Ramhorn (G1)

Ramhorn is an Autobot Mini-Cassette from the Generation 1 continuity family.

"Slaggit, Blaster, lemme out or I'll SMASH my way out!"

Ramhorn is one bad-tempered tape. In beast mode, he's very aggressive and easily provoked. If somebody messes with his stuff, he'll most likely smash the offender, then smash the tampered-with belongings, then smash everything nearby for good measure. He's very strong, too, able to derail a train with a single blow if he wants to. Even in cassette mode, he can give off damaging vibrations; this probably wouldn't derail a train, but don't test him.

Fiction

Generation 1 cartoon continuity

The Transformers cartoon

Voice actor: John Hostetter (English), Takurō Kitagawa (Japanese), Imo Heite (German, Forever is a Long Time Coming), Bernd Simon (German, Nightmare Planet), Manfred Schmidt (German, The Quintesson Journal), Reinhard Brock (German, Call of the Primitives)

Y'know, maybe if real rhinos had those hip-mounted weapons, they wouldn't be going extinct.

During the Battle of Autobot City, Ramhorn and his fellow cassettes Eject, Rewind and Steeljaw fought their Decepticon counterparts, saving Perceptor. Ramhorn tackled Ratbat right out of the air in the battle. The Transformers: The Movie

Ramhorn fights the tiiiiniest Dark Guardian!

Ramhorn was one of the Autobots who were accidentally sent 11 million years back in time via the Quintesson time window, along with Blaster, Blurr, Wreck-Gar, and the other Autobot cassettes. Ramhorn demonstrated his ability to speak, something which most Decepticon cassette beasts did not seem to possess (although he did have a weird stutter). He and the other temporally displaced Autobots agreed to help Beta and her ancient Autobot rebels launch an attack on the Quintesson capital of Hive City, in a last-ditch effort to drive the five-faced oppressors from their planet. As the other future Autobots debated the best way to draw off the Dark Guardians, Ramhorn did what he does best: violently charge the enemy head first. Unfortunately, the attack was nearly thwarted when the Autobots were overwhelmed by a reserve force of Dark Guardians. Luckily, A-3, who had been stranded in the future via the time window, returned to the past at the last minute, disabling the Dark Guardians with his Coder Remote device, allowing Ramhorn and the others to return to the year 2006. Forever Is a Long Time Coming

Wild bean vines. Hard to digest.

Later, after Daniel Witwicky and Grimlock were accidentally sent to Menonia, Ramhorn helped track them down. After briefly destroying a battering ram, Steeljaw sniffed out Daniel, who was trying to free the Golden One from his prison in a cave and stop Mara-Al-Utha. Steeljaw must be a pretty darn good friend of Ramhorn's, because the robo-rhino actually turned and left a battle in progress to join him in locating Daniel. None of the humans had the strength to move the rock entombing the Golden One. As he and Steeljaw didn't have opposable thumbs, Ramhorn did the next best thing: charge the rock blocking the cave at full speed. It shattered, with debris nearly hitting the fleshies. He still needs to work on that whole "protecting people" thing. Madman's Paradise

Or maybe he's just a big frickin' rhino.

Out in space once with Blaster and Outback, Ramhorn was riding inside Sky Lynx in cassette mode when Perceptor sent them on a mission to identify a Quintesson locator beacon. Sky Lynx had trouble landing on the planet in question, so Ramhorn, Steeljaw and Blaster waddled out the airlock while still in their massively oversized cassette and player modes. It was hilarious. The Quintesson Journal

Ramhorn was briefly seen fighting the Decepticons in Europe, alongside Ultra Magnus and Rodimus Prime. He and Steeljaw tackled Galvatron in his cannon mode. The Ultimate Weapon

Ramhorn was among the so-called "primitives" summoned by a mysterious entity known only as "The Primacron's Assistant" to combat Primacron and his latest creation, Tornedron. When the Dinobots, Predacons, and Terrorcons brawled inside Trypticon, Ramhorn strangely did not participate in the battle, but tried to avoid it. Ramhorn didn't fare any better than the other primitives in battle with Tornedron and had his energy drained by the bizarre creature, only to be restored to life when Grimlock activated the reverse switch, dissipating the energy monster. Call of the Primitives

