Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

Good news for all you Gobots fans out there, WBShop.com has listed a pre-order for Challenge of The Gobots: The Original Mini-Series (Remastered)! Priced at $14.95 scheduled for release May 17th 2011.

CHALLENGE OF THE GOBOTS: THE ORIGINAL MINI-SERIES (1984) From Gobotron to your home, it's the original 5 episode mini-series that brought the GoBots to life. When Cy-kill embarks on his mad quest to conquer the galaxy starting with Earth, only Leader-1 and his band of Guardians stands in his way. The mini-series that launched a legend! Newly remastered from original film elements, Challenge of the GoBots has NEVER looked this good. See example below.

Hopefully there's not going to be a "Gobotron Space Cube" that shows us the computer enhanced episodes of Challenge Of The Gobots. Still though, I think I might just grab this when it comes out, I liked Gobots and I had recently watched a few episodes on u-tube!

Still waiting for some real Transformers/Gobots crossover.

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:Hopefully there's not going to be a "Gobotron Space Cube" that shows us the computer enhanced episodes of Challenge Of The Gobots.

I think your confusing "remaster" with "reversion". The G2 cartoon was a "reversion" of the G1 toon. What Kid Rhino and Shout! Factory did with their G1 DVDs was a "remaster".

Damn I forgot everything about this cartoon. I wanna check it out.

Also, the classics Ramjet mold would make a great Fitor.

You know what I'm most interested in seeing about these DVDs? The copyrights on the back of the packaging and whether or not Hasbro's involved.

Is this the only place this will be available?

Seibertron wrote:You know what I'm most interested in seeing about these DVDs? The copyrights on the back of the packaging and whether or not Hasbro's involved.

I daub that Hasbro's involved, if I remember correctly Tonka wasn't as smart as Hasbro was and never had ownership over the cartoon or the cartoon characters, they basically singed off all rights concerning the cartoon to Hanna Barbara.

Seibertron wrote:You know what I'm most interested in seeing about these DVDs? The copyrights on the back of the packaging and whether or not Hasbro's involved.

I daub that Hasbro's involved, if I remember correctly Tonka wasn't as smart as Hasbro was and never had ownership over the cartoon or the cartoon characters, they basically singed off all rights concerning the cartoon to Hanna Barbara.

Rated X wrote:Damn I forgot everything about this cartoon. I wanna check it out.

Also, the classics Ramjet mold would make a great Fitor.

Oh geesh, I might actually have to get this.

I agree about Fitor. I think RTS Wreck gar could be remolded into a workable Cy-kill

I heard Shout!'s going to do a complete box set with everything except the Rock Lords movie, so I'll be waiting for that.

Odd to hear myself say that, as it means picking up GoBots before getting around to Voltron, but I was stalling off to get the uncut GoLion first; did that ever materialize?

Who are the Gobots? The only thing I know about them is the fact they are kinda rip-offs of the Transformers

Who are the Gobots? The only thing I know about them is the fact they are kinda rip-offs of the Transformers

godzillabot wrote:Who are the Gobots? The only thing I know about them is the fact they are kinda rip-offs of the Transformers

GoBots was a Hanna Barbara cartoon (the same guys who made the yogi bear and flintstones cartoons) about robots that turned into vehicles. Basically the same thing as Transformers except the cartoon was alot goofier. They also came shortly before transformers. Except whatever Hanna Barbara did with GoBots, Hasbro just did better.

Bumblevivisector wrote:I heard Shout!'s going to do a complete box set with everything except the Rock Lords movie, so I'll be waiting for that.

I hope you're right.

Unlike a lot of TF fans, I don't hate the Gobots. Some of the designs were better than some of the TF designs.

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:

godzillabot wrote:Who are the Gobots? The only thing I know about them is the fact they are kinda rip-offs of the Transformers

GoBots was a Hanna Barbara cartoon (the same guys who made the yogi bear and flintstones cartoons) about robots that turned into vehicles. Basically the same thing as Transformers except the cartoon was alot goofier. They also came shortly before transformers. Except whatever Hanna Barbara did with GoBots, Hasbro just did better.

