Transformers Animated (cartoon)

2008-04-26T04:48:47Z

66.142.55.13: /* Reception */

{{Nav-Animated}}

'''''Transformers Animated''''' is a cartoon series which debuted in early 2008, in support of the [[franchise]] of [[Transformers Animated|the same name]].

The cartoon is produced by [[Cartoon Network]], scripted in the United States, with character and background designs by the crews behind shows like ''[[wikipedia:Teen Titans (TV series)|Teen Titans]]'' and ''[[wikipedia:Ben 10|Ben 10]]'', while animation is being provided by Japanese studios [[Mook]], [[The Answer Studio]], and [[Studio 4°C]] {{fact}}.

''Animated'' sees several G1 voice actors reprise their old roles ([[Susan Blu]], [[Corey Burton]], [[John Moschitta]], etc.), and is the first Transformers show featuring [[David Kaye]] in which he won't be voicing [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]].

==Series details==
[[Image:TransformersAnimatedPoster.jpg||thumb|250px|left|"When there's trouble you know who to call..."]]
The series eschews the ever-continuing space opera storylines of the past few anime to return to the episodic approach of ''[[Beast Wars (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''; each episode will be a standalone story, but with an overall story arc that stretches through the whole season. The focus is being put firmly on characterization, dynamic action, and humor.

The episodes center not only on the war between the [[Autobot]]s and the [[Decepticon]]s, but also on the Autobots' interactions with many of [[Detroit]]'s [[human]] supervillain denizens, including a [[Angry Archer|maladjusted marksman]], a [[Nanosec|speedy racer]], and a guy who [[Prometheus Black|looks good in a pimp suit]]. The idea is to present the Decepticons as more of an ongoing background threat instead of having them be repeatedly defeated each episode and look like bumbling fools. Rather, the arrival of a Decepticon in battle is supposed to be a big deal, requiring multiple Autobots working together to stop even a single one. The human villains will give the Autobots "everyday" threats--and no doubt their schemes will turn out to be the result of Decepticon treachery. Note that [[Doctor Arkeville|human]] [[Lord Chumley|adversaries]] [[Circuit Breaker|are]] [[Cobra Commander|not]] [[Abdul Fakkadi|new]] [[Lazarus|in]] ''Transformers'' continuity. However, humans as [[Hydra and Buster|major]] [[Overlord|threats]] is very uncommon.

Season 3 is already in the works, and season 4 is quite possible.

While the series is not a sequel to the [[Transformers (2007)|live-action movie]], they have many thematic elements in common, most notably the central role of the [[AllSpark (Animated)|AllSpark]] and the revelation that all modern technology has been reverse-engineered from the dormant body of [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]. Hasbro also carried over some design elements from the live-action movie into Animated designs, including not just the aforementioned cube but also [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]]'s medical readout striped deco, [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]]'s black racing stripe, and [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]]'s helmet. These are meant to be "connection points," helping kids who had seen the theatrical film but had no prior Transformers experience ease into understanding the new series.

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==Cast==

{|border=5 cellpadding=5 cellspacing=5 align=center style="border:#800000"
! style="background:#FFEEEE" | [[Autobots]]
! style="background:#EEEEFE" | [[Decepticons]]
! style="background:antiquewhite" | [[Human|Humans]]

|-
| style="background:#FFEEEE" valign="top" |
* [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] ([[David Kaye]])
* [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] ([[Bumper Robinson]])
* [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] ([[Corey Burton]])
* [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] ([[Bill Fagerbakke]])
* [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] ([[Jeff Bennett]])
* [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] ([[Susan Blu]])

* [[Blurr (Animated)|Blurr]] ([[John Moschitta]])
* [[Wreck-Gar (Animated)|Wreck-Gar]] ([["Weird Al" Yankovic]])
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]] ([[Cree Summer]])
*[[Ironhide (Animated)|Ironhide]]
* [[Dinobot (Animated)|Dinobots]]
** [[Grimlock (Animated)|Grimlock]] ([[David Kaye]])
** [[Swoop (Animated)|Swoop]]
** [[Snarl (Animated)|Snarl]]
* [[Cybertron Elite Guard]]
** [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] ([[Jeff Bennett]])
** [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]] ([[Townsend Coleman]])
** [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] ([[Phil LaMarr]])

