Inferno (G1)/toys

If there is a red fire truck Transformers toy, odds are it is one of Inferno.

Toys

The Transformers

Then he'll start the fire again.

• Inferno (Autobot Car, 1985)

• Takara ID number: 10
• Accessories: "Extinguisher rifle", left & right fists, three missiles, two hose nozzles
• Known designers: Kōjin Ōno (TakaraTomy), Shōji Kawamori (Studio Nue)

Released in the second year of the original Transformers toyline (first in European and Japanese markets), Inferno is a slight redeco of the Takara Diaclone "No.10 Fire Engine Ladder Car for High-Rise Buildings" (whew!) toy, transforming into a Japanese Mitsubishi Fuso F-Series FT fire ladder truck. His extendable ladder has three sections to it, allowing it to extend to a really impressive length. Each of his forearms contains a spring-loaded missile launcher, so he can fire his own fists or silver missiles, though the Hasbro versions have these launchers severely weakened for safety reasons. He is usually depicted in media as having a missile/laser/nozzle in place of a hand on his right arm.

The main differences from the Diaclone version of the toy are in the secondary deco, with the Japanese text and Diaclone-specific text decals on his cab being removed (or de-texted in the case of the front license plate decal).

This sculpt was redecoed and partially retooled to make the concurrently-released Grapple, the e-HOBBY exclusive Collector's Edition RoadHauler, and The Headmasters Artfire.

• Patent info, price guide, and further reading on Inferno at Transformerland.com
• More information on Inferno at TFU.info

Inferno's lack of transformation ability was compensated by a big orange thingamajig.

• Inferno with Hydro-Pack (Action Master, 1990)

• Accessories: Hydro-Pack, "Magna-Blast Gun"
• Known designers: Masakatsu Saito (concept artist)

Part of the third assortment of "basic" carded Action Masters released in the seventh and final year of the original US toyline (sixth and not-final in Europe), Inferno is a non-transforming 3¾-inch action figure, based loosely on his cartoon animation model. His construction is broadly similar to that used by the G.I. Joe figures of the time, having a swivel neck, shoulders and knees, plus ball-jointed hips attached via a steel rod internally secured by a rubber "o-ring". His hands have standard 3 mm holes which allow him to hold any other accessory in the Action Master line, plus his feet have holes in the bottom to secure him to larger vehicles. On top of that, the hole in his back is compatible with 5 mm posts.

Inferno came with a Hydro-Pack that could be attached to his back (with a "hose" that flipped over his shoulder to attach to his handgun, a feature unique among Action Master "partner" accessories), or transformed via spring-loaded mechanism into a large cannon, with a barrel that could be further extended by attaching his handgun to the very end of it.

• More information on Action Master Inferno at TFU.info

• Inferno (Classic Heroes, 1990)

• Accessories: "Extinguisher rifle", left & right fists, three missiles, two hose nozzles

The original Inferno toy was re-released in European markets in 1990, alongside several other early Transformers, as part of the "Classic Heroes" range. Near as can be told, there are no notable differences between this and the original release of the toy.

Generation 2

How's anyone supposed to climb the ladder with this huge thing on my back?

• Inferno (Autobot, 1992)

• Accessories: "Extinguisher rifle", left & right fists, water weapon, two hose nozzles

Part of the very first assortment of Generation 2 product released just in time for the 1992 holiday season, Inferno's original toy was re-used with virtually no deco changes, adding only the new "AUTOBOT" tampograph, hidden inside his cab/chest on the black driver's compartment. His forearms and removable fists were retooled to remove their spring-loaded launcher functionality, and the chrome missiles of the original release were dropped altogether. The wing extensions on his shoulders were also slightly retooled.^{[citation needed]}

New to this release is a large red water-shooting cannon, whose shape and syringe-style mechanism were cribbed from the cannon wielded by the 1991 G.I. Joe Sludge-Viper and Toxo-Viper, though Inferno's weapon is an all-new mold. Said cannon clips to his ladder in either mode, and rains pain.

• More information on Generation 2 Inferno at TFU.info

Collector's Edition

• Inferno (2001)
  • Accessories: extinguisher rifle, left & right fists, three missiles, two hose nozzles

Inferno received a limited reissue as part of Takara's Collector's Edition series. Along with Grapple, he was exclusively available at WonderFest in August 2001.

