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Gairyu

2026-01-12T01:34:19Z

Retrofuturistic Robot: Grammatical changes in intro. "too "much" too late" to "too late, "much" too late" and "these the (in)actions" to "to be the (in)action"

{{factions|decepticon}}
{{picsneeded|Fictional appearances}}
:''Gairyu is a [[Decepticon]] from the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (franchise)|Victory]] portion of the [[Generation 1 continuity family|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''
[[File:Gairyu.jpg|275px|thumb]]

The [[Dinoforce]] are not exactly known for brilliant strategy, but '''Gairyu''' (ガイリュウ ''Gairyū'') at least tries. He knows that simply charging into battle with berzerker rage isn't enough to win battles; you need defensive moves as well. Thus, he has taken almost solely to the strategy of ''counterattack'': his back-wings can absorb free-flying energy, using it to charge up and dramatically boost his own already-impressive strength when he eventually strikes back. His specialty is the "Gai-Ankylo Dash" he can perform when merged with his semi-autonomous ''Ankylosaurus'' shell, exploding into a heavily armored, spike-sided bullet on legs.

Thing is, he's so dedicated to the "defense" part of this plan that he holds off on powerful attacks until ''juuuuuuuuuust'' the right moment, and he is prepared to wait for that moment under all his nigh-impenetrable dino-armor. And wait. And wait.

And wait.

To the point where he'll pass up multiple perfectly good opportunities to strike, often resulting in attacks that are too late,''much'' too late, much to his teammates' chagrin.

A more cynical observer might consider these to be the (in)actions of a reluctant coward rather than an overly-careful strategist.

Just saying. Gairyu can form the powerful (but unintelligent) [[Dinoking]] with the other Dinoforcers.

==Fiction==
===''Victory'' cartoon===
{{voiceactor|[[Yūki Satō]] (Japanese)}}
[[File:FightVictoryLeo Landcross dinotoss.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.4]]
{{charstubfiction|{{storylink|The Brave Hero of the Universe - Star Saber}} {{storylink|Sneak Attack! Dinoking}} {{storylink|Attack! Leozack}} {{storylink|Unite!! Multiforce}} {{storylink|Move Out! Rescue Team}} {{storylink|Infiltration... The Uranium Mine}} {{storylink|Explosion!! The Energy Base}} {{storylink|Tanker Hijack Operation}} {{storylink|Rescue Jan!!}} {{storylink|A Fierce Battle!! The Asteroid}} {{storylink|Resurrection!? The Decepticon Fortress}} {{storylink|Battle Up of Wrath!!}} {{storylink|Crisis! Ambush in the Desert}} {{storylink|Ginrai Dies!!}} {{storylink|Fight!! Victory Leo}} {{storylink|The Tide Is Turned! The Ultimate Weapon, the Victory Unification}} {{storylink|Jan - Defend the Campus!!}} {{storylink|The Terror of the Giant Tidal Waves}} {{storylink|The Wrath of the Resurrected Giant Fortress!}} {{storylink|Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification}}}}

===''Victory'' comic===
Gairyu and the Dinoforce rode their shells into battle, ransacking the planet Earth. They attempted to escalate the devastation by forming [[Dinoking]], but were stopped cold by the power of [[Landcross (G1)|Landcross]]. {{storylink|So Cool! Our Ally, Star Saber!}}

Gairyu stood watch as [[Kakuryu (G1)|Kakuryu]] went through his daily fitness routine. {{storylink|Star Saber, Warrior of Love!}}

As the Autobots infiltrated the Decepticon Space Stronghold, their sudden appearance scattered Gairyu and the Dinoforce. The fighting soon ceased as the Decepticons revealed they only sought energy for their families, including the adorable [[Baby Dinoforce|Dinobabies]]. {{storylink|The Grand Victory War}}

===2005 IDW continuity===
[[File:ThePermanentRevolution-Dinoforce.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|left]]

Gairyu was part of [[Deathsaurus (G1)|Deathsaurus]]'s contingent of Decepticons stationed in their [[Warworld]]. In agreement with [[Tarn (G1)|Tarn]], Deathsaurus and his forces joined with the [[Decepticon Justice Division]] to continue the Decepticon dream and eliminate [[Megatron (G1)/2005 IDW continuity|Megatron]]. {{storylink|The Permanent Revolution}}
{{--}}

==Games==
===''Transformers: Earth Wars''===
{{chargamestub|{{storylink|Transformers: Earth Wars}}}}

==Toys==
===''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers''===
{{anchor|Victory}}
[[File:Victory-toy Gairyu.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67|My arms and legs won't [[Gold Plastic Syndrome|explode]]!]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Gairyu''' (''Dinoforce'', [[1989]])}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''D-323'''
:*''Accessories'': ''Ankylosaurus'' shell, shell back, "Ankylo Gun", left Dinoking fist
{{toydesigner|[[Kōjin Ōno]] (TakaraTomy), [[Masakatsu Saito]] (concept artist)}}

: A [[redeco]] of the [[Pretender Monster]] [[Bristleback#Toys|Bristleback]], ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (toyline)#Victory|Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers]]'' Gairyu transforms into a spiked quadrupedal monster. He can also form either arm to the team's combined mode [[Dinoking#Toys|Dinoking]], though his nominal placement is as the combiner's left arm.

: He comes with a rubbery, cyborg ''Ankylosaurus'' shell he hides inside. The back of the shell can also store his rifle and the Dinoking fist. This shell, like all the Dinoforce shells, has a pair of QC flaws that appear nearly universal: the shell has a nasty tendency to "sweat" an oily residue, plus the metallic paints age poorly, with the silver paint turning uneven and grody-looking. (The rubbery part of the shell lacks the gold paint that famously turns a nasty patina-green most of the other Dinoforce shells have.) While some water and a little bit of hand-soap should take care of the slime, there's not much to be done about the paint.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Destron/Gairyu/gairyu.htm More information on Gairyu at TFU.info]''

{{-}}{{anchor|Dinoking}}
[[File:Victorytoy dinoking giftset.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Dinoking''' (''Dinoforce'' giftset, 1989)}}</ul>
:*''ID number'': '''D-328'''
:*''Accessories'': ''Ankylosaurus'' shell, shell back, "Ankylo Gun", left Dinoking fist
{{toydesigner|[[Kōjin Ōno]] (TakaraTomy)}}

: All six members of the [[Dinoforce]] were available both in individual boxes, and in a complete six-piece giftset. While there are no differences in the toys themselves, the giftset lacks any [[bio]] or [[Tech Spec]] cards for the individual components, only having cards for the combined mode.

