MediaWiki - User contributions [en]

Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)

2010-07-10T05:11:08Z

125.237.207.216: /* Main cast */

{{disambig3|Headmaster}}

{{nav-headmasters}}

'''''Transformers: The Headmasters''''' is a Japanese animated series that aired from [[July 3]], 1987 to [[March 28]], [[1988]] for 35 episodes, in support of the [[The Headmasters (toyline)|toyline]] of the same name. It shares its name with its opening song, "[[The Headmasters (song)|The Headmasters]]", and the ending song is titled "[[Kimi wa Transformer]]".

==Overview==
[[Image:HeadmastersPoster1.jpg|right|250px|thumb|A hilarious look at life in a Cybertronian boarding school.]]
''The Headmasters'' was the first Japanese-exclusive Transformers [[franchise]], and as such, marks the departure of the Japanese animated [[continuity]] from that of the US. Planned out by [[TV Magazine]] writer [[Masumi Kaneda]], who had previously worked on the Transformers [[manga]], the series follows on from the events of "[[The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2|The Return of Optimus Prime]]", ignoring "[[The Rebirth]]" and introducing the Headmaster characters in a distinctly different way than their American counterparts. Emphasizing the difference between east and west, the series (and its accompanying [[The Headmasters (manga)|manga]]) employed different [[character model]]s designed by [[Ban Magami]], illustrator of numerous ''Transformers'' manga.

The "-master" concept was entirely re-imagined for the series, discarding the Western idea of [[Nebulan]]s, and establishing the Headmasters not as Transformers who bonded with organic beings, but as diminutive Transformers who connected to and controlled large, lifeless bodies named "[[Transtector]]s". Drawing on a plot point established in American episodes such as "[[Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2]]" and "[[Fight or Flee]]", the Headmasters were introduced as refugees who fled Cybertron millions of years ago and settled on the planet [[Master (planet)|Master]], where they developed this new technology and trained hard in order to survive the harsh environment. Kaneda notes that he chose to give the Headmasters non-combatant origins in order to add an extra layer of meaning to the concept of "transformation," as the young 'bots grew from civilians into fully-fledged warriors. Consequently, it was [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]]—a character essentially overlooked in the West—who was chosen as the lead of the series and cast as a "fiery youth" in order to emphasize this "personal transformation" theme, as well as to carry on the pattern of leaders with [[Optimus Prime (G1)|automotive]] [[Hot Rod (G1)|vehicle]] modes. His opposite number, and perhaps the true breakout character of ''The Headmasters'', was [[Decepticon]] [[Six Changer]] [[Sixshot]], a powerful ninja character who also embodied the “personal transformation” concept with his shifting allegiance.

According to the booklet included with the [[Pioneer]] DVD release of the series, the earliest episodes of the series were based on aborted scripts written for the unmade fourth season of the American cartoon, and indeed, after an opening three-parter that introduces the new characters, the series does indeed adopt the American format of individual episodic stories. As the series progresses, however, it develops an ongoing story and style that Kaneda openly admits is steeped in [[Toei]]'s history of sci-fi robot anime—likely due in no small part to the involvement of production staff who had a history of work in the genre, including writers [[Keisuke Fujikawa]], [[Toyohiro Ando]] and [[Yoshihisa Araki]], and producer [[Kenji Yokoyama]].

==Storyline==
When [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] released the energy of the [[Matrix of Leadership]] to cure the [[Hate Plague]], he could not have predicted the consequences of his actions. In 2011, without the energy of the Matrix to regulate it, the mega-computer [[Vector Sigma]] begins to destabilize, opening the planet up to an invasion by the [[Decepticon]]s and their new Headmaster warriors. Although the Autobot Headmasters, led by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]], arrive to help turn the tide of the battle, the day will not be won without the Matrix, and so [[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and the Headmasters scour the Earth in order to recover the talisman and stabilize Vector Sigma once more. During the course of the conflict, Optimus Prime dies once again, and Hot Rod again becomes Rodimus Prime.

The status quo of the renewed war sees Rodimus Prime in command across Cybertron and the Autobots' secondary command post on [[Athenia]], with [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] leading his own individual squad on Earth and operating out of [[Autobot City]]. In contrast, the Decepticons are based out of their old base on [[Chaar]], with Sixshot leading the Decepticons' Earth forces, operating out of [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]]. Operating in the shadows is Galvatron's secret ally, the Decepticon Headmaster leader [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], who has a vendetta against Fortress for exiling him from Master. The first major shift in the direction of the series occurs when Vector Sigma develops a new alloy named [[Cybertonuron]], and Scorponok arranges for the destruction of Cybertron itself in order to keep the alloy from falling into the hands of either the Autobots or Galvatron. Galvatron is caught in the planet-destroying blast and believed dead, while Rodimus Prime decides to venture into space and search for a new homeworld for the Transformers, leaving Scorponok and Fortress in control of their respective factions.

Scorponok immediately begins a plan to harness the power of [[plasma energy]], destroying [[Mars (planet)|Mars]] in pursuit of his evil scheme. However, Galvatron soon reveals that he has survived and returns to take control of the Decepticons, leading them on a series of interplanetary raids for the purpose of gathering up enough [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] to enact his [[Grand Galvatron|master plan]]. In battle in Alaska, the Autobot Headmasters collapse a glacier on the villain, removing this threat, but allowing Scorponok to take leadership once more.

The Decepticons withdraw to planet Master, leading several refugees to escape to Earth to alert the Autobots to their plight, where a plasma energy explosion fuses the refugees and a group of Autobots and Decepticons together, creating the Targetmasters. The Autobots head for Master, where Scorponok is attempting to construct a weapon that can counter Fortress's mighty [[Master Sword]], and engage the Decepticons in a series of battles. When Scorponok's weapon, the [[Zarak Shield]], lays Fortress low, the Decepticons return to Earth in order to destroy the planet and gather its plasma energy. In a final battle at the South Pole, Fortress is super-charged with the combined energy of the entire Autobot army, and is finally able to defeat Scorponok and foil his plans.

