Transformers General Discussion thread

The place to discuss anything relating to anime or manga.
2NA Fish
Posts: 256
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 11:45 pm

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

Zone was 1 pilot episode as an OVA, and then it got scrapped. Unfortunately, by Victory, the production team at Toei were just going through the motions and delivering a really half arsed story. Pity because I liked what they did with MasterForce, even though MasterForce(and Victory and Zone) was a lot closer to a Brave series than a Transformers series.

Headmasters was a bit odd in that they tried to emulate the American cartoon style storytelling, so it had some great ideas but fell through with the presentation.

Our local anime distributor here in Australia, Madman, have already released all of G1 up to Victory. They're pretty good with fan requests so we count ourselves really lucky.

Wasn't a fan of Beast Wars, but there were many respectable things about it. Beast Machines however tends to deserve what is said about it.

I really liked Car Robots. It didn't take itself too seriously, and it had little nods to a lot of its predecessors. It was a fun series, and I think a lot of the fan backlash against it seemed to be more due to the way the English dub was handled. Changing the names to old G1 names caused more trouble than it was worth.

Unfortunately I haven't bothered with any series after Car Robots. None that struck my fancy. I didn't like all the ones with overly futuristic vehicle modes, and the live action movies left such a bad taste in my mouth my wife had to drag me from the cinema before I started a fight.

I haven't read a Transformers comic since the really old one that ran with G1. Some great bits in there, with King Grimlock, awesome Ratbat, the Wreckers and Death's Head. At the end though, I gave up after that whacky and convoluted time travel plot ending with Megatron AND Galvatron VS everybody else. Or maybe it was after Super God Saiyan Starscream that I decided maybe things were getting too over-the-top.... :roll:

On Kiss, I didn't mind the Binaltech release that had the AI-chan figure, but the rest I thought were pushing to the wrong crowd.
User avatar
Mu La Flaga
Posts: 1433
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:06 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

2NA Fish wrote:Zone was 1 pilot episode as an OVA, and then it got scrapped. Unfortunately, by Victory, the production team at Toei were just going through the motions and delivering a really half arsed story. Pity because I liked what they did with MasterForce, even though MasterForce(and Victory and Zone) was a lot closer to a Brave series than a Transformers series.

Headmasters was a bit odd in that they tried to emulate the American cartoon style storytelling, so it had some great ideas but fell through with the presentation.

Our local anime distributor here in Australia, Madman, have already released all of G1 up to Victory. They're pretty good with fan requests so we count ourselves really lucky.

Wasn't a fan of Beast Wars, but there were many respectable things about it. Beast Machines however tends to deserve what is said about it.

I really liked Car Robots. It didn't take itself too seriously, and it had little nods to a lot of its predecessors. It was a fun series, and I think a lot of the fan backlash against it seemed to be more due to the way the English dub was handled. Changing the names to old G1 names caused more trouble than it was worth.

Unfortunately I haven't bothered with any series after Car Robots. None that struck my fancy. I didn't like all the ones with overly futuristic vehicle modes, and the live action movies left such a bad taste in my mouth my wife had to drag me from the cinema before I started a fight.

I haven't read a Transformers comic since the really old one that ran with G1. Some great bits in there, with King Grimlock, awesome Ratbat, the Wreckers and Death's Head. At the end though, I gave up after that whacky and convoluted time travel plot ending with Megatron AND Galvatron VS everybody else. Or maybe it was after Super God Saiyan Starscream that I decided maybe things were getting too over-the-top.... :roll:

On Kiss, I didn't mind the Binaltech release that had the AI-chan figure, but the rest I thought were pushing to the wrong crowd.
Yep Madman have been pretty good when it comes to that a good point of that is starting to release Digimon soon.

May I ask what didn't click for you with Beast Wars?
I mean it's not like you hated it, but it didn't catch your interest, so I'm just curious.
And yes Beast Machines deserves the critisism it gets.

By Super Saiyan Starscream are you refering to Underbase Starscream story OR Sunstorm in the Dreamwave Transformers series.

