Transformers: Armada (cartoon)

2010-02-14T03:13:24Z

125.237.62.7: /* Characters */

{{nav-armada}}
'''''Armada''''' (Micron Legend in Japan) is a ''Transformers'' cartoon series that ran from 2002-2003, in support of the franchise of the same name. The show initiated a total continuity reboot, setting up a brand new ''Transformers'' universe separate from any previous storyline. Together with its two sequels, this continuity family is now known as the [[Unicron Trilogy]].
''Armada'''s universe is most distinguished by the presence and importance of [[Mini-Con|Mini-Cons]], a race of human-sized Transformers that, when "[[Powerlinx|powerlinxed]]" to their larger brethren, would unleash a flood of energy. Because of the great potential for their exploitation, the Mini-Cons attempt to abstain from the [[Autobot]]/[[Decepticon]] war and flee [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]], crashing on [[Earth]] and its moon. When some Mini-Cons are accidentally reactivated in 2010 by clumsy teenagers, a beacon alerts both the Autobots and Decepticons on Cybertron, who track them to Earth and continue their battle here.

''Micron Legend'' has the [[Japanese themes|opening songs]] "[[Transformer: Dream Again|TRANSFORMER -Dream Again-]]" and "[[Transformers: Kōtetsu no Yūki|Transformers ~Kōtetsu no Yūki~]]", with the ending songs "[[Never Ending Road]]" and "[[Don't Give Up!!]]".

==Characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] ([[Garry Chalk]])
* [[Blurr (Armada)|Blurr]] ([[Brian Drummond]])
* [[Hot Shot (Armada)|Hot Shot]] ([[Brent Miller]])
* [[Jetfire (Armada)|Jetfire]] ([[Scott McNeil]])
* [[Overload (Armada)|Overload]]
* [[Red Alert (Armada)|Red Alert]] ([[Brian Dobson]])
* [[Scavenger (Armada)|Scavenger]] ([[Ward Perry]])
* [[Side Swipe (Armada)|Side Swipe]] ([[Sam Vincent]])
* [[Smokescreen (Armada)|Smokescreen/Hoist]] ([[Dale Wilson]])

|c2=
* [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron/Galvatron]] ([[David Kaye]])
* [[Cyclonus (Armada)|Cyclonus]] ([[Don Brown]])
* [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] ([[Alvin Sanders]])
* [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] ([[Michael Dobson]])
* [[Thrust (Armada)|Thrust]] ([[Colin Murdoch]])
* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] ([[Doug Parker]])
* [[Wheeljack (Armada)|Wheeljack]] ([[Michael Daingerfield]])

|c3=
* [[Rad White]] ([[Kirby Morrow]])
* [[Alexis]] ([[Tabitha St. Germain]])
* [[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] ([[Andrew Francis]])
* [[Carlos Lopez]] ([[Matt Hill]])
* [[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] ([[Tony Sampson]])

|c4=
* [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]] ([[Paul Dobson]]), ([[Mark Acheson]])
* [[Nemesis Prime (Armada)|Nemesis Prime]] (Paul Dobson)
* [[Unicron]] ([[Mark Acheson]])

|h5=[[Mini-Con]]s|c5=
* [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]]
* [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]]
** [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] ([[Terry Klassen]])
** [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (?)
** [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]](?)

* [[Air Defense Mini-Con Team (Armada)|Air Defense Mini-Con Team]]: [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]]
** [[Jetstorm (Armada)|Jetstorm]]
** [[Runway]]
** [[Sonar (Armada)|Sonar]]

* [[Race Mini-Con Team]]: [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]]
** [[Downshift (Armada)|Downshift]]
** [[Dirt Boss (Armada)|Dirt Boss]]
** [[Mirage (Armada)|Mirage]]

* [[Space Mini-Con Team]]: [[Requiem Blaster]]
** [[Astroscope]]
** [[Payload (Armada)|Payload]]
** [[Sky Blast]]
|nonumbering=true
}}

Narrator: [[Jim Conrad]]

==Major Locations==
* [[Lincoln, Nebraska]]
*[[Cybertron Base (Armada)|Cybertron Base]] (Autobot HQ)
*[[Cosmoscope Research Center]]

* [[Lunar Base (Armada)|Lunar Base]] (Decepticon HQ)
* [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]]

==Production==
''Armada'' was the first Transformers cartoon to be co-developed in the United States and Japan. The show was produced in Japan, aired first in the United States, and then aired later in Japan. Dubbing for the US version was done by ADR studio [[Voicebox Productions|Voicebox]].

