Transformers Legends (comic) - Revision history

Cyberlink420: /* Overview */ Thanks AzimuthAcolyte

2026-03-06T21:48:12Z

Overview: Thanks AzimuthAcolyte

Cyberlink420: /* Overview */

2026-03-06T19:08:05Z

Overview

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:08, 6 March 2026
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	*[[Legends Vol. 13\|#13]]		*[[Legends Vol. 13\|#13]]
	*[[Legends Vol. 14\|#14]]		*[[Legends Vol. 14\|#14]]
	*[[~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 1~~\|LG01]]		*[[LG01 Rattrap\|LG01]]
	*[[~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 2~~\|LG02]]		*[[LG02 Optimus Primal\|LG02]]
	*[[Legends Vol. 15\|#15]]		*[[Legends Vol. 15\|#15]]
	*[[~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 3~~\|LG03]]		*[[LG03 Tankor\|LG03]]
	*[[~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 4~~\|LG04]]		*[[LG04 Roadbuster\|LG04]]
	*[[~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 5~~\|LG05]]		*[[LG05 Whirl\|LG05]]
	*[[Merry X'mas!!\|Bonus]]		*[[Merry X'mas!!\|Bonus]]
	*[[Legends Vol. 16\|#16]]		*[[Legends Vol. 16\|#16]]

Cyberlink420 at 19:03, 6 March 2026

2026-03-06T19:03:07Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:03, 6 March 2026
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	''Legends'' begins as a {{w\|yonkoma\|four-panel}} black-&-white comic strip set in a world known as the "[[Legends World]]", where ''Transformers'' is a franchise of toys and fiction—essentially the real world, but instead of people it's populated by [[super deformed]] ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars]]'' characters who don't consider themselves Transformers. The main characters of the comics are the ''Beast Wars'' [[Maximal]]s, reimagined as a group of {{w\|salaryman\|salarymen}} working at the "[[Axalon Trading Company]]" in Japan. They retain their quirky speech patterns from the jovial Japanese dub of the show. Early jokes revolve around the characters being ''Transformers'' fans themselves, each representing a different facet of the [[fandom]], the main cast being:		''Legends'' begins as a {{w\|yonkoma\|four-panel}} black-&-white comic strip set in a world known as the "[[Legends World]]", where ''Transformers'' is a franchise of toys and fiction—essentially the real world, but instead of people it's populated by [[super deformed]] ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars]]'' characters who don't consider themselves Transformers. The main characters of the comics are the ''Beast Wars'' [[Maximal]]s, reimagined as a group of {{w\|salaryman\|salarymen}} working at the "[[Axalon Trading Company]]" in Japan. They retain their quirky speech patterns from the jovial Japanese dub of the show. Early jokes revolve around the characters being ''Transformers'' fans themselves, each representing a different facet of the [[fandom]], the main cast being:

	*[[Rattrap (BW)\|Rattrap]], the company's new recruit who grew up with and unconditionally loves ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars]]''		*[[Rattrap (Legends)\|Rattrap]], the company's new recruit who grew up with and unconditionally loves ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars]]''
	*[[Rhinox (BW)\|Rhinox]], a middle-aged man who doesn't care for anything newer than the [[The Transformers (franchise)\|Generation 1]] of his childhood		*[[Rhinox (Legends)\|Rhinox]], a middle-aged man who doesn't care for anything newer than the [[The Transformers (franchise)\|Generation 1]] of his childhood
	*[[Optimus Primal (BW)\|Optimus Primal]], the serious-minded boss who has no interest in toys himself, but does buy them for his son [[Optimus Minor\|Minor]]		*[[Optimus Primal (Legends)\|Optimus Primal]], the serious-minded boss who has no interest in toys himself, but does buy them for his son [[Optimus Minor\|Minor]]
	*[[Silverbolt (~~Fuzor~~)\|Silverbolt]], a young excitable part-timer and fan of the recent [[live-action film series]]		*[[Silverbolt (Legends)\|Silverbolt]], a young excitable part-timer and fan of the recent [[live-action film series]]
	*[[Tigatron]], a moe otaku who only likes ''Transformers'' franchises with cute girls, like ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)\|Kiss Players]]''		*[[Tigatron (Legends)\|Tigatron]], a moe otaku who only likes ''Transformers'' franchises with cute girls, like ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)\|Kiss Players]]''
	*[[Waspinator (BW)\|Waspinator]], an employee of [[Tera-Kura Co.]], fan of all things ''Transformers'' and expert on minor trivia, he serves to fill the other characters (and readers) in on the more obscure portions of the franchise		*[[Waspinator (Legends)\|Waspinator]], an employee of [[Tera-Kura Co.]], fan of all things ''Transformers'' and expert on minor trivia, he serves to fill the other characters (and readers) in on the more obscure portions of the franchise

	Other recurring characters include the lazy, irresponsible [[Cheetor (BW)\|Cheetor]], hungry [[Dinobot (BW)\|Dinobot]], and gender-ambiguous {{w\|Office lady\|office ladies}} [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]]. Later strips introduce the Axalon Co.'s rivals, the "[[Tera-Kura Co.]]" led by [[Megatron (BW)\|Megatron]]. Various other inhabitants of the Legends World are versions of ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)\|Car Robots]]'' characters.		Other recurring characters include the lazy, irresponsible [[Cheetor (Legends)\|Cheetor]], hungry [[Dinobot (Legends)\|Dinobot]], and gender-ambiguous {{w\|Office lady\|office ladies}} [[Airazor (Legends)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (Legends)\|Nightscream]]. Later strips introduce the Axalon Co.'s rivals, the "[[Tera-Kura Co.]]" led by [[Megatron (Legends)\|Megatron]]. Various other inhabitants of the Legends World are versions of ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)\|Car Robots]]'' characters.

	In its earliest days, the comic revolved primarily around the Axalon employees' everyday misadventures at and around their office, with the full-color toy pack-in strips (Bonus Editions) serving as spotlight adventures for the relevant characters. Over time, the online strips were increasingly used to provide "prologue" and "sequel" chapters for the pack-in comics (often in full color and several pages themselves), creating ongoing serialized storylines. When the toyline began releasing ''[[Titans Return (toyline)\|Titans Return]]'' moulds and dramatically increased its output, the accompanying comics became more story-heavy than ever before, and told a continuing storyline that saw large numbers of characters from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity\|Generation 1 cartoon universe]] take up residence in Legends World. Online chapters became almost entirely reserved for linking story material, with the original-format four-panel gag strips a very infrequent occurrence.		In its earliest days, the comic revolved primarily around the Axalon employees' everyday misadventures at and around their office, with the full-color toy pack-in strips (Bonus Editions) serving as spotlight adventures for the relevant characters. Over time, the online strips were increasingly used to provide "prologue" and "sequel" chapters for the pack-in comics (often in full color and several pages themselves), creating ongoing serialized storylines. When the toyline began releasing ''[[Titans Return (toyline)\|Titans Return]]'' moulds and dramatically increased its output, the accompanying comics became more story-heavy than ever before, and told a continuing storyline that saw large numbers of characters from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity\|Generation 1 cartoon universe]] take up residence in Legends World. Online chapters became almost entirely reserved for linking story material, with the original-format four-panel gag strips a very infrequent occurrence.
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	*[[2004]]:		*[[2004]]:
	** In early ''Legends'' comics, [[Sky-Byte (RID)\|Sky-Byte]] and [[Jetfire (G1)\|Jetfire]] arrive in the Legends World from 2004. This era takes place four years after the events of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)\|Car Robots]]'' and is roughly parallel to the events of ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)\|Robotmasters]]''. Jetfire returned to 2004 with Legends natives [[Whirl (G1)\|Whirl]] and [[Roadbuster (G1)\|Roadbuster]], introducing them to the timeline. {{storylink\|~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 7~~}} [[Scourge (RID)\|Scourge]] also arrives in the Legends World from roughly the same era, and departs with Sky-Byte. {{storylink\|~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol.~~ EX ~~(Scourge)~~}} However, the two of them resurface circa 2021. {{storylink\|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}}		** In early ''Legends'' comics, [[Sky-Byte (RID)\|Sky-Byte]] and [[Jetfire (G1)\|Jetfire]] arrive in the Legends World from 2004. This era takes place four years after the events of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)\|Car Robots]]'' and is roughly parallel to the events of ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)\|Robotmasters]]''. Jetfire returned to 2004 with Legends natives [[Whirl (G1)\|Whirl]] and [[Roadbuster (G1)\|Roadbuster]], introducing them to the timeline. {{storylink\|LG07 Jetfire}} [[Scourge (RID)\|Scourge]] also arrives in the Legends World from roughly the same era, and departs with Sky-Byte. {{storylink\|LG-EX Black Convoy}} However, the two of them resurface circa 2021. {{storylink\|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}}

	*[[2021]]:		*[[2021]]:
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	*[[2035]] - 2038:		*[[2035]] - 2038:
	** Next, several characters emerge from the 2030s, the furthest point in the Japanese G1 timeline prior to the Beast Era (as of ''Legends''{{'}} publication). This is the post-''G-2'' era, briefly chronicled in several e-HOBBY pack-in comics. The resurrection of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)\|Ultra Magnus]] {{storylink\|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue}} and [[Megatron (G1)\|Megatron]] being overthrown by [[Galvatron II]] date to this era. {{storylink\|Legends Vol. 23}} When the Legends world was destroyed, these characters also returned to their original era, thereby arriving in the Japanese cartoon continuity roughly 15 years after other characters who left the collapsing world at the same time. The local inhabitants of the Legends World primarily ended up in this time period after departing. {{storylink\|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two\|Targetmaster Finale, Part Two}}		** Next, several characters emerge from the 2030s, the furthest point in the Japanese G1 timeline prior to the Beast Era (as of ''Legends''{{'}} publication). This is the post-''G-2'' era, briefly chronicled in several e-HOBBY pack-in comics. The resurrection of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)\|Ultra Magnus]] {{storylink\|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue Part 1: Resurrection Chapter}} and [[Megatron (G1)\|Megatron]] being overthrown by [[Galvatron II]] date to this era. {{storylink\|Legends Vol. 23}} When the Legends world was destroyed, these characters also returned to their original era, thereby arriving in the Japanese cartoon continuity roughly 15 years after other characters who left the collapsing world at the same time. The local inhabitants of the Legends World primarily ended up in this time period after departing. {{storylink\|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two\|Targetmaster Finale, Part Two}}

