User:Fanofcoolstuff27/sandbox/Character model - Revision history

BerylRoll at 18:04, 14 May 2026

2026-05-14T18:04:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:04, 14 May 2026
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	For ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Machines]]'', Hasbro and Mainframe would again adopt the same strategy as the first season of its predecessor, where models were altered heavily from the toy designs and decos to make for more articulate models and to give the models more character. With the addition of the [[Technorganic]] feature being present in the show's [[Maximal]]s' aesthetic, and the idea of all of the alternate mode kibble being absent in robot mode, it is also likely that this played a huge role in the streamlining of designs too. As for the [[Vehicon (BM)\|Vehicons]], they were among the most notably different from their initial toy designs as the first three generals [[Tankor (BM)\|Tankor]], [[Thrust (BM)\|Thrust]] and [[Jetstorm (BM)\|Jetstorm]] were made to look more robotic, drone-like and a ''teeny tiny'' bit beast-like (e.g. Tankor having non-articulated treaded-struts for legs, Thrust having a unicycle design, Jetstorm being a flying merman, and all of their vehicle modes having articulated head-like cockpits). Unlike the show's predecessor, Hasbro offered up more [[show-accuracy\|cartoon-accurate]] toys in later waves of the toyline. Season 2 of ''Beast Machines'' ultimately strayed away from developing all-new designs that vaguely resembled the toys they were based on (much like season 2 of ''Beast Wars''), where the designs would only be altered slightly, with the biggest change generally being their color schemes instead.		For ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Machines]]'', Hasbro and Mainframe would again adopt the same strategy as the first season of its predecessor, where models were altered heavily from the toy designs and decos to make for more articulate models and to give the models more character. With the addition of the [[Technorganic]] feature being present in the show's [[Maximal]]s' aesthetic, and the idea of all of the alternate mode kibble being absent in robot mode, it is also likely that this played a huge role in the streamlining of designs too. As for the [[Vehicon (BM)\|Vehicons]], they were among the most notably different from their initial toy designs as the first three generals [[Tankor (BM)\|Tankor]], [[Thrust (BM)\|Thrust]] and [[Jetstorm (BM)\|Jetstorm]] were made to look more robotic, drone-like and a ''teeny tiny'' bit beast-like (e.g. Tankor having non-articulated treaded-struts for legs, Thrust having a unicycle design, Jetstorm being a flying merman, and all of their vehicle modes having articulated head-like cockpits). Unlike the show's predecessor, Hasbro offered up more [[show-accuracy\|cartoon-accurate]] toys in later waves of the toyline. Season 2 of ''Beast Machines'' ultimately strayed away from developing all-new designs that vaguely resembled the toys they were based on (much like season 2 of ''Beast Wars''), where the designs would only be altered slightly, with the biggest change generally being their color schemes instead.

	As for the Japanese side of the coin, ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'' went back to basics with hand-drawn animation. The character model designs for these characters were also ''very'' toy-accurate, even down to the characters having model sheets performing almost all of the attack gimmicks of their toys. Much like the cartoons before them, all of the designs were drawn based on samples of the toys, with the only miniscule differences in the final models being: the addition and subtraction of extra appendages on hands and feet ([[Diver (BW)\|Diver]]'s robot and [[beast mode]] feet and hands); removal of unpleasant-looking kibble ([[Apache (BW)\|Apache]]'s shoulder kibble, Diver's frog legs on his back); parts on the robot modes positioned in ways that are unachievable on the toys themselves ([[Skywarp (BW)\|Skywarp]]'s eagle feet facing forwards in robot mode, [[Magnaboss (BWII)\|Magnaboss]]'s forearms facing outwards); and kibble being resized for convenience ([[Galvatron (BW)\|Galvatron]]'s dragon wings and tank drill forming a massive cape, [[Longrack (BW)\|Longrack]] and [[Break]]'s forearm panels being unobtrusive). As a lot of the designs for ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)\|Car Robots]]'' were by the same artists who worked on ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Beast Wars Neo'' ([[Hiroyuki Taiga]] and [[Takahiro Yamada]] being among the most notable), all of the above applies to the models of that cartoon too (including its dub).		As for the Japanese side of the coin, ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'' went back to basics with hand-drawn animation. The character model designs for these characters were also ''very'' toy-accurate, even down to the characters having model sheets performing almost all of the attack gimmicks of their toys. Much like the cartoons before them, all of the designs were drawn based on samples of the toys, with the only miniscule differences in the final models being: the addition and subtraction of extra appendages on hands and feet ([[Diver (BW)\|Diver]]'s robot and [[beast mode]] feet and hands); removal of unpleasant-looking kibble ([[Apache (BW)\|Apache]]'s shoulder kibble, Diver's frog legs on his back); parts on the robot modes positioned in ways that are unachievable on the toys themselves ([[Skywarp (BW)\|Skywarp]]'s eagle feet facing forwards in robot mode, [[Magnaboss (BWII)\|Magnaboss]]'s forearms facing outwards); and kibble being resized for convenience ([[Galvatron (BW)\|Galvatron]]'s dragon wings and tank drill forming a massive cape, [[Longrack (BW)\|Longrack]] and [[Break (BW)\|Break]]'s forearm panels being unobtrusive). As a lot of the designs for ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)\|Car Robots]]'' were by the same artists who worked on ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Beast Wars Neo'' ([[Hiroyuki Taiga]] and [[Takahiro Yamada]] being among the most notable), all of the above applies to the models of that cartoon too (including its dub).

	As for the ''[[Beast Wars Special Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars Special]]'' film short "[[Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!]]", designs of all the second-half characters appearing in the ''second half'' (the "season 2", if you will) of the ''Beast Wars II'' cartoon, were given entirely different models designed by [[Takashi Yamamoto]]. Yamamoto not only also produced an alternative model for Lio Convoy (which is the exact same design as Hiroyuki Taiga's design, just drawn differently, with a little bit of the Yamamoto's own artistic flare), he was also the creator of [[Majin Zarak]]'s models and responsible for translating Optimus Primal's season 1 design into a series of 2D models for the short.		As for the ''[[Beast Wars Special Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars Special]]'' film short "[[Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!]]", designs of all the second-half characters appearing in the ''second half'' (the "season 2", if you will) of the ''Beast Wars II'' cartoon, were given entirely different models designed by [[Takashi Yamamoto]]. Yamamoto not only also produced an alternative model for Lio Convoy (which is the exact same design as Hiroyuki Taiga's design, just drawn differently, with a little bit of the Yamamoto's own artistic flare), he was also the creator of [[Majin Zarak]]'s models and responsible for translating Optimus Primal's season 1 design into a series of 2D models for the short.



