The Energon Pub

[PowerEncarnate]

Ok now that TFA has been off the air for over a month now it has me jonezing for my weekly TF toon fix. And it has me wondering if there is any word on a new cartoon show, or is RotF the only TF we will get for a while?

[Convotron]

I haven't heard of any news of a new Transformers cartoon series but it may be a bit early to really speculate.

If there is another one coming out in the foreseeable future, I hope we get something that is in a similar vein of the "Batman: The Animated Series", "Superman: The Animated Series", "Justice League" and "Justice League Unlimited" series of cartoons. Basically the Bruce Timm universe of DC cartoons. What I love about the BT cartoons is the fact that the producer behind it is a fan of the source material and does whatever possible to retain the flavour, the essence of the material. At the same time, the new material goes in different directions than the source but not in drastically different directions for arbitrary purposes or being different for the sake of being different.

In my perfect scenario, the next Transformers series would use an overall character design concept that is similar to Don Figueroa's work, especially his approach to designing Classics Optimus Prime. This kind of style is contemporary while also giving a nod to G1.

With respect to the tone of the series, I would like a more serious overall mood. The main thing I can't get over in many post Beast Wars series of cartoons is the typical anime goofiness(at least that's how I perceive it) that permeates some episodes. Part of this is due to the voice acting but the voice acting is often dictated by the material so it's something that can only be fixed by getting better scripts AND getting different voice actors that aren't solely English anime voice actors or who can show they can perform solidly at different levels. To be perfect, the show would have to have Andrea Romano as the casting and voice acting director.

Now before I continue, I'm not against the typical "silliness" in many popular anime or anything, I just don't like(not to be confused with meaning I hate it) that kind of stuff. To put it another way, I'm more of a Cowboy Bebop fan than a Naruto fan.

Back to the subject...the cast of main characters should remain recognizable. Optimus Prime, Megatron, etc., are fine. Should the show take place on Earth or elsewhere? I think the Earth thing has been done a lot so we could try something a little different. Perhaps show the Autobots and Decepticons battling across systems of planets for a season or two before arriving at Earth. Really build up the background of a Cybertron at civil war between the two factions. Maybe use Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, and Rodimus as commanders of three different groups of Autobots while Megatron, Shockwave, and Cyclonus lead three groups of Decepticons. OP & Megs would still be the overall leaders and they would eventually find their way to Earth. UM is paired against SW and Rodimus is paired against Cyclonus. UM/SW & Rodimus/Cyclonus will find themselves joining their allies on Earth in later seasons.

The setting of Earth should be an Earth in the near future, perhaps a few decades. I would like to retain most design concepts such as OP's alt mode being some sort of truck. However, as much of a G1 fan as I am, I never loved Megatron's alt mode of a handheld pistol of some sort. To keep with the idea of flight capable Decepticons and to retain a fusion cannon, Megatron could be a hover tank. I like the idea of Autobots generally taking alt modes of civilian or utility vehicles while the Decepticons take on military or offensively capable vehicles. I would also propose the concept of the Decepticons being a more traditional military while the Autobots are civilians who have been forced into war, which they adapt to by using guerilla tactics. I'd also like to have the characters portrayed as more grey than strictly black and white bad guys and good guys. Wars should be more morally complex.

I have some other ideas but I've rambled on enough for now, hehe.

[Cyberstrike]

I haven't heard of any news of a new Transformers cartoon series but it may be a bit early to really speculate.

If there is another one coming out in the foreseeable future, I hope we get something that is in a similar vein of the "Batman: The Animated Series", "Superman: The Animated Series", "Justice League" and "Justice League Unlimited" series of cartoons. Basically the Bruce Timm universe of DC cartoons. What I love about the BT cartoons is the fact that the producer behind it is a fan of the source material and does whatever possible to retain the flavour, the essence of the material. At the same time, the new material goes in different directions than the source but not in drastically different directions for arbitrary purposes or being different for the sake of being different.

In my perfect scenario, the next Transformers series would use an overall character design concept that is similar to Don Figueroa's work, especially his approach to designing Classics Optimus Prime. This kind of style is contemporary while also giving a nod to G1.

