Optimus Prime is one of the most iconic characters from the Transformers franchise, and his origin can be traced back to a toy called Diaclone Battle Convoy, which was created by the Japanese toy company, Takara.
In the late 1970s, Takara created the Diaclone toy line, which consisted of various transforming robots that could be piloted by miniature figures. One of these toys was called Battle Convoy, which could transform from a robot into a truck.
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This toy was later rebranded as Optimus Prime when Hasbro, a US-based toy company, acquired the rights to use the Diaclone toy line and rebranded it as Transformers for the US market.
In 1984, Hasbro launched the Transformers toy line, which featured robots that could transform into vehicles and other objects. The Transformers franchise was a massive success, and it spawned various animated TV shows, movies, and video games.
Optimus Prime quickly became a fan favorite character due to his leadership skills, bravery, and selflessness. In the original TV series, Optimus Prime was the leader of the Autobots, a group of robots that fought against the Decepticons, a group of evil robots who sought to conquer the universe.
Over the years, Optimus Prime has gone through various iterations and redesigns, but his iconic look, with his red and blue color scheme and his truck mode, has remained relatively consistent.Optimus Prime