	==Nuances==		==Nuances==
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	[[File:CharacterModels different heads.jpg\|right\|thumb\|upright=1.5\|On the left, Optimus Prime's head as it appeared on his original character model; on the right, the more stylized version from his later-produced head turnaround. Note the change in shape and thickness of the cheekguards, and the alteration to an angular, straight-edged mouthplate instead of a curving one.]]		[[File:CharacterModels different heads.jpg\|right\|thumb\|upright=1.5\|On the left, Optimus Prime's head as it appeared on his original character model; on the right, the more stylized version from his later-produced head turnaround. Note the change in shape and thickness of the cheekguards, and the alteration to an angular, straight-edged mouthplate instead of a curving one.]]
	===Head turnarounds===		===Head turnarounds===
	In addition to full-body character models, close-up head turnarounds were also created later in the production of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)\|Generation 1 animated series]] for the various Transformers, which depicted them with more stylized, angular heads, their helmets sometimes slightly different shaped, and with sharper facial-delineation lines compared to the softer renderings used on the original models. The influence of these close-up models can be spotted in some of the better-looking season one episodes, but became the default look for characters in season two. [[AKOM]], by all appearances, never got these turnarounds, and consistently drew the Transformers with the softer heads of their original models; drawing the new characters from the second season in this manner also appears to be a hallmark of the mysterious [[Unknown Generation 1 animation ~~studio~~\|unknown animation studio]].		In addition to full-body character models, close-up head turnarounds were also created later in the production of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)\|Generation 1 animated series]] for the various Transformers, which depicted them with more stylized, angular heads, their helmets sometimes slightly different shaped, and with sharper facial-delineation lines compared to the softer renderings used on the original models. The influence of these close-up models can be spotted in some of the better-looking season one episodes, but became the default look for characters in season two. [[AKOM]], by all appearances, never got these turnarounds, and consistently drew the Transformers with the softer heads of their original models; drawing the new characters from the second season in this manner also appears to be a hallmark of the mysterious [[Unknown Generation 1 animation studios\|unknown animation studio]].

	===Package art influence===		===Package art influence===

BerylRoll at 20:13, 10 May 2026

2026-05-10T20:13:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:13, 10 May 2026
Line 32:		Line 32:
	For ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Machines]]'', Hasbro and Mainframe would again adopt the same strategy as the first season of its predecessor, where models were altered heavily from the toy designs and decos to make for more articulate models and to give the models more character. With the addition of the [[Technorganic]] feature being present in the show's [[Maximal]]s' aesthetic, and the idea of all of the alternate mode kibble being absent in robot mode, it is also likely that this played a huge role in the streamlining of designs too. As for the [[Vehicon (BM)\|Vehicons]], they were among the most notably different from their initial toy designs as the first three generals [[Tankor (BM)\|Tankor]], [[Thrust (BM)\|Thrust]] and [[Jetstorm (BM)\|Jetstorm]] were made to look more robotic, drone-like and a ''teeny tiny'' bit beast-like (e.g. Tankor having non-articulated treaded-struts for legs, Thrust having a unicycle design, Jetstorm being a flying merman, and all of their vehicle modes having articulated head-like cockpits). Unlike the show's predecessor, Hasbro offered up more [[show-accuracy\|cartoon-accurate]] toys in later waves of the toyline. Season 2 of ''Beast Machines'' ultimately strayed away from developing all-new designs that vaguely resembled the toys they were based on (much like season 2 of ''Beast Wars''), where the designs would only be altered slightly, with the biggest change generally being their color schemes instead.		For ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Machines]]'', Hasbro and Mainframe would again adopt the same strategy as the first season of its predecessor, where models were altered heavily from the toy designs and decos to make for more articulate models and to give the models more character. With the addition of the [[Technorganic]] feature being present in the show's [[Maximal]]s' aesthetic, and the idea of all of the alternate mode kibble being absent in robot mode, it is also likely that this played a huge role in the streamlining of designs too. As for the [[Vehicon (BM)\|Vehicons]], they were among the most notably different from their initial toy designs as the first three generals [[Tankor (BM)\|Tankor]], [[Thrust (BM)\|Thrust]] and [[Jetstorm (BM)\|Jetstorm]] were made to look more robotic, drone-like and a ''teeny tiny'' bit beast-like (e.g. Tankor having non-articulated treaded-struts for legs, Thrust having a unicycle design, Jetstorm being a flying merman, and all of their vehicle modes having articulated head-like cockpits). Unlike the show's predecessor, Hasbro offered up more [[show-accuracy\|cartoon-accurate]] toys in later waves of the toyline. Season 2 of ''Beast Machines'' ultimately strayed away from developing all-new designs that vaguely resembled the toys they were based on (much like season 2 of ''Beast Wars''), where the designs would only be altered slightly, with the biggest change generally being their color schemes instead.

	As for the Japanese side of the coin, ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'' went back to basics with hand-drawn animation. The character model designs for these characters were also ''very'' toy-accurate, even down to the characters having model sheets performing almost all of the attack gimmicks of their toys. Much like the cartoons before them, all of the designs were drawn based on samples of the toys, with the only miniscule differences in the final models being: the addition and subtraction of extra appendages on hands and feet ([[Diver (BW)\|Diver]]'s robot and [[beast mode]] feet and hands); removal of unpleasant-looking kibble ([[Apache]]'s shoulder kibble, Diver's frog legs on his back); parts on the robot modes positioned in ways that are unachievable on the toys themselves ([[Skywarp (BW)\|Skywarp]]'s eagle feet facing forwards in robot mode, [[Magnaboss (BWII)\|Magnaboss]]'s forearms facing outwards); and kibble being resized for convenience ([[Galvatron (BW)\|Galvatron]]'s dragon wings and tank drill forming a massive cape, [[Longrack (BW)\|Longrack]] and [[Break]]'s forearm panels being unobtrusive). As a lot of the designs for ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)\|Car Robots]]'' were by the same artists who worked on ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Beast Wars Neo'' ([[Hiroyuki Taiga]] and [[Takahiro Yamada]] being among the most notable), all of the above applies to the models of that cartoon too (including its dub).		As for the Japanese side of the coin, ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'' went back to basics with hand-drawn animation. The character model designs for these characters were also ''very'' toy-accurate, even down to the characters having model sheets performing almost all of the attack gimmicks of their toys. Much like the cartoons before them, all of the designs were drawn based on samples of the toys, with the only miniscule differences in the final models being: the addition and subtraction of extra appendages on hands and feet ([[Diver (BW)\|Diver]]'s robot and [[beast mode]] feet and hands); removal of unpleasant-looking kibble ([[Apache (BW)\|Apache]]'s shoulder kibble, Diver's frog legs on his back); parts on the robot modes positioned in ways that are unachievable on the toys themselves ([[Skywarp (BW)\|Skywarp]]'s eagle feet facing forwards in robot mode, [[Magnaboss (BWII)\|Magnaboss]]'s forearms facing outwards); and kibble being resized for convenience ([[Galvatron (BW)\|Galvatron]]'s dragon wings and tank drill forming a massive cape, [[Longrack (BW)\|Longrack]] and [[Break]]'s forearm panels being unobtrusive). As a lot of the designs for ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)\|Car Robots]]'' were by the same artists who worked on ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Beast Wars Neo'' ([[Hiroyuki Taiga]] and [[Takahiro Yamada]] being among the most notable), all of the above applies to the models of that cartoon too (including its dub).