With respect to the tone of the series, I would like a more serious overall mood. The main thing I can't get over in many post Beast Wars series of cartoons is the typical anime goofiness(at least that's how I perceive it) that permeates some episodes. Part of this is due to the voice acting but the voice acting is often dictated by the material so it's something that can only be fixed by getting better scripts AND getting different voice actors that aren't solely English anime voice actors or who can show they can perform solidly at different levels. To be perfect, the show would have to have Andrea Romano as the casting and voice acting director.

Now before I continue, I'm not against the typical "silliness" in many popular anime or anything, I just don't like(not to be confused with meaning I hate it) that kind of stuff. To put it another way, I'm more of a Cowboy Bebop fan than a Naruto fan.

Back to the subject...the cast of main characters should remain recognizable. Optimus Prime, Megatron, etc., are fine. Should the show take place on Earth or elsewhere? I think the Earth thing has been done a lot so we could try something a little different. Perhaps show the Autobots and Decepticons battling across systems of planets for a season or two before arriving at Earth. Really build up the background of a Cybertron at civil war between the two factions. Maybe use Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, and Rodimus as commanders of three different groups of Autobots while Megatron, Shockwave, and Cyclonus lead three groups of Decepticons. OP & Megs would still be the overall leaders and they would eventually find their way to Earth. UM is paired against SW and Rodimus is paired against Cyclonus. UM/SW & Rodimus/Cyclonus will find themselves joining their allies on Earth in later seasons.

The setting of Earth should be an Earth in the near future, perhaps a few decades. I would like to retain most design concepts such as OP's alt mode being some sort of truck. However, as much of a G1 fan as I am, I never loved Megatron's alt mode of a handheld pistol of some sort. To keep with the idea of flight capable Decepticons and to retain a fusion cannon, Megatron could be a hover tank. I like the idea of Autobots generally taking alt modes of civilian or utility vehicles while the Decepticons take on military or offensively capable vehicles. I would also propose the concept of the Decepticons being a more traditional military while the Autobots are civilians who have been forced into war, which they adapt to by using guerilla tactics. I'd also like to have the characters portrayed as more grey than strictly black and white bad guys and good guys. Wars should be more morally complex.

I have some other ideas but I've rambled on enough for now, hehe.

I would watch and buy that!

[Dead Metal]

Transtech is what I want to see.

But overall I want something as well written as Animated, with animation like Beast Wars had in other words top of the art animation and a more serious tone to it with humour of course.

[Rial Vestro]

Someone has pointed out before that 3 seasons seems to be the general life span of any TF series. So keeping to that theme I think we should get a series where the entire series is set on Cybertron. Have a full 3 seasons of just seeing Cybertron.

We have never in a Transformers series seen Cybertron in it's entirety. We've had glimpses of it but the only time we've really seen it for an extended time period the population of the planet was 14 and not all at once.

Another thing we have never seen that I would like to see is Megatron's rise to power. I'd like a series where someone else is leader of the Decepticons to start off the series and have Megatron kill the leader and take over at the end of the first season. At the end of the second season, become Galvatron. And for comedy sake at the end of the 3rd Season make Starscream the leader for all of 10 sec. before someone announces that the war is over. Or for a more series series you could just reverse Megatron's and Starscream's roles except for the fact that Megatron actully will take over. Meaning have Starscream be the leader for the first season and Megatron be the back stabbing wanna be leader.

If they made Starscream the leader for the next series his fan girls might be all happy that he finnally got what he wanted, then they'll be all angry when he's killed by Megatron.

On the comedy side I can totally picture Animated Starscream takeing command of the Decepticons then 10 sec. later: The war is over!

Starscream: What?

Generic Decepticon: Yeah we negociated a surrender while you were makeing your "I am your new leader" speech, you should really make that speech shorter.

Starscream: Ah Slag it.

[Convotron]

I'd like to see more depth in the play between Megatron and Starscream. We have already an established idea of SC being a plotting backstabber but often he is shown as an incompetent groveller or is used for comedy fluff. I'd like to see SC portrayed as a capable villain.

