Editing Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)

{{disambig3|Robots in Disguise}}
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'''''Transformers: Robots in Disguise''''' is a [[Franchises|franchise]] that launched in the year [[2001]]. The first full-on [[Continuity|reboot]] series in ''Transformers'' history, it caused a heck of a ruckus in the [[fandom]] when it was new. Since then, however, it has faded into relative obscurity.

Taking place on [[Earth]] at the turn of the century, the series follows [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] and his Autobots protecting the planet and its long-lost Cybertronian artifacts from the ambitions of the evil [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron]] and his [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]]s.

In-universe, the ''Robots in Disguise'' [[continuity family]] is referred to as "[[Viron]]" in the [[Transcendent Technomorph|TransTechs]]' [[universal stream]] designators.

The ''Robots in Disguise'' franchise features the following primary components:

*[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 toyline)|A toyline]]
*[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|A cartoon series]] imported wholesale from [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] markets (more on that shortly).
*[[Ultra Magnus...to the Rescue?|A single American comic book story]] produced by [[Dreamwave Productions]] in [[2004]] (a few years after the cartoon ended production).

Due to [[retcon]]s by the Facebook edition of [[Ask Vector Prime#Facebook|Ask Vector Prime]], the franchise also encompasses:
*[[Transformers: Dinobots|Another toyline]] composed entirely of six [[Dinobot (Dinobots)|Dinobots]].<ref>[[Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#May 29, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 29/05/2015]]</ref>
*[[Shell Game|Another American comic book story]] produced by [[3H Productions]] for [[OTFCC 2004]].<ref>[[Source:Ask Vector Prime/Facebook#July 29, 2015|Ask Vector Prime, 29/07/2015]]</ref>

==Japanese release==
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The series's original incarnation, '''''Transformers: Car Robots''''' (トランスフォーマー カーロボット), was created in response to the continually-declining sales of [[TakaraTomy|Takara's]] ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars (Japanese toyline)|Beast Wars]]'' toyline. As [[Hasbro]] moved into the high concept ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machines]]'' in [[2000]], Takara opted instead to tap into nostalgia by bringing back the traditional modern Earth vehicle heroes with the classic red face [[insignia|Autobot symbol]]. The villains of the series did not follow suit as Takara opted instead to more or less stay the course charted by the likes of ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers#Beast Wars II|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers#Beast Wars Neo|Neo]]'' with a show-stopping new flagship mold for series villain "[[Megatron (RID)|Gigatron]]" while his lackeys were composed of an eclectic mix of [[redeco]]es culled from prior ''Beast Wars'', ''Generation 2,'' and even ''Generation 1'' toylines.

Set on [[Earth]] at the turn of the century, ''Car Robots'' follows a "[[Dimensional Patrol]]" led by [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Fire Convoy]] protecting the planet and its long-lost Cybertronian artifacts from the ambitions of the evil Gigatron and his new "[[Predacon (BW)#Japanese Generation 1 continuity|Destronger]]" faction.

What exactly that *means* was the subject of [[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)#The continuity kerfuffle|no small amount of confusion]], but to skip to the end, ''Car Robots'' is the final Japan-exclusive season of the behemoth [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]], with a cast composed of all new characters, having time-traveled from the distant future some time after the events of ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]''.

As it turns out, nostalgia marketing for fifteen-year-old cartoons does not work on nine-year-olds, and the Transformers brand closed the decade on a whimper in Japan, lying fallow with the core demographic until 2002's radical reimagining with ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Transformers: Armada]]''.

==Development==
A year later in America, Hasbro decided it was time to end the [[Beast Era]] (which was also flagging in sales). Hasbro and Takara began work to co-develop the next series intended for both markets, ''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Transformers: Armada]]'', but Hasbro refused to have no ''Transformers'' toys on the shelves despite ''Beast Machines'' under-performing. Thus, they quickly ported over ''Car Robots'', re-branding it as ''Robots in Disguise'', a low-cost, low-work "filler" line. While the animalistic villains retained the [[Predacon (BW)|Predacon]] logo (and faction name), all of the villains who turned into Earth vehicles received the traditional [[Decepticon]] emblem. Hasbro took to Takara's grab bag approach like a fish to water, expanding the product offerings with more redecos and minor retools of older molds, including a few previously-canceled ones.

