Micro Robot W

Micro Robot W was the third in the Micro Robot series to be released by Takara for the New Microman line. Micro Robot were micro-size living robots that can transformed into vehicles or weapons for the New Microman. Beside the early series, the later Micro Robots can also combined together to form a larger robot or a large battle armor. There were three members in Micro Robot W series - R9 Hurricane, R10 Typhoon and R11 Cyclone. Each Micro Robot W shared the same basic body but had its own distinctive head and chest design along with its own unique weapon and wing. Each Micro Robot W also came in three color variants red, green and blue (same color variants as the Micro Borg) and made for a startling total of nine different variations. Micro Robot W stood about 9cm tall (slightly shorter than standard Microman) and had die-cast body with metallic paint.

Micro Robot W, like Micro Robot V, was design as a combiner robot. However, unlike Micro Robot V or the later Micro Robot 7, Micro Robot W only require two of the three robots to form the bigger combiner robot. (Hence the name Micro Robot W, since letter W is often used to denote "two" or double form in Japanese - special thanks to Dave B for this info) Each Micro Robot W can transformed into either upper or lower part of the robot and with three distinctive designs and three colors variants, multiple variations of Micro Robot W can be formed. (Granted they were not really that much differences from one another). Beside combining with one another, Micro Robot W also came with a torso adapter that allowed them to combine with Micro Borg (probably one of the reason why they shared the similar color schemes). This feature seem to have been added later to Micro Robot W design since Takara included special instruction on separate sheet for the adapter and the main instruction had a drawing of the adapter added to the original instruction.

Micro Robot W Story

Micro Robot W were built by Mother Cosmos in an alternate dimension to aid Micro Borg in the fight against the Acroyears

Beside the ability to combine with one another and Micro Borg, Micro Robot W can also transformed into hover transport for Microman figure. The wing can also be used as power-up unit for Microman figure. The launcher (foot part) can be mount on top of the wing and turn the unit into missile launcher wing-pack much like the old Hand Bazooka Microman. The launcher was spring- loaded and shoot the yellow winged missile. The missiles were unique to each of the three Micro Robot W and not a single generic design. So while Takara had not totally abandon the interchangeable aspect of the Microman line, the emphasis had clearly shifted to transformation and combiner play instead of the old "building block" style.

Takara sold Micro Robot W in both individual unit as well as the three-pack gift set. The gift set were somewhat harder to find than the single unit. Each gift set came package with all three Micro Robot W and one of each of the colors (which seem to be randomly distributed). Each individual Micro Robot W came with a chrome gun, yellow wing, missile launcher that doubled as feet for the combiner robot and three yellow missiles. The missiles were different for each of the three Micro Robot W. It was mind boggling to see all individually design parts for each of the small robot instead of the common "shared" parts that was the common practice of the old Microman line. This characteristics of Micro Robot would became a trademark for the series that carried on into the Transformers line.

Micro Robot W & Micro Borg

Takara also sold Micro Robot W as a set. The set came in big long box with beautiful box art painting of Micro Robot W combining.