	*Other:		*Other:
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	It's not surprising then that western fan reactions were much more mixed. Its nostalgic pulls relied heavily upon an in-depth knowledge of pre-existing Japanese ''Transformers'' fiction, and the language barrier cannot be overstated: no complete fan translation into English exists, so most western fans were reacting to comics they couldn't actually read and relying on summaries from those who could. The comic is infamous for much of its humor becoming increasingly sexual in nature as time went on, with narratives regularly finding excuses for its [[Female Transformer\|female cast]] to wear skimpy outfits and end up in compromising poses. It's important to note here that this sort of thing is sadly pretty par for the course for Japanese nerd media, something its target demographic of toy-buying adult ''otaku'' had long since become desensitized to.		It's not surprising then that western fan reactions were much more mixed. Its nostalgic pulls relied heavily upon an in-depth knowledge of pre-existing Japanese ''Transformers'' fiction, and the language barrier cannot be overstated: no complete fan translation into English exists, so most western fans were reacting to comics they couldn't actually read and relying on summaries from those who could. The comic is infamous for much of its humor becoming increasingly sexual in nature as time went on, with narratives regularly finding excuses for its [[Female Transformer\|female cast]] to wear skimpy outfits and end up in compromising poses. It's important to note here that this sort of thing is sadly pretty par for the course for Japanese nerd media, something its target demographic of toy-buying adult ''otaku'' had long since become desensitized to.

	Much more unpleasant is the comic's consistent use of transphobic and homophobic humor, following on from similar jokes in the ''Beast Wars'' dub. Notably, [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]] are depicted as ''{{w\|otokonoko}}'' "office ladies", whose female presentation while being male is the focus of entire strips, consisting primarily of characters reacting in shock and confusion upon realizing that "feminine" characters were "actually" men. While these depictions ''are'' rooted in the characters' original characterizations in early Japanese media, and thus can be interpreted as the author taking their existing personalities to their natural conclusion, this sort of blatant queerphobic humor is ''much'' harder to accept in a world where both the franchise and its audience have expanded and become far more inclusive. Unfortunately, however, this sort of thing is also very common in Japanese nerd media—to say nothing of nerd media in general—and again flew over the head of many Japanese readers as being anything worth reacting negatively to.		Much more unpleasant is the comic's consistent use of transphobic and homophobic humor, following on from similar jokes in the ''Beast Wars'' dub. Notably, [[Airazor (Legends)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (Legends)\|Nightscream]] are depicted as ''{{w\|otokonoko}}'' "office ladies", whose female presentation while being male is the focus of entire strips, consisting primarily of characters reacting in shock and confusion upon realizing that "feminine" characters were "actually" men. While these depictions ''are'' rooted in the characters' original characterizations in early Japanese media, and thus can be interpreted as the author taking their existing personalities to their natural conclusion, this sort of blatant queerphobic humor is ''much'' harder to accept in a world where both the franchise and its audience have expanded and become far more inclusive. Unfortunately, however, this sort of thing is also very common in Japanese nerd media—to say nothing of nerd media in general—and again flew over the head of many Japanese readers as being anything worth reacting negatively to.

	Finally, it's important to consider where the source of this content was coming from. While creator Hayato Sakamoto was the primary writer and artist, it shouldn't be forgotten that Takara had to sign off on the whole thing, right up until the end of the ''Legends'' toyline, implying the contents of the comic didn't matter to them as long as the product was being sold, if not suggesting that Takara actively encouraged it. That said, while trends like these would continue into Sakamoto's ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors]]'' spin-off series, its successor ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' expunged itself of almost all sexual content and comedy in general, largely replacing the "cheesecake" fanservice with "deep fandom lore" fanservice even after Sakamoto took the reins of the project.		Finally, it's important to consider where the source of this content was coming from. While creator Hayato Sakamoto was the primary writer and artist, it shouldn't be forgotten that Takara had to sign off on the whole thing, right up until the end of the ''Legends'' toyline, implying the contents of the comic didn't matter to them as long as the product was being sold, if not suggesting that Takara actively encouraged it. That said, while trends like these would continue into Sakamoto's ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors]]'' spin-off series, its successor ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' expunged itself of almost all sexual content and comedy in general, largely replacing the "cheesecake" fanservice with "deep fandom lore" fanservice even after Sakamoto took the reins of the project.
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	==Notes==		==Notes==
	*As is to be expected, the characterizations for the cast are derived from the Japanese version of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Japan\|Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release\|Beast Machines]]''. In most instances, these characterizations were ''extremely'' different from their Western counterparts. As such, some of the "gags" might fly over the heads of those unacquainted with the radically different Japanese version of the show.		*As is to be expected, the characterizations for the cast are derived from the Japanese version of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Japan\|Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release\|Beast Machines]]''. In most instances, these characterizations were ''extremely'' different from their Western counterparts. As such, some of the "gags" might fly over the heads of those unacquainted with the radically different Japanese version of the show.
	*In the above promotional image, a version of [[Depth Charge (BW)\|Depth Charge]] accompanied by an [[Megatron (Armada)/toys\|''Armada'' Megatron]] toy (suggesting that he may have been a fan of the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family\|Unicron Trilogy]]) can be glimpsed, but he doesn't appear in the comic itself until near to the very end of the epilogue chapter.		*In the above promotional image, a version of [[Depth Charge (Legends)\|Depth Charge]] accompanied by an [[Megatron (Armada)/toys\|''Armada'' Megatron]] toy (suggesting that he may have been a fan of the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family\|Unicron Trilogy]]) can be glimpsed, but he doesn't appear in the comic itself until near to the very end of the epilogue chapter.

	==External links==		==External links==

M Sipher at 20:47, 13 February 2026

2026-02-13T20:47:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:47, 13 February 2026
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	*Origin:		*Origin:
	** Finally, the Legends World itself emerged from an ontological paradox. The universe was created in the 2030s by the [[Jumpstarter]]s [[Topspin (G1)\|Topspin]] and [[Twin Twist]], with the assistance of the [[Zodiac]], [[proton energy]], and the telepathic power of [[Katsu Don]] and the [[Zamojin (species)\|Zamojin]]. The Jumpstarters agreed to help Katsu Don create this world because, in 2004, they had already met and befriended Legends natives Whirl and Roadbuster. Thus, Topspin and Twin Twist knew the Legends World was destined to be created because it had already happened. Trippy, right?		** Finally, the Legends World itself emerged from an ontological paradox. The universe was created in the 2030s by the [[Jumpstarter]]s [[Topspin (G1)\|Topspin]] and [[Twin Twist (G1)\|Twin Twist]], with the assistance of the [[Zodiac]], [[proton energy]], and the telepathic power of [[Katsu Don]] and the [[Zamojin (species)\|Zamojin]]. The Jumpstarters agreed to help Katsu Don create this world because, in 2004, they had already met and befriended Legends natives Whirl and Roadbuster. Thus, Topspin and Twin Twist knew the Legends World was destined to be created because it had already happened. Trippy, right?

	==Reception==		==Reception==

The Wadapan: /* Notes */ "never until" is a silly phrase

2025-10-13T14:58:25Z

Notes: "never until" is a silly phrase

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:58, 13 October 2025
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	==Notes==		==Notes==
	*As is to be expected, the characterizations for the cast are derived from the Japanese version of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Japan\|Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release\|Beast Machines]]''. In most instances, these characterizations were ''extremely'' different from their Western counterparts. As such, some of the "gags" might fly over the heads of those unacquainted with the radically different Japanese version of the show.		*As is to be expected, the characterizations for the cast are derived from the Japanese version of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Japan\|Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release\|Beast Machines]]''. In most instances, these characterizations were ''extremely'' different from their Western counterparts. As such, some of the "gags" might fly over the heads of those unacquainted with the radically different Japanese version of the show.
	*In the above promotional image, a version of [[Depth Charge (BW)\|Depth Charge]] accompanied by an [[Megatron (Armada)/toys\|''Armada'' Megatron]] toy (suggesting that he may have been a fan of the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family\|Unicron Trilogy]]) can be glimpsed, but he ~~never appears~~ until near to the very end of the epilogue chapter.		*In the above promotional image, a version of [[Depth Charge (BW)\|Depth Charge]] accompanied by an [[Megatron (Armada)/toys\|''Armada'' Megatron]] toy (suggesting that he may have been a fan of the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family\|Unicron Trilogy]]) can be glimpsed, but he doesn't appear in the comic itself until near to the very end of the epilogue chapter.

	==External links==		==External links==

The Wadapan: we're going to end up needing to swap out all the links on the site for these ones at some point, but I don't want to jinx it in case they give up too. Still I think this is the most complete English TL out there?

2025-09-07T09:07:12Z

we're going to end up needing to swap out all the links on the site for these ones at some point, but I don't want to jinx it in case they give up too. Still I think this is the most complete English TL out there?

