| Developer: | Marty Isenberg |
| Theme Music Composer: | Andy Sturmer |
| Opentheme: | "Transformers: Main Theme" |
| Endtheme: | "Transformers: Main Theme" |
| Composer: | Sebastian Evans II |
| Country: | United States Japan |
| Language: | English Japanese |
| Num Seasons: | 3 |
| Num Episodes: | 42 |
| List Episodes: | List of Transformers: Animated episodes |
| Producer: | Vincent Aniceto |
| Channel: | Cartoon Network |
Transformers Animated is a superhero animated television series based on the Transformers toy line. It was produced by Cartoon Network Studios and Hasbro Entertainment and animated by The Answer Studio, Mook Animation, and Studio 4°C (shorts). The series debuted on Cartoon Network on December 26, 2007, and ended on May 23, 2009; running for 42 episodes across three seasons. In Japan, the show debuted on April 3, 2010, on both TV Aichi and TV Tokyo.[1]
The show is set in its own stand-alone continuity, separate from any other previous Transformers continuities. Despite this, the series features many references to the other continuities; such as footage from the Generation 1 series being used as a historical film.[2]
The show is one of two Cartoon Network Studios shows whose rights are not owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, the other being the 2003-2005 Star Wars: Clone Wars television series (owned by The Walt Disney Company via Lucasfilm).
The series began with a three-part movie-length episode called "Transform and Roll Out!". Stellar cycles (years) after the Autobots won the great war for Cybertron against the Decepticons, an Autobot maintenance crew led by Optimus Prime and consisting of Ratchet, Bulkhead, Prowl, and Bumblebee discover the legendary AllSpark buried on an asteroid. The Autobots take the AllSpark back to their ship, but are soon confronted by a crew of Decepticons led by the notorious warlord Megatron and consisting of Blitzwing, Lugnut, Blackarachnia, and Starscream. Megatron attacks the Autobot ship and tries to retrieve the AllSpark, but when an explosive planted on Megatron by the treacherous Starscream detonates, the ship crashes on Earth. The Autobots go into stasis to survive the crash, while the scattered remains of Megatron are discovered by a human scientist named Isaac Sumdac.
Half a century later, Professor Issac Sumdac is the CEO of a robotics company known as Sumdac Systems, which is based in a futuristic version of Detroit in the 2050s. Optimus Prime and the Autobots awaken from stasis and defend the people of Detroit from a monster, resulting in them becoming local celebrities. They befriend Professor Sumdac's young daughter Sari, who teaches them about Earth customs, and whose security card is transformed into a metallic tool which possesses a fraction of the AllSpark's vast cosmic power. Starscream arrives on Earth and tries to take the all-powerful AllSpark for himself, but the Autobots successfully stop him and save the Earth once again.
The Autobots settle into their new home and learn about Earth culture and customs, while also defending Detroit from various threats. Megatron's disembodied head, which has been in Professor Sumdac's laboratory since the ship crashed, comes back online and manipulates Sumdac into building him a new body, pretending that he is an Autobot. Blitzwing and Lugnut arrive on Earth searching for Megatron, while Blackarachnia targets Optimus Prime, blaming him for her techno-organic mutation. New Transformers introduced in the first season include the Autobot Arcee (who only appears in Ratchet's flashbacks), the Decepticon Soundwave, the bounty-hunter Lockdown, and the Dinobots Grimlock, Snarl, and Swoop. Several human villains are also introduced, including Nanosec (who can run at extreme speeds), the Headmaster (who pilots a machine that attaches to and controls large robots) and Meltdown (who is covered in a toxic and corrosive substance). The season ends with Megatron returning with a new body (built by the all-powerful AllSpark from his old body, while also killing Starscream for his betrayal), and the AllSpark exploding into many fragments that scatter across Detroit.
The Autobot Elite Guard members Ultra Magnus, Sentinel Prime, and Jazz arrive on Earth to retrieve the AllSpark, only to learn of its destruction in the Season One finale. While Sentinel completely disbelieves Optimus's claims, Optimus and his team are eventually able to convince Magnus of Decepticon activity on Earth. The main theme for Season Two is the discovery of small fragments of the AllSpark littered across the city (and possibly, the entire planet), while the Decepticons work on building a space bridge back to Cybertron with the help of Issac Sumdac, who was kidnapped by Megatron in the previous season's finale. This is part of Megatron's plan to invade Cybertron from within, without the Autobots' awareness.
