Transformers: Cybertron

I watched the original G1 series as a child, and even then it was a little too dumbed down for me.

I (like many others) ground my teeth when they released "Transformers Generation 2" which was just the original show packed with some CG transitions.

I slogged through the first boring season of Beast Wars - but then something happened: The show got good. It got so good, that it became one of my favorite television series of all time. The characters developed, the story moved ahead, and then it ended (though I think they ended it sooner than they would have liked; some things were resolved too quickly).

Despite the horrible character designs Beast Machines was even a larger step forward in terms of story, and the series ended in a way I never would have foreseen.

Then the animes started.

This is where everything Transformers started to come apart for me: The lack of animation, the re-use of the same five minute transformation sequences twelve times an episode (I'm exaggerating, but it sure feels like it), the horrible, trite and contrived Japanese-to-English localization, the introduction of anime child geniuses who you want to fall into a black hole just for opening their mouths...

I'm sorry, I just don't get it. "Cybertron" looked more interesting than previous endeavors because it had computer-modeled Transformers, but FOR PETE'S SAKE WAKE UP PEOPLE - THEY'RE BARELY ANIMATED! It's not difficult to do once the models are made, but apparently the production company doesn't have a single computer animator on staff because the Transformers' stiff, completely weightless movements give less of an impression of living machines and more of the impression of talentless animators. This may be intentional because the models don't seem to move any differently than the toys, but better Transformers shows have always compensated (do you think the "Ironhide" toy from G1 looked anything like his cartoon counterpart?).

I'm sorry, but this show is just anime cliché with some impressive-but-boring computer models and another "we gotta collect 'em all" story line.

They should just call this show "Generic Anime Cartoon-like Show Number 5: Now With Transformers!" and let it stand.

Overall this is a great Transformers series (Nothing beats G1, but that's common knowledge). However, I have one small gripe. Why does Jetfire have an extremely over exaggerated 'Australian' accent (Think Steve Irwin)? As an Aussie I can tell you, we don't talk like that (I have the same problem with Outback, a G1 character who appeared in several episodes in season 3). The CG transformers are combined with the more traditionally animated human characters quite well, and the show doesn't take itself too seriously, there is also some very clever dialogue written for some of the characters, which has raised more than a chuckle. Overall I would strongly recommend this series, although any Transfan worth their salt knows that Megatron should be a gun. BAH WEEP GRAH NAH WEEP NINNI BALM!!

Transformers: Cybertron is the final series of the Unicron Trilogy.

As a long time fan of Transformers I have to say this series show so much promise and it did have it up and down about it.

First the pros of the series. The series feature a original story line for the Transformers as the Autobots must race against the Decepticons to collect the four Cyber Planet Keys.

The action figures for the series some were pretty cool and should be look to add to your collection.

The Voice cast is pretty impressive with Transformers Vets. We get Garry Chalk,David Kaye, Lisa Ann Beley, Michael Dobson, Brain Dobson,Mark Oliver, Maryke Hendrikse,Scott McNeil, Paul Dobson,Richard Newman,Trevor Devall, and many more. They each brought a lot to the table of the series

The animation was pretty original with mix of 2D background with 3D animation for the Transformers. It's not something you see all the time for the Transformers. Plus the way the effects work will make you go wow.

We get some good character development throughout the series as we learn more about each character.

The cons of this series mostly are the human characters I swear there were times I wanted to scream because they were such awful characters and they were pretty much useless I couldn't bear to listen to them that I had to mute the TV to avoid them talking.

Transformers Cybertron human characters were just that bad and I refuse to speak their names in this review.

But the series did present some things that make it a interesting series for the Transformers and it finish off the Unicron Trilogy.

While the series did have it up and downs if you're a true fan of Transformers you will watch it

Autobots Transform and Roll Out! Decepticons Attack!

Billed as the final entry in what is called The Unicron Trilogy (with the first two shows being Armada and Energon), Cybertron is a show I saw some of, but not all due to Cartoon Network placing it in a timeslot that is after the Adult Swim block goes off the air.

In this series, the destruction of Unicron has created a black hole that threatens to swallow Cybertron, the population evacuates to Earth after one of the Autobots, Landmine, is warped there by Vector Prime during a battle with the Decepticons. Now in hiding and with air of three human kids, Coby, Bud, and Lori, the Autobots must collect the four Cyber Planet Keys, one on Earth and the other three on different planets with their own Transformers, to save Cybertron from destruction. However, the Decepticons also seek the keys, but instead of saving Cybertron, they seek to use it to destroy the Autobots and rule the galaxy.

This anime can get a bit bumpy. While this was connected to Armada and Energon in America, for its Japanese release as Transformers Galaxy Force, it was made as a different continuity, thus requiring a lot of additional scenes and script edits for the English dub in order to connect it to the past two series. Also, while some of the voice actors do return, some of them end up giving their characters foreign accents (Jetfire now speaks in an Australian accent, while Red Alert, who was in Armada, but absent from Energon, is made British), a move possibly done to show Transformers can be different in more ways than how they look. The show mixes traditional animation for the human characters with the CGI used for the Transformers, and it makes it work. Coby, Bud, and Lori serve as replacements for Rad, Carlos, Alexis, and Kicker (which is due to the Japanese version being its own universe), and thankfully, they are better than Kicker, and even have more of a role aiding the Autobots in some situations. And while the script has some continuity errors, they are well written, and the show does explore other planets (like Jungle Planet, a planet with Transformers who adapted animals as their alternate mode). While not as good as Armada, Transformers Cybertron fixes the many mistakes that Energon (considered the worst of the trilogy in my book) made.

Forst off, ignore the other user comment, this show was never on prime time in japan. it airs at around 8 in the morning. Also, the Transformers have always had accents (going all the way back to perceptor in G1), even in the Japanese version of the shows. of course, in japan they have various Japanese accents, and since those accents are impossible to carry over into English, they are substituted by various English accents.

Cybertron is a very faithful dub of Galaxy Force, with very few changes aside from names of characters and a few objects, and having Override as a female, where in japan the character (named Nitro Convoy) is a male. of course, this is nothing Hasbro did, the character was supposed to be female from the start. Takara is the one that changed it.

If you can't watch the Japanese original, Transformers Cybertron is the best TF series since beast wars. all you'll be missing out on is the vocal Japanese songs.