MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)

2010-09-02T05:48:47Z

125.237.202.172: /* Cast */

{{nav-masterforce}}

'''''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce''''' (トランスフォーマー超神マスターフォース Toransufōmā: Chōjin Masutāfōsu) is a Japanese animated series that ran throughout 1988 into the early months of 1989 for 43 broadcast episodes, in support of the [[Super-God Masterforce (toyline)|toyline]] of the same name. "[[Chōjin Masterforce no Theme]]" plays as its opening theme and "[[Moero! Transformer]]" for its ending.

==Overview==
[[Image:MasterforcePoster1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Before Time Force, Wild Force, and Mystic Force...]]
With the conclusion of the first Japanese-exclusive ''Transformers'' [[franchise]], ''[[The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'', head writer [[Masumi Kaneda]] felt that he had brought the story concepts introduced in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' to a conclusion, and sought to make a "fresh start" with ''Super-God Masterforce''. Whereas ''The Headmasters'' had featured the existing cast of the American animated series, and gradually introduced new characters as it progressed, ''Super-God Masterforce'' was, on the surface, almost entirely divorced from what had gone before, featuring only a cast of entirely new characters in a new scenario. Although links between ''Masterforce'' and the events and characters of ''The Headmasters'' were expanded upon in various other media and articles, the series itself is remarkably self-contained, to the point of frustration, with many important background aspects not fully divulged in the course of the broadcast series.

There is a very human-centric focus in ''Masterforce'', with the basic theme of the series being that "with the Masterforce, you too transform"—that human beings are to be responsible for the defence of their own planet. This resulted in the very ''different'' approach the series takes, which sees the figures released that year by [[Hasbro]] as [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Powermaster]]s reimagined as "[[Headmaster Junior]]s" and "[[Godmaster]]s"—human beings who connect to lifeless [[Transtector]] bodies and actually ''become'' Transformers themselves. In a similar thematic move, the Autobot Pretenders do not don exterior shells and pass themselves off as "giant humans," as in American fiction, but instead perform an ill-defined holistic transformation that actually alters them at a cellular level, shrinking them down into human forms.

For some inexplicable reason, this was the first Transformers cartoon to be shown in Russia, followed by the other Japanese cartoons (in the wrong order), which left many Russian children very confused as far as continuity goes.

==Storyline==
After the events of ''The Headmasters'', the [[Earth]] has been free of [[Transformer]]s for several years, until the emergence of the [[Decepticon]] [[Pretender]]s. This group of villains were pursued to Earth during the Stone Age by a group of Autobots led by [[Metalhawk]], and when both teams crash-landed on the planet, they used their special "Pretender" powers to adopt new disguises. Metalhawk and his Autobots took on the forms of human beings and began to live among the burgeoning humanity, guiding the evolution of their culture and society, while the Decepticons became monstrous creatures and tormented early man as "demons." Eventually, the Autobot Pretenders defeated the Decepticons and sealed them away, but as the series begins, they have been liberated from their prisons by the evil alien energy-being, [[Devil Z]], to play a role in his schemes.

With the return of the Decepticons, the Autobot Pretenders are forced to drop their disguises and take up arms once again, gaining allies in three young human children ([[Shūta Gō]], [[Cab]] and [[Minerva]]) who are imbued with the power of the "Masterforce" and bond with three Transtectors sent to Earth from the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. The Decepticons recruit their own Headmasters Juniors as well, and as the battles on Earth progress, the true objective of Devil Z's plan comes to light. The arrival of [[Mega]], [[Giga]], [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] and [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] heralds the quest for the "[[Godmaster]]s"—super-powerful lifeforms that are the perfect fusion of human and Transformer, able to manipulate [[Chōkon Power]]. With these four warriors on the side of the Decepticons, the Autobots must find Godmasters of their own, and succeed when they are joined by a young trucker named [[Ginrai]], who soon recruits three more Autobot Godmasters.

Incensed by this failure, Devil Z ups his plans by summoning [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]] (the newest incarnation of Decepticon leader Scorponok, who is busy leading the Decepticons against the Autobots out in space) to Earth. Discovering his plan, [[Grand Maximus]] races to Earth to inform the Autobots of BlackZarak's approach. Our heroes create [[Godbomber]], a drone that serves as an upgrade for Ginrai, enabling him to transform into "God Ginrai" and fight in space, allowing him to beat BlackZarak back.

The Autobot suffer a grave loss when the final Godmaster, [[Clouder|Doubleclouder]], is discovered and sides with the Decepticons, using his ability to adopt two robot forms to infiltrate the Autobots and destroy their headquarters. Without a base of operations, the Autobots are at a disadvantage when BlackZarak returns and merges with Devil Z to bring about the destruction of Mankind. As characters lose their humanity, change their alliances, and engage in final battles, everything comes down to a climactic duel between God Ginrai and BlackZarak atop the Matterhorn, where the Autobot hero must beat his opponent, or all life on Earth will be forfeit.

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Super-God Masterforce episodes}}

{{collist|3|
#[[Rise Up!! Pretenders|Rise Up!! Pretenders]]
#[[Terror! The Decepticons' Manhunt]]
#[[Kidnapping!? The Targeted Jumbo Jet]]
#[[Birth! Headmaster Jrs]]
#[[Rage!! Little Devils with No Need for Rules]]
#[[Go, Goshooter - Showdown in the Wasteland]]
#[[Panic! Protect the Wild Animals!!]]
#[[Super Warriors - The Godmaster Brothers]]
#[[A Fierce Battle!! The Autobots Are in Trouble]]
#[[A Hero Is Chosen - His Name Is Ginrai]]
#[[Ginrai: God On of Rage!!]]
#[[A Strange Friendship: Cancer and Minerva]]
#[[Friend or Foe!? The True Form of the Monster!!]]
#[[Eliminate the Godmaster Ginrai]]
#[[Heroism!! The Birth of Super Ginrai]]
#[[Lightfoot: A Dramatic Encounter]]
#[[An Enemy? The Third Godmaster, Ranger]]
#[[A Powerful Foe!! Sixknight the Wanderer]]
#[[Assemble! The Four Godmaster Gunmen]]
#[[The Autobot Warrior, Sixknight?!]]
#[[Save the Little Girl! The Chōjin Warriors, the Godmasters]]
#[[Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot]]
#[[Expose the Decepticons' Dark Trap!]]
#[[Super Ginrai Gets Blown Away in the Desert!?]]
#[[Will the Bomber Project Be Destroyed!?]]
#[[God Ginrai - Into the Sky!!]]
#[[God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon]]
#[[Overlord - Terror of the Chōkon Tornado]]
#[[Escape!! The Underwater Volcano Erupts]]
#[[Destroy Godbomber!!]]
#[[Appearance!! The Final Godmaster]]
#[[Secret Orders! Destroy the Autobot Base!!]]
#[[Disaster! The Autobot Base Explodes]]
#[[BlackZarak - Destroyer from Space]]
#[[Crisis! The Day of Human Extinction]]
#[[God Ginrai - Save Cancer!?]]
#[[God Ginrai: Showdown at the Decepticon Base]]
#[[The Ultimate Combination!! BlackZarak, the New Lifeform]]
#[[Battle to the Death!! God Ginrai VS Darkwings Reborn]]
#[[Autobots! Desperate Attack!!]]
#[[Malevolent and Inhuman! The True Form of Devil Z]]
#[[A Battle... and Then...]]
#[[Fight! Super Ginrai]]
#[[Begin the Bomber Project! The Creation of God Ginrai]]
#[[The Secret of Godbomber!]]
#[[Great Turn-Around! Autobot Warriors!]]
#[[You Too Use the Masterforce to Transform]]<br>[[Shūta and Grand's Masterforce Super-Secrets!]]}}

==Cast==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
'''[[Godmaster]]s'''
*[[Ginrai]]/Super Ginrai/God Ginrai ([[Hiroshi Takemura]])
*[[Lightfoot]] ([[Tsutomu Kashiwakura]])
*[[Ranger]] ([[Hōchū Ōtsuka]])
*[[Road King]] ([[Kaneto Shiozawa]])
*[[Clouder]] ([[Takeshi Kusao]])
'''[[Pretender]]s'''
*[[Metalhawk]] ([[Katsuji Mori]])
*[[Diver (Masterforce)|Diver]] ([[Yūji Mikimoto]])
*[[Lander]] ([[Ryōichi Tanaka]])
*[[Phoenix]] ([[Masato Hirano]])
'''[[Headmaster Junior]]s'''
*[[Cab]] ([[Hiroko Emori]])
*[[Minerva]] ([[Yuriko Yamamoto]])
*[[Shūta Gō]] ([[Yumi Tōma]])
'''Others'''
*[[Godbomber]]
*[[Grand Maximus]] ([[Ikuya Sawaki]])
**Grand
***Gran
*[[Sixknight]] ([[Show Hayami|Shō Hayami]])

|c2=
'''[[Godmaster]]s'''
*[[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] ([[Keiichi Noda]])
**[[Giga]] ([[Keiichi Noda]])
**[[Mega]] ([[Rihoko Yoshida]])
*[[Darkwings]] ([[Yoku Shioya]])/([[Ken Yamaguchi]])
**[[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] ([[Yoku Shioya]])
**[[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] ([[Ken Yamaguchi]])
'''[[Pretender]]s'''
*[[Blood]] ([[Kōji Totani]])
*[[Dauros]] ([[Daisuke Gōri]])
*[[Gilmer]] ([[Masaharu Satō]])
'''[[Headmaster Junior]]s'''
*[[Bullhorn]] ([[Kōzō Shioya]])
*[[Cancer]] ([[Akari Hibino|Yōko Ogai]])
*[[Wilder]] ([[Keiichi Nanba]])
'''[[Seacon (Masterforce)|Seacons]]'''
*[[King Poseidon]] ([[Masato Hirano]])
**[[Turtler]] ([[Masato Hirano]])
**[[Gulf]]
**[[Kraken]]
**[[Lobclaw]]
**[[Overbite (Masterforce)|Overbite]]
**[[Tentakil (Masterforce)|Tentakil]]
'''[[Sparkdash]]'''
*[[Guzzle (Masterforce)|Guzzle]]
*[[Javil]]
*[[Sizzle (Masterforce)|Sizzle]]
'''Others'''
*[[Devil Z]] ([[Hidekatsu Shibata]])
*[[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]] ([[Banjō Ginga]])
*[[Browning]] ([[Fushigi Yamada|Kyōko Yamada]])

|c3=
*[[Donq]]
*[[Professor Gō]]
|nonumbering=true
}}

==Home video releases==
[[Image:MadmanMasterforce.jpg|thumb|150px|Australian DVD release]]
===Japan===
{{main|Geneon Universal Entertainment}}
*''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' — DVD Box 01 (2003)
*''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' — DVD Box 02 (2003)

===United Kingdom===
{{main|Metrodome}}
*The Takara Collection Vol 2 — ''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' (2006)
*''Transformers'' — The Complete Takara Collection (2007)

===Australia===
{{main|Madman Entertainment}}
*''The Transformers: Super God Masterforce'' (2008)
*''The Transformers: Japan Generation 1'' — Complete Collection (2009)
{{-}}

== External links ==
* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BC_%E8%B6%85%E7%A5%9E%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9 ''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' at the Japanese Wikipedia]

[[Category:Masterforce| Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)

2010-09-02T05:48:08Z

125.237.202.172: /* Cast */

{{nav-masterforce}}

'''''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce''''' (トランスフォーマー超神マスターフォース Toransufōmā: Chōjin Masutāfōsu) is a Japanese animated series that ran throughout 1988 into the early months of 1989 for 43 broadcast episodes, in support of the [[Super-God Masterforce (toyline)|toyline]] of the same name. "[[Chōjin Masterforce no Theme]]" plays as its opening theme and "[[Moero! Transformer]]" for its ending.

