Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie: Difference between revisions

	; Touch the untouchable, break the unbreakable; Row, row, fight the power!
	トランスフォーマー40周年記念スペシャルムービー () ; (Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie)
Airdate	September 12, 2024
Director	Akira Amemiya
Animation studio	Studio Trigger

← Older edit

Latest revision as of 07:31, 8 May 2026

"Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie" is a short 3-½ minute animated "promotional video" (or "PV", as it's usually abbreviated) created to, as the title suggests, celebrate the Transformers franchise's 40th anniversary. It was produced by Studio Trigger (with assistance from Production I.G., Production +h., Studio Colorido, Studio KAI, and Madhouse) for TakaraTomy and features the song "Mayday" by Bump of Chicken.

As it's essentially an animated music video, there is no plot to "Special Movie"—instead, the main draw is that it features characters and concepts from basically every major animated Transformers production to ever see screen time in Japan, plus the live-action film series. It's as rad as it is indicative of Trigger's love for the franchise... which is to say, it's rad as hell.

Following a teaser on August 28, 2024, the Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie was officially uploaded to TakaraTomy's YouTube channel on September 12.

Characters

Hooooo boy, it's a lot! This short features almost two hundred characters from across forty years of Transformers media!

Yes, Unicron Trilogy Optimus and Megatron both appear twice in the character list, due to differing portrayals in Japan. See "Continuity notes" below.

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Autobots / Maximals

Decepticons / Predacons / Vehicons

Other robots

Others

Generation 1

Springer (3)
Sandstorm (5)
Steeljaw (19)
Ratchet (28)
Jazz (29)
Metroplex (30)
Grand Maximus (31)
Broadside (32)
Fireflight (33)
Slingshot (34)
Unknown white jet (35)
Air Raid (36)
Skydive (37)
Silverbolt (38)
Fortress Maximus (39)
Holi (42)
Boater (43)
Fire (44)
Pīpō (45)
Rodimus Prime (74)
Optimus Prime (75)
Star Saber (76)
God Ginrai (82)
(Ginrai & Godbomber)
Dai Atlas (84)
Optimus Prime (Robots in Disguise 2001) (91)

Beast Era Maximals

Lio Junior (18)
NAVI (72)
Big Convoy (73)
Optimus Primal (78)
Lio Convoy (81)

Unicron Trilogy

Vector Prime (1)
Bulkhead (6)
Evac (7)
Optimus Prime (Armada/Energon) (87)
Optimus Prime (Cybertron) (90)
Optimus Supreme (112)
(Optimus Prime & Omega Supreme)
Laserbeak (125)
Ironhide (Energon) (139)

Live-action movie Autobots

Bumblebee (2007/Q-Transformers/ROTB) (130)
Optimus Prime (2007/Q-Transformers) (133)
Ratchet (165)
Ironhide (166)
Jazz (167)
Stratosphere (175)
Mirage (177)
Arcee (180)
Wheeljack (ROTB) (181)

Animated

Optimus Prime (85)
Prowl (159)

Aligned continuity

Bumblebee (Prime/RID) (77)
Optimus Prime (Prime/Go!/RID) (79)
Kenzan (80)
Bulkhead (114)
Arcee (121)
Gekisoumaru (142)
Cliffjumper (157)

Live-action movie Maximals

Optimus Primal (174)
Cheetor (176)
Rhinox (178)
Airazor (179)

Other

Optimus Prime (Cyberverse) (83)
Optimus Prime (EarthSpark) (86)

Generation 1

Scourge (10)
Swindle (23)
Kakuryu (26)
Warriors (40)
Transports (41)
Ion Storm (49)
Acid Storm (50)
Nova Storm (51)
Trypticon (52)
Hellbat (53)
Leozack (54)
Guyhawk (55)
Thundercracker (56)
Skywarp (57)
Starscream (58)
Scorponok (62)
Megatron (93)
Deathsaurus (98)
Overlord (100)
Violengiguar (103)

Beast Era Predacons

Sky-Byte (12)
Megastorm/Gigastorm (22)
Starscream (67)
Magmatron (92)
Megatron (95)
Megatron (Robots in Disguise 2001) (96)
Galvatron (97)
Dinobot II (156)

Beast Era Vehicons

Tankor (24)

Unicron Trilogy

Live-action movies

Lockdown (Q-Transformers) (135)
Bonecrusher (168)
Megatron (169)
Barricade (170)
Brawl (171)
Starscream (172)
Blackout (173)

Animated

Blitzwing (21)
Blackout (60)
Lugnut (61)
Waspinator (69)
Megatron (109)

Aligned continuity

Other

Megatron (Cyberverse) (99)
Megatron (EarthSpark) (101)

Mini-Cons

Jolt (Armada) (4)
Jolt (Cybertron) (8)
Oceanglide (13)
Waterlog (14)
Stormcloud (Armada) (15)
Aerobolt (16)
Grindor (88)
Requiem Blaster (105)
(Astroscope, Payload, Sky Blast)
Star Saber (106)
(Jetstorm, Runway, Sonar)
Skyboom (107)
(Dirt Boss, Downshift, Mirage)
High Wire (117)
Sureshock (122)
Energon Saber (140)
(Scattor, Skyboom, Wreckage)
Safeguard (155)
Swindle (158)
Sparkplug (164)

Others

Junkions (27)
(Ashtray, Greasestain, Junkyard)
Croaton (46)
Insecticons (Prime) (63)
Guren Dragotron (64)
T-AI (131)
Moon (132)
Artemis (134)
Unicron (194)

Generation 1

White Leo (17)
Hydra (47)
Buster (48)
Kremzeek (59)
Wilder (70)
Pis (71)
Illumina (126)
Jan Minakaze (127)
Cab (136)
Minerva (137)
Shūta Gō (138)
Akira Serikawa (143)
Mega (160)
Giga (161)
Dirk Manus (162)
Marissa Faireborn (163)
Daichi Ōnishi (182)
(Kenneth Onishi)
Yuuki Ohnishi (183)
(Koji Onishi)
Yuuki's mom (184)
(Kiko Onishi)
Carly (189)
Spike Witwicky (190)
Daniel Witwicky (191)

Unicron Trilogy

Kicker Jones (89)
Alexis Thi Dang (115)
Rad White (118)
Carlos Lopez (120)
Fred (123)
Billy (124)
Coby Hansen (128)
Lori (129)
Bud Hansen (154)

Animated

Isaac Sumdac (110)
Sari Sumdac (141)

Aligned continuity

EarthSpark

Dot Malto (185)
Mo Malto (186)
Alex Malto (187)
Robby Malto (188)

Production

You left a piece out!

This article is a stub and is missing information. You can help MediaWiki by expanding it.

What's needed: Stuff from director interview, the multitude of crew posts on social media

Credits

For further information, see: Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie/credits

Notes

Continuity notes

As we mentioned up top, this video is a tribute to just about every major animated Transformers production to ever be broadcast on TV, screened in theaters, or released direct-to-video in Japan, up through and including Transformers: EarthSpark (yes, even the Q-Transformers shorts) along with first and last live-action films, Transformers and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. A notable exception is the War for Cybertron Trilogy, which did receive a full Japanese dub, but is otherwise absent from the proceedings... though considering how much it resembles Generation 1 and Beast Wars in terms of aesthetic, we'll forgive Trigger for excluding it.
- Other missing shows include Rescue Bots and its sequel, the BotBots cartoon, and the Prime Wars Trilogy web shorts, all of which were never dubbed for Japanese release.
- This somewhat-narrow focus also means that characters from other mediums aren't included, most notably the many Transformers comics, games, prose stories, and story pages. If you were looking forward to seeing Star Convoy, Super Megatron, the Primus Vanguard, and so on, we're sorry to disappoint you.
- Also of note is how the Unicron Trilogy is implemented. In keeping with how those series were originally treated in Japan, Cybertron's cast is largely composed of discrete characters separate from the cast of Armada and Energon, leading to the absence of Optimus Prime and Megatron in their Energon bodies for the crowd shots of each faction's leaders.
Nearly all of the Beast Wars characters are depicted as being considerably smaller than most of the other Transformers, in keeping with the scale established by the first Beast Wars cartoon.

Transformers references

Settle in, folks, because in case that ridiculous character list up there didn't tip you off, there's a lot to unpack here:

Befitting this crossing of multiple time periods and universes, the opening seconds depict various methods of traveling across time and space that've been shown throughout the franchise: Vector Prime (surrounded by imagery of swinging pendulums and clockwork gears, recreating a scene from the Cybertron episode "Guardian"), the Kronosphere from "War Dawn", the Time Window from "Forever Is a Long Time Coming", the teleport gate from Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!, the Quintesson banishment chamber from "Madman's Paradise", and the Dragon Mound from "A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court".
There are two instances where the planet Cybertron appears in full (the first during the aforementioned "time machine" montage, the second during the credits), both of which use its design from the Generation 1 cartoon.
We get what appears to be two sides in an ongoing battle, with an army of Prime Vehicons on one side and a group of various Autobot helicopters on the other, including Generation 1 Triple Changers Springer and Sandstorm, Armada Jolt, Energon Bulkhead, and both Jolt and Evac from Cybertron.
The following scene shows the wreck of the Galvaburg II sinking into the ocean. Among the survivors are Generation 1 Scourge, Cybertron Thunderblast, Robots in Disguise '01 Sky-Byte, as well as Oceanglide, Stormcloud, and Waterlog of the Armada Sea Mini-Con Team, with Energon Mirage coming to their rescue in the background.
Standing among some urban wreckage are a group of animal-themed characters, including Aerobolt, White Leo, Lio Junior, and Generation 1 Steeljaw. This is followed by a group of "tanky" villains: Animated Blitzwing, Generation 1 Swindle, Beast Machines Tankor, and Armada Demolishor (in his Powerlinx colors), all perched on Beast Wars II Megastorm in alternate mode. Flanking the group are Cybertron Thundercracker and, from Victory, Kakuryu of the Dinoforce, both the comic relief punching bags of their respective series.
There's a battle that appears to be taking place on Junkion, with various Junkions in action. Two in the background are indistinct, but in the foreground are the body-types associated with the characters Junkyard and Ashtray; Junkyard is carrying a wounded Junkion who appears to be Greasestain over his shoulder.
A shot of the aftermath of a battle in a demolished city, with Ratchet in vehicle mode on his side leaking copious amounts of energon, his front in flames. Jazz is also just barely visible in vehicle mode as well, turned completely on his roof. Notably, Ratchet's appearance seems to be modeled after his Studio Series '86 figure, with parts of his robot mode visible on the undercarriage and his pistols located roughly where their storage pegs are in alt-mode.
We get a shot of an Autobot/Maximal naval fleet consisting of Generation 1 Metroplex, Fortress's Maximus, Grand's Maximus, Generation 1 Broadside, and the Yukikaze. The Generation 1 Aerialbots are present as well, but there's some oddities: Slingshot rests on Broadside's deck but is miscolored gray, while next to him is what appears to be a sixth white Aerialbot, a twin-tailfin jet that's kind of Air Raid-shaped (but Air Raid is flying in the upper-right corner of the shot, so it ain't him!).
Victory's Rescue Patrol Team walk past a line of offline Decepticons along a beach—specifically the generic "warriors" and "Dropkicks" seen in "War Dawn"—as they approach the colossal form of Cyberverse Croaton.
Godmasters Hydra and Buster from Super-God Masterforce stand by their Transtectors.
Next is a villainous counterpart to the earlier Autobot naval fleet shot, featuring Gigastorm, Generation 1 Trypticon (based on his Titans Return toy), Armada Tidal Wave, Generation 1 Scorponok, and the Prime version of the Nemesis. Flying above them are the Rainmakers (Acid Storm, Ion Storm, and Nova Storm); the Thunder Arrow; the three flying members of the Breastforce (Hellbat, Leozack, and Guyhawk); Generation 1 Thundercracker and Skywarp; Animated Blitzwing, Blackout, and Lugnut; what appears to be Prime Predaking (or maybe Go Dragotron?) and two Prime Insecticons, and some Prime Air Vehicons.
- Generation 1 Starscream takes off from Tidal Wave's deck, with Kremzeek in his cockpit. He is joined in the air by Armada Starscream and Beast Wars II Starscream, as well as Victory Leozack and Animated Waspinator. Leozack's a thematically similar Starscream-like scheming second-in-command character, while Waspinator's inclusion is almost certainly meant to nod to when Starscream's ghost possessed the Beast Wars version in "Possession".
Wilder appears forlornly looking over poor little Pis, whom he savagely kicked in the Masterforce episode "Rage!! Little Devils with No Need for Rules".
The following two panning shots are big ones: the many different Autobot and Maximal leaders standing in front of the Ark on one side, and the various major villains standing in front of Decepticon Headquarters and the Decepticon Nemesis on the other.
- Of note on the heroic side: Big Convoy is wielding his Matrix Cannon alongside his NAVI; Jan Minakaze can be seen standing on Star Saber's shoulder, wearing his spacesuit from the final episode of Victory; Robots in Disguise '15 Bumblebee is wielding a Decepticon Hunter, and Dai Atlas is holding the Zodiac. Both Moonbase One and Moonbase Two can also be seen in the background, as can Kicker Jones from Energon, riding that series' version of Grindor.
- On the villains' side, Cybertron Megatron is shown holding Vector Prime's Planet Map; Armada Megatron is wielding the Star Saber, Requiem Blaster, and Skyboom Shield all at once; Animated Megatron has Isaac Sumdac tied to his chest, as he did in the Animated episode "A Bridge Too Close, Part I"; and Prime Megatron is depicted as he appeared in the late stages of Prime season 2, with the dead Prime's right arm in place of his, allowing him to wield the Dark Star Saber. Also of note are who was chosen to represent certain series: Dragotron (in his larger, red, "Guren" form) represents Transformers: Go!, Megatronus represents Robots in Disguise '15, and Overlord supplants Devil Z as the Super-God Masterforce representative. Generation 1 Galvatron is not included, as his previous self is already present.
Next, we see Cybertron Megatron combine with Nemesis Breaker on Velocitron, and clash with Lio Convoy in his "Legendary Green Lion" form, featured in the final episodes of both Beast Wars II and Beast Wars Neo. Lio is wielding Magmatron's Magma Blade, as he did in the Neo episode "The Final Battle".
Five sword-wielding Autobot leaders gather: Star Saber; God Ginrai (wielding the sword he used only once, in the Victory episode "A Deadly Battle"); Robots in Disguise '15 Optimus Prime, armed with the Prime Decepticon Hunter; Cybertron Optimus Prime, brandishing Vector Prime's sword Rhisling, as he did in the Cybertron episode "Unfinished"; and Fortress Maximus, with his mighty Master Sword. They all strike the "Obari pose" (a dynamic perspective shot made famous by the Brave series of anime), as Cybertron Optimus did in the aforementioned episode.
Next comes a quintet of Autobot leaders using more blaster-based powers, all unleashing their "final attacks": Cyberverse Optimus Prime fires an energy blast from his Matrix, as he did in the Cyberverse episode "I Am The Allspark"; Robots in Disguise Optimus Prime uses his "Blizzard Storm" water blast; Big Convoy opens fire with his Big Cannon; Armada Optimus Prime uses his "Max Fire" super move; and Energon Optimus Prime (combined with Omega Supreme as "Optimus Supreme") completes the group, unleashing his "Grand Final Impact" finisher.
Next follow three scenes dedicated to the Autobots' human allies, all grouped by the nature of their relationships:
- The first scene depicts "close friends", in this case the kid/teen casts of Prime and Armada. They're joined by the Prime incarnations of Bulkhead, Bumblebee, and Arcee, the Street Action Mini-Con Team, and Armada Laserbeak. Look close, and you'll see that Alexis is wearing the necklace prominently featured in the Armada episodes "Portent" and "Cramp", which symbolizes her friendship with Starscream, while Fred is eating a bag of chips of the same brand as he munched on in "Confrontation".
- The second scene pairs two "mech teams", with Jan Minakaze and Illumina (visible only in silhouette through the cockpit canopy) in the Illumina II traveling alongside Coby Hansen and Lori Jiménez in the Cobybot. In keeping with its appearance in Victory, the Illumina II's name is still misspelled as "Irumina II" on its side.
- The third scene is a group of "fighters", including the Autobot Headmaster Juniors, riding on Energon Ironhide (in his green "Energon" power-up colors), Kicker Jones (riding the Energon Saber like a hoverboard, as he often did in the show), and Sari Sumdac, who imitates Kicker's signature kick from the opening of Super Link, with Ocean City in the background.
Between the mech teams and the fighters, we get a scene set in Gaia's Moon; Artemis and Moon are joined by T-AI and a trio of surprise guests in the form of Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Lockdown from Q-Transformers, altogether creating a team of "cutesy mascot characters". In keeping with the Flash-animated nature of their series, the Q-Transformers trio have incredibly simple animation.
While the close-up shot of some red flowers might seem like just a random transition scene, it's actually a reference to the end of "Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!", where Akira Serikawa presents Cain and Emusa with some. This scene transitions into a showcase of all three of "Aligned" Optimus Prime's bodies as featured in Japan's run of Prime and Go!: Optimus appears in his "Beast Hunters" body with Prima's Star Saber, joined by Prime Optimus holding the Forge of Solus Prime and Optimus Exprime from Transformers Go! in the background.
- Notably, Prime's third season was never dubbed and aired in Japan, but instead was replaced with Transformers Go!, where Optimus appears in his "Beast Hunters" body in multiple episodes.
The next two scenes continue the Transformers Go! train: the first depicts Optimus combining with Gekisoumaru and Kenzan into DaiGekisou, while the second is a group shot of the series' human cast staring into the horizon atop DaiKenzan. All the historical characters are gathered on DaiKenzan's right shoulder, protagonists Tobio Fūma and Isami Tatewaki are hanging out in his chest cavity, and the two boys' respective grandfathers are on DaiKenzan's left shoulder.
Next follows a recreation of the scene of Vector Prime giving Bud Hansen and Safeguard his planet map, as seen in the aforementioned episode "Guardian".
After this, we get a montage of some of the franchise's tragic deaths intercut with scenes of Generation 1 Optimus Prime traversing through "the other side of the Matrix" (as seen in the Beast Wars episode "Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)"), his appearance shifting between his regular look, his corpse (complete with aggressive depigmentation), and the... distinctive color scheme designed by Bump of Chicken bassist Yoshifumi "Chama" Naoi for the exclusive "Bump of Chicken Convoy" figure produced as a tie-in with this video. In order, we can see Optimus on his deathbed from The Transformers: The Movie, Dinobot II's honorable sacrifice from "Nemesis Part 2", Prime Cliffjumper getting stabbed in "Darkness Rising, Part 1", Armada Starscream's last stand from "Cramp" (complete with Swindle being ejected), Animated Prowl in his samurai armor relinquishing his spark in "Endgame, Part II", and Jan mourning the loss of God Ginrai from "Ginrai Dies!!".
The following sequence sees the Transmetal versions of Optimus Primal and Megatron merge with their Generation 1 counterparts to form their respective upgraded forms, a more literal interpretation of how Optimal Optimus and dragon Megatron came into being in the third season of Beast Wars. When the two clash fists, echoes of their future selves from Beast Machines appear.
In "blink and you'll miss it" frames, Mega and Giga are piloting the Megajet and Gigatank respectively to form into Overlord.
Overlord is seen battling Animated Optimus Prime, who's equipped with the Magnus Hammer and the "Wingblade" jet pack, as was the case in "Endgame, Part II". The battle takes place in Earth orbit, with the moon visible in the background, referencing Overlord's lunar battle with God Ginrai (whose design directly inspired the look of Animated Optimus' flight mode, hence why he's here instead of Ginrai) in the Masterforce episode "God Ginrai - Into the Sky!!".
The man Marissa Faireborn is kissing is the swindler Dirk Manus from the episode "Money Is Everything". He only appeared in that one episode of the original cartoon, but expansions to Japanese Transformers lore have since established that he and Marissa got back together and had a daughter.
Rodimus Prime opening the Matrix is made to parallel Armada Sparkplug using that series' Matrix to resurrect his Optimus in "Miracle" and Dai Atlas raising the Zodiac above his head, presumably meant to nod to Optimus Prime's resurrection as Star Convoy in the Battlestars story pages.
The live-action films get some representation in the form of the first film's Autobot and Decepticon teams charging their opposites down on a barren highway. Rise of the Beasts gets some love too, with its versions of Optimus Primal, Stratosphere, Cheetor, Mirage, Bumblebee, Rhinox, Airazor, Arcee, and Wheeljack staring off into the distance. All of them are based on their early control art designs, though Airazor sports her final feathery head. As it was in the film, Airazor is the only one without a robot mode.

"It's enough to make a grown man cry... And that's okay..."

The final scene sees the Generation 1 versions of Optimus and Megatron stare each other down, as several human families from across the franchise's history look on: Denny Clay and his son Russell; the adult version of Spike Witwicky with his wife Carly and his son Daniel; the Malto family from EarthSpark; and Koji Onishi and his parents Kenneth and Kiko (notably, Kiko's only prior animated appearance having been a single scene in the first episode of Robots in Disguise). The angle then cuts back to Prime and Megatron, only now, they have been replaced with their EarthSpark counterparts shaking hands—the series' more black-and-white roots have thematically given way to its more nuanced present. We then pan up to see Unicron's head orbiting Cybertron as the credits roll.

...PHEW!

Real-world trivia

Notable among the Studio Trigger staff that worked on this video are key animators Masaru Sakamoto and Hiroki Mutaguchi and director Akira Amemiya. Sakamoto previously helped design Flame Toys' Furai Model Lio Convoy kit and was one of a few guest artists on the Generations Selects Special Comic Finale, Mutaguchi drew the cover for the Transformers Generations 2022 book, and Amemiya is a huge fan of the franchise that's done multiple official illustrations and designed various other Furai Model kits.
Outside of Studio Trigger's staff, multiple animators veteran to previous Transformers series were brought on as guest animators; these include lead animators for the Japanese produced Transformers shows and Unicron Trilogy Munetaka Abe and Masahiro Yamane, and even Studio OX artists Tsuyoshi Nonaka and Morifumi Naka.
Longtime Japanese Transformers artist Hayato Sakamoto also contributed to the Special Movie as another key animator and a project supervisor. As confirmed by Sakamoto himself, this video marks his debut as an animator.^[1]
TakaraTomy's initial upload of "Special Movie" to YouTube has been marked as unavailable to watch in most regions outside of Japan. It was reuploaded to Twitter without region locking around 12 hours later.