Going back to my preference for a more complex story involving war, Megatron as the Decepticon leader/Supreme Commander, shouldn't be a one dimensional evil character. Normally his portrayals are pretty shallow. He's just "evil". He might as well have a metallic moustache to twirl as he vents his "I'll destroy you, Prime!" lines.

It's not that I want a conflicted or self-doubting villain in Megatron, I'd like to suggest that he's a villain that believes what he is doing is for the good of Cybertron. I think I read this somewhere but something along the lines of Megatron believing in Cybertron's survival lies in aggressive expansion. To him, the welfare of Cybertronians outweigh the welfare of any other races. A sort of zealous patriot of Cybertron. The Autobots who oppose him are viewed as traitors. Being of a military designation/caste, Megatron could have contempt for the civillians/Autobots who oppose him, they who he has risked spark and limb for. Ultimately, he is a bully and gets satisfaction from controlling others and despite his strong beliefs in his actions to "save" Cybertron, he is not doing anything out benevolent or altruistic motivation. No matter what, there should be no mistaking that he is a villain, it's just that we could have more depth behind the character aside from someone looking for energon or an ultimate weapon.

Starscream on the other hand is only part of the Decepticons because he sees that faction as the perfect place for him to disguise his selfish desires under the veil of Cybertronian patriotism. I would set him up like the Joker from The Dark Knight, a sociopath. Starscream would serve Megatron and the Decepticon cause but there's always an ulterior motive, there's always that razor's edge of a risk that he'll do something to betray them if he sees fit. He should be competent, powerful, AND charismatic. Megatron's perfect military hierarchy would be threatened by those who would follow Starscream instead. He should be a threat to both the Autobots and Megatron in that he's ultimately out for himself. He should also be the ultimate liar, convincing others that he isn't as dangerous as he really is. In The Dark Knight, the Joker calls himself an agent of chaos and makes himself out to be a total nut job but in fact he is very intelligent and he's a liar. He wants people to believe he has no rhyme or reason when in fact, he is a master orchestrator, carefully setting up every intricate plot. That's how I envision Starscream in my perfect cartoon series.

[Rodimus2006]

Look It is really to far into the future to discuss any kind of new series for transformers cause the new Hasbro channel which is suppose to be airing the next series hasnt even been launched as of yet.

All we do know right now is a vague TBA 2010 date for the new channel well it isnt really a new channel they are just renaaming and changing the line up of the Kids-Discovery channel to the yet unamed Hasbro Channel whatever the channel will be called also still hasnt been revealed as of yet.

I say the next new series wont be out till Fall/Winter 2010 it wont have anything to do with animated cause as you know CN owns the rights to the Animated franchise so the next cartoon will be totally new and new characters and everything.

What that new series will be who will be in it, the name of it or anything has yet to be revealed.

I for one would like to see more of Cybertron like other people have said Cybertron hasnt been seen that much except for in Beast Machines and also in Cybertron but only bits in pieces in Cybertron cause of Primus and the Omega Lock.

I would also like to see Megatron's Rise to power how he came to his position how the Decipticons came to power same for Optimus and the Autobots also.

So the next series should be focused just on the bots this time and should be a prequel to the transformers mythology before Transformers G1 got started.

What I am talking about is the events that started the Great Cybertronian wars we have always heard stories in the series about this time era but nothing has been made about a series and I for one think it would be a great series to tell.

Think of how they are doing with the Clone Wars on CN they could make the next Animated series of Transformers in that image explaining the events of the Great Cybertronian Wars.


I would call it Transformers - Legacies or Transformers - The Million Year Wars, Transformers - Origins or Transformers - In the Beginning


I dont know how the Animated style would be done or overall appearance would be made that is up to the art directors of the show I would go for Beast Wars stlyes merged with some CGI sequences.

[TulioDude]

The more specific you get,then less probably will be like it.
The trick is to be open for new things,because if get too much expecifc,you easily disappointed.

[Convotron]

Look It is really to far into the future to discuss any kind of new series for transformers cause the new Hasbro channel which is suppose to be airing the next series hasnt even been launched as of yet.