I will admit past Armada it was all fututrisitc vehicles focused at least Armada wasn't too bad.
Robots in Disguise had lots of somewhat known real model vehicles mostly with the exception of like Megatron and Ultra Magnus and Fortress Maximus.

It was definetely one of my favs for numerous reasons.
Last edited by Mu La Flaga on Sat Nov 23, 2013 12:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.
2NA Fish
Posts: 256
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 11:45 pm

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

Ah, my gripe with Beast Wars was partly aesthetic and partly just about the concept. For one, I wasn't fond of many of the designs.

More importantly though, it missed the point on one of the fun childhood fantasies many kids have. As a kid, I liked to imagine everything was alive. My dad's car is alive and it talks, my radio is alive, my camera is alive etc. That adding life to inanimate objects, the way Mickey Mouse brought brooms and buckets to life in Fantasia is something that has inspired animators the world over. "See that innocent looking cassette tape? It's alive!! And it's gonna cause an earthquake and kick your arse!!"

For G1, that felt like a dream come true, but with Beast Wars it was like, "Hey, see that tiger? It's alive!! See that gorilla? It's alive too!!" ..... and as you can see, it loses a bit of the intrigue. :lol:

Finally, many of us didn't like how Optimus usually sat at base brooding most of the time while everyone else was off fighting. We appreciated some great character development, awesome dialogue and plot, but in the end it didn't exactly suit our tastes because we just wanted more G1. That's why I was so stoked about Car Robots.

And yeah, I was referring to Underbase Starscream with the comics. Once they put that out, they suffered from the same problem DBZ had - how can we hype up the next evil threat without going even more overboard. Haven't had the chance to read the newer Dreamwave and IDW titles though.
User avatar
Mu La Flaga
Posts: 1433
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:06 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

That is fair enough to say.

For me I didn't mind the idea of animals being like that, since in some cases some animals are common some not as much so it does loose that whole appeal to it sort of.

Then again we also had weird futuristic weapons or jets or tanks as transformers so the line kind of became blurred when season 3 came around more so then before.

And yeah I did intend for that pun if you noticed it.

As for characters Primal was like that during season 1, but season 2 and 3 he got stuck in to it more.
It was more Megatron who tended to remmain at the base unless he needed to.

That and I came to like their flaws and strengths, overall it worked pretty well, I mean yeah there were some who had really stronger annoying morals like Tigatron's wild life protection thing.

In most cases some of their personnalities were justiified, then again it's like how did Rampage ever come to be created by the Maximal Elders as a unnique experiment to recreate Starscream's mutant spark and the end result was a pyschopathic, cannibalistic, insane Transformer.

As for RID I sort of listed my gripes with that one.
But it really was a fresh change of back to the basics after what Beast Machines did before and left a sour taste in it's wake.
Furious Rodimus
Posts: 226
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:51 pm
Location: Saskatchewan
Contact:

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

Mu La Flaga wrote:I've had those sets for a while, since I forgot to mention much of the Japanese stuff.
But yeah Madmamn released them.


I actually really like Masterforce for it's different spin on a Transformers series.
I never ended up liking Headmasters or Victory overly much.
Sorry, I'm late to the discussion, but I really enjoyed Masterforce because it was a such a tightly focused show on a small, but well-developed cast of characters, and Overlord was such a cool take on a Decepticon leader.

As an aside I know everybody says Rodimus is a space winnebago, but I'm pretty sure he's actually a space tandem-axle grain truck, lol. http://harmonia.meccahosting.com/~a0006 ... 0truck.jpg
It's the stronger who create the weaker!

I am the (Color) (Object/Natural Element), Ace of (Organization) Fear Me!
User avatar
Mu La Flaga
Posts: 1433
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:06 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

Furious Rodimus wrote: Sorry, I'm late to the discussion, but I really enjoyed Masterforce because it was a such a tightly focused show on a small, but well-developed cast of characters, and Overlord was such a cool take on a Decepticon leader.

As an aside I know everybody says Rodimus is a space winnebago, but I'm pretty sure he's actually a space tandem-axle grain truck, lol. http://harmonia.meccahosting.com/~a0006 ... 0truck.jpg
If you mean G1 Rodimus Prime I disagree.