::*''[http://www.tfu.info/1989/Destron/Dinoking/dinoking.htm More information on Dinoking at TFU.info]''
{{--}}

===''Legacy''===
[[File:Legacy-toy Gairyu.jpg|thumb|upright=1.67]]
<ul class="iconlist">{{Bp-d1|'''Dinoking''' (Gift set, 2024)}}</ul>
:*''TakaraTomy name'': '''Decepticon Dinoking''' (ディセプティコンダイノキング)
:*''TakaraTomy ID number'': '''TL-89'''
:*''TakaraTomy release date'': [[March 29]], [[2025]]
:*''Accessories'': Tail-blaster
{{toydesigner|[[Evan Brooks]] (Hasbro), [[Shuhei Umezu]] and [[Shogo Hasui]] (TakaraTomy)|[[Amy Bence]] (packaging)<ref>[https://youtu.be/PdsHMGVDZFg?si=7IIIhq2AU8jwMnSx Interview] with [[Hasbro]] designer [[Evan Brooks]] on the Triple Takeover podcast, from their YouTube channel</ref>}}<ref>{{citesocial|link=https://www.instagram.com/p/CjNwidkuAN4/|name=Evan Brooks|site=Instagram|quote=When Shu san and I started to work on this, we also were having conversations with Hasui san on how best to implement it.|year=2022|month=10|day=02}}</ref>

: Finally achieving the form this mold was clearly meant to be from the beginning, ''[[Transformers: Legacy|Legacy: United]]'' Gairyu is a [[redeco]] and new-head [[retool]]ing of ''Legacy: Evolution'' Core Class [[Skar (IDW)#Toys|Scarr]], transforming into a robotic ''Ankylosaurus'', with his colors based on his anime portrayal rather than the original toy. He has a newly-molded, longer beast mode tail that detaches to become a big cannon. Because of his transformation scheme, his robot arms can swing frontward, allowing him to double-wield some weapons with longer posts.

: Gairyu also forms the left arm to [[Dinoking#Legacy|Dinoking]]. While he ''technically'' can form the right arm as well, his tail-gun forms his fist, and it's a left-handed fist, so.

: He was only available in a [[Hasbro Pulse Con 2024]] box set of six Dinoforce members, along with [[Doryu (G1)#Legacy|Doryu]], [[Goryu (G1)#Legacy|Goryu]], [[Kakuryu (G1)#Legacy|Kakuryu]], [[Rairyu#Legacy|Rairyu]], and [[Yokuryu#Legacy|Yokuryu]].
{{--}}

==Notes==
*''Gairyū'' corresponds with 鎧竜, meaning "Armored Dinosaur". It is used to refer to the {{w|Ankylosauria}} suborder of dinosaurs in Japanese.
* The ''Victory'' anime depicted the Dinoforce members as carrying melee weapons, rather than the blasters the toys actually came with. Gairyu carries a scimitar, though he can shoot energy beams from it like a gun.
* Gairyu's animation model has his beast and robot limbs in black, rather than the actual toy's white; he's got white thighs, which are green on the toy.

===Foreign names===
*''English:'' '''Bristleback''' ([[Omni Productions]] dub)
*''Mandarin:'' '''Chángwěiguài''' (China, 长尾怪, "Long-tailed Monster")
*''Russian:'' '''Shchotka''' (Щётка, "Brush")

[[Category:Defense specialists]]
[[Category:Dinoforce]]
[[Category:Earth Wars Decepticons]]
[[Category:IDW (2005) Decepticons]]
[[Category:Legacy Decepticons]]

Super Dimension Fortress Macross

2024-12-04T13:25:54Z

Retrofuturistic Robot: Edited to remove content not relevant to transformers, maintain neutral tone, named other two anime used in Robotech

[[File:Macross.png|400px|right|]]

'''''Super Dimension Fortress Macross''''' (超時空要塞マクロス ''Chōjikū Yōsai Makurosu'')<ref>Official translations vary on whether there should be a "''The''" at the beginning in the English title in front of "''Super Dimension Fortress Macross''".</ref> is a [[1982]] multimedia project consisting of a 36-episode animated television series accompanied by toys and songs. ''Macross'' was created by [[Shōji Kawamori]] in conjunction with [[Artland]], [[Studio Nue]], and [[Tatsunoko Production]] with sponsorship from Big West. The ''Macross'' brand has continued with new entries every so often, significantly with ''Macross 7'' in [[1994]], ''Macross Frontier'' in [[2008]], and ''Macross Delta'' in [[2016]].

Relevant to this wiki, ''Macross'' is the source of the original, much-beloved [[Jetfire (G1)/toys#Toys|Jetfire]] toy design, notable for its "perfect transformation" (完全変形 ''kanzen henkei'') in having a revolutionary level of animation accuracy for a triple-mode mecha toy all the way back in 1982.

==Story==
[[File:TakatokuSuperValkyrie.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|''Macross'' 1/55 VF-1S Super Valkyrie]]
In the year [[1999]], a massive derelict spaceship crash-lands on [[Earth]] in the south [[Pacific Ocean]], confirming to [[human]]kind that they are not alone in the universe. Over the next decade, a [[United Nations]] Government is formed to oversee the transition into a new space age, reverse-engineering the technology found aboard the alien capital ship to create the U.N. Spacy, humankind's first spaceworthy military service. Their primary air and space vehicle is the VF-1 Valkyrie, a next-generation variable fighter, with the alien capital ship itself being repaired and remodeled to become the SDF-1 ''Macross'', capable of faster-than-light travel. Finally, in [[2009]], the giant Zentradi arrive to acquire the lost warship and to investigate if this strange world may be home to their long-lost creators, the Protoculture. At this point, an accident strands the human crew of the SDF-1 at the edge of the solar system and ignites war with the Zentradi, and humanity will never be the same again.
{{-}}

==''Macross'' in ''Transformers''==
[[File:Jetfireg1toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|''The Transformers'' Jetfire, a recoloring of the above 1/55 VF-1S Super Valkyrie]]
[[File:EvolutionSkyfire.jpg|upright=2.0|thumb|The progression of Jetfire's character model being redesigned to avoid evoking a Bandai asset]]

Initially in 1982, a company called [[Takatoku Toys]] manufactured ''Macross'' toys, notably the "perfectly-transforming" 1/55 VF-1S Super Valkyrie. However, Takatoku would collapse not long thereafter, and their assets would soon be bought out by [[Bandai]], who then licensed the large ''Macross'' VF-1S (as well as ''[[Armored Insect Corps Beetras|Beetras]]'' and ''[[Special Armored Battalion Dorvack|Dorvack]]'' assets) to [[Hasbro]], who desperately needed molds to fill out the [[1985]] product line of ''[[The Transformers (toyline)|The Transformers]]'', which had absolutely taken ''off'' beyond their initial expectations.