==Overview==
[[Image:MasterforcePoster1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Before Time Force, Wild Force, and Mystic Force...]]
With the conclusion of the first Japanese-exclusive ''Transformers'' [[franchise]], ''[[The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'', head writer [[Masumi Kaneda]] felt that he had brought the story concepts introduced in ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' to a conclusion, and sought to make a "fresh start" with ''Super-God Masterforce''. Whereas ''The Headmasters'' had featured the existing cast of the American animated series, and gradually introduced new characters as it progressed, ''Super-God Masterforce'' was, on the surface, almost entirely divorced from what had gone before, featuring only a cast of entirely new characters in a new scenario. Although links between ''Masterforce'' and the events and characters of ''The Headmasters'' were expanded upon in various other media and articles, the series itself is remarkably self-contained, to the point of frustration, with many important background aspects not fully divulged in the course of the broadcast series.

There is a very human-centric focus in ''Masterforce'', with the basic theme of the series being that "with the Masterforce, you too transform"—that human beings are to be responsible for the defence of their own planet. This resulted in the very ''different'' approach the series takes, which sees the figures released that year by [[Hasbro]] as [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]] and [[Powermaster]]s reimagined as "[[Headmaster Junior]]s" and "[[Godmaster]]s"—human beings who connect to lifeless [[Transtector]] bodies and actually ''become'' Transformers themselves. In a similar thematic move, the Autobot Pretenders do not don exterior shells and pass themselves off as "giant humans," as in American fiction, but instead perform an ill-defined holistic transformation that actually alters them at a cellular level, shrinking them down into human forms.

For some inexplicable reason, this was the first Transformers cartoon to be shown in Russia, followed by the other Japanese cartoons (in the wrong order), which left many Russian children very confused as far as continuity goes.

==Storyline==
After the events of ''The Headmasters'', the [[Earth]] has been free of [[Transformer]]s for several years, until the emergence of the [[Decepticon]] [[Pretender]]s. This group of villains were pursued to Earth during the Stone Age by a group of Autobots led by [[Metalhawk]], and when both teams crash-landed on the planet, they used their special "Pretender" powers to adopt new disguises. Metalhawk and his Autobots took on the forms of human beings and began to live among the burgeoning humanity, guiding the evolution of their culture and society, while the Decepticons became monstrous creatures and tormented early man as "demons." Eventually, the Autobot Pretenders defeated the Decepticons and sealed them away, but as the series begins, they have been liberated from their prisons by the evil alien energy-being, [[Devil Z]], to play a role in his schemes.

With the return of the Decepticons, the Autobot Pretenders are forced to drop their disguises and take up arms once again, gaining allies in three young human children ([[Shūta Gō]], [[Cab]] and [[Minerva]]) who are imbued with the power of the "Masterforce" and bond with three Transtectors sent to Earth from the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]]. The Decepticons recruit their own Headmasters Juniors as well, and as the battles on Earth progress, the true objective of Devil Z's plan comes to light. The arrival of [[Mega]], [[Giga]], [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] and [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] heralds the quest for the "[[Godmaster]]s"—super-powerful lifeforms that are the perfect fusion of human and Transformer, able to manipulate [[Chōkon Power]]. With these four warriors on the side of the Decepticons, the Autobots must find Godmasters of their own, and succeed when they are joined by a young trucker named [[Ginrai]], who soon recruits three more Autobot Godmasters.

Incensed by this failure, Devil Z ups his plans by summoning [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]] (the newest incarnation of Decepticon leader Scorponok, who is busy leading the Decepticons against the Autobots out in space) to Earth. Discovering his plan, [[Grand Maximus]] races to Earth to inform the Autobots of BlackZarak's approach. Our heroes create [[Godbomber]], a drone that serves as an upgrade for Ginrai, enabling him to transform into "God Ginrai" and fight in space, allowing him to beat BlackZarak back.

The Autobot suffer a grave loss when the final Godmaster, [[Clouder|Doubleclouder]], is discovered and sides with the Decepticons, using his ability to adopt two robot forms to infiltrate the Autobots and destroy their headquarters. Without a base of operations, the Autobots are at a disadvantage when BlackZarak returns and merges with Devil Z to bring about the destruction of Mankind. As characters lose their humanity, change their alliances, and engage in final battles, everything comes down to a climactic duel between God Ginrai and BlackZarak atop the Matterhorn, where the Autobot hero must beat his opponent, or all life on Earth will be forfeit.

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Super-God Masterforce episodes}}

{{collist|3|
#[[Rise Up!! Pretenders|Rise Up!! Pretenders]]
#[[Terror! The Decepticons' Manhunt]]
#[[Kidnapping!? The Targeted Jumbo Jet]]
#[[Birth! Headmaster Jrs]]
#[[Rage!! Little Devils with No Need for Rules]]
#[[Go, Goshooter - Showdown in the Wasteland]]
#[[Panic! Protect the Wild Animals!!]]
#[[Super Warriors - The Godmaster Brothers]]
#[[A Fierce Battle!! The Autobots Are in Trouble]]
#[[A Hero Is Chosen - His Name Is Ginrai]]
#[[Ginrai: God On of Rage!!]]
#[[A Strange Friendship: Cancer and Minerva]]
#[[Friend or Foe!? The True Form of the Monster!!]]
#[[Eliminate the Godmaster Ginrai]]
#[[Heroism!! The Birth of Super Ginrai]]
#[[Lightfoot: A Dramatic Encounter]]
#[[An Enemy? The Third Godmaster, Ranger]]
#[[A Powerful Foe!! Sixknight the Wanderer]]
#[[Assemble! The Four Godmaster Gunmen]]
#[[The Autobot Warrior, Sixknight?!]]
#[[Save the Little Girl! The Chōjin Warriors, the Godmasters]]
#[[Life? Death? The Desperate Lightfoot]]
#[[Expose the Decepticons' Dark Trap!]]
#[[Super Ginrai Gets Blown Away in the Desert!?]]
#[[Will the Bomber Project Be Destroyed!?]]
#[[God Ginrai - Into the Sky!!]]
#[[God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon]]
#[[Overlord - Terror of the Chōkon Tornado]]
#[[Escape!! The Underwater Volcano Erupts]]
#[[Destroy Godbomber!!]]
#[[Appearance!! The Final Godmaster]]
#[[Secret Orders! Destroy the Autobot Base!!]]
#[[Disaster! The Autobot Base Explodes]]
#[[BlackZarak - Destroyer from Space]]
#[[Crisis! The Day of Human Extinction]]
#[[God Ginrai - Save Cancer!?]]
#[[God Ginrai: Showdown at the Decepticon Base]]
#[[The Ultimate Combination!! BlackZarak, the New Lifeform]]
#[[Battle to the Death!! God Ginrai VS Darkwings Reborn]]
#[[Autobots! Desperate Attack!!]]
#[[Malevolent and Inhuman! The True Form of Devil Z]]
#[[A Battle... and Then...]]
#[[Fight! Super Ginrai]]
#[[Begin the Bomber Project! The Creation of God Ginrai]]
#[[The Secret of Godbomber!]]
#[[Great Turn-Around! Autobot Warriors!]]
#[[You Too Use the Masterforce to Transform]]<br>[[Shūta and Grand's Masterforce Super-Secrets!]]}}

==Cast==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
'''[[Godmaster]]s'''
*[[Ginrai]]/Super Ginrai/God Ginrai ([[Hiroshi Takemura]])
*[[Lightfoot]] ([[Tsutomu Kashiwakura]])
*[[Ranger]] ([[Hōchū Ōtsuka]])
*[[Road King]] ([[Kaneto Shiozawa]])
*[[Clouder]] ([[Takeshi Kusao]])
'''[[Pretender]]s'''
*[[Metalhawk]] ([[Katsuji Mori]])
*[[Diver (Masterforce)|Diver]] ([[Yūji Mikimoto]])
*[[Lander]] ([[Ryōichi Tanaka]])
*[[Phoenix]] ([[Masato Hirano]])
'''[[Headmaster Junior]]s'''
*[[Cab]] ([[Hiroko Emori]])
*[[Minerva]] ([[Yuriko Yamamoto]])
*[[Shūta Gō]] ([[Yumi Tōma]])
'''Others'''
*[[Godbomber]]
*[[Grand Maximus]] ([[Ikuya Sawaki]])
**Grand
***Gran
*[[Sixknight]] ([[Show Hayami|Shō Hayami]])

|c2=
'''[[Godmaster]]s'''
*[[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] ([[Keiichi Noda]])
**[[Giga]] ([[Keiichi Noda]])
**[[Mega]] ([[Rihoko Yoshida]])
*[[Darkwings]] ([[Yoku Shioya]])/([[Ken Yamaguchi]])
**[[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] ([[Yoku Shioya]])
**[[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] ([[Ken Yamaguchi]])
'''[[Pretender]]s'''
*[[Blood]] ([[Kōji Totani]])
*[[Dauros]] ([[Daisuke Gōri]])
*[[Gilmer]] ([[Masaharu Satō]])
'''[[Headmaster Junior]]s'''
*[[Bullhorn]] ([[Kōzō Shioya]])
*[[Cancer]] ([[Akari Hibino|Yōko Ogai]])
*[[Wilder]] ([[Keiichi Nanba]])
'''[[Seacon (Masterforce)|Seacons]]'''
*[[King Poseidon]] ([[Masato Hirano]])
**[[Turtler]] ([[Masato Hirano]])
**[[Gulf]]
**[[Kraken]]
**[[Lobclaw]]
**[[Overbite (Masterforce)|Overbite]]
**[[Tentakil (Masterforce)|Tentakil]]
'''[[Sparkdash]]'''
*[[Guzzle (Masterforce)|Guzzle]]
*[[Javil]]
*[[Sizzle (Masterforce)|Sizzle]]
'''Others'''
*[[Devil Z]] ([[Hidekatsu Shibata]])
*[[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]] ([[Banjō Ginga]])
*[[Browning]] ([[Fushigi Yamada|Kyōko Yamada]])
*[[Guardminder |Guardminder]] Masaharu Satō (leader), Hirohiko Kakegawa (generic)

|c3=
*[[Donq]]
*[[Professor Gō]]
|nonumbering=true
}}

==Home video releases==
[[Image:MadmanMasterforce.jpg|thumb|150px|Australian DVD release]]
===Japan===
{{main|Geneon Universal Entertainment}}
*''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' — DVD Box 01 (2003)
*''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' — DVD Box 02 (2003)

===United Kingdom===
{{main|Metrodome}}
*The Takara Collection Vol 2 — ''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' (2006)
*''Transformers'' — The Complete Takara Collection (2007)

===Australia===
{{main|Madman Entertainment}}
*''The Transformers: Super God Masterforce'' (2008)
*''The Transformers: Japan Generation 1'' — Complete Collection (2009)
{{-}}

== External links ==
* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BC_%E8%B6%85%E7%A5%9E%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9 ''Transformers: Super-God Masterforce'' at the Japanese Wikipedia]

[[Category:Masterforce| Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Predaking (G1)

2010-09-02T05:34:12Z

125.237.202.172:

{{picsneeded|Everything}}
{{factions|decepticon|predacon}}
:''Predaking is a [[Decepticon]] [[Combiner]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Predakingg1.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Sucks to be Defensor and Superion... and every Autobot combiner ever Except Raiden.]]
'''Predaking''' is the ferocious fusion of all five of the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]]: [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]], [[Headstrong]], [[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]], [[Tantrum]], and team leader [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]]. Predaking is highly unusual, perhaps even unique, among [[Combiner|combiners]] by the successful fusion of each of his component elements' physical abilities and personalities. Most others of his kind are rendered [[Devastator (G1)|stupid]], [[Bruticus (G1)|suggestible]], or borderline [[Menasor (G1)|insane]] by the merging of minds, but the five Predacons are united by their shared love of the hunt, and produce a single complete persona. Between his physical prowess, unexpected mental acuity, and animalistic, almost instinct-fast hunting actions, Predaking is one of the most dangerous and intimidating weapons ever added to the Decepticon ranks. [[Victor Caroli|As a weapon he is without equal; as a warrior he is without restraint. He can lift one million tons without straining a circuit]]. When Predaking is on your trail, all hope is lost.