==Main cast==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
'''[[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]'''
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]] ([[Ikuya Sawaki]])
*[[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] ([[Hideyuki Hori]])
*[[Brainstorm]] ([[Ryōichi Tanaka]])
*[[Hardhead (G1)|Hardhead]] ([[Masato Hirano]])
*[[Highbrow (G1)|Highbrow]] ([[Michitaka Kobayashi]])
'''[[Targetmaster]]s'''
*[[Pointblank]] ([[Yūji Mikimoto]])
*[[Crosshairs (G1)|Crosshairs]] ([[Hōchū Ōtsuka]])
*[[Sureshot (G1)|Sureshot]] ([[Masaharu Satō]])
'''[[Trainbot]]s'''
*[[Raiden]] ([[Keiichi Noda]])
**[[Shōki]] ([[Keiichi Noda]])
**[[Getsuei]] ([[Kazuo Oka]])
**[[Kaen]] ([[Masaharu Satō]])
**[[Seizan]] (?)
**[[Suiken]] ([[Kazumi Tanaka]])
**[[Yukikaze (Headmasters)|Yukikaze]] ([[Ken Yamaguchi]])
'''[[Clone (subgroup)|Clones]]'''
*[[Cloudraker (G1)|Cloudraker]] ([[Ken Yamaguchi]])
*[[Fastlane]] ([[Kazuo Oka]])
'''[[Monsterbot]]s'''
*[[Doublecross]] ([[Michihiro Ikemizu]])
*[[Grotusque]] ([[Masaharu Satō]])
*[[Repugnus (G1)|Repugnus]] ([[Michitaka Kobayashi]])
'''Others'''
*[[Arcee (G1)|Arcee]] ([[Yōko Kawanami]])
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] ([[Ken Yamaguchi]])
*[[Kup (G1)|Kup]] ([[Osamu Saka]])
*[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] ([[Osamu Saka]])
*[[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Tesshō Genda]])
*[[Punch (G1)|Punch/Counterpunch]] ([[Masaharu Satō]])
*[[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] ([[Hiroya Ishimaru]])
*[[Twincast]] ([[Keiichi Nanba]])
*[[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]] ([[Hōchū Ōtsuka]])
*[[Wheelie (G1)|Wheelie]] ([[Kazue Komiya]])
|c2=
'''[[Headmaster (technology)|Headmasters]]'''
*[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] ([[Banjō Ginga]])
*[[Mindwipe (G1)|Mindwipe]] ([[Naoki Tatsuta]])
*[[Skullcruncher]] ([[Kōji Totani]])
*[[Weirdwolf]] ([[Katsuji Mori]])
'''[[Horrorcon]]s'''
*[[Apeface]] ([[Yūji Mikimoto]])
*[[Snapdragon]] ([[Kazuo Oka]])
'''[[Targetmaster]]s'''
*[[Slugslinger (G1)|Slugslinger]] ([[Ken Yamaguchi]])
*[[Misfire]] ([[Tomomichi Nishimura]])
*[[Triggerhappy]] ([[Michihiro Ikemizu]])
'''[[Clone (subgroup)|Clones]]'''
*[[Pounce]] ([[Masashi Ebara]])
*[[Wingspan]] ([[Hōchū Ōtsuka]])
'''[[Duocon]]s'''
*[[Battletrap]] ([[Hirohiko Kakegawa]])
*[[Flywheels]] ([[Tomiko Suzuki]])
'''Others'''
*[[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]] ([[Seizō Katō]])
*[[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] ([[Tomomichi Nishimura]])
*[[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]] ([[Masaharu Satō]])
*[[Sixshot]] ([[Michihiro Ikemizu]])
*[[Soundblaster]] ([[Issei Masamune]])
*[[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] ([[Masato Hirano]])
|c3=
*[[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] ([[Tomiko Suzuki]])
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] ([[Masashi Ebara]])
*[[Carly|Carly Witwicky]] ([[Kazue Komiya]])
|nonumbering=true
|}}
*Combiner teams and [[Triple Changer]]s, and characters from [[The Transformers (cartoon)|The Transformers]] that are only in a few episodes are not listed apart from [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]].

==Episodes==
{{see|List of The Headmasters episodes}}

{{collist|3|
#[[Four Warriors Come out of the Sky]]
#[[The Mystery of Planet Master]]
#[[Birth of the Fantastic Double Prime]]
#[[The Great Cassette Operation]]
#[[Rebellion on Planet Beast]]
#[[Approach of the Demon Meteorite]]
#[[The Four-Million-Year-Old Veil of Mystery]]
#[[Terror! The Six Shadows]]
#[[Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 1]]
#[[Cybertron Is in Grave Danger, Part 2]]
#[[The Shadow Emperor, Scorponok]]
#[[The Dormant Volcano Mysteriously Erupts]]
#[[Head On!! Fortress Maximus]]
#[[Explosion on Mars!! Maximus Is in Danger]]
#[[Explosion on Mars!! MegaZarak Appears]]
#[[Return of the Immortal Emperor]]
#[[SOS from Planet Sandra]]
#[[Daniel Faces His Biggest Crisis Ever!!]]
#[[Fight to the Death on Planet Hive!!]]
#[[Battle for Defense of the False Planet]]
#[[Find MegaZarak's Weak Spot!!]]
#[[Head Formation of Friendship]]
#[[Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship]]
#[[Ultra Magnus Dies!!]]
#[[The Emperor of Destruction Vanishes on an Iceberg]]
#[[I Risk My Life for Earth]]
#[[Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 1)]]
#[[Miraculous Warriors, Targetmasters (Part 2)]]
#[[The Master Sword Is in Danger!!]]
#[[The Zarak Shield Turns the Tide]]
#[[Operation: Destroy the Decepticons]]
#[[My Friend Sixshot!]]
#[[Duel on the Asteroid]]
#[[The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 1)]]
#[[The Final Showdown on Earth (Part 2)]]
#[[Heroic Legend: Optimus Prime VS Megatron!!]]
#[[Heroic Legend: 2010 Wars]]
#[[Heroic Legend: Head On, Master Warriors!]]
|}}

==Home video releases==
{{see|Omni Productions}}
[[Image:MadmanHeadmasters.jpg|thumb|150px|Australian DVD release]]
===Japan===
{{main|Geneon Universal Entertainment}}
*''Transformers: The Headmasters'' — DVD Box (2002)

===United Kingdom===
{{main|Metrodome}}
*The Takara Collection Vol 1 — ''Transformers: Headmasters'' (2005)
*''Transformers'' — The Complete Takara Collection (2007)

===Australia===
{{main|Madman Entertainment}}
*''The Transformers: Headmasters'' (2007)
*''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_%E3%82%B6%E2%98%86%E3%83%98%E3%83%83%E3%83%89%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA ''Transformers: The Headmasters'' at the Japanese Wikipedia]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Headmasters (cartoon), The}}
[[Category:Headmasters franchise| Headmasters (cartoon)]]
[[Category:Television series]]

Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)

2010-07-10T05:08:22Z

125.237.207.216: /* 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]]
#[[At Full Strength! The Four Godmaster Gunmen]]
#[[The Autobot Warrior, Sixknight?!]]
#[[Save the Little Girl! The Chōjin Warriors, the Godmasters]]
#[[Life? Death? Lightfoot Must Choose]]
#[[Expose the Decepticons' Dark Deception!]]
#[[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 the Downfall of Humanity]]
#[[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]] [[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]]
**[[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] ([[Ken Yamaguchi]])
**[[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] ([[Yoku Shioya]])
'''[[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)