Okay scratch that off the buy list, thanks for the info!

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:

godzillabot wrote:Who are the Gobots? The only thing I know about them is the fact they are kinda rip-offs of the Transformers

GoBots was a Hanna Barbara cartoon (the same guys who made the yogi bear and flintstones cartoons) about robots that turned into vehicles. Basically the same thing as Transformers except the cartoon was alot goofier. They also came shortly before transformers. Except whatever Hanna Barbara did with GoBots, Hasbro just did better.

Okay scratch that off the buy list, thanks for the info!

Why is everybody double posting?

Why is everybody double posting?

Anyway,

Bumblevivisector wrote:Odd to hear myself say that, as it means picking up GoBots before getting around to Voltron, but I was stalling off to get the uncut GoLion first; did that ever materialize?

Yes it did. And now, the Vehicle Voltron DVD are available as well.

godzillabot wrote:Who are the Gobots? The only thing I know about them is the fact they are kinda rip-offs of the Transformers

In addition to what FoI said, the GoBots cartoon was based off the toyline of the same name, which was then owned by Tonka (before they were bought out and owned by Hasbro). Like how Hasbro took toys from Takara's Diaclone line and their New Microman Micro Change subline, Tonka did a similar thing in creating the GoBots toyline. Tonka took toys from Bandai's Machine Robo toyline to be used as GoBots.

Here's the theme song of the Tonka Gobots cartoon:


However, the GoBots series was not as successful as the Transformers for at least two reasons. One is what FoI said, it was a goofy fun series while the Transformers had more of a cooler edge to it (compared to the GoBots, that is). Two is that, while Takara decided to drop Diaclone and Micro Change to instead work with Hasbro to get in on the action of the Transformers in Japan, Bandai and Tonka, however, chose to keep their toylines separate. Machine Robo in Japan was wholly idfferent from GoBots in America. And because the two didn't work to support each other like how Hasbro and Takara had begun to, GoBots died out while Machine Robo had its own following in Japan.

However, the name "GoBots" would not stay dead forever. After having acquired Tonka at some point, Hasbro started using the name in a few Transformers toylines. Generation 2 had an Autobot figure named "Gobots" (lowercase B, and he was one guy), and later had a Hot Wheels-sized subgroup of figures called "Go-Bots" (dash capital B) that would later be called "Spychangers " in later toylines like RiD. Then, Hasbro would later launch a Playskool Transformers line circa 2002 called "Go-Bots" (dash capital B again) or affectionately called "Go-Go-Go-Bots" due to its four-episode cartoon's catchy theme song.

Here's the theme song of the short-lived Playskool Go-Bots cartoon:


Then Takara would pay homage to the old GoBots cartoon by creating some G1 Gobots redecoed out of six Autobot Mini-Vehicles, and later fiction involving these six would indicate them to actually be the six GoBot characters that they represent, having crossed over from their cartoon's world in the world of the Transformers. And what's more, the Transforemrs Animated AllSpark Almanac II would later go on to retcon the old GoBots cartoon as actually having been a Transformers series, giving it the universal stream identifier of Gargent 984.08 Alpha, with "Gargent" being the name of the GoBots franchise universe (like how "Primax" refers to G1, "Viron" refers to RiD, "Aurex" the Unicron Trilogy, "Tyran" the live action movies, "Malgus" Animated, etc. etc.).

Sabrblade wrote:Why is everybody double posting?

Why is everybody double posting?

Anyway,

Bumblevivisector wrote:Odd to hear myself say that, as it means picking up GoBots before getting around to Voltron, but I was stalling off to get the uncut GoLion first; did that ever materialize?

Yes it did. And now, the Vehicle Voltron DVD are available as well.

godzillabot wrote:Who are the Gobots? The only thing I know about them is the fact they are kinda rip-offs of the Transformers

In addition to what FoI said, the GoBots cartoon was based off the toyline of the same name, which was then owned by Tonka (before they were bought out and owned by Hasbro). Like how Hasbro took toys from Takara's Diaclone line and their New Microman Micro Change subline, Tonka did a similar thing in creating the GoBots toyline. Tonka took toys from Bandai's Machine Robo toyline to be used as GoBots.