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:07, 7 September 2025
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	==External links==		==External links==
	*[http://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/products/tf_lg/tf_lg_comic ''Transformers Legends'' web issues] at the TakaraTomy website		*[http://tf.takaratomy.co.jp/products/tf_lg/tf_lg_comic ''Transformers Legends'' web issues] at the TakaraTomy website
			*[https://mangadex.org/title/0ddf9ab6-081a-4d19-a3d0-72630555d70c/transformers-legends Ongoing unofficial English translation of ''Transformers Legends''] by BlazingTL on MangaDex

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Legends (comic)}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Legends (comic)}}
	[[Category:Manga]]		[[Category:Manga]]
	[[Category:Legends franchise\| ]]		[[Category:Legends franchise\| ]]

Cyberlink420: Protected "Transformers Legends (comic)": No one's touched this page in 2 1/2 years except to muck with the postmortem reception. This is probably for the best. (‎[edit=sysop] (indefinite) ‎[move=sysop] (indefinite))

2025-09-06T03:22:23Z

Protected "Transformers Legends (comic)": No one's touched this page in 2 1/2 years except to muck with the postmortem reception. This is probably for the best. (‎[edit=sysop] (indefinite) ‎[move=sysop] (indefinite))

← Older revision	Revision as of 03:22, 6 September 2025
(No difference)

Cyberlink420 at 03:19, 6 September 2025

2025-09-06T03:19:54Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:19, 6 September 2025
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	*[[2035]] - 2038:		*[[2035]] - 2038:
	** Next, several characters emerge from the 2030s, the furthest point in the Japanese G1 timeline prior to the Beast Era (as of ''Legends''~~<nowiki>~~'~~</nowiki>~~ publication). This is the post-''G-2'' era, briefly chronicled in several e-HOBBY pack-in comics. The resurrection of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)\|Ultra Magnus]] {{storylink\|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue}} and [[Megatron (G1)\|Megatron]] being overthrown by [[Galvatron II]] date to this era. {{storylink\|Legends Vol. 23}} When the Legends world was destroyed, these characters also returned to their original era, thereby arriving in the Japanese cartoon continuity roughly 15 years after other characters who left the collapsing world at the same time. The local inhabitants of the Legends World primarily ended up in this time period after departing. {{storylink\|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two\|Targetmaster Finale, Part Two}}		** Next, several characters emerge from the 2030s, the furthest point in the Japanese G1 timeline prior to the Beast Era (as of ''Legends''{{'}} publication). This is the post-''G-2'' era, briefly chronicled in several e-HOBBY pack-in comics. The resurrection of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)\|Ultra Magnus]] {{storylink\|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue}} and [[Megatron (G1)\|Megatron]] being overthrown by [[Galvatron II]] date to this era. {{storylink\|Legends Vol. 23}} When the Legends world was destroyed, these characters also returned to their original era, thereby arriving in the Japanese cartoon continuity roughly 15 years after other characters who left the collapsing world at the same time. The local inhabitants of the Legends World primarily ended up in this time period after departing. {{storylink\|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two\|Targetmaster Finale, Part Two}}

	*Other:		*Other:

M Sipher: Reverted edits by Electrofrost (talk) to last revision by AkibaSilver

2025-09-06T01:36:17Z

Reverted edits by Electrofrost (talk) to last revision by AkibaSilver

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:36, 6 September 2025
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	{{Nav-Legends}}		{{Nav-Legends}}

	[[File:Legends web comic.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.66\|~~Don't let this creatures fool you. They kill transgender people for food~~.]]		[[File:Legends web comic.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.66\|Making [[e-HOBBY#e-HOBBY exclusive fiction\|e-Hobby]] comics look approachable since 2014.]]
	'''''Transformers Legends''''' (トランスフォーマーレジェンズ ''Toransufōmā Rejenzu'') is a series of comedic comic strips helmed by [[Hayato Sakamoto]] and published online to promote the titular ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)\|Transformers Legends]]'' toyline, with special ''Bonus Edition'' (出張版 ''Shutchōban'') chapters of the comic packed with the toys themselves. Initially showcasing the misadventures of the ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars]]'' cast re-imagined as adult ''Transformers'' fans themselves, ''Legends'' eventually spiraled into one of the most convoluted narratives in the history of the mammoth [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]].		'''''Transformers Legends''''' (トランスフォーマーレジェンズ ''Toransufōmā Rejenzu'') is a series of comedic comic strips helmed by [[Hayato Sakamoto]] and published online to promote the titular ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)\|Transformers Legends]]'' toyline, with special ''Bonus Edition'' (出張版 ''Shutchōban'') chapters of the comic packed with the toys themselves. Initially showcasing the misadventures of the ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars]]'' cast re-imagined as adult ''Transformers'' fans themselves, ''Legends'' eventually spiraled into one of the most convoluted narratives in the history of the mammoth [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]].

	The comic represents something of a second pass at a hard pivot towards Japan's "{{w\|otaku}}" market of adult collectors in the face of the brand's dwindling popularity with children after [[TakaraTomy]]'s disastrous [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)\|first attempt]] in the mid-2000s, ~~appallingly~~ once again trafficking in ~~all~~ of the [[Transformers Legends (comic)#Reception\|~~life-threatening~~ tropes]] endemic to the genre. This time TakaraTomy ~~had~~ seemingly ~~(unfortunately)~~ found their audience, with the comic running for five years from [[2014]] to [[2019]].		The comic represents something of a second pass at a hard pivot towards Japan's "{{w\|otaku}}" market of adult collectors in the face of the brand's dwindling popularity with children after [[TakaraTomy]]'s disastrous [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)\|first attempt]] in the mid-2000s, unfortunately once again trafficking in quite a few of the [[Transformers Legends (comic)#Reception\|questionable tropes]] endemic to the genre. This time TakaraTomy seemingly found their audience, with the comic running for five years from [[2014]] to [[2019]].

	''Legends'' ~~mercilessly~~ concluded when TakaraTomy began a brand unification with Hasbro starting with ''[[Power of the Primes (franchise)\|Power of the Primes]]'', deciding to mainly sell Hasbro toys as is with minimal changes to packaging. It was eventually succeeded by the more action-oriented ~~(and by proxy, transgender-friendly)~~ ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' promoting Hasbro and TakaraTomy's joint ''[[Generations Selects (franchise)\|Generations Selects]]'' imprint.		''Legends'' ultimately concluded when TakaraTomy began a brand unification with Hasbro starting with ''[[Power of the Primes (franchise)\|Power of the Primes]]'', deciding to mainly sell Hasbro toys as is with minimal changes to packaging. It was eventually succeeded by the more action-oriented ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' promoting Hasbro and TakaraTomy's joint ''[[Generations Selects (franchise)\|Generations Selects]]'' imprint.

	==Overview==		==Overview==
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	}}		}}

	''Legends'' begins as a {{w\|yonkoma\|four-panel}} black-&-white comic strip set in a world known as the "[[Legends World]]", where ''Transformers'' is a franchise of toys and fiction—essentially the real world, but instead of people it's populated by [[super deformed]] ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars]]'' characters who don't consider themselves Transformers. The main characters of the comics are the ''Beast Wars'' [[Maximal]]s, reimagined as a group of {{w\|salaryman\|salarymen}} working at the "[[Axalon Trading Company]]" in Japan. They retain their quirky speech patterns from the ~~bigoted~~ Japanese dub of the show. Early jokes revolve around the characters being ''Transformers'' fans themselves, each representing a different facet of the [[fandom]], the main cast being:		''Legends'' begins as a {{w\|yonkoma\|four-panel}} black-&-white comic strip set in a world known as the "[[Legends World]]", where ''Transformers'' is a franchise of toys and fiction—essentially the real world, but instead of people it's populated by [[super deformed]] ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars]]'' characters who don't consider themselves Transformers. The main characters of the comics are the ''Beast Wars'' [[Maximal]]s, reimagined as a group of {{w\|salaryman\|salarymen}} working at the "[[Axalon Trading Company]]" in Japan. They retain their quirky speech patterns from the jovial Japanese dub of the show. Early jokes revolve around the characters being ''Transformers'' fans themselves, each representing a different facet of the [[fandom]], the main cast being:

	*[[Rattrap (BW)\|Rattrap]], the company's new recruit who grew up with and unconditionally loves ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars]]''		*[[Rattrap (BW)\|Rattrap]], the company's new recruit who grew up with and unconditionally loves ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars]]''
Line 192:		Line 192:
	*[[Waspinator (BW)\|Waspinator]], an employee of [[Tera-Kura Co.]], fan of all things ''Transformers'' and expert on minor trivia, he serves to fill the other characters (and readers) in on the more obscure portions of the franchise		*[[Waspinator (BW)\|Waspinator]], an employee of [[Tera-Kura Co.]], fan of all things ''Transformers'' and expert on minor trivia, he serves to fill the other characters (and readers) in on the more obscure portions of the franchise

	Other recurring characters include the lazy, irresponsible [[Cheetor (BW)\|Cheetor]], hungry [[Dinobot (BW)\|Dinobot]], and ~~"transgender punching dummy"~~ {{w\|Office lady\|office ladies}} [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]]. Later strips introduce the Axalon Co.'s rivals, the "[[Tera-Kura Co.]]" led by [[Megatron (BW)\|Megatron]]. Various other inhabitants of the Legends World are versions of ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)\|Car Robots]]'' characters.		Other recurring characters include the lazy, irresponsible [[Cheetor (BW)\|Cheetor]], hungry [[Dinobot (BW)\|Dinobot]], and gender-ambiguous {{w\|Office lady\|office ladies}} [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]]. Later strips introduce the Axalon Co.'s rivals, the "[[Tera-Kura Co.]]" led by [[Megatron (BW)\|Megatron]]. Various other inhabitants of the Legends World are versions of ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)\|Car Robots]]'' characters.