2010-07-10T05:07:08Z

125.237.207.216: /* 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]]
#[[At Full Strength! The Four Godmaster Gunmen]]
#[[The Autobot Warrior, Sixknight?!]]
#[[Save the Little Girl! The Chōjin Warriors, the Godmasters]]
#[[Life? Death? Lightfoot Must Choose]]
#[[Expose the Decepticons' Dark Deception!]]
#[[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 the Downfall of Humanity]]
#[[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]] [[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]])
*[[Sixknight]] ([[Show Hayami|Shō Hayami]])

|c2=
'''[[Godmaster]]s'''
*[[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] ([[Keiichi Noda]])
**[[Giga]] ([[Keiichi Noda]])
**[[Mega]] ([[Rihoko Yoshida]])
*[[Darkwings]]
**[[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]] ([[Ken Yamaguchi]])
**[[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] ([[Yoku Shioya]])
'''[[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]]

Human Error, Part I

2010-07-10T05:04:57Z

125.237.207.216: /* Transformers references */

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|image=TFA Human Error Part 1 Automen.jpg
|caption=''Humans Animated'' is a very popular show on Cybertron.
|ep=37
|title="Human Error, Part I"
|airdate=[[April 18]], 2009
|written by=[[Henry Gilroy]]
|directed by=[[Kalvin Lee]] [[Christopher Berkeley]] [[Naoto Hashimoto]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
}}
'''With the Christmas season upon them, the Autobots are not quite themselves following a run-in with Porter C. Powell's new mass-produced Soundwave action figures.'''

==Synopsis==

[[Image:TFAni Human Error Part 1 Powell Soundwave.jpg|thumb|left|180px|He's actually worse than [[wikipedia:Vince Offer|Vince Offer]].]]
It's [[Christmas]] in Detroit, but [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] is not in a festive mood. The hottest toy of the year is [[Sound Wave]], being marketed by [[Porter C. Powell]], who acquired the schematics and patent when he ran [[Sumdac Systems]]. Observing a commercial for the new toy, Optimus notices one of the small robots running across the plaza near the trains. Trying to follow it, he is nearly run over by a train and finally decides that he may be obsessing.

At the plant, [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] and [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] are interested in what they got for Christmas, but [[Sari Sumdac|Sari]] tells them that [[Santa Claus]] will know if they try to peek. As the two help Sari decorate, a Sound Wave toy breaks out of the present and does something to the [[oilnog]] that Sari made for the Autobots. The toy is barely able to hide as Optimus, [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]], and [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] weigh in on Santa's ability to deliver presents to all the children. Sari tells them to just accept the holiday magic and be thankful for what they have, like family, leading to a toast of the spiked oil. Soon, the Autobots all begin to feel tired and decide to call it a night, as Sari heads back to [[Sumdac Tower]].

[[Image:TFAni Human Error Part 1 Optimus Human.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Who would want to be a human in ''Transformers''? The [[Fandom|fans]] all hate them.]]
The next morning, Optimus wakes up, still woozy, and discovers something frightening: his hands are made of flesh! Falling off his bed in shock, Prime's eyes fall upon a mirror, and he discovers the horrifying truth—He's become a human! Optimus hears Bumblebee and Bulkhead cry out, and discovers that all the other Autobots are human as well. Optimus is convinced that there must be a reason, but a few scans by Ratchet are unable to determine the cause of the change. Looking for Prowl, the Autobots head outside, where they find the ninja is mostly at home with the situation, except he feels that something is wrong. Since they're unable to contact Sari, the Autobots decide to [[roll out|<s>roll ou—</s>]] er, walk to Sumdac Tower.

[[Image:TFA Human Error Sumdac dance.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Truly fun for all ages.]]
The Sumdacs, meanwhile, are exchanging Christmas presents, although Sari is less than impressed with the Soundwave toy she receives, having less-than-fond memories of her previous experience with the musical menace. The next present, a scooter, likewise fails to excite, until her father reveals that it also transforms into a jetpack! Thrilled at the gift, Sari takes off to show the Autobots, leaving her dad dancing and singing along with Sound Wave.

On their way to Sumdac Tower, the Autobots stop at [[Burger Bot]] when Bulkhead experiences the odd sensation of "hunger". Before long, he is also experiencing the thrills and spills of "the bathroom", while Prowl makes the most of his new human form, having a salad and playing peek-a-boo with a greatly amused [[Nancy Witwicky|baby]]. The light-heartedness is brought to an end by a sudden explosion outside, and the Autobots race onto the street to see an armada of airborne [[Decepticon]]s, with [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] in the lead, opening fire on the city! As chaos erupts around them, more Decepticons led by [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] come stomping up the street . A blast from Shockwave sets a nearby building on fire, and Prime orders the Autobots into action despite their frail new forms. While Bulkhead and Bumblebee fight the fire, Prime and Ratchet rescue a woman, and Prowl heads upstairs to save her [[Gary|son]]. At the last minute, Prowl dives out a window several stories up with the boy in his arms and lands with ease, prompting Bulkhead to wonder exactly how he accomplished such a seemingly impossible feat. Before any thought can go into the matter, Starscream transforms to robot mode and lands in front of them!

Carried by her new jetpack to the Autobot plant, Sari is surprised to discover it locked up tight, and even more surprised when the Autobots don't respond to her knocking. She flies into the plant through a skylight, but the whole building seems deserted, so she uses the computer to scan for the Autobots' energy signatures, which turn out to be coming from...inside the plant?

[[Image:TFAni Human Error Part 1 Starscream Bumblebee.jpg|thumb|right|180px|GET IT OFF GET IT OFF GET IT OFF!]]
As Starscream tears up the street and sends humans scattering in fear, Bulkhead and Bumblebee rather foolishly attempt to attack him, and the results are rather predictable. When Optimus tries slashing the Decepticon with an axe, Starscream backhands him into a wall, breaking his leg. Hearing the Autobots refer to each other by name, Starscream realizes who his opponents are, but is so busy smirking over things that he loses sight of them and finds that he can't tell one human from another! Dismissing them, he departs for more destruction elsewhere, leaving the Autobots to have their injuries tended to by paramedics. Requiring some of Professor Sumdac's technology to fight the Decepticons, the Autobots board a bus to get to the tower quickly.

Back at the Autobots' plant, Sari is still searching for her friends, when suddenly, a [[Laserbeak (Animated)|large, robotic bird]] flies out of a shaft in the floor, followed by a small army of Sound Wave action figures! Sari blasts the evil toys and heads down the shaft to investigate.

