Transformers: TF The Movie promotional items

In the mid to late 90's the popularity of Transformers was coming back into media. The release of Generation One videos was a much-anticipated event. The re-release of the Transformers Movie in Canada saw great demand for the film, and shortly later it was going to be re-released in both the United States and Japan. To go along with these releases quite a bit of promotion was done. Here are a few items that were used.

Rhino Video had a tie-in with Suncoast and Media Play video stores that gave away a free "Classic Collectible Card" with any pre-order of the film. Suncoast had issued these types of cards for other releases as well. They are in essence a seri-cel of sorts taking a single frame of a movie and printing it on a clear celluloid like plate to mimic a piece of film. The cards were simple, but cool for a freebie.



With Beast Wars airing on t.v., Japan was also looking to re-press the Transformers shows on laser disk as well as push video releases. This banner poster emphasis the Beast Wars connections as they promote the re-release of Transformers The Movie.

Kin Niku Man: Phone Strap Figures

I was walking by a mobile phone shop on a trip to Japan in 1999 when a package caught my eye. As I was walking by a stand I thought I had noticed a KinNikuMan item. I went back and found a display of newly released phone straps that had figures attached. Released by the company UNIFIVE, and priced at just under $10. I bought Robin Mask, who is if one of my favorites from the KNM series.



The package includes on strap that features the attached character's name on it. The figure is a re-issue Kinkeshi with a full paint apps and a hook drilled into it for the strap loop. The cool thing about these releases is the addition of a bonus figure. These "mystery" figures were unknown at the time of purchased incased in a small box inside the sealed package. The bonus figures were original colors of re-issued first generation sculpts. There were premium chase gold versions also included. I got a clear purple Mongol Man figure in my pack. Which was cool as I am also a Ramen Man fan.



These sets were not produced in great numbers, and don't show up for sale a lot. When they do surface, they are luckily not too expensive.