Pretenders (Transformers) line with a human-like head sculpt. Pretenders (Transformers) Pretenders is a subline within the Transformers toy line, introduced in 1988. The concept behind the toy was that the Transformers were capable of disguising their robotic forms through the use of synthetic organic outer shells. While the Autobots' outer shells all resemble human beings clad in armor, the Decepticons' shells are all in the form of monstrous animalistic creatures. The robot figure is contained entirely within the shell, invisible to the outsider observer. After the shell splits apart to release it, the shell can be recombined for a second figure. Although
Transformers: The Headmasters Transformers: The Headmasters Initially, Takara, the Japanese producers of the "Transformers" toyline, imported the American "Transformers" cartoon series from 1985 to 1986. When the series came to an end with the three-part miniseries "The Rebirth" in 1987, however, Takara decided to continue the series themselves, declining to import "The Rebirth" and instead creating a full-length 35-episode spin-off series, "Transformers: The Headmasters" (two additional clips episodes were produced after the fact for direct-to-video release). Supplanting "The Rebirth"'s position in Japanese continuity, "The Headmasters" occurred one year after "The Return of Optimus Prime", introducing the title characters to the Transformers universe in