New characters introduced in season 2 include the Autobots Omega Supreme (who was revealed to be Optimus Prime's team's spaceship), Wreck-Gar, Wasp and Blurr, the Decepticons Shockwave, Swindle, Mixmaster and Scrapper, the human villain Slo-Mo (who is able to slow down time using a watch embedded with an AllSpark fragment), and Starscream's army of clones Thundercracker, Ramjet, Skywarp, Sunstorm, and Slipstream (none of the clones are openly referred to by name in the series, the names listed come from the toy-line, while Slipstream was retroactively given her name by Hasbro). At the end of the season, the Decepticon Space Bridge is destroyed, but Megatron, Starscream (resurrected by the AllSpark fragment in his forehead), and Omega Supreme are sucked through and lost in deep space. Sari meanwhile, notices an injury that exposes mechanical components under her skin, revealing that she is not entirely human.
The revelation that she's a robot sends Sari into a whirlwind of shock and disbelief, immediately suspecting her "father" as her creator, despite Sumdac's insistence that he discovered her in a liquid metal form. Ratchet's examination unveils Sari's mixed human and Cybertronian composition. Prowl's inquiry supports Sumdac's account, pinpointing Sari as a Cybertronian protoform merged with Sumdac's genetic code. Using her Key's energy, Sari evolves into a formidable armored techno-organic teenager with advanced weaponry and unique Cybertronian abilities.
Meanwhile, on Cybertron, Shockwave (disguised as the Autobot Longarm Prime) sabotages several Elite Guard operations in preparation for Megatron's return, unaware that Megatron and Starscream are lost in deep space, trying to gain control of Omega Supreme. Suspecting that the double-agent may be the escaped convict Wasp, Ultra Magnus sends Sentinel and Jazz back to Earth to find and apprehend Wasp, who has found his way to Earth to exact revenge on Bumblebee for framing him. Soundwave and Arcee reappear, with Soundwave being accompanied by minions Laserbeak and Ratbat. New characters introduced in season 3 include the Constructicon Dirt Boss, the Autobot scientist Perceptor, Prowl's mentor Yoketron (who only appears in flashbacks of his most promising student Prowl), and the flying Elite Guard members Jetstorm and Jetfire.
In the two-part finale, "Endgame", Jazz joins Optimus Prime's team on Earth, while Megatron and Starscream also find their way back to Earth, using information stored deep within Arcee's subconscious mind to create an army of Omega Supreme-sized robots in Lugnut's likeness. Optimus defeats Megatron with the aid of Ultra Magnus' Magnus Hammer (which destroys Megatron's fusion cannon) and a "Wingblade" jetpack built by Professor Sumdac, Ratchet, and Sari while Prowl sacrifices his own vital Spark to reassemble most of the AllSpark into what resembles the Matrix of Leadership, killing Starscream in the process, and destroying the "Lugnut Supremes" all at once. Megatron is arrested, and the Autobots return to Cybertron, and are hailed as heroes upon arriving on their home world with Sari who is intent on learning what is to be an Autobot and finally learn about her unique origins.
A fourth season of more than thirteen/sixteen episodes was initially planned for, consisting of more than just the regular thirteen or sixteen episodes, but was ultimately cancelled. According to The AllSpark Almanac II, The Complete AllSpark Almanac, and issue #71 of the Transformers Collectors' Club magazine, season four's main theme would have been the discovery of Energon deposits left by the Allspark across Detroit.
Two official script readings in Botcon convention taking place in Animated tells stories after the events of the Third Season but before the proposed 4 Fourth Season.
After the events of Endgame focuses on Animated versions of Sideswipe as a senior police bot with one last case before retirement paired up with a new parter loose cannon Cheetor investigating stolen modifications which would lead to the "Stunt Convoy" show but however were revealed to be Animated versions of the Stunticons (Minus Menasor) and bizzario toxic Optimus Prime clone dubbed Toxitron. Optimus would switch places with Toxitron when the latter got arrested and released due to lack of evidence. Optimus exposes the Stunticons plan with Sideswipe and Cheetor's help put astop to them. However, after Sideswipe retired and settle at the Energon farm it would be attacked by a new Team Charr.
