What was the very first transforming toy? It need not be any quality at all, but what was the first toy to transform from some other form into a robot?

That would probably be very difficult to find.

wow...i was going to post this monday, lol.

I've been pondering this for a lonf time now. I'm sure it was japanese in nature. So let's looks back at what i can find via the net:

i can find examples back to the mid 70's or a bit earlier. my guess is that they might go back as far as the late 50's early 60's with some off the wall tin toys.

Well, the first Diaclone was from 1974: Microman Cosmo-Countach.

But the first transforming robot?  Hmmm, tough...

The Answer
The second major impact on the toy market came in 1975 with "Yuusha
Raideen," or "Raideen the Brave," the first noteworthy transformable
robotic toy.  The toy transformed from robot to mechanical bird, just
like in the cartoon.  This was made possible by the use of diecast, as
plastics of the time weren't that sturdy.  The transformation design
seems simple from a current perspective, but kids my age were shocked it
was even possible.  Being able to reproduce that change with our own
hands was a real incentive to get the toy.


This was from http://www.geocities.com/futuristgroup/vfirsttf2.html

Thank you!

dude, bob, are there pictures of this thing?

I had (still have what's left) that Raiden Shogun Warriors robot when I was a kid.  Some jackass convinced me it could fly, so I threw it and it broke on the pavement...yes I was that stupid.   

Bad times...

There's at least one web page out there that looked into the history of Transforming robots.  Some tin toy from way back turned from a funky TV to a robot. 

There are several examples of robots that could take smaller vehicles or parts and combine, or the classic take apart and rebuild into things robots.

The revolution of Transforming robots probably came around with the original Jetfire's Valk's design was produced.  This was the first time (or so a web page on the subject claims) a robot could completely, and with out being taken apart, be changed into 2 different things that are appealing and functional.  After that, the flood of cool transforming robots rolled in, and will never be the same.

Backfire, you are correct. The robot was a tin robot that changed into a TV. It was wind-up.
Check the book-Ultimate Robot. I'll try to scan pics sometime.

well if I had to hazard a guess, i'd say it was this japan inport tv show that featured this family of giant robots. there was a father, mother, older sister, & a son robot (human size I think). & this family of giant robots were friend to this lil boy who could summon them all together, or individualy with a high pitched wissle. each family member had their own "moris code like" tune they would respond to & help the lil human boy out of what ever danger he got him self in too. oh yeah, & don't let me forget the most important fact! each giant robot could TF in too a rocket. this was 60ies live action tv, & I was watching it in re-runs in the late 70ies at the tender age of 7 or 8. so I thought this crude TFing was that absolute BOMB! I even remember running around the schoolyard thinking I was a giant TFing robot in human disguise (no wonder there was talk of my needing "special needs") LOL!

When you said transforming toy, I assume you mean it transform from an alt mode to a humanoid form? I think there was something that was out in the early 19702.

That's right. Raideen was the first. The toy and the series are awesome.

BACK TO THE FUTURE'D!

lol