Why would Hasbro market product from Japanese companies besides its collaborator Takara? [[Bob Prupis]], one of the original members of the ''Transformers'' marketing team, would frequently go to Toy Fairs in Asia, where ''"any product that really looked good that was exciting we didn't care where it came from. We did some work with Bandai, who had been working with other people, and took a few products that looked right for our line"''.<ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/94f5cb70b08a646d G1 Hasbro marketing executives panel]</ref> The 1/55 Super Valkyrie, then, must have met their criteria for inclusion. As Bandai at the time was only concerned about business in Japan, Hasbro was free to sell the large VF-1 mold as a ''Transformers'' figure in non-Japan markets. However, as Hasbro wanted advertising for such a large toy (US$32 plus tax on store shelves back in 1985), some compromises had to be made for Jetfire to appear in [[The Transformers (cartoon)|''The Transformers'' animated series]], which Takara would want to air in Japan as well. The exact sequence of details is uncertain, but we wound up with a character named "Skyfire" in the episode "[[Fire in the Sky]]" shortly ahead of the "Jetfire" toy itself on North American and European store shelves. Notably, Hasbro's European offices billed Jetfire as the Autobot leader for their 1985 debut of the ''Transformers'' brand, creating a particularly lasting memory for European fans.

[[Jetfire (disambiguation)|Jetfire]]'s enduring popularity has seen many new incarnations of the character and trademark over the decades, even if [[Jetfire_(G1)/toys#War_for_Cybertron:_Siege|more modern]] [[Jetfire_(G1)/toys#Masterpiece|toys]] tend to derive much more from the legally-not-''Macross''-we-promise cartoon design with design nods to the toy. Now and then, Jetfire's original ''Macross''-based design gets to make small appearances.

In 2024, it was announced that an unspecified ''Transformers × Macross 7'' toy would be released as part of [[TakaraTomy]]'s ''[[Synergenex]]'' series of crossover figures, in celebration of ''Transformers''{{'}} 40th anniversary and ''Macross 7''{{'}}s 30th.

===Legacy cameos===
<gallery>
File:AshesAshes-JetfireJetfire.jpg|1986 comic artist error of Jetfire's toy design
File:KreO-webcomic-3-Jetfire.jpg|2013 ''Kre-O'' online comic cameo
File:Funko Pop Jetfire G1.jpg|2021 Funko Pop vinyl figure
File:Transformers-2019-43-Jetfire Macross cameo.jpg|2022 IDW comic cameo
</gallery>

==Attempted interference by Harmony Gold==
In the 1980s, a U.S. company called {{w|Harmony Gold USA|Harmony Gold}} ventured into the anime adaptation industry. They purchased the overseas rights to the 1982 ''Macross'' TV series as well as two unrelated series ('Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross' and 'Genesis Climber Mospeada') to create a project called ''{{w|Robotech}}''. (Back in the day, ''[[Power Rangers (franchise)|Power Rangers]]''-style story modifications were much more common in the U.S. industry.) However, they were unable to market the 1/55 VF-1S toy because that mold's overseas rights had already been licensed by Hasbro.

Among the anime community, Harmony Gold is infamous for its stranglehold on the distribution (or rather, the lack thereof) of ''Macross'' material outside of Japan throughout the 2000s and 2010s. During this time, the company filed multiple frivolous lawsuits against other companies it perceived to have infringed upon its intellectual property, even though Japanese courts have ruled that Harmony Gold doesn't actually own the authorship rights to the ''Macross'' franchise.<ref>[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2003-01-20/tatsunoko-wins-author's-right-to-macross Tatsunoko Wins "Author's Right" to Macross]</ref> In 2013, Harmony Gold sued [[Hasbro]] over a [[Jetfire (G1)/toys#G.I. Joe and the Transformers|non-transforming ''G.I. Joe and the Transformers'' Jetfire]] toy. Although the suit admits that "damages are difficult to ascertain", the company brazenly demanded that Hasbro would have to recall and destroy all the Jetfire toys, turn over all profits relating to the sales to Harmony Gold, and pay all related damages.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131014085251/http://www.courthousenews.com/2013/07/23/Transformers.pdf]</ref> The suit was subsequently dismissed with prejudice in favor of Hasbro.<ref>[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-10-17/harmony-gold-usa-v-hasbro-case-dismissed Harmony Gold USA v. Hasbro Case Dismissed]</ref>

==Notes==
*In the 1980s, the VF-1 molds underwent various licensed uses by overseas companies, similar to the distribution of Takatoku-based assets for ''Beetras'' and ''Dorvack''. In the United States, Canada, and Australia, Select released a small VF-1S mold as part of the "[[Maladroid]]s" subline in ''Convertors''. The baseline Roy Focker deco was renamed [[Zark]], also being given a variant red deco unique to ''Converters'', while a black deco (including the Super Pack) unique to ''Converters'' was named [[Zardak]]. In [[2010]], the [[Transformers Collectors' Club]] prose story "[[A Team Effort]]" would include Zardak in a cameo as a ''Transformers'' character.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.macross.jp Official website] (Japanese)
*[https://twitter.com/macrossD Official Twitter page] (Japanese)
*[https://twitter.com/MACROSS_BIGWEST Official Twitter page]
*''{{w|Super Dimension Fortress Macross}}'' at Wikipedia
*[http://macross2.net/m3/m3.html Macross Mecha Manual] fan database

[[Category:Japanese franchises]]
[[Category:Non-Transformers toylines]]
[[Category:Pre-Transformer franchises]]

Talk:Super Dimension Fortress Macross

2024-09-09T11:28:30Z

Retrofuturistic Robot: Created page with "Is'We of the TFWiki have no sympathy to attempt fairness toward Harmony Gold 'because they do not deserve any'not subjective and out of place? It also doesn't seem particularl..."

Is'We of the TFWiki have no sympathy to attempt fairness toward Harmony Gold 'because they do not deserve any'not subjective and out of place? It also doesn't seem particularly connected to transformers.

The Secret of the Ruins

2024-09-09T09:31:01Z

Retrofuturistic Robot: /* Real-world references */

{{episode|
|series=RiD
|ep=6
|title="The Secret of the Ruins"
|japanese=ギガトロンの襲撃!
|romaji=Gigatron no Shūgeki!
|translation=Gigatron's Raid!
|image=Thesecretoftheruins titlecard.jpg
|caption=This looks familiar...
|production code=
|production company=[[TV Tokyo]], [[Nihon Ad Systems|NAS]], [[Studio Gallop]]
|airdate=[[May 10]], [[2000]] (Japanese) [[October 11]], [[2001]] (English)
|director=[[Yoshiaki Tsutsui]]
|animation studio=Studio Gallop
|written by=[[Junki Takegami]] (Japanese) [[Tom Wyner]] (English)
}}
'''Predacons attack.''' 
'''Invasion of the city.''' 
'''Sky-Byte finds ruins.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Secret of the Ruins Bullettrain in city.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|I'm telling you the cafe is right around here!]]
In daylight, in the middle of [[Metro City]], [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] and his [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] attack, hoping to draw out the [[Autobot]]s. [[T-AI]] contacts the [[Autobot Brothers]], but can only find [[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]] and [[X-Brawn]], who report they're busy looking for [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] and [[Koji Onishi|Koji]], who've gone to explore some old ruins. T-AI orders [[Team Bullet Train]] into the city instead. The three trainbots transform and walk through the city towards the Predacons, who immediately attack with [[Gas Skunk]]'s acid breath. [[Railspike (RID)|Railspike]] uses missiles to ignite Gas Skunk's breath, and the incompetent skunk runs around, frying his two teammates. From the base, [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] notes that the Predacons apparently aren't trying to heist some energy supply, and he is suspicious that the attack might be more than meets the eye.

