The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1 · Sun Feb 19, 2012 8:41 pm

Hey Seibtrono's, let's start off by not beating around the bush: Transformers animated series(and to a certain lesser extent, comics) are made to sell merchandise. Luckily for us, it's usually integrated into the story fairly well, and brings us into the Universe it creates rather than out of it. However, there are times when the product placement becomes a little too blatant, and you shake your head at it.

Here's my quick list, and yes your mood may vary:

The begining of the G1 episode "B.O.T." comes to mind. Bruticus is formed, just to be blown apart by the previously unseen Defensor. The rest of the episode isn't much better, with several shout outs to the Protectobots and Defensor in general.

Continuing on with G1, how about Sixshot's apperance in "The Rebirth"? Five up, five down, and never to be seen again(at least in the U.S.).

Let's move to Beast Wars, specifically Season 3. In my opinion, most of the Transmetal 2 "upgrades" were rather pointless. Yeah they were decently integrated into the story, but I really feel like the stories were catered to have the upgrade occur, and they were so spaced out with few status quo episodes in between to really help us see what a difference the upgrade made.

Dinbot 2 would get a pass since he was essential to the final episode, but the entire episode "Proving Grounds" really felt like an excuse for the audiance to see how cool he was, with little else happening in the episode overall.

Tigerhawk I think does get a pass though. According to the TF Wiki Hasbro didn't know if they were going to make his figure so his early demise could be forgiven. As for his introduction episode, it did tie up a loose end from Season 2, have a couple major impacts to the overall story, and did no worse showcasing the character any different than previous intro episodes.

Now let's highlight a couple in Armada. The first, Overload. Yeah, he had no impact in the series overall, but for the record I do enjoy his figure. The second would be Optimus Prime's color change in the final episode. No reason given, no apparent power boost, just an excuse to sell a repaint.

News Credits: 101 · Sun Feb 19, 2012 9:20 pm

Armada, Energon, and Cybertron, all put their lines gimmicks in your face with the subtulity of a train barreling through a china store.

Armada: Minicons. Minicons everywhere.

Energon: Pointless combining. Pointless combining everywhere.

Cybertron: Cyberkeys. Cyberkeys everywhere.

That's all that come to mind.

News Credits: 5 · Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:59 am

The intire 86' movie. I saw it today on the hub and it seems they just wanted to clean out old characters to make for news ones to sell toys. I'm not complaining though. Hasbro is a toy company and thats how they make there money. I get it it. Its all good. Glad i didn't see it in the theater though as a kid. probabaly would have tronitized me for life seeing all those bots slaughtered and made me not want to watch anything Tf related for quite a while after. :lol:

The new movies with GM cars. Again, not complaining as i loved the alt modes and it didn't take away from the movie so i had no problem with it.

News Credits: 402 · Updated Oct 21, 2022

In RiD, I remember one episode with Skid-Z and one with Hoist, and then they were barely seen again.

News Credits: 462 · Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:07 pm

Marvel Comics issue 24 "Afterdeath". Both Optimus Prime and Megatron practically turn into traveling salesman getting into a "mine's bigger than yours" argument when describing the Protectobots and the Combaticons. they're even drawn in poses that make them look like TV advertising spokespersons.

Optimus Prime: "The answer is simple, Megatron. in his less conspicuous mode as a police car, Streetwise convinced the plant guards their presence was required elsewhere. He did this for their own protection, of course. Any questions?

Megatron: "Optimus Prime! A squad of Autobots! How did you come to be here?"

Optimus Prime: "Sorry. won't answer that one."

Groove: "And we prefer to be called the Protectobots, Decepticon!"

Megatron: "You will be called junk when I'm done with you! Combaticons transform!"

Optimus Prime: "We outnumber you six to four, Megatron. Give up!

Megatron: "Perhaps you forgot to count Vortex, who was hovering overhead in helicopter mode, and Blast Off who was flying in spacecraft mode. The sides are now even, Optimus."

Optimus Prime: "Not yet, Megatron--not when the Protectobots can combine to form... ...Defensor!"

Megatron: "--Whose power no doubt pales when compared to the Combaticon-comprised... ...Bruticus! Have you any more tricks, Optimus? Or shall we get down to the real business at hand?"

Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:28 pm

In DotM:

"It's like the Starship Enterprise in here."

The Unicron trilogy was made to sell a crapload of pointless and horrible figures.

Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:59 pm

Hrm, probably when Bumblebee scans that '08 Camero and comes riding up to Sam, showing off how awesome his new wheels look. And that's to say nothing of Dispensor, the Nokia bot, and the Xbox 360 monster in that film..

Oh, you meant product placements for Transformers toys!

I think the old G1 comics might well take the cake for some of the product placement, especially when they go and introduce a dozen characters on a single panel. And of course, they all have to refer to themselves in the 3rd person, so that we know who they are when we buy their toys. Come to think of it, every time a character refers to themselves in the third person just so we know who they are leaves a bad taste in my mouth because it just sounds awkward.

News Credits: 101 · Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:01 am

The whole Transformers Zone is just a giant add. All the fights conveniently haapen so they can show off all of their modes. And that stupid base. A little more and I can see "made in China" printed on it.

News Credits: 1 · Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:14 am

-Kanrabat- wrote:The whole Transformers Zone is just a giant add. All the fights conveniently haapen so they can show off all of their modes. And that stupid base. A little more and I can see "made in China" printed on it.

To be honest, the commercialism got spiced up with a little peace and love for everyone. Not a single episode before or past has completely and openly accepted same sex coupling.

And Predaking had HIS FREAKING BRAINS TORN IN HALF ON CAMERA IN CLOSE-UP.

News Credits: 462 · Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:52 pm

Kiyza wrote:I think the old G1 comics might well take the cake for some of the product placement, especially when they go and introduce a dozen characters on a single panel. And of course, they all have to refer to themselves in the 3rd person, so that we know who they are when we buy their toys. Come to think of it, every time a character refers to themselves in the third person just so we know who they are leaves a bad taste in my mouth because it just sounds awkward.

The word you are searching for is "Introdump".

Thu Feb 23, 2012 7:59 pm

And those three pages alone make me prefer the animated series...

Although that one isn't immune. Dinobot Island had Powerglide shilling himself so badly Bumblebaee commented on it! Or Perceptor and Beachcomber with Chip, as well.

News Credits: 1 · Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:47 pm

Pretty much all of the Marvel run under Budiansky was pretty blatant about selling figures nearly every time someone showed up. The infodump in the first ish still gets me every time.

But nothing's more blatant than the first Michael Bay film.

"Just one quick peek"-PANASONIC