[[Image:TFAni Human Error Part 1 Bumblebee vs Blitzwing.jpg|thumb|180px|left|''You spin my head right 'round, right 'round''.]]
At the foot of Sumdac Tower, the Autobots have just stepped off the bus when suddenly, a huge shadow falls over Detroit. Looking up, the stunned Autobots see the entire planet of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] itself hanging in the sky. Sumdac tower is obliterated by a huge planetary laser weapon, and a full-scale Decepticon invasion force swarms the sky, led by [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] himself! The Decepticons are just as surprised by the Automens' appearance as they are, but Megatron decides to take advantage by destroying them last, so that they may watch their adopted home be destroyed. The sheer impossibility of everything that is happening finally hits Optimus Prime and Prowl, who realize that whatever may be happening to them, none of it is real. Megatron seizes Prowl, but amazingly, the Autobot breaks free of his grip, and with a single swipe of his hand, severs Megatron's arm. Blitzwing attempts to crush Prowl beneath his foot, but Bulkhead runs forward and smashes straight through the [[Triple Changer]]'s leg. As Bumblebee pummels Blitzwing's faces and Prowl knocks out Starscream by phasing into his head, Optimus Prime beats Megatron with his own arm, then hurls his axe into the barrel of the Decepticon leader's cannon, causing it to explode. As the dust cloud fades, Cybertron and all of the Decepticons have vanished, and the Autobots come to the realization that they are trapped in some kind of virtual reality.

[[Image:TFA Human Error Part 1 Soundwave Superior.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Giant virtual "Shattered Glass" ''Animated'' Soundwave?]]
Sari makes the same discovery as the Autobots when she reaches the bottom of the secret shaft and discovers their bodies, plugged into machinery being operated by the full-size [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]], who is planning to use the illusion to reprogram the Autobots into Decepticons. Within the virtual world, the Autobots are able to will themselves back into robotic form (although Bulkhead has a little trouble), but before they can take any further actions, a gigantic arm bursts out of the ground beneath them, scooping them up in its hand. Soundwave's giant face looks down upon the Autobots, declaring escape impossible and shocking them all with blasts of purple energy. Soundwave also has his hands full in the real world, as Sari blasts a chunk out of his shoulder with one of her energy-balls,. Soundwave summons Laserbeak, the robotic bird Sari saw earlier, into his arms, where it transforms into a guitar and hits Sari with a powerful sonic shock wave. The wounded Sari retreats, promising to come back for her friends and leaving Soundwave to resume the final phase of his Autobot reprogramming with [[Ratbat (Animated)|another musical instrument]] that bathes the heroic robots in waves of sonic energy. As Soundwave gloats, Optimus Prime's optics activate and begin glowing Decepticon-red...

[[Human Error, Part II|To be continued...]]

==Featured characters==
{{note|Characters in italics appear only as part of Soundwave's virtual reality scenario.}}
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (1)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (2)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (3)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (4)
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (9)
|c2=
*[[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]] (5)
*''[[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]'' (12)
*''[[Lugnut]]'' (13)
*''[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]]'' (14)
*''[[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]]'' (15)
*''[[Strika (Animated)|Strika]]'' (16)
*''[[Oil Slick (Animated)|Oil Slick]]'' (17)
*''[[Spittor (Animated)|Spittor]]'' (18)
*''[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]'' (23)
*[[Laserbeak (Animated)|Laserbeak]] (24)
*[[Ratbat (Animated)|Ratbat]] (25)
|c3=
*[[Porter C. Powell]] (6)
*[[Isaac Sumdac]] (7)
*''[[Nancy Witwicky]]'' (10)
*''[[Carly Witwicky (Animated)|Carly Witwicky]]'' (11)
*''[[Daniel Witwicky (Animated)|Daniel Witwicky]]'' (19)
*''[[Spike Witwicky (Animated)|Spike Witwicky]]'' (20)
*''[[Gary]]'' (21)
*''[[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]]'' (22)
*''[[Marty Isenberg]]'' (23)
*''[[Cancer]]'' (24)
|c4=
*[[Sari Sumdac]] (8)
}}

==Quotes==

"That toy rightfully belongs to me, Powell! You are a thieving crook!" 
"And a Merry Christmas to you too, Professor Sumdac, but I acquired your toy's patents fair and square when I owned your company. Now I'm sharing Sound Wave with the entire world, for only $19.99 each." 
"$19.99? ''How does he do it''?!" 
:—'''Professor Sumdac''' unwittingly provides PR for '''Porter C. Powell's''' products. Say that three times fast.

'''Ratchet''': And I'm telling you, there is no way that this "Santa Claus" could deliver billions of presents in one night. 
'''Prowl''': I can think of at least one way. Ho. Ho. Ho. 
''[Prowl projects holograms of himself]'' 
'''Optimus''': A sound theory, Prowl. I did see multiple Santas in the shopping district tonight.
:—The Autobots weigh in on the debate of how Santa does his job.

"We need to get to Sumdac Tower. Auto—uh, men. Transfo—er, uh, roll—er, uh, oh, let's...let's just go."
:—'''Optimus Prime''' has a few slips on his "[[roll out]]" command.

"Why would ze Autobots choose to be human?" 
"Not for the fashion sense, I can tell you that. A-ha-ha-ha!"
:—'''Icy Blitzwing''' and '''Random Blitzwing''', the next [[wikipedia:Tim Gunn|Tim Gunn]].

"Not a creature was stirring, not even a—''[Laserbeak flies out of the Autobrand on the floor]'' creepy robot bird?" 
:—'''Sari Sumdac''' adds a new twist to a classic Christmas tale.

"Oh, look! I have a hole in my rocket!"
:—Even horrible injury cannot faze '''Random Blitzwing'''.

"Hey, we're baaaaack!" 
"Not all of us!" 
"It might help you if you make the noise with your mouth like this: ''Choo-chuh-chah-chik''!" 
"Sounds silly... But, okay. Choo-chuh-chah-chah-chik! ''Choo-chuh-chah-chah-chik''!"
:— '''Bumblebee''' and '''Bulkhead''', making the transformation noise like so many of us do—DID. As children. Yeah.

