is a toy designer employed by Takara since 1980. Mr. Ōno's early designs included the ''

Diaclone is a toyline by Takara Toys launched in 1980. It consisted of transforming vehicles and robots piloted by miniature, magnet-shoed figures spun off from the prior Microman toy line. The toys in the 1980 line were designed by future ''Macross'' ...

Walk-In Centre'' and ''

Microman was a science fiction toyline created, manufactured and marketed by Takara, Takara Co., Ltd. from 1974 to 1984 as well as from 1998 to 2007. The ''Microman'' line was a series of action figures with accompanying vehicles, robots, playsets and ...

Acro Saturn''. He designed most of the ''Diaclone Car Robot'' line (with additional design work by

Shoji Kawamori A is a door, window or room divider used in traditional Japanese architecture, consisting of translucent (or transparent) sheets on a lattice frame. Where light transmission is not needed, the similar but opaque ''fusuma'' is used (oshiire/ ...

) and ''Car Microman'' figures, which drew the attention of the U.S. toy company Hasbro. Hasbro amalgamated the Diaclone and Microman figures and, along with a story treatment developed by Marvel, created the toy cult phenomenon known as the Transformers. Ōno continued to design Transformers throughout the 1980s until the end of the original franchise. Ōno designed most Transformers manufactured by Takara, including

Metroplex A metroplex is a conurbation with more than one principal anchor city of near equal importance. Metroplex may refer to: * Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, a conurbation in Texas, U.S. *Eastgate Metroplex, a professional/retail complex in Tulsa, O ...

, Fortress Maximus and Powermaster Optimus Prime. Among the hundreds of Transformers that he designed, he considers the

Decepticon The Decepticons are the main antagonists in the fictional continuities of the ''Transformers'' multimedia franchise. They are depicted as a faction of sentient robotic lifeforms led by Megatron, identified by a purple face-like insignia. Capab ...

Triple Changers

Blitzwing This is a list of characters from ''The Transformers'' television series. Autobots The Autobots (also known as Cybertrons in Japan) are the heroes in the '' Transformers toyline'' and related spin-off comics and cartoons. Their main leader is O ...

and Astrotrain to be his finest achievements in toy design. Although Mr. Ōno no longer designs Transformer toys, as of 2005, he is still employed by Takara where he continues to design figures in other Takara toylines.

External links

Takara Staff Interview: Ōno Kōjin

Official Takara Transformers site
Toy inventors Mechanical designers (mecha) Living people 1959 births {{Japan-engineer-stub