The Transformers (TV series)

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The Transformers
"The Transformers" animated series title card.jpg
Genre
Created by
Based on Transformers
by Hasbro & Takara
Developed byDick Robbins (seasons 1–2)
Bryce Malek (seasons 1–2)
Flint Dille (seasons 3–4)
Marv Wolfman (seasons 3–4)
Steve Gerber (seasons 3–4)
Creative directorJay Bacal
Voices of
Narrated byVictor Caroli
Composers
Country of origin
  • United States
  • Japan (seasons 1–2)
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes98 [1] (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Gwen Wetzler (seasons 1–2)
  • John Walker (seasons 1–2)
  • George Singer (seasons 2–4)
  • Gerald Moeller (season 3–4)
  • Roger Slifer (season 3)
Running time23–24 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network First-run syndication [2]
ReleaseSeptember 17, 1984 (1984-09-17) 
November 11, 1987 (1987-11-11)
Related
Japanese-exclusive seasons
  1. Transformers: The Headmasters
  2. Transformers: Super-God Masterforce
  3. Transformers: Victory

In the 1980s, episodes from the first and second seasons as well as the third season's "Five Faces of Darkness" and "Return of Optimus Prime" were released on VHS and Betamax by Family Home Entertainment. Between 1995 - 1999, Canadian home entertainment company Malofilm (later renamed as Behaviour Distribution) released several episodes of the series on VHS, and some under the Transformers: Generation 2 name. None of the Malofilm VHS cover art was specifically related to the contents of the episodes either, as they were all various segments of promotional art related to the 1986 animated feature The Transformers: The Movie.

Region 1

Seasons 1–4 were released on DVD in the U.S. by Rhino Entertainment Company/Kid Rhino Entertainment (under its Rhinomation classic animation entertainment brand) (a subsidiary of AOL Time Warner) (a division of Warner Music Group) between April 23, 2002, and March 9, 2004. [18] Due to missing 35mm film stock, some sections of the Rhino Entertainment release use earlier incomplete animation, often introducing errors, such as mis-colored Decepticon jets, Skyfire colored like Skywarp, missing laser blasts, or a confusing sequence where Megatron, equipped with Skywarp's teleportation power, teleports but does not actually disappear. This version also added extra sound effects that were presented in the remixed 5.1 surround soundtrack and later remixed 2.0 stereo soundtrack, but not present in the original broadcast version. In 2005, Rhino lost the rights to distribute Transformers on DVD. The license was subsequently acquired by Sony Wonder (a division of Sony BMG). Sony Wonder announced in October 2006 that they would re-release the first season of the series in 2007, with the other seasons presumably following. [19] In June 2007, Sony BMG dissolved Sony Wonder and moved the label to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, without releasing any DVD sets. [20] In May 2008, Hasbro re-acquired the rights to the Sunbow library of shows, including Transformers. [21] In March 2009, Shout! Factory announced that they had acquired the license from Hasbro to release Transformers on DVD in Region 1 with Vivendi Entertainment. They subsequently released The Complete First Season on June 16, 2009. Season Two Volume One was released on September 15, 2009. Season Two Volume Two was released on January 12, 2010. [22] Seasons Three and Four were released together in one set on April 20, 2010. [23] These releases corrected most of the newly introduced Rhino animation errors, but this was necessarily accomplished by using lower quality sources taken from the original broadcast master tapes. Rhino's added sound effects were discarded in favor of a sound mix more faithful to the original mono audio. On October 20, 2009, Shout! Factory released the complete series in a box set for the first time in Region 1. This set, dubbed Transformers: The Complete Series - The Matrix of Leadership Collector's Set, features all 98 remastered episodes along with all new bonus features. [24]

DVD nameEp. #Release date
The Complete First Season: 25th Anniversary Edition16June 16, 2009
Season Two Volume One: 25th Anniversary Edition28September 15, 2009
Season Two Volume Two: 25th Anniversary Edition21January 12, 2010 [22]
Seasons Three and Four: 25th Anniversary Edition33April 20, 2010 [23]
Transformers: The Complete Series - The Matrix of Leadership Collector's Set98October 20, 2009

Region 2

Maverick released Season 1 in the United Kingdom in 2001. Three individual volumes were released (though the episodes are in the wrong order), a box set of the three disks, which included a fourth disk containing bonus features, and one volume of Transformers: Generation 2 with five episodes that had the Cybernetic Space Cube graphics added. They also released a volume of Transformers: Takara, which included the first six episodes of the Asian English dub of Transformers: The Headmasters . Metrodome Distribution released Seasons 1–4 in the United Kingdom between November 17, 2003, and October 11, 2004. Their first release was a budget-range DVD of the Transformers movie, released through Prism Leisure. The seasons were released in four box sets: Season 1, Season 2 Part 1, Season 2 Part 2 and Seasons 3–4. Notably, Season 2 was released first by Metrodome due to Season 1 having been released by Maverick. Metrodome's releases use the remastered production masters, which originated with the Rhino release of the series, and contain all the inherent errors. Additionally, they include Magno Sound & Video's 5.1 audio, with added sound effects, but use a modified version of their 2.0 track.

