Here's a link for more in-depth reviews:
http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Japan/reviews.shtml#webdiverTakara took a brief break from the Transformers brand around 2000, coming out with the video-game based transforming Web Diver series. This was followed by another game-related line that did pretty poorly called Dai Gander, so they went back to Transformers.
The gimmick is that the main figure, Gradion, is a console video game that can hook up to your TV. Now in reality, he was a train that transformed into a robot. In robot mode he could hook up to your TV and there was a game built into the toy that would then activate. Most of the smaller figures can interact with Gradion as weapons that attach to Gradion's robot mode. Whichever weapon was hooked up to Gradion would then appear in the game. The game kinda sucks and I can't read Japanese, so the instructions are usless.
There were LARGE figures, mid-sized and what we would call deluxe-sized figures in this line. There were also small PVC's, rotocast figures, a playset, a kid-sized transforming sword and a mid-sized non-transforming figure with limited transformation add-on weapons.
I should note that almost all the figures (besides Gradion) had a weapon mode, a vehicle mode and a robot mode. One even had a Headmaster!!! Oh and almost all of them (except the PVC's and the rotocast figures) had light-ups
I will name the figures in the photos and give a brief description.
Here we have: Jagua-on, Shark-on and Griffi-on. Each of these had 3 modes. I do not show the weapon modes here, but you can see them on the lower corner of the boxes.
Here are their respective vehicles.
And here are their robot modes. 6-inches tall.
Here are Phoenic-on and Cerberion.
Standard modes: Please note that Cerberion and Orthrion are Quad-changers in that they each have: a beast mode, a vehicle mode, a merged mode and a weapon mode.
Here are the vehicle modes for Cerberion and Orthrion.
And here are the robot modes. Note that Cerberion and Orthrion combine to form Golem-on. There are actually 2 different heads for Golem-on but I was too lazy to take another picture! Golem-on is 7 inches tall at the head.
Next up are Garyuun and Gradion. I didn't bother to transform Gradion as mine has a weak shoulder joint that I don't think could stand up to another transformation. You just have to check out the box pics.
Gradion stands 12 inches tall.
Vehicle mode:
Robot mode: BAD-ASS!!! A pirate ship!!! From a dragon?!?!? COOL!!!
Here is Drag-on. He carries Gradion in vehicle mode. He does not offer any weapons in the game. He has a vehicle mode, robot mode and 2 weapon platform modes. He has a 31.5 inch wingspan. 2 and a half feet of wings!!!. He takes up ALOT of space!!!
Next up is another big guy...Daedalion
He also does not produce a weapon in game mode. Anyway, this guy is a real treat! He has a MASSIVE robot mode and a cool vehicle mode. He also has a Headmaster!!! He mainly interacts with the next 2 figures I will be showing, as he can combine with either of them to create new heads, new arms or landing gear for his vehicle mode!!! Oh, and his engine block transforms into a HUGE battle axe!!!
He is 11 inches tall at his head. A bit more when you include the wings on his back.
Up next we have Pegasion and Liagon. These had vehicle modes, robot modes, Headmaster modes and arm modes. They had a light-up feature, and could connect to Gradion, but did not produce weapons in the game. The Headmaster modes and arm modes were intended for use with Daedalion. The vehicle modes could be used as rear landing gear for him as well.
Robot modes. 6-7 inches tall.
Next up we have Gradion’s transforming sword. It transforms into a gun. It is sized for a kid, and has lights and sounds. I don’t know if it produced a weapon in the game.
Now we move on to the non-transforming toys! WHEEE!!!!!!
Here we have the Flash Docking Gradion. He moves at the shoulders, knees, wrists, waist and neck. He has a light-up feature. The vehicles that came with him only transformed into weapon modes, as is shown in the following pic. He is 6 – inches tall.
Here are the rotocast figures. They have limited movement and are roughly 4-5 inches high.
And finally we have 2 sets of PVC figures. Each set came with nice chromed stands for the figures, but they didn’t have pegs to keep the figures in place. Each figure has between 2-5 points of articulation. There was also a Jaga-on in weapon mode included in PVC set # 1 if you wanted a powered-up Gradion which is shown in the second pic below.
Anyway, I hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of Toys I Grew Up With. Maybe you found a new line to search out, and if not I hope you at least learned something.
Also, I’m missing 2 Web Diver toys: Wyverion and the battle station. Sorry I couldn’t give you a COMPLETE listing but I try.
Stars
