The Energon Pub

[Bonger]

Being an adult, i would still prefer better animation than what is offered in TF Animated.

Especially so that we are now in the 21st century.

Hmm, I don't necesarily have an issue with the animation quality. It is more, the drawing style used on the humans.

On a side note, how much do you think Leno paid Hasbro for them to design a whole line of TFs in his likenesss?

[Auto Bot]

Being an adult, i would still prefer better animation than what is offered in TF Animated.

Especially so that we are now in the 21st century.

Hmm, I don't necesarily have an issue with the animation quality. It is more, the drawing style used on the humans.

On a side note, how much do you think Leno paid Hasbro for them to design a whole line of TFs in his likenesss?

Haha

Maybe the whole gig is sponsored by Leno!

I won't be surprised if i suddenly see Leno interviewing the Animated Prime, and comparing chins.

[Jazzz]

Y'know what I noticed?
every show about transformers has had horrible animation.
G1 was full of mistakes, don't say "oh its an old cartoon" cause cartoons in the 60s had better animation.
Beast Wars had... CG. It wasn't great CG cause CG was primitive back then.
Beast Machines-pretty good CG, but everyone bashes the design and writing
RiD-animation was okay, but fandom complain about story
Armada-animation was pretty good, but too many mistakes too
Energon-Crappy CG and all the good animation is wasted on humans
Cybertron-CG was getting better but the show sucked
Movie-great CG, but people bash the designs
Animated-Best animation quality(I don't see that many mistakes), but design is bashed, though humans could get animated better(what, now we WANT to see humans?)
everytime we get good animation, the fandom complains about the designs!
what the hell!

[Bonger]

So ya reckon it is too much to expect robots to look like robots and humans to look like humans without stupid animation errors?

Man, i wish I had your standards, my life would be a lot simpler.

[Auto Bot]

All these animation comparisons.

I miss the 86 Movie.

I'm gonna watch it again tonight.

[Bumblethumper]

I'm with Jazzz on this one. Animation technology has improved in leaps and bounds, and is more accessible than ever, but animation quality? Much of the best ever animation was done in the nineteen forties.

It all comes down to who's behind it and how much money is being spent. A big screen film will almost always have more time, money and effort put into the animation. It's just economics.

The eighties(in spite what certain retro-heads may think) is widely considered a wasteland in terms of animation. Everything was animated toy commercials, more so than ever before, shows were designed for heavy reuse of animation cycles and sequences, and most importantly, almost nothing was creator-driven. Talk to most of the people who worked on these shows, and they will tell you this. There was no passion.

I certainly don't think TF:Animated is the ultimate in terms of animation, but as Transformers shows go, it's a long way from the worst. It's not everything I'd like it to be, but the story lines and the designs are mostly a step up. I agree that the human characters aren't great. The drawings are very static, nowhere near as expressive as they could be. They've made some compromises, for sure, but for the most part, I think they've made the right compromises.

[Dagon]

quote. A judgement and a good judgement are two different and often times seperate things. unquote.

I agree, but we are talking about nice clear photos of toys, not touched up, prime of her life photos of mail order brides

Hey hey, did someone say mail order brides???!!!?? Yes, please.

Oh, right, Animated. I like the general idea of changing things up in the TF universe, but a lot of these figures don't appeal to me. The pictures of the figures, ok, so I don't get yelled at by know-it-alls. I don't like the way Bumblebee and PRowl look but really like the Megatrons and Starscream. What to do? I'll probably buy the ones I like instead of yelling that you need to get them all and how dare someone judge in a fashion contrary to my judgement. I don't mean you, microclone, I'm just saying.

[Sunstar]

I've only seen to melt down and I love it. It's hilarious. But with that said, I'm only getting starscream though

[Redimus]

After the innitial shock ive grown to love the drawing style, ive liked the look of the toys from the get go, and I think the cartoon is great. Im gonna be 24 this year, and I like this cartoon/toyline. So that puts paid to that theory.

I actully feel that after the abomination that was the movie designs and their toys, Animated IS going back to the current tf 'standard'. Admitedly it's doing it in the same way as Car Robots/RiD did with the BW era standard, which means it isnt identical, and some of it wont fit in with older lines, but the general look is less serious and more fun, which after the movie I cant wait for. Perhaps the real critismn is that they went too far in the other direction to compensate for the movie.