However if you meant Rodimus Prime from Transformers Energon, I can see how that works alot, I really can.

Does anyone else find it fun to sometimes look up the alt modes of the G1 characters to see what their real world vehicles are, despite the toys limits of details? :P

I have done.
For instance the Aerialbots, even thought Silverbolt and 1-2 fighter jets are now retired from that group nowadays.
Last edited by Mu La Flaga on Sat Nov 23, 2013 12:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Furious Rodimus
Posts: 226
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:51 pm
Location: Saskatchewan
Contact:

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

Mu La Flaga wrote:
Furious Rodimus wrote: Sorry, I'm late to the discussion, but I really enjoyed Masterforce because it was a such a tightly focused show on a small, but well-developed cast of characters, and Overlord was such a cool take on a Decepticon leader.

As an aside I know everybody says Rodimus is a space winnebago, but I'm pretty sure he's actually a space tandem-axle grain truck, lol. http://harmonia.meccahosting.com/~a0006 ... 0truck.jpg
If you mean G1 Rodimus Prime I disagree.

However if you meant Rodimus Prime from Transformers Energon, I can see how that works alot, I really can.

Does anyone else find it fun to sometimes look up the alt modes of the G1 characters to see what their real world vehicles are, despite the toys limits of details? :P

I have done.
For instance the Aerialbots, even thought Silverbotl and 1-2 fighter jets are now retired from that group nowadays.
I was thinking of G1 but was thinking a heavily stylized grain truck. The first couple series of TF had unofficial molds of re-world vehicles I think. But yea for S3 and beyond that really changed.

Has anyone been reading the IDW comics. I really enjoyed the spotlights, -tion series and Last Stand of the Wreckers.
It's the stronger who create the weaker!

I am the (Color) (Object/Natural Element), Ace of (Organization) Fear Me!
User avatar
Mu La Flaga
Posts: 1433
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:06 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

Not too much really.
For some reason I never got in to their IDW stuff overly much.
Partly because of the art style and slight updates and changes to things.

I did read the Beast Wars series they did, the Gathering and Ascending though.
Since they were in that Dreamwave like style artwork more to me.
Furious Rodimus
Posts: 226
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:51 pm
Location: Saskatchewan
Contact:

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

Man, i miss Dreamwave, especially their ongoing series, that was a real nice blend of ideas I though. It's unfortunate the shenanigans that eventually drove that business under. That was a sad day when their G1 stuff ended b/c it was really starting to pick up.

One of my fav pieces of TF merch is my Transformers Visual Works book. There is some really neat promo art, and its very interesting to see how different artists render the Transformers, and how they stylize the look.
It's the stronger who create the weaker!

I am the (Color) (Object/Natural Element), Ace of (Organization) Fear Me!
User avatar
Mu La Flaga
Posts: 1433
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:06 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

I remember another reason why is some of the odd changes I never enjoyed IDW's continuity stuff as much.

And I got as many TPBs as I could and believe me, it pissed me off they didn't finish War Within 3, Energon or did say that Robots In Disguise series maybe after Beast Wars.

But yeah shame the dealings of the company dragged it down.
I'm also happy I got those G1 and Armada profile books Dreamwave did.
Furious Rodimus
Posts: 226
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:51 pm
Location: Saskatchewan
Contact:

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

Those profile books were so well done, re-reading those really shows how much they had planned for that series.

It's amazing they still are in business because I know for a while in the early 90s it was not looking good for the franchise.
It's the stronger who create the weaker!

I am the (Color) (Object/Natural Element), Ace of (Organization) Fear Me!
User avatar
Mu La Flaga
Posts: 1433
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:06 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

Curiously have IDW thought of finishing up some previous series Dreamwave were doing?

I mean Beast Wars seems like one they took.

But I mean if it had continued on, it might have been interesting if they decided to do that and finish up the Energon storyline, it actually was somewhat more interesting then the cartoon when you had Scorponok challenging Megatron over a fight for Decepticon leadership.

