Polyband

Polyband is a German home video distribution company that released a handful of episodes of the Generation 1 Transformers cartoon on VHS in 1987.

Dubbing

Polyband was also responsible for the German dub of all 39 dubbed Generation 1 episodes. Originally Transformers wasn't supposed to air on German television, so Polyband only dubbed 6 episodes, which they released on VHS in 1987. When RTLPlus, a German TV station, acquired the license to the series they hired Polyband to dub more episodes. Instead of dubbing the show starting with episode 1 they started with episodes 4 and 5, after that they jumped straight into season 2 and dubbed four more episodes and then they jumped into season 3.

You could argue that RTLPlus must have noticed that, but they didn't: When Transformers started to air on their channel they started the broadcast with "Nightmare Planet", followed by both parts of "The Return of Optimus Prime", then all three parts of "The Rebirth" and finally showed the six dubbed episodes from season 1 and 2, as well as one more episode from season 3. German Fans speculate that RTLPlus organized the episodes that way to give the impression that there were two separate wars against the Decepticons: First Optimus Prime fighting them on Earth after he was resurrected and Rodimus Prime fought them in outer space and on Cybertron.

Also almost all voice actors involved in the dubbing process swapped roles every other episode. That way Soundwave got four different voice actors, Air Raid got five and Astrotrain even got six. They kept the original names but spoke them in a broken English mixed with German accent, however Laserbeak became Laserbreak in some episodes.

It is speculated that Polyband dubbed more than just those 39 episode, some evidence were found over the years:

• The German Panini sticker album, which was released in 1989, featured German episode titles to most season 1 episodes.
• In an interview Willi Röbke stated that he dubbed many episodes in the role of Optimus Prime instead of just 10 which were aired.

However it has now been more than 20 years since the series premiered in Germany and the show has never reaird on another TV station, so no real evidence can be found.

Releases

• 95601 — Transformers — Die Rückkehr von Optimus Prime (Erster Teil)
• 95602 — Transformers — Die Rückkehr von Optimus Prime (Zweiter Teil)
• 95603 — Transformers — Die Wiedergeburt (Erster Teil)
• 95604 — Transformers — Die Wiedergeburt (Zweiter Teil)
• 95605 — Transformers — Die Wiedergeburt (Dritter Teil)
• 95606 — Transformers — Der Alptraum-Planet

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External link

• Official website (German)