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This is a partner page to Transformers Universes, listing the various comic and television series and specials that the Transformer toyline has spawned since its creation in 1984.
The successive Transformers series focus on two factions of robots fighting out a civil war which spilled over to the planet Earth. On Earth, the robots could transform into local types of vehicles, such as cars, trucks and airplanes. The protagonists of the series were based on Transformer toys.
An important note regarding the Japanese way of doing television: Many successful Japanese series last only one season, unlike in the United States. Typically, with shows such as Transformers, a successful series will end after one season and a new series based upon a slightly modified universe will begin in the next season. This is why shows such as Headmasters, and Car Robots last one season each.
AKA Fight! Super Robot Life (Seasons 1-2) and Transformers: 2010 (Season 3) in Japan Note: The Transformers Movie was not shown in Japan until 1990. To bridge the gap between Seasons 2 and 3, a special was written an animated called Scramble City. Season 4 (a single three part story entitled The Rebirth) was also not shown and does not form part of the later Japanese continuity.
This series began with a three-episode story, later titled either More than Meets the Eye or Arrival from Cybertron. In this incarnation the planet Cybertron is running low on energy. The Heroic Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, set out in space to search for more energy but are attacked by the Evil Decepticons led by Megatron. Both races crash on Earth and lie in suspended animation for the next four million years. Awakened by a volcanic eruption, the computer on board, Teletran One, begins repairing Decepticons and Autobots. The Decepticons set out to plunder Earth's energy resources in order to revitalise Cybertron. The Autobots seek to prevent this and so the battle is renewed on Earth, Cybertron and across space.
Leaders come and go as the years pass. In the final episodes of the series Cybertron is revitalised using energy from the Earth's sun. The Autobots and Decepticons have discovered the world of Nebulos and united with rival groups of Nebulans to become Headmasters and Targetmasters.
This is part of Generation 1 (later named as such after the 1990s relaunch as Generation 2), and formed the basis for all Transformers series to come.
The comics produced by Marvel between 1984 and 1991, and again from 1993 to 1994, tell a substantially different version of the story. Both versions were equally authorised by Hasbro.
Was aired on Television in Hawaii poorly dubbed in the early 90's, Otherwise limited exposure in the west.
In this incarnation (which completely ignored the events of the American 3-part story arc "Rebirth"), the transformers, lead by Optimus Prime, then Rodimus Prime, and then finally Fortress (Maximus) are joined by a team of Headmasters, small Transformers long ago stranded on a hostile planet. There they were forced to create bodies to endure this environment.
This series is more momentus than most:
The characters used in Masterforce were marketed in America using the term Pretenders; The story of the pretenders was significantly changed for western audiences.
The G1 Transformers
Super God (Chojin) Masterforce, hereafter just Masterforce, modifies the G1 continuity in so far as the G1 transformers never crashed on earth. Instead transformers known as Pretenders, who have been hiding amongst Earth's population since men lived in caves protect the earth from the destron threat. Pretenders take the form of any organic animal life. Cybertron (Autobot) pretenders take human forms; The Destron (Decepticon) pretenders take the form of beasts and demons.
Pretenders use bracelets (Masterbraces) to call their pretender suits (Shouting "Suit On") which then, after shouting "Pretender" discorporate and form their giant robot bodies. Headmasters is referenced here, and a few including Chromedome make cameo appearances. However, the true headmaster stars are six adolecents who form the Junior Headmasters - the first appearance in the Japanese continuity of a organic being controlling a Transformer (or, in this case, Transtector).
Later, the concept of Godmasters is introduced, the primary Godmaster being Ginrai, a truck driver who's cab bears a resemblence to Optimus Prime. The primary antagonists in this series are Devil Z and his subordinates, Giga and Mega, and their group of godmasters, prtenders and headmaster jr's. Protagonists include Hawk/Metalhawk, Phoenix, Diver, Ginrai, Shuta Go/Goshooter and Cab.
Ginrai becomes the ultimate powermaster, forming with his cab and trailer to form God Ginrai; Later, he combines with Godbomber to form Super God Ginrai.
At the conclusion of the series, the transtectors and transformers leave earth after defeating the antagonists.
There was little or no carryover of this story to America
In the Earth Year 2025, The transformers return to Earth to join with the humans in defense of the galaxy. Led by Star Saber, the autobots and earth defense force fight decepticon leader Deszaras (Deathsaurus) for control of the galaxys resources.
This storyline included the Brestforce (Breastforce) and Brainmasters.
There was little or no carryover of this story to America; However the ActionMaster toys did make their way to western stores Using the Mysterious Zone Energy, nine great Destron generals (The major gestalts, including Devastator and Predaking) are revived under the command of a Destron (Decepticon) leader named Violenjiger. Dai Atlas leads the Cybertrons (The Japanese term for Autobots) in a quest to stop the Destrons.
This was more or less completely ignored in America; Except for the introduction of Micromasters Optimus Prime is revived using Zone Energy and reformed into Star Convoy. This story takes place mainly in Manga.
This story was the basis for the Micromaster Combiner series of toys.
A re-release of Generation 1 toys with some new gimmicks and molds
Initially released in the western world, this series revived the Transformers Franchise in Japan as well The last two seasons of Beast Wars were shown in Japan as Beast Wars: Metals Maximals, the decendants of the Autobots, fight the Predacons, the decendants of the Decepticons, on Prehistoric Earth, and influence transformers by interacting with the Ark from MTME. 3D Animated. See Beast Wars entry.
Released in Japan during the airing of the second season of Beast Wars in the US The Maximals, led by Big Convoy, and Predacons led by Magmatron square off on a planet called Gaia. The most momentus transformers series in quite a while to reach Japan;
Released first in Japan as Car Robots
Released in Japan as Transformers: Micron Legend
Mini-Cons, small transformers with special powers, add a Pokemon-esque bent to this series. The Armada universe created a new Canon for the Transformers universe, that followed into the series Energon. This series takes some major elements of G1 and remolds it into a new image; such as the appearance and purpose of Unicron, the purpose and look of the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, and a new level of teamwork between the Autobots in Decepticons during Quintesson) has designs to reactive Unicron. In the process Megatron and Starscream return.
12 issue series.
Expanded original G1 mythos from the small War on Earth and Cybertron to enclose the whole of the Galaxy that was fast being altered into a likeness of Cybertron itself by the Cybertronian Empire, a race of Decepticon descended Transformers.
The series ended with an epic battle between the 'Generation 1' Transformers, the Cybertronians and an entity known only as the Swarm.
The final page reveals the Empires true scale as its leader dismisses the final battle as insignificant to his Empire as a whole. He also remarks that Megatron, the Decepticon leader, is more like an offspring than an ancestor to him implying the Empire precedes even known Transformer history.
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