	In its earliest days, the comic revolved primarily around the Axalon employees' everyday misadventures at and around their office, with the full-color toy pack-in strips (Bonus Editions) serving as spotlight adventures for the relevant characters. Over time, the online strips were increasingly used to provide "prologue" and "sequel" chapters for the pack-in comics (often in full color and several pages themselves), creating ongoing serialized storylines. When the toyline began releasing ''[[Titans Return (toyline)\|Titans Return]]'' moulds and dramatically increased its output, the accompanying comics became more story-heavy than ever before, and told a continuing storyline that saw large numbers of characters from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity\|Generation 1 cartoon universe]] take up residence in Legends World. Online chapters became almost entirely reserved for linking story material, with the original-format four-panel gag strips a very infrequent occurrence.		In its earliest days, the comic revolved primarily around the Axalon employees' everyday misadventures at and around their office, with the full-color toy pack-in strips (Bonus Editions) serving as spotlight adventures for the relevant characters. Over time, the online strips were increasingly used to provide "prologue" and "sequel" chapters for the pack-in comics (often in full color and several pages themselves), creating ongoing serialized storylines. When the toyline began releasing ''[[Titans Return (toyline)\|Titans Return]]'' moulds and dramatically increased its output, the accompanying comics became more story-heavy than ever before, and told a continuing storyline that saw large numbers of characters from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity\|Generation 1 cartoon universe]] take up residence in Legends World. Online chapters became almost entirely reserved for linking story material, with the original-format four-panel gag strips a very infrequent occurrence.
Line 242:		Line 242:
	==Reception==		==Reception==
	[[File:TFLegendsAutobotsHalloweenCostumes.jpg\|thumb\|right\|upright=1.4\|Not the [[An Uneventful Night\|Combiner Hunters]]' proudest moment.]]		[[File:TFLegendsAutobotsHalloweenCostumes.jpg\|thumb\|right\|upright=1.4\|Not the [[An Uneventful Night\|Combiner Hunters]]' proudest moment.]]
	''Legends''{{'}} is ~~quite possibly one of the worst pieces of media to ever come out in the Transformers franchise, so we would like to see this forgotten~~...~~but since we need~~ to ~~fill this section, we might as well~~.		Describing ''Legends''{{'}} reception is...''complicated'', to say the least.

	Since the ''Legends'' manga was distributed as toy pack-ins, it’s hard to measure its overall success in numbers. In terms of fan reactions, domestic fans in Japan generally lapped it up ~~sadly~~. While G1 callbacks are par for the course in modern ''Transformers'' media, ''Legends'' regularly went the extra mile in granularity, with regular continuity and story callbacks not just to major fiction like the [[The Transformers: The Movie\|movie]], but specific cartoon episodes; the comic's tendency to tie the long-running [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline\|timeline]] together with various continuity fixes and [[retcon]]s endeared it to nostalgic Japanese fans in a major way. The comedic stylings of the office segments called back the popular gag dub of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars]]'' while also playing on classic Japanese workplace comedy tropes: crazy scenarios, bumbling bosses and exasperated underlings, and so on.		Since the ''Legends'' manga was distributed as toy pack-ins, it’s hard to measure its overall success in numbers. In terms of fan reactions, domestic fans in Japan generally lapped it up. While G1 callbacks are par for the course in modern ''Transformers'' media, ''Legends'' regularly went the extra mile in granularity, with regular continuity and story callbacks not just to major fiction like the [[The Transformers: The Movie\|movie]], but specific cartoon episodes; the comic's tendency to tie the long-running [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline\|timeline]] together with various continuity fixes and [[retcon]]s endeared it to nostalgic Japanese fans in a major way. The comedic stylings of the office segments called back the popular gag dub of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars]]'' while also playing on classic Japanese workplace comedy tropes: crazy scenarios, bumbling bosses and exasperated underlings, and so on.

	~~Thankfully, the~~ western fan reactions were much more ~~negative~~. Its nostalgic pulls relied heavily upon an in-depth knowledge of pre-existing Japanese ''Transformers'' fiction, and the language barrier cannot be overstated: no complete fan translation into English exists, so most western fans were reacting to comics they couldn't actually read and relying on summaries from those who could. The comic is ~~downright a threat to the women~~ for much of its humor becoming increasingly sexual in nature as time went on, with narratives regularly finding excuses for its [[Female Transformer\|female cast]] to wear skimpy outfits and end up in compromising poses. It's important to note here that this sort of thing is sadly pretty par for the course for Japanese nerd media, something its target demographic of toy-buying adult ''otaku'' had long since become desensitized to~~. We personally wish to sanitize them of this and bring back the issues of women suffering~~.		It's not surprising then that western fan reactions were much more mixed. Its nostalgic pulls relied heavily upon an in-depth knowledge of pre-existing Japanese ''Transformers'' fiction, and the language barrier cannot be overstated: no complete fan translation into English exists, so most western fans were reacting to comics they couldn't actually read and relying on summaries from those who could. The comic is infamous for much of its humor becoming increasingly sexual in nature as time went on, with narratives regularly finding excuses for its [[Female Transformer\|female cast]] to wear skimpy outfits and end up in compromising poses. It's important to note here that this sort of thing is sadly pretty par for the course for Japanese nerd media, something its target demographic of toy-buying adult ''otaku'' had long since become desensitized to.

	~~However, in much~~ more ~~distressing matters (even downright ''liable to real-world suicides'')~~ is the comic's consistent use of ~~transphobia as "comedy"~~, following on from similar jokes in the ''Beast Wars'' dub. Notably, [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]] are depicted as ''{{w\|otokonoko}}'' "office ladies", whose female presentation while being male is the focus of entire strips, consisting primarily of characters reacting in shock and confusion upon realizing that "feminine" characters were ~~"""~~"actually"~~""" (read: deliberate misgendering)~~ men. ~~We must note that~~ these depictions ''are'' rooted in the characters' original characterizations in early Japanese media, ~~but for~~ the ~~safety of the sensitive groups they represent~~, this sort of blatant queerphobic humor is ''~~impossible~~'' to accept as the ~~world finally became~~ far more inclusive. Unfortunately, however, this sort of thing is also very common in Japanese nerd media—to say nothing of nerd media in general—and ~~sadly did not result in mass negative backlash, calling for Takara Tomy to dedicate their earnings to transgender and other queer charities and welfare groups. If~~ the ~~time comes, we at TFWiki will commit to dire needs~~ to ~~save our population~~.		Much more unpleasant is the comic's consistent use of transphobic and homophobic humor, following on from similar jokes in the ''Beast Wars'' dub. Notably, [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]] are depicted as ''{{w\|otokonoko}}'' "office ladies", whose female presentation while being male is the focus of entire strips, consisting primarily of characters reacting in shock and confusion upon realizing that "feminine" characters were "actually" men. While these depictions ''are'' rooted in the characters' original characterizations in early Japanese media, and thus can be interpreted as the author taking their existing personalities to their natural conclusion, this sort of blatant queerphobic humor is ''much'' harder to accept in a world where both the franchise and its audience have expanded and become far more inclusive. Unfortunately, however, this sort of thing is also very common in Japanese nerd media—to say nothing of nerd media in general—and again flew over the head of many Japanese readers as being anything worth reacting negatively to.

	Finally, it's important to consider where the source of this content was coming from. While creator Hayato Sakamoto was the primary writer and artist, it shouldn't be forgotten that Takara had to sign off on the whole thing, right up until the end of the ''Legends'' toyline, implying the contents of the comic didn't matter to them as long as the product was being sold, if not suggesting that Takara actively encouraged it. That said, while trends like these would continue into Sakamoto's ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors]]'' spin-off series, its successor ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' ~~thankfully~~ expunged itself of almost all sexual content and comedy in general, largely replacing the "cheesecake" fanservice with "deep fandom lore" fanservice even after Sakamoto took the reins of the project~~. Now if they'll only officially adopt proper transgender representation..~~.		Finally, it's important to consider where the source of this content was coming from. While creator Hayato Sakamoto was the primary writer and artist, it shouldn't be forgotten that Takara had to sign off on the whole thing, right up until the end of the ''Legends'' toyline, implying the contents of the comic didn't matter to them as long as the product was being sold, if not suggesting that Takara actively encouraged it. That said, while trends like these would continue into Sakamoto's ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors]]'' spin-off series, its successor ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' expunged itself of almost all sexual content and comedy in general, largely replacing the "cheesecake" fanservice with "deep fandom lore" fanservice even after Sakamoto took the reins of the project.

	==Notes==		==Notes==

Electrofrost: You want to make it the worst piece of media in TF history? Sure, I'm cool with that. Let me make it more appealing to you all.

2025-09-06T01:15:56Z

You want to make it the worst piece of media in TF history? Sure, I'm cool with that. Let me make it more appealing to you all.