	As for the ''[[Beast Wars Special Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars Special]]'' film short "[[Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!]]", designs of all the second-half characters appearing in the ''second half'' (the "season 2", if you will) of the ''Beast Wars II'' cartoon, were given entirely different models designed by [[Takashi Yamamoto]]. Yamamoto not only also produced an alternative model for Lio Convoy (which is the exact same design as Hiroyuki Taiga's design, just drawn differently, with a little bit of the Yamamoto's own artistic flare), he was also the creator of [[Majin Zarak]]'s models and responsible for translating Optimus Primal's season 1 design into a series of 2D models for the short.		As for the ''[[Beast Wars Special Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars Special]]'' film short "[[Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!]]", designs of all the second-half characters appearing in the ''second half'' (the "season 2", if you will) of the ''Beast Wars II'' cartoon, were given entirely different models designed by [[Takashi Yamamoto]]. Yamamoto not only also produced an alternative model for Lio Convoy (which is the exact same design as Hiroyuki Taiga's design, just drawn differently, with a little bit of the Yamamoto's own artistic flare), he was also the creator of [[Majin Zarak]]'s models and responsible for translating Optimus Primal's season 1 design into a series of 2D models for the short.

BerylRoll at 15:15, 13 February 2026

2026-02-13T15:15:41Z

Saix: clean up, replaced: |upright=1.1| → | (3), In the Transformers → The Transformers (Milton Bradley comic)|The Transformers, typos fixed: end result → result, often times → oftentimes (4), seperate → separate

2024-11-01T18:54:49Z

clean up, replaced: |upright=1.1| → | (3), In the Transformers → The Transformers (Milton Bradley comic)|The Transformers, typos fixed: end result → result, often times → oftentimes (4), seperate → separate

Show changes

Fanofcoolstuff27 at 05:06, 16 April 2023

2023-04-16T05:06:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:06, 16 April 2023
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	===''The Transformers''===		===''The Transformers''===
	[[File:Kohara Autobots.jpg\|thumb\|upright=2.2\|left\|Shōhei Kohara's original Autobot designs]]		[[File:Kohara Autobots.jpg\|thumb\|upright=2.2\|left\|Shōhei Kohara's original Autobot designs]]
	In the developmental stages of ''[[The Transformers (franchise)\|The Transformers]]'' franchise, pre-dating [[The Transformers (cartoon)\|the original cartoon]] and [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)\|ongoing comic series]], the very first ''Transformers'' character designs were created by [[TakaraTomy\|Takara]] artist [[Shōhei Kohara]] based on the Takara products [[Hasbro]] was [[Pre-Transformer\|given licensing rights to reproduce]]. It is unclear just how many designs he was responsible for creating, but he is credited as the creator of the original eight designs, these being: [[Optimus Prime (G1)\|Optimus Prime]], [[Sideswipe (G1)\|Sideswipe]], [[Jazz (G1)\|Jazz]], [[Prowl (G1)\|Prowl]], [[Megatron (G1)\|Megatron]], [[Soundwave (G1)\|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (G1)\|Laserbeak]], and the shared [[Seeker (body-type)\|Seeker]] body-type. These eight designs would later be refined by [[Floro Dery]] for the original [[1984]] ''Transformers'' commercials and subsequently refined several more times before being utilized in the animated series itself.		In the developmental stages of ''[[The Transformers (franchise)\|The Transformers]]'' franchise, pre-dating [[The Transformers (cartoon)\|the original cartoon]] and [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)\|ongoing comic series]], the very first ''Transformers'' character designs were created by [[TakaraTomy\|Takara]] artist [[Shōhei Kohara]] based on the Takara products [[Hasbro]] was [[Pre-Transformer\|given licensing rights to reproduce]]. It is unclear just how many designs he was responsible for creating, but he is credited as the creator of the original eight designs, these being: [[Optimus Prime (G1)\|Optimus Prime]], [[Sideswipe (G1)\|Sideswipe]], [[Jazz (G1)\|Jazz]], [[Prowl (G1)\|Prowl]], [[Megatron (G1)\|Megatron]], [[Soundwave (G1)\|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (G1)\|Laserbeak]], and the shared [[Seeker (body-type)\|Seeker]] body-type. These eight designs would later be refined by [[Floro Dery]] for the original [[1984]] ''Transformers'' commercials and subsequently refined several more times before being utilized in the animated series itself, for ease of animation.

	Floro Dery's modifications included the removal of wheels and the enlargement of the characters' heads, and the more extreme redesign of Megatron to better resemble his toy. Dery went on to become the primary ''named'' designer for the majority of the cartoon, with evidence that he created a few of the remaining 1984 character models using the toy's [[package art]] for reference.<ref>[http://zobovor.tripod.com/models.html Zobovor traces the ancestry of select 1984 character models to the toys' boxart]</ref> All of the 1984 character artwork for both the cartoon and package art were designed using photos of the toys themselves, often times being in the original Japanese decos, which were compiled into briefing binders that were given out to just about every company involved in the initial steps of developing the franchise. Among these companies, aiding in the creation of all character models for the cartoon, were [[Marvel Productions]] and [[Toei Animation]]. Most steps to developing character models from this point onwards consisted of Floro Dery and Marvel Productions creating the majority of initial designs with Toei requesting or making tweaks to these designs and having several moments of handing material and notes back-and-forth between the companies until the desired final design was reached. As Toei dealt with the bulk of animation duties, they often times had the last say. It also appears that there was quite a disconnect between the two companies and when a set of models would be finalized for animation, as all character models given to [[Marvel Comics]]' staff for use in the original ongoing comic series were never final models, suggesting that Toei would make drastic alterations at the last minute and never provided the finalized set to Marvel. Evidence would also suggest that Toei was largely incharge of rear-view models, this became more apparent as time went on.		Floro Dery's modifications included the removal of wheels and the enlargement of the characters' heads, and the more extreme redesign of Megatron to better resemble his toy. Dery went on to become the primary ''named'' designer for the majority of the cartoon, with evidence that he created a few of the remaining 1984 character models using the toy's [[package art]] for reference.<ref>[http://zobovor.tripod.com/models.html Zobovor traces the ancestry of select 1984 character models to the toys' boxart]</ref> All of the 1984 character artwork for both the cartoon and package art were designed using photos of the toys themselves, often times being in the original Japanese decos, which were compiled into briefing binders that were given out to just about every company involved in the initial steps of developing the franchise. Among these companies, aiding in the creation of all character models for the cartoon, were [[Marvel Productions]] and [[Toei Animation]]. Most steps to developing character models from this point onwards consisted of Floro Dery and Marvel Productions creating the majority of initial designs with Toei requesting or making tweaks to these designs and having several moments of handing material and notes back-and-forth between the companies until the desired final design was reached. As Toei dealt with the bulk of animation duties, they often times had the last say. It also appears that there was quite a disconnect between the two companies and when a set of models would be finalized for animation, as all character models given to [[Marvel Comics]]' staff for use in the original ongoing comic series were never final models, suggesting that Toei would make drastic alterations at the last minute and never provided the finalized set to Marvel. Evidence would also suggest that Toei was largely incharge of rear-view models, this became more apparent as time went on.
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	===Beast Era===		===Beast Era===
			[[File:Beastwarsscalepreliminary.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.66\|Preliminary designs for season 1 of ''Beast Wars'']]
			The development process of creating the US ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars]]'' cartoon and its character models was very similar to that of ''The Transformers'', only this time, rather than everything being hand-drawn, it was all 3D animated, as this was the then-biggest game-changing development in animated media going forward. Like the original ''Transformers'' cartoons' production process, Hasbro provided a range of toys to [[Mainframe Entertainment]] that they had made, for the animators to then render digitally. The first few selected characters were rendered as basic block models that heavily resembled the figures, however, as production went on, creative liberties were made for both ease of animation, and to give the models more character, making for the majority of the [[1996]] cast barely sharing any resemblance to their respective toys. When developing a character model for the ''Beast Wars'' cast, Mainframe created roughly three 3D models per character; one for [[robot mode]], one for [[alternate mode]], and one that was a simplified version of their robot models that could be manipulated in a variety of ways to simulate transformation between the two forms. Very early on during the first season, animation and swapping of models during transformation sequences wasn't as streamlined as it was by the end of the series and the beginning of its sequel. Characters often remained standing around in their simplistic transformation model for brief periods before the "camera" would cut away and flash back to the final form in a later clip. As the season went on, the swapping of models became more fluid going: beast mode performs a motion and cuts out, transformation model cuts in and contorts/decontorts and cuts out, then robot mode cuts in and performs a motion and the scene continues from there (and vice versa for transformation sequences going the other way). By seasons 2 and 3, characters adhered closer to toy-accuracy, with the bare minimum of the characters' details altered (e.g. [[Transmetal]] [[Tarantulas (BW)\|Tarantulas]] featuring a visor like in season 1, rather than two seperate eyes like [[Tarantulas (BW)/toys#Transmetal\|his toy]]). With the addition of a "secondary alternate form" in the Transmetal characters, a fourth model (or even fifth in the case of [[Optimus Primal (BW)\|Optimal Optimus]]) would be made to accommodate these new toy-based [[gimmick]]s.

