Onslaught Six wrote:Shit, do I need to catch up.
Damn right you do.
20. Quick, Switch Sides!
This one is kind of a breather/summation episode, with the Autobots recapping that the four Godmasters have been found, the Decepticons complaining about the same thing, and both Cancer and Sixknight voicing their respective misgivings on the subject of faction. It's interesting that Sixknight actually sincerely approaches Ginrai about learning how he beat him a few episodes ago, and doesn't blow him off when Ginrai gives the anime-standard "Humans are strong because they fight no matter what" speech (hey, at least he delivers it well). Interestingly, Cancer's actions in this episode are him trying to reaffirm his loyalty to the Decepticons, while Sixknight's retaliatory actions are him trying to shake off the influences of his previous alignment all for the purpose of GETTING STRONGER. The unintentionally clashing ideologies frames the episode well, particularly in that Cancer actually accomplishes what he set out to do (telling off Minerva), while Sixknight is still left unsure if he's been set on the path to greater strength. It's also cool to see that Ginrai trusts Sixknight and even seems to have a respect for the way he lives (not wanting to insult his honor by helping him in battle), and that Minerva still doesn't think Cancer is a lost cause, even after he goes off on her.
This is also the episode where Ginrai is formally named as the 'Autobot Leader'. The way they talk about it, it seems less like Ginrai would be Supreme Commander or anything like that, and that he's intended to be more of a field commander while Hawk still handles all the coordination back at the base. It makes sense that the Autobots would want their team to rally around the most obviously powerful guy they've got so far, and it provides a dramatic contrast to the way the Godmasters are handled over on the Decepticon side, with Mega and Giga basically forcibly usurping control of the team from Blood, and him not being happy about it, in comparison to the Autobots voting Ginrai in as the leader, and him having to be pressured into reluctantly accepting. He does make a few calls regarding Sixknight in this episode already though, showing that he respects the Autobots' decision and wants to at least try to grow into the role.
This episode also introduces Browning, the robo-gun sidekick given to Cancer by Mega to facilitate her already-uncomfortable relationship with him. It's unique to see a cute roleplay-toy-sidekick character given to a villain-aligned human character, but it works, and Browning is pretty cute, in my opinion. Love the bit where Cancer leaves him to pilot the airship (the same one that also finally explained exactly how the Decepticon Headmaster Juniors were moving their Transtectors between countries), and a few minutes later he's crashing it into the ground, apologizing that "There are still some things I just can't do". Poor little guy. Sadly, I think he disappears for the next few episodes after just being introduced in this one.
The insert song that plays in this episode, while Sixknight is fighting the Decepticon Juniors, is really really cool.
21. The Autobots save yet another little girl! But hey, more Godmaster action in this one!
This one's obstinately a filler episode, mainly just showing the Autobot Godmasters coordinating as a team on a 'big mission', with Ginrai officially as the leader now. They also have bitchin' hovercraft out of nowhere (seriously, where do they get the funding for these things?). It also reinforces just how outclassed the Decepticon Pretenders are now, as they (and King Poseidon, who as Anderson already pointed out, isn't exactly the most impressive gestalt) are beaten pretty soundly, and their plan to kidnap doctors to make humans sad was a pretty stupid one to begin with (and come on! They're only shown to have kidnapped, like, twenty or so doctors! In the whole world? Come on guys!). We do get to see the Godmasters' four-element-based attacks though, which is cool. I was actually all like "Oh, so
that's where 'Fire Guts' comes from". But enough about all that, the real selling point of this episode is Shuta's wardrobe:
Truly, no man ever had truer swag.
Another plus was that Copo was pretty kawaii, uguu~, and I was genuinely unsure if she was going to survive the episode, since this show has killed off parents, puppies, and best friends before with no problem. So I got to be fairly relieved/happy when she lived. Cool.