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:08, 6 March 2026
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	*[[Legends Vol. 13\|#13]]		*[[Legends Vol. 13\|#13]]
	*[[Legends Vol. 14\|#14]]		*[[Legends Vol. 14\|#14]]
	*[[~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 1~~\|LG01]]		*[[LG01 Rattrap\|LG01]]
	*[[~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 2~~\|LG02]]		*[[LG02 Optimus Primal\|LG02]]
	*[[Legends Vol. 15\|#15]]		*[[Legends Vol. 15\|#15]]
	*[[~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 3~~\|LG03]]		*[[LG03 Tankor\|LG03]]
	*[[~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 4~~\|LG04]]		*[[LG04 Roadbuster\|LG04]]
	*[[~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 5~~\|LG05]]		*[[LG05 Whirl\|LG05]]
	*[[Merry X'mas!!\|Bonus]]		*[[Merry X'mas!!\|Bonus]]
	*[[Legends Vol. 16\|#16]]		*[[Legends Vol. 16\|#16]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:03, 6 March 2026
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	''Legends'' begins as a {{w\|yonkoma\|four-panel}} black-&-white comic strip set in a world known as the "[[Legends World]]", where ''Transformers'' is a franchise of toys and fiction—essentially the real world, but instead of people it's populated by [[super deformed]] ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars]]'' characters who don't consider themselves Transformers. The main characters of the comics are the ''Beast Wars'' [[Maximal]]s, reimagined as a group of {{w\|salaryman\|salarymen}} working at the "[[Axalon Trading Company]]" in Japan. They retain their quirky speech patterns from the jovial Japanese dub of the show. Early jokes revolve around the characters being ''Transformers'' fans themselves, each representing a different facet of the [[fandom]], the main cast being:		''Legends'' begins as a {{w\|yonkoma\|four-panel}} black-&-white comic strip set in a world known as the "[[Legends World]]", where ''Transformers'' is a franchise of toys and fiction—essentially the real world, but instead of people it's populated by [[super deformed]] ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars]]'' characters who don't consider themselves Transformers. The main characters of the comics are the ''Beast Wars'' [[Maximal]]s, reimagined as a group of {{w\|salaryman\|salarymen}} working at the "[[Axalon Trading Company]]" in Japan. They retain their quirky speech patterns from the jovial Japanese dub of the show. Early jokes revolve around the characters being ''Transformers'' fans themselves, each representing a different facet of the [[fandom]], the main cast being:

	*[[Rattrap (BW)\|Rattrap]], the company's new recruit who grew up with and unconditionally loves ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars]]''		*[[Rattrap (Legends)\|Rattrap]], the company's new recruit who grew up with and unconditionally loves ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars]]''
	*[[Rhinox (BW)\|Rhinox]], a middle-aged man who doesn't care for anything newer than the [[The Transformers (franchise)\|Generation 1]] of his childhood		*[[Rhinox (Legends)\|Rhinox]], a middle-aged man who doesn't care for anything newer than the [[The Transformers (franchise)\|Generation 1]] of his childhood
	*[[Optimus Primal (BW)\|Optimus Primal]], the serious-minded boss who has no interest in toys himself, but does buy them for his son [[Optimus Minor\|Minor]]		*[[Optimus Primal (Legends)\|Optimus Primal]], the serious-minded boss who has no interest in toys himself, but does buy them for his son [[Optimus Minor\|Minor]]
	*[[Silverbolt (~~Fuzor~~)\|Silverbolt]], a young excitable part-timer and fan of the recent [[live-action film series]]		*[[Silverbolt (Legends)\|Silverbolt]], a young excitable part-timer and fan of the recent [[live-action film series]]
	*[[Tigatron]], a moe otaku who only likes ''Transformers'' franchises with cute girls, like ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)\|Kiss Players]]''		*[[Tigatron (Legends)\|Tigatron]], a moe otaku who only likes ''Transformers'' franchises with cute girls, like ''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)\|Kiss Players]]''
	*[[Waspinator (BW)\|Waspinator]], an employee of [[Tera-Kura Co.]], fan of all things ''Transformers'' and expert on minor trivia, he serves to fill the other characters (and readers) in on the more obscure portions of the franchise		*[[Waspinator (Legends)\|Waspinator]], an employee of [[Tera-Kura Co.]], fan of all things ''Transformers'' and expert on minor trivia, he serves to fill the other characters (and readers) in on the more obscure portions of the franchise

	Other recurring characters include the lazy, irresponsible [[Cheetor (BW)\|Cheetor]], hungry [[Dinobot (BW)\|Dinobot]], and gender-ambiguous {{w\|Office lady\|office ladies}} [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]]. Later strips introduce the Axalon Co.'s rivals, the "[[Tera-Kura Co.]]" led by [[Megatron (BW)\|Megatron]]. Various other inhabitants of the Legends World are versions of ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)\|Car Robots]]'' characters.		Other recurring characters include the lazy, irresponsible [[Cheetor (Legends)\|Cheetor]], hungry [[Dinobot (Legends)\|Dinobot]], and gender-ambiguous {{w\|Office lady\|office ladies}} [[Airazor (Legends)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (Legends)\|Nightscream]]. Later strips introduce the Axalon Co.'s rivals, the "[[Tera-Kura Co.]]" led by [[Megatron (Legends)\|Megatron]]. Various other inhabitants of the Legends World are versions of ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)\|Car Robots]]'' characters.

	In its earliest days, the comic revolved primarily around the Axalon employees' everyday misadventures at and around their office, with the full-color toy pack-in strips (Bonus Editions) serving as spotlight adventures for the relevant characters. Over time, the online strips were increasingly used to provide "prologue" and "sequel" chapters for the pack-in comics (often in full color and several pages themselves), creating ongoing serialized storylines. When the toyline began releasing ''[[Titans Return (toyline)\|Titans Return]]'' moulds and dramatically increased its output, the accompanying comics became more story-heavy than ever before, and told a continuing storyline that saw large numbers of characters from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity\|Generation 1 cartoon universe]] take up residence in Legends World. Online chapters became almost entirely reserved for linking story material, with the original-format four-panel gag strips a very infrequent occurrence.		In its earliest days, the comic revolved primarily around the Axalon employees' everyday misadventures at and around their office, with the full-color toy pack-in strips (Bonus Editions) serving as spotlight adventures for the relevant characters. Over time, the online strips were increasingly used to provide "prologue" and "sequel" chapters for the pack-in comics (often in full color and several pages themselves), creating ongoing serialized storylines. When the toyline began releasing ''[[Titans Return (toyline)\|Titans Return]]'' moulds and dramatically increased its output, the accompanying comics became more story-heavy than ever before, and told a continuing storyline that saw large numbers of characters from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity\|Generation 1 cartoon universe]] take up residence in Legends World. Online chapters became almost entirely reserved for linking story material, with the original-format four-panel gag strips a very infrequent occurrence.
Line 226:		Line 226:

	*[[2004]]:		*[[2004]]:
	** In early ''Legends'' comics, [[Sky-Byte (RID)\|Sky-Byte]] and [[Jetfire (G1)\|Jetfire]] arrive in the Legends World from 2004. This era takes place four years after the events of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)\|Car Robots]]'' and is roughly parallel to the events of ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)\|Robotmasters]]''. Jetfire returned to 2004 with Legends natives [[Whirl (G1)\|Whirl]] and [[Roadbuster (G1)\|Roadbuster]], introducing them to the timeline. {{storylink\|~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol. 7~~}} [[Scourge (RID)\|Scourge]] also arrives in the Legends World from roughly the same era, and departs with Sky-Byte. {{storylink\|~~Legends Comic: Bonus Edition Vol.~~ EX ~~(Scourge)~~}} However, the two of them resurface circa 2021. {{storylink\|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}}		** In early ''Legends'' comics, [[Sky-Byte (RID)\|Sky-Byte]] and [[Jetfire (G1)\|Jetfire]] arrive in the Legends World from 2004. This era takes place four years after the events of ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)\|Car Robots]]'' and is roughly parallel to the events of ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)\|Robotmasters]]''. Jetfire returned to 2004 with Legends natives [[Whirl (G1)\|Whirl]] and [[Roadbuster (G1)\|Roadbuster]], introducing them to the timeline. {{storylink\|LG07 Jetfire}} [[Scourge (RID)\|Scourge]] also arrives in the Legends World from roughly the same era, and departs with Sky-Byte. {{storylink\|LG-EX Black Convoy}} However, the two of them resurface circa 2021. {{storylink\|Ruination Chapter, Part Two}}

	*[[2021]]:		*[[2021]]:
Line 232:		Line 232:

	*[[2035]] - 2038:		*[[2035]] - 2038:
	** Next, several characters emerge from the 2030s, the furthest point in the Japanese G1 timeline prior to the Beast Era (as of ''Legends''{{'}} publication). This is the post-''G-2'' era, briefly chronicled in several e-HOBBY pack-in comics. The resurrection of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)\|Ultra Magnus]] {{storylink\|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue}} and [[Megatron (G1)\|Megatron]] being overthrown by [[Galvatron II]] date to this era. {{storylink\|Legends Vol. 23}} When the Legends world was destroyed, these characters also returned to their original era, thereby arriving in the Japanese cartoon continuity roughly 15 years after other characters who left the collapsing world at the same time. The local inhabitants of the Legends World primarily ended up in this time period after departing. {{storylink\|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two\|Targetmaster Finale, Part Two}}		** Next, several characters emerge from the 2030s, the furthest point in the Japanese G1 timeline prior to the Beast Era (as of ''Legends''{{'}} publication). This is the post-''G-2'' era, briefly chronicled in several e-HOBBY pack-in comics. The resurrection of [[Ultra Magnus (G1)\|Ultra Magnus]] {{storylink\|LG14 Ultra Magnus Prologue Part 1: Resurrection Chapter}} and [[Megatron (G1)\|Megatron]] being overthrown by [[Galvatron II]] date to this era. {{storylink\|Legends Vol. 23}} When the Legends world was destroyed, these characters also returned to their original era, thereby arriving in the Japanese cartoon continuity roughly 15 years after other characters who left the collapsing world at the same time. The local inhabitants of the Legends World primarily ended up in this time period after departing. {{storylink\|Targetmaster Chapter Finale: Legends World in Imminent Danger! Part Two\|Targetmaster Finale, Part Two}}

	*Other:		*Other:
Line 248:		Line 248:
	It's not surprising then that western fan reactions were much more mixed. Its nostalgic pulls relied heavily upon an in-depth knowledge of pre-existing Japanese ''Transformers'' fiction, and the language barrier cannot be overstated: no complete fan translation into English exists, so most western fans were reacting to comics they couldn't actually read and relying on summaries from those who could. The comic is infamous for much of its humor becoming increasingly sexual in nature as time went on, with narratives regularly finding excuses for its [[Female Transformer\|female cast]] to wear skimpy outfits and end up in compromising poses. It's important to note here that this sort of thing is sadly pretty par for the course for Japanese nerd media, something its target demographic of toy-buying adult ''otaku'' had long since become desensitized to.		It's not surprising then that western fan reactions were much more mixed. Its nostalgic pulls relied heavily upon an in-depth knowledge of pre-existing Japanese ''Transformers'' fiction, and the language barrier cannot be overstated: no complete fan translation into English exists, so most western fans were reacting to comics they couldn't actually read and relying on summaries from those who could. The comic is infamous for much of its humor becoming increasingly sexual in nature as time went on, with narratives regularly finding excuses for its [[Female Transformer\|female cast]] to wear skimpy outfits and end up in compromising poses. It's important to note here that this sort of thing is sadly pretty par for the course for Japanese nerd media, something its target demographic of toy-buying adult ''otaku'' had long since become desensitized to.

