(OCT-2013) Animated Era Cartoon - Reviews and Favourites

[griffin]

The Animated series launched with a cartoon at the end of 2007, lasting 3 seasons but was barely a year on TV. The cartoon ended in the second quarter of 2009, due to Hasbro starting up their HUB cable TV channel and wanting new cartoons of their main brands to spearhead its launch later that year.The axing was so abrupt, that an official DVD release of the 3rd season is still yet to occur, because at the time, all marketing and merchandise was directed at the next series.
We are now finally expecting a DVD release in the next few months.

Details of the Animated era can be read about here.

A total of 42 episodes were produced, using traditional animation and recording techniques.
- 3-part introductory story
- 13 episode 1st Season
- 13 episode 2nd Season
- 13 episode 3rd Season

Each Season incorporated cliffhangers, or at least in the case of Season 3, a number of loose ends to allow for a 4th Season. (it was already planned out, but the writers were aware of it not being likely before they finished the last episode of Season 3)

A number of shorts were also produced, and the cartoon was dubbed for Japanese release.


Did you watch any of the Animated cartoon?
If so, what did you think of it?

Here's your chance to re-watch and review the series.

Are any of the episodes recommended viewing for others?

[BigTransformerTrev]

Did you watch any of the Animated cartoon? If so, what did you think of it?
Watched every episode. Besides G1 the only series where I can remember every episode too Overall a great cartoon, definetly worth watching!


Are any of the episodes recommended viewing for others?
If you've never watched it, watch it all! If you can't be bothered, then I reccomend you at least watch these dozen episodes:

Season 1
Blast from the Past
Sound & Fury
Megatron Rising – Part 1 & 2

Season 2
Rise of the Constructicons
SUV – Society of Ultimate Villany
A Bridge too Close – Part 1 & 2

Season 3
Predacons Rising
Decepticon Air
Endgame – Part 1 & 2

[Lint]

Although the first season started as a very ensemble casted, kid orientated show it won me over quickly as it introduced new characters (Lugnut!), had interesting takes on exsiting G1 characters, fleshed out it's own universe's mythology and escalated the glorious amounts of fan-service.

The writing and voice acting were spot on and the humans didn't make me want to destroy a skyscraper.

It is the only Transformers series that has ever pulled me into that "just... one...more... episode" state for multiple (5 plus episodes) without resorting to cliffhangers or two-part episodes.

Wow I didn't realise there were so few episodes. It was as short lived series indeed!

[Golden Phoenix]

Although the first season started as a very ensemble casted, kid orientated show it won me over quickly as it introduced new characters (Lugnut!), had interesting takes on exsiting G1 characters, fleshed out it's own universe's mythology and escalated the glorious amounts of fan-service.

The writing and voice acting were spot on and the humans didn't make me want to destroy a skyscraper.

It is the only Transformers series that has ever pulled me into that "just... one...more... episode" state for multiple (5 plus episodes) without resorting to cliffhangers or two-part episodes.

Wow I didn't realise there were so few episodes. It was as short lived series indeed!

I would second this.

This is the only TF series I would show to my friends. I love the animation style. I love the voice acting (and that Spongebob is Starscream).

One of the greatest things that they did was make Optimus Prime a drop out and not the head honcho. Sure Opimus Primal wasn't really the big boss either, but he was still in the system and still an Officer.
Optimus Prime was not just a nobody, but he was kicked out of the army and is just in charge of a repair crew. It means he has to earn back the respect he had lost, creating some good character development.

I also love all the little nods to things outside the TF universe. Sentinal Prime had some design changes after the voice actor was assigned and happened to be the same voice actor who played the Tick. Bam. Sentinal Prime becomes very Tick-like.

The original takes on old characters is brilliant. I love the multiple personality Blitzwing. And Bulkhead. God I love Bulkhead. My favourite quote for him is "Sorry, my bad"

Ok.....I'll stop gushing now. I may or may love this series to bits........

[Lint]

I would second this.

This is the only TF series I would show to my friends. I love the animation style. I love the voice acting (and that Spongebob is Starscream).

The animation style is probably the hardest hurdle to get over. I remember gawking myself at Optimus 'the chin' Prime and the whole Nickelodeon art style. It actually kept me from watching the series until it was nearly over.

I tried introducing this series to some friends my age who had G1-appreciation but the animation style (and the kiddy start to season 1) were big barriers to getting them to go further.

Also a lot of the in-jokes and references in the series can probably only be fully appreciated by a more-than-casual TF fan.

Their loss I guess

[GoktimusPrime]

Here's how I feel...

Season 1 <--- not a fan. Lack of character development/drive and the series felt too silly.
Season 2 <--- hit and miss. Some episodes were great, others were cringeworthy.
Season 3 <--- thoroughly enjoyed!

So my enjoyment of Animated varies greatly depending on which season or episode I'm watching. On the whole I would rate it as a series with a lacklustre beginning but improves as it goes along (though not consistently). But the one thing I really don't like about Animated was how it started the current trend of having screen models dictate/influence the way that the toys were designed/engineered. Worse still, several recurring characters that were introduced into the show were never made as toys - e.g. Scavenger, Mixmaster, Wasp, Omega Supreme. I don't mind minor characters like Dirtboss, Elita-1, Warpath, Rattletrap, Grandus et al. not having toys, but the aforementioned characters seemed to have enough screen presence that warranted toys. What's the point of having characters occupy all that screen time if there aren't going to be toys of them?

Had Animated been a more traditional toy-first franchise, then I think we would have seen more toys. e.g. if the Constructicons were released a lot sooner, then there may not have been the issue of them 'cross competing' with the Revenge of the Fallen Constructicons (which was the reason why Hasbro never developed the Animated Constructicons as toys). If Omega Supreme wasn't going to be a viable toy, then why have him appear so prominently in the show? I know that this thread is about commenting on the cartoon, but for me my appreciation and enjoyment of Transformers cartoons, movies, comics etc. is tied to the toyline, since Transformers is primarily a toy franchise.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Slightly off topic here, but do we know for a fact that the toys were designed on the animation style and not together? My readings suggest that the toy team worked with the design team at the same time.