[[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]], who wasn't at Megatron's attack on the city, explores a mountain range, looking for [[Payuma ruins|mysterious ruins]], which the Predacons learned about by using the [[psycho-probe]] to take the information from the mind of [[Kenneth Onishi|Dr. Onishi]]. Sky-Byte spies Side Burn, who is in the area with Koji to search for the same ruins, which Koji explains were left by the "Piyuma" Native Americans.

[[File:Secret of the Ruins Sideburnkoji.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Koji, I can't see!]]
Koji and Side Burn find the ruins and enter inside on foot. Sky-Byte, who has followed the pair, fires missiles inside after them, trying to trap them inside. Side Burn detects the missiles in advance, and he tries to race through the cave (passing by [[Kelly (RID)|Kelly]], who also happened to be exploring the ruins). After he eventually dodges the missiles, Side Burn radios a mayday message to base for help.

The Predacon Trio continue to get beaten by Team Bullet Train. Megatron, tired of waiting for Prime, engages the Autobots. Instead of helping out in the city, Prime goes to aid Side Burn.

[[File:Secret of the Ruins Skybyteoptimus.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Jaws V: The Reconciliation]]
Sky-Byte, unaware that he's failed to kill Side Burn and his human friend, and also unaware that more Autobots are on the way, voyages into the ruins to find whatever made them so important to Dr. Onishi, assuming that it must be a source of power. Prime arrives and uses his [[Flying Fist]] to knock Sky-Byte down some stairs. Rather than fight Prime, Sky-Byte grabs the chest that holds the ruins' prize and races outside.

Megatron, hearing that Sky-Byte has completed his mission, calls off the urban attack. Instead of letting him escape unharmed, Team Bullet Train combine into [[Rail Racer (RID)|Rail Racer]] and deliver a solid punch. The wounded Megatron retreats in his jet mode.

Exiting the ruins, Sky-Byte runs into the Autobot Brothers. The three blast Sky-Byte, who drops the chest in defeat. Prime catches the chest. With both Predacon attacks over, the Autobots open the chest and discover the prize: a photo of Koji and Dr. Onishi that the doctor stashed in the caves last time he and his son visited them. But more importantly, in the frame of the picture, the Autobots find a [[Doctor Onishi's microchip|microchip]] that could advance the plot.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] (6)
*[[T-AI]] (7)
*[[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]] (8)
*[[X-Brawn]] (9)
*[[Railspike (RID)|Railspike]] (10)
*[[Rapid Run (RID)|Rapid Run]] (11)
*[[Midnight Express (RID)|Midnight Express]] (12)
*[[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] (15)
*[[Rail Racer (RID)|Rail Racer]] (18)

|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]
|c2=
*[[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] (1)
*[[Dark Scream]] (2)
*[[Slapper (RID)|Slapper]] (3)
*[[Gas Skunk]] (4)
*[[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] (13)

|c3=
*[[Dorie Dutton]] (5)
*[[Kenneth Onishi|Dr. Onishi]] (14)
*[[Koji Onishi]] (16)
*[[Kelly (RID)|Kelly]] (17)
}}

==Quotes==
"I can't! If I do, I'll run out of gas!"
:—'''Gas Skunk'''

"It's the talking car. And guided missiles—but they didn't talk."
:—'''Kelly'''

"Now, Autobots... Let's see how you do against a real opponent. You'll soon discover that all your powers combined won't be enough to defeat me." 
"Do you talk this much all the time, or only when you've got two mouths?"
:—'''Megatron''' fails to intimidate '''Rapid Run'''.

