Toon Zone Talkback - "Transformers Cybertron" Best Transformers in a Decade

[harajukubarbiie<3]

This is the talkback thread for "Transformers Cybertron" Best Transformers in a Decade.


Wow, Duke... did we watch the same show? I had a difficult time watching Cybertron. I'll agree it wasn't as bad as Armada or Energon, but if there was ever an award for a kids' show that most resembled a toy commercial, Cybertron would take top honors.

I'll grant that it IS a kids show and I'm in my late 30s, but there should've at least been something about the show that made it worthwhile for "old skool" Transformers fans. You mentioned the action emphasis in the show, and I'll agree that the series did have that in spades compared with Armada and Energon, but the battle scenes mostly seem like quickies and they never show much damage. That lack of detail sucks.

I'll also agree that Cybertron had a decent storyline, and that at least made it more watchable than Armada and Energon, but ah... that's not saying much.

I tried giving this show a chance... tried really hard. The toyline was great--some of the highest-quality Hasbro had ever produced up to that time. But the show had more flaws than just the annoying and distracting human element and some bad dubbing and dialog. The constant, overdone transformation sequences (mostly to highlight the Cyberkey gimmick) were nothing more than toy commercials and show filler, and they occur so often that even if I was a kid I think they would get old real fast. Also, the lip sync for the TFs rarely syncs with the dialog at all--the lip flap is so poorly animated that it would even be distracting with the original Japanese dialog. It's like watching a toddler trying to manipulate a puppet.

I also can't stand the theme song, except for that cool guitar riff at the end. And the theme is used so often during the TF sequences and battles that it really gets old quick.

I'll agree that the design is nice, even if the CGI elements clash harshly against the traditional 2D animation. The cel shading just isn't enough to help it blend. I can't believe that even though it's been nearly a decade since Iron Giant was released there still isn't an animation company able to replicate the seamless blend of CGI and 2D from that movie. (10 years and no progress is just sad.) Another design plus is that the character models look just like the toys, something to this day that a lot of G1 fans hate about the original toys because they looked NOTHING like their show counterparts. I remember the first time I found the original Ratchet and Ironhide toys in the store after seeing them on the show and thinking, "What the @#$% are these GoBots doing in Transformers packaging?"

But the two things I most disagree with in your review are:

1) Your heading: "Best Transformers in a Decade"
You mention Transformers Animated in passing at the beginning of your article, but reading your review makes me wonder if you've even watched more than an episode or two. If you watched the epic Season 2 conclusion, that episode alone was the "best Transformers in a decade". And I realize there are TF fans who would disagree with me, but from a quality standpoint, TFA may genuinely be the best Transformers series ever.

2) Your closing summary: "Overall, will this series trump Beast Wars? No. I highly doubt anything from this franchise will ever top Season 2 of that series."
Transformers Animated has already trumped Beast Wars for an overwhelming majority of fans, and TFA's Season 2 conclusion was amazing. And it by far topped BW Season 2 for me.

But I realize all this is my humble opinion. Your review is much more objective than mine would've been.

I have a hard time recommending Cybertron to other fans, except as maybe something for TF fans desperate for a Transformers fix. I just don't think it's worth the purchase price. At best (especially with no bonus content), it's a decent rental solely on the merits of Primus' appearance in the series. For any TF fan, that's definitely worth seeing. I'll admit to totally geeking out during the Primus transformation sequence, and his subsequent battles with Super Starscream are pretty friggin awesome. (That's not enough reason to justify spending $40 on this box set though.)

And if I'm not mistaken, it doesn't even include the original Japanese audio tracks. Yet another reason it's not worth paying retail.

But I'm planning to give the series another shot anyway, because after TFA Season 1 comes out on DVD this month, I'll need something to get my own Transformers fix until Season 3 starts.

The toy's the same way. It's what TF fans refer to as a "shellformer". It's a lazy design element that thankfully isn't used that often by Hasbro, but is frequently used by competing and similar toy lines.

[Tesfaledet]

Shouldn't this be in the anime forum? Just saying is all...

EDIT: Anyways, like Duke, I actually really enjoyed the show, but the experience really was so far limited to the Japanese version. I'm only vaguely familiar with the english release, but from what I saw it wasn't that bad. While I don't think this would be particularly the best Transformers series in this timeline, but it's still pretty up there.

[New to film]

Dude. Quoted for truth.

[bethelboy84]

It should be in both (as well as the DVD Discussion forum). Even though Cybertron's an English-dubbed anime series, thanks to Hasbro Transformers is well-established as a US franchise (even though it originated in Japan).

[drog]

I really enjoyed marathoning Cybertron. I bought the box set the MOMENT I spotted it, no questions asked. I had enjoyed the first half I had seen long ago on KidsWB and was glad to finally see the end.

The dubbing in the begining and a few other spots is really rough (episode splicing and trying to connect to Energon mainly) but the story hold itself well enough.

A few things did bother me...starting from 'Revelation' onward it feels like 10 episodes of non-stop battling and running around from one place to the next, like a bad message board RPG. Plus I think you can make a drinking game out of the many MANY time either Optimus or Megatron shouted 'IT'S ALL OVER!!!'. I like Gary Chalk and David Kayes a lot but after a while, especially during a marathon, it gets a bit tiring. Still the battles were pretty cool at time. I also wish the Cobybot had been used more

I haven't seen TFA yet but I'd say Cybertron is arguably the best Transformers show between Beast Wars and TFA. It also has the best humans and the best Starscream ever! (Not counting TFA since I haven't seen it to judge) He's actually COMPETANT AND A REAL THREAT! His final fight with Galvatron was epic!

[isabellasmama20]

Actually, the dub explanation was taken from Japanese supplemental material. Canonically, it was caused by Unicron in both versions, the Japanese version just doesn't mention it.

[me moi]

I really don't like like Cybertron. The Australian accents (not that's there's anything wrong with them) got on my nerves. The CGI was weird. Hand drawn animation, please.:sad:

[bioGeek]

In the Japanese version the Transformers didn't defeat Unicron. Unicron just never existed in that universe, throwing it out of whack.

[RaSam]

I think that splash should read "Cybertron's the Most Confusing Transformers Series in a Decade."

I mean, really, I couldn't understand the plot for half the episodes, never mind the ridiculous addition of like 50 robots to the main cast by the end of the series.

That was my only real complaint, though. Aside from a few pacing issues, it's a solid watch after you view it a couple more times and get all the characters and plot holes figured out.

[Tig]

I thought this was terrible too, I only saw a handful of episodes but it was only slightly not as bad as Energon, which I saw more of and hated. The CGI and 2D still didn't mesh well( though improved from Energon ), the characters were still annoying, and the plot of an individual episode was hard to follow.