, mostly referred to as just is an episode of ''
The Transformers'' released as an OVA (
Original Video Animation
, abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the first part of an OVA s ...
) in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
in April 1986. It was created as a promotional video for the new line of 'Scramble City' toys and the cassettes were paired with the toy sets. Despite strong belief (such as that voiced on the 20th Anniversary DVD bonus commentary for the episode), it was not meant to introduce Japanese audiences to the new characters from ''
The Transformers: The Movie'' (considering Ultra Magnus, Ramhorn, Steeljaw, and Ratbat are the only ones from the film that appear in it). Chronologically, it takes place years before the movie, during the early stages of construction on Autobot City.
Plot
Beginning with a recap of the coming of the Transformers to Earth and the story of
Devastator, the OVA then gets its original story underway, as the Autobots are shown to be in the midst of constructing the powerful "Scramble City", overseen by their newest arrival,
Ultra Magnus. When the Decepticons learn of this, their combiner robots are deployed to attack, and a battle between them and their Autobot counterparts ensues, focusing on their "Scramble Power" - the interchangeability of the individual limbs - to the extent that at one point, Wildrider of the Stunticons connects to Superion to damage him. At the OVA's conclusion, Scramble City is activated and assumes its robot mode of
Metroplex
A metroplex is a conurbation with more than one principal anchor city of near equal importance.
Metroplex may refer to:
* Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, a conurbation in Texas, U.S.
*Eastgate Metroplex, a professional/retail complex in Tulsa, O ...
to rout the Decepticons. However, from the ocean depths, the Decepticons' own city, Trypticon, rises.
This cliffhanger was never resolved as no direct sequel was ever produced. An extended commercial, called ''Scramble City Toys'' but often mistakenly identified as ''Scramble City 2'', was released, but rather than wrap up the cliffhanger, it retold the OVA through stop-motion animation of the toys themselves, with one addition - the introduction of
Galvatron
Megatron is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the ''Transformers'' media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. Megatron is the cruel and tyrannical leader of the Decepticons, a ...
, erroneously presented as one of Megatron's troops, rather than the recreated Decepticon leader himself.
Cast
*
Tesshō Genda
is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator. He is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce. When he debuted, he used his real name, . as artist name. Because he had experience with ballet, he was known by the nickname "Pirouette Gend ...
as
Optimus Prime
*
Osamu Saka as Wheeljack
*
Tomomichi Nishimura
is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator who works for Arts Vision. He is most known for the roles of the Narrator of ''YuYu Hakusho'', Tsuchikage Ohnoki (''Naruto''), Mitsuyoshi Anzai (''Slam Dunk''), Shibaraku Tsurugibe (''Mashin Hero ...
as
Silverbolt &
Superion
''The Transformers'' is an American animated television series that originally aired from September 17, 1984, to November 11, 1987, in syndication
based upon Hasbro's ''Transformers'' toy line. The first television series in the ''Transformer ...
*
Keiichi Nanba as
Blaster
*
Banjō Ginga as
Ultra Magnus
*
Seizō Katō as
Megatron
Megatron is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the ''Transformers'' media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. Megatron is the cruel and tyrannical leader of the Decepticons, ...
&
Devastator
*
Hirotaka Suzuoki
was a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture who graduated from Tokyo Keizai University.
His best known roles include ''Mobile Suit Gundam'' ( Bright Noa), '' Captain Tsubasa'' ( Kojirou Hyuga), ''Saint Seiya'' ( ...
as
Starscream
Starscream is a fictional character in the ''Transformers'' media franchise. He is one of the most frequently occurring characters in the franchise, appearing in almost all of its different continuities. Starscream in generally depicted as the s ...
*
Yū Shimaka
was a Japanese actor and voice actor affiliated with Production Baobab, and subsequently with Production Aigumi. He was the Japanese voice of the Disney character Goofy.
Filmography Film
*''Kagemusha'' (1980) – Hara Jingorō #2
Television an ...
as
Bruticus
''The Transformers'' is an American animated television series that originally aired from September 17, 1984, to November 11, 1987, in syndication
based upon Hasbro's ''Transformers'' toy line. The first television series in the ''Transformer ...
, Onslaught &
Thundercracker
''The Transformers'' is an American animated television series that originally aired from September 17, 1984, to November 11, 1987, in syndication
based upon Hasbro's ''Transformers'' toy line. The first television series in the ''Transformer ...
*
Kōji Totani as Motormaster &
Menasor
''The Transformers'' is an American animated television series that originally aired from September 17, 1984, to November 11, 1987, in syndication
based upon Hasbro's ''Transformers'' toy line. The first television series in the ''Transformer ...
*
Yoku Shioya as
Bumblebee
A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct related gener ...
&
Fireflight
*
Takurō Kitagawa as
Skydive,
Warpath
Warpath may refer to:
*Great Indian Warpath, a network of trails in eastern North America used by Native Americans
Games
* ''Warpath'' (video game), a 2006 FPS video game by Digital Extremes for the PC and Xbox
*'' Warpath: Jurassic Park'', a 199 ...
,
Mixmaster &
Scavenger
Scavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While scavenging generally refers to carnivores feeding on carrion, it is also a herbivorous feeding b ...
*
Masashi Ebara as Teletraan 1 &
Skywarp
*
Shō Hayami as
Blast Off,
Bonecrusher Bonecrusher may refer to:
* Bone crusher, a machine used to crush animal bones
* Bonecrusher (horse), a New Zealand racehorse
* Bonecrusher (Transformers), a fictional robot supervillain character in the Transformers robot superhero franchise.
* Bo ...
, Ironhide,
Tracks & Spike Witwicky
* Ken Shiroyama as
Ratbat
''The Transformers'' is an American animated television series that originally aired from September 17, 1984, to November 11, 1987, in syndication
based upon Hasbro's ''Transformers'' toy line. The first television series in the ''Transformer ...
* Toshio Ishii as
Jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
&
Long Haul
In aviation, the flight length refers to the distance of a flight. Commercial flights are often categorized into long-, medium- or short-haul by commercial airlines based on flight length, although there is no international standard definition and ...
* Issei Masamune as the narrator &
Soundwave
Notes
*''Scramble City'' is part of the Japanese continuity, but not the American. ''Scramble City Toys'' is not part of either, and is simply a toy advert.
*For ''Scramble City'' the first seven minutes or so of the episode consists of recycled animation sequences from the G1 episodes "More than Meets the Eye" (the three part series pilot) and the eleventh season 2 episode "The Master Builders" in addition to a remixed season 2 opening with Japanese titles and music. A "Scramble City" logo follows, with the next fifteen minutes consisting of new, never-before-seen (to US audiences) animation. The post-ending sequence consists of more stock footage taken from the previously mentioned episodes with music and Japanese titles.
*"Scramble City" is included as a special feature on ''Transformers: The Movie'' 20th Anniversary Special Edition 2-Disc DVD, although due to rights issues with the entirety of the soundtrack, only a fan commentary (and no subtitles) was provided without full original Japanese audio.
*In 2007, "Scramble City" was released with full original Japanese audio and subtitles (with optional fan commentary) on the
region 2 "Ultimate Edition" version of the movie. However, the video source for the episode was taken from an