	Much more unpleasant is the comic's consistent use of transphobic and homophobic humor, following on from similar jokes in the ''Beast Wars'' dub. Notably, [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]] are depicted as ''{{w\|otokonoko}}'' "office ladies", whose female presentation while being male is the focus of entire strips, consisting primarily of characters reacting in shock and confusion upon realizing that "feminine" characters were "actually" men. While these depictions ''are'' rooted in the characters' original characterizations in early Japanese media, and thus can be interpreted as the author taking their existing personalities to their natural conclusion, this sort of blatant queerphobic humor is ''much'' harder to accept in a world where both the franchise and its audience have expanded and become far more inclusive. Unfortunately, however, this sort of thing is also very common in Japanese nerd media—to say nothing of nerd media in general—and again flew over the head of many Japanese readers as being anything worth reacting negatively to.		Much more unpleasant is the comic's consistent use of transphobic and homophobic humor, following on from similar jokes in the ''Beast Wars'' dub. Notably, [[Airazor (Legends)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (Legends)\|Nightscream]] are depicted as ''{{w\|otokonoko}}'' "office ladies", whose female presentation while being male is the focus of entire strips, consisting primarily of characters reacting in shock and confusion upon realizing that "feminine" characters were "actually" men. While these depictions ''are'' rooted in the characters' original characterizations in early Japanese media, and thus can be interpreted as the author taking their existing personalities to their natural conclusion, this sort of blatant queerphobic humor is ''much'' harder to accept in a world where both the franchise and its audience have expanded and become far more inclusive. Unfortunately, however, this sort of thing is also very common in Japanese nerd media—to say nothing of nerd media in general—and again flew over the head of many Japanese readers as being anything worth reacting negatively to.

	Finally, it's important to consider where the source of this content was coming from. While creator Hayato Sakamoto was the primary writer and artist, it shouldn't be forgotten that Takara had to sign off on the whole thing, right up until the end of the ''Legends'' toyline, implying the contents of the comic didn't matter to them as long as the product was being sold, if not suggesting that Takara actively encouraged it. That said, while trends like these would continue into Sakamoto's ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors]]'' spin-off series, its successor ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' expunged itself of almost all sexual content and comedy in general, largely replacing the "cheesecake" fanservice with "deep fandom lore" fanservice even after Sakamoto took the reins of the project.		Finally, it's important to consider where the source of this content was coming from. While creator Hayato Sakamoto was the primary writer and artist, it shouldn't be forgotten that Takara had to sign off on the whole thing, right up until the end of the ''Legends'' toyline, implying the contents of the comic didn't matter to them as long as the product was being sold, if not suggesting that Takara actively encouraged it. That said, while trends like these would continue into Sakamoto's ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors]]'' spin-off series, its successor ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' expunged itself of almost all sexual content and comedy in general, largely replacing the "cheesecake" fanservice with "deep fandom lore" fanservice even after Sakamoto took the reins of the project.
Line 254:		Line 254:
	==Notes==		==Notes==
	*As is to be expected, the characterizations for the cast are derived from the Japanese version of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Japan\|Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release\|Beast Machines]]''. In most instances, these characterizations were ''extremely'' different from their Western counterparts. As such, some of the "gags" might fly over the heads of those unacquainted with the radically different Japanese version of the show.		*As is to be expected, the characterizations for the cast are derived from the Japanese version of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Japan\|Beast Wars]]'' and ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)#Japanese release\|Beast Machines]]''. In most instances, these characterizations were ''extremely'' different from their Western counterparts. As such, some of the "gags" might fly over the heads of those unacquainted with the radically different Japanese version of the show.
	*In the above promotional image, a version of [[Depth Charge (BW)\|Depth Charge]] accompanied by an [[Megatron (Armada)/toys\|''Armada'' Megatron]] toy (suggesting that he may have been a fan of the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family\|Unicron Trilogy]]) can be glimpsed, but he doesn't appear in the comic itself until near to the very end of the epilogue chapter.		*In the above promotional image, a version of [[Depth Charge (Legends)\|Depth Charge]] accompanied by an [[Megatron (Armada)/toys\|''Armada'' Megatron]] toy (suggesting that he may have been a fan of the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family\|Unicron Trilogy]]) can be glimpsed, but he doesn't appear in the comic itself until near to the very end of the epilogue chapter.

	==External links==		==External links==

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:36, 6 September 2025
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	{{Nav-Legends}}		{{Nav-Legends}}

	[[File:Legends web comic.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.66\|~~Don't let this creatures fool you. They kill transgender people for food~~.]]		[[File:Legends web comic.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.66\|Making [[e-HOBBY#e-HOBBY exclusive fiction\|e-Hobby]] comics look approachable since 2014.]]
	'''''Transformers Legends''''' (トランスフォーマーレジェンズ ''Toransufōmā Rejenzu'') is a series of comedic comic strips helmed by [[Hayato Sakamoto]] and published online to promote the titular ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)\|Transformers Legends]]'' toyline, with special ''Bonus Edition'' (出張版 ''Shutchōban'') chapters of the comic packed with the toys themselves. Initially showcasing the misadventures of the ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars]]'' cast re-imagined as adult ''Transformers'' fans themselves, ''Legends'' eventually spiraled into one of the most convoluted narratives in the history of the mammoth [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]].		'''''Transformers Legends''''' (トランスフォーマーレジェンズ ''Toransufōmā Rejenzu'') is a series of comedic comic strips helmed by [[Hayato Sakamoto]] and published online to promote the titular ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)\|Transformers Legends]]'' toyline, with special ''Bonus Edition'' (出張版 ''Shutchōban'') chapters of the comic packed with the toys themselves. Initially showcasing the misadventures of the ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars]]'' cast re-imagined as adult ''Transformers'' fans themselves, ''Legends'' eventually spiraled into one of the most convoluted narratives in the history of the mammoth [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]].

	The comic represents something of a second pass at a hard pivot towards Japan's "{{w\|otaku}}" market of adult collectors in the face of the brand's dwindling popularity with children after [[TakaraTomy]]'s disastrous [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)\|first attempt]] in the mid-2000s, ~~appallingly~~ once again trafficking in ~~all~~ of the [[Transformers Legends (comic)#Reception\|~~life-threatening~~ tropes]] endemic to the genre. This time TakaraTomy ~~had~~ seemingly ~~(unfortunately)~~ found their audience, with the comic running for five years from [[2014]] to [[2019]].		The comic represents something of a second pass at a hard pivot towards Japan's "{{w\|otaku}}" market of adult collectors in the face of the brand's dwindling popularity with children after [[TakaraTomy]]'s disastrous [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)\|first attempt]] in the mid-2000s, unfortunately once again trafficking in quite a few of the [[Transformers Legends (comic)#Reception\|questionable tropes]] endemic to the genre. This time TakaraTomy seemingly found their audience, with the comic running for five years from [[2014]] to [[2019]].

	''Legends'' ~~mercilessly~~ concluded when TakaraTomy began a brand unification with Hasbro starting with ''[[Power of the Primes (franchise)\|Power of the Primes]]'', deciding to mainly sell Hasbro toys as is with minimal changes to packaging. It was eventually succeeded by the more action-oriented ~~(and by proxy, transgender-friendly)~~ ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' promoting Hasbro and TakaraTomy's joint ''[[Generations Selects (franchise)\|Generations Selects]]'' imprint.		''Legends'' ultimately concluded when TakaraTomy began a brand unification with Hasbro starting with ''[[Power of the Primes (franchise)\|Power of the Primes]]'', deciding to mainly sell Hasbro toys as is with minimal changes to packaging. It was eventually succeeded by the more action-oriented ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' promoting Hasbro and TakaraTomy's joint ''[[Generations Selects (franchise)\|Generations Selects]]'' imprint.

