Bumblebee (G1)/toys

Bumblebee gots lots of toys!

Generation 1

 * Bumblebee (Mini Vehicle, 1984~1986/2001/2003/2004)
 * Japanese ID number: 11, C-56


 * Bumblebee's original toy, released in 1984 and in Japan in 1985, transforms into a "penny-racer"-proportioned Volkwagen Beetle. He was available through the first three years of the Transformers series, the entire duration of the Mini Vehicle assortment.  In 1984, Bumblebee was produced in both yellow and red (as was Cliffjumper), though how this came to happen remains a mystery.


 * Bumblebee was released in a wide variety of colors in markets south of the border. In Mexico, both a blue version and a recently-discovered white version with a red face were released, while both metallic gold and gunmetal-silver versions have appeared from South American companies Antex and Estrella.


 * Bumblebee was reissued as a keychain by Fun4All under license form Hasbro in the US in 2001. Along with having its rear bumper retooled to accommodate the chain, the keychain form lacked the "Dunlop" text on the tires, and was also released in Japan in 2003 as a 7-Eleven exclusive. The Japanese keychain series also had a black "chase" version.




 * In 2004, Bumblebee was again reissued in Japan in a six-toy multi-pack alongside Huffer, Cosmos, Gears, Powerglide and Warpath, but this time with a cartoon-accurate head.


 * The original mold is also used by Volks. The keychain version is used by Glyph, while the new-head multi-pack version was used to make Bug Bite.


 * Goldbug (Throttlebot, 1987)
 * Japanese ID number: C-97


 * The Throttlebot Goldbug was released in 1987, and like the other Throttlebots, he has a pull-back motor and a simple transformation. The vehicle mode was not designed to look like a penny racer, as the original toy was, so its variation on the Volkswagen Beetle was much more realistically-proportioned.  Though the other Throttlebots seem to have always been intended to be new characters, Goldbug's head was based directly on that of Bumblebee's original toy.  Bumblebee was the second Transformer to be given a second toy (as both Hot Rod and Rodimus Prime had been released the year previous).


 * Bumblebee (Pretender, 1989)


 * As part of the sixth year of Generation 1, Bumblebee was released as a "Classic Pretender", expanding the range of Pretenders toys. This version of Bumblebee is still a Volkswagen Beetle, but now has what look like off-road tires. He came with a gun for his robot mode that could be mounted on his roof and another gun for his human shell. Oddly, the robot's head is modeled after Cliffjumper's toy head. The inner robot was sold without the shell as a K-Mart exclusive Legends figure, but with the inner-robot gun to his teammate Jazz, who had Bumblebee's small gun in exchange. The Legends figure was also sold in a set with Legends Grimlock, Jazz and Starscream in Japan the same year.


 * Bumblebee (Action Master, 1990)


 * A non-transforming action figure that mixed cartoon model with toy-detail, Bumblebee's Action Master release came with a Heli-pack that transforms into a large gun with spring-loaded deploying barrel. This release makes Bumblebee the only character to have a toy of some kind available during the entire original Transformers production run (from 1984-1990).


 * Bumble (Smallest Transformers, 2003)


 * Bumblebee was released in 2003 in the Japanese Smallest Transformers line as a scaled-down version of his original toy, in both yellow and a "chase" red color scheme.

Generation 2

 * Bumblebee (Mini Vehicle, 1993)


 * Bumblebee's first Generation 2 toy was a redeco of his original toy, but with gold chrome on the previously yellow parts.


 * Bumblebee (Go-Bot, 1995)


 * Bumblebee's second release in the Generation 2 line was as a recolor of the Go-Bot High Beam, transforming into a concept race car with exposed rear engine.


 * This mold was also used to make Robots in Disguise Crosswise and Nightracer.

Titaniums

 * Bumblebee (Robot Master, 2006)


 * Titaniums Bumblebee is a small, 3-inch mostly-die-cast-metal statue of the little guy in a hybrid of his toy and cartoon models. He has joints at the waist, neck and shoulders, plus a removable pistol. He even comes with a little Autobot-sigil display base.