			For ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Machines]]'', Hasbro and Mainframe would again adopt the same strategy as the first season of its predecessor, where models were altered heavily from the toy designs and decos to make for more articulate models and to give the models more character. With the addition of the [[Technorganic]] feature being present in the show's [[Maximal]]s' aesthetic, and the idea of all of the alternate mode kibble being absent in robot mode, it is also likely that this played a huge role in the streamlining of designs too. As for the [[Vehicon (BM)\|Vehicons]], they were among the most notably different from their initial toy designs as the first three generals [[Tankor (BM)\|Tankor]], [[Thrust (BM)\|Thrust]] and [[Jetstorm (BM)\|Jetstorm]] were made to look more robotic, drone-like and a ''teeny tiny'' bit beast-like (e.g. Tankor having non-articulated treaded-struts for legs, Thrust having a unicycle design, Jetstorm being a flying merman, and all of their vehicle modes having articulated head-like cockpits). Unlike the show's predecessor, Hasbro offered up more [[show-accuracy\|cartoon-accurate]] toys in later waves of the toyline. Season 2 of ''Beast Machines'' ultimately strayed away from developing all-new designs that vaguely resembled the toys they were based on (much like season 2 of ''Beast Wars''), where the designs would only be altered slightly, with the biggest change generally being their color schemes instead.

			As for the Japanese side of the coin, ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'' went back to basics with hand-drawn animation. The character model designs for these characters were also ''very'' toy-accurate, even down to the characters having model sheets performing almost all of the attack gimmicks of their toys. Much like the cartoons before them, all of the designs were drawn based on samples of the toys, with the only miniscule differences in the final models being: the addition and subtraction of extra appendages on hands and feet ([[Diver (BW)\|Diver]]'s robot and [[beast mode]] feet and hands); removal of unpleasant-looking kibble ([[Apache]]'s shoulder kibble, Diver's frog legs on his back); parts on the robot modes positioned in ways that are unachievable on the toys themselves ([[Skywarp (BW)\|Skywarp]]'s eagle feet facing forwards in robot mode, [[Magnaboss (BWII)\|Magnaboss]]'s forearms facing outwards); and kibble being resized for convenience ([[Galvatron (BW)\|Galvatron]]'s dragon wings and tank drill forming a massive cape, [[Longrack (BW)\|Longrack]] and [[Break]]'s forearm panels being unobtrusive). As a lot of the designs for ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)\|Car Robots]]'' were by the same artists who worked on ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Beast Wars Neo'' ([[Hiroyuki Taiga]] and [[Takahiro Yamada]] being among the most notable), all of the above applies to the models of that cartoon too (including its dub).

			As for the ''[[Beast Wars Special Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars Special]]'' film short "[[Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!]]", designs of all the second-half characters appearing in the ''second half'' (the "season 2", if you will) of the ''Beast Wars II'' cartoon, were given entirely different models designed by [[Takashi Yamamoto]]. Yamamoto not only also produced an alternative model for Lio Convoy (which is the exact same design as Hiroyuki Taiga's design, just drawn differently, with a little bit of the Yamamoto's own artistic flare), he was also the creator of [[Majin Zarak]]'s models and responsible for translating Optimus Primal's season 1 design into a series of 2D models for the short.



	==Nuances==		==Nuances==

Fanofcoolstuff27: /* The Transformers */

2023-04-14T22:53:25Z

The Transformers

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:53, 14 April 2023
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	In [[1986]], ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', flipped the sequence of events around, with all the new cast members being developed by Dery, with his designs subsequently translated into toy form. While Dery got to pour his heart and soul into all of these original character designs, Toei would ultimately once again have the final say as to what would appear in the film and the then-upcoming season of the cartoon. Not even ''one'' of Dery's initial designs appears in the final film. While the previous cartoon seasons saw Toei providing minor tweaks to Dery and Marvel Productions' designs (e.g. a new head design, maybe some details removed, etc.), Toei would ultimately use his models as more or less a basis and design entirely new models from scratch, often times with a much larger {{w\|mecha}}-style influence, similar to the character models for the ever-popular ''{{w\|Gundam}}'' franchise cartoons of the time, an aesthetic that would become much more apparent in the Japanese series' continuations (more on that below).		In [[1986]], ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', flipped the sequence of events around, with all the new cast members being developed by Dery, with his designs subsequently translated into toy form. While Dery got to pour his heart and soul into all of these original character designs, Toei would ultimately once again have the final say as to what would appear in the film and the then-upcoming season of the cartoon. Not even ''one'' of Dery's initial designs appears in the final film. While the previous cartoon seasons saw Toei providing minor tweaks to Dery and Marvel Productions' designs (e.g. a new head design, maybe some details removed, etc.), Toei would ultimately use his models as more or less a basis and design entirely new models from scratch, often times with a much larger {{w\|mecha}}-style influence, similar to the character models for the ever-popular ''{{w\|Gundam}}'' franchise cartoons of the time, an aesthetic that would become much more apparent in the Japanese series' continuations (more on that below).