==Notes==
===Animation or technical errors===
* When Bulkhead sets down his Christmas present, the box is missing the horizontal ribbon it has in the preceding and following shots.
* When Ratchet scans Optimus, all the equipment is human-sized, instead of the much larger, Transformer-scaled size. Of course, it's not actually ''real'', but still.
[[Image:HumanError-DanielSpike.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The popular "Invisible Booster Seat" image from Lolbots.com.]]
* In the bus tram scene, Daniel is shown levitating over his seat.
* We first see [[Nancy Witwicky|<strike>Jennifer</strike> Nancy Witwicky]] for a few frames in the background next to a mom who isn't Carly. She's Carly later, though.
* After the explosion is heard outside the Burger Bot, Bulkhead's previously half-eaten burger is now whole.
* Bulkhead punches Starscream with his right hand...then screams and clutches his ''left'' hand...then after a scene cut, he is shown clutching his ''right'' hand...and later he gets a bandage put on his ''left'' hand. Of course, it's...oh, you get the idea.
* Of course, if this was real, we'd point out that the force with which Starscream smashed Optimus into the wall should probably have killed him, or at least caused a lot more damage than a broken leg. Good thing it's not, then.
* The elevator platform in the Autobots' base shrinks from Autobot-sized at the top (such that Sari is shown to be tiny in comparison to it) to human-sized at the bottom (such that Laserbeak couldn't fit through the door even if it had been open).
* Blitzwing's face changes from Icy to Random when he lifts up his leg, only to be Icy again when he's looking through the hole after the shot changes.
* When Optimus beats Megatron with his own severed arm, the arm is ''freaking colossal'', nearly as big as the rest of Megatron's body. (Megatron's face also goes significantly off-model in the same scene.) It's also hollow, but that's what virtual things look like on the inside.
* When Optimus commands the "Automen" to transform, one of his irises is bigger than the other.
* When being held by the giant Soundwave, Prowl is briefly missing his armor.
* The hole Sari blows in Soundwave's backpack comes and goes. Hey, this bit is real!

===Continuity errors===
* Where did Soundwave get images of the Decepticons? In particular, since there are several conceivable ways to get the Earth Decepts' images, what are [[Team Chaar]] and [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] doing there, as none of them have been to Earth? Even if you somehow presume the Autobots themselves generated the images, only Oil Slick—per ''The Arrival'' comic—and Shockwave's head have been seen by any of Optimus's team.
* Where did Sari's jetpack go while she was on the lift? (For that matter, why did she transform out of her robot mode at all?)
* Lugnut disappears with the other Decepticons, despite the fact none of the Autobots fought him.

===Transformers references===
* [[Derrick Wyatt]] stated this episode was a partial homage to a [[Only Human|"classic" Generation 1 episode]].
* Sari's transforming scooter-jetpack was an early idea that didn't make it into the series, but which was featured in a promotional reel for the ''Animated'' series (seen on the convention circuit in mid-2007 and featured on the DVD included with the "Optimus Prime and Megatron: The Battle Begins" action figure set). The version introduced with this episode is somewhat different from the original concept, which was a pedal-powered tricycle that transformed using the power of the [[AllSpark Key]].
* The scooter's jetpack form is, in turn, based on the backpacks worn by the Acroyear/Acroyer, the villains from Takara's [[Microman]] toyline.
[[Image:HydraMartyCancer.jpg|right|thumb|150px|MASTERFORCE!!!.]]
* The [[Burger Bot]] patrons include series head writer [[Marty Isenberg]], [[Carly Witwicky (Animated)|Carly Witwicky]], her baby daughter [[Nancy Witwicky|Nancy]] (who was close to being born during the Season 2 episode "[[Garbage In, Garbage Out]]"), and ''Animated'' homages to the ''[[Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' characters [[Cancer]] and [[Hydra (Masterforce)|Hydra]]. Hydra, Marty, and Cancer are sitting together at one table, indicating a very interesting family.
* Speaking of Masterforce, this episode also features [[Pretender|Transformers turning into people and back]], though in this case, it actually makes some kinda sense.
* Starscream's missiles feature the shark-toothed smiley faces sculpted into his Voyager-class toy's missile accessories.
* Cybertron was brought into Earth orbit twice in the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1]] series: first in the multipart episode "[[The Ultimate Doom, Part 1|The Ultimate Doom]]", and then in the series finale, "[[The Rebirth, Part 3]]".
* Soundwave's declaration of "Autobots inferior; Soundwave superior" is a paraphrase of his Generation 1 namesake's famous line of dialogue from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'': "Soundwave superior; Constructicons inferior."
* The colors on the giant Soundwave in the virtual world come from Takara's "Sonic White" Soundwave MP3 player.
* Prowl had already chopped off Megatron's arm in the [[Transform and Roll Out!|pilot episode]].

===Real-world references===
* Appropriately enough, the first act of this episode incorporates traditional Christmas songs "[[Wikipedia: Carol of the Bells|Carol of the Bells]]", [[Wikipedia: Jingle Bells|Jingle Bells]]" and "[[Wikipedia:God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen|God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen]]" into the background music.
* When Sari's searching the Autobot base for her friends, at one point, her jetpack sounds like a [http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Podracer podracer] from ''[[Star Wars]] Episode I: The Phantom Menace''.
* Sari quotes from the Christmas poem, "[[Wikipedia: A Visit from St. Nicholas|A Visit from St. Nicholas]]" (more commonly known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"), replacing the word "mouse" with "[[Laserbeak (Animated)|creepy robot bird]]".
* When Laserbeak chases Sari into the elevator, he makes sounds like a seagull.
* Bumblebee says "We're not in Detroit anymore," which is another twist on an oft-paraphrased line from ''The Wizard of Oz''.
* The scene of Cybertron blowing up [[Sumdac Tower]] is straight out of the mid-'90s summer blockbuster ''Independence Day'', in which an alien mothership blows up the White House in a similar manner while using the [[Death Star]] sound effect from ''Star Wars''.
* The whole idea of the heroes acting in a virtual world where only those aware of its true nature can break the laws of physics is similar to [[Wikipedia: The Matrix (series)|the ''Matrix'' series]].
* Prowl going into the burning building to save the child, despite being in human form, is highly reminiscent of a scene in ''Spider-Man 2'' in which Peter Parker does the same thing, despite not wearing his hero outfit.

===Trivia===
* This episode features an unusually high amount of [[stock footage]] by ''Animated'' standards. Starscream's sequence is a few seconds longer than when it was last seen in "[[Megatron Rising - Part 1]]". Of course, all the sequences of the "human" Autobots transforming have been re-edited.
* Apparently, in future Detroit, you are allowed to use public transportation while bearing a giant axe. Well, it ''is'' Detroit...
* Back in "[[Sound and Fury]]", Soundwave's voice was modulated using only one tone, meaning it never rose or fell. With this episode, more tones are introduced into his voice, allowing it to rise and fall in the same manner as his [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[Soundwave (G1)|counterpart]].
* Sari's abilities include being capable of holding a full barrel of oil on each hand and surviving getting slammed into a wall by Laserbeak and Soundwave. Plus, she makes a mean oilnog.
* Man, Professor Sumdac sure can ''dance''.
* Now in his samurai armor, Prowl can make two or more holographic projections of himself, whereas he could only make one at a time before getting the armor. It's ''that'' awesome!
* Technically, since most of this episode wasn't real, most of the errors above can be dismissed. So nyah!
* This isn't the [[Bee in the City|first time]] Bumblebee has a taste of human food.
* Considering the presence of snow at the end of the first season, and now again here, it seems fairly obvious that it's been well over a year since the Autobots awoke from their stasis under Lake Erie. Additionally, while "[[Along Came a Spider]]" explicitly showed the Autobots' first Halloween, this is never said to be their first Christmas.
* Just when you thought he couldn't get any more awesome, Prowl becomes a Ghost/Cop/Ninja.