Unless your names are [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]], [[Raiden]] or [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]]. Or if you're an [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibot]].

{{bigquote|Predaking has the power! He needs nothing more!|Predaking has the power to survive|"[[Nightmare Planet]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Tranformers'' cartoon====
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Bud Davis]] (English), [[Minoru Inaba]] (Japanese), [[Edgar Fruitier]] (French (Canada))

[[Image:Predaking primatives.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Schrödinger's Cel: Simultaneously well-drawn and poorly-drawn.]]
Predaking first saw action during the short-lived Decepticon-[[Quintesson]] alliance in the year 2005. The Predacons attempted to prevent [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], the human [[Marissa Faireborn]] and the magnificent [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] from escaping Jupiter's moon of [[Io]] with [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s [[transformation cog]]. When the individual Predacons failed, they merged into Predaking, but were quickly defeated by Sky Lynx. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

Soon afterward, the Decepticons took over the slave mining planet of [[Dread]], forcing the halpess prisoners to mine the super-hard [[Death crystal|death crystals]] in a scheme by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] to destroy Cybertron with a giant death-crystal firing cannon. When several slaves were frightened out of the mine by the monster [[Chaos (alien)|Chaos]], Predaking swooped down to recapture the escapees. Later, during an Autobot attack that saw Sky Lynx buried under tons of rock, Predaking separated Blurr, [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], Wheelie and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] from [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] by blocking off the mine entrace with his laser sword. He continued to force the Autobots back to Sky Lynx (who had managed to escape the landslide) while shrugging off their laser fire. Meanwhile, Kup lured Chaos out of the volcano, causing another landslide that this time buried Predaking under tons of rock. {{storylink|Chaos (episode)|Chaos}}

During an assassination attempt on the Autobots, the Predacons formed Predaking right before the Quintessons unleashed a nightmare effect on the Transformers. They were all confronted with solidified dream images taken from the mind of [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]]. Predaking was quickly overpowered by the creatures and, after he split up, a dragon kidnapped Razorclaw to a distant castle, leaving the Predacons unable to combine again. After the dream-inducer was destroyed and the Predacons were reunited, Razorclaw was ready to resume the battle with the Autobots and ordered the transformation into Predaking. Unfortunately, Headstrong's leg had been injured fighting a giant dream Galvatron, and he was unable to join into their combined form. Without the might of Predaking, the Predacons chose to flee. {{storylink|Nightmare Planet}}

Predaking was patroling space when he picked up on a Quintesson transmission. Tracing it to a jungle-like planet, he split into his component parts to locate the source of the signal more easily. Once Sky Lynx and the Autobots beat the Predacons to the transmitting journal canister, they reformed as Predaking to renew their vendetta against Sky Lynx. Galvatron and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] soon joined Predaking, but his interest in revenge on Sky Lynx outmatched their interest in the journal, and Galvatron had to remind Predaking repeatedly and forcefully to keep his mind(s) on the mission. {{storylink|The Quintesson Journal}} Later on, Predaking fought alongside Galvatron and the Decepticons in Europe, but soon vanished before the whole "[[Ultimate Weapon]]" scheme was finished. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

On [[Earth]]'s [[Moon (moon)|moon]], Predaking fought alongside the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]] combiner [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] until they, along with the other "primitive" animal-based Transformers, were called away by [[Oracle (G1)|Primacron's Assistant]]. They were led to an ancient world, in the hopes their primitive instincts would defeat [[Primacron]]'s latest creation, the energy-draining [[Tornedron]]. After the defeated [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s corpse seemingly crushed Grimlock, the primitives split up and ran for their lives. The Predacons continued to run until Headstrong declared he would rather stand and fight than die running. Concurring, his fellow Predacons merged with him to form Predaking, but were quickly put into stasis lock by Tornedron. {{storylink|Call of the Primitives}}

As part of a series of Decepticon attacks on [[Japan]], Predaking and [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] pursued [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] in the Sea of Japan. He was later part of the strike force led by the Matrix-possessed [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]. {{storylink|The Burden Hardest to Bear}}

After the [[Hate Plague]] spread throughout the galaxy, Predaking was seen hunting down Galvatron with Scourge and Cyclonus. How robots infected with homicidal madness could work together as a hunting party, much less share a combined form, is anybody's guess. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====''Transformers 2010'' story pages=====
The Predacons were built through cooperation between the Decepticons and the [[Quintesson]]s. Though they work for the Decepticons, they are commanded by the Quintessons. {{storylink|Transformers 2010 (story page)|Part 3 and Part 4}}

=====''The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers'' comic=====
During an attack on the planet [[Feminia]], Predaking suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibots]]. {{storylink|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 5|The Transformers issue 5}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
Predaking showed up a few times, usually just long enough for him to get beat up by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]].

[[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] stopped the Predacons from merging into Predaking once by ramming Razorclaw in the gut before the combination was complete. (That's what they get for transforming without a [[stock footage]] sequence.) {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} The next time he was seen, Predaking helped [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] try to steal the [[Solar 1]] satellite. He was defeated by [[Raiden]] and the Headmasters. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Predaking was defeated by Raiden and the Headmasters again when he confronted them over an erupting volcano in [[Peru]]. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} And yet ''again'' by the Headmasters alone on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]]. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

Predaking joined the Decepticons on their space mission to gather energy from throughout the universe. He battled Raiden on the [[Twin Star]] planets. {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} Predaking later struggled with [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] on [[Paradise]]. (A warrior without equal struggling with a slow-to-act uber-nerd. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.) {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}}

Back on Earth, Predaking and [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] fought Raiden on the Kamchatka Peninsula, but politely stopped fighting when the battle between <strike>the more expensive toys</strike> Fortress Maximus and MegaZarak took center stage. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

Oh, and one time [[Pointblank]] downed him with ONE SHOT. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}}

Predaking fought Raiden again only to get knocked out of the sky. In Fortress Maximus and Scorponok's final battle, Fortress proceeded to get shot down and landed on ''both'' Predaking and Raiden. Later, when Scorponok's plan to blow up Earth failed, Predaking and the other Decepticon's were forced to retreat into space.
{{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

=====''The Headmasters'' comic=====

During the Decepticons' second attempt to overtake planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], Predaking joined [[Alligatron]] and a unit of [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]]s in attacking a squad of Autobot [[Beastformer]]s. [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] and [[Brainstorm]] managed to save the Beastformers, though they allowed themselves to be captured in the process. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}}

=====''Super-God Masterforce'' comic=====

Predaking appeared to make a triumphant comeback with a squadron of other legendary Decepticons, attacking the Autobot [[Godmaster]]s on Earth. However, "Predaking" was revealed to have been nothing more than an illusion created by [[King Poseidon]], who was subsequently defeated. {{storylink|Burn, Super Soul! The New Commander Super Ginrai!}}

=====''Zone''=====
Years later, after several more Decepticon leaders had come and gone, the faction came under the rulership of the supernatural entity [[Violen Jiger]]. This mysterious creature's first action was to recruit a team of [[Nine Great Demon Generals]] from Decepticon history; Predaking was enlisted as his "Beast General" and outfitted with new armor and weaponry to make him even more powerful than before. The generals were charged with acquiring the two objects needed for Violen Jiger's ultimate goal: the Autobot super-fuel [[Energon Z]], and the enigmatic, life-giving energy source, the [[Zodiac]].

{{note|By the time of ''Zone'', Japanese cartoon continuity had already branched off in two similar but distinct directions a few years beforehand. One branch was depicted in the ''[[Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'', ''[[Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'' and ''Zone'' animated series, while the other was told through their respective [[manga]] and [[Story page|story pages]] as published in ''[[TV Magazine]]''. As such, there are two discreet versions of the ''Zone'' story that both spin out of the cartoon timeline, detailed individually below.}}

=====''Zone'' comic and story pages=====
[[Image:PredakingZone1.jpg|left|150px|thumb|]]
Seeking to create a [[Decepticon Zone]] to counter the [[Micro|Autobot Zone]], [[Emperor of Destruction|Decepticon Emperor]] [[Violen Jiger]] gathered together the Nine Great Demon Generals, upgrading them with powerful new armor and weaponry, then sent them forth to conquer planets. {{storylink|Zone (story page)|Zone Part 1}}

The Generals then united to attack planet Feminia once again, this time destroying it utterly. Violen Jiger next charged his Generals with collecting [[Energon Z]] and the all-powerful [[Zodiac]], which he intended to use to fuel his conquest. [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], [[King Poseidon]], [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] and Predaking next attacked the [[Earth]], which was where the Zodiac was hidden. They succeeded in obtaining the Zodiac, only to have it taken from them by the [[Powered Master]]s [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]] and [[Sonic Bomber]]. The Generals were soundly defeated and driven off. {{storylink|Zone (manga)|Transformers: Zone}}

Later, Predaking, a self-professed master of aerial combat, challenged the Powered Masters to battle. Dai Atlas and [[Sonic Bomber]] combined into [[Sky Powered]] and beat him swiftly and soundly. {{storylink|Zone (story page)|Zone Part 6}}

The Generals later schooled [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] and the [[Metrosquad]] in the ways of evil, making them more than formidable foes for the Powered Masters. {{storylink|Zone (story page)|Zone Part 7}}

=====''Zone'' cartoon=====
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Yukimasa Kishino]] (Japan)

[[Image:PredaBrain1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Now that's what I call a splitting headache!]]
Predaking was selected by [[Violen Jiger]] as one of his [[Nine Great Demon Generals]]. Given the rank of Beast General and gifted with new weaponry and armor, Violen Jiger sent Predaking to [[Earth]] to steal the [[Zodiac]] before the Autobots could get it.

