superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a fictional character who typically possesses ''superpowers'' or abilities beyond those of ordinary people, is frequently costumed concealing their identity, and fits the role of the hero, typically using their ...
animated
Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby image, still images are manipulated to create Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on cel, transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and e ...
Cartoon Network Studios
Cartoon Network Studios Inc. (abbreviated as CNS or CN Studios) is an American animation studio owned by the Warner Bros. Television Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. The studio is the producti ...
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (CN) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the Cartoon Network, Inc., a sub-division of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery. It launched on ...
on December 26, 2007, and ended on May 23, 2009; running for 42 episodes across three seasons. In Japan, the show debuted on April 3, 2010, on both
TV Aichi
Aichi Television Broadcasting Company, Ltd. (TVA; ), also referred to as , with the callsigns JOCI-DTV (channel 10) is a Japanese television station
A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity ...
and
TV Tokyo
JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as is a Japanese television station that serves as the flagship of the TX Network.
The show is set in its own stand-alone continuity, separate from any other previous ''Transformers'' continuities. Despite this, the series features many references to the other continuities; such as footage from the ''Generation 1'' series being used as a historical film.
The show is one of two
Cartoon Network Studios
Cartoon Network Studios Inc. (abbreviated as CNS or CN Studios) is an American animation studio owned by the Warner Bros. Television Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. The studio is the producti ...
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...
via
Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company founded by filmmaker George Lucas in December 10, 1971 in San Rafael, California, and later moved to San Francisco in 2005. It is best known for creating and producing th ...
).
Synopsis
Series overview
The series began with a three-part movie-length episode called "Transform and Roll Out!". Stellar cycles (years) after the Autobots won the great war for Cybertron against the Decepticons, an Autobot maintenance crew led by Optimus Prime and consisting of Ratchet, Bulkhead, Prowl, and
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 taxon, extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct r ...
discover the legendary AllSpark buried on an asteroid. The Autobots take the AllSpark back to their ship, but are soon confronted by a crew of Decepticons led by the notorious
warlord
Warlords are individuals who exercise military, Economy, economic, and Politics, political control over a region, often one State collapse, without a strong central or national government, typically through informal control over Militia, local ...
Megatron
Megatron is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the ''Transformers'' media franchise produced by the American toy company Hasbro and the Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. He is the tyrannical leader of the Decepticons, a villaino ...
and consisting of Blitzwing, Lugnut, Blackarachnia, and
Starscream
Starscream is a character in the ''Transformers'' media franchise produced by the American toy company Hasbro and the Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. He is the second-in-command of the Decepticons, a villainous faction of alien robots that s ...
. Megatron attacks the Autobot ship and tries to retrieve the AllSpark, but when an explosive planted on Megatron by the treacherous Starscream detonates, the ship crashes on Earth. The Autobots go into stasis to survive the crash, while the scattered remains of Megatron are discovered by a human scientist named Isaac Sumdac.
Half a century later, Professor Issac Sumdac is the CEO of a robotics company known as Sumdac Systems, which is based in a futuristic version of
Detroit
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
in the 2050s. Optimus Prime and the Autobots awaken from stasis and defend the people of Detroit from a monster, resulting in them becoming local celebrities. They befriend Professor Sumdac's young daughter Sari, who teaches them about Earth
social norm
A social norm is a shared standard of acceptance, acceptable behavior by a group. Social norms can both be informal understandings that govern the behavior of members of a society, as well as be codified into wikt:rule, rules and laws. Social norma ...
s, and whose security card is transformed into a metallic tool which possesses a fraction of the AllSpark's vast cosmic power. Starscream arrives on Earth and tries to take the all-powerful AllSpark for himself, but the Autobots successfully stop him and save the Earth once again.
Season One
The Autobots settle into their new home and learn about Earth culture and customs, while also defending Detroit from various threats. Megatron's disembodied head, which has been in Professor Sumdac's laboratory since the ship crashed, comes back online and manipulates Sumdac into building him a new body, pretending that he is an Autobot. Blitzwing and Lugnut arrive on Earth searching for Megatron, while Blackarachnia targets Optimus Prime, blaming him for her techno-organic mutation. New Transformers introduced in the first season include the Autobot Arcee (who only appears in Ratchet's flashbacks), the Decepticon Soundwave, the bounty-hunter
Lockdown
A lockdown () is a restriction policy for people, community or a country to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks that could possibly harm the people if they move and interact freely.
The term is used for a prison protocol that us ...