All we do know right now is a vague TBA 2010 date for the new channel well it isnt really a new channel they are just renaaming and changing the line up of the Kids-Discovery channel to the yet unamed Hasbro Channel whatever the channel will be called also still hasnt been revealed as of yet.

It's never too far to discuss/speculate. After all, forums are good for that kind of activity, hehe.

I dont know how the Animated style would be done or overall appearance would be made that is up to the art directors of the show I would go for Beast Wars stlyes merged with some CGI sequences.

If done well, I'd love to see the next Transformers cartoon presented in CG, especially if it's cel shaded. If using traditional animation, I hope the quality is good and consistent. There's nothing worse in animation than filler portions of episodes where you can see the sub par quality animation. It sticks out like a sore thumb.

[Sabrblade]

What they ought to do is import the five undubbed series and the two undubbed OVAs and release them over here on DVD, either in new, professional dubs, or in English subtitles.

And give RiD a U.S. DVD release.

And I know this isn't ever going to happen, but it would be nice to have the original, uncut verions of Car Robots, Micron Densetsu, Superlink, and Galaxy Force subbed and released on DVD here as well. If they can release Beast King GoLion and Dairugger XV in addition to Voltron, I don't see why we can't get Car Robots and the Micron Trilogy (Japanese Unicron Trilogy).

[Rodimus2006]

I hope bye the time that the new Habro channel is rolled out they can get it to wear RiD is owned officially bye HASBRO as it should have been bye the start.

At least HASRBO could show it as part of thier transformer library.

As you people know that RiD has been in limbo since it last aired on Fox Kids back in 1999-2001 unclear when been many years since I saw it last.

Frankly it pisses me off it is just sitting in a locked vault somewhere degrading and ruining it while someone like HASBRO could restore and make an ultimate set for Blue-Ray and Normal DVDs.

But as I have always said nothing is ever going to get done with RiD, bye the time it is done RiD will be so degraded and ruined they couldnt do anything with it.

Like with Star Wars they had a really hard time restoring that to modern day also Dragon Ball was difficult to restore also.

If you leave something along it makes it that much more harder to fix.

Frankly I give up on anything being brought over and localized here in the states from Japan.

I at least hope that HASBRO makes an Ultimate set of Beast Wars and Beast Machines I give up all hope on RiD getting anything done with it.

I keep on hearing Disney/Saban owns the show since it was shown on Fox Kids but I dont know the show has shifted owners in the last few years.

[Sabrblade]

As you people know that RiD has been in limbo since it last aired on Fox Kids back in 1999-2001 unclear when been many years since I saw it last.

2001-2002

Frankly I give up on anything being brought over and localized here in the states from Japan.

There are numerous examples of anime being subbed over here, like Beast King GoLion, Dairugger XV (both were made into Voltron), Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon (Classic, R, S, SuperS, but no Stars), and others.

I at least hope that HASBRO makes an Ultimate set of Beast Wars and Beast Machines I give up all hope on RiD getting anything done with it.

Why Beast Machines? It's U.S. DVD release already contains the entire series in one set. And it's not like a so-called "Ultimate" set would have any great amount of special feutures. The Rhino Beast Machines set already has more special features than either of the Ultimate collections of Cybertron and Energon.

I keep on hearing Disney/Saban owns the show since it was shown on Fox Kids but I dont know the show has shifted owners in the last few years.

Disney owns it now. Saban was its previous owner because they dubbed it. Had Saban not gone out of business and been bought by Disney, it may have had a better chance of seeing a DVD release.

However, now that I think about it, I seem to remember reading something a long time ago that said that another reason it won't be put on DVD was because of its low ratings. But after seeing the Energon series get released on DVd, I'm finding this ratings excuse difficult to believe.

[Rodimus2006]

Quiet frankly I give up anything getting made except for Animated Season 3 which wont be out till the end of the year or Q1 2010.

I dont think any of the japan series will ever see the lite of day same deal goes with RiD.

Queit frankly I think we are stuck with the dvds and stuff that are out there.

I dont know what the future holds though things are always changing, but giving how long it has been to this day I still have lost all hope and to me it looks like RiD will forever be in legal limbo collecting dust in a vault degrading over the years.

