The originals... ok, not exactly, but the original named "The TransFormers" anyway. Take THAT, Diaclone! Generation 1, Generation 2 - Removable fists? Check. Unlicensed vehicle modes? Check. Kickass tape deck robot with transforming cassette minions? DOUBLE CHECK!!!
andersonh1 wrote:
SOS from planet Sandra
Planet Sandra? Really? Maybe plain-jane English names are exotic to a Japanese writer? I know I’d think “Planet Hikaru” would be pretty cool. Maybe that works in reverse? Still, I can’t help thinking of other planet names in the same system, like Planet Bill or Planet Kathy.
I dunno about those, but the B-52s seem to have a high opinion of at least one of the natives of Planet Claire.
Dominic wrote: too many people likely would have enjoyed it as....well a house-elf gang-bang.
andersonh1 wrote:SOS from planet Sandra
Planet Sandra? Really? Maybe plain-jane English names are exotic to a Japanese writer? I know I’d think “Planet Hikaru” would be pretty cool. Maybe that works in reverse? Still, I can’t help thinking of other planet names in the same system, like Planet Bill or Planet Kathy.
This is true, actually. An example: The magically mysterious MC of Final Fantasy VI was named Tina in the Japanese version, since to them 'Tina' comes off sounding like an exotic and unique name. Obviously less-so here, which is why she got renamed 'Terra' for the US release.
I finished the series yesterday, and I just have to say that the "final formation of friendship" is the biggest "pull a new power out of our butts" ending I've seen yet. Man, that had me laughing. Daniel even participates in it!!
So, some observations on Headmasters:
- I really enjoyed it, despite poking holes in the logic from time to time. It's nice to see the old G1 cartoon I loved to watch as a kid continued, and to see those old characters in some new situations.
- When they called the show "Headmasters", they meant it. Despite a huge cast, the vast majority of story time is given to the Autobot Headmasters, in particular Chromedome. I don't mind, but it would have been nice to do some episode focusing on the other cast members. Sixshot gets a lot of time in the series, admittedly, which is good.
- Oddly, I don't really mind the way he befriends Daniel. Not that it seems entirely consistent with the way he's happy to attack alien children, or doesn't seem to mind them as collateral damage at least. Maybe he feels that only adults or military are legitimate targets. He's pretty ruthless in murdering Ultra Magnus, but then he turns around and actively protects Daniel. Maybe that's just to soothe his conscience for all the immoral actions he's taken, assuming he has a conscience. If nothing else, it makes Sixshot more interesting and adds some depth to the character.
- Sixshot also has to be the most competent Decepticon ever!
- the animation is considerably better than G1 season three, even when at its worst. The character models are consistently better and more detailed. It's still limited TV animation of course, but it's not bad.
- right to the end the older characters continue to appear, even if in very limited roles. Devastator is in the last episode, and Soundblaster's cassettes continue to appear up until near the end of the series. On the other hand, it's obvious that other characters are being written out fairly quickly. The best example of that is Optimus Prime, who dies again after four episodes of resurrected life! Rodimus bows out after about 10 episodes, and characters like Grimlock appear early on and then never show up again. Still, while the show focuses on the new characters (toys on shelves), it's nice to see the older ones aren't forgotten.
- Cerebros really isn't any more effective a commander than Rodimus, is he? None of the Autobot commanders are all that effective, in all honesty. Most of the series consists of the Decepticons acting and the Autobots reacting. If they were more proactive, they might do far better in their war.
- "Big Mode!" Heh... so literal.
I'm glad this was released on DVD in the US. It's nice to own it, and I'm definitely going to buy Masterforce and Victory if and when they are released. Hopefully we'll see the Japanese Beast Wars on DVD at some point.
Onslaught Six wrote:Masterforce hits December 6th. Guess what's going on my Christmas list where nobody will get it for me?
Nice. I notice Headmasters ends with a clean slate, with all Transformers leaving Earth. So I guess the more human-centric Masterforce can start from scratch. Do we get some repeat characters from Headmasters though?
I'm curious whether Ginrai will be Ginrai, or whether we'll be following the adventures of Hi-Q.
Onslaught Six wrote:Masterforce hits December 6th. Guess what's going on my Christmas list where nobody will get it for me?
Aaaaaawwwwwwwwww SHIT! It is on!
Honestly, I'm more than a little terrified of how the subtitles will be handled with this series after hearing about some of the stuff that was done in Headmasters, but that won't stop me from getting excited as hell about this.
Onslaught Six wrote:Masterforce hits December 6th. Guess what's going on my Christmas list where nobody will get it for me?
Nice. I notice Headmasters ends with a clean slate, with all Transformers leaving Earth. So I guess the more human-centric Masterforce can start from scratch. Do we get some repeat characters from Headmasters though?
Not really, as far as I know. Some of the dudes (Chromedome at least) show up in a couple episodes but it's more like the way Jazz and Bumblebee appear in the '86 movie. Without the dying part. Spoiler
Although if I'm reading Fort Max's Wiki entry right he gets an implied death; the Decepticons are attacking the planet he's on, and then the message gets interrupted, and that seems like the last we hear of him.
BWprowl wrote:
Onslaught Six wrote:Masterforce hits December 6th. Guess what's going on my Christmas list where nobody will get it for me?
Aaaaaawwwwwwwwww SHIT! It is on!
The complete series also comes out that same day, I believe.
I'm curious whether Ginrai will be Ginrai, or whether we'll be following the adventures of Hi-Q.
Honestly, I'm more than a little terrified of how the subtitles will be handled with this series after hearing about some of the stuff that was done in Headmasters, but that won't stop me from getting excited as hell about this.
I'm not--I have faith. It doesn't make *any* sense for a human character to be named "Hi-Q" (although it doesn't make any sense for a Nebulan to be named that either I suppose) and like I said earlier, if they name him that, I will not buy it.
BWprowl wrote:The internet having this many different words to describe nerdy folks is akin to the whole eskimos/ice situation, I would presume.
People spend so much time worrying about whether a figure is "mint" or not that they never stop to consider other flavours.
I don't have any strong feelings either way, so I'll buy it regardless. It's going to be weird seeing Powermaster Prime on screen and have it not be Prime though. I suppose I'll get used to the idea.
andersonh1 wrote:I don't have any strong feelings either way, so I'll buy it regardless. It's going to be weird seeing Powermaster Prime on screen and have it not be Prime though. I suppose I'll get used to the idea.
You better. For me it's weird to see that design and have it *be* Optimus Prime, so.
andersonh1 wrote:I don't have any strong feelings either way, so I'll buy it regardless. It's going to be weird seeing Powermaster Prime on screen and have it not be Prime though. I suppose I'll get used to the idea.
That's the thing about Masterforce, though, it's not like Ginrai just walks around the whole time in his Transtector body. Most of the time he's just this generally unassuming human dude, and then some assholes show up in robot bodies and he gets in his Megazord to kick their asses.
Masterforce is more G Gundam than anything else Transformers.
BWprowl wrote:The internet having this many different words to describe nerdy folks is akin to the whole eskimos/ice situation, I would presume.
People spend so much time worrying about whether a figure is "mint" or not that they never stop to consider other flavours.
For me it's weird to see that design and have it *be* Optimus Prime, so.