As for animation standards, Im sorry, but the Japanese have ALWAYS been better at animation than most of the est of the world. And some of the stuff they are producing today in cartoon shows (not films, shows) is beautiful (been watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig this week, and it's fantastic). I still think the best looking (and sounding) American cartoon was Thundercats, and guess what, it was animated by a bunch of Japanese.

Whilst I like the style of Animated, I think its a shame the likes of cartoon network have seen anime, thought, 'we can do that' and made wildly silly animation that misses the point of the best animes.

[Sarri]

I still think the best looking (and sounding) American cartoon was Thundercats, and guess what, it was animated by a bunch of Japanese.

That spot is held by Gargoyles by me (Animated by the Japanese Disney branch).

Something like Gargoyles was what I had hoped for in Animated, not necessarily the same animation style (I can live with stylized, but Animated is over the top), but something en par in story and story telling.

[Iron Prime]

That spot is held by Gargoyles by me (Animated by the Japanese Disney branch).

Same here - man that was a great show.....

[Dead Metal]

That spot is held by Gargoyles by me (Animated by the Japanese Disney branch).

Same here - man that was a great show.....

And quite untypical for a Disney show on top!
I still think the first Batman animated show is the best US cartoon, damn I loved that.

[Bumblethumper]

As for animation standards, Im sorry, but the Japanese have ALWAYS been better at animation than most of the est of the world. And some of the stuff they are producing today in cartoon shows (not films, shows) is beautiful (been watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig this week, and it's fantastic). I still think the best looking (and sounding) American cartoon was Thundercats, and guess what, it was animated by a bunch of Japanese.

Whilst I like the style of Animated, I think its a shame the likes of cartoon network have seen anime, thought, 'we can do that' and made wildly silly animation that misses the point of the best animes.

There seems to be a greater respect for craft in Japan whereas the problem with U.S. animation is too often the corporate culture sucks the life and art out of it.

However we've had 3 or 4 different TF anime series, and for whatever reason, they've all pretty much sucked.

Most of those shows had a lot of detail, but relatively little actual animation in them, it was all slow pans, zooms, endless dialogue scenes with like 2 separate lip drawings. TF: animated at least gets one thing right by telling the story visually and being more action oriented.

The best of Western animation? For my money you can't beat the visuals of theatrical films like Pinocchio, Sword in the Stone, Secret of Nimh, Nightmare before Christmas. Tv shows? Probably Ren and Stimpy or the nineties Batman show.

[Susinko]

I'm an "older" collector and I think Animated looks awesome. I can't wait for them to come out.

and you know what.. if YOU don't like something.. stop jumping down the throats of the people that do. And if YOU like something.. stop jumping down the throats of people that don't.

GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!! Heh. Just kidding. But really, those are my thoughts on this whole issue.

I'm 28 and I LOVE the look of the new Transformers. My whole family is waiting for them to come out! I have some Transformers from quite a few of the different lines and I love each line for a variety of reasons. I love the new Animated show. I love what I've seen of the new toys. Basically, I have a lot of love for the new line.

[Gojira Prime]

I personally love the cartoon and am excited for the toys, I know other people are with me, and any support means I ain't tellin' yous people otherwise.

I'll be getting Optimus, Megatron, Soundwave, Grimlock, and Swoop.



Maybe Slag.

[Lapse Of Reason]

32 and I like the look of the show and toys. I watch it with my kids and they like it too. I'll be getting all the figures that appeal to me.

[Cybertronian]

It makes sense to me to stylize what was previously comics or live movie and present it in a new way for a cartoon.
It doesn't make sense to me to
1. Follow that style for a series that are, by their nature, ROBOTS, making them too anthropomorphic and
2. Reinvent a look that began as a cartoon to make it more 'cartoony'.

My consolation is that after my movie 2007, Classics, and the Cybertron buying quest, I now am guaranteed of giving my wallet a rest until late 2008. Other than SOC God Marz and the revoltechs, I can pretty much save my wallet and that is a relief for me.