He failed, however, and after seeing the likes of [[King Poseidon]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] get killed in battle, attempted to escape. His escape was thwarted by [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]], who sliced him into two from head to crotch, exposing his vaguely organic-looking brain and killing the Decepticon. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

{{-}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{noteukonly}}
''Predaking's first outing on [[Earth]] was in the course of a hunt by the Predacons against the [[Autobot]] leader [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. Prime having foiled the Predacons' initial attacks individually, they merged into Predaking and resumed the chase. Essentially Predaking's role in that hunt concluded once he had flushed Prime out into the open and worn him down, thus rendering him vulnerable to the attack of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. The Predacons returned over the [[Space Bridge]] to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].'' {{storylink|Prey!}}

Predaking's ''next'' foray on Earth was part of a scheme by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] to destabilise Megatron's sanity to such an extent that the way would be clear for Shockwave to take command. Shockwave supplied fake [[Insignia|Autobrands]] to the Predacons (and thus Predaking by extension) and the Predacons ambushed Megatron in the swamps of Florida. ''Megatron did not recall who the Predacons were thanks to a bout of amnesia connected to his earlier involvement with them.'' The Predacons had similar difficulties subduing Megatron in their individual forms and merged to become Predaking. Predaking fared little better against Megatron and was rendered unconscious by a blast from the deranged Decepticon's [[fusion cannon]]. {{storylink|Gone but Not Forgotten!}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
Eons ago, the Predacons were banished from Cybertron to [[Beast (planet) | Beest]], where their higher functions degraded, rendering them feral. Megatron, who had been overthrown by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (well, thrown out of a shuttle), tracked down the Predacons, then modified them to become combiners, creating Predaking. {{storylink|Welcome to the Jungle}}

[[Image:Predaking Combaticons screwed.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Starscream thanks Primus he had the sense to finish his will this morning.]]
Starscream and his [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] were in training (with Sky Lynx of all people as a target) when Predaking suddenly arose from the sea, seeking to capture the treacherous Decepticon [[Air Commander]]. The Combaticons quickly formed into (the much-less intelligent) [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] and counter-attacked by destroying Predaking's shoulder-mounted guns. Forced back, Predaking quickly put down his opponent by firing one of his foot cannons at Bruticus' head, blasting off part of his face.

When Starscream fled, lamenting Bruticus' latest defeat, Predaking attempted to follow until Bruticus crushed one of his wings and threw him onto the island. Damaged, but not defeated, Predaking easily dodged the slow-witted Combaticon combiner's rifle blast, then erected a defensive energy field around himself to deflect the follow-up shot. As Bruticus pondered a possible rifle malfunction, Predaking punched his rival in the face with a spiked knuckle, then impaled the crippled Bruticus upon Headstrong's horn, finally deactivating the Combaticons.

This was the first time he won a fight. And it was against another fellow [[Decepticon]]. Oh well, better than nothing. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}
{{-}}

===The Beast Within===
For the first time in comic book history, Predaking is completely and totally owned. Except, you know, all those other times. Predaking would like you to ignore those. And this one too, come to think of it. {{storylink|The Beast Within}}

===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' continuity===
The Predacons and [[Seacon (G1)|Seacons]] got into a territorial argument after Megatron's death, which led to a face off between Predaking and [[Piranacon (G1)|Piranacon]]. Predaking emerged the victor but was stopped by [[Serpent O.R.]] before he could finish the aquatic combiner off. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 2}} After Serpent O.R. recruited the Predacons into his new Decepticon army, he was tracked down by a group of Autobots and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joes]], but Predaking protected his new leader by stomping [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] unconscious. The Decepticons then organized an attack on an Autobot peace ceremony, during which Predaking, Piranacon and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] took out [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3}} He then spent the remainder of the battle hunting down civilians. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1 Predaking toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|It's your own fault if you ignored this when it was reissued, you know.]]
* '''Predaking''' (1986, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-78'''
**''Accessories:'' Razorclaw's sword and cannon, 2 fists, 2 feet, head

:Predaking is, by far, the largest of the traditional central component-leader-type combiner toys. He is formed by combining all five Predacons together. Unlike the [[Combiner#Terms_for_combiners|Scramble City]]-style toys such as [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] or [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], Predaking's arms and legs are not interchangeable. Razorclaw's [[sonic sword]] and beast mode cannon serve as Predaking's primary weapons, with Tantrum and Headstrong's back-mounted cannons as his feet.

:Like Defensor and Bruticus, Predaking's components were released in both plastic and metal versions. In his combined mode featuring each member in die cast form, Predaking is rather heavy for a Transformer. A complete combiner weighs in at exactly 1 kilogram (2.2lbs). This however does not upset the balance of the toy, as Headstrong and Tantrum have the bulk of the diecast. Japan only received the plastic versions during the original run of the ''Generation 1'' toyline.

:Hasbro only released the individual Predacons, but a [[giftset]] was available in Japan. In late 2004, Predaking was reissued to much rejoicing of people who could not afford the after market prices on a vintage piece. This reissue used metal parts, and the pieces that were originally soft plastic were now hard plastic.

:At Tokyo Toy Fair 2010, it was announced that they would be reissuing Predaking once more, although press pictures depict them with a slightly altered coloration than the previous versions, using a more metallic paint scheme. Whether this reissue will use metal or plastic parts is unknown, and it is tentatively slotted for a late 2010 release.

{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Titanium Series===
[[Image:Titanium Predaking.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Squattie]]
* '''Predaking''' (3" Robot Masters, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Display stand, sword

:As part of the ''Titanium'' series 3" line, Predaking is constructed of mostly [[die-cast]] metal and plastic parts, but cannot transform and has very limited articulation. His sculpt and colour scheme is based upon the original G1 toy, but has Rampage and Divebomb occupying each other's positions, like the cartoon and comic model.
{{-}}

===Robot Heroes===
[[Image:Robotheroesricochetpredaking.jpg|right|300px|thumb|As if Predaking could get any cuter. Valiant effort, though.]]
*'''Ricochet vs Predaking''' (2-pack, 2009)

:''[[Robot Heroes]]'' Predaking is a small, [[super deformed]] and absolutely adorable figurine with articulated shoulders. He was only available in a two-pack with [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]].

:The US release of this two-pack has been cancelled, but it has been found in Singapore, Germany, the UK, Russia & Australia.
{{-}}

==Notes==
*Predaking was designed by toy and anime mechanical designer [[Akitaka Mika]],<ref>[http://www.ex.org/ex/3.4/09-feature_akitaka2.html Interview with Akitaka Mika]</ref> and was the only one of his proposed designs to actually be produced as a toy. This possibly explains why the Predacons do not conform to the then-contemporary [[Scramble City]] style of combining.

*A Predaking [[Action Master]] was planned at one point, but apparently went no further than a concept sketch. It was intended to be the included rider of a transforming dirt bike<ref> [[Transformers Generations Deluxe]], p111</ref>. While Predaking was scrapped, the bike was refined and included with the Action Master [[Axer]].

*Incidentally, the aforementioned concept art was found in an [http://www.worlds-worst.com/worldsworst/wwnp_article.php?69 Arby's parking lot] after the end of [[BotCon 2000]], where it had presumably come unstowed.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Predaking/predaking.htm Predaking at TFU.info]
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Predaking Predaking's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Combined forms]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Masterforce characters]]
[[Category:Predacons]]
[[Category:Titanium Series]]
[[Category:Zone characters]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]

Predaking (G1)

2010-09-02T05:32:28Z

125.237.202.172:

{{picsneeded|Everything}}
{{factions|decepticon|predacon}}
:''Predaking is a [[Decepticon]] [[Combiner]] from the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Predakingg1.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Sucks to be Defensor and Superion... and every Autobot combiner ever.]]
'''Predaking''' is the ferocious fusion of all five of the [[Predacon (G1)|Predacons]]: [[Divebomb (G1)|Divebomb]], [[Headstrong]], [[Rampage (G1)|Rampage]], [[Tantrum]], and team leader [[Razorclaw (G1)|Razorclaw]]. Predaking is highly unusual, perhaps even unique, among [[Combiner|combiners]] by the successful fusion of each of his component elements' physical abilities and personalities. Most others of his kind are rendered [[Devastator (G1)|stupid]], [[Bruticus (G1)|suggestible]], or borderline [[Menasor (G1)|insane]] by the merging of minds, but the five Predacons are united by their shared love of the hunt, and produce a single complete persona. Between his physical prowess, unexpected mental acuity, and animalistic, almost instinct-fast hunting actions, Predaking is one of the most dangerous and intimidating weapons ever added to the Decepticon ranks. [[Victor Caroli|As a weapon he is without equal; as a warrior he is without restraint. He can lift one million tons without straining a circuit]]. When Predaking is on your trail, all hope is lost.

Unless your names are [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]], [[Raiden]] or [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]]. Or if you're an [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibot]].

{{bigquote|Predaking has the power! He needs nothing more!|Predaking has the power to survive|"[[Nightmare Planet]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Generation 1 cartoon continuity===
====''The Tranformers'' cartoon====
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Bud Davis]] (English), [[Minoru Inaba]] (Japanese), [[Edgar Fruitier]] (French (Canada))

[[Image:Predaking primatives.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Schrödinger's Cel: Simultaneously well-drawn and poorly-drawn.]]
Predaking first saw action during the short-lived Decepticon-[[Quintesson]] alliance in the year 2005. The Predacons attempted to prevent [[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]], [[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]], the human [[Marissa Faireborn]] and the magnificent [[Sky Lynx (G1)|Sky Lynx]] from escaping Jupiter's moon of [[Io]] with [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]]'s [[transformation cog]]. When the individual Predacons failed, they merged into Predaking, but were quickly defeated by Sky Lynx. {{storylink|Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5}}

Soon afterward, the Decepticons took over the slave mining planet of [[Dread]], forcing the halpess prisoners to mine the super-hard [[Death crystal|death crystals]] in a scheme by [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] to destroy Cybertron with a giant death-crystal firing cannon. When several slaves were frightened out of the mine by the monster [[Chaos (alien)|Chaos]], Predaking swooped down to recapture the escapees. Later, during an Autobot attack that saw Sky Lynx buried under tons of rock, Predaking separated Blurr, [[Wreck-Gar (G1)|Wreck-Gar]], Wheelie and [[Grimlock (G1)|Grimlock]] from [[Kup (G1)|Kup]] by blocking off the mine entrace with his laser sword. He continued to force the Autobots back to Sky Lynx (who had managed to escape the landslide) while shrugging off their laser fire. Meanwhile, Kup lured Chaos out of the volcano, causing another landslide that this time buried Predaking under tons of rock. {{storylink|Chaos (episode)|Chaos}}

During an assassination attempt on the Autobots, the Predacons formed Predaking right before the Quintessons unleashed a nightmare effect on the Transformers. They were all confronted with solidified dream images taken from the mind of [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]]. Predaking was quickly overpowered by the creatures and, after he split up, a dragon kidnapped Razorclaw to a distant castle, leaving the Predacons unable to combine again. After the dream-inducer was destroyed and the Predacons were reunited, Razorclaw was ready to resume the battle with the Autobots and ordered the transformation into Predaking. Unfortunately, Headstrong's leg had been injured fighting a giant dream Galvatron, and he was unable to join into their combined form. Without the might of Predaking, the Predacons chose to flee. {{storylink|Nightmare Planet}}