==Notes==
===Differences with ''Car Robots''===
This episode's ''Robots in Disguise'' dub was completed prior to 9/11, but it was not set to air until a few days after the tragedy. Due to several scenes involving the mass destruction of buildings by the Predacons, the episode was promptly pulled before it reached air and underwent extensive re-editing and re-dubbing to make it appropriate for broadcast. Consequently, the episode did not air until much later, well into the multiple-episodes-per-week schedule the show was keeping at the time. The original English version of the episode has never been released in any form; this list notes all the differences between the original ''Car Robots'' episode and the heavily-modified second ''Robots in Disguise'' version.
[[File:Rid ep6 deletedscenes.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*The changes begin right away. The whole opening scene of the ''Car Robots'' version of this episode is original animation, depicting Megatron crashing through a building in {{w|Shinjuku}} late at night. Crowds of terrified onlookers watch as he declares that he will make them all kneel at his feet, after which the Predacon trio pop up on the roof of a building, then leap down. Gas Skunk unleashes a gas attack, melting and corroding a building, and the scene ends on a shot of the city's skyline, as black smoke rises up from it. This scene was almost entirely replaced for ''Robots in Disguise'', and a new opening was created by recycling clips of Megatron's arrival from "[[Battle Protocol!]]", sans any destruction. The only pieces of footage to survive from the ''Car Robots'' version of the episode are the cityscape, the Predacons leaping down and Gas Skunk attacking; even the end of his attack is cut short, so as not to reveal the damaged building.
*In ''Car Robots'', Gas Skunk implies he ''could'' shoot gas out his butt if he wanted to, but chooses not to for decency's sake. ''Robots in Disguise'' plays it as him forgetting he's not a real skunk for a second.
*''Robots in Disguise'' once again replaces the Japanese toy ID numbers of the Autobot Brothers and Team Bullet Train with their names. The Spy Changers are briefly seen scrolling past, and ''Robots in Disguise'' just deletes their ID numbers without bothering to replace them.
*Everyone is just sort of... more... ''pissy'' in ''Car Robots''. Prowl is annoyed at Side Burn's disappearance, X-Brawn thinks he's chasing red sports cars, Optimus laments "I can't do anything with these guys!" and T-AI moans that the brothers' timekeeping is poor. In ''Robots in Disguise'', they have the decency to be ''worried'' about Side Burn, and Prowl suggests calling up Team Bullet Train to stand in for them while they search.
*As Team Bullet Train is summoned, ''Robots in Disguise'' adds a quick shot of the member select program screen before each character appears, with their names flashing. Got to remind the kids at home which toys to ask for!
[[File:Rid ep6 rockpaperscissors.jpg|right|thumb]]
*Railspike's intro scene is mirrored in ''Robots in Disguise'', with him driving across the screen from right to left, instead of left to right as we was in ''Car Robots''. The same is true of the scenes of the Predacons gathering on a rooftop, and Dark Scream spotting the Bullet Trains approaching.
*''Robots in Disguise'' adds one of its CGI POV targeting shots as Gas Skunk prepares to fire on the trains, and another as Railspike fires back.
*After Rapid Run and Railspike give each other a thumbs-up, ''Robots in Disguise'' cuts out a short scene in which Midnight Express mistakenly believes they're playing rock-paper-scissors, and gets yelled at by the others. The joke is repeated a little later into the episode, after the trains take down the Predacon trio, and is again cut from ''Robots in Disguise''.
*The first rock-paper-scissors gag is followed by a [[scene transition]] that involves an Autobot symbol quickly filling up the scene and receding; it's the first time it has been used in ''Car Robots'', but it will be seen again. ''Robots in Disguise'' mostly excises these and uses its own CGI scene transitions, as it has been doing since the first episode.
*In ''Car Robots'', Sky-Byte perches himself on a rocky peak and scans the horizon. ''Robots in Disguise'' added a commercial break just before this, so the panning shot of the skyline is moved to ''before'' Sky-Byte sits down, to serve as an establishing shot for anyone just joining the show after the break, rather than as Sky-Byte's POV.
[[File:Rid ep6 kappa.jpg|right|thumb]]
*''Robots in Disguise'' cuts a short scene of Japanese wordplay when Sky-Byte first sights the entrance to the ruins. In ''Car Robots'', the Payuma ruins are known as the real-life {{w|Cappadocia}} ruins, and Sky-Byte takes the name at face value, beliving it must have some connection to the mythical Japanese water monster known as the {{w|Kappa (folklore)|Kappa}}. In two deleted shots, he mistakenly recalls the name as "Kappa's Navel" and "Kappa's Plate", imagining them in his patented comedy thought bubbles. The gag runs on into his flashback, where Megatron believes it's called "Kappa's Bellybutton", causing Sky-Byte to facefault, a brief action also cut from ''Robots in Disguise''.
*Sky-Byte's flashback to Megatron giving him orders is also quite heavily altered for ''Robots in Disguise''. In ''Car Robots'', Sky-Byte asks Megatron why he is attempting to conquer an insignificant planet like Earth, prompting Megatron to tell him that there is [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|something important]] hidden somewhere on it (though the implication is that even Megatron doesn't know exactly what it is). In ''Robots in Disguise'', they just talk about prying "secret information" from Doctor Onishi's brain. The flashback is also shortened for ''Robots in Disguise'', as a long downward panning shot of the Megastar is removed.
*Side Burn and Koji's conversation about the ruins is shortened down for ''Robots in Disguise''. The ''Car Robots'' version also carried on the "kappa" gag, as Side Burn mispronounces "Cappadocia" as "{{w|sushi#Makizushi|Kappamaki}}", a kind of sushi roll with cucumber (he says he prefers tekkamaki, literally an "iron roll"). For ''Robots in Disguise'', this was changed to him mispronouncing "Payuma" as "pie humor," which he considers his preferred style of comedy.
[[File:Rid ep6 POV.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*Yet more POV shots! ''Car Robots'' includes some POV shots of its own, one when Sky-Byte watches Side Burn and Koji, and two more as his missiles track them. ''Robots in Disguise'' replaces them with their now-standard CGI efforts.
*Yet ''another'' POV shot is added to ''Robots in Disguise'' a minute later when Midnight Express targets Gas Skunk with his rifle. After he successfully blasts the Predacons, ''Car Robots'' has Midnight Express be very happy with himself, as it's his "first win". Railspike and Rapid Run give him a thumbs-up, and he sags, believing he has lost another round of rock-paper-scissors. The sag is cut from ''Robots in Disguise''.
*Immediately after, a shot of Team Bullet Train turning around as Megatron's hand mode shadow approaches them, and a shot of Megatron's hand mode itself flying towards them, are both relocated from their original placement of right before Megatron transforms from hand mode to dragon mode, to instead coming after Megatron (in dragon mode) berates his subordinates for their incompetence and flies towards Team Bullet Train, but before he lands to face the trains. This creates a dub-only continuity error where now Megatron is in dragon mode in one shot, hand mode in the next, and dragon mode again in the next.
*In ''Car Robots'', Optimus thinks that the mayday signal causing his chest to glow is chest pains caused by worrying! Ha!
*One last time for now: ''Robots in Disguise'' adds a CGI POV targeting shot as the Autobot Brothers prepare to fire on Sky-Byte.
*''Robots in Disguise'' has everyone thinking that Koji's father was the one who hid the photo inside the ruins, while in ''Car Robots'', it was Koji himself who left the photo in the ruins as a memory. However, both versions maintain that Koji's father hid the microchip inside the photograph.
*Scenes that ''Robots in Disguise'' extends with looped and repeated footage include:
**Optimus asking T-AI to activate the member select program.
**T-AI doing so.
**Prowl telling T-AI they can't find Side Burn.
**Prime telling T-AI to call up Team Bullet Train.
**Railspike and Rapid Run watching as Midnight Express stumbles through traffic.
**Rapid Run and Railspike's banter about Railspike's aiming abilities.
**Rapid Run giving Railspike a thumbs-up.
**Prime remarking that something smells bad.

===Animation or technical errors===
*In Sky-Byte's flashback, Megatron's Bat Mode snout is colored purple instead of black when he says, "Search those ruins immediately. Go! NOW!"
*After Side Burn ditches the missiles and transforms, the smoke around his feet appears to move backwards and forwards.

===Continuity errors===
*Optimus Prime describes Sky-Byte as "very clever."
*Dark Scream's "center laser" acts as a freeze-ray whereas it's never been used as such before.
*Doctor Onishi has his glasses back — they were left behind when Megatron kidnapped him back in "[[Battle Protocol!]]".
*When Megatron arrives to battle Team Bullet Train, he transforms from his giant hand mode into his two-headed dragon mode. As he flies toward Team Bullet Train, he is suddenly in his hand mode again, and when he lands, he is back in his two-headed dragon form (this error does not exist in the ''Car Robots'' version—see above).

===Transformers references===
*Doctor Onishi is subjected to the mind-reading psycho-probe, a callback to the mind-reading device from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]] episode "[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]". It is even noted to run at 90,000 volts per scan, as the original did.

===Real-world references===
*During the sequence in which Midnight Express and the others pull into the station, a sign referencing the {{w|Shinjuku}} ward of Tokyo is plainly but briefly visible, even in the English dub.
*Images in Dr. Onishi's mind include the [[Statue of Liberty]], [[Arc de Triomphe]] and London's Tower Bridge.
*Koji references the real life figure Christopher Columbus when explaining that the native population of Payuma mysteriously disappeared around the time he arrived in the Americas.