Errors

On the heroic side, Generation 1 Optimus Prime is missing the blue detail on the bottom of the waist between the legs. It is shown in white. It is shown in blue when Optimus is seen again before combining with Beast Wars Optimus Primal. The missing blue would happen again on the shot of Generation 1 versions of Optimus and Megatron stare each other down.
On the dark side, in the scene that shows a few of the "tanky" Decepticons, Animated Blitzwing is missing the gun barrels on his back.
During the panning shot of previous Decepticon leaders throughout the franchise history, Cybertron Megatron has a dark gray nose. Although it may not initially seem like an error due to his original Galaxy Force toy sporting a gray nose, his later appearance combining with Nemesis Breaker has him with his correct, show-accurate white nose.

References

↑ "構成協力及び原画で参加しました！TF40周年記念作品に関われてとても嬉しかったです！そしてアニメーターデビュー！それもトランスフォーマーのアニメ！更にスタジオtriggerのアニメに！やった！超豪華スタッフと一緒にお仕事出来て信じられない感じです。是非見てくださいーーー！！"—Hayato Sakamoto, Twitter, 2024/09/12

External links

40th Anniversary Special Movie at TakaraTomy's official YouTube account (region locked)
40th Anniversary Special Movie on the TakaraTomy Transformers Twitter account
40th Anniversary Special Movie with English subs by Karyuudo Fansubs
Making-of director interview with Akira Amemiya at the Studio Trigger YouTube channel (with English subtitles)

[1] "構成協力及び原画で参加しました！TF40周年記念作品に関われてとても嬉しかったです！そしてアニメーターデビュー！それもトランスフォーマーのアニメ！更にスタジオtriggerのアニメに！やった！超豪華スタッフと一緒にお仕事出来て信じられない感じです。是非見てくださいーーー！！"—Hayato Sakamoto, Twitter, 2024/09/12

[1]

Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 07:31, 8 May 2026

Contents

Characters

Production

Credits

Notes

Continuity notes

Transformers references

Real-world trivia

Errors

References

External links

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[File:TF_40th_Special_Movie_thumbnail.jpg|thumb|275px|''Touch the untouchable, break the unbreakable''<br/> ''Row, row, fight the power!'']]
+{{episode|
+|otherseries="Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie"
+|image=TF_40th_Special_Movie_thumbnail.jpg
+|caption=''Touch the untouchable, break the unbreakable''<br/> ''Row, row, fight the power!''
+|japanese=トランスフォーマー40周年記念 スペシャルムービー
+|romaji=Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie
+|airdate=[[September 12]], [[2024]]
+|production company=
+|animation studio=[[Studio Trigger]]
+|director=[[Akira Amemiya]]
+}}
-The '''''Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie''''' is a short 3-minute animated "promotional video" (or "PV", as it's usually abbreviated) created to, as the title suggests, celebrate the ''Transformers'' franchise's 40th anniversary. It was produced by [[Studio Trigger]] (with assistance from Production I.G., Production +h., Studio Colorido, Studio KAI, and Madhouse) for [[TakaraTomy]] and features the song "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N8miWIdD54 Mayday]" by [[Bump of Chicken]].
+"'''Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie'''" is a short 3-½ minute animated "promotional video" (or "PV", as it's usually abbreviated) created to, as the title suggests, celebrate the ''Transformers'' franchise's 40th anniversary. It was produced by [[Studio Trigger]] (with assistance from [[Production I.G.]], [[Production +h.]], [[Studio Colorido]], [[Studio KAI]], and [[Madhouse]]) for [[TakaraTomy]] and features the song "[[Mayday (song)|Mayday]]" by [[Bump of Chicken]].
-As it's essentially an animated music video, there is no plot to the ''Special Movie'' — instead, the main draw is that it features characters and concepts from the [[live-action film series]] and basically every major animated ''Transformers'' production to ever see screen time in [[Japan]]. It's as rad as it is indicative of Trigger's love for the franchise... which is to say, ''it's rad as hell''.
+As it's essentially an animated music video, there is no plot to "Special Movie"—instead, the main draw is that it features characters and concepts from basically every major animated ''Transformers'' production to ever see screen time in [[Japan]], plus the [[live-action film series]]. It's as rad as it is indicative of Trigger's love for the franchise... which is to say, ''it's rad as hell''.
 Following a teaser on [[August 28]], [[2024]], the ''Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie'' was officially uploaded to TakaraTomy's YouTube channel on [[September 12]].
 ==Characters==
+''Hooooo boy'', it's a lot! This short features almost '''''two hundred''''' characters from across forty years of ''Transformers'' media!
+{{note|Yes, Unicron Trilogy Optimus and Megatron both appear twice in the character list, due to differing portrayals in Japan. See "[[#Continuity notes|Continuity notes]]" below.}}
 {{featuredcharacters
 |h1=[[Autobot]]s / [[Maximal]]s|c1=
@@ Line 14: / Line 27: @@
 {{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
 '''[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Generation 1]]'''
-*[[Springer (G1)#The Transformers cartoon|Springer]] (3)
+* [[Springer (G1)#The Transformers cartoon|Springer]] (3)
-*[[Sandstorm (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sandstorm]] (5)
+* [[Sandstorm (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Sandstorm]] (5)
-*[[Steeljaw (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Steeljaw]] (16)
+* [[Steeljaw (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Steeljaw]] (19)
-*[[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (25)
+* [[Ratchet (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ratchet]] (28)
-*[[Metroplex (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Metroplex]] (26)
+* [[Jazz (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Jazz]] (29)
-*[[Grand Maximus]] (27)
+* [[Metroplex (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Metroplex]] (30)
-*[[Broadside (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Broadside]] (28)
+* [[Grand Maximus]] (31)
-*[[Fireflight (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Fireflight]] (29)
+* [[Broadside (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Broadside]] (32)
-*[[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skydive]] (30)
+* [[Fireflight (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Fireflight]] (33)
-*[[Slingshot (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Slingshot]] (31)
+* [[Slingshot (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Slingshot]] (34)
-*[[Air Raid (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Air Raid]] (32)
+* Unknown white jet (35)
-*[[Silverbolt (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Silverbolt]] (33)
+* [[Air Raid (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Air Raid]] (36)
-*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Fortress Maximus]] (34)
+* [[Skydive (G1 Aerialbot)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skydive]] (37)
-*[[Holi]] (36)
+* [[Silverbolt (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Silverbolt]] (38)
-*[[Boater]] (37)
+* [[Fortress Maximus (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Fortress Maximus]] (39)
-*[[Fire]] (38)
+* [[Holi]] (42)
-*[[Pīpō]] (39)
+* [[Boater]] (43)
-*[[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] (64)
+* [[Fire]] (44)
-*[[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (65)
+* [[Pīpō]] (45)
-*[[Star Saber (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Star Saber]] (66)
+* [[Hot Rod (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Rodimus Prime]] (74)
-*[[Ginrai (human)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|God Ginrai]] (67)
+* [[Optimus Prime (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime]] (75)
-*[[Dai Atlas (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Dai Atlas]] (75)
+* [[Star Saber (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Star Saber]] (76)
-*[[Optimus Prime (RID)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Fire Convoy]] (80)
+* [[Ginrai (human)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|God Ginrai]] (82)<br>(Ginrai & [[Godbomber]])
+* [[Dai Atlas (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Dai Atlas]] (84)
+* [[Optimus Prime (RID)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime (''Robots in Disguise'' 2001)]] (91)
-'''[[Beast Era|Beast Era]] [[Maximal]]s
+'''[[Beast Era]] [[Maximal]]s
-*[[Lio Junior]] (15)
+* [[Lio Junior (BW)|Lio Junior]] (18)
-*[[NAVI (Yukikaze)|NAVI]] (62)
+* [[NAVI (Gung Ho)|NAVI]] (72)
-*[[Big Convoy]] (63)
+* [[Big Convoy (BW)|Big Convoy]] (73)
-*[[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] (71)
+* [[Optimus Primal (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Optimus Primal]] (78)
-*[[Lio Convoy#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Lio Convoy]] (72)
+* [[Lio Convoy (BW)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Lio Convoy]] (81)
 '''[[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]'''
-*[[Vector Prime#Cybertron cartoon|Vector Prime]] (1)
+* [[Vector Prime#Cybertron cartoon|Vector Prime]] (1)
-*[[Bulkhead (Energon)#Cartoon continuity|Bulkhead]] (6)
+* [[Bulkhead (Energon)#Cartoon continuity|Bulkhead]] (6)
-*[[Evac (Cybertron)|Evac]] (7)
+* [[Evac (Cybertron)|Evac]] (7)
-*[[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon_continuity|Optimus Prime (Armada)]] (78)
+* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Optimus Prime (''Armada''/''Energon'')]] (87)
-*[[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon_continuity#Cybertron cartoon|Galaxy Convoy]] (79)
+* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity#Cybertron cartoon|Optimus Prime (''Cybertron'')]] (90)
-*[[Optimus Prime (Armada)#Energon cartoon|Optimus]] [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Supreme]] (99)
+* [[Optimus Prime (Armada)/Cartoon continuity#Energon cartoon|Optimus Supreme]] (112)<br>(Optimus Prime & [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]])
-*[[Laserbeak (Armada)|Laserbeak]] (103)
+* [[Laserbeak (Armada)|Laserbeak]] (125)
-*[[Ironhide (Energon)]] (125)
+* [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide (''Energon'')]] (139)
 {{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
-'''[[Movie continuity family]]'''
+'''[[Movie continuity family|Live-action movie Autobots]]'''
-*[[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee (Movie 1/Q-Transformers/ROTB)]] (117)
+* [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee (2007/''Q-Transformers''/''ROTB'')]] (130)
-*[[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime (Movie/Q-Transformers)]] (119)
+* [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime (2007/''Q-Transformers'')]] (133)
-*[[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] (149)
+* [[Ratchet (Movie)|Ratchet]] (165)
-*[[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] (150)
+* [[Ironhide (Movie)|Ironhide]] (166)
-*[[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] (151)
+* [[Jazz (Movie)|Jazz]] (167)
-*[[Stratosphere]] (160)
+* [[Stratosphere]] (175)
-*[[Arcee (Movie)#Rise_of_the_Beasts_film|Arcee (ROTB)]] (161)
+* [[Mirage (Movie)|Mirage]] (177)
-*[[Mirage (Movie)|Mirage (ROTB)]] (163)
+* [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]] (180)
+* [[Wheeljack (ROTB)|Wheeljack (''ROTB'')]] (181)
 '''[[Animated continuity family|Animated]]'''
-*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (76)
+*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (85)
-*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (145)
+*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (159)
 '''[[Aligned continuity family|Aligned continuity]]'''
-*[[Aerobolt]] (13)
+* [[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee (''Prime''/''RID'')]] (77)
-*[[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime (Prime/RID 2015/Go!)]] (68)
+* [[Optimus Prime (WFC)|Optimus Prime (''Prime''/''Go!''/''RID'')]] (79)
-*[[Bumblebee (WFC)|Bumblebee (Prime/RID 2015)]] (69)
+* [[Kenzan]] (80)
-*[[Kenzan]] (70)
+* [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]] (114)
-*[[Bulkhead (Prime)]] (101)
+* [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]] (121)
-*[[Arcee (WFC)#Prime_cartoon|Arcee (Prime)]] (102)
+* [[Gekisoumaru]] (142)
-*[[Gekisoumaru]] (129)
+* [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] (157)
-*[[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper (Prime)]] (143)
-'''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Live-action Maximals]]
+'''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Live-action movie Maximals]]
-*[[Optimus Primal (ROTB)|Optimus Primal]] (158)
+* [[Optimus Primal (ROTB)|Optimus Primal]] (174)
-*[[Rhinox (ROTB)|Rhinox]] (159)
+* [[Cheetor (ROTB)|Cheetor]] (176)
-*[[Airazor (ROTB)|Airazor]] (162)
+* [[Rhinox (ROTB)|Rhinox]] (178)
-*[[Cheetor (ROTB)|Cheetor]] (164)
+* [[Airazor (ROTB)|Airazor]] (179)
 '''Other'''
-*[[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)]] (73)
+*[[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime (''Cyberverse'')]] (83)
-*[[Optimus Prime (ES)]] (77)
+*[[Optimus Prime (ES)|Optimus Prime (''EarthSpark'')]] (86)
 {{!}}}
@@ Line 93: / Line 111: @@
 {{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
 '''[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Generation 1]]'''
-*[[Scourge (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]] (9)
+* [[Scourge (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scourge]] (10)
-*[[Swindle (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Swindle]] (19)
+* [[Swindle (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Swindle]] (23)
-*[[Kakuryu (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kakuryu]] (23)
+* [[Kakuryu (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Kakuryu]] (26)
-*[[Warrior]]s (35)
+* [[Warrior]]s (40)
-*[[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (43)
+* [[Dropkick (G1)|Transports]] (41)
-*[[Trypticon (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Trypticon]] (44)
+* [[Ion Storm#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ion Storm]] (49)
-*[[Ion Storm#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Ion Storm]] (45)
+* [[Acid Storm (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Acid Storm]] (50)
-*[[Acid Storm (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Acid Storm]] (46)
+* [[Nova Storm (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Nova Storm]] (51)
-*[[Nova Storm (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Nova Storm]] (47)
+* [[Trypticon (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Trypticon]] (52)
-*[[Seeker (body-type)#And the rest...|Seekers]] (48)
+* [[Hellbat (G1)|Hellbat]] (53)
-*[[Scorponok (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scorponok]] (50)
+* [[Leozack]] (54)
-*[[Blitzwing (G1)#Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Blitzwing]] (51)
+* [[Guyhawk]] (55)
-*[[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (56)
+* [[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (56)
-*[[Thundercracker (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Thundercracker]] (57)
+* [[Skywarp (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Skywarp]] (57)
-*[[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (82)
+* [[Starscream (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (58)
-*[[Deathsaurus (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Deathsaurus]] (83)
+* [[Scorponok (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Scorponok]] (62)
-*[[Overlord (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Overlord]] (90)