Predaking was patroling space when he picked up on a Quintesson transmission. Tracing it to a jungle-like planet, he split into his component parts to locate the source of the signal more easily. Once Sky Lynx and the Autobots beat the Predacons to the transmitting journal canister, they reformed as Predaking to renew their vendetta against Sky Lynx. Galvatron and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] soon joined Predaking, but his interest in revenge on Sky Lynx outmatched their interest in the journal, and Galvatron had to remind Predaking repeatedly and forcefully to keep his mind(s) on the mission. {{storylink|The Quintesson Journal}} Later on, Predaking fought alongside Galvatron and the Decepticons in Europe, but soon vanished before the whole "[[Ultimate Weapon]]" scheme was finished. {{storylink|The Ultimate Weapon}}

On [[Earth]]'s [[Moon (moon)|moon]], Predaking fought alongside the [[Terrorcon (G1)|Terrorcon]] combiner [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] until they, along with the other "primitive" animal-based Transformers, were called away by [[Oracle (G1)|Primacron's Assistant]]. They were led to an ancient world, in the hopes their primitive instincts would defeat [[Primacron]]'s latest creation, the energy-draining [[Tornedron]]. After the defeated [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]'s corpse seemingly crushed Grimlock, the primitives split up and ran for their lives. The Predacons continued to run until Headstrong declared he would rather stand and fight than die running. Concurring, his fellow Predacons merged with him to form Predaking, but were quickly put into stasis lock by Tornedron. {{storylink|Call of the Primitives}}

As part of a series of Decepticon attacks on [[Japan]], Predaking and [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]] pursued [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]] in the Sea of Japan. He was later part of the strike force led by the Matrix-possessed [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]]. {{storylink|The Burden Hardest to Bear}}

After the [[Hate Plague]] spread throughout the galaxy, Predaking was seen hunting down Galvatron with Scourge and Cyclonus. How robots infected with homicidal madness could work together as a hunting party, much less share a combined form, is anybody's guess. {{storylink|The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2}}

====Japanese cartoon continuity====
=====''Transformers 2010'' story pages=====
The Predacons were built through cooperation between the Decepticons and the [[Quintesson]]s. Though they work for the Decepticons, they are commanded by the Quintessons. {{storylink|Transformers 2010 (story page)|Part 3 and Part 4}}

=====''The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers'' comic=====
During an attack on the planet [[Feminia]], Predaking suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the [[Omnibot (G1)|Omnibots]]. {{storylink|The Story of Super Robot Lifeforms: The Transformers issue 5|The Transformers issue 5}}

=====''The Headmasters'' cartoon=====
Predaking showed up a few times, usually just long enough for him to get beat up by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]].

[[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] stopped the Predacons from merging into Predaking once by ramming Razorclaw in the gut before the combination was complete. (That's what they get for transforming without a [[stock footage]] sequence.) {{storylink|The Mystery of Planet Master}} The next time he was seen, Predaking helped [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] and [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] try to steal the [[Solar 1]] satellite. He was defeated by [[Raiden]] and the Headmasters. {{storylink|The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok}} Predaking was defeated by Raiden and the Headmasters again when he confronted them over an erupting volcano in [[Peru]]. {{storylink|The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts}} And yet ''again'' by the Headmasters alone on [[Mars (planet)|Mars]]. {{storylink|Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger}}

Predaking joined the Decepticons on their space mission to gather energy from throughout the universe. He battled Raiden on the [[Twin Star]] planets. {{storylink|Battle for Defense of the False Planet}} Predaking later struggled with [[Computron (G1)|Computron]] on [[Paradise]]. (A warrior without equal struggling with a slow-to-act uber-nerd. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.) {{storylink|Head Formation of Friendship}}

Back on Earth, Predaking and [[Abominus (G1)|Abominus]] fought Raiden on the Kamchatka Peninsula, but politely stopped fighting when the battle between <strike>the more expensive toys</strike> Fortress Maximus and MegaZarak took center stage. {{storylink|I Risk My Life for Earth}}

Oh, and one time [[Pointblank]] downed him with ONE SHOT. {{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)}}

Predaking fought Raiden again only to get knocked out of the sky. In Fortress Maximus and Scorponok's final battle, Fortress proceeded to get shot down and landed on ''both'' Predaking and Raiden. Later, when Scorponok's plan to blow up Earth failed, Predaking and the other Decepticon's were forced to retreat into space.
{{storylink|The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)}}

=====''The Headmasters'' comic=====

During the Decepticons' second attempt to overtake planet [[Beast (planet)|Beast]], Predaking joined [[Alligatron]] and a unit of [[Sharkticon (G1)|Sharkticon]]s in attacking a squad of Autobot [[Beastformer]]s. [[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] and [[Brainstorm]] managed to save the Beastformers, though they allowed themselves to be captured in the process. {{storylink|Great Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!}}

=====''Super-God Masterforce'' comic=====

Predaking appeared to make a triumphant comeback with a squadron of other legendary Decepticons, attacking the Autobot [[Godmaster]]s on Earth. However, "Predaking" was revealed to have been nothing more than an illusion created by [[King Poseidon]], who was subsequently defeated. {{storylink|Burn, Super Soul! The New Commander Super Ginrai!}}

=====''Zone''=====
Years later, after several more Decepticon leaders had come and gone, the faction came under the rulership of the supernatural entity [[Violen Jiger]]. This mysterious creature's first action was to recruit a team of [[Nine Great Demon Generals]] from Decepticon history; Predaking was enlisted as his "Beast General" and outfitted with new armor and weaponry to make him even more powerful than before. The generals were charged with acquiring the two objects needed for Violen Jiger's ultimate goal: the Autobot super-fuel [[Energon Z]], and the enigmatic, life-giving energy source, the [[Zodiac]].

{{note|By the time of ''Zone'', Japanese cartoon continuity had already branched off in two similar but distinct directions a few years beforehand. One branch was depicted in the ''[[Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'', ''[[Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'' and ''Zone'' animated series, while the other was told through their respective [[manga]] and [[Story page|story pages]] as published in ''[[TV Magazine]]''. As such, there are two discreet versions of the ''Zone'' story that both spin out of the cartoon timeline, detailed individually below.}}

=====''Zone'' comic and story pages=====
[[Image:PredakingZone1.jpg|left|150px|thumb|]]
Seeking to create a [[Decepticon Zone]] to counter the [[Micro|Autobot Zone]], [[Emperor of Destruction|Decepticon Emperor]] [[Violen Jiger]] gathered together the Nine Great Demon Generals, upgrading them with powerful new armor and weaponry, then sent them forth to conquer planets. {{storylink|Zone (story page)|Zone Part 1}}

The Generals then united to attack planet Feminia once again, this time destroying it utterly. Violen Jiger next charged his Generals with collecting [[Energon Z]] and the all-powerful [[Zodiac]], which he intended to use to fuel his conquest. [[Devastator (G1)|Devastator]], [[King Poseidon]], [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] and Predaking next attacked the [[Earth]], which was where the Zodiac was hidden. They succeeded in obtaining the Zodiac, only to have it taken from them by the [[Powered Master]]s [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]] and [[Sonic Bomber]]. The Generals were soundly defeated and driven off. {{storylink|Zone (manga)|Transformers: Zone}}

Later, Predaking, a self-professed master of aerial combat, challenged the Powered Masters to battle. Dai Atlas and [[Sonic Bomber]] combined into [[Sky Powered]] and beat him swiftly and soundly. {{storylink|Zone (story page)|Zone Part 6}}

The Generals later schooled [[Metrotitan (Zone)|Metrotitan]] and the [[Metrosquad]] in the ways of evil, making them more than formidable foes for the Powered Masters. {{storylink|Zone (story page)|Zone Part 7}}

=====''Zone'' cartoon=====
:''Voice Actor:'' [[Yukimasa Kishino]] (Japan)

[[Image:PredaBrain1.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Now that's what I call a splitting headache!]]
Predaking was selected by [[Violen Jiger]] as one of his [[Nine Great Demon Generals]]. Given the rank of Beast General and gifted with new weaponry and armor, Violen Jiger sent Predaking to [[Earth]] to steal the [[Zodiac]] before the Autobots could get it.

He failed, however, and after seeing the likes of [[King Poseidon]] and [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] get killed in battle, attempted to escape. His escape was thwarted by [[Dai Atlas (Zone)|Dai Atlas]], who sliced him into two from head to crotch, exposing his vaguely organic-looking brain and killing the Decepticon. {{storylink|Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!}}

{{-}}

===Marvel Comics continuity===
{{noteukonly}}
''Predaking's first outing on [[Earth]] was in the course of a hunt by the Predacons against the [[Autobot]] leader [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]]. Prime having foiled the Predacons' initial attacks individually, they merged into Predaking and resumed the chase. Essentially Predaking's role in that hunt concluded once he had flushed Prime out into the open and worn him down, thus rendering him vulnerable to the attack of [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]. The Predacons returned over the [[Space Bridge]] to [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]].'' {{storylink|Prey!}}

Predaking's ''next'' foray on Earth was part of a scheme by [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] to destabilise Megatron's sanity to such an extent that the way would be clear for Shockwave to take command. Shockwave supplied fake [[Insignia|Autobrands]] to the Predacons (and thus Predaking by extension) and the Predacons ambushed Megatron in the swamps of Florida. ''Megatron did not recall who the Predacons were thanks to a bout of amnesia connected to his earlier involvement with them.'' The Predacons had similar difficulties subduing Megatron in their individual forms and merged to become Predaking. Predaking fared little better against Megatron and was rendered unconscious by a blast from the deranged Decepticon's [[fusion cannon]]. {{storylink|Gone but Not Forgotten!}}

===Dreamwave comics continuity===
Eons ago, the Predacons were banished from Cybertron to [[Beast (planet) | Beest]], where their higher functions degraded, rendering them feral. Megatron, who had been overthrown by [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] (well, thrown out of a shuttle), tracked down the Predacons, then modified them to become combiners, creating Predaking. {{storylink|Welcome to the Jungle}}

[[Image:Predaking Combaticons screwed.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Starscream thanks Primus he had the sense to finish his will this morning.]]
Starscream and his [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]] were in training (with Sky Lynx of all people as a target) when Predaking suddenly arose from the sea, seeking to capture the treacherous Decepticon [[Air Commander]]. The Combaticons quickly formed into (the much-less intelligent) [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] and counter-attacked by destroying Predaking's shoulder-mounted guns. Forced back, Predaking quickly put down his opponent by firing one of his foot cannons at Bruticus' head, blasting off part of his face.

When Starscream fled, lamenting Bruticus' latest defeat, Predaking attempted to follow until Bruticus crushed one of his wings and threw him onto the island. Damaged, but not defeated, Predaking easily dodged the slow-witted Combaticon combiner's rifle blast, then erected a defensive energy field around himself to deflect the follow-up shot. As Bruticus pondered a possible rifle malfunction, Predaking punched his rival in the face with a spiked knuckle, then impaled the crippled Bruticus upon Headstrong's horn, finally deactivating the Combaticons.