Declining to attempt to endear American children to ''Car Robots''<nowiki>'</nowiki> cast of unfamiliar characters, Hasbro took a page from the book of the nascent ''Armada'' treatment and styled them as new incarnations of the familiar [[Optimus Prime (disambiguation)|Optimus Prime]], [[Megatron (disambiguation)|Megatron]], and friends, give or take the unavoidably eclectic mix of antagonist factions baked into the line. Hasbro handed off translation to [[Saban Entertainment]], who produced a fairly liberal reimagining for Western markets per the style of dubbing for children's anime on American broadcast television at the time, landing a spot on the coveted [[Fox Kids]] Saturday morning block.

Where ''Car Robots'' sputtered as the last gasp of the original franchise in Japan, ''Robots in Disguise'' took off with a roar in America, thanks in no small part to riding the wave at the height of the American anime boom alongside such titans as ''Pokémon'' and ''Dragon Ball Z''.

==The continuity kerfuffle==
[[File:Convoy and Fire Convoy.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.4|Oh no, [[:File:PrimalLioConvoyCatalog01.jpg|not again]].]]
To put it bluntly, the continuity placement of the original Japanese ''Car Robots'' version of the series has been a point of contention within the fandom, particularly in the West. 

===Early materials & initial impressions===
When the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeCFOaGt2q0 first television promo] for ''Car Robots'' aired immediately after the [[Remix: I Forgot the Banana!|final episode]] of ''Beast Wars Metals'', said promo featured [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Fire Convoy]] thanking the [[Maximal]] Beast Warriors for preserving [[Earth]]'s history and promising to keep the modern day safe from the Destrongers.<ref group="note">This information was largely lost on larger English-speaking world due to a lack of widespread knowledge that this obscure promo had even existed, let alone what was said in its Japanese dialogue.</ref> Preliminary information found on [https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/carobot/index.html TVTokyo's website] described ''Car Robots'' as "The next great entry in the ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers|Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars]]'' series" and even mentioned by name the [[Great War (G1)|Great War]] of old. Said site and the [http://web.archive.org/web/20200526192751/https://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/150486-car-robots-robots-in-disguise-2001-general-discussion/page-3#entry3747453 first toy catalog] also claimed the Destrongers had come to the 21st century through a dimensional rift, with Fire Convoy's team being a "[[Dimensional Patrol]]" sent to oppose them; the catalog even described the series premise as "[[Diaclone#Car Robots|Car Robots]] versus [[Beast Wars: Transformers (toyline)|Beast Wars]]". Plus, while not known at the time, early concept art for Fire Convoy (released publicly in [[2015]]) even depicts him with a [[Maximal]] symbol instead of an Autobot one.<ref>[https://twitter.com/walruslaw/status/1488875871847043072 Walruslaw on Twitter] reveals Fire Convoy concept art from ''[[Transformers Generations 2015]]''.</ref>

Coupled with the [[Battle Protocol!|first episode]] featuring a celebration for the new millennium, setting it in the year [[2000]], all this led to initial speculation that the series would be set in the [[Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|existing Japanese ''Transformers'' continuity]], during the at-the-time unexplored gap between the second season of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] and [[The Transformers: The Movie|its movie]], with the ''Car Robots'' cast having time-traveled from the future à la ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. As the series continued, however, it began to feel more like a fresh start, presenting itself as a self-contained story isolated from everything that had come before it,<ref group="note">The [[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars II'' cartoon]] was similarly isolated and self-contained, but the appearance of [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] in both its first toy catalog and [[Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!|its movie]] made it easier for fans to accept it as part of the existing timeline.</ref> with no obvious ties or references to the Generation 1 cartoon that it was, supposedly, set contemporaneously within.<ref group="note">The [[Cybertron Base (RID)|Autobots' base]] and [[Global Space Bridge|underground transit system]] were strikingly similar to ones first introduced in [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers issue 4|Issue #4]] of the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (manga)|''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers'' manga]]; a series that not many Westerners were familiar with at the time.</ref>

There were no guest appearances from any Generation 1 characters (who, logically, ought to have noticed the globally Earth-based conflict of Fire Convoy and Gigatron's forces),<ref group="note">Even the similarly self-contained [[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|''Super-God Masterforce'' cartoon]] had a brief guest cameo appearance from [[Chromedome (G1)|Chromedome]] in its [[Birth! Headmaster Jrs|third episode]].</ref> and Fire Convoy's team took a more covert role in their relationship with humanity, using their vehicle modes to keep themselves incognito when not in battle, unlike the Generation 1 Autobots who regularly interacted with humans in their robot modes both on and off duty.<ref group="note">Though, Fire Convoy's team had no qualms with showing their robot modes to humanity whenever their battles took place in cities or other populated areas.</ref> In fact, none of the early information about the characters being time travelers was ever brought up in the show, with almost no indication of the cast being anything but native to the year 2000 (save for one extremely brief moment in [[The Ultimate Robot Warrior|episode 12]] where Fire Convoy vaguely hints at having originally come from another time). Thus, fans began to reconsider the series' original continuity placement and wondered if it might instead be an alternate universe—a sort of continuity reboot—dismissing the early time-traveling info as mere rumors or dropped concepts (or simply never knowing about it in the first place). 