The Transformers Collection

• Inferno (2003)
  • ID number: 8
  • Accessories: extinguisher rifle, left & right fists, three missiles, two hose nozzles

In 2003, the original Inferno toy was reissued as part of Takara's The Transformers Collection series. This time he featured a tampographed Autobot symbol and blue instead of yellow eyes. These changes carried over to Commemorative Series Inferno (see below), Commemorative Series Autobot Grapple, and Collector's Edition RoadHauler.

Commemorative Series

Be glad there wasn't a 2012 Asian version as well.

• Inferno (Commemorative Series V, 2003/2006)
  • Accessories: extinguisher rifle, left & right fists, three missiles, two hose nozzles

The same year as the Takara reissue, Hasbro released their own reissue of Inferno as part of the Toys"R"Us exclusive Commemorative Series line in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Unlike the Takara version, the Hasbro version no longer featured launching fists or missiles for safety reasons. This reissue comes with an additional Autobot insignia decal, depicting the more modern long-faced version of the Autobot insignia. According to the instructions, this sticker is supposed to be placed on top of the Autobot insignia sticker that is already on Inferno's chest!

• More information on Commemorative Series Inferno at TFU.info

In 2006, three years after the U.S. release and long after the Commemorative Series had been discontinued by Toys"R"Us in America, Inferno and several other figures were released as Toys"R"Us exclusives in the United Kingdom. Unlike previous UK releases of Commemorative Series figures, the packaging for this batch was no longer multilingual, but in English only. Despite this, the packaging was not identical to the previous U.S. version; it lacked the "Commemorative Series" labels, the "choking hazard" safety warning labels and all trademark ™ and ® markings, and moved the "Ages 5+" recommendation to a new position.

Universe (2008)

BURNING SPI— Oh, sorry, wrong fire truck.

• Inferno (Voyager Class, 2009)
  • Series: Generation 2 Series
  • Accessories: "Water Blast" projectile

• Known designers: Bill Rawley (Hasbro), Hisashi Yuki (TakaraTomy)

"Generation 2 series" Universe Inferno is the first all-new tooling for the Voyager Class price point in the Universe line. Unlike the original toy, Universe Inferno transforms into a fictionalized, six-wheeled variant of the 2002–2007 Pierce Contender series of firetrucks, rather than the Generation 1's Japanese Hino ladder engine. In lieu of a ladder, he packs a water cannon with spring-loaded projectile, a call-back to Generation 2 Inferno's working water cannon. Said cannon cannot be removed from Inferno's right arm (not without disassembly, anyway).

The number "401" tampographed onto him is the area code for the state of Rhode Island, home of Hasbro's headquarters.

Inferno's package artwork and stock photography depict a couple of extra transformation steps not shown in his instructions: his shoulder kibble is positioned behind the arms, rather than out to the sides, and the folded panels on his forearms are rotated around.

This sculpt was also used to make Timelines Autobot Spark, and was retooled to make Transformers (2010) Solar Storm Grappel and Generations Protectobot Hot Spot, and Grappel himself was later redecoed into Transformers (2014) Protectobot Hot Spot. It was then redecoed into United Artfire, using tooling from both the original Inferno version and the newer Grappel version of this sculpt.

• More information on Universe Inferno at TFU.info

Henkei! Henkei!

Is it hot in here, or is it just me?

• Cybertron Inferno (Voyager Class, 2009-02-26)
  • ID number: C-15
  • Accessories: "Water Blast" projectile

Henkei! Henkei! Inferno differs from Universe Inferno mainly in the red plastic used: whereas Universe Inferno has a darker shade of red, Henkei Inferno is considerably brighter. The dark brown plastic used for several parts on Universe Inferno has been changed to gray. The black parts on Universe Inferno are now dark blue and the colorless clear plastic used for his eyes is actually molded in clear blue plastic (rather than being painted over clear blue). Major paint application changes include chroming Inferno's water cannon, forearm panels, and the backs of his shoulder panels. Aside from the chrome he also has the addition of yellow highlights to his head, clear-red painted sirens, and the removal of the Rhode Island "401" area code.

Speed Stars

Because real firetrucks come with real firepower.