Here's the theme song of the Tonka Gobots cartoon:


However, the GoBots series was not as successful as the Transformers for at least two reasons. One is what FoI said, it was a goofy fun series while the Transformers had more of a cooler edge to it (compared to the GoBots, that is). Two is that, while Takara decided to drop Diaclone and Micro Change to instead work with Hasbro to get in on the action of the Transformers in Japan, Bandai and Tonka, however, chose to keep their toylines separate. Machine Robo in Japan was wholly idfferent from GoBots in America. And because the two didn't work to support each other like how Hasbro and Takara had begun to, GoBots died out while Machine Robo had its own following in Japan.

However, the name "GoBots" would not stay dead forever. After having acquired Tonka at some point, Hasbro started using the name in a few Transformers toylines. Generation 2 had an Autobot figure named "Gobots" (lowercase B, and he was one guy), and later had a Hot Wheels-sized subgroup of figures called "Go-Bots" (dash capital B) that would later be called "Spychangers " in later toylines like RiD. Then, Hasbro would later launch a Playskool Transformers line circa 2002 called "Go-Bots" (dash capital B again) or affectionately called "Go-Go-Go-Bots" due to its four-episode cartoon's catchy theme song.

Here's the theme song of the short-lived Playskool Go-Bots cartoon:


Then Takara would pay homage to the old GoBots cartoon by creating some G1 Gobots redecoed out of six Autobot Mini-Vehicles, and later fiction involving these six would indicate them to actually be the six GoBot characters that they represent, having crossed over from their cartoon's world in the world of the Transformers. And what's more, the Transforemrs Animated AllSpark Almanac II would later go on to retcon the old GoBots cartoon as actually having been a Transformers series, giving it the universal stream identifier of Gargent 984.08 Alpha, with "Gargent" being the name of the GoBots franchise universe (like how "Primax" refers to G1, "Viron" refers to RiD, "Aurex" the Unicron Trilogy, "Tyran" the live action movies, "Malgus" Animated, etc. etc.).

I have a habit of double clicking, sorry! Oh my Primus you strike again Sabrblade, I’ve never met anybody so full of neat things about everything! By the way I’m full o’ knowledge as well so if you need to know anything (Which I guess you don’t!) PM me!

godzillabot wrote:Who are the Gobots? The only thing I know about them is the fact they are kinda rip-offs of the Transformers

actually gobots were before transformers as a kid i remember watching gobots before transformers aired for the first time and also getting the toys before seeing transformers in the stores
so really transformers ripped off gobots
I'm glad it worked out that way

Ultra Markus wrote:

godzillabot wrote:Who are the Gobots? The only thing I know about them is the fact they are kinda rip-offs of the Transformers

actually gobots were before transformers as a kid i remember watching gobots before transformers aired for the first time and also getting the toys before seeing transformers in the stores
so really transformers ripped off gobots
I'm glad it worked out that way

Actually when you think about it the Transformers were designed for slightly older kids, while the Gobots were designed for the younger folk

godzillabot wrote:

Ultra Markus wrote:

godzillabot wrote:Who are the Gobots? The only thing I know about them is the fact they are kinda rip-offs of the Transformers

actually gobots were before transformers as a kid i remember watching gobots before transformers aired for the first time and also getting the toys before seeing transformers in the stores
so really transformers ripped off gobots
I'm glad it worked out that way

Actually when you think about it the Transformers were designed for slightly older kids, while the Gobots were designed for the younger folk

Or, maybe they were geared towards the same demographic, but the guys at Marvel and Sunbow just decided to go beyond the norm of kids entertainment, whereas Hanna-Barbera just stuck with what they figured kids would like.

It's as though GoBots represented the classic cartoons of old, while Transformers went for a newer, more developed approach. Though, neither would come close to the revolutionary quality of Batman: TAS.