===Trivia===
*One of the few factoids known about the original dub of this episode was that it featured Dorie Dutton making a reference to "robo-terrorism of the mid-1980s". Dorie's dialogue had to be re-recorded to remove this line when the episode was redubbed ("terrorism" having become a no-no word), but evidently regular actress [[Tifanie Christun]] wasn't available, as T-AI's voice actress [[Sandy Fox]] performed the role.
*Sky-Byte comments that at 90,000 volts, Dr. Onishi won't survive many attempts to probe him. It's amps that determine how lethal an electric current is (stopping the human heart requires around 1.5 amps, never mind 90,000), and volts determine the pain of the shock, the latter of which doesn't matter much if you're in a coma. It seems Sky-Byte is very considerate about the suffering of creatures...
*Compared to "Bullet Train to the Rescue," considerably more effort has been put in to the coaches the members of Team Bullet Train are shown pulling. While Midnight Express' still stand out for not being bilevel, the liveries exactly match.
*This episode shows one of the only times a Transformer has switched to robot mode while carrying a human passenger. Rather than being squished to death, Koji is ejected. The same thing happens in "[[The Human Element]]". In ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] survived inside [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] during his transformation in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 4]]," but was not ejected. Several episodes later, [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] similarly remains safely inside of the transforming [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]], but inexplicably winds up in his hand; in the movies this also happens, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' and [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] in ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of The Moon]]'' both ejects [[Sam Witwicky]] during transformations. ''Rescue Bots'' would later take this to a different level, as the vehicle interiors of the Cybertronians featured orient themselves into cockpit-style compartments in robot mode.

===Foreign localization===
'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Il mistero delle antiche rovine'''" ("The mystery of the ancient ruins")
::*Giving the impossibility on translating the payuma/pie humor pun, the Italian dub changes Side Burn's line: "Pie humour, my favourite! There's nothing funnier than a pie in the face, right?!" to: "Wait, did you say 'payuma'?! What's that? A brand new off-road vehicle?!".

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''O Segredo das Ruínas'''" ("The Secret of the Ruins")

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Transformers: Car Robots'' — Vol. 2 ([[Pony Canyon]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' — Volume One ([[Maximum Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' — Three-Disc Box Set: Part 1 of 2 (Maximum Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' — Evil Intent (Maximum Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' — Special Edition 2-Disc Set (Maximum Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise / Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation / Action Man'' (Maximum Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' — Season One (Maximum Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' — Ultimate Collection (Maximum Entertainment)

==External links==
*[http://www.ridforever.info/episode-transcripts/rid-episode-06-secret-of-the-ruins "The Secret of the Ruins" on RiDForever.info]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Secret of the Ruins}}
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001) episodes]]

The Secret of the Ruins

2024-09-09T09:30:07Z

Retrofuturistic Robot: /* Real-world references */

{{episode|
|series=RiD
|ep=6
|title="The Secret of the Ruins"
|japanese=ギガトロンの襲撃!
|romaji=Gigatron no Shūgeki!
|translation=Gigatron's Raid!
|image=Thesecretoftheruins titlecard.jpg
|caption=This looks familiar...
|production code=
|production company=[[TV Tokyo]], [[Nihon Ad Systems|NAS]], [[Studio Gallop]]
|airdate=[[May 10]], [[2000]] (Japanese) [[October 11]], [[2001]] (English)
|director=[[Yoshiaki Tsutsui]]
|animation studio=Studio Gallop
|written by=[[Junki Takegami]] (Japanese) [[Tom Wyner]] (English)
}}
'''Predacons attack.''' 
'''Invasion of the city.''' 
'''Sky-Byte finds ruins.'''

==Synopsis==
[[File:Secret of the Ruins Bullettrain in city.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|I'm telling you the cafe is right around here!]]
In daylight, in the middle of [[Metro City]], [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] and his [[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]] attack, hoping to draw out the [[Autobot]]s. [[T-AI]] contacts the [[Autobot Brothers]], but can only find [[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]] and [[X-Brawn]], who report they're busy looking for [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] and [[Koji Onishi|Koji]], who've gone to explore some old ruins. T-AI orders [[Team Bullet Train]] into the city instead. The three trainbots transform and walk through the city towards the Predacons, who immediately attack with [[Gas Skunk]]'s acid breath. [[Railspike (RID)|Railspike]] uses missiles to ignite Gas Skunk's breath, and the incompetent skunk runs around, frying his two teammates. From the base, [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] notes that the Predacons apparently aren't trying to heist some energy supply, and he is suspicious that the attack might be more than meets the eye.

[[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]], who wasn't at Megatron's attack on the city, explores a mountain range, looking for [[Payuma ruins|mysterious ruins]], which the Predacons learned about by using the [[psycho-probe]] to take the information from the mind of [[Kenneth Onishi|Dr. Onishi]]. Sky-Byte spies Side Burn, who is in the area with Koji to search for the same ruins, which Koji explains were left by the "Piyuma" Native Americans.

[[File:Secret of the Ruins Sideburnkoji.jpg|right|upright=1.1|thumb|Koji, I can't see!]]
Koji and Side Burn find the ruins and enter inside on foot. Sky-Byte, who has followed the pair, fires missiles inside after them, trying to trap them inside. Side Burn detects the missiles in advance, and he tries to race through the cave (passing by [[Kelly (RID)|Kelly]], who also happened to be exploring the ruins). After he eventually dodges the missiles, Side Burn radios a mayday message to base for help.

The Predacon Trio continue to get beaten by Team Bullet Train. Megatron, tired of waiting for Prime, engages the Autobots. Instead of helping out in the city, Prime goes to aid Side Burn.

[[File:Secret of the Ruins Skybyteoptimus.jpg|left|upright=1.1|thumb|Jaws V: The Reconciliation]]
Sky-Byte, unaware that he's failed to kill Side Burn and his human friend, and also unaware that more Autobots are on the way, voyages into the ruins to find whatever made them so important to Dr. Onishi, assuming that it must be a source of power. Prime arrives and uses his [[Flying Fist]] to knock Sky-Byte down some stairs. Rather than fight Prime, Sky-Byte grabs the chest that holds the ruins' prize and races outside.

Megatron, hearing that Sky-Byte has completed his mission, calls off the urban attack. Instead of letting him escape unharmed, Team Bullet Train combine into [[Rail Racer (RID)|Rail Racer]] and deliver a solid punch. The wounded Megatron retreats in his jet mode.

Exiting the ruins, Sky-Byte runs into the Autobot Brothers. The three blast Sky-Byte, who drops the chest in defeat. Prime catches the chest. With both Predacon attacks over, the Autobots open the chest and discover the prize: a photo of Koji and Dr. Onishi that the doctor stashed in the caves last time he and his son visited them. But more importantly, in the frame of the picture, the Autobots find a [[Doctor Onishi's microchip|microchip]] that could advance the plot.