==Home video releases==
This episode has yet to be released on home video.

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Hydra (G1)

2010-07-10T05:03:41Z

125.237.207.216: /* Animated cartoon continuity */

{{factions|decepticon}}
{{disambig2|the Decepticon Godmaster|the Beast Wars Neo Predacon|Hydra (BWN)}}
:''Hydra is a [[human]] and [[Decepticon]] [[Godmaster]] from the [[Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Super-God Masterforce]] portion of the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Hydra masterforce.jpg|right|275px|thumb|Elton John wants his specs back.]]
'''Hydra''' was a talented actor in his home country of East [[Germany]], but apparently celluloid stardom wasn't exciting enough for this burgeoning young sociopath. Hydra became involved with the [[United States of America|American]] criminal underworld, using his talent for disguise to become an assassin who was soon regarded as one of the best in the business. Cold, uncaring and extreme in his methods, Hydra already considered himself above most other people, so when the [[Decepticon|Decepticons]] arrived on the scene and offered him even greater power, he happily seized upon the opportunity.

As a [[Godmaster]], Hydra is bonded to a [[Transtector]] from the [[G Nebula 89|G Nebula]] and can manipulate [[Chōkon Power]], with his specialty being the control of lightning. He and his younger brother [[Buster (Masterforce)|Buster]] can merge their Transtectors into the giant jet [[Darkwings]]. Hydra truly believes that the Decepticons should rule mankind, and is willing even to sacrifice his own humanity to help them accomplish that goal.

: ''English/Malay dub name:'' '''Darkwing'''

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

[[Image:Hydra armor.jpg|left|180px|thumb|THIS, I command!]]
Hydra and Buster were in North America when they were approached by [[Giga]] and [[Mega]], agents of the Decepticon leader [[Devil Z]], and bonded to a pair of Transtectors that had taken the forms of jet planes. {{storylink|A Hero Is Chosen - His Name Is Ginrai}} The brothers were brought to a hidden island, where they were trained in the use of their new Godmaster powers until it was decided that they join up with the rest of the Decepticons already operating under the command of [[Blood]]. Blood's [[Pretender]]s and [[Headmaster Junior]]s were summoned to the island, where Hydra and Buster, disguised in suits of medieval armor, promptly attacked and bested them as a demonstration of their powers. Blood bristled at the notion that two humans could be stronger than true Decepticons, and challenged the two Godmasters to prove themselves by attacking the [[Mt Fuji Foothills Hang Gliding Competition Tournament]]. It just so happened that the [[Autobot]] Headmaster Juniors were participating in the contest, leading to a battle between the Godmaster brothers and the Autobot Pretenders. Although they had their Autobot foes massively overpowered, the arrival of [[Metalhawk]] left them outnumbered, and the brothers opted to withdraw. {{storylink|Super Warriors - The Godmaster Brothers}} Hydra and Buster next went into battle when the Decepticons attacked the tidal power plant on [[Karin Islands|Viscas Island]], but the battle was brought to an end when Buster was injured by [[Diver (Masterforce)|Diver]] and Hydra called retreat. {{storylink|A Fierce Battle!! The Autobots Are in Trouble}}

[[Image:Hydra and buster human.jpg|right|225px|thumb|Joined at the hip. Probably literally.]]
When Mega and Giga revealed that there were other Godmasters on Earth, Hydra and Buster were charged with locating them before the Autobots did. Hydra decided to search North America first, on the basis that it was where they became Godmasters themselves, and with a little help from the Headmaster Juniors, the brothers were soon on the trail of a mysterious truck that had been rumoured to be able to heal any damage to itself. The brothers found the truck crashed at the bottom of a cliff along with the Autobot Diver, but when they attempted to take it, the truck's driver, [[Ginrai]], revealed that he was indeed a Godmaster, and that that truck was his Transtector, by transforming to robot mode for the first time. Shocked by what they had witnessed, Hydra and Buster retreated. {{storylink|A Hero Is Chosen - His Name Is Ginrai}} Before long, however, the brothers were back on Ginrai's trail, and attacked numerous tractor trailers in their search for him, killing many of Ginrai's trucker friends before finally locating him. Hydra took Ginrai on alone, but at an inopportune moment, the rays of the sun reflected off a picture Ginrai was carrying and blinded Hydra, forcing him to call for a retreat. {{storylink|Ginrai: God On of Rage!!}}

When [[Cancer]] was captured by the Autobots for interrogation, Hydra and Buster arrived to retrieve him. The Autobots released their prisoner, but Hydra immediately discovered a homing beacon planted on Cancer's shirt, and attacked the Autobots in retribution. While battling Ginrai, Hydra was distracted when Cancer protected the kindly Autobot [[Minerva]] from Buster, allowing Ginrai to turn the tide of the battle and force the villains to fall back. {{storylink|A Strange Friendship: Cancer and Minerva}} Things didn't go much better during the brothers' next battle with Ginrai, at Mount Yatsugatake in Nagano, where there brothers were blasted by Ginrai's newly-obtained trailer. {{storylink|Friend or Foe!? The True Form of the Monster!!}}

[[Image:Hydra punchedbyginrai.jpg|left|225px|thumb|Ginrai takes out the only tree in Hydra's forest.]]
Hungry for revenge, Hydra and Buster were not content simply with destroying Ginrai, but also sought to discredit him and the Autobots into the bargain. Luring Ginrai into a battle in a city, the brothers loudly blamed him for starting the battle so that the population could overhear, and then summoned some [[Lobclaw]] [[Seacon (Masterforce)|Seacons]] to finish the Autobot off. Luckily, Diver and [[Lander]] arrived to deal with the Seacons, and the enraged Ginrai unleashed a blast of Chōkon Power that saw the villains off. {{storylink|Eliminate the Godmaster Ginrai}}