Taking place around the events of the previous script reading focusing on Sari Summadic in a Cybertronian class with Animated versions of Headmasters Siren, Horsehead, and Nighbeat with Arcee as its teacher inside of Metroplex. When Sari's classmates was grossed out from her eating her food from Earth she went to throw it in a garbage chute she ends up falling in where she finds the crushed Blurr (From the events of Transwarped Part 2) still alive where in events of trying to escape they accidentally unleashed an Animated version of Kremzeek that ended up taking over some Autobot bodies before trying to hyjack Fortress Maxinus' cannons that would destroy the Iacon later revealed to be created by Shockwave. However using her powers she gained Blurr's speed to race over there while running into Cheetor and Sideswipe along the way. Sari would manage to trap Kremzeek in a cup where Kremzeek. Later on Optimus would use the Allspark to fully restore Blurr where Blurr breaks the fourth wall exited to be back in time for season 4 but when he learns there is no season 4 he asked his agent to get involved with Robots in Disguise or Susan Blu's input to hopefully get into voice directing.
Various ideas planned for the much longer cancelled fourth season include:
Additionally there was some other episodes or different versions of them that was intended to be part of the season but were rejected by Hasbro because they didn't want Predacons to be focus in the season and wanted Megatron and Earth to be the main focus more due to the Live Action films when some of the show runners where interviewed.
See main article: List of Transformers: Animated episodes.
The main Autobots are Optimus Prime, Prowl, Ratchet, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee. The main Decepticon cast is made up of Megatron, Starscream, Blitzwing, Lugnut, and Blackarachnia. The main humans, or as the Transformers call them, "organics",[3] are Professor Isaac Sumdac, Sari Sumdac, and Captain Fanzone.
Transformers Animated was adapted into comics and published by IDW Publishing in 2008. The book used cartoon screen captures arranged in comic book style panels. In the same year, they also published a comic series featuring original stories titled Transformers Animated: The Arrival. In Japan, a manga adaptation titled was created by Naoto Tsushima and serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's Kerokero Ace magazine from March 26, 2010, to March 26, 2011.
The series is animated by Japanese animation studios MOOK DLE, The Answer Studio, and Studio 4°C. Formerly known by the working title Transformers: Heroes, its new simplified title was designed to specifically distinguish it from the live-action film released in July 2007, months before the first episode aired.[2] The series is distributed internationally by Entertainment Rights.[5] Hot Shot was originally goin to be part of the main cast, but was replaced by Bumblebee. Hot Shot still makes an appearance in the show.
The show's supervising director is Matt Youngberg (Teen Titans, The Batman),[6] with Cartoon Network vice-president Sam Register, who also created Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, as an executive producer and Vincent Aniceto as a line producer. Additionally, Beast Machines writer Marty Isenberg returned as the head writer for this series. Art director and lead character designer Derrick J. Wyatt (Teen Titans, , and Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated) created the controversial "brand new look" that this series introduces.
The first episode was due to be screened in full on November 3–4, 2007, at the NTFA Mini-Con, a Transformers convention in Arlöv, Sweden, but US toymaker Hasbro pulled their approval of the screening of the full episode, despite it being green-lighted by Hasbro Nordic at first. The episode had to be cut down to the first 11 minutes.[7] [8]
While Transformers Animated had aired and completed its run in many other territories, the release of the series in Japan had been delayed. However, on December 18, 2009, it was announced through the launch of the official website that Takara Tomy would be bringing the series to Japan come Spring 2010. Later, TV Tokyo affiliate, TV Aichi confirmed the exact date of broadcast, which was April 3, 2010, at 8:00AM.[9]
The series was shown in a 4:3 aspect ratio, similar to Cartoon Network's broadcast, unlike the original 16:9 ratio used by The Hub. To compensate, the Japanese version added side backgrounds, such as one featuring the Autobot insignia.