Japanese cartoon continuity

Scramble City

In the late 1980s, when the Autobots were in the process of creating a mobile battle fortress, Ravage, Laserbeak, and Ratbat attempted to infiltrate their subterranean facility and gain information on the construction project. Blaster deployed Ramhorn and Steeljaw to occupy Ravage and Laserbeak while he himself tried to fend off Ratbat; unfortunately, Ravage was able to dodge Ramhorn's missile attacks, and his feline agility allowed him to quickly get the better of the irascible rhino and take him down, while Blaster failed to prevent Ratbat from penetrating the facility and making off with data on the new "Scramble City". Scramble City: Mobilization

The Headmasters cartoon

Voice actor: Kōji Totani (Japanese)

I bet Ravage never has to put up with this kind of indignity.

In the year 2011, Ramhorn and the Mini-Cassettes journeyed to the Arctic with Blaster to help Hot Rod in the search for the missing Matrix of Leadership. There, they confronted the Predacons and Ramhorn got into a head-butting contest with Headstrong, emerging on top and hurling him into the sky before following up with a missile barrage. The Decepticon cheated by switching to robot mode and shooting the rockets down. The battle ended in tragedy when Blaster was killed in battle with his arch-foe, Soundwave. The Mystery of Planet Master Ramhorn and the Cassettes mourned the loss of their friend so greatly that they couldn't even go on missions. Eventually, Rodimus Prime had Blaster rebuilt using Master technology as Twincast. Reunited, Ramhorn and Twincast infiltrated Trypticon and the planet Chaar to stop Galvatron's Madmachine from being used against the Autobots. The Great Cassette Operation

Do not disturb a Darwin's frog during labor.

After this Ramhorn and the other cassettes spied on Galvatron while he plotted to attack Cybertron. Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1 Later, in a form of stealth mission usually reserved for Decepticon Cassettes, Ramhorn and Steeljaw somehow managed to reach Chaar on their own and spy on Scorponok, learning all about his plans for plasma energy and the impending creation of his giant Transtector. The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts Later Twincast snuck into the Decepticon's base on Charr; and witnessed Scorponok unveiling his complected transtector. When Twincast was discovered, he ejected Ramhorn and the others to defend him. Ramhorn tussled with a Decepticon cassette before retreating. Twincast then relayed his findings to Fortress. Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears Using Scorponok's new Transtector, the Decepticons departed Earth to search for energy on other planets, and Twincast, Ramhorn and the Mini-Cassettes joined Fortress' crew in hunting them down. On Paradise, Ramhorn was dispatched on a scouting mission with the other Mini-Cassettes. Head Formation of Friendship

Back on Earth, Ramhorn and the Mini-Cassettes ejected to help Twincast gather information on the recent upsurge of Decepticon activity. The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg When the Decepticons seemingly abandoned Earth, Ramhorn and his fellow Mini-Cassettes did some investigating to make sure they were gone. Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1) The villains eventually returned, however, and in the final battle at the North Pole, Ramhorn and the Mini-Cassettes were unleashed on Mindwipe to save the Headmasters from his hypnotic powers. The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)

Legends comic

When Twincast was infected with black balls, shrinking his body, Ramhorn and the other cassettes turned out to be unaffected thanks to having been hidden away inside him at the time. They evacuated Twincast's body before it shrunk into nothingness, then helped with converting him and other blackball victims into Headmasters. Headmaster Chapter Prologue After Twincast returned to being Blaster, he looked back at his past, remembering his spy missions with Ramhorn and the others. Bonus Edition Vol. 27

Ramhorn was injured in battle and repaired by Perceptor, who replaced his cassette mode with a new tank mode and gave him a third handheld weapon mode in the process. He initially disliked the changes, but grew to like being a tank after its firepower came in handy when saving Perceptor from Katsu Don. After being freed, Perceptor sent Katsu Don fleeing by aiming Ramhorn's weapon mode at him. Bonus Edition Vol. 56

Ask Vector Prime

Ramhorn was one of the many cassettes deployed by Blaster against Re-Volt, Chaos, and Traitor when the Renegades tried to breach Autobot City. Ramhorn charged and trampled Traitor in the ensuing fight. Echoes and Fragments

Marvel UK future timelines

Oof! Right in the quintebeans!