On the other hand, ''Car Robots'' also never actually made a concerted effort to ''explicitly'' separate itself from everything that had come before it, either. At most, it maintained a mainly indifferent relationship with the larger Japanese continuity... '''''at first'''''.  As the series moved into its second half, it ''finally'' started to do some actual continuity-based world-building, reintroducing [[Energon Matrix|concepts]] and [[Vector Sigma#Japanese cartoon continuity|lore]] originally from ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)|Beast Wars Neo]]'', two Japanese series that the greater Western fandom had only sparse knowledge about at the time. Japanese fans that did catch these new references (and ''hadn't'' fully dismissed the original shared-continuity speculation) postulated if maybe the cast of ''Car Robots'' had come from a future set specifically after ''Beast Wars Neo''. But, the more vocal [[Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers#JBWchronology|fandom belief]] that ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Neo'' took place chronologically before ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' challenged this theory and [http://web.archive.org/web/20121116084945/http://tfarchive.com/creative/showentry.php?s=490 attempted to silence it.] <ref group="note">Even though ''Beast Machines'' had not yet reached Japan at that point in time, and thus wasn't a factor in the Japanese continuity until its belated release in 2004.</ref>

===The English dub===
When ''Car Robots'' was brought over to the West as ''Robots in Disguise'', the cartoon's English dub was ''absolutely'' treated as a reboot by its production team (though, likely based on the same fandom belief in the first place). New leaders Fire Convoy and Gigatron were reimagined as new versions of [[Optimus Prime (disambiguation)|Optimus Prime]] and [[Megatron (disambiguation)|Megatron]], the entire cast of original characters were given different English names (mixing [[Prowl (RID)|familiar]] [[Grimlock (RID 2001)|names]] [[Mirage (RID)|taken]] [[Scourge (RID)|from]] Generation 1 with [[Midnight Express (RID)|several]] [[Dark Scream|brand]] [[Hot Shot (RID)|new]] [[Ruination (RID)|names]]), and episode scripts were written in ways that made the dub completely irreconcilable with [[Marvel Comics continuity|either of the major]] [[Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Hasbro-backed Generation 1 continuities]]. This caused no end of confusion among the fandom since, at the time, the idea of a total continuity reboot in ''Transformers'' was still new and took some time to settle in.

Some fans even attempted to theorize how ''Robots in Disguise'' could fit into a combined timeline of the English-language Generation 1, ''Beast Wars'', and ''Beast Machines'' cartoons, either by jumping through hoops to explain how most of the characters with Generation 1-based names could be the same people as their namesakes via temporary body-changes, or even theorizing that ''Robots in Disguise'' was the result of ''Beast Wars'' having changed Generation 1's history. Of course, these theories were going off the English dub due to its easier accessibility, ignoring the fact that the characters in the Japanese ''Car Robots'' version were all originally brand new characters with mostly brand new names, and who had no inherent ties to any characters from any preexisting series (which, interestingly, ''would'' allow the ''Car Robots'' version to "fit in" better than the English version).

Muddying the waters further was the English dub's tendency to add in numerous references to concepts and characters from Generation 1, ''Beast Wars'', and ''Beast Machines'' (which typically made things even ''less'' compatible), and the toyline having [[Axer (G1)|two]] [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|characters]] from prior series whose toy bios described them as having actually crossed dimensions into this new universe. Eventually, the fandom grew used to the idea of this series (both its English ''and'' Japanese versions) being on its own, helped along when ''Armada'' would unquestionably reboot ''Transformers'' continuity one year after ''Robots in Disguise'' in the West (and three whole years after ''Car Robots'' in Japan). This tactic of starting things over every year is common in long-running Japanese franchises, but had not yet been applied to ''Transformers''. Subsequent series would later follow suit, creating more and more non-Generation 1 continuities with each new reboot, making ''Car Robots''/''Robots in Disguise'' less of an anomaly and more acceptable as just the first of many non-Generation 1 cartoons to come about after the [[Beast Era]].

