Editing Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)

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'''''Transformers: Generation 2''''' was the first of many rebirths for the [[Transformers brand]]. Although the original ''Transformers'' franchise had never stopped producing toys in Europe, the North American line had completely disappeared for nearly two years. The European sales were good enough to convince [[Hasbro]] to give it another go<ref>[http://www.tfarchive.com/fandom/interviews/george_dunsay/george_dunsay_interview.php George Dunsay interview at TFArchive]: "At the time it was discontinued in the US, it was not a temporary decision. It is only after the success in Europe that the US people decided to reintroduce it"</ref> and so ''Generation 2'' launched in [[1992]].

The ''Generation 2'' [[franchise]] featured the following primary components:

* [[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)|A toyline]]
* [[Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)|A cartoon series]]
* [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Marvel)|A US comic book series]]
* [[Transformers: Generation 2 (Fleetway)|A short-lived UK comic]]
* One [[The Official Transformers: Generation 2 Annual|UK Annual]].
* Some [[Honey Bear Books|coloring books]]

Although the ''Generation 2'' cartoon was merely a set of repackaged [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] episodes (featuring the flashy, computer-animated [[Cybernet Space Cube]]), the ''Generation 2'' comic book was a direct continuation of the story from the [[List of Generation 1 comics|G1 comic]] which had ended at issue 80.

''Generation 2''<nowiki>'</nowiki>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.

''Generation 2'' ended in [[1995]] due to lagging sales. Rather than put the franchise to rest, [[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: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]''.

In [[2010]] the Generation 2 line was re-imagined as "[[Generation 2: Redux]]" by [[Fun Publications]] for that year's [[BotCon]].

==''Transformers: G-2''==
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Having disappeared in Japan in 1993, the ''Transformers'' toy line returned to Japan in 1995 with the Japanese version of ''Generation 2'', formally referred to as '''''Transformers: G-2''''' (トランスフォーマー G-2). Unlike the English ''Generation 2'' version, the Japanese ''G-2'' storyline followed the animated continuity rather than the comic book continuity, being told through a combination of:

* [[Transformers: Generation 2 (toyline)#Takara G-2 line|A toyline]]
* [[Transformers: G-2 (story page)|A series of story pages]].
* [[Transformers: G-2 (pack-in manga)|A manga series]] packaged with the instruction manuals.
* A manga special, "[[The New Battle!!]]", published in [[Comic Bom Bom]].

Like its Western market counterpart, ''G-2'' also ended in 1995. Afterward, [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] continued to release their other main transforming robot toy line, the ''[[Brave (franchise)|Brave Series]]'', until getting back into ''Transformers'' with the new Japanese ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers|Beast Wars]]'' toy line in [[1997]].

==References==
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[[Category:Franchises]]
[[Category:Generation 1 franchises]]
[[Category:Generation 2| ]]