Zoids (Japanese ゾイド (zoido)), short for Zoic Androids, is a franchise based around a series of plastic toy models designed and produced by Japanese toy company Tomy (now Takara-Tomy). First released in 1982, the models resemble a range of creatures including mammals, dinosaurs, and insects. The majority are in 1:72 scale with a wind-up or battery-powered motor to power moveable features, and feature snap-together construction and precolored parts. The original line of toys was released in Japan, Europe, and the United States in the 1980s.