'''''BUT THEN...'''''

===Takara builds the Japanese G1 timeline===
In [[2004]], the first hints of clarity turned up in the ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' series. Created to celebrate the [[Transformers brand|brand]]'s 20th anniversary, ''Robotmasters'' featured a big crossover between Generation 1, ''Beast Wars'', and more, with lots of characters time-traveling to the year 2004 of the Japanese Generation 1 cartoon universe via [[Blastizone|dimensional rifts]]. One character in this series, an amnesiac Decepticon named Wrecker Hook, shared the same toy mold and Japanese name as ''Car Robots'' Wrecker Hook, known in ''Robots in Disguise'' as the Autobot [[Tow-Line (RID)|Tow-Line]]. At the time, it was not clear if the Decepticon Wrecker Hook was meant to be the Autobot Wrecker Hook/Tow-Line having switched sides, but even if he was, there still lay the possibility of his coming from another dimension, since [[Sideways (RM)|another suspected dimension-hopper]] was also part of the line.<ref group="note">A closer examination of the ''Robotmasters'' toy bios and fiction reveals that the only characters who came through the Blastizone were just the time-traveling ones from ''Beast Wars'', ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]'', and ''Beast Wars II''; not Wrecker Hook.</ref>

Also in the ''Robotmasters'' line was a rerelease of the ''Car Robots'' [[Fortress Maximus (RID)|Brave Maximus]] toy, offered as a contest prize and renamed "Cybertron Base" (a name not too dissimilar to the name of its city mode in the ''Car Robots'' cartoon, "Cybertron City").<ref group="note">Note that "Cybertron City" is also the same Japanese name as [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]].</ref> But since Brave Maximus/Cybertron Base did not actually feature in any ''Robotmasters'' fiction (aside from a single vague mention in the first [[The New Battle Begins!|catalog comic]] that a "great fortress" served as the core of [[Autobot City (G1)|Autobot City]]), his inclusion in the ''Robotmasters'' line was largely ignored by the Western fandom. Also in this year, the toy bio of the [[e-HOBBY]]-[[exclusive]] [[G1 GoBots]] set made explicit reference to the [[Spy Changer|Spychangers]] of ''Car Robots'' in a way that tied them directly to their toy mold predecessors, the ''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|Generation 2]]'' [[Go-Bot (G2)|Go-Bots]]. While the characters in this set would never be used by Japanese media, the Spychanger reference was but a small glimpse of much bigger things yet to come.<ref>[https://www.allspark.com/forums/topic/89376-united-ex-translated-stories-and-bios-complete/page-15#entry2198052 Post by Andrew Hall on The Allspark] (dead link)</ref>

Then in [[2005]], the ''[[The Transformers: Binaltech Asterisk|Binaltech Asterisk]]'' line featured human figures packed in with new toys of Generation 1 Autobots; two of these figures ([[Ai Kuruma]] and [[Kelly (RID)#Toys|Junko Shiragami]]) were based on the ''Car Robots'' characters [[T-AI|Ai]] and [[Kelly (RID)|Junko]] (known in ''Robots in Disguise'' as "T-AI" and "Kelly", respectively). While Ai Kuruma was definitely not the same person as Ai/T-AI (since the latter was a hologram, not a human), it was not yet known if Junko Shiragami was supposed to be ''the'' Junko/Kelly from ''Car Robots'' or just an homage to her, like how Ai Kuruma was to Ai/T-AI. Soon, the latter notion began to seem more likely when a third human figure ([[Lumina Hoshi]]) was released as a new character who, like Ai Kuruma, was merely an homage to another preexisting character ([[Illumina]] from ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers (franchise)#Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory|Victory]]''). However, little did anyone in the Western fandom realize at the time that all these little hints were just the tip of the iceberg.

[[File:Japaneseflowchart.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.67|This has only gotten MORE complicated since its publication.]]
In [[2006]]–[[2007]], Takara surprised the Western fandom by directly clarifying ''Car Robots''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s place in continuity. The ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]]'' series featured a time-jumping story in which the series' protagonists traveled through time aboard Brave Maximus, the very same one from ''Car Robots''. One of their jumps even took them to the first episode of ''Car Robots'' without any dimension-hopping, only time-hopping. The series ended with Brave Maximus crash-landing on [[Master (planet)|Planet Master]] at a point set before the planet's refugee inhabitants had developed the [[Headmaster (technology)|Headmaster technology]], with Brave Maximus's wreckage even providing the catalyst for not just the technology but also the construction of the physically-identical [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]]. Other print media even produced a long, [[Source:Generation 1 cartoon timeline (Japan)|highly detailed timeline]] that mapped out just how the hell this all worked.