, and the Dinobots Grimlock, Snarl, and Swoop. Several human villains are also introduced, including Nanosec (who can run at extreme speeds), the Headmaster (who pilots a machine that attaches to and controls large robots) and Meltdown (who is covered in a toxic and corrosive substance). The season ends with Megatron returning with a new body (built by the all-powerful AllSpark from his old body, while also killing Starscream for his betrayal), and the AllSpark exploding into many fragments that scatter across Detroit.
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. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
arrive on Earth to retrieve the AllSpark, only to learn of its destruction in the Season One finale. While Sentinel completely disbelieves Optimus's claims, Optimus and his team are eventually able to convince Magnus of Decepticon activity on Earth. The main theme for Season Two is the discovery of small fragments of the AllSpark littered across the city (and possibly, the entire planet), while the Decepticons work on building a space bridge back to Cybertron with the help of Issac Sumdac, who was kidnapped by Megatron in the previous season's finale. This is part of Megatron's plan to invade Cybertron from within, without the Autobots' awareness.
New characters introduced in season 2 include the Autobots Omega Supreme (who was revealed to be Optimus Prime's team's spaceship), Wreck-Gar,
Wasp
A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder ...
Shockwave
In physics, a shock wave (also spelled shockwave), or shock, is a type of propagating disturbance that moves faster than the local speed of sound in the medium. Like an ordinary wave, a shock wave carries energy and can propagate through a me ...
, Swindle, Mixmaster and Scrapper, the human villain Slo-Mo (who is able to slow down time using a watch embedded with an AllSpark fragment), and Starscream's army of clones Thundercracker, Ramjet, Skywarp, Sunstorm, and Slipstream (none of the clones are openly referred to by name in the series, the names listed come from the toy-line, while Slipstream was retroactively given her name by Hasbro). At the end of the season, the Decepticon Space Bridge is destroyed, but Megatron, Starscream (resurrected by the AllSpark fragment in his forehead), and Omega Supreme are sucked through and lost in deep space. Sari meanwhile, notices an injury that exposes mechanical components under her skin, revealing that she is not entirely human.
Season Three
The revelation that she's a robot sends Sari into a whirlwind of shock and disbelief, immediately suspecting her "father" as her creator, despite Sumdac's insistence that he discovered her in a liquid metal form. Ratchet's examination unveils Sari's mixed human and Cybertronian composition. Prowl's inquiry supports Sumdac's account, pinpointing Sari as a Cybertronian protoform merged with Sumdac's genetic code. Using her Key's energy, Sari evolves into a formidable armored techno-organic teenager with advanced weaponry and unique Cybertronian abilities.
Meanwhile, on Cybertron, Shockwave (disguised as the Autobot Longarm Prime) sabotages several Elite Guard operations in preparation for Megatron's return, unaware that Megatron and Starscream are lost in deep space, trying to gain control of Omega Supreme. Suspecting that the double-agent may be the escaped convict Wasp, Ultra Magnus sends Sentinel and Jazz back to Earth to find and apprehend Wasp, who has found his way to Earth to exact revenge on Bumblebee for framing him. Soundwave and Arcee reappear, with Soundwave being accompanied by minions Laserbeak and Ratbat. New characters introduced in season 3 include the Constructicon Dirt Boss, the Autobot scientist Perceptor, Prowl's mentor Yoketron (who only appears in flashbacks of his most promising student Prowl), and the flying Elite Guard members Jetstorm and Jetfire.
In the two-part finale, "Endgame", Jazz joins Optimus Prime's team on Earth, while Megatron and Starscream also find their way back to Earth, using information stored deep within Arcee's subconscious mind to create an army of Omega Supreme-sized robots in Lugnut's likeness. Optimus defeats Megatron with the aid of Ultra Magnus' Magnus Hammer (which destroys Megatron's fusion cannon) and a "Wingblade" jetpack built by Professor Sumdac, Ratchet, and Sari while Prowl sacrifices his own vital Spark to reassemble most of the AllSpark into what resembles the Matrix of Leadership, killing Starscream in the process, and destroying the "Lugnut Supremes" all at once. Megatron is arrested, and the Autobots return to Cybertron, and are hailed as heroes upon arriving on their home world with Sari who is intent on learning what it is to be an Autobot and finally about her unique origins.
Season Four
A fourth season of more than thirteen/sixteen episodes was initially planned for, consisting of more than just the regular thirteen or sixteen episodes, but was ultimately cancelled. According to ''The AllSpark Almanac II'', ''The Complete AllSpark Almanac'', and issue #71 of the ''Transformers Collectors' Club'' magazine, season four's main theme would have been the discovery of Energon deposits left by the Allspark across Detroit.
Script Readings
Two official script readings in Botcon convention taking place in Animated tells stories after the events of the Third Season but before the proposed 4 Fourth Season.
