Spy Changers
Encyclopedia
Spy Changers are a sub-line of toys/characters which first appeared in the 2000-2001 Transformers Robots in Disguise
(RiD) toy line. All 6 molds were originally produced as the Transformers: Generation 2
line's Go-Bots in 1995. (The GoBots name had by then been transferred to a pre-school line of Transformers produced by Hasbro subsidiary Playskool
.) Despite being retooled versions of the GoBot line, the Japanese (2000) and American (2001) versions proved to be so popular that Hasbro commissioned four unreleased molds from 1995 be added to the Spy Changers line. Later, 4 new molds were based on larger characters from RiD.
(Ox), the speedy sniper Mirage
(Counter Arrow), the eager-for-combat trooper W.A.R.S. (Wicked Attack Recon Sportscar) (Wars), science officer Crosswise
(X-Car), tactician R.E.V. (Race Exercion Vehicle) (Eagle Killer) and their flame-manipulating leader, Hot Shot
(Artfire). The team can drive over any surface, even water, in defiance of gravity, and have optical camouflage powers that render them invisible.
's close advisor, as smart as he is fast and extremely observant. R.E.V. can leap from building to building with such skill that he appears to be flying, and his main weapon is a shotgun.
R.E.V. appears among the characters in Re-Unification, the 2010 TFcon voice actor play prelude comic.
. He was packaged with fellow Spy Changer Crosswise
, and later with a Tiny Tin. W.A.R.S was recolored in 2 variants of transparent plastic, the second one was repackaged in 2006 as Transformers: Universe
Camshaft
.
W.A.R.S. was the name of one of the Autobot
Spy Changers
. The Spy Changers are a team of six Autobot espionage specialists. The team can drive over any surface, even water, in defiance of gravity, and have optical camouflage powers that render them invisible at will. Despite their radically different personalities, the Spy Changers are a perfectly functioning unit, often relying heavily on teamwork tactics.
His tech spec described him as an aggressive and battle hungry warrior. Heavily armoured, he is a good fighter, but his violent actions unnerve even his fellow Autobots. His Takara tech spec even described him as one of the few pro-war Autobot.
In the television series, the Spy Changers received little characterization - usually acting in a group to attack or perform whatever mission they had been assigned. W.A.R.S. first appeared in episode #4 "Spy Changers to the Rescue".
pro-stock top fuel racer
), Side Burn
(an earlier model Dodge Viper
than the larger Side Burn), and the improperly-named Daytonus (a Porsche 962
racing car).
The third series of Spy Changers featured X-Brawn (Wild Ride; the third of the "Autobot (Cybertron) brothers" remade as a Spy Changer), Optimus Prime's Decepticon clone Scourge
(Black Convoy; ironically a G2 version of Optimus from 1994–95), and individually packaged versions of RiD's Optimus Prime
(Fire Convoy) and Ultra Magnus
(God Magnus).
The initial six Spy Changers were reproduced in translucent colors as a Kay-Bee exclusive, mirroring a similar exclusive release by Takara. Unlike their Japanese counterparts, the Kay-Bee Spy Changers were in translucent versions of their original colors (e.g., W.A.R.S. is sold in translucent red, orange-yellow, and black.). These also marked the first release to get file card bios, translated from the file cards of the Japanese Spy Changers.
line, with repaints of the Robots in Disguise toys as classic characters. Initially, the Generation 1 characters of Optimus Prime, Jazz, Silverstreak (Bluestreak), Wheeljack, Hoist and Prowl were re-imagined as Spy Changers. Then redecos of RiD Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Ironhide and Prowl 2 were released. While RiD Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime were made to resemble their larger Transformers: Universe incarnations, Ironhide and Prowl 2 were made to look like Generation 1 Autobots Trailbreaker
and Red Alert
. A third set of recolored Spy Changers was released for Universe, but some were packaged under both RiD and Generation 1 based names. New translucent-colored versions of W.A.R.S. (resold as Camshaft), Mirage, Ironhide (resold as Hoist; redundant due to Hoist's earlier Spychanger release using the X-Brawn mold) were sold alongside re-packaged releases of Optimus Prime, Prowl and Jazz. The translucent versions of Hot Shot, R.E.V., and Crosswise did not receive name changes.