Look Beast Machines sucked more than RiD did RiD was x10 times more popular than Machines was I hated Machines cause they turned Optimus into a Preachy wuss, Megatron was the only thing cool about the whole time thing and I hated their upgraded Beast Forms.

Also incase you guys didnt know Beast Machines also got the axe also same to RiD so when you think about both shows were on par about the same with ratings and thier fan base.

Me RiD was a heck of a lot better Metroplex, Megatron and the Beasties.

To me Beast Machines was way to organic and to me is one of the worst transformers series ever made however the show did have a few good moments in it.

So that is no excuse to hold RiD in limbo when it and Beast Machines were both canceled series and also same in the ratings.

I give up nothing is coming on and nothing is ever going to.

I would get the RiD sets from somewhere else like in the UK but I dont know were to buy them from.

[Convotron]

I'd love to see uncut and subbed releases in North America.

[Rodimus2006]

Give it up guys nothing is ever going to be released this is it

Animated Season 3

Rest of the Releases of G1 from Shout

Revenge on Blue/Ray and Normal DVD in October


This is it for transformers nothing more than what I have listed.


I dont mean to sound negative I am just stating the facts

No new cartoon series until Fall/Winter 2010 this is my educated guess

but I did guess right on Animated so maybe I can get this right also.


Remember I guessed right on when animated season 3 would be airing I also guessed right on how many episodes would be in the season which was 13.

So maybe I could get lucky again bye guessing on the release of the next cartoon series.


Release of new Hasbro Channel will be my guess Summer/Spring 2010

Release of new Transformers will be Fall/Winter 2010.


Revenge will be out in Oct/November on BR and DVD

Generation 1 Season 2 will be out in Septemeber


However I dont know if it will be broken about like how Rhino made it such as Season 2 prt 1 and season 2 prt. 2.

[Sabrblade]

Look Beast Machines sucked more than RiD did RiD was x10 times more popular than Machines was I hated Machines cause they turned Optimus into a Preachy wuss, Megatron was the only thing cool about the whole time thing and I hated their upgraded Beast Forms.

Also incase you guys didnt know Beast Machines also got the axe also same to RiD so when you think about both shows were on par about the same with ratings and thier fan base.

Do you have any factual information to prove any of this?

Me RiD was a heck of a lot better Metroplex, Megatron and the Beasties.

Um... huh?

So that is no excuse to hold RiD in limbo when it and Beast Machines were both canceled series and also same in the ratings.

What? Neither show was canceled. They both finished in their entirety with the number of episodes that had been planned to air. Neither got cut off the air before completion.

I would get the RiD sets from somewhere else like in the UK but I dont know were to buy them from.

Try Ebay, or Amazon.co.uk (I got my TF Takara Collection DVD set from there).

Give it up guys nothing is ever going to be released this is it.

Way to think positive there, Roddy.

[Rodimus2006]

Why Should I look positive when you know what I say is true anwyways.

You think they will ever release RiD any of the Japanese series or make new sets for Beast Machines and Beast wars you might as well be barking up someone elses tree.

They will never ever see the light of day quiet franky I dont care anymore if they ever get released or dont dosent bother me no more.

I am not lookin foward to the new Hasbro channel either cause they probably wont show anything worth watching on it either.

I hate to see what they choose from the transformers library and it will be ruined bye watching commecials every 10 seconds.

The new cartoon series wont be out until way into 2010 or early 11 at the latest it has a lot to live up to if if wants to be competing with animated.

My guess is another series with more annoying human elements in it.

However I did enjoy SARI but she was annoying at times but she did have her moments.

I think humans should be eliminated in the next series make it totally focused on the bots however the show will be on a kid channel so that means that the human element will remain most likely.

[Cyberstrike]

RiD is absolute and total garbage.

Annoying Transformers left and right, annoying humans left and right. Crappy designs and toys. The stupidest overall plot in Transformers lore (Galvatron wants to convince kids evil will always triumph over evil), stupid jokes, characters that only appeared in 2 episodes, etc.

While Beast Machines was a smart, intelligent, well written, character driven, action packed sci-fi story that took Beast Wars to it's logical conclusion.

RiD had none of that, and was an insult to the intelligence of kids and parents alike. RiD makes me ashamed to be a Transfan.