+* [[Megatron (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (93)
-*[[Violengiguar]] (93)
+* [[Deathsaurus (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Deathsaurus]] (98)
+* [[Overlord (G1)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Overlord]] (100)
+* [[Violengiguar]] (103)
 '''[[Predacon (BW)|Beast Era Predacons]]
-*[[Megastorm|Megastorm/Gigastorm]] (22)
+* [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]] (12)
-*[[Sky-Byte (RID)]] (10)
+* [[Megastorm (BW)|Megastorm/Gigastorm]] (22)
-*[[Magmatron]] (81)
+* [[Starscream (BW)|Starscream]] (67)
-*[[Megatron (RID)#Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Gigatron]] (86)
+* [[Magmatron (BW)|Magmatron]] (92)
-*[[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (87)
+* [[Megatron (BW)/Beast Wars cartoon continuity|Megatron]] (95)
-*[[Galvatron (BW)]] (88)
+* [[Megatron (RID)|Megatron (''Robots in Disguise'' 2001)]] (96)
-*[[Dinobot II]] (142)
+* [[Galvatron (BW)|Galvatron]] (97)
+* [[Dinobot II]] (156)
 '''[[Vehicon (BM)|Beast Era Vehicons]]'''
-*[[Tankor (BM)]] (20)
+* [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] (24)
-*[[Obsidian (BM)]] (53)
 {{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
 '''[[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]'''
-*[[Thunderblast_(Decepticon)|Thunderblast]] (11)
+* [[Tidal Wave (Armada)#Energon|Mirage/Tidal Wave]] (9)
-*[[Thundercracker (Armada)#Cybertron cartoon|Thundercracker (Cybertron)]] (17)
+* [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]] (11)
-*[[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] (21)
+* [[Thundercracker (Armada)#Cybertron cartoon|Thundercracker]] (20)
-*[[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]] (49)
+* [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] (25)
-*[[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (58)
+* [[Starscream (Armada)/Cartoon continuity|Starscream]] (68)
-*[[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity#Cybertron cartoon|Master Megatron]] (85)
+* [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity#Cybertron cartoon|Megatron (''Cybertron'')]] (94)
-*[[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity#Armada cartoon|Megatron (Armada)]] (94)
+* [[Megatron (Armada)/Cartoon continuity#Armada cartoon|Megatron (''Armada'')]] (104)
-*[[Nemesis Breaker]] (98)
+* [[Nemesis Breaker]] (111)
+'''[[Movie continuity family|Live-action movies]]'''
+* [[Lockdown (ROTF)#Q-Transformers cartoon|Lockdown (''Q-Transformers'')]] (135)
+*[[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] (168)
+*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (169)
+*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (170)
+*[[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] (171)
+*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] (172)
+*[[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] (173)
-'''[[Movie continuity family]]'''
-*[[Lockdown_(ROTF)#Q-Transformers_cartoon|Lockdown (Q-Transformers)]] (121)
-*[[Megatron (Movie)|Megatron]] (152)
-*[[Starscream (Movie)|Starscream]] (153)
-*[[Blackout (Movie)|Blackout]] (154)
-*[[Bonecrusher (Movie)|Bonecrusher]] (155)
-*[[Barricade (Movie)|Barricade]] (156)
-*[[Brawl (Movie)|Brawl]] (157)
 '''[[Animated continuity family|Animated]]'''
-*[[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (18)
+* [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] (21)
-*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] (52)
+* [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]] (60)
-*[[Wasp|Waspinator]] (59)
+* [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] (61)
-*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (96)
+* [[Wasp]]inator (69)
+* [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (109)
 '''[[Aligned continuity family|Aligned continuity]]'''
-*[[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons (Prime)]] (2)
+* [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons / Jet Vehicons]] (2)
-*[[The Fallen#2015_Robots_in_Disguise_cartoon|Megatronus (RID 2015)]] (92)
+* [[Trypticon (WFC)|''Nemesis'']] (65)
-*[[Megatron (WFC)#Prime_cartoon|Megatron (Prime)]] (95)
+* [[The Fallen#2015 Robots in Disguise cartoon|Megatronus]] (102)
+* [[Megatron (WFC)#Prime cartoon|Megatron]] (108)
 '''Other'''
-*[[Megatron (Cyberverse)]] (89)
+*[[Megatron (Cyberverse)|Megatron (''Cyberverse'')]] (99)
-*[[Megatron (ES)]] (91)
+*[[Megatron (ES)|Megatron (''EarthSpark'')]] (101)
 {{!}}}
@@ Line 163: / Line 189: @@
 {{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
 '''[[Mini-Con]]s'''
-*[[Jolt (Armada)#Armada cartoon|Jolt (Armada)]] (4)
+* [[Jolt (Armada)#Armada cartoon|Jolt (''Armada'')]] (4)
-*[[Jolt (Cybertron)]] (8)
+* [[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt (''Cybertron'')]] (8)
-*[[Sureshock (Armada)#Cartoon continuity|Sureshock]] (107)
+* [[Oceanglide]] (13)
-*[[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (108)
+* [[Waterlog (Armada)|Waterlog]] (14)
-*[[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] (110)
+* [[Stormcloud (Armada)|Stormcloud (''Armada'')]] (15)
-*[[Safeguard (Cybertron)]] (141)
+* [[Aerobolt]] (16)
-*[[Swindle (Armada)#Cartoon continuity|Swindle]] (144)
+* [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]] (88)
-*[[Sparkplug (Armada)#Cartoon continuity|Sparkplug]] (148)
+* [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]] (105)<br>([[Astroscope]], [[Payload (Armada)|Payload]], [[Sky Blast (Armada)|Sky Blast]])
+* [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]] (106)<br>([[Jetstorm (Armada)|Jetstorm]], [[Runway (Armada)|Runway]], [[Sonar (Armada)|Sonar]])
+* [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom]] (107)<br>([[Dirt Boss (Armada)|Dirt Boss]], [[Downshift (Armada)|Downshift]], [[Mirage (Armada)|Mirage]])
+* [[High Wire (Armada)|High Wire]] (117)
+* [[Sureshock (Armada)|Sureshock]] (122)
+* [[Energon Saber]] (140)<br>([[Scattor (Energon)|Scattor]], [[Skyboom (Energon)|Skyboom]], [[Wreckage (Energon)|Wreckage]])
+* [[Safeguard (Cybertron)|Safeguard]] (155)
+* [[Swindle (Armada)#Cartoon continuity|Swindle]] (158)
+* [[Sparkplug (Armada)#Cartoon continuity|Sparkplug]] (164)
 '''Others'''
-*[[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] (24)
+* [[Junkion (species)|Junkions]] (27)<br>([[Ashtray]], [[Greasestain]], [[Junkyard (G1)|Junkyard]])
-**[[Junkyard (G1)]]
+* [[Croaton (Cyberverse)|Croaton]] (46)
-**[[Ashtray]]
+* [[Insecticon (WFC)#Cartoon continuity|Insecticons (''Prime'')]] (63)
-*[[Croaton (Cyberverse)]] (40)
+* [[Dragotron|Guren Dragotron]] (64)
-*[[Insecticon (WFC)#Cartoon continuity|Insecticons (Prime)]] (54)
+* [[T-AI]] (131)
-*[[Dragotron]] (84)
+* [[Moon (BW)|Moon]] (132)
-*[[T-AI|Ai]] (116)
+* [[Artemis]] (134)
-*[[Moon (BW)|Moon]] (118)
+* [[Unicron]] (194)
-*[[Artemis]] (120)
 {{!}}}
@@ Line 188: / Line 222: @@
 {{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
 '''[[Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Generation 1]]'''
-*[[White Leo]] (14)
+* [[White Leo]] (17)
-*[[Hydra (G1)|Hydra]] (41)
+* [[Hydra (G1)|Hydra]] (47)
-*[[Buster (G1)|Buster]] (42)
+* [[Buster (G1)|Buster]] (48)
-*[[Kremzeek]] (55)
+* [[Kremzeek]] (59)
-*[[Wilder (G1)|Wilder]] (60)
+* [[Wilder (G1)|Wilder]] (70)
-*[[Pis]] (61)
+* [[Pis]] (71)
-*[[Jan Minakaze]] (74)
+* [[Illumina]] (126)
-*[[Illumina]] (113)
+* [[Jan Minakaze]] (127)
-*[[Cab (human)|Cab]] (122)
+* [[Cab (human)|Cab]] (136)
-*[[Minerva (human)|Minerva]] (123)
+* [[Minerva (human)|Minerva]] (137)
-*[[Shūta Gō]] (124)
+* [[Shūta Gō]] (138)
-*[[Akira Serikawa]] (128)
+* [[Akira Serikawa]] (143)
-*[[Dirk Manus]] (146)
+* [[Mega]] (160)
-*[[Marissa Faireborn]] (147)
+* [[Giga]] (161)
-*[[Daichi Ōnishi]] (165)
+* [[Dirk Manus]] (162)
-*[[Koji Onishi|Yuuki Ohnishi]] (166)
+* [[Marissa Faireborn]] (163)
-*[[Kiko Onishi|Yuuki's mom]] (167)
+* [[Kenneth Onishi|Daichi Ōnishi]] (182)<br>(Kenneth Onishi)
-*[[Carly (G1)|Carly]] (172)
+* [[Koji Onishi|Yuuki Ohnishi]] (183)<br>(Koji Onishi)
-*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (173)
+* [[Kiko Onishi|Yuuki's mom]] (184)<br>(Kiko Onishi)
-*[[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] (174)
+* [[Carly (G1)|Carly]] (189)
+* [[Spike Witwicky (G1)/Generation 1 cartoon continuity|Spike Witwicky]] (190)
+* [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel Witwicky]] (191)
 '''[[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]]'''
-*[[Alexis Thi Dang]] (103)
+* [[Kicker Jones]] (89)
-*[[Rad White]] (104)
+* [[Alexis Thi Dang]] (115)
-*[[Carlos Lopez]] (106)
+* [[Rad White]] (118)
-*[[Fred (Armada)]] (111)
+* [[Carlos Lopez]] (120)
-*[[Billy (Armada)]] (112)
+* [[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] (123)
-*[[Coby Hansen]] (114)
+* [[Billy (Armada)|Billy]] (124)
-*[[Lori Jiménez]] (115)
+* [[Coby Hansen]] (128)
-*[[Kicker Jones]] (126)
+* [[Lori Jiménez|Lori]] (129)
-*[[Bud Hansen]] (140)
+* [[Bud Hansen]] (154)
 {{!}}style="background:transparent;border:0px" valign="top"{{!}}
 '''[[Animated continuity family|Animated]]'''
-*[[Isaac Sumdac (Animated)|Isaac Sumdac]] (97)
+* [[Isaac Sumdac (Animated)|Isaac Sumdac]] (110)
-*[[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari Sumdac]] (127)
+* [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari Sumdac]] (141)
 '''[[Aligned continuity family|Aligned continuity]]'''
-*[[Miko Nakadai]] (100)
+* [[Miko Nakadai]] (113)
-*[[Jack Darby]] (105)
+* [[Raf Esquivel]] (116)
-*[[Raf Esquivel]] (109)
+* [[Jack Darby]] (119)
-*[[Tobio Fūma]] (130)
+* [[Tobio Fūma]] (144)
-*[[Isami Tatewaki]] (131)
+* [[Isami Tatewaki]] (145)
-*[[Kotarō Fūma]] (132)
+* [[Kotarō Fūma]] (146)
-*[[Ryōma Sakamoto]] (133)
+* [[Ryōma Sakamoto]] (147)
-*[[Bokuden Tsukahara]] (134)
+* [[Sasuke Sarutobi]] (148)
-*[[Musashi Miyamoto]] (135)
+* [[Bokuden Tsukahara]] (149)
-*[[Sasuke Sarutobi]] (136)
+* [[Musashi Miyamoto]] (150)
-*[[Musashibō Benkei]] (137)
+* [[Musashibō Benkei]] (151)
-*[[Tobio Fūma's grandfather]] (138)
+* [[Tobio Fūma's grandfather]] (152)
-*[[Sekishūsai Tatewaki]] (139)
+* [[Sekishūsai Tatewaki]] (153)
-*[[Russell Clay]] (175)
+* [[Russell Clay]] (192)
-*[[Denny Clay]] (176)
+* [[Denny Clay]] (193)
 '''[[Transformers: EarthSpark (cartoon)|EarthSpark]]'''
-*[[Dot Malto]] (168)
+*[[Dot Malto]] (185)
-*[[Mo Malto]] (169)
+*[[Mo Malto]] (186)
-*[[Alex Malto]] (170)
+*[[Alex Malto]] (187)
-*[[Robby Malto]] (171)
+*[[Robby Malto]] (188)
 {{!}}}
 }}
+==Production==
+{{stub|Stuff from director interview, the multitude of crew posts on social media}}
+===Credits===
+{{see|Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie/credits}}
+{{--}}
 ==Notes==
-''Hoo boy.'' Settle in, because in case that ''ridiculous'' character list up there didn't tip you off, there's a '''lot''' to unpack here:
 ===Continuity notes===
-* As we mentioned up top, this video features both the [[live-action film series|live-action iteration]] of the franchise and basically every major animated ''Transformers'' production to ever be screened or released on video in Japan, up through and including ''[[Transformers: EarthSpark (cartoon)|Transformers: EarthSpark]]''. Yes, even the ''[[Q-Transformers]]'' [[Q-Transformers: Mystery of Convoy Returns (cartoon)|shorts]].
+* As we mentioned up top, this video is a tribute to just about every major animated ''Transformers'' production to ever be broadcast on TV, screened in theaters, or released direct-to-video in Japan, up through and including ''[[Transformers: EarthSpark (cartoon)|Transformers: EarthSpark]]'' (yes, even the ''[[Q-Transformers]]'' [[Q-Transformers (cartoon)|shorts]]) along with first and last [[live-action film series|live-action films]], ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Transformers: Rise of the Beasts]]''. A notable exception is the ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (cartoon)|War for Cybertron Trilogy]]'', which did receive a full Japanese dub, but is otherwise absent from the proceedings... though considering how much it resembles Generation 1 and ''Beast Wars'' in terms of aesthetic, we'll forgive Trigger for excluding it.
-** From a more western-centric perspective, this means there are some notable absences, prominent among them ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (cartoon)|Rescue Bots]]'' and its [[Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy (cartoon)|sequel]], the ''[[Transformers: BotBots (toyline)|BotBots]]'' ''[[Transformers: BotBots (cartoon)|cartoon]]'', and the [[Prime Wars Trilogy|two]] [[Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy (cartoon)|webseries]] produced by [[Rooster Teeth]]. This also means that characters from other mediums aren't included, most notably the many ''Transformers'' comics, manga, prose stories, and [[story page]]s. If you were looking forward to seeing [[Star Convoy]], [[Super Megatron]], the [[Primus Vanguard]], and so on, we're sorry to disappoint you.
+** Other missing shows include ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (cartoon)|Rescue Bots]]'' and its [[Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy (cartoon)|sequel]], the [[Transformers: BotBots (cartoon)|''BotBots'' cartoon]], and the ''[[Prime Wars Trilogy]]'' web shorts, all of which were never dubbed for Japanese release.
-** Also of note is how the [[Unicron Trilogy]] is implemented. In keeping with how those series were treated in Japan, ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'' are considered to be part of the same universe, while ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' is its own distinct universe.
+** This somewhat-narrow focus also means that characters from other mediums aren't included, most notably the many ''Transformers'' comics, games, prose stories, and [[story page]]s. If you were looking forward to seeing Star Convoy, Super Megatron, the [[Primus Vanguard]], and so on, we're sorry to disappoint you.