Although a line of Decepticon Spy Changers based on the Stunticons was announced at one point, it was never released.
Although Hot Shot's Japanese name is Artfire, his colors are inspired by the Japanese Targetmaster
Stepper
(a repaint of Generation 1's Jazz
, later released as Ricochet in the U.S.). The name Artfire comes from his fellow Japanese Targetmaster, a retooling of Generation 1's Inferno
.
Transformers: Robots in Disguise
Transformers: Robots in Disguise, known in Japan as , is a Japanese anime television series and serves as a self-contained universe separate from any of the other existing Transformers universes...
(RiD) toy line. All 6 molds were originally produced as the Transformers: Generation 2
Transformers: Generation 2
Transformers: Generation 2 is the name used to refer to a Transformers toy line, television series and comic book series which ran from 1993-1995...
line's Go-Bots in 1995. (The GoBots name had by then been transferred to a pre-school line of Transformers produced by Hasbro subsidiary Playskool
Playskool
Playskool is an American company that produces educational toys and games for children. It is a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and is headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.-History:...
.) Despite being retooled versions of the GoBot line, the Japanese (2000) and American (2001) versions proved to be so popular that Hasbro commissioned four unreleased molds from 1995 be added to the Spy Changers line. Later, 4 new molds were based on larger characters from RiD.
Transformers: Robots in Disguise
The Spy Changers are a team of six Autobot espionage specialists, consisting of the powerful but caring IronhideIronhide
Ironhide is the name of several different fictional characters in the Transformers universes. According to the original creator of the Transformers names, Bob Budiansky, Ironhide was named after the television series Ironside.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
(Ox), the speedy sniper Mirage
Mirage (Transformers)
Mirage is any of several distinct fictional characters in the various Transformers series. Mirage is one of the single most re-used names in the Transformers series, and is almost entirely synonymous with characters possessing Formula One racing car alternate modes.-Transformers Generation 1:Some...
(Counter Arrow), the eager-for-combat trooper W.A.R.S. (Wicked Attack Recon Sportscar) (Wars), science officer Crosswise
Crosswise
-Transformers: Robots in Disguise:Crosswise was the name of one of the Autobot Spy Changers. He is the science officer of the Spy Changers....
(X-Car), tactician R.E.V. (Race Exercion Vehicle) (Eagle Killer) and their flame-manipulating leader, Hot Shot
Hot Shot (Transformers)
Hot Shot is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. All are young Autobot cars.-Transformers: Robots in Disguise:In Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Hot Shot is the leader of the Spy Changer team....
(Artfire). The team can drive over any surface, even water, in defiance of gravity, and have optical camouflage powers that render them invisible.
R.E.V.
R.E.V. is described as the tactical officer of the Spy Changers and Hot ShotHot Shot (Transformers)
Hot Shot is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. All are young Autobot cars.-Transformers: Robots in Disguise:In Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Hot Shot is the leader of the Spy Changer team....
's close advisor, as smart as he is fast and extremely observant. R.E.V. can leap from building to building with such skill that he appears to be flying, and his main weapon is a shotgun.
R.E.V. appears among the characters in Re-Unification, the 2010 TFcon voice actor play prelude comic.
W.A.R.S.
W.A.R.S. (Wars in Japan) is based on the mold first used for Generation 2 Autobot Gearhead and then on SoundwaveSoundwave (Transformers)
Soundwave is the name of several characters in the various series Transformers series. His most famous disguise is that of a microcassette recorder and has an iconic voice done by a vocoder.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
. He was packaged with fellow Spy Changer Crosswise
Crosswise
-Transformers: Robots in Disguise:Crosswise was the name of one of the Autobot Spy Changers. He is the science officer of the Spy Changers....