• Autobot Inferno (Stealth Force Deluxe, 2010)
  • Accessories: 2 projectiles

Speed Stars Inferno is a roughly Voyager-sized non-transformable traditional fire truck. His packaging also depicts his Universe toy's robot head. At the press of a button, he can deploy his weapons located on top, at the side and the front of his vehicle mode while pulling a tab hides the weapons again. He retains the "401" tampograph that his Universe toy had.

Included in the package are two water-burst missiles. However, they can only be stored in and fired from his top-mounted cannon one at a time.

Kre-O

• Inferno (Kreon Micro-Changer, 2012)
  • Bag number: ***** 41
  • Accessories: Logo brick, wrist-blaster

• Known designers: Ed Masiello (Hasbro)

Part of the first normal wave of Micro-Changer Kreons, Inferno is a blindpacked-bagged mini-figure, though a stamped ID number can be found on the back of the bag, top-right corner. He comes with extra bits to turn him into something that might be described as a fire engine.

He uses Sentinel Prime's helmet... which was patterned after the original Inferno in the first place.

There have been reports of him coming with Airachnid's helmet instead of his own.

• More information on Inferno at TFU.info

• Kreon Class of 1985 (Kreon figure set, 2015)
  • Set number: B5152
  • Voted: Class Hottie
  • Accessories: Scoped pistol

Kreon Class of '85 Inferno features a deco much more accurate to the original 1985 toy. Like the rest of the set, he uses the updated, almost-totally-retooled 2015 style Kreon body.

This box set of thirty Kreons was a San Diego Comic-Con 2015 exclusive, with leftovers being sold on Hasbro Toy Shop online after the show.

• Inferno (Kreon Micro-Changer, 2016)
  • Collection: 1
  • Accessories: Logo plate, wrist-blaster

In 2016, Collection 1 was re-released in a whole new production run for discount and drug stores in the US as part of a large collection of re-released Kre-O sets. But where most of these releases are nigh-identical to the originals, the re-released Micro-Changer blind-bags use the almost-entirely-retooled 2015 Kreon, with slightly-differently-hued plastics than the originals. (It is possible for some of the add-on pieces to be in the older hues.) Inferno's torso and face tampographs have also been reworked to be slightly more detailed, and the formerly-bare legs now have extra detail tampographing on them. The 1x1 top-clip piece is also slightly different from the original, with a much lower-set clip.

Sadly, this release has no individual-identification code on the bag, requiring you to use the feel-through-the-bag method or just buy blind and hope.

Bot Shots

Some other guy already took the color red.

• Inferno (2013)
  • Series: 2
  • Number: B011
    • Fist strength: 186
    • Blaster strength: 580
    • Sword strength: 848

Part of the third wave of Bot Shots Series 2 single-packs, Blitz Shot Inferno is a redeco of Series 1 Sentinel Prime, transforming into a firetruck with an automatic, spring-loaded transformation to robot mode triggered when his front bumper is pressed. He has an "spinner" in his chest that shows his three attack types and power levels.

This mold was also retooled to make Go!: BeCool Ganoh.

Masterpiece

Yeah! Let's make an MP of Inferno! He's real popular these days, right?

• Inferno (2016-11-26)
  • ID number: MP-33
  • Accessories: Four faces, two heads, chromed hand blaster, white hand blaster, chrome-grilled chest, two gray-grilled chests, sticker sheet, water spray, fire hose, extinguisher rifle and two communication radar dishes, die-cast Optimus Prime figure (Asian preorder only)

• Known designers: Yuki Ohshima (concept artist)

Masterpiece Inferno represents his cartoon model very well—right down to his disappearing ladder in robot mode—while still maintaining the Masterpiece level of detail. He comes with two heads, one based on the animation character model and one based on the original toy (both of which featured in the Generation 1 cartoon–see "Notes" for details) and four swappable faces: default and angry which only fit into the toy head, and default and smiling which fit onto the animation character model head (these can also be fitted into the toy head but leave gaps).