-* Nearly all of the [[Beast Era]] characters are depicted as being ''considerably'' smaller than most of the other Transformers, in keeping with the scale established by ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Wars]]''. The only notable exceptions are acceptable outliers, like ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Car Robots]]'' [[Megatron (RID)|Gigatron]], who's about as tall as his Autobot rival.
+** Also of note is how the [[Unicron Trilogy continuity family|Unicron Trilogy]] is implemented. In keeping with how those series were [[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)#Galaxy Force|originally treated in Japan]], ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s cast is largely composed of discrete characters separate from the cast of ''[[Transformers: Armada (cartoon)|Armada]]'' and ''[[Transformers: Energon (cartoon)|Energon]]'', leading to the absence of Optimus Prime and Megatron in their ''Energon'' bodies for the crowd shots of each faction's leaders.
+* Nearly all of the ''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' characters are depicted as being considerably smaller than most of the other Transformers, in keeping with the scale established by the first [[Beast Wars: Transformers (cartoon)|''Beast Wars'' cartoon]].
 ===Transformers references===
-* Befitting this crossing of multiple time periods and universes, the opening seconds depict various methods of traveling across time and space that've been shown throughout the franchise: [[Vector Prime]] (surrounded by imagery of swinging pendulums and clockwork gears, recreating a scene from the ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybetron]]'' episode "[[Guardian (episode)|Guardian]]"), the [[Kronosphere]] from "[[War Dawn]]", the time portal from "[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming]]", the [[teleport gate]] from "[[Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!]]", the [[Quintesson]] banishment chamber from "[[Madman's Paradise]]", and the [[Dragon Mound]] from "[[A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court]]".
+Settle in, folks, because in case that ''ridiculous'' character list up there didn't tip you off, there's a '''lot''' to unpack here:
-* We get what appear to be two sides in an ongoing battle, with an army of ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Prime]]'' [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] on one side and a group of various Autobot helicopters on the other, including the likes of [[Springer (G1)|Springer]], ''Energon'' [[Bulkhead (Energon)|Bulkhead]], and both versions of the Unicron Trilogy [[Mini-Con]] Jolt.
+* Befitting this crossing of multiple time periods and universes, the opening seconds depict various methods of traveling across time and space that've been shown throughout the franchise: [[Vector Prime]] (surrounded by imagery of swinging pendulums and clockwork gears, recreating a scene from the ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (cartoon)|Cybertron]]'' episode "[[Guardian (episode)|Guardian]]"), the [[Kronosphere]] from "[[War Dawn (episode)|War Dawn]]", the [[Time Window]] from "[[Forever Is a Long Time Coming (episode)|Forever Is a Long Time Coming]]", the [[teleport gate]] from ''[[Lio Convoy in Imminent Danger!]]'', the [[Quintesson]] banishment chamber from "[[Madman's Paradise]]", and the [[Dragon Mound]] from "[[A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court (episode)|A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court]]".
-* The following scene shows the wreck of the''[[Galvaburg II]]'' sinking into the ocean. Among the survivors are ''Generation 1'' [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], ''Cybertron'' [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]], ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' '01 [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]], as well as [[Oceanglide]], [[Stormcloud (Armada)|Stormcloud]], and [[Waterlog (Armada)|Waterlog]] of the ''Armada'' [[Sea Mini-Con Team]], with ''Energon'' [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Mirage]] coming to their rescue in the background.
+* There are two instances where the planet [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] appears in full (the first during the aforementioned "time machine" montage, the second during the credits), both of which use its design from the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]].
-* Standing among some urban wreckage are a group of animal-themed robots, including [[Aerobolt]], [[White Leo]], [[Lio Junior]], and ''Generation 1'' [[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]]. This is followed by a group of "tanky" villains: ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], ''Generation 1'' [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]] and ''Armada'' [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]]'' (in his [[Powerlinx]] colours), all perched on ''Beast Wars II'' [[Megastorm]] in alt mode. Flanking the group are ''Cybertron'' [[Thundercracker (Armada)#Cybertron cartoon|Thundercracker]] and from ''Victory'', [[Kakuryu]] of [[Dinoforce]], both the comic relief punching-bags of their respective series.
+* We get what appears to be two sides in an ongoing battle, with an army of ''[[Transformers: Prime (cartoon)|Prime]]'' [[Vehicon (Prime)|Vehicons]] on one side and a group of various Autobot helicopters on the other, including Generation 1 [[Triple Changer]]s [[Springer (G1)|Springer]] and [[Sandstorm (G1)|Sandstorm]], ''Armada'' [[Jolt (Armada)|Jolt]], ''Energon'' [[Bulkhead (Energon)|Bulkhead]], and both [[Jolt (Cybertron)|Jolt]] and [[Evac (Cybertron)|Evac]] from ''Cybertron''.
+* The following scene shows the wreck of the ''[[Galvaburg II]]'' sinking into the ocean. Among the survivors are Generation 1 [[Scourge (G1)|Scourge]], ''Cybertron'' [[Thunderblast (Decepticon)|Thunderblast]], ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' '01 [[Sky-Byte (RID)|Sky-Byte]], as well as [[Oceanglide]], [[Stormcloud (Armada)|Stormcloud]], and [[Waterlog (Armada)|Waterlog]] of the ''Armada'' [[Sea Mini-Con Team]], with ''Energon'' [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Mirage]] coming to their rescue in the background.
+* Standing among some urban wreckage are a group of animal-themed characters, including [[Aerobolt]], [[White Leo]], [[Lio Junior (BW)|Lio Junior]], and Generation 1 [[Steeljaw (G1)|Steeljaw]]. This is followed by a group of "tanky" villains: ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Animated]]'' [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]], Generation 1 [[Swindle (G1)|Swindle]], ''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' [[Tankor (BM)|Tankor]], and ''Armada'' [[Demolishor (Armada)|Demolishor]] (in his [[Powerlinx]] colors), all perched on ''Beast Wars II'' [[Megastorm (BW)|Megastorm]] in alternate mode. Flanking the group are ''Cybertron'' [[Thundercracker (Armada)#Cybertron cartoon|Thundercracker]] and, from ''Victory'', [[Kakuryu (G1)|Kakuryu]] of the [[Dinoforce]], both the comic relief punching bags of their respective series.
 * There's a battle that appears to be taking place on [[Junkion (planet)|Junkion]], with various Junkions in action. Two in the background are indistinct, but in the foreground are the body-types associated with the characters [[Junkyard (G1)|Junkyard]] and [[Ashtray]]; Junkyard is carrying a wounded Junkion who appears to be [[Greasestain]] over his shoulder.
-* We get a shot of an Autobot/Maximal naval fleet consisting of ''Generation 1'' [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress' Maximus]], [[Grand Maximus|Grand's Maximus]], ''Generation 1'' [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], and the ''[[Yukikaze (BW)| Yukikaze]]''. ''Generation 1'' [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] [[Silverbolt (G1)|Silverbolt]], [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]], and [[Skydive (G1)|Skydive]] fly alongside them, while [[Fireflight (G1)|Fireflight]] rests on Broadside's deck; [[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] is not in evidence.
+* A shot of the aftermath of a battle in a demolished city, with [[Ratchet (G1)|Ratchet]] in vehicle mode on his side leaking copious amounts of energon, his front in flames. [[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] is also just barely visible in vehicle mode as well, turned completely on his roof. Notably, Ratchet's appearance seems to be modeled after his [[Ratchet (G1)/toys#SSVoyager|''Studio Series'' '86 figure]], with parts of his robot mode visible on the undercarriage and his pistols located ''roughly'' where their storage pegs are in alt-mode.
-* ''Victory''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Rescue Patrol Team]] walk past a mountain of offline Decepticons—specifically the generic "[[Warrior|warriors]]" and "[[Dropkick (G1)|Dropkicks]]" seen in "War Dawn"—as they approach the colossal form of ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Cyberverse]]'' [[Croaton (Cyberverse)|Croaton]].
+* We get a shot of an Autobot/Maximal naval fleet consisting of Generation 1 [[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]], [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress's ''Maximus'']], [[Grand Maximus|Grand's ''Maximus'']], Generation 1 [[Broadside (G1)|Broadside]], and the ''[[Yukikaze (BW)|Yukikaze]]''. The Generation 1 [[Aerialbot (G1)|Aerialbots]] are present as well, but there's some oddities: [[Slingshot (G1)|Slingshot]] rests on Broadside's deck but is miscolored gray, while next to him is what appears to be a ''sixth'' white Aerialbot, a twin-tailfin jet that's kind of [[Air Raid (G1)|Air Raid]]-shaped (but Air Raid is flying in the upper-right corner of the shot, so it ain't him!).
-*[[Godmaster]]s [[Hydra (G1)|Hydra]] and [[Buster (G1)|Buster]] from ''Super-God Masterforce'' stand by their [[Transtector]]s.
+* ''Victory''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Rescue Patrol Team]] walk past a line of offline Decepticons along a beach—specifically the generic "[[warrior]]s" and "[[Dropkick (G1)|Dropkicks]]" seen in "War Dawn"—as they approach the colossal form of ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (cartoon)|Cyberverse]]'' [[Croaton (Cyberverse)|Croaton]].
-*Next is a villainous counterpart to the earlier Autobot naval fleet shot, featuring [[Megastorm|Gigastorm]], ''Generation 1'' [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] (based on his ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]] toy), ''Armada'' [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]], ''Generation 1'' [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], the ''Prime'' version of the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]''. Flying above them are the [[Rainmaker]]s ([[Acid Storm (G1)|Acid Storm]], [[Hailstorm (G1)|Hailstorm]], [[Ion Storm]], and [[Nova Storm (G1)|Nova Storm]]; the ''[[Thunder Arrow]]''; the three flying members of the [[Breastforce]] ([[Hellbat]], [[Leozack]], and [[Guyhawk]]); ''Generation 1'' [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]; ''Animated'' Blitzwing, [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]], and [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]]; what appears to be ''Prime'' [[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]]'' (or maybe ''Go'' [[Dragotron]]?) and two ''Prime'' [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticons]], and some ''Prime'' Air Vehicons.
+* [[Godmaster (lifeform)|Godmasters]] [[Hydra (G1)|Hydra]] and [[Buster (G1)|Buster]] from ''Super-God Masterforce'' stand by their [[Transtector]]s.
-**''Generation 1'' [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] takes off from Tidal Wave's deck, with [[Kremzeek]] in his cockpit. He is joined in the air by ''Armada'' [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] and ''Beast Wars II'' [[Starscream (BWII)|Starscream]], as well as ''Victory'' Leozack and ''Animated'' [[Wasp|Waspinator]]. Leozack's a thematically similar Starscream-like scheming young second-in-command character, while Waspinator's inclusion is almost certainly meant to nod to when Starscream's ghost possessed the ''Beast Wars'' [[Waspinator (BW)|version]] in "[[Possession]]".
+* Next is a villainous counterpart to the earlier Autobot naval fleet shot, featuring [[Megastorm (BW)|Gigastorm]], Generation 1 [[Trypticon (G1)|Trypticon]] (based on his ''[[Titans Return (toyline)|Titans Return]]'' toy), ''Armada'' [[Tidal Wave (Armada)|Tidal Wave]], Generation 1 [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]], and the ''Prime'' version of the ''[[Trypticon (WFC)|Nemesis]]''. Flying above them are the [[Rainmaker]]s ([[Acid Storm (G1)|Acid Storm]], [[Ion Storm]], and [[Nova Storm (G1)|Nova Storm]]); the ''[[Thunder Arrow]]''; the three flying members of the [[Breastforce]] ([[Hellbat (G1)|Hellbat]], [[Leozack]], and [[Guyhawk]]); Generation 1 [[Thundercracker (G1)|Thundercracker]] and [[Skywarp (G1)|Skywarp]]; ''Animated'' Blitzwing, [[Blackout (Animated)|Blackout]], and [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]]; what appears to be ''Prime'' [[Predaking (Prime)|Predaking]] (or maybe ''Go'' [[Dragotron]]?) and two ''Prime'' [[Insecticon (WFC)|Insecticons]], and some ''Prime'' Air Vehicons.
-* [[Wilder (G1)|Wilder]] appears forlornly looking over poor little [[Pis]], who he savagely kicked in the ''Masterforce'' episode "[[Rage!! Little Devils with No Need for Rules]]".
+** Generation 1 [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] takes off from Tidal Wave's deck, with [[Kremzeek]] in his cockpit. He is joined in the air by ''Armada'' [[Starscream (Armada)|Starscream]] and ''Beast Wars II'' [[Starscream (BW)|Starscream]], as well as ''Victory'' Leozack and ''Animated'' [[Wasp]]inator. Leozack's a thematically similar Starscream-like scheming second-in-command character, while Waspinator's inclusion is almost certainly meant to nod to when Starscream's ghost possessed the ''Beast Wars'' [[Waspinator (BW)|version]] in "[[Possession]]".
+* [[Wilder (G1)|Wilder]] appears forlornly looking over poor little [[Pis]], whom he savagely kicked in the ''Masterforce'' episode "[[Rage!! Little Devils with No Need for Rules]]".