	By season 3, Floro Dery had ultimately left the franchise, and the bulk of character model designs for the remaining 1986 and early [[1987]] toys were being heavily reworked based on Marvel Productions' designs, much like the cast of the movie were with Dery's designs. Like the movie, a noticeable shift in aesthetics started to become more apparent in some of the season 3 model designs too; namely the [[Predacon (G1)\|Predacons]] and [[Sky Lynx (G1)\|Sky Lynx]], who featured squared hands and had their rear-view models drawn on some hard 3/4 angles that looked up at them from the ground, with massive black comic-like shadows cast under them and inside their vent-like greebles on their bodies—both aesthetics being entirely absent in all previous Dery and Marvel Productions designs. From this point, the status quo really gets a shake up.		By season 3, Floro Dery had ultimately left the franchise, and the bulk of character model designs for the remaining 1986 and early [[1987]] toys were being heavily reworked by Toei based on Marvel Productions' designs, much like the cast of the movie were with Dery's designs. Like the movie, a noticeable shift in aesthetics started to become more apparent in some of the season 3 model designs too; namely the [[Predacon (G1)\|Predacons]] and [[Sky Lynx (G1)\|Sky Lynx]], who featured squared hands and had their rear-view models drawn on some hard 3/4 angles that looked up at them from the ground, with massive black comic-like shadows cast under them and inside their vent-like greebles on their bodies—both aesthetics being entirely absent in all previous Dery and Marvel Productions designs. From this point, the status quo really gets a shake up.

	In 1987, the US cartoon's three-part episode "[[The Rebirth]]" was entirely animated by [[AKOM]], as Toei had split off and started working on ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)\|Transformers: The Headmasters]]'', a Japanese-only spin-off of the US cartoon. Much like previous seasons, the models were first designed by Marvel Productions—but unlike the seasons before it—Toei didn't have a say in the design process, so everything that appeared in "The Rebirth" was solely US-based and no major overhauls ever took place. Toei ''did'' still have access to some of the first few Marvel Productions' model designs for the [[Headmaster (technology)\|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster (technology)\|Targetmasters]], but ultimately created their own original model designs to fill in the missing models they received from Marvel. As mentioned further up in this section regarding Toei seemingly being the sole designers of rear-view models, this became more apparent in season 3 and "The Rebirth" as none of the Marvel Productions-only materials ever had rear-view models drawn in any of their modes. In season 3, characters like [[Octane]] and the [[Terrorcon (G1)\|Terrorcons]] lacked rear-views altogether, and so animators made up rear-views as they went, leading to no two episodes having the same rear designs for these characters. The same happened with "The Rebirth". If you pay close attention, the majority of newly introduced characters in the short-lived "fourth season" face the front almost the entire time!		In 1987, the US cartoon's three-part episode "[[The Rebirth]]" was entirely animated by [[AKOM]], as Toei had split off and started working on ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)\|Transformers: The Headmasters]]'', a Japanese-only spin-off of the US cartoon. Much like previous seasons, the models were first designed by Marvel Productions—but unlike the seasons before it—Toei didn't have a say in the design process, so everything that appeared in "The Rebirth" was solely US-based and no major overhauls ever took place. Toei ''did'' still have access to some of the first few Marvel Productions' model designs for the [[Headmaster (technology)\|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster (technology)\|Targetmasters]], but ultimately created their own original model designs to fill in the missing models they received from Marvel. As mentioned further up in this section regarding Toei seemingly being the sole designers of rear-view models, this became more apparent in season 3 and "The Rebirth" as none of the Marvel Productions-only materials ever had rear-view models drawn in any of their modes. In season 3, characters like [[Octane]] and the [[Terrorcon (G1)\|Terrorcons]] lacked rear-views altogether, and so animators made up rear-views as they went, leading to no two episodes having the same rear designs for these characters. The same happened with "The Rebirth". If you pay close attention, the majority of newly introduced characters in the short-lived "fourth season" face the front almost the entire time!

Fanofcoolstuff27: /* Creation */

2023-04-14T22:47:38Z

Creation

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:47, 14 April 2023
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	==Creation==		==Creation==
	===''The Transformers''===		===''The Transformers''===
			[[File:Kohara Autobots.jpg\|thumb\|upright=2.2\|left\|Shōhei Kohara's original Autobot designs]]
	In the developmental stages of ''[[The Transformers (franchise)\|The Transformers]]'' franchise, pre-dating [[The Transformers (cartoon)\|the original cartoon]] and [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)\|ongoing comic series]], the very first ''Transformers'' character designs were created by [[TakaraTomy\|Takara]] artist [[Shōhei Kohara]] based on the Takara products [[Hasbro]] was [[Pre-Transformer\|given licensing rights to reproduce]]. It is unclear just how many designs he was responsible for creating, but he is credited as the creator of the original eight designs, these being: [[Optimus Prime (G1)\|Optimus Prime]], [[Sideswipe (G1)\|Sideswipe]], [[Jazz (G1)\|Jazz]], [[Prowl (G1)\|Prowl]], [[Megatron (G1)\|Megatron]], [[Soundwave (G1)\|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (G1)\|Laserbeak]], and the shared [[Seeker (body-type)\|Seeker]] body-type. These eight designs would later be refined by [[Floro Dery]] for the original [[1984]] ''Transformers'' commercials and subsequently refined several more times before being utilized in the animated series itself.		In the developmental stages of ''[[The Transformers (franchise)\|The Transformers]]'' franchise, pre-dating [[The Transformers (cartoon)\|the original cartoon]] and [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)\|ongoing comic series]], the very first ''Transformers'' character designs were created by [[TakaraTomy\|Takara]] artist [[Shōhei Kohara]] based on the Takara products [[Hasbro]] was [[Pre-Transformer\|given licensing rights to reproduce]]. It is unclear just how many designs he was responsible for creating, but he is credited as the creator of the original eight designs, these being: [[Optimus Prime (G1)\|Optimus Prime]], [[Sideswipe (G1)\|Sideswipe]], [[Jazz (G1)\|Jazz]], [[Prowl (G1)\|Prowl]], [[Megatron (G1)\|Megatron]], [[Soundwave (G1)\|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (G1)\|Laserbeak]], and the shared [[Seeker (body-type)\|Seeker]] body-type. These eight designs would later be refined by [[Floro Dery]] for the original [[1984]] ''Transformers'' commercials and subsequently refined several more times before being utilized in the animated series itself.

