Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)

2008-06-04T11:38:43Z

92.9.226.32:

{{disambig2|the real-world franchise|the historical event within the fiction|Beast Wars (event)}}

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'''''Beast Wars''''' is a Transformers [[franchise]] that began in 1996, following the end of the ''[[Generation 2]]'' toyline. It was directly followed by the ''[[Beast Machines]]'' franchise.
''Beast Wars'' follows two factions of Transformers, the [[Maximal]]s and the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]], who are accidentally transported from the future to [[Earth]]'s distant past. Both factions immediately go into intense beast mode, which was the catalyst for the deadliest conflict in history.

''Beast Wars'' is also frequently used as a catchall term for the [[Beast Era]] in which ''Beast Wars'' and other series occur.

{{quote|In the beginning came the beasts, and all that creeps, crawls and flies - but nature lies, they're robots in disguise!|Commercial narrator [[Victor Caroli]] ushers in the new era}}

==Franchise elements==
The ''Beast Wars'' franchise features the following primary components:
* [[Beast Wars (toyline)|A toyline]] — (1996-2000)
* [[Beast Wars (cartoon)|A cartoon series]] — (1996-1998) called ''Beasties'' in many overseas markets.<ref>At the time many markets in the European Union banned shows with excessively violent titles. (Has this changed? The Wikipedia article for ''TMNT'' indicates "ninja" is no longer banned, but nunchucks still are...? The depiction of Nunchucks is allowed, the wielding of them, notsomuch)</ref>
* [[Beast Wars Metals (manga)|A manga series]] to go with seasons 2/3 - Japan only, 'natch.
* [[Beast Wars: Transformers (video game)|A video game]] for PC and PS based on ''Beast Wars''.
* [[Transformers Beast Wars: Transmetals|A video game]] for PS and N64 based on ''Beast Wars''.

===Expanded universe===

There are several 'expanded' ''Beast Wars'' storylines featuring events taking place 'just offscreen' of the cartoon series. Though the ''events'' of cartoon series are understood to occur just as had been portrayed, the ''context'' may be different, taking place in different time periods, etc. These contradictory stories all co-exist within the vast Transformers [[Multiverse]].

Most of these exist mainly through [[Beast Wars (comic)|Beast Wars comics]].

Highlights include:

* From 1997-2004, [[3H]] featured a series of comics, toy-exclusives and text stories set in the same continuity as the ''Beast Wars'' and ''Beast Machines'' cartoon series, continuing into the ''[[Universe (franchise)|Transformers: Universe]]'' series.

*IDW Publishing has produced 2 series and a profile sourcebook This continuity is notable for including toys and events from several Japanese Beast Wars series. (See [[Beast Wars timeline (IDW)]])

* [[Fun Publications]] [[Timelines]] imprint (2005 — ) has published several ''Beast Wars'' comics and text stories.

=="Other" ''Beast Wars''==
* The initial toys and the [[mini-comic]] packed with the basic Optimus Primal VS Megatron two-pack toy strongly implied that ''Beast Wars'' was a continuation of the previous [[Autobot]]/[[Decepticon]] conflict on present day Earth, with Primal and Megatron simply new forms of the [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (G1)|original Megatron]]. This setting was abandoned when the 1996 cartoon established its futuristic setting. This remains an intriguing [[Micro-Continuities|micro-continuity]].
* A version of the ''Beast Wars'' occurred in the past of the [[Unicron Trilogy]] [[continuity family]]. One text story ("[[Fire in the Dark]]") in the 2004 [[Transformers Legends]] anthology is set in this version of ''Beast Wars''. {{see|Beast Wars (Armada)}}
* The [[Movie (franchise)|2007 live-action movie franchise]] has a version of the ''Beast Wars'' in its past.<ref>[[Sector Seven]] had the shattered [[Golden Disk (Voyager)|golden disk]] (and possibly the [[Covenant of Primus]]) in its archives 1898, some 80 years before the disk's creation.</ref><ref>The [[Sector Seven (game)|Sector Seven Alternate Reality Game]] indicates Sector Seven is at least partially aware of the events of the ''Beast Wars'' as early as 1983, as they are mentioned in the [[Takara Agreement]].</ref>

==A Dramatic Change / [[Ruined FOREVER]]==
The major change in direction for Transformers followed organizational changes within [[Hasbro]]. Hasbro had recently{{fact}} bought out their rival toy manufacturer, [[Kenner]], and in 1995, they transferred their boys' toy lines from the Hasbro headquarters in Rhode Island to Kenner's Cincinnati, Ohio offices. Kenner was asked to revitalize the brand with new ideas, and that is exactly what they did.

''Beast Wars'' was the first complete reinvention of the [[Transformers brand]], discarding the previous setting/characters/factions to create a new story, set several hundred years in the future. Transformers in the Beast Era are much smaller (often human-sized) and transform into 'fleshy' non-robotic animals. Initially met with [[Trukk not munky|outrage]] by many fans (for a variety of reasons) ''Beast Wars'' would eventually become highly regarded, largely due to the exceptional quality of the [[Beast Wars (cartoon)|cartoon series]]. It is now not unusual for even longtime ''[[Generation 1]]'' fans to consider ''Beast Wars'' to be their favorite Transformers franchise.

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Beast Era]]
[[Category:Beast Wars| ]]<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>

Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)

2008-06-04T11:36:22Z

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[[Image:G2Logo.jpg|center|Electric Boogaloo]]

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'''''Generation 2''''' was the first of many rebirths for the [[Transformers brand]]. Although the original ''Transformers'' franchise had never stopped producing toys in Japan or Europe, the North American line had completely disappeared for nearly two years when ''Generation 2'' launched in 1993.

The G2 [[franchise]] featured the following primary components:
* [[Generation 2 (toyline)|A toyline]]
* [[Generation 2 (cartoon)|A cartoon series]]
* [[Generation 2 (Marvel comic)|A US comic book series]]
* [[Generation 2 (Fleetway comic)|A short-lived UK comic]]

Although the G2 cartoon was merely a set of repackaged [[Generation 1 (cartoon)|G1 cartoon]] episodes (featuring the flashy, computer-animated [[Cybernet Space Cube]]), the G2 comic book was a direct continuation of the story from the [[Generation 1 (comic)|G1 comic]] which had ended at issue 80.

Generation 2's toy [[commercial]]s are noted for an early use of CGI animation (including depictions of some characters who had very few fictional appearances anywhere else.) A subset of the commercials is also noted for ''hilariously'' bad rap music.

The Japanese version of Generation 2 followed the animated continuity rather than the comic book continuity. The Japanese G2 storyline was told through a combination of:

* Story pages published in TV Magazine
* Mini-comics packaged with the toys
* A manga special, "[[The Earth is in Danger!]]", published in Comics Bom Bom

''Generation 2'' ended in 1995 in all markets, with flagging sales and waning interest in Transformers on the whole. While [[Takara]] moved on to other transforming robot series, the [[Brave]] Saga which would continue untill 1997 with "King Of Braves GaoGaiGar", [[Hasbro]] shuffled its boys-toy lines over to the recently-acquired [[Kenner]] offices, and gave them the task of re-inventing ''Transformers'' with something fresh and new... ''[[Beast Wars]]''.

[[Category: Franchises]]
[[Category: Generation 2| ]]<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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Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)

Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)