I think we can agree that many adult wallets will be getting a well-deserved rest after the last of the movie (and in some cases, Classics) stock leaves shelves.
That being said, I love the writing for the Animated series. (I still can't stop laughing after watching Sari explain where "little organics" come from.) However, I try to imagine the scenes featuring G1 characters (1984 Prime, Bumblebee and Ratchet, 1990 AM Prowl, and that 6-wheeled Super GoBot armored vehicle for Bulkhead). Since few of the Decepticons are G1, I try to make do with their earlier counterparts (1984 Starscream, 1985 Blitzwing, TM2 Blackarachnia -- with a Predacon spark crystal course -- and 1984 or Titanium/War Within Megatron).
The bounty hunter they introduced last weekend (1/19) reminded me of a character I designed in high school. He was a Decepticon plane borne out of my need for individual spare parts (regardless of color). (A Dirge leg here, a Ramjet arm there...) BTW, didn't Corey Burton play Bumblebee (or Shockwave) in the original series? He's Megatron here while last year's Megs plays Prime.
My like of the show's stories, however, will not always carry on to my buying trends. I decided to not buy movie Megatron (aka "razorblade Megs") and spent that money on an Encore Megatron (and will be spending more on original 1984-85 Megs arms!). I have 4 of the 5 Animated Autobots in G1 form (Actionmaster Prowl is G1 -- could use the Datsun though). If I like the Bulkhead character enough, I'll buy the afore-mentioned Super GoBot, repaint him in Hound's shade of green and adorn him with Hound labels (reproductions, naturally). Wreckage with movie Bumblebee's head is another alternative.

[microclone]

quote. A judgement and a good judgement are two different and often times seperate things. unquote.

I agree, but we are talking about nice clear photos of toys, not touched up, prime of her life photos of mail order brides

Hey hey, did someone say mail order brides???!!!?? Yes, please.

Oh, right, Animated. I like the general idea of changing things up in the TF universe, but a lot of these figures don't appeal to me. The pictures of the figures, ok, so I don't get yelled at by know-it-alls. I don't like the way Bumblebee and PRowl look but really like the Megatrons and Starscream. What to do? I'll probably buy the ones I like instead of yelling that you need to get them all and how dare someone judge in a fashion contrary to my judgement. I don't mean you, microclone, I'm just saying.

my original point was that good clear multiple photos of toys in alt>transforming>robo mode arguably provide enough information to let the viewer decide if they like the toy or not, somebody out there suggested that wasnt enough and you had to hold the thing, sure, extra info is useful but photos provide a very useful minimum unlike say a verbal description.

[microclone]

After the innitial shock ive grown to love the drawing style, ive liked the look of the toys from the get go, and I think the cartoon is great. Im gonna be 24 this year, and I like this cartoon/toyline. So that puts paid to that theory.

I actully feel that after the abomination that was the movie designs and their toys, Animated IS going back to the current tf 'standard'. Admitedly it's doing it in the same way as Car Robots/RiD did with the BW era standard, which means it isnt identical, and some of it wont fit in with older lines, but the general look is less serious and more fun, which after the movie I cant wait for. Perhaps the real critismn is that they went too far in the other direction to compensate for the movie.

As for animation standards, Im sorry, but the Japanese have ALWAYS been better at animation than most of the est of the world. And some of the stuff they are producing today in cartoon shows (not films, shows) is beautiful (been watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig this week, and it's fantastic). I still think the best looking (and sounding) American cartoon was Thundercats, and guess what, it was animated by a bunch of Japanese.

Whilst I like the style of Animated, I think its a shame the likes of cartoon network have seen anime, thought, 'we can do that' and made wildly silly animation that misses the point of the best animes.

despite shortcomings in the animation/drawings I find the overall 'feel' of the animated series to be fun and involving, that is way more important. Its like listening to an old scratched record of a piece of music you love over some studio etched piece of commercial crap on a shiny disc. I actually like the rougher edge to the animation, its like its not taking itself TOO seriously.

[Prankmeister]

I think the cartoon is the best we've had since Beast Wars, and the toys are going to be being bought by my right along side Universe. They just look too awesome to pass up, and the show accuracy is uncanny.

[The Chaos Bringer]

I will not watch a single episode of the series until they drop the human supervillains since they have no place in a tf show.

I will not buy a single toy apart from the Optimus/Megatron 2 pack since I can't resist Optimus/Megs 2 packs. I just can't.

[Wheeljack35]

Oh hell I will be getting the figures and i'm 41

[decepticonjon]

I will not watch a single episode of the series until they drop the human supervillains since they have no place in a tf show.

hey buzzkill,
remember dr. archeville?
just to name a few of the human villans from generation 1

[decepticonjon]

<br>

allready been done boys

[microclone]

Oh hell I will be getting the figures and i'm 41

kudos!!! i know several collectors in their late 30's early 40's, all are hardcore takara fans (microman, henshin cybog, geeg, diaclone) and they all feel that animated toys are excellent, interesting.