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] (6)
*[[T-AI]] (7)
*[[Prowl (RID)|Prowl]] (8)
*[[X-Brawn]] (9)
*[[Railspike (RID)|Railspike]] (10)
*[[Rapid Run (RID)|Rapid Run]] (11)
*[[Midnight Express (RID)|Midnight Express]] (12)
*[[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]] (15)
*[[Rail Racer (RID)|Rail Racer]] (18)

|h2=[[Predacon (BW)|Predacons]]
|c2=
*[[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] (1)
*[[Dark Scream]] (2)
*[[Slapper (RID)|Slapper]] (3)
*[[Gas Skunk]] (4)
*[[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] (13)

|c3=
*[[Dorie Dutton]] (5)
*[[Kenneth Onishi|Dr. Onishi]] (14)
*[[Koji Onishi]] (16)
*[[Kelly (RID)|Kelly]] (17)
}}

==Quotes==
"I can't! If I do, I'll run out of gas!"
:—'''Gas Skunk'''

"It's the talking car. And guided missiles—but they didn't talk."
:—'''Kelly'''

"Now, Autobots... Let's see how you do against a real opponent. You'll soon discover that all your powers combined won't be enough to defeat me." 
"Do you talk this much all the time, or only when you've got two mouths?"
:—'''Megatron''' fails to intimidate '''Rapid Run'''.

==Notes==
===Differences with ''Car Robots''===
This episode's ''Robots in Disguise'' dub was completed prior to 9/11, but it was not set to air until a few days after the tragedy. Due to several scenes involving the mass destruction of buildings by the Predacons, the episode was promptly pulled before it reached air and underwent extensive re-editing and re-dubbing to make it appropriate for broadcast. Consequently, the episode did not air until much later, well into the multiple-episodes-per-week schedule the show was keeping at the time. The original English version of the episode has never been released in any form; this list notes all the differences between the original ''Car Robots'' episode and the heavily-modified second ''Robots in Disguise'' version.
[[File:Rid ep6 deletedscenes.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*The changes begin right away. The whole opening scene of the ''Car Robots'' version of this episode is original animation, depicting Megatron crashing through a building in {{w|Shinjuku}} late at night. Crowds of terrified onlookers watch as he declares that he will make them all kneel at his feet, after which the Predacon trio pop up on the roof of a building, then leap down. Gas Skunk unleashes a gas attack, melting and corroding a building, and the scene ends on a shot of the city's skyline, as black smoke rises up from it. This scene was almost entirely replaced for ''Robots in Disguise'', and a new opening was created by recycling clips of Megatron's arrival from "[[Battle Protocol!]]", sans any destruction. The only pieces of footage to survive from the ''Car Robots'' version of the episode are the cityscape, the Predacons leaping down and Gas Skunk attacking; even the end of his attack is cut short, so as not to reveal the damaged building.
*In ''Car Robots'', Gas Skunk implies he ''could'' shoot gas out his butt if he wanted to, but chooses not to for decency's sake. ''Robots in Disguise'' plays it as him forgetting he's not a real skunk for a second.
*''Robots in Disguise'' once again replaces the Japanese toy ID numbers of the Autobot Brothers and Team Bullet Train with their names. The Spy Changers are briefly seen scrolling past, and ''Robots in Disguise'' just deletes their ID numbers without bothering to replace them.
*Everyone is just sort of... more... ''pissy'' in ''Car Robots''. Prowl is annoyed at Side Burn's disappearance, X-Brawn thinks he's chasing red sports cars, Optimus laments "I can't do anything with these guys!" and T-AI moans that the brothers' timekeeping is poor. In ''Robots in Disguise'', they have the decency to be ''worried'' about Side Burn, and Prowl suggests calling up Team Bullet Train to stand in for them while they search.
*As Team Bullet Train is summoned, ''Robots in Disguise'' adds a quick shot of the member select program screen before each character appears, with their names flashing. Got to remind the kids at home which toys to ask for!
[[File:Rid ep6 rockpaperscissors.jpg|right|thumb]]
*Railspike's intro scene is mirrored in ''Robots in Disguise'', with him driving across the screen from right to left, instead of left to right as we was in ''Car Robots''. The same is true of the scenes of the Predacons gathering on a rooftop, and Dark Scream spotting the Bullet Trains approaching.
*''Robots in Disguise'' adds one of its CGI POV targeting shots as Gas Skunk prepares to fire on the trains, and another as Railspike fires back.
*After Rapid Run and Railspike give each other a thumbs-up, ''Robots in Disguise'' cuts out a short scene in which Midnight Express mistakenly believes they're playing rock-paper-scissors, and gets yelled at by the others. The joke is repeated a little later into the episode, after the trains take down the Predacon trio, and is again cut from ''Robots in Disguise''.
*The first rock-paper-scissors gag is followed by a [[scene transition]] that involves an Autobot symbol quickly filling up the scene and receding; it's the first time it has been used in ''Car Robots'', but it will be seen again. ''Robots in Disguise'' mostly excises these and uses its own CGI scene transitions, as it has been doing since the first episode.
*In ''Car Robots'', Sky-Byte perches himself on a rocky peak and scans the horizon. ''Robots in Disguise'' added a commercial break just before this, so the panning shot of the skyline is moved to ''before'' Sky-Byte sits down, to serve as an establishing shot for anyone just joining the show after the break, rather than as Sky-Byte's POV.
[[File:Rid ep6 kappa.jpg|right|thumb]]
*''Robots in Disguise'' cuts a short scene of Japanese wordplay when Sky-Byte first sights the entrance to the ruins. In ''Car Robots'', the Payuma ruins are known as the real-life {{w|Cappadocia}} ruins, and Sky-Byte takes the name at face value, beliving it must have some connection to the mythical Japanese water monster known as the {{w|Kappa (folklore)|Kappa}}. In two deleted shots, he mistakenly recalls the name as "Kappa's Navel" and "Kappa's Plate", imagining them in his patented comedy thought bubbles. The gag runs on into his flashback, where Megatron believes it's called "Kappa's Bellybutton", causing Sky-Byte to facefault, a brief action also cut from ''Robots in Disguise''.
*Sky-Byte's flashback to Megatron giving him orders is also quite heavily altered for ''Robots in Disguise''. In ''Car Robots'', Sky-Byte asks Megatron why he is attempting to conquer an insignificant planet like Earth, prompting Megatron to tell him that there is [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|something important]] hidden somewhere on it (though the implication is that even Megatron doesn't know exactly what it is). In ''Robots in Disguise'', they just talk about prying "secret information" from Doctor Onishi's brain. The flashback is also shortened for ''Robots in Disguise'', as a long downward panning shot of the Megastar is removed.
*Side Burn and Koji's conversation about the ruins is shortened down for ''Robots in Disguise''. The ''Car Robots'' version also carried on the "kappa" gag, as Side Burn mispronounces "Cappadocia" as "{{w|sushi#Makizushi|Kappamaki}}", a kind of sushi roll with cucumber (he says he prefers tekkamaki, literally an "iron roll"). For ''Robots in Disguise'', this was changed to him mispronouncing "Payuma" as "pie humor," which he considers his preferred style of comedy.
[[File:Rid ep6 POV.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.67]]
*Yet more POV shots! ''Car Robots'' includes some POV shots of its own, one when Sky-Byte watches Side Burn and Koji, and two more as his missiles track them. ''Robots in Disguise'' replaces them with their now-standard CGI efforts.
*Yet ''another'' POV shot is added to ''Robots in Disguise'' a minute later when Midnight Express targets Gas Skunk with his rifle. After he successfully blasts the Predacons, ''Car Robots'' has Midnight Express be very happy with himself, as it's his "first win". Railspike and Rapid Run give him a thumbs-up, and he sags, believing he has lost another round of rock-paper-scissors. The sag is cut from ''Robots in Disguise''.
*Immediately after, a shot of Team Bullet Train turning around as Megatron's hand mode shadow approaches them, and a shot of Megatron's hand mode itself flying towards them, are both relocated from their original placement of right before Megatron transforms from hand mode to dragon mode, to instead coming after Megatron (in dragon mode) berates his subordinates for their incompetence and flies towards Team Bullet Train, but before he lands to face the trains. This creates a dub-only continuity error where now Megatron is in dragon mode in one shot, hand mode in the next, and dragon mode again in the next.
*In ''Car Robots'', Optimus thinks that the mayday signal causing his chest to glow is chest pains caused by worrying! Ha!
*One last time for now: ''Robots in Disguise'' adds a CGI POV targeting shot as the Autobot Brothers prepare to fire on Sky-Byte.
*''Robots in Disguise'' has everyone thinking that Koji's father was the one who hid the photo inside the ruins, while in ''Car Robots'', it was Koji himself who left the photo in the ruins as a memory. However, both versions maintain that Koji's father hid the microchip inside the photograph.
*Scenes that ''Robots in Disguise'' extends with looped and repeated footage include:
**Optimus asking T-AI to activate the member select program.
**T-AI doing so.
**Prowl telling T-AI they can't find Side Burn.
**Prime telling T-AI to call up Team Bullet Train.
**Railspike and Rapid Run watching as Midnight Express stumbles through traffic.
**Rapid Run and Railspike's banter about Railspike's aiming abilities.
**Rapid Run giving Railspike a thumbs-up.
**Prime remarking that something smells bad.