 * The following two panning shots are big ones: the many different Autobot and Maximal leaders standing in front of the ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'' on one side, and the various major villains standing in front of [[Decepticon Headquarters (G1 Cybertron)|Decepticon Headquarters]] and the Decepticon ''Nemesis'' on the other.
-** Of note on the heroic side: [[Big Convoy]] is wielding his [[Matrix Cannon (BW)|Matrix Cannon]] alongside his [[NAVI]]; [[Jan Minakaze]] can be seen standing on [[Star Saber (G1)|Star Saber]]'s shoulder, wearing his spacesuit from the [[Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification|final episode of ''Victory'']]; ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' '15 Bumblebee is wielding a [[Decepticon Hunter]], and [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]] is holding the [[Zodiac]]. Both [[Moonbase One]] and [[Moonbase Two]] can also be seen in the background, as can [[Kicker Jones]] from ''Energon'', riding that series version of [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]].
+** Of note on the heroic side: [[Big Convoy (BW)|Big Convoy]] is wielding his [[Matrix Cannon (BW)|Matrix Cannon]] alongside his [[NAVI (Gung Ho)|NAVI]]; [[Jan Minakaze]] can be seen standing on [[Star Saber (G1)|Star Saber]]'s shoulder, wearing his spacesuit from the [[Showdown! The Fortress vs the Victory Unification|final episode of ''Victory'']]; ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]]'' '15 Bumblebee is wielding a [[Decepticon Hunter]], and [[Dai Atlas (G1)|Dai Atlas]] is holding the [[Zodiac]]. Both [[Moonbase One]] and [[Moonbase Two]] can also be seen in the background, as can [[Kicker Jones]] from ''Energon'', riding that series' version of [[Grindor (Armada)|Grindor]].
-** On the villains' side, ''Cybertron'' [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] is shown holding Vector Prime's [[Planet Map]]; ''Armada'' [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] is wielding the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]], [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]], and [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]] all at once; ''Animated'' [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] has [[Isaac Sumdac]] tied to his chest, as he did in the ''Animated'' episode "[[A Bridge Too Close, Part I]]"; and ''Prime'' [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] is depicted as he appeared in the late stages of ''Prime'' season 2, with [[Liege Maximo]]'s right arm in place of his, allowing him to wield the [[Dark Star Saber]]. Also of note are who was chosen to represent certain series: [[Dragotron]] (in his larger, red, "Guren" form) represents ''[[Triple Combination: Transformers Go! (cartoon)|Transformers: Go!]]'', [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] represents ''RID'' '15, and [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] supplants [[Devil Z]] as the ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' representative.
+** On the villains' side, ''Cybertron'' [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] is shown holding Vector Prime's [[Planet Map]]; ''Armada'' [[Megatron (Armada)|Megatron]] is wielding the [[Star Saber (Armada)|Star Saber]], [[Requiem Blaster (Armada)|Requiem Blaster]], and [[Skyboom (Armada)|Skyboom Shield]] all at once; ''Animated'' [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] has [[Isaac Sumdac (Animated)|Isaac Sumdac]] tied to his chest, as he did in the ''Animated'' episode "[[A Bridge Too Close, Part I]]"; and ''Prime'' [[Megatron (WFC)|Megatron]] is depicted as he appeared in the late stages of ''Prime'' season 2, with [[Liege Maximo|the dead Prime]]'s right arm in place of his, allowing him to wield the [[Dark Star Saber]]. Also of note are who was chosen to represent certain series: [[Dragotron]] (in his larger, red, "Guren" form) represents ''[[Triple Combination: Transformers Go! (cartoon)|Transformers: Go!]]'', [[The Fallen|Megatronus]] represents ''Robots in Disguise'' '15, and [[Overlord (G1)|Overlord]] supplants [[Devil Z]] as the ''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'' representative. Generation 1 Galvatron is not included, as his previous self is already present.
-*Next, we see ''Cybertron'' Megatron combine with [[Nemesis Breaker]] on [[Velocitron]], and clash with [[Lio Convoy]] in his "Green Lion" form, featured in the final episodes of both ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Beast Wars Neo''. Lio is wielding [[Magmatron]]'s [[Magma Blade]], as he did in the ''Neo'' episode "[[The Final Battle (BWN)|The Final Battle]]."
+*Next, we see ''Cybertron'' Megatron combine with [[Nemesis Breaker]] on [[Velocitron]], and clash with [[Lio Convoy (BW)|Lio Convoy]] in his "Legendary Green Lion" form, featured in the final episodes of both ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Beast Wars Neo''. Lio is wielding [[Magmatron (BW)|Magmatron]]'s [[Magma Blade (BW)|Magma Blade]], as he did in the ''Neo'' episode "[[The Final Battle (BWN)|The Final Battle]]".
-* Five sword-wielding Autobot leaders gather: Star Saber; [[Ginrai|God Ginrai]] (wielding the sword he used only once, in the ''Victory'' episode "[[A Deadly Battle]]"; ''RiD'' '15 Optimus, armed with the [[Prime Decepticon Hunter]]; ''Cybertron'' [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus]], brandishing Vector Prime's sword [[Rhisling]], as he did in the ''Cybertron'' episode "[[Unfinished]]"; and Fortress Maximus, with his mighty [[Master Sword]]. They all strike the "Obari pose" (a dynamic perspective shot made famous by the ''[[Brave]]'' series of anime), as ''Cybertron'' Optimus did in the aforementioned episode.
+* Five sword-wielding Autobot leaders gather: Star Saber; [[Ginrai (robot)|God Ginrai]] (wielding the sword he used only once, in the ''Victory'' episode "[[A Deadly Battle]]"); ''Robots in Disguise'' '15 Optimus Prime, armed with the [[Prime Decepticon Hunter]]; ''Cybertron'' [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]], brandishing Vector Prime's sword [[Rhisling]], as he did in the ''Cybertron'' episode "[[Unfinished]]"; and Fortress Maximus, with his mighty [[Master Sword]]. They all strike the "[[Masami Ōbari|Obari pose]]" (a dynamic perspective shot made famous by the ''[[Brave (franchise)|Brave]]'' series of anime), as ''Cybertron'' Optimus did in the aforementioned episode.
-*Next comes a quintet of Autobot leaders using more blaster-based powers, all unleashing their "final attacks": ''Cyberverse'' [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus]] fires an energy blast from his Matrix, as he did in the ''Cyberverse'' episode "[[I Am The Allspark]]"; ''Robots in Disguise'' [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus]] uses his "Blizzard Storm" water blast; Big Convoy opens fire with his [[Big Cannon]]; ''Armada'' [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus]] uses his "Max Fire" super move; and ''Energon'' Optimus (combined with [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]] as "Optimus Supreme") completes the group.
+*Next comes a quintet of Autobot leaders using more blaster-based powers, all unleashing their "final attacks": ''Cyberverse'' [[Optimus Prime (Cyberverse)|Optimus Prime]] fires an energy blast from his Matrix, as he did in the ''Cyberverse'' episode "[[I Am The Allspark]]"; ''Robots in Disguise'' [[Optimus Prime (RID)|Optimus Prime]] uses his "Blizzard Storm" water blast; Big Convoy opens fire with his [[Big Cannon]]; ''Armada'' [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]] uses his "Max Fire" super move; and ''Energon'' Optimus Prime (combined with [[Omega Supreme (Energon)|Omega Supreme]] as "Optimus Supreme") completes the group, unleashing his "Grand Final Impact" finisher.
 * Next follow three scenes dedicated to the Autobots' human allies, all grouped by the nature of their relationships:
-** The first scene depicts "close friends", in this case the kid/teen casts of ''Prime'' and ''Armada''. They're joined by the ''Prime'' incarnations of [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]], Bumblebee, and [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]], the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]], and ''Armada'' [[Laserbeak (Armada)|Laserbeak]]. Look close, and you'll see that [[Alexis Thi Dang|Alexis]] is wearing the [[Good Luck Necklace|necklace]] prominently featured in the ''Armada'' episodes "[[Portent]]" and "[[Cramp]]", which symbolizes her friendship with Starscream, while [[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] is eating a bag of chips of the same brand as he munched on in "[[Confrontation]]."
+** The first scene depicts "close friends", in this case the kid/teen casts of ''Prime'' and ''Armada''. They're joined by the ''Prime'' incarnations of [[Bulkhead (Prime)|Bulkhead]], Bumblebee, and [[Arcee (WFC)|Arcee]], the [[Street Action Mini-Con Team]], and ''Armada'' [[Laserbeak (Armada)|Laserbeak]]. Look close, and you'll see that [[Alexis Thi Dang|Alexis]] is wearing the [[Good Luck Necklace|necklace]] prominently featured in the ''Armada'' episodes "[[Portent]]" and "[[Cramp]]", which symbolizes her friendship with Starscream, while [[Fred (Armada)|Fred]] is eating a bag of chips of the same brand as he munched on in "[[Confrontation (episode)|Confrontation]]".
-** The second scene pairs two "mech teams", with Jan Minakaze and [[Illumina]] (visible only in silhouette through the cockpit canopy) in the [[Illumina II]] traveling alongside [[Coby Hansen]] and [[Lori Jiménez]] in the [[Cobybot]].
+** The second scene pairs two "mech teams", with Jan Minakaze and [[Illumina]] (visible only in silhouette through the cockpit canopy) in the ''[[Illumina II]]'' traveling alongside [[Coby Hansen]] and [[Lori Jiménez]] in the [[Cobybot]]. In keeping with its appearance in ''Victory'', the ''Illumina II'''s name is still misspelled as "Irumina II" on its side.
-** The third scene is a group of "fighters", including the Autobot [[Headmaster Junior]]s, riding on ''Energon'' [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]] (in his green "Energon" power-up colours), [[Kicker Jones]] (riding the [[Energon Saber]] like a hoverboard, as he often did in the show),  and [[Sari Sumdac]], who imitates Kicker's signature kick from the opening of ''Superlink'', with [[Ocean City]] in the background.
+** The third scene is a group of "fighters", including the Autobot [[Headmaster Junior]]s, riding on ''Energon'' [[Ironhide (Energon)|Ironhide]] (in his green "Energon" power-up colors), [[Kicker Jones]] (riding the [[Energon Saber]] like a hoverboard, as he often did in the show), and [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari Sumdac]], who imitates Kicker's signature kick from the opening of ''Super Link'', with [[Ocean City]] in the background.
-*Between the mech teams and the fighters, we get a scene set in [[Gaia]]'s [[Moon (moon)|moon]], [[Artemis]] and [[Moon (BW)|Moon]] are joined by [[T-AI|Ai]] and a trio of surprise guests in the form of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], and [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] from ''Q-Transformers''. In keeping with the Flash-animated nature of their series, the ''Q-Transformers'' trio have ''incredibly'' simple animation.
+*Between the mech teams and the fighters, we get a scene set in [[Gaia]]'s [[Moon (moon)|Moon]]; [[Artemis]] and [[Moon (BW)|Moon]] are joined by [[T-AI]] and a trio of surprise guests in the form of [[Optimus Prime (Movie)|Optimus Prime]], [[Bumblebee (Movie)|Bumblebee]], and [[Lockdown (ROTF)|Lockdown]] from ''Q-Transformers'', altogether creating a team of "cutesy mascot characters". In keeping with the Flash-animated nature of their series, the ''Q-Transformers'' trio have ''incredibly'' simple animation.
-* While the close-up shot of some red flowers might ''seem'' like just a random transition scene, it's actually a reference to the end of "[[Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!]]", where [[Akira Serikawa]] presents [[Cain]] and [[Emusa]] with some. This scene transitions into a showcase of all three of the main animated incarnations of "Aligned" Optimus featured in Japan: ''RiD'' '15 Optimus returns with his sword, joined by ''Prime'' Optimus holding the [[Forge of Solus Prime]] and Optimus Exprime from ''Transformers Go!''.
+* While the close-up shot of some red flowers might ''seem'' like just a random transition scene, it's actually a reference to the end of "[[Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!]]", where [[Akira Serikawa]] presents [[Cain]] and [[Emusa]] with some. This scene transitions into a showcase of all three of "Aligned" Optimus Prime's bodies as featured in Japan's run of ''Prime'' and ''Go!'': Optimus appears in his "Beast Hunters" body with [[Star Saber (Thirteen)|Prima's Star Saber]], joined by ''Prime'' Optimus holding the [[Forge of Solus Prime]] and Optimus Exprime from ''Transformers Go!'' in the background.
-* The next two scenes continue the ''Transformers Go!'' train: the first depicts Optimus combining with [[Gekisoumaru]] and [[Kenzan]] into DaiGekisou, while the second is a group shot of the series' human cast staring into the horizon atop DaiKenzan.
+** Notably, ''Prime'''s third season was never dubbed and aired in Japan, but instead was replaced with ''Transformers Go!'', where Optimus appears in his "Beast Hunters" body in multiple episodes.
-* Next follows a recreation of the scene of Vector Prime giving [[Bud Hansen]] and [[Safeguard (Cybertron)|Safeguard]] his planet map, as seen in the aforementioned episode "[[Guardian (episode)|Guardian]]."
+* The next two scenes continue the ''Transformers Go!'' train: the first depicts Optimus combining with [[Gekisoumaru]] and [[Kenzan]] into DaiGekisou, while the second is a group shot of the series' human cast staring into the horizon atop DaiKenzan. All the historical characters are gathered on DaiKenzan's right shoulder, protagonists [[Tobio Fūma]] and [[Isami Tatewaki]] are hanging out in his chest cavity, and the two boys' respective grandfathers are on DaiKenzan's left shoulder.