DVD nameEp. #Release date
Season One16October 11, 2004
Season Two Volume One28November 17, 2003
Transformers: The Movie — Reconstructed98September 5, 2005
Season Two Volume Two21May 3, 2004
Seasons Three and Four33August 30, 2004

Region 4

Madman Entertainment released the four seasons in six box sets in Australia and New Zealand (Region 4): Season 1, Season 2.1, Season 2.2, Season 3.1, Season 3.2 and Season 4. They later released the remastered Shout! Factory version of Transformers in the same volume arrangement as the American release. In 2007, Madman Entertainment released a 17-disc complete collection box set.

Other releases

A collector's tin box set was released in Asia by Guangdong Qianhe Audio & Video Communication Co., Ltd. under license by Pexlan International (Picture) Limited. The set includes the entire series, The Transformers: The Movie , a set of full color postcards, a rubber keychain, and a full color book (graphic novel style) that serves as an episode guide. While the book is almost entirely in Mandarin, the chapter menus contain English translations for each episode. The set is coded as Region 1. In July 2009, Transformers G1 Season 1 (25th Anniversary Edition) was made available for digital download via the PlayStation Network's video store in the United States for $1.99 per episode. On October 10, 2010, The Hub (formerly Discovery Kids, later Discovery Family on October 13, 2014) started airing the original episodes of the Transformers G1 series on the network (alongside Beast Wars: Transformers and Beast Machines: Transformers ).

Related Research Articles

<i>The Transformers: The Movie</i> 1986 animated film

The Transformers: The Movie is a 1986 animated science fiction action film based on the Transformers television series. It was released in North America on August 8, 1986, and in the United Kingdom on December 12, 1986. It was co-produced and directed by Nelson Shin, who also produced the television series. The screenplay was written by Ron Friedman, who created Bionic Six a year later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grimlock</span> Transformers character

Grimlock is the name of several fictional robot characters in the Transformers robot franchise. He is usually portrayed as the leader of the Dinobots, which are a subfaction of Autobots who can transform into metal dinosaurs. Grimlock is known for his dialogue being spoken in the third person. He appeared on screen along with other Dinobots in the fourth installment of the Transformers film series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starscream</span> Transformers character

Starscream is a character in the Transformers media franchise produced by the American toy company Hasbro and the Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. He is the second-in-command of the Decepticons, a villainous faction of alien robots that seeks to conquer their home planet of Cybertron and the rest of the known universe. As with all Cybertronians, Starscream can disguise himself by transforming into vehicles, in his case a fighter jet, and he is usually portrayed as a treacherous but cowardly air commander who seeks to overthrow his leader Megatron and assume control of the Decepticons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autobot</span> Faction of sentient robots from the Transformers universe

The Autobots are a fictional faction of sentient robots in the Transformers multimedia franchise. The Autobots are living robots from the planet Cybertron who, like most Transformers, are each imbued with a unique "life force" known as a "spark." Led by Optimus Prime in most stories, the Autobots believe "freedom is the right of all sentient life" and are often engaged in a civil war with the Decepticons, a faction of transformers dedicated to military conquest and usually headed by Megatron. In a mirror universe portrayed in Transformers: Shattered Glass, the Autobots are villains opposed by the heroic Decepticons.

Transformers is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the heroic Autobots and the villainous Decepticons, two alien robot factions at war that can transform into other forms, such as vehicles and animals. The franchise encompasses toys, animation, comic books, video games and films. As of 2011, it generated more than ¥2 trillion in revenue, making it one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.

Ultra Magnus is a character from the Transformers franchise.

Soundwave (<i>Transformers</i>) Transformers character

Soundwave is a fictional robot character appearing in various Transformers continuity lines within the Transformers franchise. His most well-known disguise is that of a micro cassette recorder. Throughout most of his incarnations, he is an underlying loyal lieutenant of the Decepticon leader Megatron. He is commonly depicted as Megatron's communications officer and in some interpretations, only speaks when mocking the Autobots.

Jetfire is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers franchise. He is almost always depicted as an Autobot with flight capabilities and a jet or space shuttle as an alternate mode. In some continuities, he is a former Decepticon.

