Post by Leathurkatt on Jan 27, 2011 6:15:41 GMT -5
Throughout the past 25 years, the TRANSFORMERS brand has grown into a global phenomenon across multiple platforms including film, television, publishing, and of course toys. Hasbro, Inc. is proud to present the official TRANSFORMERS Hall of Fame that honors those most influential in creating and building this iconic entertainment brand. Besides those instrumental inductees, actual TRANSFORMERS characters from the lore are also honored and inducted into the TRANSFORMERS Hall of Fame.
Each year at BotCon, the official TRANSFORMERS convention, additional individuals and characters will continue to be inducted into the TRANSFORMERS Hall of Fame. Click on the * next to their names below to see videos.
In June of 2010, at BotCon, the official TRANSFORMERS convention, Hasbro inducted four characters from the TRANSFORMERS lore into the TRANSFORMERS Hall of Fame. These characters are some of the most popular from the 25 plus-year history of the brand. They have been included in much of the entertainment, toy product and publishing released over the years.
As the leader of the Autobots, OPTIMUS PRIME is a key warrior in the battle against the DECEPTICONS. Once known as the data clerk Orion Pax, he was granted the title of leadership and the name OPTIMUS PRIME by the High Council of Cybertron. Now it is his sworn duty to defend Cybertron and all its citizens from the wrath of MEGATRON and his army of evil Decepticons. With the Matrix of Leadership, OPTIMUS PRIME hopes to have the knowledge needed to defeat his old foe and bring peace to his home world.
Before the war, MEGATRON was once an ENERGON mining drone working deep beneath the surface of CYBERTRON. To relieve the frustration of being stuck in a lower caste system, MEGATRON entered into the illegal gladiatorial matches. There he learned how to fight and quickly became unbeatable. Now, he uses this knowledge to command the DECEPTICON army in their battle against the AUTOBOT forces. MEGATRON uses his superior strength to constantly make examples of any AUTOBOT captured in battle or any DECEPTICON who second-guesses him. Using this scare tactic, he keeps his lieutenants under his control.
Once he guarded CYBERTRON as Air Commander of the Seekers, now STARSCREAM serves under MEGATRON as a DECEPTICON. STARSCREAM has always believed that only through him will the DECEPTICONS truly become victorious in the war against the AUTOBOTS. His every move is self-serving as he constantly seeks to usurp MEGATRON and reign supreme. With his Null Ray, STARSCREAM is a formidable warrior, and despite his treacherous ways, MEGATRON finds it fit to keep STARSCREAM close at hand.
BUMBLEBEE came online during the first days of the war between the AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS. Quickly falling in line with the AUTOBOTS, BUMBLEBEE used his small size to infiltrate and spy on DECEPTICON activities. His bravery makes him one of the most valuable team members to OPTIMUS PRIME. Always quick to provide a joke to lighten the mood, BUMBLEBEE is a trusting and brave warrior who looks up to OPTIMUS PRIME and the other AUTOBOTS standing against the DECEPTICONS fighting for what’s right.
Besides these four memorable characters, fans from across the world were able to vote for an additional “fan’s choice” character to be inducted along with the inaugural class. Fans submitted nominees that were narrowed down to the five most popular characters. SOUNDWAVE, GRIMLOCK, SHOCKWAVE, AUTOBOT JAZZ and DINOBOT. With over 31,000 votes the fan’s choice inductee was revealed at the official TRANSFORMERS convention BotCon in June of 2010.
The winner is…
Once feared as a PREDACON, DINOBOT found himself stranded alongside MEGATRON in the distant past. There, his code of honor led him to make a choice between following MEGATRON or standing against him. DINOBOT joined the heroic MAXIMALS and fought in the BEAST WARS over the control of ENERGON, the fate of the human species and CYBERTRON itself. Having sacrificed his life in an honorable stance against the PREDACONS, DINOBOT was cloned by MEGATRON and reborn into the evil TRANSMETAL 2 DINOBOT.
In June of 2010, at BotCon, the official TRANSFORMERS convention, Hasbro inducted four individuals who helped shape the global entertainment brand that spawned popular action figures, comic books, multiple animated series, video games, and blockbuster live action films. Their contributions range from helping to establish the storyline to voicing the characters, and creating the original designs for the first toys. The inductees (with the exception of Kohjin Ohno) were on hand at BotCon to accept their TRANSFORMERS Hall of Fame honor and to meet with the fans.
While working as an editor for Marvel Comics in 1983, Mr. Budiansky named and wrote the personality profiles for most of the first 20 or so TRANSFORMERS characters. He then became the editor of the very first TRANSFORMERS mini-series, which led to his scripting most of the next 50 issues of the monthly TRANSFORMERS comic book. As he continued working with the brand on behalf of Hasbro, he helped to name and write the packaging copy and personality profiles of dozens more TRANSFORMERS, and developed story treatments as new lines of TRANSFORMERS were introduced.
Mr. Cullen is a voice actor best known for providing the English voice for the wise and heroic AUTOBOT leader OPTIMUS PRIME in the popular 1980s cartoon series “The TRANSFORMERS” and in the 1986 animated film “The TRANSFORMERS: The Movie.” He reprised the role again in 2007 and 2009 in the live action TRANSFORMERS movies, and will return for the third installment slated for 2011. Additionally, he has provided the voice of five other TRANSFORMERS robots during his career.
While working at TAKARA TOMY, Mr. Yoke helped to create the Micro-Robot segment within the MICRONAUTS toy line, which featured the engineering innovation of conversion in action figures that were no more than 3 to 4 inches tall. TRANSFORMERS characters MEGATRON, SOUNDWAVE and RAVAGE can trace their origins to Mr. Yoke’s efforts. He acted as liaison between TAKARA TOMY and Hasbro during the early years of their business relationship and their relationship continues today.
Mr. Ohno started his career at TAKARA TOMY, working on the design of the Microman and Diaclone toy lines, which would later become one of the inspirations for the TRANSFORMERS toy line. Mr. Ohno created SUNSTREAKER, which is considered the first “car to robot converting toy.” He was also instrumental in the introduction of BEAST WARS TRANSFORMERS to the Japanese market. He helped design toys for both live action TRANSFORMERS movies. He takes great pride in being the person who designed the largest TRANSFORMERS toy from Generation 1: FORTRESS MAXIMUS.
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