 * Optimus Prime & Bumblebee (2-pack, 2007)


 * A Toys 'R' Us exclusive two-pack, this set features "Supermetal Finish" (read: shiny) versions of the "Robot Master" Titaniums Optimus Prime and Bumblebee.

Classics



 * Bumblebee (Deluxe, 2006)


 * The Deluxe Classics Bumblebee transforms into a yellow sports car (labeled as a "cruiser" on the package). He comes with a single accessory: A jet ski called "Wave Crusher" on a trailer.  In robot mode, Bumblebee is articulated with ball joints at the head, shoulders, elbows, hips, and has hinge knees.  Wave Crusher converts into a jet pack that mounts onto his back.


 * This mold was also used to make Classics Bug Bite and Cliffjumper.


 * It is the best toy ever.


 * Bumblebee (Legends, 2007)


 * This Classics Bumblebee toy is a redeco of Legends of Cybertron Hot Shot, transforming into a modified Chrysler ME Four Twelve concept car. In either mode he has flip-out "wings". We have gone full circle.

Attacktix



 * Bumblebee (Booster, 2007)
 * Attacktix ID number: TF06


 * Part of the second-series Transformers Attacktix Boosters, Bumblebee is a "Rare" 20-point "Specialist" that fires a standard missile. His Special Power, "Infiltrate", does something probably cool but we don't know what yet.  He also has an always-active power that lets him take a free turn if he defeats another "Specialist"-ranked piece with a higher point value than his own. Holy schneikies, he's a monster on the board.

Transformers (2007)

 * Slumblebee
 * Slumblebee is, as his name suggests, a plush G1 Bumblebee toy. Obviously he has no problems with articulation and passes the drop test with flying colours. You can transform him into his car mode (which is totally not a Beetle, as far as Volkswagen can prove) by turning him inside out. Truly he is a new zenith of cuteness.

Robot Heroes

 * Bumblebee & Soundwave (2007)


 * Robot Heroes Bumblebee is another piece of absolute adorableness. A soft-plastic figurine that combines the cartoon and toy elements of the original Bumblebee with a "super-deformed" style, he is jointed at the neck and shoulders. He came in a two-pack with Soundwave.


 * This mold was also used to make Robot Heroes Cliffjumper, of course.

Unreleased

 * One of the earliest proposals in the Alternators line, line-art of a "new Beetle" incarnation of Bumblebee (with a Cliffjumper retooling) has been revealed by Takara in their Binaltech sourcebook. However, since Volkswagen rejected Hasbro/Takara's licensing pitch, the toy never progressed beyond line-art phase.

Generation 1

 * Bumblebee Decoy (1986)
 * US ID Number: 26
 * Japanese Stat Number: 46


 * A tiny unpainted red rubber figurine of Bumblebee was packed randomly among the other 51 Decoys in the packages of 1986 Transformers toys. A larger, creamy orange version appeared in 11-packs of Decoys in Japan around the same time. It is notable for being the first Bumblebee figure to be based on his character model.


 * Bumble bottlecap (Kabaya, 2003)
 * ID Number: C-4


 * A tiny black-and-white figurine of Bumblebee standing atop an Autobot insignia bottlecap, Bumble was one of twelve black-and-white bottlecaps sold blind-packed in Japan (where bottlecap collecting is a popular hobby) by candy and snack company and frequent Transformers licensee Kabaya. One configuration of Pepsi Convoy's trailer is a display stand for the set.

Super Collection Figure

 * Bumble and Spike (2001)
 * Japanese ID Number: 5 (painted), 6 (clear)




 * A 3-inch PVC of Bumblebee with his best human friend Spike was released in Act 3 of Takara's Super Collection Figure series. Both painted and transparent versions were made in equal quantities and sold blind-packed. The PVCs were later sold in Hasbro's markets under the name Heroes of Cybertron, with this figure being called the Autobot Espionage Team due to the trademark on the name "Bumblebee" having been lost.