===Animation or technical errors===
*In Sky-Byte's flashback, Megatron's Bat Mode snout is colored purple instead of black when he says, "Search those ruins immediately. Go! NOW!"
*After Side Burn ditches the missiles and transforms, the smoke around his feet appears to move backwards and forwards.

===Continuity errors===
*Optimus Prime describes Sky-Byte as "very clever."
*Dark Scream's "center laser" acts as a freeze-ray whereas it's never been used as such before.
*Doctor Onishi has his glasses back — they were left behind when Megatron kidnapped him back in "[[Battle Protocol!]]".
*When Megatron arrives to battle Team Bullet Train, he transforms from his giant hand mode into his two-headed dragon mode. As he flies toward Team Bullet Train, he is suddenly in his hand mode again, and when he lands, he is back in his two-headed dragon form (this error does not exist in the ''Car Robots'' version—see above).

===Transformers references===
*Doctor Onishi is subjected to the mind-reading psycho-probe, a callback to the mind-reading device from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|original ''The Transformers'' cartoon]] episode "[[The Girl Who Loved Powerglide]]". It is even noted to run at 90,000 volts per scan, as the original did.

===Real-world references===
*During the sequence in which Midnight Express and the others pull into the station, a sign referencing the {{w|Shinjuku}} ward of Tokyo is plainly but briefly visible, even in the English dub.
*Images in Dr. Onishi's mind include the [[Statue of Liberty]], [[Arc de Triomphe]] and London's Tower Bridge.
*Koji references the real life figure Christopher Columbus when explaining that the native population mysteriously disappeared around the time he arrived in the Americas.

===Trivia===
*One of the few factoids known about the original dub of this episode was that it featured Dorie Dutton making a reference to "robo-terrorism of the mid-1980s". Dorie's dialogue had to be re-recorded to remove this line when the episode was redubbed ("terrorism" having become a no-no word), but evidently regular actress [[Tifanie Christun]] wasn't available, as T-AI's voice actress [[Sandy Fox]] performed the role.
*Sky-Byte comments that at 90,000 volts, Dr. Onishi won't survive many attempts to probe him. It's amps that determine how lethal an electric current is (stopping the human heart requires around 1.5 amps, never mind 90,000), and volts determine the pain of the shock, the latter of which doesn't matter much if you're in a coma. It seems Sky-Byte is very considerate about the suffering of creatures...
*Compared to "Bullet Train to the Rescue," considerably more effort has been put in to the coaches the members of Team Bullet Train are shown pulling. While Midnight Express' still stand out for not being bilevel, the liveries exactly match.
*This episode shows one of the only times a Transformer has switched to robot mode while carrying a human passenger. Rather than being squished to death, Koji is ejected. The same thing happens in "[[The Human Element]]". In ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Transformers: Prime]]'' [[Miko Nakadai|Miko]] survived inside [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] during his transformation in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 4]]," but was not ejected. Several episodes later, [[William Fowler|Agent Fowler]] similarly remains safely inside of the transforming [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime]], but inexplicably winds up in his hand; in the movies this also happens, [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]] in ''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Revenge of the Fallen]]'' and [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]] in ''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (film)|Dark of The Moon]]'' both ejects [[Sam Witwicky]] during transformations. ''Rescue Bots'' would later take this to a different level, as the vehicle interiors of the Cybertronians featured orient themselves into cockpit-style compartments in robot mode.

===Foreign localization===
'''Italian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Il mistero delle antiche rovine'''" ("The mystery of the ancient ruins")
::*Giving the impossibility on translating the payuma/pie humor pun, the Italian dub changes Side Burn's line: "Pie humour, my favourite! There's nothing funnier than a pie in the face, right?!" to: "Wait, did you say 'payuma'?! What's that? A brand new off-road vehicle?!".

'''Portuguese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''O Segredo das Ruínas'''" ("The Secret of the Ruins")

==Home video releases==
{{homevidnote}}
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2000 — ''Transformers: Car Robots'' — Vol. 2 ([[Pony Canyon]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' — Volume One ([[Maximum Entertainment]]) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2004 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' — Three-Disc Box Set: Part 1 of 2 (Maximum Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' — Evil Intent (Maximum Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' — Special Edition 2-Disc Set (Maximum Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise / Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation / Action Man'' (Maximum Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' — Season One (Maximum Entertainment) 
[[File:Flag of UK.png|20px|United Kingdom]] 2007 — ''Transformers: Robots in Disguise'' — Ultimate Collection (Maximum Entertainment)

==External links==
*[http://www.ridforever.info/episode-transcripts/rid-episode-06-secret-of-the-ruins "The Secret of the Ruins" on RiDForever.info]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Secret of the Ruins}}
[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001) episodes]]