Transformers: Animated

Transformers Animated, the latest(as of writing this review) in the line of animated series based on the long running Transformers franchise. I must say that this is the most "balanced" Transformers show in a long time since Beast Machines. The producers have cast their net wide as there is something for EVERYONE to like in this show. Unfortunately, nothing is perfect and there is also something for everyone to dislike.

The overall premise has been changed from the usual "evenly matched good robots vs bad robots". The main team of protagonists are not highly trained defenders of justice, but merely a maintenance crew caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. This gives a greater sense of peril to the battles and when it comes to the good guys facing down the bad guys, you are truly rooting for the underdog here. A well planned storyline allows a good mix of character centered episodes, pure sci/fi adventure ones, comedic episodes and even some serious emotional drama.

The themes that the writers interwove into the story are not as deep as the philosophical Beast Machines nor as preachy as "good morals" plugging Cybertron. They are simple themes pretty much in line with those present in the original 80s Transformers series, such as the importance of teamwork and the value of trust. More social themes like corruption, propaganda, the problems of single parenthood and "empty nest syndrome"(especially after the point where Sari "grows up) are thrown in in the later seasons allowing even older audiences to look at Transformers as not just a show to promote toys.

Mentioning Sari, she is the mandatory "human" character this time around. The ever spunky and high spirited little girl could possibly be the most likable "human" character among all the others from the previous series. Her mannerisms, style of speaking and her reactions to various situations make her a character that any curious, bright eyed kid or "inner child" can relate to.

Now "characters" has always been the strongest point of the original series and Beast Wars. How do the autobot and decepticon characters fare in their latest incarnation? The answer is "very well". Being in a separate "continuity" from any of the previous series, i do not expect a 100% similarity between Optimus Prime in this show and the other Optimus Primes in previous shows. Each new character that is based on a previous existing character still possesses enough distinct personality traits of their predecessors. Optimus, though no longer a confident leader(his wavering confidence in his leadership capabilities is just one of many captivating subplots in the story) is still selfless and courageous, Megatron is still a tyrannical megalomaniac, Starscream is still obsessed with gaining leadership of the Decepticons from Megatron etc. The chemistry between the autobots is the high point here. Very believable in the ways they interact and their sometimes bumpy relationship make for some good comedy here and there. Though the decepticons are still the main threat, there are other "supervillians" that the autobots have to contend with. IMO, some of the supervillians seem necessary but i guess they are there to add variety to the episodes.

In short, there characters are just as likable as in the original cartoon, though it may take some time to warm up to the many little changes. Like the characters for who they are, or hate them for the changes made, its up to you.

Ironically the weakest element in Transformers animated is its animation.(imagine that. lol). The character designs are really up to one's own preference. They are very in keeping with the typical cartoon network minimalistic and highly stylized art. In light of that, One would think that with such an art style, more attention could be spent on creating smooth fluid animation and movement. That does not seem to be the case here. Character animation is pretty mediocre with a lot of scenes, especially fast paced fights, utilizing very notorious animation short cuts such as creating motion blur in-between only two key frames to give the illusion of a fast movement. It just ends up giving a very jerky and jumpy feel to the movements.

I must say that the characters actually look terrible in still shots or on posters(hence the negative fan reaction when still images of the characters were first revealed), but in constant animated movement, the character designs worked pretty well and like the characters themselves, it would eventually grow on you.

I urge anyone who is looking for a good Transformers series to watch this show with an open mind. Do not be so shallow as to dismiss over one or two negative aspects. The children would like this show for its lovable characters and action Older viewers can find something to like too in its well woven story lines, underlying themes and entertaining scripting. Even long time Transformers fans would get a kick out of the numerous in-jokes and homage/references to past Transformers shows and comics. Look past the mediocre animation and there is Truly something for everyone to enjoy.

I'll start off by saying I've been an active Transformers fan for years, not someone who watched G1 as a kid and then forgot about TFs until the recent live-action movie came out (In fact, I actually hated the movie, as both a Transformers fan and a fan of movies in general). I'm 22 years old, so I was just a couple of years too late to catch G1 when it first aired (although I now own every episode), and although I had seen a couple of episodes of G1 when it reran as G2, I really became a fan of the franchise with Beast Wars. Since then, I've watched at least some of every TF show, Japanese ones included. Beast Wars (especially the second and third seasons) is my favorite show to date, not because it was the first one I watched, but because the story lines, character development, and voice acting achieved a level of depth, emotion and overall quality which has been unmatched in TF cartoons before or since.

With that being said, I was a bit skeptical going into this show. The last few shows left a lot to be desired, and the odd designs for this one were a bit of a departure from traditional Transformers. Still, I did my best to approach this show with an open mind (after all, many people initially dismissed my favorite TF series because of the changes it made to the franchise), and I was pleasantly surprised. The designs, while a bit jarring at first, are something you'll get used to surprisingly fast. The pacing is nice and the voice acting is the best it's been in years (due largely to this being made for American audiences rather than dubbed over from Japanese), especially Starscream. Since Chris Latta's death, nobody has really been able to fill the role well (though considering his excellent work as Cobra Commander in the '90s I've long said that Scott McNeil would do a fine job), until now. Tom Kenney totally nails the Starscream voice, and it's really a shame that the character hasn't been seen since the pilot (though I have little doubt he'll show up again eventually). The script quality varies a bit from episode to episode, but even at its worst it's better than anything we've seen since the Beast era.