| style="background:#EEEEFE" valign="top" |
* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] ([[Corey Burton]])
* [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
* [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Blackarachnia]] ([[Cree Summer]])
* [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] ([[Bumper Robinson]])
* [[Lugnut]] ([[David Kaye]])
* [[Lockdown]] ([[Lance Henriksen]])
* [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] ([[Corey Burton]])
* [[Soundwave (Animated)|Soundwave]] ([[Jeff Bennett]])
* [[Laserbeak (Animated)|Laserbeak]]
* [[Constructicon (Animated)|Constructicons]]
** [[Scrapper (Animated)|Scrapper]] ([[Tom Kenny]])

| style="background:antiquewhite" valign="top" |
* [[Sari Sumdac]] ([[Tara Strong]])
* [[Isaac Sumdac]] ([[Tom Kenny]])
* [[Captain Fanzone]] ([[Jeff Bennett]])
* [[Porter C. Powell]] ([[Bumper Robinson]])
* [[Daniel (Animated)|Daniel]] ([[Tara Strong]])

'''Supervillains'''
* [[Angry Archer]] ([[Jeff Bennett]])
* [[Nanosec]] ([[Brian Posehn]])
* [[Prometheus Black| Meltdown / Prometheus Black]] ([[Peter Stormare]])
** [[Colossus Rhodes]] ([[Corey Burton]])
* [[Professor Princess]] ([[Kath Soucie]])
* [[Headmaster (Animated)|The Headmaster]] ([[Alexander Polinsky]])

|}
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==Episodes==
{{see|List of Transformers Animated episodes}}

{|border=5 cellpadding=5 cellspacing=5 align=center style="border:#800000"
! style="background:#FFFFFF" | Season 1: 2007-08
! style="background:#FFFFFF" | Season 2: 2008
! style="background:#FFFFFF" | Season 3: ?

|-
| style="background:#FFFFFF" valign="top" |
# [[Transform and Roll Out!#Part 1|Transform and Roll Out! (Part One)]]
# [[Transform and Roll Out!#Part 2|Transform and Roll Out! (Part Two)]]
# [[Transform and Roll Out!#Part 3|Transform and Roll Out! (Part Three)]]
# [[Home Is Where the Spark Is]]
# [[Total Meltdown]]
# [[Blast from the Past]]
# [[The Thrill of the Hunt]]
# [[Nanosec (episode)|Nanosec]]
# [[Along Came a Spider]]
# [[Sound and Fury]]
# [[Lost and Found (Animated episode)|Lost and Found]]
# [[Survival of the Fittest]]
# [[Headmaster (episode)|Headmaster]]
# [[Nature Calls]]
# [[Megatron Rising - Part 1]]
# [[Megatron Rising - Part 2]]

| style="background:#FFFFFF" valign="top" |
# [[The Elite Guard]]
# [[The Return of the Headmaster]]
# [[Mission Accomplished]]
# [[Garbage In, Garbage Out]]
# [[Velocity]]
# [[Rise of the Constructicons]]
# [[A Fistful of Energon]]
# [[S.U.V. - Society of Ultimate Villainy]]
# [[Autoboot Camp]]
# [[Black Friday (episode)|Black Friday]]
# [[Sari, No One's Home]]
# [[A Bridge Too Close - Part 1]]
# [[A Bridge Too Close - Part 2]]

| style="background:#FFFFFF" valign="top" |

|}

[[Category: Animated episodes| ]]
[[Category:Episode lists|Animated]]

==Reception==
''Transformers Animated'' debuted January 5, 2008, at 10:30am EST as the number one television show among boys 6-11 in both cable and network television. In addition, the strength of the showing helped lift the ratings of all its neighboring shows in Cartoon Network's "Dynamite Action" scheduling block. <ref>http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1701434,00.html</ref>

How this happened when the art sucks so hard is a mystery of the universe.

==Trivia==
* ''Transformers: Animated'' reunites Jeff Bennett, Bill Fagerbakke and Cree Summer as regular cast members. Respectively, they have previously voiced [[wikipedia:Manhattan_Clan#Brooklyn|Brooklyn]], [[wikipedia:Manhattan_Clan#Broadway|Broadway]] and Hyena from the [[wikipedia:Gargoyles (TV series)|Gargoyles]] series, three characters not unlike their Transformers counterparts. Another voice actor for Gargoyles, Kath Soucie, has made a guest appearance.
* The series is the first in over a decade to re-establish the classic G1 convention of blue eyes for Autobots and red eyes for Decepticons.
* As well as the aforementioned G1 voice actors, [[Townsend Coleman]] returns to a Transformers series. He voiced [[Rewind]] in the original G1 cartoon.
* Yes, they have large chins. Shut up about it.

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Animated]]
[[Category:Television series]]
[[Category:Continuities]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>

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Transformers Animated (cartoon)