Nope, it's not because I don't like the Japanese cartoon. It's because it's a separate and distinct cartoon to the english version of G1 Transformers. The characters were totally different. It didn't follow the G1 english series continuity. Fine if some of you are Japanese or prefer the Japanese cartoon, you can call it canon. But for the vast majority of Australians the G1 english version cartoon is it. When you talk about the Japanese series you are talking about an alternative continuity. Look it up on wikipedia, they're not even listed in the same article. The Japanese 'season 4' is not even Transformers G1, it's called 'Headmasters'. A separate and distinct series.

Of course the toys are the primary product, but here we are comparing the cartoon and comics. Comics are a niche market for fans, while the TV series was mainstream for the general public.

It's been mentioned that the Japanese series is an official Transformers product. Sure, but it's official in Japan, it was never officially broadcast in the west. And does it need to be said? We are not in Japan!

In any case, I would have thought it'd be a given we were talking about the english version continuity, not the foreign language version. Otherwise it's like if you say Galvatron was crazy in the G1 cartoon, and I reply no he wasn't because he was clever in the comics! Obviously different continuities, with different characters...you can't really bring both into the same discussion about the G1 cartoon continuity.