In 1980, Takara introduced the toy line that would later change the world: Diaclone. Even though the toy line was originally a spin-off of the popular Microman series, these transforming robots presented new ways to play.  Many of these toys, especially the car robots from 1982, became a part of Hasbro’s Transformers toy line in 1984, where most US customers knew the action figures from.

In the late 1980s, Takara rebranded Diaclone as Kronoform in an attempt to further distance themselves from the Transformers, which was cannibalizing their sales. This line featured watches that could transform into robots or combine with their watch strap to turn into sci-fi vehicles.