This was the first time he won a fight. And it was against another fellow [[Decepticon]]. Oh well, better than nothing. {{storylink|The Route of All Evil}}
{{-}}

===The Beast Within===
For the first time in comic book history, Predaking is completely and totally owned. Except, you know, all those other times. Predaking would like you to ignore those. And this one too, come to think of it. {{storylink|The Beast Within}}

===Devil's Due ''G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers'' continuity===
The Predacons and [[Seacon (G1)|Seacons]] got into a territorial argument after Megatron's death, which led to a face off between Predaking and [[Piranacon (G1)|Piranacon]]. Predaking emerged the victor but was stopped by [[Serpent O.R.]] before he could finish the aquatic combiner off. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 2}} After Serpent O.R. recruited the Predacons into his new Decepticon army, he was tracked down by a group of Autobots and [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joes]], but Predaking protected his new leader by stomping [[Bumblebee (G1)|Bumblebee]] unconscious. The Decepticons then organized an attack on an Autobot peace ceremony, during which Predaking, Piranacon and [[Menasor (G1)|Menasor]] took out [[Omega Supreme (G1)|Omega Supreme]]. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 3}} He then spent the remainder of the battle hunting down civilians. {{storylink|The Art of War issue 4}}

==Toys==
===Generation 1===
[[Image:G1 Predaking toy.jpg|right|300px|thumb|It's your own fault if you ignored this when it was reissued, you know.]]
* '''Predaking''' (1986, 2004)
**''Japanese ID number:'' '''D-78'''
**''Accessories:'' Razorclaw's sword and cannon, 2 fists, 2 feet, head

:Predaking is, by far, the largest of the traditional central component-leader-type combiner toys. He is formed by combining all five Predacons together. Unlike the [[Combiner#Terms_for_combiners|Scramble City]]-style toys such as [[Bruticus (G1)|Bruticus]] or [[Defensor (G1)|Defensor]], Predaking's arms and legs are not interchangeable. Razorclaw's [[sonic sword]] and beast mode cannon serve as Predaking's primary weapons, with Tantrum and Headstrong's back-mounted cannons as his feet.

:Like Defensor and Bruticus, Predaking's components were released in both plastic and metal versions. In his combined mode featuring each member in die cast form, Predaking is rather heavy for a Transformer. A complete combiner weighs in at exactly 1 kilogram (2.2lbs). This however does not upset the balance of the toy, as Headstrong and Tantrum have the bulk of the diecast. Japan only received the plastic versions during the original run of the ''Generation 1'' toyline.

:Hasbro only released the individual Predacons, but a [[giftset]] was available in Japan. In late 2004, Predaking was reissued to much rejoicing of people who could not afford the after market prices on a vintage piece. This reissue used metal parts, and the pieces that were originally soft plastic were now hard plastic.

:At Tokyo Toy Fair 2010, it was announced that they would be reissuing Predaking once more, although press pictures depict them with a slightly altered coloration than the previous versions, using a more metallic paint scheme. Whether this reissue will use metal or plastic parts is unknown, and it is tentatively slotted for a late 2010 release.

{{-}}

==Merchandise==
===Titanium Series===
[[Image:Titanium Predaking.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Squattie]]
* '''Predaking''' (3" Robot Masters, 2006)
**''Accessories:'' Display stand, sword

:As part of the ''Titanium'' series 3" line, Predaking is constructed of mostly [[die-cast]] metal and plastic parts, but cannot transform and has very limited articulation. His sculpt and colour scheme is based upon the original G1 toy, but has Rampage and Divebomb occupying each other's positions, like the cartoon and comic model.
{{-}}

===Robot Heroes===
[[Image:Robotheroesricochetpredaking.jpg|right|300px|thumb|As if Predaking could get any cuter. Valiant effort, though.]]
*'''Ricochet vs Predaking''' (2-pack, 2009)

:''[[Robot Heroes]]'' Predaking is a small, [[super deformed]] and absolutely adorable figurine with articulated shoulders. He was only available in a two-pack with [[Ricochet (Headmasters)|Ricochet]].

:The US release of this two-pack has been cancelled, but it has been found in Singapore, Germany, the UK, Russia & Australia.
{{-}}

==Notes==
*Predaking was designed by toy and anime mechanical designer [[Akitaka Mika]],<ref>[http://www.ex.org/ex/3.4/09-feature_akitaka2.html Interview with Akitaka Mika]</ref> and was the only one of his proposed designs to actually be produced as a toy. This possibly explains why the Predacons do not conform to the then-contemporary [[Scramble City]] style of combining.

*A Predaking [[Action Master]] was planned at one point, but apparently went no further than a concept sketch. It was intended to be the included rider of a transforming dirt bike<ref> [[Transformers Generations Deluxe]], p111</ref>. While Predaking was scrapped, the bike was refined and included with the Action Master [[Axer]].

*Incidentally, the aforementioned concept art was found in an [http://www.worlds-worst.com/worldsworst/wwnp_article.php?69 Arby's parking lot] after the end of [[BotCon 2000]], where it had presumably come unstowed.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.tfu.info/1986/Decepticon/Predaking/predaking.htm Predaking at TFU.info]
*[http://www.ntfa.net/universe/english/index.php?act=view&char=Predaking Predaking's Universe profile at NTFA.net]

[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Combined forms]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Headmasters characters]]
[[Category:Masterforce characters]]
[[Category:Predacons]]
[[Category:Titanium Series]]
[[Category:Zone characters]]
[[Category:Robot Heroes]]

Minerva (human)

2010-09-02T00:03:39Z

125.237.202.172: /* Victory cartoon */

{{factions|autobot}}
{{featured}}
:''Minerva is a [[human]] and [[Autobot]] [[Headmaster Junior]] from the [[Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Super-God Masterforce]] portion of the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Minerva_uniform.jpg|right|thumb|250px|She's cute and all, but can she pull off a [[Nightbeat (G1)|trenchcoat and fedora]]?]]

'''Minerva''' (ミネルバ ''Mineruba'') is the daughter of [[Mont Porte]]’s ambassador to [[Japan]], half-French on her mother's side, and a happy, charming, friendly, talented girl brimming with idealism and care for her fellow man. It’s that kind of idealism that makes a person want to join with the Autobots to "fight evil," but the reality of that desire turned out to be more than Minerva was prepared for. Minerva is very uncomfortable with violence, and being thrown into the heart of a war in which ''children'', of all beings, are so casually made a part of the conflict leaves her struggling to rationalize her role as a warrior, even one on the side of good. As such, she usually refrains from entering battle herself unless circumstances absolutely demand it, instead operating as a battlefield medic and tending to the human victims of the [[Transformer]]s' battles. In the final analysis, however, Minerva’s timidness leaves her simply treating the symptoms of the disease, rather than fighting the cause.

As an Autobot Headmaster Junior, Minerva is bonded to a [[Transtector]] from the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], which takes the form of an emergency rescue vehicle. Using her [[Master-Brace]]s, she can summon a suit of armor that enhances her physical strength, speed and reflexes, which allows her to transform into a head for her Transtector and function as a full-size Transformer robot armed with a paralyzing "Shock Gun". Outside of combat situations, Minerva is a much more easy-going girl. Clearly raised in an overly "traditional" manner befitting an ambassador's daughter and tutored in various "feminine skills", she is a talented dancer, painter, cook and medic, and has inherited the poise, grace and beauty of her mother, making her the object of many of her male teammates' affections. A word or two of praise from Minerva is enough to bring any Autobot out in a hot flush.

:''Omni Productions dub name'': '''Nightbeat'''
:''Russian TV dub name'': '''Vetochka''' (Веточка, "Tree Branch")
:''Italian dub name'': '''Phantom''' (same as [[Streetwise (G1)|Streetwise]])
:''Latin American dub name:'' '''Cher'''

==Fiction==
===Cartoon continuity===
====''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon====
:''Voice actor'': [[Yuriko Yamamoto]] (Japanese)

[[Image:Minerva_family.jpg|thumb|left|"And that is why I can never return to Hooters."]]

When the news came that her family was moving to Japan, Minerva was especially excited at the prospect of learning traditional Japanese dance, but she could never have guessed that the plane on which they flew would be attacked by the [[Decepticon]] [[Pretender]], [[Blood]], who was searching for Mont Porte’s prize-winning biologist, [[Professor Blanieux]]. Their jet crashed in Corsica, but Minerva and her family escaped with only minor injuries, and she was only too happy to talk to the "government investigators" who came to her in the hospital where her parents were being treated. In particular, the two young boys that accompanied the investigators, [[Shūta Gō|Shūta]] and [[Cab]], were very taken with Minerva. The following day, when Professor Blanieux arrived to rendezvous with Minerva’s father before he and the family headed on to Japan, the investigators, Shūta and Cab accompanied them on their private jet for fear of any further Decepticon attacks. Blood did indeed strike at the plane, and to combat him, the investigators revealed that they were, in fact, the Autobot [[Pretender]]s. Although Minerva was initially angry with Shūta and Cab for lying to her, she was impressed with their bravery when the jet’s flight attendant turned out to be a Decepticon [[Destroid]] and they fought and incapacitated her. With the Decepticons' plan foiled, Shūta and Cab suggested that Minerva could join them in attending the [[International School]], and she happily agreed. {{storylink|Kidnapping!? The Targeted Jumbo Jet}}

[[Image:Minerva_armor.jpg|right|thumb|Does this [[transtector]] make me look fat?]]

Having seen the evil of the Decepticons firsthand, Minerva was only to happy to say yes when Autobot leader [[Metalhawk]] asked if she wanted to help the Autobots in their fight against them. At first, Hawk was unsure if she was up to the task, but Minerva obtained her parents' permission and assured Hawk that she was willing to spend her life saving the lives of others. Together with Shūta and Cab, Minerva was given Masterbraces and a Transtector and became a Headmaster Junior warrior. {{storylink|Birth! Headmaster Jrs}}

While training with [[Diver (Masterforce)|Diver]] in America, however, Minerva displayed her lack of confidence with her new power, but was soon forced to face up to the responsibilities it carried when the Decepticons' Headmaster Juniors attacked a nearby city. Unable to summon the courage to join Shūta and Cab in the fight, Minerva was only galvanized into action when she saw a young girl become buried under rubble on news coverage of the battle. Racing into action without a second thought, Minerva followed the girl's [[Pis|dog]] to her side and rescued her, but tragedy then struck when [[Wilder]] killed the poor animal. Finally filled with the emotional fury that drove her to fight, Minerva transformed to robot mode and took out two of the three villains, forcing them to retreat. After the battle, Minerva helped the girl bury Pis and promised to buy her a new puppy just like him. {{storylink|Rage!! Little Devils with No Need for Rules}}

[[Image:Minerva mf.jpg|left|thumb|Headmaster Jailbait.]]

On a mission to Kenya, Minerva’s choice of ensemble definitely made the trip for Shūta and Cab, but it also left her quite open for a deadly scorpion sting. Thankfully, this was prevented by a well-timed shot from [[Mister Ricky]]. While the other Autobots battled the Decepticons in the area, Minerva put her medical talents to use treating an injured fawn for which Ricky was caring. {{storylink|Panic! Protect the Wild Animals!!}} Upon returning to Japan, the trio participated in the [[Mt Fuji Foothills Hang Gliding Competition Tournament]], only for it to be attacked by the Decepticon [[Godmaster]]s [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] and [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]]. Minerva treated the injured hang-gliders while the battle raged. {{storylink|Super Warriors - The Godmaster Brothers}}

[[Image:Minerva_cancer.jpg|right|thumb|First [[Mayumi]], then Minerva... Cancer might be scared [[Mega]] will be next.]]