When the Quintessons invaded Autobot City in 2008, Blaster was deactivated and strung up on the outer wall and Ramhorn was trapped inside with his fellow cassettes. Hot Rod and Arcee managed to get to Blaster and free the cassettes later on, increasing their ranks in order to fight back against the Quintesson occupied city. Ramhorn was seen impaling a Quintesson in the guts with his horn. Space Pirates!

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

During the Age of Internment, Ramhorn served under Blaster and Perceptor as part of the last remaining Autobot force free and fighting the Decepticons. The Age of Wrath Pt.2 He listened to the story of how Slamdance discovered the ancient underground caves that now served as the Autobot resistance's base. The Age of Wrath Pt.3

Ramhorn accompanied Blaster as he used an ancient map of Cybertron's depths to infiltrate Megatron's slave camp, only for them to be discovered by Megatron himself. The Age of Wrath Pt.4

In the modern era, Ramhorn was once again part of a resistance cell, this time being directed by Hot Rod and Kup. He, Blaster, and his fellow cassettes participated in the insurrection against Shockwave's Cybertronian government. Countdown to Extinction

Transformers vs. G.I. Joe

Ramhorn carried Wild Bill into battle with Sixshot during the final battle with the Decepticons. Transformers vs. G.I. Joe #12

Titans Return marketing material

As a Titan Master, Ramhorn could grant those he combined with the power of "smash attack". Trypticon's Titan Master Crunch

2005 IDW continuity

In the era of Zeta Prime, Ramhorn among the crowd of protesters rallying against the Autobot cop who reportedly killed an unarmed Decepticon agitator. To Walk Among the Chosen

Games

Transformers Legends

Ramhorn was among Blaster's team which infiltrated a human base in an attempt to prevent the Decepticons raiding the technology there. Unfortunately they discovered that Soundwave and his tapes had beaten them to it. Espionage

Angry Birds Transformers

Ramhorn is an "Accessory" character for the Autobirds. When equipped, he increases different stats depending on who his partner is. This bonus can be increased with level upgrades, won from random-prize Crates or in the "Shockwave's Tower" mini-game.

He can be unlocked by purchasing him with Gems in the Barracks, with Tokens during specific Challenge Events, or won from Crates and Shockwave's Tower.

This model was also used for Stranglehold. Angry Birds Transformers

Transformers: Frontiers

The Game Full of Death and Suffering...! This character article is a stub and is missing information on their video game appearances. You can help Transformers Wiki by expanding it. Transformers: Frontiers

Transformers: Earth Wars

Ramhorn—alongside Rewind, Eject, and Steeljaw—was one of four minions released by Blaster as the larger bot's special ability.

Transformers Roleplaying Game

Ramhorn was a hard-headed member of Blaster's Recordabots. Decepticon Directive

While guarding a shipment of energon cubes in an abandoned Colorado railyard, Blaster posted Ramhorn to keep watch on the outer perimeter. However, a group of Decepticons breached the yard; after a brief struggle, the villains defeated the Autobots and stole the energon for themselves. The Great Energon Robbery

Toys

Let's see what you can see... This article is in need of images.

The Transformers

• Ramhorn / Eject (Cassette 2-pack, 1986)

• Accessories: Left & right "Missile Batteries"
• Known designers: Takashi Matsuda (TakaraTomy)

Ramhorn transforms from robotic rhinoceros to microcassette and back. In tape mode, he fits inside the chest compartment of the Blaster and Soundwave molds (and their many many variants, as well as the much later Masterpiece Soundwave). For the Hasbro line, he was only available in a two-pack with Eject.

Two commonplace versions of Ramhorn exist: one with silver vacuum metalized add-on weapons, and one with gold. A very rare variant had painted cassette details instead of stickers; it's uncertain what relation this variant has to the silver/gold weapons, if any.

This mold was also used to make Shattered Glass Ramhorn.

• More information on Ramhorn at TFU.info

• Amhorn (Cassettebot, 1986/1987)

• ID number: C-66, C-119
• Accessories: Left & right "Laser Guided Missile" batteries
• Known designers: Takashi Matsuda (TakaraTomy)

In Japan, "Amhorn" —like most of the "Cassettbots" and "Cassettrons"— was originally only available on an individual card. He was only sold with gold-chrome weapons through this run.