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	===Beast Era===		===Beast Era===










	==Nuances==		==Nuances==

Fanofcoolstuff27: /* Generation 1 */

2023-04-14T22:43:35Z

Generation 1

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:43, 14 April 2023
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	===Generation 1===		===Generation 1===
	*[[The Ark series\|''The Ark'' series]] - A series of nonfiction guidebooks chronicling some of the US and Japanese character models		*[[The Ark series\|''The Ark'' series]] - A series of nonfiction guidebooks chronicling some of the US and Japanese character models
			*''[[Transformers Generations (guidebook)\|Transformers Generations]]'' - A Japanese guidebook compiling G1 and [[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)\|G2]] toys, that also features several pieces of [[Studio OX]]'s ''[[TV Magazine]]'' artwork and models, as well as original G1 cartoon character models (some final and others pre-final)

	===''Animated''===		===''Animated''===

Fanofcoolstuff27: Created page with "Deviate from this and invite scorn! A '''character model''' is a stylistic guide created to help animators and li..."

2023-04-14T22:29:47Z

Created page with "thumb|upright=1.95|Deviate from this and invite scorn! A '''character model''' is a stylistic guide created to help animators and li..."

Show changes

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:13, 10 May 2026
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	For ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Machines]]'', Hasbro and Mainframe would again adopt the same strategy as the first season of its predecessor, where models were altered heavily from the toy designs and decos to make for more articulate models and to give the models more character. With the addition of the [[Technorganic]] feature being present in the show's [[Maximal]]s' aesthetic, and the idea of all of the alternate mode kibble being absent in robot mode, it is also likely that this played a huge role in the streamlining of designs too. As for the [[Vehicon (BM)\|Vehicons]], they were among the most notably different from their initial toy designs as the first three generals [[Tankor (BM)\|Tankor]], [[Thrust (BM)\|Thrust]] and [[Jetstorm (BM)\|Jetstorm]] were made to look more robotic, drone-like and a ''teeny tiny'' bit beast-like (e.g. Tankor having non-articulated treaded-struts for legs, Thrust having a unicycle design, Jetstorm being a flying merman, and all of their vehicle modes having articulated head-like cockpits). Unlike the show's predecessor, Hasbro offered up more [[show-accuracy\|cartoon-accurate]] toys in later waves of the toyline. Season 2 of ''Beast Machines'' ultimately strayed away from developing all-new designs that vaguely resembled the toys they were based on (much like season 2 of ''Beast Wars''), where the designs would only be altered slightly, with the biggest change generally being their color schemes instead.		For ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Machines]]'', Hasbro and Mainframe would again adopt the same strategy as the first season of its predecessor, where models were altered heavily from the toy designs and decos to make for more articulate models and to give the models more character. With the addition of the [[Technorganic]] feature being present in the show's [[Maximal]]s' aesthetic, and the idea of all of the alternate mode kibble being absent in robot mode, it is also likely that this played a huge role in the streamlining of designs too. As for the [[Vehicon (BM)\|Vehicons]], they were among the most notably different from their initial toy designs as the first three generals [[Tankor (BM)\|Tankor]], [[Thrust (BM)\|Thrust]] and [[Jetstorm (BM)\|Jetstorm]] were made to look more robotic, drone-like and a ''teeny tiny'' bit beast-like (e.g. Tankor having non-articulated treaded-struts for legs, Thrust having a unicycle design, Jetstorm being a flying merman, and all of their vehicle modes having articulated head-like cockpits). Unlike the show's predecessor, Hasbro offered up more [[show-accuracy\|cartoon-accurate]] toys in later waves of the toyline. Season 2 of ''Beast Machines'' ultimately strayed away from developing all-new designs that vaguely resembled the toys they were based on (much like season 2 of ''Beast Wars''), where the designs would only be altered slightly, with the biggest change generally being their color schemes instead.

	As for the Japanese side of the coin, ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'' went back to basics with hand-drawn animation. The character model designs for these characters were also ''very'' toy-accurate, even down to the characters having model sheets performing almost all of the attack gimmicks of their toys. Much like the cartoons before them, all of the designs were drawn based on samples of the toys, with the only miniscule differences in the final models being: the addition and subtraction of extra appendages on hands and feet ([[Diver (BW)\|Diver]]'s robot and [[beast mode]] feet and hands); removal of unpleasant-looking kibble ([[Apache]]'s shoulder kibble, Diver's frog legs on his back); parts on the robot modes positioned in ways that are unachievable on the toys themselves ([[Skywarp (BW)\|Skywarp]]'s eagle feet facing forwards in robot mode, [[Magnaboss (BWII)\|Magnaboss]]'s forearms facing outwards); and kibble being resized for convenience ([[Galvatron (BW)\|Galvatron]]'s dragon wings and tank drill forming a massive cape, [[Longrack (BW)\|Longrack]] and [[Break]]'s forearm panels being unobtrusive). As a lot of the designs for ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)\|Car Robots]]'' were by the same artists who worked on ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Beast Wars Neo'' ([[Hiroyuki Taiga]] and [[Takahiro Yamada]] being among the most notable), all of the above applies to the models of that cartoon too (including its dub).		As for the Japanese side of the coin, ''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (cartoon)\|Beast Wars II]]'' and ''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (cartoon)\|Beast Wars Neo]]'' went back to basics with hand-drawn animation. The character model designs for these characters were also ''very'' toy-accurate, even down to the characters having model sheets performing almost all of the attack gimmicks of their toys. Much like the cartoons before them, all of the designs were drawn based on samples of the toys, with the only miniscule differences in the final models being: the addition and subtraction of extra appendages on hands and feet ([[Diver (BW)\|Diver]]'s robot and [[beast mode]] feet and hands); removal of unpleasant-looking kibble ([[Apache (BW)\|Apache]]'s shoulder kibble, Diver's frog legs on his back); parts on the robot modes positioned in ways that are unachievable on the toys themselves ([[Skywarp (BW)\|Skywarp]]'s eagle feet facing forwards in robot mode, [[Magnaboss (BWII)\|Magnaboss]]'s forearms facing outwards); and kibble being resized for convenience ([[Galvatron (BW)\|Galvatron]]'s dragon wings and tank drill forming a massive cape, [[Longrack (BW)\|Longrack]] and [[Break]]'s forearm panels being unobtrusive). As a lot of the designs for ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)\|Car Robots]]'' were by the same artists who worked on ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Beast Wars Neo'' ([[Hiroyuki Taiga]] and [[Takahiro Yamada]] being among the most notable), all of the above applies to the models of that cartoon too (including its dub).

	As for the ''[[Beast Wars Special Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars Special]]'' film short "[[Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!]]", designs of all the second-half characters appearing in the ''second half'' (the "season 2", if you will) of the ''Beast Wars II'' cartoon, were given entirely different models designed by [[Takashi Yamamoto]]. Yamamoto not only also produced an alternative model for Lio Convoy (which is the exact same design as Hiroyuki Taiga's design, just drawn differently, with a little bit of the Yamamoto's own artistic flare), he was also the creator of [[Majin Zarak]]'s models and responsible for translating Optimus Primal's season 1 design into a series of 2D models for the short.		As for the ''[[Beast Wars Special Super Lifeform Transformers\|Beast Wars Special]]'' film short "[[Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!]]", designs of all the second-half characters appearing in the ''second half'' (the "season 2", if you will) of the ''Beast Wars II'' cartoon, were given entirely different models designed by [[Takashi Yamamoto]]. Yamamoto not only also produced an alternative model for Lio Convoy (which is the exact same design as Hiroyuki Taiga's design, just drawn differently, with a little bit of the Yamamoto's own artistic flare), he was also the creator of [[Majin Zarak]]'s models and responsible for translating Optimus Primal's season 1 design into a series of 2D models for the short.