Not long thereafter, the Autobots were joined by their own Godmaster, [[Ginrai]], whom Minerva and the other Juniors were eager to meet. {{storylink|Ginrai: God On of Rage!!}} They arrived to welcome him at the harbour when he came to visit them, but during the drive back to the headquarters, the team was attacked by the Decepticon Headmaster Juniors, and Ginrai kidnapped [[Cancer]] for interrogation. Minerva attempted to make the boy’s imprisonment bearable, appalled by Ginrai's use of handcuffs. Even when Cancer shattered a glass of juice that she attempted to offer him, cutting her with the shards, she refused to let Shūta and Cab hurt him. When Ginrai threatened Cancer with physical force, she tried to stop him, but was ordered out of the room, so she watched the ensuing interrogation on a viewscreen. Learning what they needed from him, the Autobots released Cancer into the hands of Hydra and Buster, but Hydra immediately discovered a homing beacon on Cancer’s back and attacked the Autobots in retaliation. Buster seized Minerva and placed his blaster to her head, but surprisingly, Cancer snatched her away, begging the Godmasters not to kill anyone. The surprised Decepticons were overpowered by Ginrai and retreated, with Cancer shouting back that his act of kindness was simply payback for the drink. {{storylink|A Strange Friendship: Cancer and Minerva}}

[[Image:Minerva_robotmode.jpg|left|thumb|220px|Able was I, ere I saw Minelba.]]

Worrying that Ginrai would hate her after her argument with him, Minerva went to Metalhawk with her concerns, and he encouraged her to talk it out with him. Heading out to join Ginrai, Shūta and Cab at a barbecue, Minerva arrived in time to overhear Ginrai praise her honesty, and she consequently plucked up the courage to join them and apologize, setting things right once more. She was subsequently with Ginrai when he discovered the trailer for his Transtector {{storylink|Friend or Foe!? The True Form of the Monster!!}} and was part of the battle when he unleashed its power against [[King Poseidon]]. During this fight, Minerva appealed to Cancer to abandon the Decepticons and join the Autobots, but she was struck down by [[Bullhorn]] before her words could sink in. {{storylink|Heroism!! The Birth of Super Ginrai}}

The Headmaster Juniors’ summer break coincided with the discovery of another Autobot Godmaster, [[Lightfoot]], {{storylink|Lightfoot: A Dramatic Encounter}} and as such, they were able to accompany Ginrai, Metalhawk and [[Lander]] on their search for the next Godmaster, camping in the Rocky Mountains. While picking mushrooms, Minerva spotted a forest patrolman named [[Ranger]] talking with Bullhorn and immediately suspected he was a Decepticon, but was unable to tell the other Autobots when she returned to the camp and found Shūta and Cab fishing with him. When a storm lashed the campsite that night, the group took Ranger up on his offer of taking refuge in his cabin, where Minerva was able to tell her fellow Juniors her suspicions. She was soon proven wrong, however, when Ranger revealed a strange, glowing rock that he had discovered, which turned out to be a Transtector with which he then bonded, becoming the next Autobot Godmaster. {{storylink|An Enemy? The Third Godmaster, Ranger}}

When the [[Six Changer]] [[Sixknight]] arrived on Earth, allied himself with the Decepticons and challenged Ginrai to a duel, Minerva was among the spectators of the battle, but found herself playing a more important role when she was captured by Blood and [[Gilmer]]. The Pretender duo threatened her life in order to make Ginrai stand down, but Sixknight was enraged at their interference and forced them to let her go so that they could duel honourably. {{storylink|A Powerful Foe!! Sixknight the Wanderer}} Sixknight ultimately lost to Ginrai, but returned soon after, attempting to comprehend how he'd lost to a human. As he and Ginrai were in the middle of talking, the Decepticon Headmaster Juniors attacked a nearby city in order to draw the Autobots out, as part of a plan by Cancer to prove to his fellow Juniors that Minerva meant nothing to him. Sixknight responded to their attack with deadly force, and the horrified Minerva was forced to team up with Cancer’s little Decepticon buddy [[Browning]] to blind Sixknight with a smokescreen, allowing the Decepticon Juniors to escape. {{storylink|The Autobot Warrior, Sixknight?!}}

[[Image:Minerva_karin.jpg|right|220px|thumb|Never thought you'd see the GIRL wearing the least skimpy swimsuit, did you?]]

With the summer break coming to a close, Minerva joined Shūta and Cab on a trip to Cab’s home in the [[Karin Islands]], where her beauty particularly struck Cab’s elderly guardian [[Donq]]. Minerva’s medical talents were required to help treat a sick friend of Cab’s named [[Copo]], as all the local doctors had been kidnapped by the Decepticons as part of an outlandish plan, but the Autobots rescued them and all was set right. {{storylink|Save the Little Girl! The Chōjin Warriors, the Godmasters}} Crazy Decepticon plans were still the order of the day when the Juniors returned to school to hear stories of a mysterious fortune-teller on television who predicted disasters across the planet. Minerva dismissed it all as made-up nonsense, but had to eat her words when all the predictions came true and she and the other Juniors had to protect a town from a raging flood, only for it all to turn out to have been yet another Decepticon scheme. {{storylink|Expose the Decepticons' Dark Trap!}}

Soon thereafter, Minerva, Shūta and Cab were at last let in on a secret the other Autobots had been keeping from them: the "Bomber Project", a plan to construct a power-up drone known as "[[Godbomber]]" for Ginrai to help him fight [[Scorponok (G1)|BlackZarak]], a mighty Decepticon presently approaching from space. {{storylink|Super Ginrai Gets Blown Away in the Desert!?}} Ginrai was subsequently injured by [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]] in a battle in the desert, and Minerva treated his wounds before he was admitted to a hospital. {{storylink|Will the Bomber Project Be Destroyed!?}} Ginrai was insistent on going through with the mission despite his injuries, so Minerva had Shūta and Cab spar with him a little to help him work through the pain. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Into the Sky!!}} Alas, the three Juniors and the other Autobots could do nothing but watch as Ginrai and [[Grand Maximus]] battled Overlord and BlackZarak on [[Earth]]’s [[moon (moon)|moon]], but in the end, the Autobots triumphed. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Showdown on the Surface of the Moon}} After he returned to Earth, Godbomber even revealed a new power, transforming into a robot that Minerva and the Juniors discovered they could combine their [[Chōkon Power]] to control. {{storylink|Destroy Godbomber!!}}

[[Image:Minerva_clouder.jpg|left|thumb|220px|Bad touch!]]

When the Autobots tracked the Decepticons down to an island in the Pacific, Minerva was injured by a blast from Overlord, but was suddenly swept up and carried to safety by a new robot named [[Clouder]], who introduced himself as the final Godmaster. {{storylink|Appearance!! The Final Godmaster}} Minerva welcomed Clouder into the Autobot ranks and gave him a tour of their headquarters, even covering for him when his apparent curiosity led him to fiddle with the base computer. She dismissed Shūta and Cab’s suspicions of Clouder, but Hawk shared in the boys' doubts and trailed Clouder, proving that he was, in fact, a Decepticon spy. Unfortunately, this did little to help the Autobots, as the Decepticons soon attacked using the information Clouder had provided, while bombs he had planted in the base crippled its defences. {{storylink|Secret Orders! Destroy the Autobot Base!!}} With Hawk injured and the other Autobots occupied in battle, Minerva and the Juniors were left to defend the base alone, but ultimately, the Autobots were forced to abandon it before it was destroyed. {{storylink|Disaster! The Autobot Base Explodes}}

Soon after, BlackZarak was able to reach the Earth, and the conflict took a step up as cities all over the world were targeted. When Cancer was buried in a pile of rubble during an attack on his home country of China, Minerva began to dig him out. Shūta and Cab were only to happy to let him rot until Ginrai ordered them to help. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Save Cancer!?}} At last convinced by this display of concern and respect, Cancer defected to the Autobots. {{storylink|God Ginrai: Showdown at the Decepticon Base}}

[[Image:Ginrai_juniors.jpg|right|220px|thumb|That is one intense séance.]]

When BlackZarak, now merged with Decepticon emperor [[Devil Z]], threatened North American with his [[Devil Power]] from his staging point within the Grand Canyon, Minerva was part of a team along with Shūta, Cab and Ranger who were attacked by King Poseidon. {{storylink|Autobots! Desperate Attack!!}} The Juniors got a chance at a rematch in the Alps, where King Poseidon nearly cut Minerva in two before Metalhawk stepped in to rescue her. Ginrai arrived to defeat the combiner, but Metalhawk and the Juniors were badly wounded and forced to remain behind as Ginrai headed to the summit of the Matterhorn to face BlackZarak. {{storylink|Malevolent and Inhuman! The True Form of Devil Z}} Minerva used the time to take care of Metalhawk’s injuries, but soon, Ginrai and BlackZarak’s fight carried them down the mountain, where BlackZarak transformed into an even more powerful serpent mode. Minerva, Shūta and Cab could feel the burning energy of Ginrai, and all three Juniors found themselves transported into his chest cockpit, where their energies helped him destroy BlackZarak. His host destroyed, Devil Z raged impotently until Ginrai and the Juniors united every last drop of their power in the Final Fire Guts attack, which completely destroyed the arch-villain. In the aftermath of the battle, the Autobots were all immediately enveloped in a glow and transformed from robots back into their human forms. Minerva was the first to realize that their Masterbraces had disappeared, and moments later, the truth of the situation was revealed: the death of Devil Z had caused their bond to their Transtectors to be severed. Their Transtectors, however, all lived on, evolved into true super-robot lifeforms through the power of their bond. Minerva’s Transtector departed for space with all the others to carry on the fight against the Decepticons. {{storylink|A Battle... and Then...}}

====''Victory'' cartoon====
[[Image:Minerva_victory.jpg|right|thumb|Odds are, you only like two of these characters.]]
:''Voice actor'': [[Tomoko Maruo]]

Several years later, when Ginrai’s now-living Transtector was fatally wounded in battle with Decepticon leader [[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]], Minerva’s own Transtector, having taken its partner’s name for its own, was summoned to Earth along with [[Perceptor (G1)|Perceptor]] and [[Wheeljack (G1)|Wheeljack]] for medical support. Unfortunately, it was soon determined that nothing could be done for Ginrai, save to rebuild him in an entirely new form. {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} Using a design crafted by Autobot [[Supreme Commander]] [[Star Saber (Victory)|Star Saber]], Minerva, Wheeljack and Perceptor rebuilt Ginrai as [[Victory Leo]] {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}} and subsequently implanted a circuit in Star Saber’s head that would allow him and Victory Leo to combine. {{storylink|Awaken! Victory Leo}} Perceptor was wary of the strain on Star Saber’s body when the combination was first used, but when Minerva pressed him for details, he assured her everything would turn out fine. {{storylink|The Tide is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}} After the event She and Wheeljack weren't seen again, even when Preceptor was on board the ship departing from Earth, but that's most likely what happened to them. {{storylink|Jean - Defend the Campus!!}}
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===''Super-God Masterforce'' comic===
[[Image:Minerva_manga.jpg|left|thumb|In the name of [[Unicron|The Moon]], I will punish you!]]