Essentially, Takara had stuck to the original claims of the series' preliminary info by officially declaring ''Car Robots'' to have been part of the massive, sprawling [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]] all along, hand-waving the cartoon's lack of previous-series Transformers appearing on Earth by utilizing the abrupt ending of a [[Transformers: The Battle of the Star Gate|short-lived, rather obscure Generation 1-based manga]] first published in [[2003]]. Said manga took place in the latter 1990s and ended, ''very conveniently'', with virtually the entire Generation 1 cast getting swept away from Earth after a cataclysmic battle in space.

With much of the fandom having already grown used to the idea of ''Car Robots'' being as much of a reboot as ''Robots in Disguise'', this revelation was initially met with quite the startled reaction; many even wrote it off as a nonsensical [[retcon]]. Regardless, [[Transformers Legends (comic)|subsequent]] [[Transformers Unite Warriors|Japanese media]] would adhere to this decision, leaning ''into'' the once-quelled idea of the ''Car Robots'' cast originally hailing from a future time set at some point near or after ''Beast Wars Neo''. The aforementioned ''Robotmasters'' Wrecker Hook and ''Binaltech Asterisk'' Junko would even be confirmed to be the same characters as their ''Car Robots'' counterparts, in [[2013]]'s "[[Metrowars]]" and [[2016]]'s ''[[Unite Warriors Offshot]]'', respectively.

'''''BUT''''', with all of '''''THAT''''' said and sorted out...

===East vs. West===
Hasbro, on the other side of the pond, has '''NO''' such plans to align the English version with any of this. To this day, the ''Robots in Disguise'' cartoon remains its own little separate, distinctly non-Generation 1 thing, and Hasbro has shown little inclination to revive its characters or concepts; most of the callbacks have come from licensees [[Fun Publications]] and [[IDW Publishing]], but a ''few'' characters and ideas have persisted in toy form from Hasbro proper. Thus, ''Car Robots''/''Robots in Disguise'' is in the unique position of being simultaneously part of Generation 1 and completely separate from Generation 1... depending on which side of the globe you're looking at.

In order to keep things simple for readers and cut back on redundancies, '''{{SITENAME SHORT}}''' has opted to roll ''Car Robots'' character and cartoon information into the ''Robots in Disguise'' counterparts' pages. Just know that any ''Robots in Disguise'' character who appears in the "[[:Category: Car Robots characters]]" category has a nigh-identical Generation-1-timeline doppelganger with a different name who did pretty much all the same stuff in the cartoon, only they did it all in a Generation 1 timeline. Though some modern Western fiction has introduced ''distinctly'' Generation 1 versions of ''Robots in Disguise'' characters—such as [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]], [[Side Burn (RID)|Side Burn]], and [[Megatron (RID)|Gigatron]]—these versions of the characters are all covered on the same pages as their ''Robots in Disguise'' counterparts since, it turns out, the original ''Car Robots'' versions that started it all were all originally Generation 1 characters anyway!

Head hurt yet? '''''GOOD!!'''''

<!--*[[TakaraTomy|Takara]] considers ''Robots in Disguise'' to be the 'same' series as ''Car Robots''.{{fact|August, 2009}} Source like interview in magazines or other materials? Thus, the American release of Sideways for the ''Robots in Disguise'' toyline means that [[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Legends of the Microns]] [[Sideways (RID)|Double Face]] (Sideways's Japanese name) first appeared in ''Car Robots''.-->

==Notes==
*Despite [[Misconceptions and urban legends about Transformers|fan rumors]] to the contrary, ''Car Robots'' was never called and was never ''going'' to be called "Transformers 2000".
*"Car Robots" is also the original name of the [[Autobot Cars]] (including [[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Toys|Optimus Prime]] and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)/toys#Toys|Ultra Magnus]]) in the ''[[Diaclone]]'' toyline.

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Footnotes===
<references group="note"/>

==External links==
*[https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/carobot/index.html TV Tokyo's original website for the ''Car Robots'' cartoon]
*[http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/table.html Takara's Transformers Continuity Map places ''Car Robots'' in Generation 1.]


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[[Category:Robots in Disguise (2001)| ]]