The Energon Pub

I remember beast wars and transmetals. But for the life of me I can't remember the beast machine toy line or show. So when was it and was it any good.

The toys werent even that good. so depressing, not a good sequel to beast wars. I dont have a favorite BM toy.

Beast Machines was the 1999-2000 sequel to Beast Wars and IMO the most adult TF series ever aired. I personally loved it but most felt it took liberties both with the established characters from Beast Wars and G1 continuity. The toy line was hit and miss, mostly due to the crazy multiple scales used for many of the figures, the unpopular techno-organic look of the Maximals and the fact Mainframe (animation compamy) were working from old concept designs that Hasbro scraped or seriously modified before finishing the toy design process. Therefore many of the early figures in the line barely resembled the characters in the show.

However as things went on new characters and new versions of existing characters were released and it was eventually possible to piece together a fairly show accurate set of figures of the show cast. In 2004 Takara finally got around to releasing Beast Machines on DVD in Japan under the name 'Beast Wars Returns' and with it came a small Toys R Us exclusive line of figures featuring the show cast with more show accurate paint jobs. Also an extremely show accurate Supreme Optimus Primal figure (never released during Beast Machines but apparently earmarked to be released as part of the ill fated sequel 'Transtech') was released as part of RID under the name 'Air Attack Optimus Primal'. IMO this is one of the greatest Transformers figures ever released both in show accuracy and playability.

Basically Beast Machines is an acquired taste you either love it or you hate it.

Yours AK

Toyline was fairly poor, and show inaccurate.

The show however was quite good, very different from anything before, and anything since. It could have been even better if it had have been given another season to fully draw out it's stories, instead the ending to both seasons feel slightly rushed.

It's worth a watch, but as AK said, you'll either like it or hate it, its just one of those shows.

Everything that's been said here so far is pretty accurate.

The show was very interesting but played havoc with established character personalities without any explanation. Plus...the chasing oh the chasing...*ahem* Even so, it is definitely worth a look.

Unlike a lot of people here, I actually really like the Beast Machines figures. In fact, I like the better than my Beast Wars toys, and, I rate the BW line highly.

Redimus wrote:The show was just like the mest anime serieses.

Fantastic build up with a lot of plot, twists and things to think about.

Then a truly aweful last episode that leaves you going 'WTF mate?'...

The last episode wasn't horrible! It had one of the best "leader clashes" in any transformers series! While I'm indifferent to the ending(mostly cause the story was only continued in convention comics I've never had a chance to read, and we never got a full effect of what happened), I can agree that it would be improper to a lot of fans.

While I really didn't like most of the Maximal toys, most of the Vehicon figures were pretty good toys, even though they rarely looked much like their cartoon counterparts.

I Just recently picked up a deluxe Jetstorm at BBTS. waiting for it to arrive. Its a figure I've always kinda liked.

I never managed to watch the entire Beast Machines seasons. Watched some episodes here and there when they were showing on FOX Kids. Now I've started to watch them again in order, they are very nice, a little dark (scene lighting wise) if you ask me. but well written. and with pretty good character development. Although Rat Trap kinda gets on my nerves, the "sniveling little ingrate" always getting Primal into trouble. Cheetor really kicks ass, and Jet-storm looks really cool in the show.

I think its a good couple of seasons. I hope I can finish watching them. The site i've been watching them on seems to have taken them down. Had all episodes for both seasons, but now they are down.

Loki120 wrote:While I really didn't like most of the Maximal toys, most of the Vehicon figures were pretty good toys, even though they rarely looked much like their cartoon counterparts.

Accept when Takara repainted them as you can see here: Beast Wars Returns Thrust, Tankor, Strika and Obsidian

Yours AK

I really enjoyed the Beast Wars series, but I didn't like what they did with Beast Machines. I hated the character designs and how they changed the personalities so much. With some characters, the only thing that connected them to the previous character on Beast Wars was the name and that was pretty much it. It might as well have been an unrelated show.

Overcracker wrote:I Just recently picked up a deluxe Jetstorm at BBTS. waiting for it to arrive. It's a figure I've always kinda liked.

Deluxe Jetstorm is a really good figure, not just in the Beast Machines line, but overall.

publicvisage wrote:

Overcracker wrote:I Just recently picked up a deluxe Jetstorm at BBTS. waiting for it to arrive. It's a figure I've always kinda liked.

Deluxe Jetstorm is a really good figure, not just in the Beast Machines line, but overall.

Agreed, he's still one of my favorite TF figures. I also liked Tankor, he had some fun features.

Without even knowing it I had beast machines figure of course he is the transformers universe skywarp repaint, but still for all intents and purposes he is beast machines jetstorm.

lanzajr26 wrote:

publicvisage wrote:

Overcracker wrote:I Just recently picked up a deluxe Jetstorm at BBTS. waiting for it to arrive. It's a figure I've always kinda liked.

Deluxe Jetstorm is a really good figure, not just in the Beast Machines line, but overall.

Agreed, he's still one of my favorite TF figures. I also liked Tankor, he had some fun features.

Really, now I can't wait for it to arrive and transform him.

I remember now that the packages for some of the beastmachines vehicons had a disclaimer somethng like "3rd mode needs assitance", or "Does not stand on its own"

And yeah, neither Thrust nor Jetstorm can stand by themselves in their "hover" modes.

I actually picked up the Supreme Cheetor at a store that was going out of business for $12.99.

I missed out on the larger Jetstorm though

The large Nightscream is pretty cool

shortround wrote:Without even knowing it I had beast machines figure of course he is the transformers universe skywarp repaint, but still for all intents and purposes he is beast machines jetstorm.

Man, I need to find that figure.

Tankor is still one of the best figures from that line, I only have his Universe version, but it's still good fun!

i_amtrunks wrote:Tankor is still one of the best figures from that line, I only have his Universe version, but it's still good fun!

I don't know about the universe version, but the Beast Machines version had very loose joints. And I really wish that the thruster part locked securely into that groove in robot mode.

publicvisage wrote:

i_amtrunks wrote:Tankor is still one of the best figures from that line, I only have his Universe version, but it's still good fun!

I don't know about the universe version, but the Beast Machines version had very loose joints. And I really wish that the thruster part locked securely into that groove in robot mode.

Universe version had no such issues.

You may want to try some clear nail polish on his shoulder and hip joints, it should help alot.

Sad really he didn;t look that good too me. I passed on the Universe Tankor and Obsidian Two pack so many times.

On a lighter note:
I just can't wait for my Jetstorm to arrive. According to BBTS, it has shipped.