Super God Masterforce

[Paulbot]

As a lot of people are buying Masterforce DVDs at the moment, what are people's first reactions?

I've watched the first four episodes and really like this series so far.

I'm only about one disc into the Headmaster series because I found it frustrating to watch, for a couple of reasons: a very bad sub job, that it looked like lost G1 episodes but didn't feel like it; and there were too many characters and locations and clunky narration trying to explain what was happening.

Masterforce has introducing the characters slowly and it's worked much better. The animation is much better and the narration non-existent.

I've not noticed one error in the subtitles yet, although I find the translation of Cybertron and Destron a little annoying because I keep hearing the characters say it.

The Autobot characters are fun (but why does Phoenix have Wolverine's hair?) and the human ones who are clearly going to play a big part aren't bad either. In part because they won't be saving the day by giving Metalhawk instructions but my working on the same level as the Pretenders. I like that in their first mission they are told not to fight and it leads to a scene that's the closest we'll ever see to Cybertron school yard bullying!

The way that Pretender and Headmaster technology works in this universe is much better than the G1 comics. The Autobots really are pretending to be humans, the Decepticons are hiding their true nature. The confusing and poorly executed Nebulan and Transformer mind working together in the comics never really worked... I prefer the idea that the head component controls the larger body (whether the head is either Transformer or Human).

Even the Seacons as Terrorcon-like disposable drones hasn't bothered me like I thought it would either.

And unlike when I watched Headmasters I'm totally fine with calling these characters by the Japanese names because they feel like new characters. I'm already searching Ebay for a Goshooter.

So what are other's initial thoughts?

[1orion2many]

I'm pretty much the same with Headmasters, it's a real chore to watch but I will not touch the Masterforce DVD set I bought until I have finally finished watching HM.

[kup]

I very much enjoyed Masterforce and its one of those series that gets better and better as it goes. The ending is very epic and will not dissapoint.

I have also rencetly finished watching Victory, at first it seemed like it was going to be a chore to watch as it had many strange Japanese elements but it quickly went passed that in the first few episode and its quality increased to something similar to Masterforce although I still prefer MF than Victory however but its not far behind.

I am now proud to say that I have watched every single bit of G1 animation ever released (including Zone)
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Los Angeles Dispensary

[Sam]

I saw it today at Kinokuniya, bought it straight away because I know I'd want to watch it.

Haven't opened it yet though.

[i_amtrunks]

I saw it today at Kinokuniya, bought it straight away because I know I'd want to watch it.

Haven't opened it yet though.

Dammit, I went looking there for it yesterday and they had already sold it!
JB at Town Hall didnt have it either, so had to go back to Parra to grab it!

Havent had a chance to watch it yet, but from memory of watching old fansubs on VHS, the animation was a lot nicer than G1 in general...

[GoktimusPrime]

First impressions? Ooh, that's going back many years as I first watched Masterforce back in 1993 - albeit that was the horrific StarTV dub. That confused the hell out of me thanks to it's complete incompetent translation of the script. :/

I got a fan subbed version about a year or two ago, and I really enjoyed that. The story does involve humans a lot - humans effectively controlling/piloting transtectors, which is a new concept to get used to - but once you get used to it it's a very decent story.

The advantage of having humans controlling Transformers is that the humans aren't completely useless bystanders like in so many other Transformer series (e.g.: Daniel, Rad, Sari etc). They're actually participating with the Transformers and making an actual contribution to the Transformers' war - after all, it's being waged on their world with their people as casualties. And Masterforce makes the threat to humanity abundantly clear, even in the first episode with the Canadian passenger cruiser being attacked by Decepticon Pretenders and of course, with Dr. Gou (Shuuta's father) being a direct casualty. It's not as good as the binary bonding between Transformers and Nebulans in the G1 comics - which was an actual symbiosis between Cybertronians and Nebulans. The problem with the Headmaster Jr concept is that only the human or Transformer is ever dominant at one time whereas in the Marvel comics both minds were conscious with both minds eventually merging into one.

The animation is really good... although Victory is just as good (arguably better toward the end) and nothing beats the animation in Zone.