When ''Armada'' was first announced, an unnamed Hasbro source was quoted as claiming [[Mainframe Entertainment]] had been "tapped" to make the show. Sadly, this didn't happen. <ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/infozone/armada.php The 2002 Armada page at Seibertron]</ref>

==Criticisms==
[[Image:TacticianMiniConChanges.jpg|thumb|250px|Between the American (top) and Japanese (bottom) airings, the entire back row of Mini-Cons was changed or recolored.]]
The US dub of ''Armada'' was plagued with errors. Most explicit is the repeated misnaming of characters, particularly the Mini-Cons. More subtle clues point to scripts that were transliterated and never given a proper re-write to adapt them for a Western audience.

The show also featured wildly varying animation quality. This is due in large part to an extremely rushed production schedule; Voicebox rarely had time to get more than a first-draft translation of the script together in time for recording, and would often have to work with unfinished animation. As a side note, it is often claimed that much of the animation was cleaned up for the show's later broadcast in Japan, which is basically true; aside from the well-publicized example of "[[Linkup]]", which featured some significantly altered and corrected animation, smaller alterations were made in many episodes, such as changing incongruous Mini-Con lineups or fixing blatant coloring mistakes (such as Cyclonus being colored as Demolishor for one scene in "[[Swoop (episode)|Swoop]]").

The cause of this rush job is still under speculation, but there appear to be two primary suspects:

* Initial plans called for [[Dreamwave Productions|Dreamwave]] to supply character models for the series (at least, that was the claim), but that never materialized, possibly throwing off production schedules.
* [[Cartoon Network]], the channel that aired the show, reportedly would not sign off on the series without a certain number of episodes already finished, forcing a rush job to get the cartoon out to coincide with the toy line's release.

Even accounting for the rushed dub, ''Armada'''s scripting tends to be of poor quality. Characters give long, rambling, semi-coherent monologues, react strangely to one another's dialog, have very disjointed "conversations", reiterate obvious plot points to one another, and repeatedly use stock phrases such as "Hey, wait up!" Moments of intended silence are filled with babble, especially the dreaded "Uh?" every time a character reacts to anything.

The show has also taken flack for the repetitive nature of its first half, in which the same small groups of Autobots and Decepticons hunt for Mini-Cons in one episode after another. The threat of Unicron, as well as the gradually expanding cast, eventually led to more wide-ranging stories.

==Reception==
Although fans had a [[Pokeformers|mixed reaction]] towards the product as a whole (which is [[Ruined FOREVER|typical]] of ''any'' new series), it was ''incredibly'' successful with the target audience, children ages 4-9. The toys sold like hotcakes, prompting Hasbro to pad out the tail end of the toyline with a number of ''Beast Wars'' redecos.

The success of ''Armada'' led to the more expensive R&D that went into the next two franchises, ''[[Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'' and ''[[Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]''. It also prompted the launch of the ''Transformers [[Universe (2003 franchise)|Universe]]'' subline, as demand for Transformers product continued to outstrip Hasbro's ability to develop new molds.