[Sabrblade]

You think they will ever release RiD any of the Japanese series or make new sets for Beast Machines and Beast wars you might as well be barking up someone elses tree.

Rerelease Beast Wars and Beast Machines? No, not likely to happen anytime soon. There's no reason to.

Release RiD? Well, one can still have hope.

Release the Japanese G1 series? This is very, very, VERY possible. Hasbro has stated that they DO have an interest in releasing them. Back in the December 2008 Hasbro Q&A, I asked the following question:

Since the Japanese-exclusive G1 cartoon series (The Headmasters, Chojin Masterforce, Victory, and Zone) were released on DVD in Europe and Australia, is there any hope of seeing them, and perhaps Beast Wars II and Beast Wars Neo, released on DVD in North America? Particularly the United States. From what we can tell, there is quite a demand!

And received the following answer:

Hasbro has the rights to the majority of the past Transformers entertainment now, and we are currently formalizing a distribution plan globally. This doesn't mean that you will see everything at the same time - we are deciding when and where for the portfolio of entertainment.

So they are considering when and where they should be released. It may not be soon, but they could be on their way for release in the future.

[Dead Metal]

Hasbro has the rights to the majority of the past Transformers entertainment now, and we are currently formalizing a distribution plan globally. This doesn't mean that you will see everything at the same time - we are deciding when and where for the portfolio of entertainment.

So they are considering when and where they should be released. It may not be soon, but they could be on their way fro release in the future.

Let me guess, HAsbro's own channel!
It's easier and cheaper to translate and dub a series than make one from scratch, that will give them time to create the next TF series and give them something to broadcast on their channel.

[Sabrblade]

Hasbro has the rights to the majority of the past Transformers entertainment now, and we are currently formalizing a distribution plan globally. This doesn't mean that you will see everything at the same time - we are deciding when and where for the portfolio of entertainment.

So they are considering when and where they should be released. It may not be soon, but they could be on their way for release in the future.

Let me guess, HAsbro's own channel!
It's easier and cheaper to translate and dub a series than make one from scratch, that will give them time to create the next TF series and give them something to broadcast on their channel.

Just to let you know, I was given this answer way back well before we ever heard of the channel.

[Skullgrin140]

What I still want to see more than anything, aside from my idea of Transformers being aimed for more mature audience. Is the next TF series to be animated by the same guys who did X-men Evolution, as well as the writing done by Flint Dille, Bob Forward, Christy Marx & several other great writers.

That was my idea to start off with.

[Sabrblade]

What I still want to see more than anything, aside from my idea of Transformers being aimed for more mature audience. Is the next TF series to be animated by the same guys who did X-men Evolution, as well as the writing done by Flint Dille, Bob Forward, Christy Marx & several other great writers.

That was my idea to start off with.

How about more like "Wolverine and the X-Men", since it's more recent?

[Convotron]

Whether the animation style chosen for a future cartoon is traditional or CG, one thing I hope for is more fluid transformation sequence displays. I just saw a clip of Cybertron earlier today and it seems like the CGI heavy Transformer series have a really drawn out or step by step sequence of transformations. I would like to see something similar to how the transformation sequences were handled in Robot Masters. They appeared to be literal portrayals but were quick enough to look "natural".

What I could do without, though, is the activation calls. The first time I hear "Transform!", "Henshin!", "Head on!", etc., is neat. The 50th time it gets a bit old.

[Dead Metal]

Hasbro has the rights to the majority of the past Transformers entertainment now, and we are currently formalizing a distribution plan globally. This doesn't mean that you will see everything at the same time - we are deciding when and where for the portfolio of entertainment.

So they are considering when and where they should be released. It may not be soon, but they could be on their way fro release in the future.

Let me guess, HAsbro's own channel!
It's easier and cheaper to translate and dub a series than make one from scratch, that will give them time to create the next TF series and give them something to broadcast on their channel.

Just to let you know, I was given this answer way back well before we ever heard of the channel.

That doesn't matter, they must have had the plans to take over that channel for longer than what we know off. Plus they did state they're looking into a way of bringing it to the audience.