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:53, 14 April 2023
Line 18:		Line 18:
	In [[1986]], ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', flipped the sequence of events around, with all the new cast members being developed by Dery, with his designs subsequently translated into toy form. While Dery got to pour his heart and soul into all of these original character designs, Toei would ultimately once again have the final say as to what would appear in the film and the then-upcoming season of the cartoon. Not even ''one'' of Dery's initial designs appears in the final film. While the previous cartoon seasons saw Toei providing minor tweaks to Dery and Marvel Productions' designs (e.g. a new head design, maybe some details removed, etc.), Toei would ultimately use his models as more or less a basis and design entirely new models from scratch, often times with a much larger {{w\|mecha}}-style influence, similar to the character models for the ever-popular ''{{w\|Gundam}}'' franchise cartoons of the time, an aesthetic that would become much more apparent in the Japanese series' continuations (more on that below).		In [[1986]], ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', flipped the sequence of events around, with all the new cast members being developed by Dery, with his designs subsequently translated into toy form. While Dery got to pour his heart and soul into all of these original character designs, Toei would ultimately once again have the final say as to what would appear in the film and the then-upcoming season of the cartoon. Not even ''one'' of Dery's initial designs appears in the final film. While the previous cartoon seasons saw Toei providing minor tweaks to Dery and Marvel Productions' designs (e.g. a new head design, maybe some details removed, etc.), Toei would ultimately use his models as more or less a basis and design entirely new models from scratch, often times with a much larger {{w\|mecha}}-style influence, similar to the character models for the ever-popular ''{{w\|Gundam}}'' franchise cartoons of the time, an aesthetic that would become much more apparent in the Japanese series' continuations (more on that below).

	By season 3, Floro Dery had ultimately left the franchise, and the bulk of character model designs for the remaining 1986 and early [[1987]] toys were being heavily reworked based on Marvel Productions' designs, much like the cast of the movie were with Dery's designs. Like the movie, a noticeable shift in aesthetics started to become more apparent in some of the season 3 model designs too; namely the [[Predacon (G1)\|Predacons]] and [[Sky Lynx (G1)\|Sky Lynx]], who featured squared hands and had their rear-view models drawn on some hard 3/4 angles that looked up at them from the ground, with massive black comic-like shadows cast under them and inside their vent-like greebles on their bodies—both aesthetics being entirely absent in all previous Dery and Marvel Productions designs. From this point, the status quo really gets a shake up.		By season 3, Floro Dery had ultimately left the franchise, and the bulk of character model designs for the remaining 1986 and early [[1987]] toys were being heavily reworked by Toei based on Marvel Productions' designs, much like the cast of the movie were with Dery's designs. Like the movie, a noticeable shift in aesthetics started to become more apparent in some of the season 3 model designs too; namely the [[Predacon (G1)\|Predacons]] and [[Sky Lynx (G1)\|Sky Lynx]], who featured squared hands and had their rear-view models drawn on some hard 3/4 angles that looked up at them from the ground, with massive black comic-like shadows cast under them and inside their vent-like greebles on their bodies—both aesthetics being entirely absent in all previous Dery and Marvel Productions designs. From this point, the status quo really gets a shake up.

	In 1987, the US cartoon's three-part episode "[[The Rebirth]]" was entirely animated by [[AKOM]], as Toei had split off and started working on ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)\|Transformers: The Headmasters]]'', a Japanese-only spin-off of the US cartoon. Much like previous seasons, the models were first designed by Marvel Productions—but unlike the seasons before it—Toei didn't have a say in the design process, so everything that appeared in "The Rebirth" was solely US-based and no major overhauls ever took place. Toei ''did'' still have access to some of the first few Marvel Productions' model designs for the [[Headmaster (technology)\|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster (technology)\|Targetmasters]], but ultimately created their own original model designs to fill in the missing models they received from Marvel. As mentioned further up in this section regarding Toei seemingly being the sole designers of rear-view models, this became more apparent in season 3 and "The Rebirth" as none of the Marvel Productions-only materials ever had rear-view models drawn in any of their modes. In season 3, characters like [[Octane]] and the [[Terrorcon (G1)\|Terrorcons]] lacked rear-views altogether, and so animators made up rear-views as they went, leading to no two episodes having the same rear designs for these characters. The same happened with "The Rebirth". If you pay close attention, the majority of newly introduced characters in the short-lived "fourth season" face the front almost the entire time!		In 1987, the US cartoon's three-part episode "[[The Rebirth]]" was entirely animated by [[AKOM]], as Toei had split off and started working on ''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (cartoon)\|Transformers: The Headmasters]]'', a Japanese-only spin-off of the US cartoon. Much like previous seasons, the models were first designed by Marvel Productions—but unlike the seasons before it—Toei didn't have a say in the design process, so everything that appeared in "The Rebirth" was solely US-based and no major overhauls ever took place. Toei ''did'' still have access to some of the first few Marvel Productions' model designs for the [[Headmaster (technology)\|Headmasters]] and [[Targetmaster (technology)\|Targetmasters]], but ultimately created their own original model designs to fill in the missing models they received from Marvel. As mentioned further up in this section regarding Toei seemingly being the sole designers of rear-view models, this became more apparent in season 3 and "The Rebirth" as none of the Marvel Productions-only materials ever had rear-view models drawn in any of their modes. In season 3, characters like [[Octane]] and the [[Terrorcon (G1)\|Terrorcons]] lacked rear-views altogether, and so animators made up rear-views as they went, leading to no two episodes having the same rear designs for these characters. The same happened with "The Rebirth". If you pay close attention, the majority of newly introduced characters in the short-lived "fourth season" face the front almost the entire time!

