It consisted of transforming vehicles and robots piloted by miniature, magnet-shoed figures spun off from the prior Microman toy line.
In 1982, the line later featured the Car-Robots set of transforming robot toys, invented by Ōno Kōjin with some initial designs by Kawamori and others.
Other Transformers characters that came from the Diaclone line included the Dinobots, Insecticons (from the enemy Waruder toys), the Jumpstarters, the mail-order exclusive Powerdashers and Omnibots, the Decepticon planes (originally from two "JetRobo" toys, produced in the colors of future Decepticons Starscream and Thundercracker) and the Constructicons, who also came from the Car-Robots set.
The Constructicons came from near the end of the series, at which point Takara was starting to abandon the Inch-Man pilot figures and being limited to the 1/60 scale.
Takara has since revived the franchise, however; first announced at Tokyo Toy Show 2015, the first proper figure of the new Diaclone line was revealed at Wonder Festival of 2015.