Toransufômâ: Kârobotto

Every time the latest iteration of Transformers comes out, old-skoolers like me immediately run out and disparage it for not being as good as the last. As a big G1 fan, I can honestly say that the guys who did the translating and voice work for RID did a fantastic job. They took something very foreign, Japanese, and weird (and I say this as a die-hard anime fan) and reworked it into something extremely funny and entertaining. No, it's not as serious as TFBM, and since they didn't have control over storylines like they did with Beast Wars, the character development was dictated by decisions made in Japan. Nonetheless, the finished product looks good and is a blast to watch. The voice actor for Sky-Byte must have garnered the envy of all the other VAs for getting the best lines and funniest dialogue and emotional rampages. No, RID isn't self-possessed and serious. But it *is* entertaining and fun, and for a show about giant robots, I don't think that's such a bad thing.

I am a TF fan I loved Generation 1 (the original series from the 80s), Beast Wars, but didn't care much for Beast Machines.

In this series, the Autobots are back. This series takes place in the year 2000/01. It takes place on Earth but possibly a alternate version sing none of the Gen1 characters are in this show. It is a dubbed version of the series Car Robots in Japan.

Basically involves Megatron kidnaps a young boy's (Koji) father. He is the foremost expert on energy. Megatron does this so he can learn the location for energy theft and his agenda. Out to stop him are Optimus Prime and the Autobots.

Optimus Prime this time around transforms into a fire truck. His voice is remenisint of G1 Prime. Some of the other major players are:

X-Brawn who transform into a Mercades SUV and talks like a southerner (Hey it works). His younger brother Prowl, a Diablo police car, who is the serious one of the three. And the youngest Sideburn. He is a young kid who wants nothing more than to chase the girls, well red sports cars that he THINKS are girls.

They are later joined by 3 trains that can also merge into a giant gestault robot, 4 construction vehicles that also form a gestault, 6 ninja expert robots know as the spychangers, and two more autobots.

Megs also has his lackies. There is SkyByte the giant robotic shark, Slapper the frog, Darkscream, and Gasskunk a giant robotic skunk. Later they are joined by Decepticons.

The voice work so far has been very well done. It can be kiddish at some points, but it does work for the scenes.

For example, in one scene X-Brawn pretends to run off on an errand so he can get the jump on Slapper. Slapper shouts asking X-Brawn what he should do till he gets back. X-Brawn shouts that Slapper should measure his tounge or something. A moment later Slapper says "42 feet 3 inches! That's impressive." Sure a little kiddish but it was still funny.

Overall it is a very worth addition to the name Transformers.

I don't understand why alot of people are bashing Robots in Disguise. I am one of the biggest fans of the original Transformers series, and I know this dosen't compare to the original, but you can take it many ways..

Try this on for size:

After G1 Optimus Prime and the Autobots returned to Cybertron(sometime before 2001, when this new show takes place)to fight G1 Megatron and the Decepticons, R.I.D. Optimus Prime (from around the time Beast Machines ended) was sent back in time to watch over the earth. This would explain stasis pods, references to the vehicons,ect....

Now, so they wouldn't be detected by the other Autobots, they took their earth vehicle forms and remain hidden until they know that other Autobots have left the planet. (Two different Primes running into each other would more than likely have some sort of effect on time) Same with Megatron and the Predicons.

Now, that might make R.I.D. fit a little better. So, the lines can be a little cheesy, and and some of the names are kinda BLAH...... but some other great anime have been known to have some bad names. (i.e. Ranma 1/2 with Shampoo, Cologne, and Mousse?) Don't get me wrong, I love Ranma 1/2. But a name is a name. This new show is not as bad as some people think. It was made to target kids. Now, if you have to sit there and write 500 words to explain why you don't like this show, you definatly need to get a life. Yeah, I'm sitting here writing this, but I do other things besides spending all my time engrossed in bashing kiddie shows. IT'S A KIDDIE SHOW, SO GET OVER IT....

If you are a fan of the original Transformers, you will more than likely enjoy this show as well. Many characters are very similar to their first generation counterparts. The voice acting is well done (especially considering the fact that this was originally a Japanese show and has been re-dubbed for American audiences). Fans of the original should be pleased with this updated version of their favorite robots in Disguise, and first-timers will get to marvel at the awesomeness that is The Transformers!

Old transformer fans like me have unfortunately fallen into a trap. We remember the original so fondly that anything else seems bad. In fact, it takes an excellent product like beast wars to even make us forgive a TF series for existing.

Sadly, RID isn't excellent like beast wars, so old fans will think they won't like it. Truth be told, the show isn't that bad. The writing is childish because it was meant for pokemon-buying kids, and the producers were at least kind enough to use some stuff from previous series, like the flying shark from the japanese Beast Wars, the combaticons and Ruination's ability to "scramble" from G1, and the stasis pods from Beast Wars.

Fortunately the show doesn't take itself seriously, something that already makes it better than Armada and Beast Machines. In fact, this show has enough personality that I may consider adding it to my collection if someone ever ports it to DVD, after I get the original and japanese episodes of course. Someone should seriously try to bring Beast Wars and Beast Wars II (not Beast Machines) on DVD!!

Bottom line is if you don't take it too seriously, you'll probably like it, and that's the truth.