It all began in 1984. The Cartoon series continued until 1988 lasting for 98 episodes, and was highlighted by Transformers: The Movie, which was released in the summer of 1986. The comic book ran for 80 issues, and 4 limited series. In the United Kingdom, the comic ran weekly for 320+ issues. The toy series ran until 1990 and included over 300 toys. The original series is now referred to as Transformers: Generation One.
		Three years later, the toy series was re-released as Transformers: Generation 2. There was a Transformers: Generation 2 comic which lasted 12 issues. Unfortunately, the revival was short lived, and the series was cancelled. Transformers: Generation Two did have some great toys, and some of the unreleased prototypes from this series are the most sought Transformers toys ever.
		In 1996 The Transformers were given new life with the introduction of Transformers: Beast Wars. Transformers: Beast Wars ran for three season, 52 episodes, and ended with Optimus Primal, Rhinox, Rattrap, Cheetor, Silverbolt, and Blackarachnia leaving Earth to return to Cybertron with Megatron as there prisoner. In Japan, Transformers: Beast Wars was expanded on. Beast Wars II, Beast Wars Metals, and Beast Wars Neo all added many new toys to the Beast Wars line.
		In 1997 Transformers: Machine Wars was introduced. Unfortunately, after the first series of toys, no other toys were ever made. The toys in this series consisted of toys only previously released in the United Kingdom and Europe, and some toys that were planned for but never released in Transformers: Generation Two.
		Although Transformers: Beast Wars was over, the story was far from finished. In 1998, Transformers: Beast Machines was the next evolution in the history of the Transformers. Transformers: Beast Machines ran for two seasons, 26 episodes. In the end, Optimus Primal sacrificed himself to complete his mission, defeat Megatron, and save Cybertron.
		Transformers: Robots in Disguise was the next evolution for the Transformers. Initially released in Japan as Car Robots in 2000, they came to the US in 2001.
		Transformers: Armada was the next incarnation of the Transformers. Returning to the glory days of the Transformers, Transformers: Armada had Generation One style (or close at least) toys without the die cast metal, and a brand new cartoon, as well as an all new comic book from Dreamwave Productions.
		Perhaps the biggest news since Transformers: Beast Wars, Dreamwave Comics has brought back the Original Transformers in an all new Transformers: Generation One comic book! Toys R Us has begun to re-release many of the original toys, die cast metal and all.
		Transformers: Energon was released in 2003. Among the great toys released in this line is the first "official" toy of Arcee! Dreamwave ended the Transformers: Armada comic, and picked up with Transformers: Energon right where it left off. Transformers: Energon is still going strong, but it has been announced that next year, it will be replaced by another new series, Transformers: Cybertron.
		Transformers: Universe, created a whole new universe containing toys and characters from all across Transformers history, in their own quarterly comic book. The comic didn't last long, but we saw some great repaints in this series.
		Transformers: Alternators is one of the most detailed lines of Transformers toys ever. Incredibly realistic vehicles and complex transformations made this one of the greatest incarnations of the Transformers ever!
		In Japan, Transformers: Robot Masters includes a mix of old toys with new accessories similar to Transformers: Universe. It even includes some scaled down new versions of older toys. It includes scaled down versions of Beast Wars Optimus Primal, Megatron, Victory Leo, Star Saber.
		Transformers: Cybertron was the third part of the trilogy beginning with Transformers: Armada and continuing in Transformers: Energon. It featured some great new toys and characters.
		Transformers: Classics was supposed to be a short lived line filling the gap between Transformers: Cybertron, and the Transformers live action movie, but it has been so popular, that Hasbro is going to extend Classics with new toys next year.
		The return of die-cast metal! The Titanium line which began with Star Wars, was expanded to include Transformers. a Three inch non-transforming line is still continuing with detailed die cast figures. Sadly, the six inch transforming die-cast line has been canceled.
		It took 23 years, Steven Speilberg, and Michael Bay to do it, but the Transformers finally got a live action movie! The only word to describe this movie is AWESOME! The effects make Star Wars look like a junior high film project. The story is amazing, Michael Bay made the perfect movie.
		Transformers Animated brought a new look and feel to the classic Transformers characters and some new ones too. It is the first animated Transformers series since Cybertron.
		After a two year hiatus, Transformers Universe returns, but with a new twist. The previous Universe series was made up completely of repaints of existing toys. This new Universe series picks up where Classics left off giving us both repaints of existing toys as well as all new molds, many based on classic characters.
		Two years after Transformers was the biggest non sequel of 2007, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was the biggest movie of 2009, making over $400 million dollars.
		With Transformers Revenge of the Fallen came a new sub-line, RPMs. The RPM line mainly consists of die-cast vehicle versions of characters from both Transformers movies.