Minerva was a schoolfriend of Shūta and Cab's, who joined them in begging Metalhawk to allow them to become members of the Autobots. After a period of intense training, the trio were given Master-Braces and Transtectors and became Headmaster Juniors, but didn't fare very well in their first battle against a [[Lobclaw]]. Minerva was first to fall to the [[Seacon (Masterforce)|Seacon]], and Metalhawk had to leap in to bail them out. {{storylink|Headmaster Jrs Are Born}}

During a battle between Metalhawk and Blood in the dead of night, Hawk called upon the Juniors to provide rescue operations in the city. Minerva and Shūta had to silently sneak out of the International School dorms, and once they arrived on the scene, they were attacked by the Decepticon Headmaster Juniors. Although outmatched, they were able to overpower their foes when Cancer was distracted by some injured humans nearby, and with their enemies dispatched, Minerva dispensed first aid. {{storylink|Destined Confrontation: The Children of Good and Evil}}

When news came from America of the discovery of the first Autobot Godmaster, Minerva and the other Autobots waited at the harbor for his arrival, only to be attacked by the Decepticon Godmasters, Buster and Hydra. Ginrai arrived to save them, and Minerva and the Juniors became fast friends with him, {{storylink|Enter on the Stage! The Name of the Savior Is Ginrai!}} later travelling to [[Athenia]] to see him appointed [[Supreme Commander]] of the Autobots. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}

[[Image:Ginrai_juniors_manga.jpg|right|thumb|The creepiest smiles ''ever''. Yikes.]]

The Juniors' relationship with Ginrai grew closer with the creation of Godbomber, a drone piloted by Minerva, Shūta and Cab that combined with Ginrai and allowed him to defeat Overlord and BlackZarak. {{storylink|God Ginrai's Amazing Super-God Combination!}} When Shūta and Cab were captured by the Decepticons, however, Minerva had to pilot Godbomber alone and crashed it through the walls of Overlord's base mode in order to save her friends. As their injuries were bandaged back at the Autobot base, Minerva was embarrassed by the two boys' jokes about how she was like a mother to them. {{storylink|The Earth Family of Good and Evil}}

Minerva and the Juniors accompanied Ginrai into battle aboard Godbomber for several further conflicts, including the recruitment of the final Godmaster, Clouder, who Minerva welcomed into the Autobot ranks with a big home-cooked meal. {{storylink|Decepticons' Great Counterattack!}} In the final battle against BlackZarak, now fused with Decepticon emperor Devil Z, the villain turned on his fellow Decepticons, leading them to unite with the Autobots in defeating him. Minerva and all the other Transformers united their energies in the “Perfect Transformer Attack,” which obliterated both villains. The death of Devil Z caused the bond between the humans and their Transtectors to be broken, and Minerva became a normal kid again as her now-living Transtector and those of all the other Autobots headed into space to continue the fight against the Decepticons. {{storylink|The Birth of the Super Lifeforms}}

===Timelines===
[[Image:Minervabusinessproposition.jpg|left|thumb|That neckline says otherwise!]]

Minerva, the daughter of a French mother and a Japanese father, was chosen out of the [[Japanese Self Defense Core]] to be part of [[Project Transtector|Project: Transtector]]. For a while she piloted a battle armor suit fashioned from Transformer scrap found around the globe, until the project ended when most of its subjects collapsed under psychological stress. Minerva survived seemingly unscathed, except for that one time she stole a starfighter and followed "visions" directly to the Autobot, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], and began dating [[Muzzle|his head]].<ref>Profile information from the [[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)]].</ref>

She ended up joining Muzzle and Nightbeat's team, which also included [[Siren]] and [[Quig]], [[Lug]], and the disgruntled [[Dinobot (G1)|Dinobots]] [[Sludge (G1)|Sludge]] and [[Slag (G1)|Slag]]. While traveling the universe, they set their ship down on the planet [[Azure]] for repairs. If "setting the ship down for repairs" means "getting shot down in high orbit and crashing it into the only repair bay equipped to fix it".

[[Image:Minervaneedlenose.jpg|right|thumb|225px|If "[[Cheap Shots]]" were the Beatles, I'd be its Yoko Ono!]]

Nightbeat found that he was a person of interest to a potential client, a sentient ship named ''[[Amory]]'', but not before Minerva and the others battled her hired "thugs." ''Amory'' required the services of Nightbeat and his team in finding her pilot, [[Phyrion]]. Minerva and the other humans pored over the evidence, but they could find no lead. Ultimately, the entire arrangement was revealed to be a setup put together by the Decepticons [[Ruckus (G1)|Ruckus]] and [[Needlenose]], who had assembled an alleged "new [[Mayhem Attack Squad]]" by promising payment to [[Octopunch]] and [[Stranglehold]] for their assistance. Ruckus wasn't very smart, however, and had brought his hostage with him. The Decepticons were brutalized and Phyrion was returned to Amory. Regretting her involvement, Amory paid the Autobots for her services.

Despite their short run-in with good luck, Minerva and the rest of the crew were still stranded on Azure without a working ship. In the meantime, surely someone was in need of a detective... {{storylink|Cheap Shots}}

==Toys==
===Super-God Masterforce===
[[Image:MF-toy Minerva.jpg|right|thumb|300px|[[Cobra Commander| I was once a man]]!]]
*'''Minelba''' {{sic}} (Headmaster Junior, 1988)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''C-303'''
**''Accessories'': Transtector, seat/helmet, left & right "Shock Blasters", "Shock Gun"

:Minerva's Transtector is referred to as an ambulance, but let's be honest - it's a Porsche 959 with an emergency rescue color scheme that wouldn't likely be very useful in transporting patients around. The roof is hinged and can be opened to reveal an interior cockpit that Minerva herself can sit inside of; the prominent hinge itself is rather cleverly disguised as a lightbar, something that Minerva's American mold-partner, [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], lacks. Her Shock Blasters plug in just above the vehicle's headlights, while her larger Shock Gun can be plugged onto the roof.

:In robot mode, Minerva's cockpit seat becomes a helmet, into which the small Shock Blasters plug as antennae. Like all Headmaster toys, Minerva has a flip-down panel on her chest which covers a spring-loaded mini-Tech-Spec-meter which gives readings for Speed, Strength and Intelligence. The tumblers are activated when Minerva (or any other Headmaster unit) is plugged into the neck socket. Minerva has her robot mode face plainly visible on her back because, as a smaller Headmaster toy, she lacks the flip down panel that covers the face featured on larger Headmasters. As another consequence of being a smaller Headmaster, Minerva's chest cavity was apparently too small for 3 individual tumblers. As a result, all Headmaster heads inserted will display her pre-molded (and painted) Speed, Strength, and Intelligence readings (7, 5, 8) on one large sliding plate.

:As noted above, Minerva shares a mold with the American Headmaster Nightbeat, but it is unclear which character came first in the design process.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1988/Cybertron/Minerva/minerva.htm More information on Minerva at TFU.info]''
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{{anchor|Nightbeat}}
[[Image:Minervanightbeat.jpg|right|thumb|125px|Not-Beat.]]
*'''Minerva Night Beat''' (Headmaster Junior, 1988)
**''Accessories'': Transtector, seat/helmet, left & right Shock Blasters, Shock Gun

: Essentially just a Japanese release of [[Hasbro]]'s Nightbeat toy, this version of the Minerva toy was only available by mail order, for the price of 1800 yen and four [[Robot Point]]s. It is unknown if this version of the toy came in a simple mailer box or in [[Hasbro]] packaging.
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==Merchandise==
[[Image:Minerva-PVC.jpg|thumb|100px|I will NOT make the Knee Test!]]
===Super Collection Figure===
*'''Minerva''' (2001)

:A PVC figurine of Minerva, based on her robot mode character model, was available in the second "act" of [[Takara]]'s ''[[Super Collection Figure]]'' line. Like all the figures in the act, it was available as both a standard full-color figure, and as a colorless clear plastic version, one of each in a case of twelve blind-packed PVCs.

*'''Metalhawk & Minerva''' (2001)

:A second Minerva figurine was released in the fifth, ''Masterforce''-centric act of the line 5 of the line, this time as an unarmored human in her school uniform. Only available packaged with the the act's [[Metalhawk]] figurine, it was available in both full-color and metallic silver "pewter" versions, again at a ratio of one each per case of twelve. In eight out of every ten cases, the pewter version of the figures came packaged with the right arm of the BlackZarak "Build-A-Figure".
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==Notes==
* Minerva's name is consistently [[romanization|mis-anglicized]] as "Minelba" in every English instance of the name on Japanese packaging and [[bio]] material. There is essentially no difference between the "L" and "R" sounds in Japanese, and at the time it was standard practice to substitute "ba" for the "va" sound (though this has changed in later years).

* According to her supplementary [[bio]] card, Minerva was 15 years old, making her the oldest Autobot Headmaster Junior.

* Minerva's precise nationality is a bit ambiguous. Her mother is stated to be French, but whether her ambassador father is Japanese or from the Republic of Mont Porte is not made explicitly clear in the cartoon. Her father is, at least, explained to be Mont Porte's ambassador to Japan, which would suggest he is a Mont Porte native, but some sources, including ''[[The Ark II — A Compendium of Japanese Character Designs|The Ark II]]'', have claimed that he is Japanese (by way of describing Minerva as "half-French, half-Japanese").

[[Image:Chromia Minerva toy.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Probably buddies with [[Arcee (Energon)|Ariel Paradron-Type]].]]
* Although Minerva's Transtector doesn't have room to ferry patients like a real ambulance would (which is what it's referred to being as), it would qualify as a [[Wikipedia:Fly-car|fly-car]] due to it having a faster response time to emergencies (and saving ambulance resources if the situation is minor).

* Minerva's living transtector was the only one of the Headmaster Junior trio to return in the [[Victory (cartoon)|''Victory'' cartoon]]. Conversely, while Shūta and Cab returned in the pages of the [[Victory (manga)|''Victory'' manga]], Minerva did not beyond [[Warrior of Love, Star Saber!|one flashback]]. According to writer [[Masumi Kaneda]], the reason for this was because the manga would then have been "buried in female characters".<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20050207000229/www.tfpulp.com/archive/interview/interview.html Interview with Masumi Kaneda on TFPulp.Com, courtesy of the Wayback Machine]</ref> There was, uh, all of [[Patty Minakaze|''one'' regular female character]]; [[Illumina|the]] [[Esmeral (Victory)|three]] [[Lyzack|others]] only briefly appeared in one issue. Of course, most of the boys ended up ''looking'' like girls, so...

* Minerva's color scheme was used for the DVD-exclusive "Minerva-Type" [[redeco]] of ''[[Cybertron (toyline)|Cybertron]]'' [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]]. It made her look quite like [[Override (Cybertron)|Override]].
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==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://terrania.us/minerva/ Masterforce: Minerva Shrine]

[[Category: Autobots]]
[[Category: Female Transformers]]
[[Category: Headmasters]]
[[Category: Humans]]
[[Category: Japanese-original characters]]
[[Category: Mail order exclusives]]
[[Category: Masterforce characters]]
[[Category: Victory characters]]