As good as the show is, it's not without its flaws. The biggest flaw at the moment (keep in mind, it's still fairly early in the show's run) is the villains. Transformers has always been about two warring factions, Autobot vs. Decepticon (or, in the Beast-era, Maximal vs. Predacon/Vehicon). In this show, the Autobots have yet to face more than one 'con at a time (even when the Decepticon ship came in the pilot, Megatron was the only one they actually fought face to face), and half the time their enemy is human. Granted, Megatron is often pulling the strings of whatever enemy they may be facing, but so far the Transformer presence on the villains' side has been severely lacking, which is a shame since the episodes where they fight a Cybertronian enemy (be it a Decepticon or the Dinobots) are clearly the strongest of the bunch. No matter what powers a human enemy may possess, it's sort of hard to make him seem like a significant threat to five giant robots. Hopefully once the Decepticons arrive in force (preferably sooner rather than later), this issue will be remedied. The other major issue with the show is the tone, which skews a bit too much toward the kiddy side. Granted, this is a show intended for kids, and it's certainly no kiddier than the last few shows, but honestly, it's still a valid complaint. The people making this show are clearly aware that adult fans watch the show as well (as evidenced by all the G1 references), and could easily make it a bit more mature without alienating the kids (ie Beast Wars).

In conclusion, I encourage you to give this show a chance if you are at all interested, and keep an open mind; you may be pleasantly surprised. Granted, it's not be the best Transformers show ever, but it's far from the worst.

Being a G1 die-hard, I was naturally skeptical about this new series (especially after catching glimpses of the questionable character design). But I have to say that after watching the first 3 episodes (or was it a full 1 1/2 hour mini-movie?), I think this new series is pretty good. Not great, but good.

The high points: They kept the original transforming sound (which is more than I can say for that damn live-action movie). The storyline vaguely follows in G1's footsteps (it's not exactly the same, but it's close enough). Oh, and you won't even notice the funky character design after a while...it's not actually THAT bad after all, once you start watching.

The one low point: Most of the characters have changed significantly. A lot of these new Transformers seem to be combinations of different G1 characters. Ratchet in particular is a perfect 50/50 hybrid of Ironhide and Kup, Optimus seems more like Rodimus, Megatron has vague traces of Unicron, and so on. However, it must be said that the writers/producers had the good sense to keep at least a few key characters perfectly intact...namely Bumblebee and Starscream.

For somebody who loved the original so dearly, this series doesn't disappoint. It's an entertaining take on the cartoon that defined my childhood. If nothing else, it's definitely fun to watch!

It seems that to the majority of the Transformers fan base, Transformers isn't Hasbro's biggest financial success, which must be refreshed for each new generation, but a sacred relic from their childhood which must never be tampered with. Transformers: Animated proves that Generation 1 can live on in the modern day, whilst giving us a solid, fun, modern cartoon. Firstly, there is the fact that almost every robot in this series is a veteran from the original 1980's cartoons. Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Prowl, Arcee, Jazz, Ultra Magnus, Grimlock, Megatron, Wreck-Gar, Starscream, Blitzwing and Blurr are among just a few of the cast of robots in this series. We are also introduced to a few newcomers to the series; Lugnut and Lockdown, who are both fantastic characters. All of these characters are perfectly fleshed out, with great personalities and a look which stays true to their G1 counterparts, whilst being modern and dynamic. The voice actors do a great job bringing these characters to life. The development in this series is also fantastic. We get glimpses of the character's back stories, and really begin to understand why these characters are who they are. Another great thing about this show is all the G1 references that are presented. The transforming sound-effect, cameos from the Witwickys, lines of dialogue and so forth. So far, I'd say my favourite episode would have to be "A fistful of Energon". If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. Then again, I recommend this entire series. The only bad thing about it is the bizarre human villains, but once the Decepticons get their place in the spotlight, they don't cause any problems. All in all, and awesome show, and I am highly anticipating the third season

9/10

I'm reading through the reviews here and what in primus's name! The people who are saying the show is terrible because the plot is too different from the original and and the art style is too different are rediculous. Yes it's good when a remake pays homage and respects the source material but it should be able to take it in its own direction. Which this show does amazingly and has such great writing and story arcs. You really feel for these five characters and understand that they are all a bunch of basically failures coming together and becoming better because of it. Watching these characters grow and change, learn about there vast and interesting backstories and the backstory on the war and why everything is the way it is that's what's great about the show. And may I say the fight scenes in this show are amazing plus the decepticons are great lugnut and blitzwing are the perfect comic relief characters and megatron, shockwave, arachnid, lockdown, and Starscream are some amazing antagonists. Me being such a mega transformers fan this show is still amazing although how different it takes the franchise and honestly if you just wanna watch a great anime like story here you go. 8/10