, firmly aimed at fans who already know and adore the film in great detail, albeit with a few embellishments and even some extra scenes thrown in for good measure. They make for a fascinating comparison.Ultimately, this ends up being a fun and insightful exploration of how one of our favourite movies (don’t listen to Jason) ended up being represented in two very different comics — just twenty years apart.—Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.comJoin the conversation with us on DiscordSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover

Blokees has taken the Transformers scene by storm ever since making their debut in mid-2023. The range of miniature buildable action figures has captured the attention of collectors and children alike, proving to be much more than a fad in the arena of licensed robots in disguise merch, with Blokees expanding their offering considerably over the last few years. Today, we get to the bottom of why that is — and just how you pronounce the company's name to begin with.We cover off everything Blokees has going on, from the Galaxy Version and Shining Version lines, to the larger Class Class and considerably more involved Action Edition ranges, and the much smaller, simpler, and no doubt cuter Defender Versions too — to say nothing of the likes of Blokees Wheels. It's also ridiculously enabling, not least because so much of it retails for excellent value for money, so is it any wonder the team are all as enthused by it as we are? Liam has even won an award.It all means that, come the end of the episode, we find ourselves wondering just what other wee blokes we might want to pick up soon. Assuming we manage to stay on topic long enough for any of it, that is.—Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.comJoin the conversation with us on DiscordSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover

As the final year of the original Transformers toy line in North America, 1990 is typically thought of for precisely one thing: Action Masters. Yet aside from the notorious non-transforming examples, there was also a whole second wave of Micromasters unveiled alongside them — and they're every bit the mini-marvels as the previous year's efforts.With new multipacks of four individual robots — including the Construction, Air, Monster Trucks, Hot Rod, Race Track, and Military Patrols — now bolstered by a heavy focus on Micromaster Combiners such as the Metro, Astro, Battle, and Constructor Squads, alongside the notoriously hard-to-find Combiner Transports, there's plenty to contemplate from this last hurrah of the line. In fact, there's an argument to say that "Generation 1" showed no sign of sputtering out at this point, considering how vibrant it all is.We examine all these toys and more, including the larger Anti-Aircraft Base and Battlefield Headquarters sets, exploring how this final wave built on the Micromaster concept introduced the year prior. More than anything though, this is a love letter to Micromasters as a whole, contemplating how sometimes, the best things really do come in small packages.—Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.comJoin the conversation with us on DiscordSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover

The Transformers fandom was recently rocked by the tragic passing of legendary voice actor Peter Cullen, who famously provided the iconic voice of Optimus Prime for over forty years. We've already expressed our appreciation for the man himself in a dedicated minisode, but now we're back to celebrate his legacy in a different way — by selecting some of our favourite Optimus Prime toys from over the years. And boy, are we spoilt for choice.Right from the earliest years of the brand, Optimus Prime has had some of the best toy designs to his name — be they from the 1980s, '90s, '00s, or beyond. Today, we each highlight two examples that have spoken to us or stand out for various reasons, but what becomes clear is the sheer range of amazing options for representing the character in plastic. No two examples here are the same, yet they all share one thing in common: they're some of the definitive Transformers toys of all time. And that's Optimus Prime.Inevitably, there's some lighthearted landgrabbing along the way, along with the usual confusion about just what constitutes 'the brief' for the conversation. However, once we're all aligned, there's little doubt that this is a wall-to-wall celebration of some outstanding toy designs representing one of the most iconic characters in fiction — all in the memory of the man who famously brought him to life.—Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.comJoin the conversation with us on DiscordSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover

It's a busy old time for new Transformers toys currently, but don't let that stop TakaraTomy. Now they're back with New Legends, a fresh spin on their Japanese equivalent to the Generations line, promising plenty of fun redecos and retools alongside the occasional new moulds and other surprises too. Today, we're here to see what it's all about.After the hugely popular collector-focused fare found in the original Legends line of the 2010s, New Legends promises much of the same — and then some. Built as a spin-off-of-sorts from the celebrated 40th Selection Lio Convoy release, there's already an impressive roster of figures on the way before too long, including a glow-in-the-dark repaint, the Generation 2 Motormaster of our dreams, a Nemesis Star Convoy, Gigatorm, some Earthspark designs, and a whole new mould in the shape of an upcoming Leader-scale Beast Wars II Galvatron.There's plenty to be excited about amongst all of this, so we take our time to discuss what each reveal means and why this new direction has us so enthused. Ultimately, it feels as though New Legends promises to be something super special, and that's what we're here to celebrate — and get suitably enabled by, naturally.—Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.comJoin the conversation with us on DiscordSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover

Another year of TFNation has come and gone, as the Triple Takeover team celebrates the biggest event of the UK Transformers social calendar with the usual positive vibes. We've just about recovered from the weekend, and now we're here to recap the experience — from the hauls to the guests to the many random events that took place throughout.Despite still being extremely tired, we're delighted to relive the highs of TFN 2026, which was — as ever — a hugely positive event from start to finish. With legendary composer Vince DiCola in attendance for an unforgettable (unless you're Liam) Saturday night concert, there's plenty to celebrate with this one. We also spend time remembering our own Friday afternoon panel and recapping the various wares we picked up in the busy dealer room.Though as ever, it's the people in attendance who make this a convention to remember. From old friends to new faces, Discord regulars met in the flesh to the wider community that makes the whole weekend so special, we'll do our best to shout out as many as we can along the way.—Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.comJoin the conversation with us on DiscordSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover

We're back for a seventh round of Hidden Gems, our popular format where each of us nominates a figure from Transformers history that we feel has been rather overlooked by the fandom at large and now deserves a little more attention. And today, the choices are more unusual than ever before.From movie-styled Masterpiece fare to Mini-Cons and early examples of cross-brand collaborative projects, everyone brings something hugely different to the table for discussion this time. It makes for a particularly eclectic episode, spanning wildly different eras and design philosophies, united only by the sense that each figure never quite got its due when it mattered most.The variety proves a lot of fun as we explore why these toys didn't get the focus they perhaps should have on release. And with TFNation in our near future, it might just prove enabling enough to give us some options to look out for in the dealer hall...—Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.comJoin the conversation with us on DiscordSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover

Way back at the turn of 1980, years before Transformers became a thing, Takara led the way forward for transforming robot toys with Diaclone — all about non-sentient mecha piloted by one-inch figures. The most well-known examples are from the Car Robots subline that would find new life as robots in disguise, but today we're exploring the fantastically old-school sci-fi fare of the earlier years.Prior to churning out realistic vehicles and recognisable car models, Diaclone was all about big, over-the-top futuristic spacecraft and bases that became modular robots, all operated by a team of Dia-nauts versus their alien opposition, the evil Waruders. The concept was new, but as we'll discover, these toys have an unusual origin story themselves, harkening back to the 1970s in a tale that begins with another, lesser-known collaboration between Takara and Hasbro — ironically enough.We trace the building blocks from those earliest years through to the toys that would eventually be repurposed as Transformers when Hasbro came back on the scene looking for inspiration. Along the way, we explore how Takara's Diaclone robots helped lay the foundations for the international mega-hit to come, and why these early designs remain so fascinating decades later.This topic was chosen in a fan vote by the Patrons on our Discord, so we hope it was worth the wait. —Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.comJoin the conversation with us on DiscordSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover

With the World Cup in full swing, sports mania is at fever pitch across the globe right now — yet Transformers tie-ins with sport have been surprisingly few and far between over the years, despite some obvious potential. Today we're looking at the various tries made so far, and the open goals that remain untapped by the toymakers.Sixo has finally relented (against his better judgement) and allowed Liam to have the sports episode of his dreams. From Takara's Sports Label line in the mid-2000s to modern-day collaborative attempts such as the recent NFL and soccer-themed figures, there's plenty to discuss — and yes, we even manage to cram in a bit of motorsports along the way. It's a surprisingly rich vein once you start digging, spanning official partnerships, licensed tie-ins, and the occasional oddity that defies easy categorisation.As it turns out, there's a lot to enjoy even for collectors who aren't big sports fans, with a surprising amount of creativity thrown in throughout. Whether it's clever integration of sporting motifs or oddball aesthetic swings, these releases prove there's real potential in the crossover. Can we keep Liam focused on the chat, though, or will he be simply too distracted come the final score?—Enjoying the show? There’s more than meets the ear...Find show notes at https://www.tripletakeover.comJoin the conversation with us on DiscordSupport the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tripletakeover