He also comes with three chest pieces: one based on his original toy with a detailed, chromed grill and standard Autobot symbol; one with the simplified, non-chromed grill and symbol designs from the cartoon; and one with clear supports attached to it so that Inferno can recreate the scene from "Auto Berserk" of him carrying Red Alert in his arms. He also comes with the robotic hose Lord Chumley attacked him with in the episode "Prime Target", as well as two removable, forearm-mounted communicators, which appeared in the same episode. His wrist-barrel/blaster is hidden behind his right hand and comes in both chromed and unchromed form, to match whichever chestpiece you have attached, and he includes a gushing water-spray effect piece that can plug into either barrel, his fire truck mode's ladder, head mounted nozzle or robotic hose. He also includes a selection of optional stickers, including standard and cartoon-accurate Autobot logos, and four "fire department" stickers, bearing a similar appearance to the symbol seen on MP-14 Red Alert. In early displays, the sticker sheet which indicates his role as "Cybertron Search & Rescue" had the word "search" misspelled. This error was corrected in the finalized release.

If preordered from retailers supplied by Hasbro Asia, he also comes with a non-transforming die-cast Optimus Prime minifigure.

Inferno was retooled into Grapple, and more subtly retooled into Artfire.

Power of the Primes

Destined to be retooled into Optimus "Burning Spirit" Prime anytime now.

• Inferno (Voyager Class, 2018)
  • TakaraTomy ID number: PP-36
  • Accessories: Two rifles, 2 Prime Armor/combiner feet, Autobot Enigma

• Known designers: John Warden (Hasbro)

The only figure in the third wave of Power of the Primes Voyager Class figures, Inferno is a retool of Combiner Wars Protectobot Hot Spot, and he transforms from a firetruck resembling a modified Rosenbauer Panther 8x8 to a robot. Inferno can form the torso of an unnamed combiner using any selection of Combiner Wars-style Deluxe Class figures as limbs. He also includes Prime Armor that can hold a Prime Master (and by extension, a Titan Master, Enigma, or Matrix core) and can turn into feet for said unnamed combiner. Samples shown at the Australian Toy Fair 2018 and stock renders show his Prime Armor is redecoed from Hun-Gurrr's, while boxed samples shown at that same Toy Fair and the Hasbro TakaraTomy stock photography (shown to the left) has them redecoed from Starscream's. The final product uses Starscream's, most likely due to his Prime Armor having fold out 5 mm posts, as opposed to Hun-Gurrr's 5 mm holes. Like all the other Voyager Class figures, Inferno includes an Enigma of Combination (dubbed the Autobot Enigma), based on a Prime Master, which can attach to Inferno via the previously mentioned Prime Armor. The Autobot Enigma in this case is not the same as the one Elita-1 carries, but is a redeco of Hun-Gurrr's Terrorcon Enigma. Unlike all other Power of the Primes Voyager Class figures, his Enigma can't be placed onto the torso in combined mode due to being a minor retool from an older line (though this can be fixed by pegging a prime armor into the chest pegs of the combiner). On the plus side, this also means he is the only voyager class figure in the line to grant a weapon to his combined form, being a giant sniper rifle formed by plugging his twin launchers end-to-end.

Inferno's box and card artwork depicts him with the chest and shoulders of the Onslaught version of the mold (with the chest slightly tweaked to remove the detail that mimicked G1 Onslaught's chest sticker). However, the final toy only uses tooling from Hot Spot, implying a change late in production. Additionally, there is a slight bit of retooling where his legs collapse into torso mode- where all previous versions of the mold have a simple slot for the tab on the robot thigh to slide into, the retooling creates a slot for the tab to peg into, creating a more secure leg for the combined mode.

War for Cybertron: Kingdom

Wait, you're telling me we aren't getting an ant?

• Inferno (Voyager Class, 2021)
  • Hasbro ID number: WFC-K19
  • TakaraTomy ID number: KD-10
  • TakaraTomy release date: July 31, 2021
  • Accessories: Extinguisher blaster, nozzle, 2 fire hoses

Kingdom Voyager Class Inferno is the inevitable retool of Earthrise Grapple; with a new head, replacing the entire crane arm with an aerial apparatus and having removeable fire hoses that peg into the sides of his vehicle mode.

Inferno comes with the same hand nozzle and blaster as Grapple. His fire ladder can be ratcheted around to several different angles, with a tab at the base serving as storage for the nozzle. The armature that his head and ladder are mounted on is a newly molded piece, solving Grapple's issue by having shorter and sturdier pegs that connect to his feet in vehicle mode.

