I am a Transformers fan from way back. I cannot claim to have an extensive knowledge of the series, but when I was a child I loved watching Transformers and GI Joe. Those two shows/extended toy commercials always held my attention. Over the years I lost track of the story, as well as the other series that appeared. Then, the movie arrived last year, and while I did enjoy it, it was not quite what I had hoped.
Now we have a new animated series to check out, and it is distinctly different from the show that I remember, with a much more "cartoony" look to it; it appears to integrate story elements of both the live-action movie and the original cartoon. I enjoyed it, but I am not sure how much I will like it in the long term. And yes, this is my first exposure to this version.
The series takes place in the future. Cybertron would seem to be a thriving planet and we pick up our band of heroes as they work on clearing rocks from a space bridge. The team is made up of new versions of Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Prowl, along with a new character (at least to me), Bulkhead. Also with the team is Ratchet, who is a veteran of the long ago war with the Decepticons (which I believe to be from the original animated series). The team have distinctive personalities, all of which pair up with their counterparts (where applicable) from the original series.
As the team goes about their business, they discover a mysterious object embedded in the rock. This item turns out to be the Allspark, the powerful object which gave life to all robots (and the focal point of the live-action film). Of course, an object of this importance is being sought by the bad guys, led by supreme baddie Megatron and his traitorous second-in-command Starscream. The chase/battle ends on Earth.
Much time passes with the robots inert at the bottom of Lake Erie, on the shores of Detroit. An errant cybernetic bug awakens the Autobots who take the form of current Earth vehicles and make their appearance, becoming near instant heroes. Their fame and relative peace is to be short-lived, as danger looms on the horizon — a danger that has a great reveal at the conclusion of the episode.
Article comments
1 - Buster
Is this DVD fullscreen or widescreen? Transformers Animated is produced in widescreen according to CN staff members but all the airings so far have been in fullscreen.
2 - Chris Beaumont
It is 1.33:1.
Supposedly a season set is coming in August, perhaps that will be WS?
3 - Buster
It doesn't look like it will be in widescreen unfortunately.
And even though it's called "Season 1" it doesn't include the pilot episodes on this DVD either, so we have to buy it as well if we want all of season 1 :(