Transformers Animated (franchise)

2012-09-02T21:39:03Z

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'''''Transformers Animated''''' is a television-supported ''Transformers'' [[franchise]] that began in December 2007. This iteration of the [[Transformers brand]] brings a highly dynamic and stylized look to the toys and fiction.

The franchise consists of the following components:

*[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|A cartoon series]]
*[[Transformers Animated (comic)|Three comic book series]]
*[[Transformers Animated (toyline)|A toyline]]
*[[Transformers Animated (books)|Several books]]

The cartoon began with a 3-episode mini-movie, first aired on Cartoon Network on December 26, 2007, and followed by a full 13-episode season, which started airing in January. The toyline, however, did not hit stores till the late spring of 2008, due to the ongoing popularity of the [[Movie (toyline)|2007 movie toys]].

The series adopted a new visual art style and form of storytelling which has not been used before in ''Transformers.'' The changes in design were created in an attempt to attract the modern youth viewer (Childrens-alike). The new art style incorporates a more "organic" feel to the Transformer characters. This style of art and character movement was introduced to emphasize dramatic movements and to allow the animator to express more emotion than in previous series.

==Reception==
On [[January 25]], [[2008]] the first regular episode of the Transformers Animated cartoon premiered as the #1 boys show in its time slot, ''significantly'' better ratings than previous [[Cartoon Network|CN]] programming.<ref><tt>"[...] the half-hour original series premiere of Transformers Animated (Saturday, Jan. 5, 10:30 a.m.), charting impressive double-digit delivery and ratings gains among key kid demos and ranking #1 in its time period versus all broadcast and cable competition with boys 6-11 and boys 2-11, according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research."</tt>, ''TimeWarner press release about the premiere of the first regular episode of ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'', "[[Home Is Where the Spark Is]]"'' — “Transformers Animated Premieres #1 on All Television Among Boys and Boosts Kids 6-11 and 2-11 Delivery by Powerful Double-Digits” ([[January 8]], [[2008]].) TimeWarner newsroom - TimeWarner. Retrieved on [[February 24]], [[2009]]. [http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1701434,00.html]</ref>

On [[February 24]], [[2009]] the seventh wave of Animated Voyager-class toys was canceled for unknown reasons.<ref><tt>"TFormers sponsor [http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/ BigBadToyStore] has just informed us that Hasbro has cancelled [sic] their Transformers Animated Wave 7 Voyager Golfire Grimlock and Hydro Bumblebee figures."</tt> “Animated Wave 7 Voyager Golfire Grimlock and Hydro Bumblebee Cancelled!”, [http://forums.tformers.com/talk/index.php?showuser=440 bwbm (TFormers staffer)] ([[February 24]], [[2009]].) TFormers.com. Retrieved on [[February 24]], [[2009]]. [http://tformers.com/transformers-animated-wave-7-voyager-golfire-grimlock-and-hydro-bumblebee-cancelled/11061/news.html]</ref> All other size classes aside from Activators followed soon after, leaving a large number of figures unreleased.

==Homages==
Even more so than ''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]'', ''Animated'' is saturated with frequent and obvious references and [[homage]]s to [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] and other lines, possibly intended as a celebration of the Transformers' 25th anniversary year. It would, in all seriousness, take less time to list the characters who are ''not'' homages to past series: [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]], [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]], [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Sentinel Prime]], [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]], [[Dirt Boss (Animated)|Dirt Boss]], [[Jetfire (Animated)|Jetfire]], [[Yoketron (Animated)|Yoketron]], [[Lightbright]], and [[Lickety-Split]]. The rest are mostly drawn from Generation 1, [[Hot Shot (Animated)|though]] [[Strika (Animated)|some]] [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|other]] [[Blackout (Animated)|franchises]] [[Red Alert (Animated)|are]] also represented. See individual character pages for specific details. Most of the humans are original, though the [[Spike Witwicky (Animated)|Witwicky]] [[Carly Witwicky (Animated)|family]] [[Daniel Witwicky (Animated)|are]] [[Sparkplug (Animated human)|exceptions]].