-* After this, we get a montage of some of the franchise's tragic deaths intercut with scenes of ''Generation 1'' [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus]] falling through a mysterious void, his appearance shifting between his regular look, his corpse (complete with [[aggressive depigmentation]]), and the... ''unique'' color scheme of "[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#BUMP|Bass Prime]]", the figure whose deco was chosen by Bump of Chicken bassist Yoshifumi "Chama" Naoi. In order, we can see Optimus on his deathbed from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', [[Dinobot II]]'s honorable sacrifice from "[[Nemesis Part 2]]", ''Prime'' [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] getting stabbed in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 1]]", ''Armada'' Starscream's last stand from "[[Cramp]]" (complete with [[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]] being ejected), ''Animated'' [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] in his samurai armor relinquishing his [[spark]] in "[[Endgame, Part II]]", and Jan mourning the loss of [[Ginrai (robot)|Ginrai]] from "[[Ginrai Dies!!]]".
+* Next follows a recreation of the scene of Vector Prime giving [[Bud Hansen]] and [[Safeguard (Cybertron)|Safeguard]] his planet map, as seen in the aforementioned episode "[[Guardian (episode)|Guardian]]".
-* The following sequence sees the [[Transmetal]] versions of [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] and [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] merge with their ''Generation 1'' counterparts to form their respective upgraded forms, a more literal interpretation of how Optimal Optimus and Transmetal II Megatron came into being in the third season of ''Beast Wars''. When the two clash fists, echoes of their future selves from ''Beast Machines'' appear.
+* After this, we get a montage of some of the franchise's tragic deaths intercut with scenes of Generation 1 [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] traversing through "[[Transformer afterlife|the other side of the Matrix]]" (as seen in the ''Beast Wars'' episode "[[Coming of the Fuzors (Part 2)]]"), his appearance shifting between his regular look, his corpse (complete with [[aggressive depigmentation]]), and the... ''distinctive'' color scheme designed by Bump of Chicken bassist [[Chama|Yoshifumi "Chama" Naoi]] for the exclusive "[[Optimus Prime (G1)/toys#Bump of Chicken|''Bump of Chicken'' Convoy]]" figure produced as a tie-in with this video. In order, we can see Optimus on his deathbed from ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'', [[Dinobot II]]'s honorable sacrifice from "[[Nemesis Part 2]]", ''Prime'' [[Cliffjumper (WFC)|Cliffjumper]] getting stabbed in "[[Darkness Rising, Part 1]]", ''Armada'' Starscream's last stand from "[[Cramp]]" (complete with [[Swindle (Armada)|Swindle]] being ejected), ''Animated'' [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] in his samurai armor relinquishing his [[spark]] in "[[Endgame, Part II]]", and Jan mourning the loss of [[Ginrai (robot)|God Ginrai]] from "[[Ginrai Dies!!]]".
-* Overlord is seen battling ''Animated'' [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]], who's equipped with the [[Magnus Hammer]] and the "Wingblade" [[jet pack]], as was the case in "Endgame, Part II". The battle takes place in Earth orbit, with the moon visible in the background, referencing Overlord's lunar battle with God Ginrai in the ''Masterforce'' episode "[[God Ginrai - Into the Sky!!]]".
+* The following sequence sees the [[Transmetal]] versions of [[Optimus Primal (BW)|Optimus Primal]] and [[Megatron (BW)|Megatron]] merge with their Generation 1 counterparts to form their respective upgraded forms, a more literal interpretation of how Optimal Optimus and [[Transmetal 2|dragon]] Megatron came into being in the third season of ''Beast Wars''. When the two clash fists, echoes of their future selves from ''Beast Machines'' appear.
-* The man [[Marissa Faireborn]] is kissing is the swinder [[Dirk Manus]] from the episode "[[Money is Everything]]". He only appeared in that one episode of the original cartoon, but expansions to Japanese ''Transformers'' lore have since established that he and Marissa got back togethered and had a [[Sue Faireborn|daughter]].
+* In "blink and you'll miss it" frames, Mega and Giga are piloting the Megajet and Gigatank respectively to form into Overlord.
-* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] opening the Matrix is made to parallel ''Armada'' [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]] using that series' Matrix to resurrect his Optimus in "[[Miracle (episode)|Miracle]]" and Dai Atlas raising the Zodiac above his head, presumably meant to nod to Optimus' resurrection as Star Convoy in the ''Battlestars'' [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: The Battlestars (story page)|story pages]].
+* Overlord is seen battling ''Animated'' [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]], who's equipped with the [[Magnus Hammer]] and the "Wingblade" [[jet pack]], as was the case in "Endgame, Part II". The battle takes place in Earth orbit, with the moon visible in the background, referencing Overlord's lunar battle with God Ginrai (whose design directly inspired the look of ''Animated'' Optimus' flight mode, hence why he's here instead of Ginrai) in the ''Masterforce'' episode "[[God Ginrai - Into the Sky!!]]".
-* The live-action films ''finally'' get some representation in the form of the [[Transformers (film)|first film]]'s Autobot and Decepticon teams charging their opposites down on a barren highway. ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts]]'' gets some love too, with its versions of [[Bumblebee (Movie)#Rise of the Beasts film|Bumblebee]], [[Optimus Primal (ROTB)|Optimus Primal]], [[Mirage (Movie)|Mirage]], [[Cheetor (ROTB)|Cheetor]], [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], [[Airazor (ROTB)|Airazor]], [[Wheeljack (ROTB)|Wheeljack]], [[Rhinox (ROTB)|Rhinox]], and [[Stratosphere]] staring off into the distance.
+* The man [[Marissa Faireborn]] is kissing is the swindler [[Dirk Manus]] from the episode "[[Money Is Everything (episode)|Money Is Everything]]". He only appeared in that one episode of the original cartoon, but expansions to Japanese ''Transformers'' lore have since established that he and Marissa got back together and had a [[Sue Faireborn|daughter]].
-* The final scene sees the ''Generation 1'' versions of Optimus and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] stare each other down, as several human families from across the franchise's history look one: [[Denny Clay]] and his son [[Russell Clay|Russell]]; the adult version of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] with his wife [[Carly (G1)|Carly]] and his son [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]]; the [[Malto]] family from ''EarthSpark''; and [[Koji Onishi]] and his parents [[Kenneth Onishi|Kenneth]] and [[Kiko Onishi|Kiko]] (notably, Kiko's ''only'' prior animated appearance having been a single scene in the [[Battle Protocol!|first episode]] of ''Robots in Disguise''). The angle then cuts back to Prime and Megatron, only now, they have been replaced with their ''EarthSpark'' counterparts — the series' more black-and-white roots have thematically given way to its more nuanced present.
+* [[Hot Rod (G1)|Rodimus Prime]] opening the Matrix is made to parallel ''Armada'' [[Sparkplug (Armada)|Sparkplug]] using that series' Matrix to resurrect his Optimus in "[[Miracle (episode)|Miracle]]" and Dai Atlas raising the Zodiac above his head, presumably meant to nod to Optimus Prime's resurrection as Star Convoy in the [[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: The Battlestars (story page)|''Battlestars'' story pages]].
+* The live-action films get some representation in the form of the [[Transformers (film)|first film]]'s Autobot and Decepticon teams charging their opposites down on a barren highway. ''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (film)|Rise of the Beasts]]'' gets some love too, with its versions of [[Optimus Primal (ROTB)|Optimus Primal]], [[Stratosphere]], [[Cheetor (ROTB)|Cheetor]], [[Mirage (Movie)|Mirage]], [[Bumblebee (Movie)#Rise of the Beasts film|Bumblebee]], [[Rhinox (ROTB)|Rhinox]], [[Airazor (ROTB)|Airazor]], [[Arcee (Movie)|Arcee]], and [[Wheeljack (ROTB)|Wheeljack]] staring off into the distance. All of them are based on their early control art designs, though Airazor sports her final feathery head. As it was in the film, Airazor is the only one without a robot mode.
+[[File:Families.jpg|thumb|right|350px|"It's enough to make a grown man cry... And that's okay..."]]
+* The final scene sees the Generation 1 versions of Optimus and [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] stare each other down, as several human families from across the franchise's history look on: [[Denny Clay]] and his son [[Russell Clay|Russell]]; the adult version of [[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] with his wife [[Carly (G1)|Carly]] and his son [[Daniel Witwicky (G1)|Daniel]]; the [[Malto (disambiguation)|Malto]] family from ''EarthSpark''; and [[Koji Onishi]] and his parents [[Kenneth Onishi|Kenneth]] and [[Kiko Onishi|Kiko]] (notably, Kiko's ''only'' prior animated appearance having been a single scene in the [[Battle Protocol!|first episode]] of ''Robots in Disguise''). The angle then cuts back to Prime and Megatron, only now, they have been replaced with their ''EarthSpark'' counterparts shaking hands—the series' more black-and-white roots have thematically given way to its more nuanced present. We then pan up to see [[Unicron/Generation 1|Unicron]]'s head orbiting Cybertron as the credits roll.
+...'''PHEW!'''
-===Trivia===
+===Real-world trivia===
 * Notable among the Studio Trigger staff that worked on this video are key animators [[Masaru Sakamoto]] and [[Hiroki Mutaguchi]] and director [[Akira Amemiya]]. Sakamoto previously helped design [[Flame Toys]]' Furai Model Lio Convoy kit and was one of a few guest artists on the [[Generations Selects Special Comic Finale]], Mutaguchi drew the cover for the ''[[Transformers Generations 2022]]'' book, and Amemiya is a ''huge'' fan of the franchise that's done multiple official illustrations and designed various other Furai Model kits.
-* Longtime Japanese ''Transformers'' artist [[Hayato Sakamoto]] also contributed to the ''Special Movie'' as another key animator. As confirmed by Sakamoto himself [https://x.com/hayatoron/status/1834238504290976209| on Twitter/X], this video marks his debut as an animator.
+* Outside of Studio Trigger's staff, multiple animators veteran to previous ''Transformers'' series were brought on as guest animators; these include lead animators for the Japanese produced ''Transformers'' shows and Unicron Trilogy [[Munetaka Abe]] and [[Masahiro Yamane]], and even [[Studio OX]] artists [[Tsuyoshi Nonaka]] and [[Morifumi Naka]].
-* For whatever reason, TakaraTomy's official upload of the ''Special Movie'' to YouTube has been marked as unavailable to watch in most regions outside of Japan. Reuploads and mirrors of the video aren't too hard to find... but for the sake of not poking the bear, we're just gonna trust that you'll be able to find them on your own.
+* Longtime Japanese ''Transformers'' artist [[Hayato Sakamoto]] also contributed to the ''Special Movie'' as another key animator and a project supervisor. As confirmed by Sakamoto himself, this video marks his debut as an animator.<ref>{{citesocial|quote=構成協力及び原画で参加しました！TF40周年記念作品に関われてとても嬉しかったです！そしてアニメーターデビュー！それもトランスフォーマーのアニメ！更にスタジオtriggerのアニメに！やった！超豪華スタッフと一緒にお仕事出来て信じられない感じです。是非見てくださいーーー！！|link=https://twitter.com/hayatoron/status/1834238504290976209|name=Hayato Sakamoto|site=Twitter|year=2024|month=09|day=12}}</ref>
-...'''PHEW!'''
+*TakaraTomy's initial upload of "Special Movie" to YouTube has been marked as unavailable to watch in most regions outside of Japan. It was reuploaded to Twitter without region locking around 12 hours later.
+===Errors===
+* On the heroic side, Generation 1 Optimus Prime is missing the blue detail on the bottom of the waist between the legs. It is shown in white. It is shown in blue when Optimus is seen again before combining with Beast Wars Optimus Primal. The missing blue would happen again on the shot of Generation 1 versions of Optimus and Megatron stare each other down.
+* On the dark side, in the scene that shows a few of the "tanky" Decepticons, Animated Blitzwing is missing the gun barrels on his back.
+* During the panning shot of previous Decepticon leaders throughout the franchise history, Cybertron Megatron has a dark gray nose. Although it may not initially seem like an error due to his original ''Galaxy Force'' toy sporting a gray nose, his later appearance combining with Nemesis Breaker has him with his correct, show-accurate white nose.
+==References==
+{{reflist}}
 ==External links==
-[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOfJT_Kwna8 TakaraTomy's official upload of the video]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOfJT_Kwna8 ''40th Anniversary Special Movie'' at TakaraTomy's official YouTube account] (region locked)
+*[https://twitter.com/TF_pr/status/1834429279255605698 ''40th Anniversary Special Movie'' on the TakaraTomy ''Transformers'' Twitter account]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81Q3xTYBbDA ''40th Anniversary Special Movie''] with English subs by [https://karyuudofansubs.blogspot.com/ Karyuudo Fansubs]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u92rRvHluuA Making-of director interview with Akira Amemiya at the Studio Trigger YouTube channel] (with English subtitles)
 [[Category:Web series]]