22. Lightfoot Must Choose: Pepsi or Coke?
Oh wow, here's where all the plot went. Okay, opening up with the Decepticons claiming that destroying the Godmasters is a 'new' plan isn't exactly original, but at least they deign to start with someone *other* than Ginrai this time, and as we'll see, their plan is actually pretty good. But the big stuff really starts in this episode with the introduction of Grand Maximus (or at least his Grand component, which is inexplicably subtitled as 'Maximus' here) and the revelation that the war out in space between the Autobots and Decepticons may have elements hitting closer to earth than we previously thought, which looks to become important and influential for future episodes. Indeed, it launches a background plot about the Autobot's creating a secret (even from the kids!) project to equip Ginrai for space travel/combat, which definitely gives the series the beginnings of a more 'epic', continuous feel. They've got a real goal to work towards now: Getting Ginrai into space so he can stop the encroaching forces from taking Earth. Plus, I must confess that I've always enjoyed anime that gradually work their way up to taking place in space (Gurren Lagann, Mai-Otome, even Negima to a degree, cool stuff), so this appeals to me. The rest of the episode is watching the Decepticons put their surprisingly well-implemented anti-Lightfoot plan into action, with Hydra and Buster making their triumphant return after a couple episodes of absence, and their kidnapping and holding-hostage of Lightfoot's father working out pretty well for them until Ginrai's growing leadership and planning abilities thwarted them, not to mention Lightfoot's growth as an actual combatant.
Actually, the Lightfoot thing is handled really well in this episode. He's always seemed the least combat-ready of the Godmasters, and as I mentioned before, he's the only one who lacked a real reason to hate the Decepticons. This episode gives him one, with Hydra and Buster kidnapping his father, and using the opportunity to really beat the tar out of Lightfoot, so when the tables are turned and he can finally fight back, he really lets them have it. It's satisfying to see him grow as an Autobot warrior, and nice that they didn't just neglect the character once his introductory episode was finished.
Overall, this episode's just pretty great in general, with a lot of overarching plot being set up to go on in the background, and a meaty, well-executed main story that shows the growth characters have already experienced, as well as giving some to others, plus a nice big fight at the end (though the bit with Ranger tickling Hydra was a little weird...).
Oh yeah, and the new opening animation kicks in in this episode. The song's still the same, but the new animation itself is pretty cool, and for some reason works better with the song itself to make the whole intro work better. I dunno, it just kind of clicks now.
23. Expose the fact that the fortune-teller is blatantly Mega!
More elements get introduced here, particularly the first instance of Mega and Giga leaving the Decepticon base and actively participating in their faction's mayhem! We technically knew they were Godmasters already, they'd mentioned it before, but here we finally see them in their suits, and get to see their Transtectors, though we don't get to see them transform. The episode also makes known the influence of the Decepticons fighting in space, as they're able to chuck asteroids down to Earth to fulfill Mega's fortune-telling, not to mention apparently somehow manipulate things to blow up a jet full of 450 people (holy shit!!). I like that they don't show any trace of these space-Decepticons in the whole episode. They could've used this to flash-promo a new toy or something, but instead it's left more ambiguous, simply made clear that *something* is up there, able to harm us and our planet from beyond our reach. It's more ominous, and in my opinion, more effective.
Less effective is the way a couple appearances on TV by a poorly-disguised Mega are able to sway everyone on Earth's opinions on Ginrai (you know, despite him appearing all friendly-like on TV several episodes back, and that multiple people before now have been shown to know what Transformers and who the Autobots are), though at least they come to their senses in the end. And hey, the Autobot Headmaster Juniors get to do their rescue team thing, which was kinda neglected for a few episodes before now (they were focusing more on the Godmasters). The kids also end up getting let in on the Bomber Project secret, which actually seems fair to me, now that the space Decepticons it's being designed to combat have proven to be a direct threat to the planet itself.
More weird subtitle notes: The Dam that gets blown up in this episode is actually called Watson Dam, but the subtitles call it Sherman, in one of the more desperate, reaching attempts to tie this thing into more TF series. Seriously, this one comes off as really forced, and with little point to it; is there really anything wrong with implying that there's more than one dam in the Transformers universe?
Masterforce is over half-done at this point, and the series really feels like it's heating up, with the ominous battle in space providing a more intense backdrop to the proceedings, and Mega and Giga's joining of the fray implying that they're getting more serious about the war. And things'll only get more intense next episode, since as we all know by now, Overlord officially debuts!