Of course, there's also the [[theme song]].

==Japanese release==
[[Image:TransformersAnimatedJapLogo01.jpg|center|300px]]

In 2010, [[TakaraTomy]] released both the ''Transformers Animated'' (トランスフォーマーアニメイテッド) toyline and the ''Animated'' cartoon series in [[Japan]]. The series retains its English title and, as with the [[Movie (franchise)|Movie franchise]], retains ''most'' of the Western names ("Optimus Prime" rather than "Convoy", "Decepticon" rather than "Destron", etc.), though [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] has been renamed "Ironhide".

[http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/285256-figure-king-issue-143-image-scans.html According to a preview article] in ''[[Figure Ō]]'' magazine, [http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/animated-8/latest-edition-of-tv-magazine-reveals-new-transformers-animated-japan-details-169265/ and one in] ''[[TV Magazine]]'', ''Animated'' was to be heavily altered in order to make it take place within the continuity of the 2007 ''Transformers'' feature film. According to [[TakaraTomy]] marketing director [[Masahiko Yamazaki]], it takes place chronologically before the movie. However, content within the actual dub of the show contradicts some of Yamazaki's statements (such as Bulkhead having his "world view" modified to be inline with Movie [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]]'s), so the extent of this alteration is contestable.

The cartoon's Japanese version is directed by [[Yoshikazu Iwanami]], who previously directed the Japanese versions of [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]], [[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Metals (franchise)|Beast Wars Metals]] and [[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars Returns]].

The cartoon began [[April 3]] at 8am on the [[TV Tokyo]] affiliate, [[TV Aichi]], with a regular Saturday morning timeslot. [[TV Aichi]] have set up a [http://www.tv-aichi.co.jp/TF-animated/ website] for the series with the not-at-all melodramatic tagline: "The world will change. A future will be born..."

Additionally, a [[manga]] series by [[Naoto Tsushima]], ''[[Transformers Animated: The Cool]]'', was serialized in the pages of ''[[Kerokero Ace]]'' from May 2010 to May 2011.

==Notes==
* This is the second Transformers series (the first being ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machines]]'') wherein a strict separation is made in the type of weaponry used by either side. According to [[Derrick J. Wyatt]], "To me the Autobots were built as a labor force, and the Decepticons were created as the Military. This is one reason that the Decepticons use military weapons, while the Autobots use 'tools' to fight with." <ref>[https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21975298&postID=8564559979841180115 Comments section of "Back from BotCon" in Derrick Wyatt's blog]</ref>
* An early working title for this incarnation was ''Transformers: Heroes'' <ref>[http://www.seibertron.com/news/view.php?id=8312 Next TF Cartoon Series: "Transformers Heroes"?]</ref>
* An edited 10-minute preview of the first episode was shown at the NTFA Mini-Con fan convention held in Arlöv, Sweden, on November 3 and 4, 2007. The full episode had been promised and secured by Hasbro Nordic for the event, but Hasbro US overruled them in the last second, allowing only an abbreviated edit created specifically for the event to be shown.<ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/156331-new-transformers-animated-series-details-revealed-ntfa-mini-con.html</ref>
* In-universe, the Animated continuity is referred to as "Malgus" in the [[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTechs]]' [[universal stream]] designators.

==External links==
* [http://enewsi.com/news.php?catid=194&itemid=11280 Transformers animated press release]
* [http://tv.ign.com/articles/801/801348p1.html Exclusive Transformers Animated Producer Interview]
* [http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/tv_shows/transformersa/index.html Cartoon Network Transformers Animated site]
* [http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/animated/ Hasbro's official ''Transformers'' Animated homepage]
*[http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/products/animated/index2.html TakaraTomy's official ''Transformers'' Animated homepage (site is in Japanese)]

==References==
<references/>

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[[Category:Continuity families]]
[[Category:Franchises]]

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Transformers Animated (franchise)