Learning that Ginrai had appeared on television show in an attempt to find the remaining Godmasters on Earth, Hydra and Buster tried menacing a producer at the TV station in order to find out what Ginrai had learned from the correspondence that had come in. The tactic had no luck, so they resorted to searching the continent with the help of the Pretenders; the Pretenders later found Ginrai in Canada, but were unable to stop the next Godmaster, [[Lightfoot]] from joining the Autobots. {{storylink|Lightfoot: A Dramatic Encounter}} After this failure, the Decepticons were even more determined to recruit the next Godmaster, a Canadian forest patrolman named [[Ranger]]. During the battle with the Autobots that resulted in the Rocky Mountains, however, Hydra and Buster were left badly outnumbered and had to flee when the Headmaster Juniors abandoned them out of spite after they carelessly put Wilder in danger in their zeal to destroy Ginrai. {{storylink|An Enemy? The Third Godmaster, Ranger}}

[[Image:Buster armless.jpg|right|225px|thumb|Don't mind him, he's 'armless.]]
Hydra and Buster stepped back from the front lines for a short time, instead trying their hand at formulating a plan for the Pretenders to carry out. This outlandish plot to capture doctors was soon botched, much to their distaste, {{storylink|Save the Little Girl! The Chōjin Warriors, the Godmasters}} and they again took an active hand in matters, starting with a scheme to divide and conquer the Autobot Godmasters, starting with Lightfoot. Hydra put his makeup talents to use disguising himself and Buster as reporters so that they could get close to Lightfoot's father [[Leftfoot]] and take him prisoner. The brothers sent a message to Lightfoot, who was faced with the choice of either joining the Autobots or having his [[Master-Brace]]s (and hands!) cut off by Hydra, but luckily, the other Autobot Godmasters soon arrived to help give the Darkwings Brothers one of their most severe beatings yet. When Buster's arm was actually torn off, the horrified Hydra called retreat, but they weren't above spitefully blowing up some factory buildings as they left. {{storylink|Life? Death? Lightfoot Must Choose}}

[[Image:Hydra robotmode.jpg|left|220px|thumb|Bringing a gun to a Chōkon fight.]]
After serving as chauffeurs for Mega when she was posing as a fortune teller, {{storylink|Expose the Decepticons' Dark Deception!}} Hydra and Buster were next charged with destroying Ginrai's trailer. His acting talent again in full swing, Hydra posed as a movie producer named "Billy Hyler" and talked Ginrai into performing some stunt-driving for a movie filming in the desert. Buster was able to plant an explosive charge that separated Ginrai from his trailer, and the brothers combined into Darkwings in an attempt to destroy the latter component. Before they could strike, Ginrai merged with his trailer and blew the villains out of the air with his Special Fire Guts attack. Ginrai was, however, subsequently badly wounded by Giga and Mega's combined form, [[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], {{storylink|Super Ginrai Gets Blown Away in the Desert!?}} and the brothers decided to strike while the Autobots were a man down by attempting to destroy the [[Godbomber]] drone the heroes were in the midst of constructing. The brothers were duped into following a disguised truck into the nearby mountains, thinking that it was carrying Godbomber, when in fact, it was simply the Autobot, [[Road King]], who joined with Ranger and Lightfoot in beating the brothers to a pulp. {{storylink|Will the Bomber Project Be Destroyed!?}}

[[Image:Buster and hydra.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Strike a pose!]]
In the next attempt to destroy Godbomber, Hydra and Buster attacked a Middle-East oil refinery in order to draw the Autobots out. Even the cold, cruel Hydra was taken aback, however, when Giga asked if they were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, and later confided in Buster that while he was not afraid of dying in battle, he wasn't willing to sacrifice himself just for victory. Although this plan to destroy Godbomber met with failure, {{storylink|Overlord - Terror of the Chōkon Tornado}} the Decepticons tried yet again, this time by separating Godbomber from Ginrai and having Hydra and Buster target the unprotected drone. With a little help from [[Sixknight]], however, the Autobot Headmaster Juniors discovered that they were able to pilot Godbomber and were able to defeat the Darkwings Brothers. {{storylink|Destroy Godbomber!!}}

When the final Godmaster, [[Clouder]], sought out the Decepticons and requested to join them, Hydra had [[King Poseidon]] attack him so that he could prove his strength. {{storylink|Appearance!! The Final Godmaster}} Clouder passed the test, and the Decepticons installed him within the Autobot ranks as a spy, who fed them inside information on the Autobots' base. Hydra and Buster proceeded to attack a nearby city in order to occupy the attentions of Ginrai and the Godmasters while the rest of the Decepticons initiated an all-out attack on the Autobots' headquarters {{storylink|Secret Orders! Destroy the Autobot Base!!}} and although the brothers were eventually defeated, the larger plan to destroy the base succeeded. {{storylink|Disaster! The Autobot Base Explodes}} Soon thereafter, when BlackZarak arrived on Earth, Hydra and Buster traveled into space with the rest of the Decepticons when the villain prepared to unleash the unholy [[Death Para-Machine]] upon the [[Earth]], {{storylink|Crisis! The Day of the Downfall of Humanity}} and later battled Lightfoot in northern Europe. {{storylink|God Ginrai - Save Cancer!?}}

[[Image:Hydra buster roboticized.jpg|left|180px|thumb|We can rebuild him, we have the technology.]]
Having been left to die in the conflagration that destroyed the Autobot base, Clouder turned on his former allies when he resurfaced, and offered to lead the Autobots to a Decepticon base. His discussion with [[Shūta Gō]], however, was overheard by Hydra, who radioed ahead to the Decepticon base, allowing them to lay a trap for the two youths. {{storylink|God Ginrai: Showdown at the Decepticon Base}} Later, when the Autobots attacked the Decepticon base in force, Hydra and Buster battled Ginrai and the Godmasters, until Devil Z brought the battle to and end by fusing with BlackZarak and collapsing the base into an undersea chasm. {{storylink|The Ultimate Combination!! BlackZarak, the New Lifeform}}

[[Image:Hydra devilpower.jpg|right|220px|thumb|Ginrai forgot to unplug him last night.]]
After their numerous defeats at the hands of Ginrai, Hydra came to the conclusion that he and Buster were weakened by their humanity, and the brothers petitioned Devil Z to use his powers to transform them into true robots. The evil being complied, fusing the brothers with their Transtectors and replacing their Jinchōkon Power—lost to them along with their humanity—with his own [[Devil Power]]. The Darkwings Brothers attacked Ginrai in the Grand Canyon, and Ginrai, appalled at what they had done to themselves, called upon his God Fire Guts attack. The brothers responded by diving at Ginrai in a flaming "Hellfire Attack", resulting in a huge explosion when the attacks collided. The battered brothers limped away from the battle, declaring it a draw. {{storylink|Battle to the Death!! God Ginrai VS Darkwings Reborn}} While Ginrai then went on to battle Overlord, Hydra and Buster attacked Lightfoot and Road King, trapping them in a cave. They then took on the Autobot Headmaster Juniors, almost cutting off Shūta's arms before Ginrai returned and saw them off. {{storylink|Autobots! Desperate Attack!!}}

