Original Transformers animated show the best version of the characters

With the new movie out, does anyone out there believe the original version was the best? I don't know about our board members but I thought the original had a charm the movies did not. I would have much preferred a new animated Transformers movies than the ones out now. Something was lost in the translation.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

the Marvel UK comics are the best Transformers fiction. the cartoon's shit, with the exception of the animated movie.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

The cartoon is pretty simple in terms of story and characters. As with a lot of cartoons from the 80s it hasn't aged fantastically, plus there are a lot of animation errors and oddities. I think a lot of fan look back on it with rose coloured glasses, which is fine. Thinks are often more awesome when your a kid. I don't think the cartoon was shit and it does hold a special place in my memories.

Also a lot of what Transformers for me was the toys, what they did in the cartoon was pretty much didn't matter to me when I had those little bits of plastic in my hands. Still a big gutted that my mum gave my Transformers away to goodwill...she claims I said it was okay, but I can't recall ever been asked.

To the question: is it the best version of the characters? Appearwise I do general the original G1 look over the G2, powermasters, Armada and movies. Only the War Within comics have put together versions of the characters that I've thought were better. As to who the characters are...well, they all pretty much share the same stuff as the original.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

I don't know if the G1 version is the best ever, but it's certainly light-years ahead of the current movie version.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

To me, G1 is Transformers. Everything else was just playing around with different ideas, but Optimus Prime is a red truck as he is in G1, played by Peter Cullen, Megatron is a gun, voiced by Frank Welker. This series defined the characters as they always will be to me. None of the rest count.

I don't say this purely nostalgically though. The original show was cheesy and cheaply animated, but it had the most personality and character of any series since, including the new movies. And it was a hell of a lot of fun. Personally, I find that the strongest points of the new movies were the parts directly lifted from G1.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

I like the first and third movies but I do not like the "Primes" and all that stuff they put together. That's where the cartoon really does work better by having only one Prime at a time and that each new Prime succeeds a previous one because the Matrix chose them (the Matrix has the essence of Primus in it). It also seems that Optimus Prime, in these new movies, is not a 'great leader' like portrayed in G1. Though he does seem to turn into one in this last movie it's still not like the Optimus Prime that has been portrayed over the years. When it comes to Autobots and Decepticons, G1 is the best. Beast Wars and Beast Machines are great as well for continuing the story of G1 in a new form, whereas the other shows are all new and their deals.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

^the essence of Primus bit is from the comics. and the Prime lineage is IIRC, from the UK comic, which Simon Furman copied into his US stories.

First came Prima, then Prime Nova, then Sentinal Prime, then Optimus Prime.

and then Rodimus Prime. so why was Ultra Magnus never Prime?

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

It was basically written into his personality. He was always described as a soldier who was a great leader, but preferred to serve than lead.

The closest we ever came to this was "Animated", where Magnus was the highest level leader among the Autobots. There however "Prime" was not the highest title but instead it was "Magnus".

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

You're right, it was the comics, can't believe I made that mistake.

I haven't seen TF Prime but Magnus is the highest title? Really? I dunno, seems weird that Prime isn't the top dog of the Autobots.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

I think the original cartoon and comic books had the same distinct factor that made them successful: the Transformers were the primary characters. We got to know them, their quirks, their manner of speech and so on.

In the live action movies, they're set dressing for the most part as evidenced by a good half hour plus of "Dark of the Moon" being about Sam's job hunt (which frankly was dull IMO).

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

It's an ok show for 12 year olds and below - beyond that, I'm not sure what deeper analysis is possible.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

It's not at all a deep or clever show, but that doesn't mean there's not something to be gained by older viewers.
I enjoyed the personalities of the characters, although simplistic, and the schemes more now than I would have as a kid. Fun is not a quality that is only for people under 12.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

QFT!

I've never understood why the Transformers are secondary characters in their own franchise.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

I've just been watching the special features on the DVD of the first movie, hearing Michael Bay ramble on how the movie is all about the humans and that's what makes it believable, and in my mind I'm screaming "WTF IT'S ABOUT GIANT ROBOTS YOU IDIOT!".
And yet the human elements of these movies failed really hard. These are the parts that fell flat, and drag the movies down. I enjoyed the first and third movie only because of the action. Michael Bay is known for making things explode, not for his deep character moments.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

I like Animated and Beast Wars over the original G1 cartoon, but anything is better than the Michael Bay atrocity.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

So, he honestly believes that people go to see a TRANSFORMERS movie to watch people like Shia LaCan'tAct, his girlfriends who also can't act, his annoying, unfunny parents, his one-dimensional Marine buddies, John Turturro acting like a moron and John Malkovich acting like he's mentally challenged?!

News flash - people want to watch characters like Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ironhide, Megatron, Starscream and Soundwave! That's why it's called "Transformers"!

Fucking Michael Bay. *facepalms*

But hey, don't take my word for it. If you have an hour or two to spare, watch these Vlogs, in which the movie(s) get literally eviscerated....

http://spoonyexperiment.com/2011/06/29/vlog-6-29-11-transformers-bark-at-the-moon/

http://thecinemasnob.com/2011/06/29/midnight-screening-transformers-dark-of-the-moon.aspx

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

I was very impressed by the characterizations of the old favorites in last year's video game War for Cybertron. It'd been several years since I'd seen anything Transformers related other than the live action movies, and this video game reminded me "God damn, Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream, etc. are some great characters."

Previously, Beast Wars and the early 90s Marvel comic books had been my favorite Transformers related content.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

Megatron's voice was so cool. They should never have gotten rid of that.

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

i was wondering the other day, if Hasbro/Paramount would consider doing an all CGI movie of the Cybertronian Wars...

nothing but a war story on Cybertron with no fleshlings at all. but done in the awesome ILM fxness...

 

Re: Original Transformers animated show the best version of the charac

For me, the G1 cartoon was The Transformers. It is hoaky entertainment for twelve year olds. No getting around that. But each character was distinct even with a huge cast. The good guys were good. The bad guys were bad. Most importantly, it was about giant robots from outer space!

The Marvel comic bored me. I never got the love for the UK comic. The Michael Bay movies are noise and incomprehensible movement. Everything in-between was marketed at someone else.