	==Overview==		==Overview==
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	}}		}}

	''Legends'' begins as a {{w\|yonkoma\|four-panel}} black-&-white comic strip set in a world known as the "[[Legends World]]", where ''Transformers'' is a franchise of toys and fiction—essentially the real world, but instead of people it's populated by [[super deformed]] ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars]]'' characters who don't consider themselves Transformers. The main characters of the comics are the ''Beast Wars'' [[Maximal]]s, reimagined as a group of {{w\|salaryman\|salarymen}} working at the "[[Axalon Trading Company]]" in Japan. They retain their quirky speech patterns from the ~~bigoted~~ Japanese dub of the show. Early jokes revolve around the characters being ''Transformers'' fans themselves, each representing a different facet of the [[fandom]], the main cast being:		''Legends'' begins as a {{w\|yonkoma\|four-panel}} black-&-white comic strip set in a world known as the "[[Legends World]]", where ''Transformers'' is a franchise of toys and fiction—essentially the real world, but instead of people it's populated by [[super deformed]] ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars]]'' characters who don't consider themselves Transformers. The main characters of the comics are the ''Beast Wars'' [[Maximal]]s, reimagined as a group of {{w\|salaryman\|salarymen}} working at the "[[Axalon Trading Company]]" in Japan. They retain their quirky speech patterns from the jovial Japanese dub of the show. Early jokes revolve around the characters being ''Transformers'' fans themselves, each representing a different facet of the [[fandom]], the main cast being:

	*[[Rattrap (BW)\|Rattrap]], the company's new recruit who grew up with and unconditionally loves ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars]]''		*[[Rattrap (BW)\|Rattrap]], the company's new recruit who grew up with and unconditionally loves ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars]]''
Line 192:		Line 192:
	*[[Waspinator (BW)\|Waspinator]], an employee of [[Tera-Kura Co.]], fan of all things ''Transformers'' and expert on minor trivia, he serves to fill the other characters (and readers) in on the more obscure portions of the franchise		*[[Waspinator (BW)\|Waspinator]], an employee of [[Tera-Kura Co.]], fan of all things ''Transformers'' and expert on minor trivia, he serves to fill the other characters (and readers) in on the more obscure portions of the franchise

	Other recurring characters include the lazy, irresponsible [[Cheetor (BW)\|Cheetor]], hungry [[Dinobot (BW)\|Dinobot]], and ~~"transgender punching dummy"~~ {{w\|Office lady\|office ladies}} [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]]. Later strips introduce the Axalon Co.'s rivals, the "[[Tera-Kura Co.]]" led by [[Megatron (BW)\|Megatron]]. Various other inhabitants of the Legends World are versions of ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)\|Car Robots]]'' characters.		Other recurring characters include the lazy, irresponsible [[Cheetor (BW)\|Cheetor]], hungry [[Dinobot (BW)\|Dinobot]], and gender-ambiguous {{w\|Office lady\|office ladies}} [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]]. Later strips introduce the Axalon Co.'s rivals, the "[[Tera-Kura Co.]]" led by [[Megatron (BW)\|Megatron]]. Various other inhabitants of the Legends World are versions of ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)\|Car Robots]]'' characters.

	In its earliest days, the comic revolved primarily around the Axalon employees' everyday misadventures at and around their office, with the full-color toy pack-in strips (Bonus Editions) serving as spotlight adventures for the relevant characters. Over time, the online strips were increasingly used to provide "prologue" and "sequel" chapters for the pack-in comics (often in full color and several pages themselves), creating ongoing serialized storylines. When the toyline began releasing ''[[Titans Return (toyline)\|Titans Return]]'' moulds and dramatically increased its output, the accompanying comics became more story-heavy than ever before, and told a continuing storyline that saw large numbers of characters from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity\|Generation 1 cartoon universe]] take up residence in Legends World. Online chapters became almost entirely reserved for linking story material, with the original-format four-panel gag strips a very infrequent occurrence.		In its earliest days, the comic revolved primarily around the Axalon employees' everyday misadventures at and around their office, with the full-color toy pack-in strips (Bonus Editions) serving as spotlight adventures for the relevant characters. Over time, the online strips were increasingly used to provide "prologue" and "sequel" chapters for the pack-in comics (often in full color and several pages themselves), creating ongoing serialized storylines. When the toyline began releasing ''[[Titans Return (toyline)\|Titans Return]]'' moulds and dramatically increased its output, the accompanying comics became more story-heavy than ever before, and told a continuing storyline that saw large numbers of characters from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity\|Generation 1 cartoon universe]] take up residence in Legends World. Online chapters became almost entirely reserved for linking story material, with the original-format four-panel gag strips a very infrequent occurrence.
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	==Reception==		==Reception==
	[[File:TFLegendsAutobotsHalloweenCostumes.jpg\|thumb\|right\|upright=1.4\|Not the [[An Uneventful Night\|Combiner Hunters]]' proudest moment.]]		[[File:TFLegendsAutobotsHalloweenCostumes.jpg\|thumb\|right\|upright=1.4\|Not the [[An Uneventful Night\|Combiner Hunters]]' proudest moment.]]
	''Legends''{{'}} is ~~quite possibly one of the worst pieces of media to ever come out in the Transformers franchise, so we would like to see this forgotten~~...~~but since we need~~ to ~~fill this section, we might as well~~.		Describing ''Legends''{{'}} reception is...''complicated'', to say the least.

	Since the ''Legends'' manga was distributed as toy pack-ins, it’s hard to measure its overall success in numbers. In terms of fan reactions, domestic fans in Japan generally lapped it up ~~sadly~~. While G1 callbacks are par for the course in modern ''Transformers'' media, ''Legends'' regularly went the extra mile in granularity, with regular continuity and story callbacks not just to major fiction like the [[The Transformers: The Movie\|movie]], but specific cartoon episodes; the comic's tendency to tie the long-running [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline\|timeline]] together with various continuity fixes and [[retcon]]s endeared it to nostalgic Japanese fans in a major way. The comedic stylings of the office segments called back the popular gag dub of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars]]'' while also playing on classic Japanese workplace comedy tropes: crazy scenarios, bumbling bosses and exasperated underlings, and so on.		Since the ''Legends'' manga was distributed as toy pack-ins, it’s hard to measure its overall success in numbers. In terms of fan reactions, domestic fans in Japan generally lapped it up. While G1 callbacks are par for the course in modern ''Transformers'' media, ''Legends'' regularly went the extra mile in granularity, with regular continuity and story callbacks not just to major fiction like the [[The Transformers: The Movie\|movie]], but specific cartoon episodes; the comic's tendency to tie the long-running [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon timeline\|timeline]] together with various continuity fixes and [[retcon]]s endeared it to nostalgic Japanese fans in a major way. The comedic stylings of the office segments called back the popular gag dub of ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)#Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars]]'' while also playing on classic Japanese workplace comedy tropes: crazy scenarios, bumbling bosses and exasperated underlings, and so on.

	~~Thankfully, the~~ western fan reactions were much more ~~negative~~. Its nostalgic pulls relied heavily upon an in-depth knowledge of pre-existing Japanese ''Transformers'' fiction, and the language barrier cannot be overstated: no complete fan translation into English exists, so most western fans were reacting to comics they couldn't actually read and relying on summaries from those who could. The comic is ~~downright a threat to the women~~ for much of its humor becoming increasingly sexual in nature as time went on, with narratives regularly finding excuses for its [[Female Transformer\|female cast]] to wear skimpy outfits and end up in compromising poses. It's important to note here that this sort of thing is sadly pretty par for the course for Japanese nerd media, something its target demographic of toy-buying adult ''otaku'' had long since become desensitized to~~. We personally wish to sanitize them of this and bring back the issues of women suffering~~.		It's not surprising then that western fan reactions were much more mixed. Its nostalgic pulls relied heavily upon an in-depth knowledge of pre-existing Japanese ''Transformers'' fiction, and the language barrier cannot be overstated: no complete fan translation into English exists, so most western fans were reacting to comics they couldn't actually read and relying on summaries from those who could. The comic is infamous for much of its humor becoming increasingly sexual in nature as time went on, with narratives regularly finding excuses for its [[Female Transformer\|female cast]] to wear skimpy outfits and end up in compromising poses. It's important to note here that this sort of thing is sadly pretty par for the course for Japanese nerd media, something its target demographic of toy-buying adult ''otaku'' had long since become desensitized to.

	~~However, in much~~ more ~~distressing matters (even downright ''liable to real-world suicides'')~~ is the comic's consistent use of ~~transphobia as "comedy"~~, following on from similar jokes in the ''Beast Wars'' dub. Notably, [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]] are depicted as ''{{w\|otokonoko}}'' "office ladies", whose female presentation while being male is the focus of entire strips, consisting primarily of characters reacting in shock and confusion upon realizing that "feminine" characters were ~~"""~~"actually"~~""" (read: deliberate misgendering)~~ men. ~~We must note that~~ these depictions ''are'' rooted in the characters' original characterizations in early Japanese media, ~~but for~~ the ~~safety of the sensitive groups they represent~~, this sort of blatant queerphobic humor is ''~~impossible~~'' to accept as the ~~world finally became~~ far more inclusive. Unfortunately, however, this sort of thing is also very common in Japanese nerd media—to say nothing of nerd media in general—and ~~sadly did not result in mass negative backlash, calling for Takara Tomy to dedicate their earnings to transgender and other queer charities and welfare groups. If~~ the ~~time comes, we at TFWiki will commit to dire needs~~ to ~~save our population~~.		Much more unpleasant is the comic's consistent use of transphobic and homophobic humor, following on from similar jokes in the ''Beast Wars'' dub. Notably, [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]] are depicted as ''{{w\|otokonoko}}'' "office ladies", whose female presentation while being male is the focus of entire strips, consisting primarily of characters reacting in shock and confusion upon realizing that "feminine" characters were "actually" men. While these depictions ''are'' rooted in the characters' original characterizations in early Japanese media, and thus can be interpreted as the author taking their existing personalities to their natural conclusion, this sort of blatant queerphobic humor is ''much'' harder to accept in a world where both the franchise and its audience have expanded and become far more inclusive. Unfortunately, however, this sort of thing is also very common in Japanese nerd media—to say nothing of nerd media in general—and again flew over the head of many Japanese readers as being anything worth reacting negatively to.