, and later with a Tiny Tin. W.A.R.S was recolored in 2 variants of transparent plastic, the second one was repackaged in 2006 as Transformers: Universe
Transformers: Universe
Transformers: Universe is a line of toys that consists of re-painted and re-released toys from various Transformers lines of toys. For the comic book series see Transformers Universe .- Toy line :...
Camshaft
Camshaft (Transformers)
Camshaft is the name of a fictional character in the Transformers universe. He is sometimes referred to as "Autobot Camshaft" for trademark purposes. Hasbro registered the name Camshaft for U.S. Trademark in October 2003.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
.
W.A.R.S. was the name of one of the Autobot
Autobot
Autobot, a faction of sentient robots from the planet Cybertron, are usually the main protagonists in the fictional universe of the Transformers, a collection of various toys, graphic novels, paperback books, cartoons and movies first introduced in 1984. In all but one Transformer story, the...
Spy Changers
Spy Changers
Spy Changers are a sub-line of toys/characters which first appeared in the 2000-2001 Transformers Robots in Disguise toy line. All 6 molds were originally produced as the Transformers: Generation 2 line's Go-Bots in 1995...
. The Spy Changers are a team of six Autobot espionage specialists. The team can drive over any surface, even water, in defiance of gravity, and have optical camouflage powers that render them invisible at will. Despite their radically different personalities, the Spy Changers are a perfectly functioning unit, often relying heavily on teamwork tactics.
His tech spec described him as an aggressive and battle hungry warrior. Heavily armoured, he is a good fighter, but his violent actions unnerve even his fellow Autobots. His Takara tech spec even described him as one of the few pro-war Autobot.
In the television series, the Spy Changers received little characterization - usually acting in a group to attack or perform whatever mission they had been assigned. W.A.R.S. first appeared in episode #4 "Spy Changers to the Rescue".
Toys
The initial six molds of the Spy Changers are based on those created for the Go-Bots line of Transformers seen in Generation 2. Later Spy Changers were based on ununused molds from Generation 2, and a few original molds. The second series of Spy Changers (based on the unused G2 Go-Bots) were Prowl 2 (a 1994 Chevrolet Impala SS police interceptor), Side Swipe (a CamaroChevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is an automobile manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car. It went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang...
pro-stock top fuel racer
Top Fuel
Top Fuel racing is a class of drag racing in which the cars are run on a mix of approximately 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol rather than gasoline or simply methanol. The cars are purpose-built for drag racing, with an exaggerated layout that in some ways resembles open-wheel circuit racing...
), Side Burn
Side Burn
Side Burn is the name of several fictional characters in the Transformers series. The first Side Burn was one of the main character in the animated series Transformers: Robots in Disguise, voiced by Wally Wingert. He turns into a Dodge Viper. He was based on the Japanese anime character...
(an earlier model Dodge Viper
Dodge Viper
The first prototype was tested in January 1989. It debuted in 1991 with two pre-production models as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 when Dodge was forced to substitute it in place of the Japanese-built Stealth because of complaints from the United Auto Workers, and went on sale in January...
than the larger Side Burn), and the improperly-named Daytonus (a Porsche 962
Porsche 962
The Porsche 962 was a sports-prototype racing car built by Porsche as a replacement for the 956 and designed mainly to comply with IMSA's GTP regulations, although it would later compete in the European Group C formula as the 956 had...
racing car).
The third series of Spy Changers featured X-Brawn (Wild Ride; the third of the "Autobot (Cybertron) brothers" remade as a Spy Changer), Optimus Prime's Decepticon clone Scourge
Scourge (Transformers)
Scourge is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers series. He first appeared as one of the central villains in the 1986 film The Transformers, voiced by Stan Jones. He also regularly appeared in the animated Transformers series and Transformers comic books. Since then other...