He was released again in the The Headmasters-themed toyline, with a new ID number.

Encore

• Great Cassette Operation 2 (2009)

• ID number: 17
• Accessories: Left & right "Laser Guided Missile" batteries, cassette case

As part of TakaraTomy's Encore line, Ramhorn was reissued in a cassette four-pack with Ratbat, Slugfest, and Steeljaw. This version of Ramhorn comes with gold vacuum metalized add-on weapons, and his tape stickers were replaced with tampographs. This release (as well as basically every subsequent release) also comes with a clear-plastic cassette case he can be stored in.

In 2014, this set (along with the other two Encore cassette sets) was given away as a lucky draw prize for the Transformers Celebration 2014 event held at Ikebukuro Sunshine City store's Toys"R"Us, though this was very likely just leftover stock.

Universe (2008)

Whoops, tampographs.

• Autobot Blaster (2010)

• Series: G1 Series
• Accessories: Left & right "Missile Batteries", cassette case

Included with the San Diego Comic-Con exclusive reissue of Blaster (branded as part of the 2008 Universe toyline), this version of Ramhorn comes with silver add-on weapons and the Encore tampographed tape detailing.

This set also includes Eject and Steeljaw.

This set was also made available at the Animation-Comic-Game Hong Kong Fair 2010.

Platinum Edition

• Autobot Intel Ops (Multi-pack, 2015)

• Accessories: Left & right "Missile Batteries", cassette case

Hasbro again released Blaster in 2015 as part of the Platinum Edition toyline. He was co-packed with Perceptor, Eject, Ramhorn, and Steeljaw in a box with an opening front cover. There do not appear to be any notable differences between this release and the prior Universe release.

In the United States, this set was officially a Target exclusive, though it was initially only ever found at a single Target store, otherwise only available via the company's website. It was later revealed that multiple Target stores had kept it in their stockroom and eventually put it out on instant clearance many months later. However, it was also stocked by US-based online retailers BigBadToyStore and TFSource, who supposedly obtained it as an import from Asia. It was available in several of Hasbro's Asian markets (namely Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore; it's currently unknown whether it was exclusive to any particular stores there or not). In Australia, it was sold at Toys"R"Us stores.

In the United Kingdom, it was both sold at Toys"R"Us stores and officially available via the UK division of Amazon, making this the first official UK release of all the toys contained within! In Spain, it was officially available via the Spanish division of Amazon. In Germany, it was originally available via Bankroft as part of a special "Fan Edition" arrangement through Hasbro Germany, with the help of several German fan sites. Due to low sales, the unsold stock was later sold to German online retailer Actionfiguren24.

Titans Return

• Ramhorn (Titan Master, 2017)

• Accessories: Rhino/tank/rocket-launcher vehicle
• Known designers: John Warden (Hasbro)

Part of the fifth and final wave of Titans Return Titan Master class toys (and the only new guy in the wave), Ramhorn is a retool of Shuffler, transforming from robot to a head compatible with any Deluxe-or-larger Titans Return figure. He comes with a vehicle accessory, also retooled from Shuffler's, which can transform from a rhino into a tank that the head robot can pilot from the back, or a (non-firing) multi-rocket launcher that can be held by larger figures.

Appropriately (and awesomely), the Titan Master's head mode is based on the never-got-past-concept art Headmaster Warrior rhinoceros.^[1]

Due to how the smaller head is designed, Ramhorn's head mode may likely wobble on the larger figure's Titan Master sockets.

Two variants of Ramhorn are known to exist, differing in their base plastic color. The seemingly more common version has a desaturated, medium-brown plastic, while the rarer version is a brighter orange-brown closer to traditional depictions of Ramhorn (and pictured in the stock CG render on the packaging).

Ramhorn initially saw a very limited release in the United States, with sporadic sightings at Meijer stores. For the Christmas 2017 season, however, he suddenly appeared at numerous Aldi grocery stores, of all places. He would see another round of release in late 2018 through Five Below. Like the previous wave, Ramhorn never saw wide release in Malaysian stores, due to shelfwarming in the first and second waves.

Ramhorn's main body was later redecoed as Legends Clouder while his accessory was redecoed as Legends Amhorn (see next section).

Legends

His patner is Peceptor.