==Episodes==
{{main|List of Armada episodes}}

{{collist|4|
#[[First Encounter]]
#[[Metamorphosis]]
#[[Base]]
#[[Comrade]]
#[[Soldier]]
#[[Jungle]]
#[[Carnival]]
#[[Palace]]
#[[Confrontation (episode)|Confrontation]]
#[[Underground]]
#[[Ruin]]
#[[Prehistory]]
#[[Swoop (episode)|Swoop]]
#[[Overmatch]]
#[[Gale]]
#[[Credulous]]
#[[Conspiracy]]
#[[Trust (Armada)|Trust]]
#[[Vacation]]
#[[Reinforcement]]
#[[Decisive Battle]]
#[[Vow]]
#[[Rebellion]]
#[[Chase (episode)|Chase]]
#[[Tactician]]
#[[Linkup|Link Up]]
#[[Detection]]
#[[Awakening]]
#[[Desperate]]
#[[Runaway]]
#[[Past, Part 1]]
#[[Past, Part 2]]
#[[Sacrifice]]
#[[Regeneration]]
#[[Rescue]]
#[[Mars (episode)|Mars]]
#[[Crack]]
#[[Threaten]]
#[[Crisis]]
#[[Remorse]]
#[[Depart]]
#[[Miracle]]
#[[Puppet]]
#[[Uprising]]
#[[Dash (episode)|Dash]]
#[[Drift (episode)|Drift]]
#[[Portent]]
#[[Cramp]]
#[[Alliance (episode)|Alliance]]
#[[Union]]
#[[Origin]]
#[[Mortal Combat]]
}}

==Home video releases==
{{anchor|DVD}}
===''Micron Legend''===
{{main|Columbia Music Entertainment}}
The ''Micron Legend'' version of ''Armada'' was released on DVD by Columbia Music Entertainment in [[Japan]] while the series was still on air for a total of 13 volumes. Initial releases of each volume included a bonus mini-con figure and [[Linkage (comic)|an original comic sidestory]] which helped to fill in some of the series' gaps.
[[Image:Tf micron legend vol 01.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
*'''''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 1''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 2''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 3''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 4''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 5''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 6''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 7''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 8''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 9''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 10''' (2004)
*'''''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 11''' (2004)
*'''''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 12''' (2004)
*'''''Transformers: Micron Legend'' — Volume 13''' (2004)
{{-}}

===''Armada''===
====United Kingdom====
{{main|Universal}}
[[Image:Armada Collector's Edition DVD.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
Universal released several DVD collections of ''Armada'' in the UK.
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol: 01''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol: 02''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol: 03''' (2005)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Triple Collection''' (2005)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol: 04''' (2005)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Collector's Edition''' (2007)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Bumper Double DVD Collection''' (2008)
{{-}}

====Australia====
{{main|Warner Music Video}}
Warner Music Video released a random assortment of ''Armada'' DVD collections in Australia.
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:02''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:04''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:09''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:10''' (2003)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Vol:14''' (2003)
{{-}}

====United States====
{{main|Kid Rhino}}
[[Image:KidRhinoTransformersArmadaPart1.jpg|thumb|100px|]]
Kid Rhino released a few DVD collections in the United States, before releasing the entire series in two box sets.
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Best Battles''' (2004)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Flashbacks''' (2004)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Battle for the Mini-Cons''' (2004)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Power of the Mini-Cons''' (2004)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Best of the Autobots''' (2004)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Best of the Decepticons''' (2004)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part One''' (2004)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Season One: Part Two''' (2006)
{{-}}

====Germany====
{{main|KSMFilm}}
KSMFilm released two DVD boxsets in Germany, each including 26 episodes with German and English audio.
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume One''' (2008)
*'''''Transformers: Armada'' — Volume Two''' (2009)
{{-}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.geocities.co.jp/Playtown-Knight/6670/my_micron/armada-legend.html Site comparing animation differences between Armada and Micron Legend]

*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B6%85%E3%83%AD%E3%83%9C%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E7%94%9F%E5%91%BD%E4%BD%93%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%83%9E%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AD%E3%83%B3%E4%BC%9D%E8%AA%AC Japanese Wiki '''Transformers Micron Legend''' article]

[[Category:Armada| Armada (cartoon)]]
[[Category:Television series]]

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Transformers: Armada (cartoon)