Inferno comes with a Golden Disk card that "reveals a possible destiny of a key character", with each character having three possible destiny variants.

This particular tooling of the mold was redecoed into Generations Selects Artfire, with the Grapple version of the mold using this mold's new pegs to make Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection Road Hauler.

Merchandise

Transformers Gum

• Inferno (1985)
  • Accessories: "Extinguisher Rifle", 2 fists (left & right)

Essentially a downsized version of the original Inferno toy, the Transformers Gum kit is sculpted from black, red, and white plastic, features stickers rather than paint applications for details, and came with a stick of gum.

• Inferno (2011)

Released in the fourth wave of the revived Transformers Gum series in 2011, this transforming model kit of Inferno is made from red and black plastic, with stickers for detail. It's based on the Henkei Inferno toy. He comes with the base (and accompanying stickers) of the trailer for Rodimus Prime.

Decoy

• Cybertron Hero Collection 9 (multi-pack, 1986)
• Inferno (1987)
  • Decoy number: 14

The figurine was later brought over to Hasbro markets as part of the Decoy promotion, largely identical to the Japanese release except for the fact that the number on his back was replaced with a simple "checklist" number. Like all Autobot Decoys, he was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded Throttlebots, Aerialbots, Protectobots, and Technobots.

• More information on Decoy Inferno at TFU.info

3D Battle-Card Game

• Inferno (2007)

A 36-point "rare" character in the 3D Battle-Card Game's "Energon Wars" expansion, Inferno "transforms" into a red fire truck. He uses the same parts layout as Movie Bonecrusher, Movie Longarm, and "Classic Bonecrusher", albeit with some parts moved around to make him more fire truck-like.

Tiny Titans

• Inferno (Tiny Titans, 2015)
  • Series: 4
  • Number: 1/12

Part of the fourth assortment of Tiny Titans blindpacks, this version of Inferno is a very small, soft-plastic figure of him in robot mode.

He includes a collectible card that renders him in the 2015 Robots in Disguise styling. The card includes a scan-badge for the Robots in Disguise mobile game, which unlocks a random amount of Energon "currency" and a randomized bonus power-up item.

This wave saw fairly minimal release at "big box" retailers, but unlike other waves, was not picked up by drug stores and the like later, making them particularly hard to find.

Transformers Trading Card Game

• Inferno, Fearless Firefighter (2018)
  • Wave 1
  • Rarity: UT
  • Card Number: T22/T40
  • Stars: 12

Inferno, Fearless Firefighter is one of forty double-sided character cards available in Wave 1 of the Transformers Trading Card Game.

The artwork on the card is reused from the Transformers Legends mobile card game, and is based on the Transformers: Universe Inferno toy.

Transformers Character Card

• Alert & Inferno Set (October 17, 2023)
  • ID number: 65 & 66

Released as part of the ninth wave of the e-HOBBY exclusive Transformers Character Card series, this pair of holographic trading cards depict super-deformed art of "Alert" and Inferno along with character profiles and tech specs.

• Translation of Inferno's Transformers Character Card

Blokees

• Inferno (2023)

• Series: Galaxy Version 02 - SOS

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Notes

Inferno moonlights for easy cash.

• An early variant of the Diaclone predecessor of the original Transformers Inferno figure had an actual Mitsubishi company logo and the name "FUSO" sculpted on the front end of his cab section, whereas later versions lacked those details just like the later Transformers version did.^[1]
• Inferno's original toy, slightly modified, was knocked off and used as the title giant robot in the Korean animated film Phoenix King (피닉스킹). Phoenix King was dubbed (horribly) and released in America by Digiview Entertainment as Defenders of Space, generally selling for the bargain price of $1.00. Scenes of "Inferno" from this movie were also incorporated into another bargain film distributed by Digiview Entertainment, Space Thunder Kids.
• Before Inferno received his combining toy (and associated generic Combiner lineup) in Power of the Primes, Fun Publications hinted at the tooling in the text story "Lively Pursuit", which mentioned other leftover Combiner Wars elements. In that telling, Inferno was selected alongside Ratchet, Hoist, Sideswipe, and Bluestreak for Project Firestormer, but this plan never came to fruition due to Thunder Mayhem killing everyone besides Bluestreak.

References