just curious if anyone has bought a guide book for kicks to look at the pictures and what not?  I might buy one off ebay...

i hear there are a ton of good japanese books, but state side I only know of a few actrion figure guides, and then theres Unofficial guides for G1, Japan, Artifact/Items, and Beast Wars books by J E Alvarez. They are more or less the best you can find, but no where complete picture wise...i'm not sure if there is a truely complete picture book of all the TFs.

The one I got is terrific - it's Transformers:Generations Deluxe. It's got every Transformers up to the end of G2 in NorAm. It also shows pictures of Japanese and Caucasian exclusives during that time, as well as conceptual drawings of never produced figures and idea sketches (i.e. Actionmaster Predaking and Superion.)

 

 

It's a bit pricey, but it's definitely worth it. You will have to learn how to read Kanji/Japanese because there are only a few English words in that book.

The one I got is terrific - it's Transformers:Generations Deluxe.

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Yep. A little hard to find but worth every penny.

The one I got is terrific - it's Transformers:Generations Deluxe.

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Yep. A little hard to find but worth every penny.

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Last time i looked every page of the first version of Generations was available on TFArchive.

I would also highly recommend either Transformers: Generations or Transformers: Generations Deluxe.

 

Both books contains:

* Photographs of effectively every Transformer ever released during G1-G2 in the US, Japan, Europe and Australasia. It even has photos of all the Machine Wars line and a few photos of some South American Transformers, such as G2 Saltman-Z. The photography is professional and taken from Takara's private museum (which means that every toy is complete and in perfect mint condition). My only gripe is that the second year Decepticon Jets aren't transformed properly in robot mode... :/

* Photos of limited G1 TFs, such as Goodbye Convoy, Goodbye Megatron, Bumblejumper (carded) and even the Australian exclusive G2 watches!

* Photos of G1 toy prototypes, such as the 10cm Triple Changer (who made a cameo appearance as "Dropshot" in Dreamwave's Worlds Collide saga) and prototype Godbomber who looks better than the Godbomber that was released!

* Design and concept sketches of Transformers that were never made - the Deluxe edition has more of these than the first edition.

* A complete listing of all the G1 Marvel comic issues released in the US and UK complete with issue names, credits and a brief plot description of each issue.

* A complete listing of the G1 cartoon with episode numbers and original airdates (for Japan).

* A text listing of every Transformer released during G1-G2 along with annotated footnotes that contains all kinds of neat information.

* Interviews with Diaclone/Microchange and G1 toy designer Ono Kojin - all those TF toys we've grown up playing with, he designed! A really neat interview IMO. There's also an interview with G1 writer Kaneda Masumi.

 

There's more, but that's all I can think of for now. I got my copies from Japanese Transfans. Another option is to make an order from your local Japanese bookstore such as Books Kinokuniya or Japan Book Plaza.

 

As much as we all like JE Alvarez, I think Doug Dlin's books looked and were organized better. The only problems is that they were pricey (although not so much anymore due to them being easily obtained on the secondary market) and that you have to get it in volumes. He stopped making them before he got to the Japanese exclusives, although it was planned.

Are you talking about the Cybertron Chronicles Unofficial Recognition Guide Books that Doug made with Harold Tietjens? If so, then yeah, that'd be kinda more expensive due to the fact that you'd have to buy a series of books as opposed a single book. Also, I personally find that the photography isn't quite as nice, as I don't think either Doug or Harold hired any professional photographers. Although the coolest thing about Doug and Harold's books is that they have individual close-up photographs of all the parts and accessories with each Transformer - I'd recommend these books for people who are concerned with identifying parts and accessories. Alvarez used a professional photographer, but not all of his toys are complete or in mint condition (some are incomplete and damaged).

 

Transformers: Generations offers photographs of every toy with most of their accessories but unlike Dlin and Tietjen's books, the accessories are not separately/individually photographed - but the photography is of professional quality.

 

Here are some toy pics which have been scanned from Transformers: Generations:

 

I didn't notice that he said for kicks. If so, Generations is more fun. For all around usefulness, I'd go with the Cybertronian for the better pics of accessories. The toy photographs are good, but yeah, I agree, I don't believe they hired a professional. Also, unless you speak Japanese, the Cybertronian's a better read. :tftongue

 

Scratch that. I know they didn't hire a photographer. It says so on the inside cover.

I made a small mistake before, Doug and Harold's book is called the "Cybertronian Index" - not the Cybertronian Chronicles... (got confused with "Cybertron Chronicles", the name of the BotCon Japan 2000 comic book).

 

Also, unless you speak Japanese, the Cybertronian's a better read. bumblebeetounge.gif

Better read? The Cybertronian Index, textwise, just gives you their tech specs (which you can easily download anyway) and a brief commentary from the authors. IMO TF: Generations is a way better read (although not accessible to the Japanese language impaired). But as you said, if you wanna buy a book for as a visual toy guide for all the G1 and G2 toys, then I'd go for TF: Generations. There's an English translation of the Ono Kojin interview on my site - http://www.sabretron.net/ :)