Sabrblade wrote:

godzillabot wrote:

Ultra Markus wrote:

godzillabot wrote:Who are the Gobots? The only thing I know about them is the fact they are kinda rip-offs of the Transformers

actually gobots were before transformers as a kid i remember watching gobots before transformers aired for the first time and also getting the toys before seeing transformers in the stores
so really transformers ripped off gobots
I'm glad it worked out that way

Actually when you think about it the Transformers were designed for slightly older kids, while the Gobots were designed for the younger folk

Or, maybe they were geared towards the same demographic, but the guys at Marvel and Sunbow just decided to go beyond the norm of kids entertainment, whereas Hanna-Barbera just stuck with what they figured kids would like.

It's as though GoBots represented the classic cartoons of old, while Transformers went for a newer, more developed approach. Though, neither would come close to the revolutionary quality of Batman: TAS.

Yup what Sabrblade said

Sabrblade wrote:

godzillabot wrote:

Ultra Markus wrote:

godzillabot wrote:Who are the Gobots? The only thing I know about them is the fact they are kinda rip-offs of the Transformers

actually gobots were before transformers as a kid i remember watching gobots before transformers aired for the first time and also getting the toys before seeing transformers in the stores
so really transformers ripped off gobots
I'm glad it worked out that way

Actually when you think about it the Transformers were designed for slightly older kids, while the Gobots were designed for the younger folk

Or, maybe they were geared towards the same demographic, but the guys at Marvel and Sunbow just decided to go beyond the norm of kids entertainment, whereas Hanna-Barbera just stuck with what they figured kids would like.

It's as though GoBots represented the classic cartoons of old, while Transformers went for a newer, more developed approach. Though, neither would come close to the revolutionary quality of Batman: TAS.

Yea but that was created with a completely different mindset and purpose. Go-Bots and transformers where created as a cheap and effective way to advertise children's toys to children. Batman TAS however was created just as a show with the concept of "an adult show that's appropriate for children".
Stating that both shows failed to come close to the greatness of Batman TAS, is like stating that the book "The adventures of Huckleberry Finn" fails because it's not as visually stunning as Watchmen.
Two completely different concepts for two different purposes.

Dead Metal wrote:Yea but that was created with a completely different mindset and purpose. Go-Bots and transformers where created as a cheap and effective way to advertise children's toys to children. Batman TAS however was created just as a show with the concept of "an adult show that's appropriate for children".
Stating that both shows failed to come close to the greatness of Batman TAS, is like stating that the book "The adventures of Huckleberry Finn" fails because it's not as visually stunning as Watchmen.
Two completely different concepts for two different purposes.

Well, I mean, both GoBots and Transformers were still going about how children's programming was perceived at the time (with TF putting in a little more effort than GoBots). Batman, however, broke that normality and revolutionized how children's programming could be made to be more realistic without completely alienating its younger viewers.

Sabrblade wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:Yea but that was created with a completely different mindset and purpose. Go-Bots and transformers where created as a cheap and effective way to advertise children's toys to children. Batman TAS however was created just as a show with the concept of "an adult show that's appropriate for children".
Stating that both shows failed to come close to the greatness of Batman TAS, is like stating that the book "The adventures of Huckleberry Finn" fails because it's not as visually stunning as Watchmen.
Two completely different concepts for two different purposes.

Well, I mean, both GoBots and Transformers were still going about how children's programming was perceived at the time (with TF putting in a little more effort than GoBots). Batman, however, broke that normality and revolutionized how children's programming could be made to be more realistic without completely alienating its younger viewers.

So, Batman TAS wasn't during the same time of Go-Bots and Transformers, those shows where started in 1983/84 while Batman TAS was started in 1992. You know stuff was generally darker, edgier and (apparently) more mature in the 1990s, that's the time Goosebumps was at it's hight, so it's no surprise that Batman TAS was made the way it was. It did revolutionise the whole concept of children's programming, but it didn't do so on it's own, the times and standards changed Batman just proofed cemented it.