In the 1980s, the need for action figures got bigger with all the cartoons that started on TV. Shows like Masters of the Universe, G.I. Joe and Thundercats which got the attention of young boys and gave a need for the action figures of their favorite shows. Hasbro got the idea for the Transformers we know today from a cartoon in Japan and brought it to the United States in 1984, cartoon episodes and then action figures soon came along.