(Black Convoy; ironically a G2 version of Optimus from 1994–95), and individually packaged versions of RiD's Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime is a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. Prime is the leader of the autobots, a faction of transforming robots from the planet Cybertron. The autobots are constantly waging war against a rival faction of transforming robots called Decepticons...
(Fire Convoy) and Ultra Magnus
Ultra Magnus
Ultra Magnus is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers storylines.-Transformers: Generation 1:The greatest Transformer of them all. A commander could want no finer a soldier than Ultra Magnus...
(God Magnus).
The initial six Spy Changers were reproduced in translucent colors as a Kay-Bee exclusive, mirroring a similar exclusive release by Takara. Unlike their Japanese counterparts, the Kay-Bee Spy Changers were in translucent versions of their original colors (e.g., W.A.R.S. is sold in translucent red, orange-yellow, and black.). These also marked the first release to get file card bios, translated from the file cards of the Japanese Spy Changers.
Transformers: Universe
The Spy Changers would see a come-back as members of the Transformers: UniverseTransformers: Universe
Transformers: Universe is a line of toys that consists of re-painted and re-released toys from various Transformers lines of toys. For the comic book series see Transformers Universe .- Toy line :...
line, with repaints of the Robots in Disguise toys as classic characters. Initially, the Generation 1 characters of Optimus Prime, Jazz, Silverstreak (Bluestreak), Wheeljack, Hoist and Prowl were re-imagined as Spy Changers. Then redecos of RiD Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Ironhide and Prowl 2 were released. While RiD Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime were made to resemble their larger Transformers: Universe incarnations, Ironhide and Prowl 2 were made to look like Generation 1 Autobots Trailbreaker
Trailbreaker
Trailbreaker is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers toy line and animated television series. Due to trademark issues, newer toys of the character are named Trailcutter.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
and Red Alert
Red Alert (Transformers)
Red Alert is the name of several characters in the various fictional Transformers universes.- Transformers Generation 1:Red Alert is the Autobot security director. He has enhanced senses and is usually depicted as a friend of the Autobot Inferno.- Marvel Comics :Red Alert did not appear in the U.S...
. A third set of recolored Spy Changers was released for Universe, but some were packaged under both RiD and Generation 1 based names. New translucent-colored versions of W.A.R.S. (resold as Camshaft), Mirage, Ironhide (resold as Hoist; redundant due to Hoist's earlier Spychanger release using the X-Brawn mold) were sold alongside re-packaged releases of Optimus Prime, Prowl and Jazz. The translucent versions of Hot Shot, R.E.V., and Crosswise did not receive name changes.
Although a line of Decepticon Spy Changers based on the Stunticons was announced at one point, it was never released.
Although Hot Shot's Japanese name is Artfire, his colors are inspired by the Japanese Targetmaster
Targetmaster
Targetmaster is a subline of the Transformers toyline that include Nebulan sidekicks who can transform into the Transformers' weapons.-1987 Targetmasters:...
Stepper
Ricochet (Transformers)
-Transformers: Generation 1 :The name Ricochet was first given to a Nebulan, one of the Autobot Quickmix's two Targetmaster partners. On Nebulos, the mercurial Ricochet was a renowned environmental sculptor, combining landscapes and foliage to create natural art forms. After witnessing the...
(a repaint of Generation 1's Jazz
Jazz (Transformers)
Jazz is the name of a fictional character from the various Transformers universes. He is usually portrayed as a music loving robot and talks with a slang accent. He is also a good friend of Optimus Prime's...
, later released as Ricochet in the U.S.). The name Artfire comes from his fellow Japanese Targetmaster, a retooling of Generation 1's Inferno
Inferno (Transformers)
Inferno is the name of several fictional characters from the various Transformers universes. Despite having different alternate modes, the character name has been most associated with the form of a fire engine.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
.