The Energon Pub

I have been hearing alot of g1 toy bashing and why can't we move beyond g1 onto a whole new transformers idea. I mean do we need to continue rehashing same old idea and so and so forth. Well let take a step back in time to 1974 introduction of diclone, microman and gunrobo three toy lines that would latter become transformers. These lines didn't come to america till 1979 granted but even before they came here they weren't sell all that well in japan people just didn't view them as anything other than a novality item. But along comes hasbro in the early 80's not sure when they showed the first g1 cartoon but they repackaged a failing toy line as transformers introduce for at that time what was a amazing cartoon with writing that more complex than most cartoons of that time, granted it wasn't perfect but heck what is we can always look back say hey we could of done this and this different. But thankfull that hasbro took risk and did that toy line and show. For all those people that say does prime always half to lead and does he always have to be some sort of truck. Well while we didn't have transformers here in the united states it was still going strong in japan and they had a couple of other leaders for those shows. I'm not sure who they are because they haven't been released in the united states yet but whos to say they won't be now that transformers is such hot property. So look at what we could have ended up with go-bots which was based toy line called machine robo as our primary transfomering robot show. So for anyone who says hey why don't they move past g1 and on to something total new for tf future. I say the classics are a new take on an old idea yes but if you look at classics 2.0 octane he may have the same basic transformation in that he turns into tanker truck and plane but he also different in that these are both milatary version which don't look anything like g1 octane. So I'm one of those people who beleave you should wait and see what the future holds. Who knows were we will be in three years.

I agree, I like the new ideas the have... especially the Movie 2007

I'm all for expanding the Transformer universe.

However, if you are a toymaker about to name your toy after a G1 character, then I expect it to resemble that character in look and spirit. Most fans will. If it is not supposed to be the same character in the new storyline, then I'd prefer it be given it a new name.

Optimus Primal is a perfect example. When I first learned of Beast Wars I remember thinking, "Oh my gosh, they made Optimus Prime a f'n monkey". Then I watched the show and realized he was not supposed to be passed off as Optimus Prime. He was a new, fully developed and realized character. That move gained my acceptance of Beast Wars and I thoroughly enjoyed the series and the toys after that.

Lapse Of Reason wrote:I'm all for expanding the Transformer universe.

However, if you are a toymaker about to name your toy after a G1 character, then I expect it to resemble that character in look and spirit.

You got a point, but remember it can't look that cartooned... however Bay did an excellent job... he made it look resembling and live!

machine robo became gobots, the kmart transformers made by bandai.

Bumbled wrote:

Lapse Of Reason wrote:I'm all for expanding the Transformer universe.

However, if you are a toymaker about to name your toy after a G1 character, then I expect it to resemble that character in look and spirit.

You got a point, but remember it can't look that cartooned... however Bay did an excellent job... he made it look resembling and live!

Some of them had a resemblance, some of them I wouldn't have known who they were if they hadn't had an introduction. Ever.

However, I'll agree. Why cash in on an old name when there are certain expectations that go along with said name? As much as I enjoy seeing my favorite characters again and again the fact that they are sometimes completely different is grating. If it's a completely different character, why not give it a completely different name? Don't answer, I know. I'm just being hypothetical.

I don't see what the problem with reusing names is. Maybe they simply just like certain names. Some of them are quite catchy. Why does a character who shares the same name as an older toy have to have anything to do with its predecessor? Why should a 2008 toy called, say, Sixshot have anything to do with G1 Sixshot? Why should a new toy called Rampage have anything to do with G1 Rampage? It worked for BW Rampage. Remember also, G1 had two different characters with the same name (Barrage), and that was within the same line!

Also, how in keeping with the G1 spirit does a new toy have to be to deserve a recycled name? Is Energon Quickmix close enough to G1 Quickmix to warrant the name? They're both cement mixers, but the Decepticon version doesn't really resemble the Autobot version. Similarly, does it work the other way? Should a new toy that closely resembles an older toy be given a recycled name? Should Energon Quickmix have been called Mixmaster?

They keep reusing the names because if they don't they lose them. Unfortunately they are only allowed to trademark a name for so long. After that they have to reapply for the trademark and if they don't use it they lose it. It happened to Jazz That's why the Alternator was known as Miester.So I wouldn't worry about them rehashing names. Unless you want them to lose the name when they actually make a character close to the G1 version again. And of course you can always call the toy whatever you want it to be.

On the other hand I'm personally tired of some people claiming that G1 is the end all and be all of Transformers just as much as others wanting something new. G1 was great for its time. But that doesn't mean we should expect it to be the only thing that Transformers is. Part of the reason it has been so sucessful is it does reinvent itself over the years. He-Man didn't last this long. Heck the short lived revival a few years back barely lasted 2 years. And it had what I would say is a far better cartoon than the first go round.

We should be grateful that the series can reinvent itself and still retain some of the aspects that made it great at the start. And that after all these years we can still get the original stuff at all. Change is a good thing and so is knowing where your roots are.