Title sequence

A title sequence is the animation that accompanies the theme song or opening narration of a television series, introducing the audience to the show's characters and storyline on a visual level. Title sequences are some times comprised of original animation commissioned solely for the sequence, a collection of clips from actual episodes, or a mixture of both. Often times, the original animation commissioned for the title sequence is of vastly superior quality to the animation seen in the actual program. Often times, but not always. These sequences can range from thirty seconds to a minute and thirty seconds, depending on the length of the theme song or opening narration.

Generation 1 (US)

Theme song: The Transformers by Anne Bryant and Ford Kinder.

Each season of the Generation 1 cartoon boasted an original title sequence with varying performances of the original Transformers theme song. Seasons 1 and 2 each offered original performances of the theme song, while from season 3 onward, a third and final version was performed and used exclusively.

Season 1

Animation: Toei

The Autobot and Decepticon insignias fly by as Optimus Prime and several of his troops transform. After the title flips to different faction colors, the Seekers transform and fire upon several Autobot cars. Optimus Prime and Megatron join the battle. Skywarp clashes with Jazz and judo flips him, though Jazz transforms to car mode, lands, drives back and returns to robot mode, punching Skywarp in the face. Soundwave unleashes several of his cassette troops while Megatron transforms to gun-mode and fires on the Autobots. Both sides then fly into the air and behind a mountain, where the title pops out.

Season 2

Animation: Toei

The Autobot and Decepticon insignias go flying out from space and across the landscape of Cybertron before the scenery changes to that of Earth. The "Transformers" title then appears and is snatched in the jaws of Grimlock where it morphs into Thrust. Grimlock releases Thrust as the rest of the Dinobots transform and fire upon Blitzwing. Blitzwing transforms to tank mode and makes the mistake of firing upon Omega Supreme, who transforms to robot modenad squashes him beneath his heel. Scrapper picks up the remains of Blitzwing and Omega fires on the approaching Astrotrain, who transforms to space shuttle mode just as the tracks drop off into a pit of lava. Down in the lava, the Insecticons are swimming about for some reason. The lava then changes into a Tron-like grid where Optimus Prime and Megatron clash before sinking into a pit as the title explodes onto the screen.

Season 3 ("Five Faces of Darkness")

Animation: AKOM

This title sequence was used only for the "Five Faces of Darkness" episodes.

The Autobot and Decepticon insignias glide across the landscape of Cybertron, passing over several battered Decepticons, dogpiling ontop of a single Energon cube. As the Decepticons fight over the Energon, Ultra Magnus, Kup and Spike choose this strategic time to blast their helpless foes with laser fire. Rodimus Prime then drives up and transforms to robot-mode within a wall of flames as the title appears on his chest. The scene shifts to Thrull, where Galvatron emerges from his plasma bath and fires on a nearby planet, destroying it. Beneath the planet, back on Cybertron, Daniel is confronted by Trypticon, only to be rescued by Metroplex. Then, on Quintessa, Ultra Magnus, Kup and Spike are dropped into a Sharkticon pit and swim away in fear from one of the approaching beasts. The faction insignias then go racing again through space, this time to the planet Goo, where the Autobots are stuck in slime. Springer transforms to helicopter mode and rescues everyone but Rodimus Prime, who gets sucked into a giant spaceship. Rodimus blasts his way out of the ship as several letters scramble together to form the title.

Season 3

Animation: AKOM

A vector grid forms the disembodied head of Unicron, orbiting Cybertron. Ratbat flies through his eye as the scene shifts to the landscape of Cybertron and an entire army of Blitzwings in tank mode. One of them fires a blast at the audience which blows up the title. Out in space, Sky Lynx is chasing a unit of Sweeps and a miscolored Cyclonus through a field of space debris. Amid the debris is a TV set that shows Metroplex battling Trypticon. Grabbing Trypticon by the shoulders, Metroplex whirls him around into a crudely drawn tornado. That tornado then becomes the rings of Saturn, upon which are driving Blurr and Wheelie. Wheelie's spinning tire becomes the barrel of Galvatron's cannon, aimmed directly at the audience. The Decepticon insignia on his chest then rises up, becomes an Autobot insignia and then situates itself onto the chest of Blaster, who is engaged in a battle of Earth. Blaster transformers to boombox mode and emits several soundwaves. Those soundwaves then become the ripples in a pool of water filled with Sharkticons. A Sharkticon swims toward the audience and the darkness in its mouth becomes a space background and a platform. Rodimus Prime, Ultra Magnus and Kup (with Springer's head) come running over the platform and toward the audience. The platform is then revealed to be the title.

Season 4

Animation: Toei, AKOM

The animation for this title sequence is comprised of animation commissioned for several Transformers toy commercials as well as a few clips recycled from the season 3 title sequence.

Rodimus Prime and Blurr race across a wall and through an electrical field where they meet a distraught Kup. Scorponok then unites beautifully with his head. Elsewhere, the Technobots unite into Computron. Flywheels then transforms to robot mode and fires. Blitzwing appears with the title in front of his cannon in tank mode and blows it up (recycled season 3 footage). Above Cybertron, Triggerhappy and Blowpipe fire and land on the ground. Triggerhappy is immediately tackled by Sureshot. Spoilsport and Blowpipe transform out of gun-mode and clash. As they do, Crosshairs and Pinpointer arrive in vehicle mode and transform, only to immediately be tackled by Misfire and Aimless. On another planet, ship-mode Fortress Maximus blasts the approaching Terrorcons. The scene shifts to the barrel of Galvatron's cannon as his Decepticon insignia rises and becomes Blaster's Autobot insignia (recycled season 3 footage). Back on Cybertron, Sureshot and Triggerhappy are still going at it. On Earth, Metroplex transforms from battlestation mode to robot mode as he's fired upon by Bruticus. The scene shifts to the platform in outer space, as Rodimus Prime, Ultra Magnus and Kup (with Springer's head) run across it, revealing it to be the title (recycled season 3 footage).

Generation 1 (Japan)

Animation: Toei

Beast Wars (US)

Animation: Mainframe Entertainment

Beast Wars (Japan)

Beast Wars

Animation: Mainframe Entertainment

Beast Wars Metals

Animation: Mainframe Entertainment

Beast Machines

Animation: Mainframe Entertainment

Animated

{{#if: Kup piece.gif | | }} {{ #if: You left a piece out! |You left a piece out! |}} This article is a stub and is missing information. You can help MediaWiki by expanding it. {{ #if: |{{ #if: |  | }} talk page.|}} {{#if: {{#if: |What's needed: |}}|{{#if: |What's needed: |}}|}}

{{#ifeq: ||}}{{#ifeq: |File|}}