Omega Supreme was being built on Earth, the human characters for Armada getting to do more.
Furious Rodimus
Posts: 226
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:51 pm
Location: Saskatchewan
Contact:

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

I think IDW has thought about finishing up the Dreamwave stuff, but from what I understand b/c Dreamwave went bankrupt with many of their employees unpaid the stories that are/were written are in some kind of legal limbo that I don't really understand.

The Energon run was pretty good, and the Worlds Collide segment of Armada was so epic.
It's the stronger who create the weaker!

I am the (Color) (Object/Natural Element), Ace of (Organization) Fear Me!
User avatar
Mu La Flaga
Posts: 1433
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:06 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

Even though it was apparently to sell toys Simon Furman has said, but yeah I did like it alot.

And couldn't IDW break those old legal contracts since Dreamwave is bankrupt and non-exsistant and they own all of Dreamwave's old stuff nowadays?
Furious Rodimus
Posts: 226
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:51 pm
Location: Saskatchewan
Contact:

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

I didn't know that about the Worlds Collide segment, huh.

I have no idea how it would work legally. I wonder if those stories are considered amongst Dreamwave's assets somehow? I know IDW addressed it when they first got the franchise but I can't remember the specifics. I also wonder if it is the property of those writers who didn't all come over to IDW?
It's the stronger who create the weaker!

I am the (Color) (Object/Natural Element), Ace of (Organization) Fear Me!
User avatar
Mu La Flaga
Posts: 1433
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:06 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

Well I have a friend who is big in to Marvel comics, Transformers and all sorts of things along the same lines as me and he knows alot of stuff since he lives in the UK.

So it's one of those things. :P
User avatar
tHeWasTeDYouTh
Posts: 302
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 9:32 pm

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

hell yeah guys

enjoy Transformers Armada credits, I love the song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abgq0gxI ... re=related

1080P!!!

this was the first Transformers I ever saw
YOU'RE MESHI
DAMNYOUYAMATOTAKERUNOMIKOTOOOOOO!
User avatar
Mu La Flaga
Posts: 1433
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:06 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

tHeWasTeDYouTh wrote:hell yeah guys

enjoy Transformers Armada credits, I love the song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abgq0gxI ... re=related

1080P!!!

this was the first Transformers I ever saw
The Armada theme is fine and all
But I was hoping you would offer up your opinions/experiences with Transformers over time?

Also the full version of the opening/ending music version is better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb3tAqBY4Ho
User avatar
Mu La Flaga
Posts: 1433
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:06 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

So I want to make a new post for a new point of discussion in the thread.
Lets talk Transformers games, what do you guys have or have played at least once?

I have.
Beast Wars(PC/PS1): This game is just so akward and the models aren't that good, the voices are cheap substitutes, not much of a keeper but I have the PC version.

Beast Wars Transmetals(PS1&N64): This was a slight improvement over the previous entry.
And it was more of arena fighting game, the graphics were horrid again, BUT the one small point which made it for me is they got the Ocean cast to do the damn voices for all 4 characters per side.
I have the PS1 version of the game myself.

Transformers(PS2): The game based off of the Armada series, limited character choices, it's alot of fun, though tedious, I never finished this one, I did like you had a HUGE world to roam around in, easy to get lost in though.

Transformers movie(DS, PS2, PS3 ect): I've got the DS versions of the game, I also had the PS2 version, but ended up bored with it and getting rid of it in a trade in.

There is also games for animated and I would get War for Cybertron but the DS version looks horrid and I don't have a PS3 or XBox 360.

So does anyone want to post about the games they have?
User avatar
yazi88
Moderator
Posts: 1494
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 1:53 am
Location: Scopedog Bed

Re: Transformers General Discussion thread

I own War for Cybertron and I can say hands down its the best Transformers game yet. The fact it's set in the same universe and is considered a prequel to Transformers Prime is just another plus for the game.

Although I highly recommend reading the Transformers Exodus novel by Alex Irvine which is pretty much the same thing as the game but far more detailed and tells you about the past of the both Megatron and Optimus before the war and even before they even got their respective names. The follow up to the Exodus novel, Transformers Exiles, is coming out around September 27 so there's something to look forward to as I heard that
Spoiler
it involves the 13 Primes and tells how Optimus becomes the last Prime.
Post Reply