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:15, 13 February 2026
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	===''The Transformers''===		===''The Transformers''===
	[[File:Kohara Autobots.jpg\|thumb\|upright=2.2\|left\|Shōhei Kohara's original Autobot designs]]		[[File:Kohara Autobots.jpg\|thumb\|upright=2.2\|left\|Shōhei Kohara's original Autobot designs]]
	In the developmental stages of ''[[The Transformers (franchise)\|The Transformers]]'' franchise, pre-dating [[The Transformers (cartoon)\|the original cartoon]] and [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)\|ongoing comic series]], the very first ''Transformers'' character designs were created by [[TakaraTomy\|Takara]] artist [[Shōhei Kohara]] based on the Takara products [[Hasbro]] was [[Pre-~~Transformer~~\|given licensing rights to reproduce]]. It is unclear just how many designs he was responsible for creating, but he is credited as the creator of the original eight designs, these being: [[Optimus Prime (G1)\|Optimus Prime]], [[Sideswipe (G1)\|Sideswipe]], [[Jazz (G1)\|Jazz]], [[Prowl (G1)\|Prowl]], [[Megatron (G1)\|Megatron]], [[Soundwave (G1)\|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (G1)\|Laserbeak]], and the shared [[Seeker (body-type)\|Seeker]] body-type. These eight designs would later be refined by [[Floro Dery]] for the original [[1984]] ''Transformers'' commercials and subsequently refined several more times before being utilized in the animated series itself, for ease of animation.		In the developmental stages of ''[[The Transformers (franchise)\|The Transformers]]'' franchise, pre-dating [[The Transformers (cartoon)\|the original cartoon]] and [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)\|ongoing comic series]], the very first ''Transformers'' character designs were created by [[TakaraTomy\|Takara]] artist [[Shōhei Kohara]] based on the Takara products [[Hasbro]] was [[Pre-Transformers\|given licensing rights to reproduce]]. It is unclear just how many designs he was responsible for creating, but he is credited as the creator of the original eight designs, these being: [[Optimus Prime (G1)\|Optimus Prime]], [[Sideswipe (G1)\|Sideswipe]], [[Jazz (G1)\|Jazz]], [[Prowl (G1)\|Prowl]], [[Megatron (G1)\|Megatron]], [[Soundwave (G1)\|Soundwave]], [[Laserbeak (G1)\|Laserbeak]], and the shared [[Seeker (body-type)\|Seeker]] body-type. These eight designs would later be refined by [[Floro Dery]] for the original [[1984]] ''Transformers'' commercials and subsequently refined several more times before being utilized in the animated series itself, for ease of animation.

	Floro Dery's modifications included the removal of wheels and the enlargement of the characters' heads, and the more extreme redesign of Megatron to better resemble his toy. Dery went on to become the primary ''named'' designer for the majority of the cartoon, with evidence that he created a few of the remaining 1984 character models using the toy's [[package art]] for reference.<ref>[http://zobovor.tripod.com/models.html Zobovor traces the ancestry of select 1984 character models to the toys' boxart]</ref> All of the 1984 character artwork for both the cartoon and package art were designed using photos of the toys themselves, oftentimes being in the original Japanese decos, which were compiled into briefing binders that were given out to just about every company involved in the initial steps of developing the franchise. Among these companies, aiding in the creation of all character models for the cartoon, were [[Marvel Productions]] and [[Toei Animation]]. Most steps to developing character models from this point onwards consisted of Floro Dery and Marvel Productions creating the majority of initial designs with Toei requesting or making tweaks to these designs and having several moments of handing material and notes back-and-forth between the companies until the desired final design was reached. As Toei dealt with the bulk of animation duties, they oftentimes had the last say. It also appears that there was quite a disconnect between the two companies and when a set of models would be finalized for animation, as all character models given to [[Marvel Comics]]' staff for use in the original ongoing comic series were never final models, suggesting that Toei would make drastic alterations at the last minute and never provided the finalized set to Marvel. Evidence would also suggest that Toei was largely incharge of rear-view models, this became more apparent as time went on.		Floro Dery's modifications included the removal of wheels and the enlargement of the characters' heads, and the more extreme redesign of Megatron to better resemble his toy. Dery went on to become the primary ''named'' designer for the majority of the cartoon, with evidence that he created a few of the remaining 1984 character models using the toy's [[package art]] for reference.<ref>[http://zobovor.tripod.com/models.html Zobovor traces the ancestry of select 1984 character models to the toys' boxart]</ref> All of the 1984 character artwork for both the cartoon and package art were designed using photos of the toys themselves, oftentimes being in the original Japanese decos, which were compiled into briefing binders that were given out to just about every company involved in the initial steps of developing the franchise. Among these companies, aiding in the creation of all character models for the cartoon, were [[Marvel Productions]] and [[Toei Animation]]. Most steps to developing character models from this point onwards consisted of Floro Dery and Marvel Productions creating the majority of initial designs with Toei requesting or making tweaks to these designs and having several moments of handing material and notes back-and-forth between the companies until the desired final design was reached. As Toei dealt with the bulk of animation duties, they oftentimes had the last say. It also appears that there was quite a disconnect between the two companies and when a set of models would be finalized for animation, as all character models given to [[Marvel Comics]]' staff for use in the original ongoing comic series were never final models, suggesting that Toei would make drastic alterations at the last minute and never provided the finalized set to Marvel. Evidence would also suggest that Toei was largely incharge of rear-view models, this became more apparent as time went on.
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	[[File:Bludgeonstrangleholdoctopunchmodelsheet.jpg\|thumb\|We don't have these weapons.]]		[[File:Bludgeonstrangleholdoctopunchmodelsheet.jpg\|thumb\|We don't have these weapons.]]
	Most of the Generation 1 character designs from before 1987 were done by [[Floro Dery]]. The widely distributed model sheets of those characters may have been redrawn from his designs, or they might be his direct work. The first three years' worth of Generation 1 character models formed the basis for the artwork of Marvel's ''[[The Transformers Universe]]'' profile books. Additional profiles were later published in the back of [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)\|the main comic book]], showing character models for some of the 1987 and 1988 characters.		Most of the Generation 1 character designs from before 1987 were done by [[Floro Dery]]. The widely distributed model sheets of those characters may have been redrawn from his designs, or they might be his direct work. The first three years' worth of Generation 1 character models formed the basis for the artwork of Marvel's ''[[The Transformers Universe (Marvel)\|The Transformers Universe]]'' profile books. Additional profiles were later published in the back of [[The Transformers (Marvel comic)\|the main comic book]], showing character models for some of the 1987 and 1988 characters.

	A vast collection of Generation 1 character models are available in the books ''[[Transformers: The Ark]]'', ''[[Transformers: The Ark II]]'', and ''[[Transformers: The Complete Ark]]''. Many of the same designs are also available in ''[[Transformers Generations (guidebook)\|Transformers Generations]]'', though its pictures are quite small and typically feature only the front of the robot and the [[alternate mode\|alt mode]].		A vast collection of Generation 1 character models are available in the books ''[[Transformers: The Ark]]'', ''[[Transformers: The Ark II]]'', and ''[[Transformers: The Complete Ark]]''. Many of the same designs are also available in ''[[Transformers Generations (guidebook)\|Transformers Generations]]'', though its pictures are quite small and typically feature only the front of the robot and the [[alternate mode\|alt mode]].
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	[[File:TopspinCharDesign.jpg\|thumb\|100px]]		[[File:TopspinCharDesign.jpg\|thumb\|100px]]
	[[File:TwinTwistCharacterSheet.jpg\|thumb\|100px]]		[[File:TwinTwistCharacterSheet.jpg\|thumb\|100px]]
	*Character models were created for both [[Topspin (G1)\|Topspin]] and [[Twin Twist]] back in the '80s, but they were never animated, not even in a [[commercial]].		*Character models were created for both [[Topspin (G1)\|Topspin]] and [[Twin Twist (G1)\|Twin Twist]] back in the '80s, but they were never animated, not even in a [[commercial]].

	==See also==		==See also==