[[Image:Hydra buster punished.jpg|left|180px|thumb|"Mine!" "Leave those alone, Overlord, you don't know where they've been."]]
During the final conflict on the Matterhorn, Hydra and Buster unveiled the mightiest weapon in their arsenal, the "Mach X Flight", allowing them to move faster than the eye could follow. They did not predict, however, that Ginrai could replicate the effect with his own Chōkon Power, and the Autobot once again proved to be their better, searing their bodies with his burning backwash and sending them crashing into the mountain. The brothers rejoined the other Decepticons at the mountain's peak, where BlackZarak unleashed his fury on the two failures, pummelling them until Overlord stepped in to try and stop the punishment. This only resulted in BlackZarak turning on him as well, at which point Ginrai arrived to save his foes and engage BlackZarak in final battle. {{storylink|Malevolent and Inhuman! The True Form of Devil Z}} As the Autobot leader battled BlackZarak, Hydra and Buster recovered from their beating, with Hydra calmly writing it off as proof that they were weak, and that they needed to fight even harder. At that point, the Autobot Godmasters arrived and Hydra and Buster plunged into battle right away, despite the fact that they were on the verge of collapse. Eventually, they could fight no further, and combined into Darkwings to flee. In the moments that followed, Ginrai succeeded in destroying BlackZarak and Devil Z, which resulted in all the other humans becoming separated from their Transtectors. The Transtectors themselves continued to live as true super-robot lifeforms, and Hydra and Buster promptly joined with the other Decepticons in departing Earth. {{storylink|A Battle... and Then...}}

====''Victory'' cartoon====
Hydra and Buster served as part of the Decepticon forces under Overlord's command, often battling the Autobot forces led by Ginrai in the G Nebula. {{storylink|Planet Micro - The Mysterious Warrior}}

===''Super-God Masterforce'' comic===
[[Image:Hydra buster manga.jpg|left|275px|thumb|Jump around, jump around, jump up jump up and get down!]]
Decepticon leaders Giga and Mega unveiled their Godmaster warriors, Hydra and Buster, to the world by sending them to "welcome" the Autobot Godmaster, Ginrai, to Japan. After bombing Tokyo on their way to Harumi Wharf, Hydra and Buster merged into Darkwings and immediately attacked Metalhawk and the Autobot Headmaster Juniors, who were at the wharf awaiting Ginrai's arrival. After taking the Juniors out of the fight, the brothers then transformed into robot mode to tackle Metalhawk, but thankfully, Ginrai chose that moment to make his entrance and promptly launched the villains over the horizon with a blast of Chōkon Power. {{storylink|Enter on the Stage! The Name of the Savior Is Ginrai!}}

When the Autobots traveled to the planet [[Athenia]] so that Ginrai could be appointed [[Supreme Commander]], Hydra and Buster followed, joining up with the other Decepticons out in space and attacking the planet with [[Scramble 7]]. The Autobots were able to defeat Scramble 7, but Buster and Hydra informed them that they had been united under the leadership of Devil Z, and were heading back to Earth to await the Autobots' return. {{storylink|The Battle Begins! The United Earth-Space Troops}}

Hydra and Buster later joined the other Decepticons in an attack on Tokyo, {{storylink|God Ginrai's Amazing Super-God Combination!}}, battled the Autobot Godmasters and [[Grand Maximus]] in space {{storylink|The Earth Family of Good and Evil}} and lured Ginrai into a Decepticon ambush atop [[Mount Everest]]. {{storylink|Decepticons' Great Counterattack!}} Eventually, the two brothers had Devil Z transform them into entirely robotic beings, and joined him in attacking the other Autobots and Decepticons as he attempted to drain their Jinchōkon and become the ultimate lifeform. The Autobots and Decepticons struck back by combining their powers together into the "Perfect Transform Attack", destroying Devil Z for good. As their leader was wiped out before their eyes, Hydra and Buster combined into Darkwings and fled into space. {{storylink|The Birth of the Super Lifeforms}}

===''Animated'' cartoon continuity===
Hydra (as a human) appeared in [[Burger Bot]] next to [[Cancer]] (as a hmuan also) and [[Marty Isenberg]] in the illusionary reality that the Autobots were trapped in created by [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]]. {{storylink|Human Error, Part I}}

==Toys==
===Super-God Masterforce===
[[Image:MF-toy Hydra.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]
*'''Hydra''' (Godmaster Decepticon, 1988)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''D-304'''
**''Accessories'': Godmaster Transtector, Sky Laser, Plasma Missile

:Hydra's Transtector transforms into a Panavia Tornado GR1 fighter jet. As a Godmaster, he is unable to transform to robot mode until the Hydra Godmaster figure is transformed into engine mode and snapped into the socket on the Transtector's back, unlocking the figure for transformation. Once unlocked, Hydra can also combine with his brother Buster (sold separately) to form the super-jet, Darkwings.

:Hydra was sold concurrently in [[Hasbro]] markets as [[Darkwing]] and [[Throttle (G1)|Throttle]], with the significant difference of teal plastic instead of Hydra's red.

::* ''[http://www.tfu.info/1988/Destron/Hydra/hydra.htm More information on Hydra at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Darkwings}}
[[Image:MF-toy Darkwings.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]
*'''Darkwings''' (Multi-pack, 1988)
**''Japanese ID number'': '''D-306'''
**''Accessories'': Hydra Transtector, Buster Transtector, 2 Sky Lasers, 2 Plasma Missiles

: Hydra and Buster were both made available in a special multi-pack as well. This set came with a unique [[bio]]/[[Tech Spec]] for the Darkwings combined mode. Both toys are identical to their individual releases.

{{-}}{{anchor|Darkwing}}
*'''Hydra Darkwing''' (Godmaster Decepticon, 1988)
**''Accessories'': Godmaster Transtector, Sky Laser, Plasma Missile

: Essentially just a Japanese release of Hasbro's Darkwing figure, this version of the Hydra toy was only available by mail-order, for the price of 1980 yen and four [[Robot Point]]s.

{{-}}
==Notes==
*For the duration of the episodes "[[Super Warriors - The Godmaster Brothers]]" and "[[A Fierce Battle!! The Autobots Are in Trouble]]", Hydra's customarily red arms and legs are colored grey, making him look a lot more like Darkwing.

*According to his supplementary [[bio]] card, Hydra is 20 years old. As well, the card contradicts the ''Masterforce'' opening sequence by declaring him to be American rather than East German.

[[Category:Assassins]]
[[Category:Combiners]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Godmasters]]
[[Category:Humans]]
[[Category:Mail order exclusives]]