In line with the Japanese movie release, Takara Tomy modified the dub to resemble the movie more closely, retaining many of the original character names. Optimus Prime's name was kept instead of changing it to Convoy. However, to align the main cast with the movie, Bulkhead was renamed Ironhide,[10] which meant the English version's Ironhide had to be renamed "Armorhide".
Following the trend of earlier Transformers series such as Beast Wars and Beast Machines, the Japanese dub of Transformers: Animated takes on a more cheerful tone than the original. It includes a lot of self-referential, fourth-wall-breaking humour, and numerous pop-culture references.
The Japanese opening theme is "TRANSFORMERS EVO." performed by JAM Project, while the ending theme is "AXEL TRANSFORMERS" by Rey.
The North American releases feature full-screen video and stereo sound in both English and Spanish (except Season Three and The Complete Series (both feature widescreen video and stereo sound in only English)).
A single DVD containing the feature-length premiere "Transform and Roll Out".
Also includes the first two unaired shorts, "Career Day" and "Evel Knievel Jump".
A two-disc set containing the complete first season, from "Home Is Where the Spark Is" to "Megatron Rising Part II".
Also includes a season 2 "sneak peek" photo gallery.
A two-disc set containing the complete second season, from "The Elite Guard" to "A Bridge to Close Part II", with audio commentary on selected episodes.
Also includes the shorts "Starscream Heckles Megatron" and "Explosive Punch" and a photo gallery.
Shout! Factory released the third season on DVD on June 10 as well as the complete series afterwards.
, the series is currently available for streaming online on the official Transformers YouTube channel, as well as Kabillion and the AVOD and FAST services Plex, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel and Tubi, as they use the widescreen masters from both the 2014 Shout! Factory DVD release and Cartoon Network HD/Hub Network broadcasts and the only Cartoon Network Studios-produced show to made available on the AVOD/FAST streaming services.[30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35]
Whereas in North America the series was released in complete seasons, the UK instead got several single-disc "volumes" containing four episodes each, also featuring full-screen video, but with audio and subtitles in English and German.
Contains the feature-length premiere "Transform and Roll Out" and the shorts "Career Day" and "Evel Knievel Jump".
Contains episodes 4 Home Is Where the Spark Is, 5 Total Meltdown, 6 Blast From the Past and 7 Thrill of the Hunt
Contains episodes 8 Nanosac, 9 Along Came a Spider, 10 Sound and Fury, 11 Lost and Found
Contains episodes 12 Survival of the Fittest, 13 Headmaster, 14 Nature Calls 15 Megatron Rising Part 1 and 16 Megatron Rising Part 2
Contains episodes 17 The Elite Guard, 18 Return of the Headmaster, 19 Mission Accomplished and 20 Garbage In, Garbage Out
Contains episodes 21 Velocity, 22 Rise of the Constructicons, 23 A Fistful of Energon and 24 S.U.V - Society of Ultimate Villany
Contains episodes 25 Autoboot Camp, 26 Black Friday, 27 Sari, No One's Home, 28 A Bridge Too Close, Part 1 and 29 A Bridge Too Close, Part 2
Germany saw the same releases as the UK.
Contains the feature-length premiere "Transform and Roll Out" and the shorts "Career Day" and "Evel Knievel Jump".
Contains the episodes "Home Is Where the Spark Is" through to "The Thrill of the Hunt".
Contains the episodes "Nanosec" through to "Lost and Found".
Contains the episodes "Survival of the Fittest" through to "Megatron Rising - Part 2"
Contains the episodes "The Elite Guard" through to "Garbage In, Garbage Out"
Contains the episodes "Velocity" through to "SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy"
Contains the episodes "Autoboot Camp" through to "A Bridge Too Close, Part II"
In a press release by Takara Tomy, it was announced that starting in Fall 2010, they would be releasing the series on DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment Japan.[36]
See main article: Transformers Animated: The Game.
Transformers Animated: The Game is the first game based on the series. Released for the Nintendo DS platform in October 2008 by Activision.
Two arcade games, Transformers Animated: The Chase and Transformers Animated: The Shooting were released in Japan by Sega. Both games took advantage of the cards included in the Japanese releases of the toy line.[37]