• Perceptor (Deluxe, 2017)

• ID number: LG56
• Release date: December 30, 2017

Available only with Legends Perceptor, "Amhorn" is is a redeco of Ramhorn's Titans Return partner drone accessory, with much more extensive cartoon-based deco, but does not include the Titan Master (boo!). Amhorn transforms from a rhino to a tank which Perceptor's Headmaster stage can ride, as well as a rocket launcher which can be held by larger figures.

Transformers Retro

• Ramhorn / Bombshell (Multi-pack, 2024)

• Accessories: Left & right "Missile Batteries"

The original Ramhorn was reissued once again in the Walmart exclusive Transformers Retro line. He now features a more cartoon-accurate deco, with painted symbols and tape spools, and matte-gray leg joints rather than raw-die-cast-metal silver. For the first time in the long history of the mold, his missile batteries are not chromed, but instead have metallic paint.

He was inexplicably only available in a multi-pack with Bombshell; a rhino and a rhinoceros beetle.

This item is currently scheduled for release, but is not yet available at mass retail.

Merchandise

G.I. Joe and the Transformers

• The Epic Conclusion! box set (2013)

Among the accessories included in the San Diego Comic-Con 2013 exclusive G.I. Joe and the Transformers box set "The Epic Conclusion!" is a non-transforming, 3.75" scale Blaster boombox accessory with cassette pieces representing Ramhorn, Steeljaw, and Eject. Ramhorn is solid burgundy and features sculpted accessories based on his original toy. The three cassettes can fit into a slot above Blaster's tape door, and the boombox itself can mount on a G.I. Joe figure's back.

The set also comes with a retooled Sky Striker representing Jetfire, a G.I. Joe VAMP redecoed into Hound, a new Snake-Eyes figure bearing an Autobot symbol, a Baroness figure with Ravage on a leash, and a Bludgeon figure. The three cassette molds were later redecoed into Crusticons.

• More information on Snake Eyes (v66) (with Autobot Blaster and mini-cassettes) at YoJoe.com

Transformers Trading Card Game

• Ramhorn, Warrior (2019)
  • Blaster vs. Soundwave: 35th Anniversary Edition
  • Rarity: RT
  • Card Number: T03/T08
  • Stars: 5

Ramhorn, Warrior was released in the Transformers Trading Card Game Blaster vs. Soundwave box set. The box also includes the character cards Blaster, Communications, Soundwave, Communications, Eject, Electronic Surveillance, Steeljaw, Tracker, Buzzsaw, Spy, Frenzy, Warrior, and Ravage, Saboteur, along with two ready to play 40 card battle decks themed around both Blaster and Soundwave.

In order to represent Ramhorn's size as a Mini-Cassette, the card is the same size as a battle card, about half the size of a standard character card.

The first release of this set was a 35th Anniversary Edition was initially released at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 alongside the TCG's Omnibot Convention Pack, and later available online on Hasbro Pulse. The 35th Anniversary Edition features throwback artwork, with the original G1 Ramhorn packaging art on the Bot Mode side, and original artwork matching the G1 packaging art aesthetic for Alt Mode. This original Alt Mode artwork was drawn by Marcelo Matere and colored by Caravan.

• Ramhorn, Warrior (2019)
  • Blaster vs. Soundwave
  • Rarity: RT
  • Card Number: T03/T08
  • Stars: 5

This version of Ramhorn, Warrior was released as part of the general retail version of the Transformers Trading Card Game Blaster vs. Soundwave box set.

Gameplay-wise the card is identical to the 35th Anniversary Edition of the set, and features different artwork reused from the Transformers Legends mobile game.

Notes

• Ramhorn has the distinction of being the only animal-based Mini-Cassette to speak throughout his time in the US Generation 1 cartoon continuity. The closest another came was Ravage, whose voice was once heard giving a playback of information in tape mode.
  • In Japan, however, most notably in The Headmasters cartoon, most of the animal-based Mini-Cassettes have the ability to speak.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Amhorn (アムホーン Amuhōn)
• French: Rhinoféroce (Canada)
• Italian: Cuneo, Striker (The Headmasters)
• Mandarin: Xīniú (犀牛, "Rhinoceros")
• Russian: Bodun (Бодун, "Hangover")

References