The Transformers franchise was created through a collaboration between multiple parties. The original transforming robot toys came from Japanese toylines called Diaclone and Micro Change, designed and manufactured by Takara (now Takara Tomy). Hasbro, an American toy company, licensed these toys and rebranded them as Transformers in the 1980s for Western markets.
The creative development of the Transformers lore and characters was done by Marvel Comics writers hired by Hasbro. Editor-in-chief Jim Shooter conceived the basic story and some character names, including "Optimus Prime." Dennis O'Neil initially worked on the lore but was replaced by Bob Budiansky, who developed many of the characters, names, bios, and traits and stayed with the franchise through 1989.
On the design side, the concept of transforming mecha was influenced by Japanese mecha anime designer Shōji Kawamori, especially from his work on the Diaclone line and the Macross franchise.
To summarize:
- Toy origins: Japanese companies Takara and Takara Tomy (Diaclone, Micro Change toylines)
- Licensing and rebranding: Hasbro
- Story and character creation: Marvel Comics writers Jim Shooter, Dennis O'Neil, and Bob Budiansky
- Mecha design influence: Shōji Kawamori
Thus, Transformers was created by a collaboration between the Japanese toy creators, the American toy licensee Hasbro, and comic book writers at Marvel, making it a multi-origin franchise.