	Finally, it's important to consider where the source of this content was coming from. While creator Hayato Sakamoto was the primary writer and artist, it shouldn't be forgotten that Takara had to sign off on the whole thing, right up until the end of the ''Legends'' toyline, implying the contents of the comic didn't matter to them as long as the product was being sold, if not suggesting that Takara actively encouraged it. That said, while trends like these would continue into Sakamoto's ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors]]'' spin-off series, its successor ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' ~~thankfully~~ expunged itself of almost all sexual content and comedy in general, largely replacing the "cheesecake" fanservice with "deep fandom lore" fanservice even after Sakamoto took the reins of the project~~. Now if they'll only officially adopt proper transgender representation..~~.		Finally, it's important to consider where the source of this content was coming from. While creator Hayato Sakamoto was the primary writer and artist, it shouldn't be forgotten that Takara had to sign off on the whole thing, right up until the end of the ''Legends'' toyline, implying the contents of the comic didn't matter to them as long as the product was being sold, if not suggesting that Takara actively encouraged it. That said, while trends like these would continue into Sakamoto's ''[[Transformers Unite Warriors]]'' spin-off series, its successor ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' expunged itself of almost all sexual content and comedy in general, largely replacing the "cheesecake" fanservice with "deep fandom lore" fanservice even after Sakamoto took the reins of the project.

	==Notes==		==Notes==

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:15, 6 September 2025
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	{{Nav-Legends}}		{{Nav-Legends}}

	[[File:Legends web comic.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.66\|~~Making [[e-HOBBY#e-HOBBY exclusive fiction\|e-Hobby]] comics look approachable since 2014~~.]]		[[File:Legends web comic.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.66\|Don't let this creatures fool you. They kill transgender people for food.]]
	'''''Transformers Legends''''' (トランスフォーマーレジェンズ ''Toransufōmā Rejenzu'') is a series of comedic comic strips helmed by [[Hayato Sakamoto]] and published online to promote the titular ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)\|Transformers Legends]]'' toyline, with special ''Bonus Edition'' (出張版 ''Shutchōban'') chapters of the comic packed with the toys themselves. Initially showcasing the misadventures of the ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars]]'' cast re-imagined as adult ''Transformers'' fans themselves, ''Legends'' eventually spiraled into one of the most convoluted narratives in the history of the mammoth [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]].		'''''Transformers Legends''''' (トランスフォーマーレジェンズ ''Toransufōmā Rejenzu'') is a series of comedic comic strips helmed by [[Hayato Sakamoto]] and published online to promote the titular ''[[Transformers Legends (franchise)\|Transformers Legends]]'' toyline, with special ''Bonus Edition'' (出張版 ''Shutchōban'') chapters of the comic packed with the toys themselves. Initially showcasing the misadventures of the ''[[Beast Wars: Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars]]'' cast re-imagined as adult ''Transformers'' fans themselves, ''Legends'' eventually spiraled into one of the most convoluted narratives in the history of the mammoth [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity]].

	The comic represents something of a second pass at a hard pivot towards Japan's "{{w\|otaku}}" market of adult collectors in the face of the brand's dwindling popularity with children after [[TakaraTomy]]'s disastrous [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)\|first attempt]] in the mid-2000s, ~~unfortunately~~ once again trafficking in ~~quite a few~~ of the [[Transformers Legends (comic)#Reception\|~~questionable~~ tropes]] endemic to the genre. This time TakaraTomy seemingly found their audience, with the comic running for five years from [[2014]] to [[2019]].		The comic represents something of a second pass at a hard pivot towards Japan's "{{w\|otaku}}" market of adult collectors in the face of the brand's dwindling popularity with children after [[TakaraTomy]]'s disastrous [[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)\|first attempt]] in the mid-2000s, appallingly once again trafficking in all of the [[Transformers Legends (comic)#Reception\|life-threatening tropes]] endemic to the genre. This time TakaraTomy had seemingly (unfortunately) found their audience, with the comic running for five years from [[2014]] to [[2019]].

	''Legends'' ~~ultimately~~ concluded when TakaraTomy began a brand unification with Hasbro starting with ''[[Power of the Primes (franchise)\|Power of the Primes]]'', deciding to mainly sell Hasbro toys as is with minimal changes to packaging. It was eventually succeeded by the more action-oriented ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' promoting Hasbro and TakaraTomy's joint ''[[Generations Selects (franchise)\|Generations Selects]]'' imprint.		''Legends'' mercilessly concluded when TakaraTomy began a brand unification with Hasbro starting with ''[[Power of the Primes (franchise)\|Power of the Primes]]'', deciding to mainly sell Hasbro toys as is with minimal changes to packaging. It was eventually succeeded by the more action-oriented (and by proxy, transgender-friendly) ''[[Generations Selects Special Comic]]'' promoting Hasbro and TakaraTomy's joint ''[[Generations Selects (franchise)\|Generations Selects]]'' imprint.

	==Overview==		==Overview==
Line 183:		Line 183:
	}}		}}

	''Legends'' begins as a {{w\|yonkoma\|four-panel}} black-&-white comic strip set in a world known as the "[[Legends World]]", where ''Transformers'' is a franchise of toys and fiction—essentially the real world, but instead of people it's populated by [[super deformed]] ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars]]'' characters who don't consider themselves Transformers. The main characters of the comics are the ''Beast Wars'' [[Maximal]]s, reimagined as a group of {{w\|salaryman\|salarymen}} working at the "[[Axalon Trading Company]]" in Japan. They retain their quirky speech patterns from the ~~jovial~~ Japanese dub of the show. Early jokes revolve around the characters being ''Transformers'' fans themselves, each representing a different facet of the [[fandom]], the main cast being:		''Legends'' begins as a {{w\|yonkoma\|four-panel}} black-&-white comic strip set in a world known as the "[[Legends World]]", where ''Transformers'' is a franchise of toys and fiction—essentially the real world, but instead of people it's populated by [[super deformed]] ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars]]'' characters who don't consider themselves Transformers. The main characters of the comics are the ''Beast Wars'' [[Maximal]]s, reimagined as a group of {{w\|salaryman\|salarymen}} working at the "[[Axalon Trading Company]]" in Japan. They retain their quirky speech patterns from the bigoted Japanese dub of the show. Early jokes revolve around the characters being ''Transformers'' fans themselves, each representing a different facet of the [[fandom]], the main cast being:

	*[[Rattrap (BW)\|Rattrap]], the company's new recruit who grew up with and unconditionally loves ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars]]''		*[[Rattrap (BW)\|Rattrap]], the company's new recruit who grew up with and unconditionally loves ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars]]''
Line 192:		Line 192:
	*[[Waspinator (BW)\|Waspinator]], an employee of [[Tera-Kura Co.]], fan of all things ''Transformers'' and expert on minor trivia, he serves to fill the other characters (and readers) in on the more obscure portions of the franchise		*[[Waspinator (BW)\|Waspinator]], an employee of [[Tera-Kura Co.]], fan of all things ''Transformers'' and expert on minor trivia, he serves to fill the other characters (and readers) in on the more obscure portions of the franchise

	Other recurring characters include the lazy, irresponsible [[Cheetor (BW)\|Cheetor]], hungry [[Dinobot (BW)\|Dinobot]], and ~~gender-ambiguous~~ {{w\|Office lady\|office ladies}} [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]]. Later strips introduce the Axalon Co.'s rivals, the "[[Tera-Kura Co.]]" led by [[Megatron (BW)\|Megatron]]. Various other inhabitants of the Legends World are versions of ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)\|Car Robots]]'' characters.		Other recurring characters include the lazy, irresponsible [[Cheetor (BW)\|Cheetor]], hungry [[Dinobot (BW)\|Dinobot]], and "transgender punching dummy" {{w\|Office lady\|office ladies}} [[Airazor (BW)\|Airazor]] and [[Nightscream (BM)\|Nightscream]]. Later strips introduce the Axalon Co.'s rivals, the "[[Tera-Kura Co.]]" led by [[Megatron (BW)\|Megatron]]. Various other inhabitants of the Legends World are versions of ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)\|Beast Wars II]]'', ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'', and ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)\|Car Robots]]'' characters.

	In its earliest days, the comic revolved primarily around the Axalon employees' everyday misadventures at and around their office, with the full-color toy pack-in strips (Bonus Editions) serving as spotlight adventures for the relevant characters. Over time, the online strips were increasingly used to provide "prologue" and "sequel" chapters for the pack-in comics (often in full color and several pages themselves), creating ongoing serialized storylines. When the toyline began releasing ''[[Titans Return (toyline)\|Titans Return]]'' moulds and dramatically increased its output, the accompanying comics became more story-heavy than ever before, and told a continuing storyline that saw large numbers of characters from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity\|Generation 1 cartoon universe]] take up residence in Legends World. Online chapters became almost entirely reserved for linking story material, with the original-format four-panel gag strips a very infrequent occurrence.		In its earliest days, the comic revolved primarily around the Axalon employees' everyday misadventures at and around their office, with the full-color toy pack-in strips (Bonus Editions) serving as spotlight adventures for the relevant characters. Over time, the online strips were increasingly used to provide "prologue" and "sequel" chapters for the pack-in comics (often in full color and several pages themselves), creating ongoing serialized storylines. When the toyline began releasing ''[[Titans Return (toyline)\|Titans Return]]'' moulds and dramatically increased its output, the accompanying comics became more story-heavy than ever before, and told a continuing storyline that saw large numbers of characters from the [[Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity\|Generation 1 cartoon universe]] take up residence in Legends World. Online chapters became almost entirely reserved for linking story material, with the original-format four-panel gag strips a very infrequent occurrence.