<i>Transformers: Armada</i> Anime television series (2002-2003)

Transformers: Armada, known in Japan as Super Robot Life-Form Transformers: Legends of the Microns, is a Japanese anime series which debuted on August 23, 2002. As the first series co-produced between the American toy company Hasbro and their Japanese partner Takara, Armada begins a new continuity/universe for Transformers, with no ties to any of the previous series, including its direct predecessor Transformers: Robots in Disguise in 2001. It inspired two sequels, Transformers: Energon (2004) and Transformers: Cybertron (2005).

<i>Transformers: Cybertron</i> Japanese/Canadian television series

Transformers: Cybertron, known as Transformers: Galaxy Force in Japan and Asia, is an anime series which debuted on January 8, 2005. It is set in the Transformers universe. Produced by TV Aichi, Weve, Tokyu Agency and animated by Gonzo, the series is directed by Hiroyuki Kakudō and Manabu Ono, with Hiro Masaki handling series composition, Takashi Kumazen designing the characters, Mitsuru Ōwa serving as the mechanical and prop designer and Megumi Ōhashi composing the music. A corresponding toy line was released with the series.

Bumblebee (<i>Transformers</i>) Transformers character

Bumblebee is a fictional robot character appearing in the many continuities in the Transformers franchise. The character is a member of the Autobots, a group of sentient, self-configuring, modular extraterrestrial robotic lifeforms.

There have been four main publishers of the comic book series bearing the name Transformers based on the toy lines of the same name. The first series was produced by Marvel Comics from 1984 to 1991, which ran for 80 issues and produced four spin-off miniseries. This was followed by a second volume titled Transformers: Generation 2, which ran for 12 issues starting in 1993. The second major series was produced by Dreamwave Productions from 2002 to 2004 with multiple limited series as well, and within multiple story continuities, until the company became bankrupt in 2005. The third and fourth series have been published by IDW Publishing with the third series starting with an issue #0 in October 2005 and a regular series starting in January 2006 to November 2018. The fourth series started in March 2019 with issue #1 and concluded in June 2022. There are also several limited series being produced by IDW as well. Skybound Entertainment began publishing Transformers comics starting in June 2023, kicking off the Energon Universe. In addition to these four main publishers, there have also been several other smaller publishers with varying degrees of success.

Cliffjumper is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers franchise. His name is usually associated with an Autobot whose toys are often red repaints or remold of Bumblebee toys.

<i>Transformers: Generation 2</i> TV series or program

The Transformers: Generation 2 was a Transformers toy line that ran from 1992–1994, in conjunction with a corresponding comic book series and edited reruns of the original cartoon beginning in 1993. The prior Transformer television series, comic books and toys became known as 'Generation 1' or G1 retroactively, and are now officially referred to as such by toymaker Hasbro. Generation 2 was discontinued as the first Beast Wars: Transformers toys began hitting the shelves.

Transformers: Generation 1 is a toy line from 1984 to 1990, produced by Hasbro and Takara Tomy. It was a line of toy robots that could change into an alternate form by moving parts into other places, and it was the first line of toys produced for the successful Transformers toy and entertainment franchise. The line was originally called The Transformers, with "Generation 1" originating as a term coined by fans of the toys when the Transformers: Generation 2 toy line was released in 1992. Hasbro eventually adopted the term "Generation 1" to refer to any toy produced in that era.

Transformers: Prime is an American animated television series based on the Transformers toy franchise by Hasbro that aired on the Hub Network from November 29, 2010, to July 26, 2013. The series focuses on the Autobots of "Team Prime", consisting of Optimus Prime, Ratchet, Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead, and their human allies as they attempt to protect the Earth from the villainous Decepticons and their leader Megatron.

Transformers: Robots in Disguise is an American science-fiction animated television series for children produced by Hasbro Studios and Darby Pop Productions in the United States for Cartoon Network. It was also animated by Polygon Pictures in Japan. It is the stand-alone sequel to Transformers: Prime that ran from 2010 to 2013 on The Hub Network, featuring characters and storylines mostly self-contained from the events of its predecessor as well as an overall more lighthearted tone. Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman did not return to the new series. In the United States, the series ran on Cartoon Network from March 14, 2015, to November 11, 2017.

<i>Transformers: Combiner Wars</i> 2016 multi-national TV series or program

Transformers: Combiner Wars is an animated web series developed by Eric S. Calderon, George Krstic, and F.J. DeSanto. Part of the Transformers franchise, it is the first installment of the Transformers: Prime Wars Trilogy, featuring elements taken from the Generation 1 continuity family and the comic books by IDW Publishing.

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