=Stunticon Job
=
After the events of Endgame focuses on Animated versions of Sideswipe as a senior police bot with one last case before retirement paired up with a new parter loose cannon Cheetor investigating stolen modifications which would lead to the "Stunt Convoy" show but however were revealed to be Animated versions of the Stunticons (Minus Menasor) and bizzario toxic Optimus Prime clone dubbed Toxitron. Optimus would switch places with Toxitron when the latter got arrested and released due to lack of evidence. Optimus exposes the Stunticons plan with Sideswipe and Cheetor's help put astop to them. However, after Sideswipe retired and settle at the Energon farm it would be attacked by a new Team Charr.
=The Return of Blurr
=
Taking place around the events of the previous script reading focusing on Sari Summadic in a Cybertronian class with Animated versions of Headmasters Siren, Horsehead, and Nighbeat with Arcee as its teacher inside of Metroplex. When Sari's classmates was grossed out from her eating her food from Earth she went to throw it in a garbage chute she ends up falling in where she finds the crushed Blurr (From the events of ''Transwarped Part 2'') still alive where in events of trying to escape they accidentally unleashed an Animated version of Kremzeek that ended up taking over some Autobot bodies before trying to hyjack Fortress Maxinus' cannons that would destroy the Iacon later revealed to be created by Shockwave. However using her powers she gained Blurr's speed to race over there while running into Cheetor and Sideswipe along the way. Sari would manage to trap Kremzeek in a cup where Kremzeek. Later on Optimus would use the Allspark to fully restore Blurr where Blurr breaks the
fourth wall
The fourth wall is a performance dramatic convention, convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this "wall", the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. ...
exited to be back in time for season 4 but when he learns there is no season 4 he asked his agent to get involved with Robots in Disguise or Susan Blu's input to hopefully get into voice directing.
Episodes
Characters
The main Autobots are Optimus Prime, Prowl, Ratchet, Bulkhead, and Bumblebee. The main Decepticon cast is made up of Megatron, Starscream, Blitzwing, Lugnut, and Blackarachnia. The main humans, or as the Transformers call them, "organics", are Professor Isaac Sumdac, Sari Sumdac, and Captain Fanzone.
Autobots
* Optimus Prime (voiced by David Kaye) - The young leader of the Autobots.
* Ratchet (voiced by
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor. He is the current voice of Captain Hook, Ludwig Von Drake and others for The Walt Disney Company, Shockwave on '' The Transformers'', Brainiac in the DC Animated Universe, Count Dooku and Cad Bane in ...
) - The medical officer and senior member of the Autobots.
* Bulkhead (voiced by Bill Fagerbakke) - A member of the Autobots.
* Prowl (voiced by
Jeff Bennett
Jeff Bennett (born October 2, 1962) is an American voice actor. He voiced the titular character of ''Johnny Bravo'', Dexter and Dee Dee's Dad in ''Dexter's Laboratory'', List of The Powerpuff Girls characters#Ace, Ace, List of The Powerpuff Gi ...
) - A Cyber Ninja and a member of the Autobots.
* Bumblebee (voiced by Bumper Robinson) - The scout and youngest member of the Autobots.
* Arcee (voiced by Susan Blu) - An Autobot intelligence officer. She was originally a teacher who taught young Autobots.
* Omega Supreme (voiced by
Kevin Michael Richardson
Kevin Michael Richardson (born October 25, 1964) is an American actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, he has mostly voiced villainous characters in animation and video games. In film, Richardson voiced Goro in ''Mortal Kombat'' (1995) ...
and later Phil LaMarr) - A giant Autobot superweapon that served as the Autobots’ ship. During the Great War, he sacrificed his spark to end the war.
Decepticons
* Megatron (voiced by
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor. He is the current voice of Captain Hook, Ludwig Von Drake and others for The Walt Disney Company, Shockwave on '' The Transformers'', Brainiac in the DC Animated Universe, Count Dooku and Cad Bane in ...
) - The leader of the Decepticons.
* Starscream (voiced by
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
) - Second-in-command of the Decepticons.
* Lugnut (voiced by David Kaye) - A loyal, almost fanatical member of the Decepticons.
* Blitzwing (voiced by Bumper Robinson) - A member of the Decepticons with 3 faces and 3 split personalities. For his voice-portrayal of the character, Robinson used a German accent.
* Blackarachnia (voiced by
Cree Summer
Cree Summer Francks (born July 7, 1969) is an American-Canadian actress and singer. She is best known for her extensive work in animation, voicing characters such as Elmyra Duff in ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' and related media, Susie Carmichael ...
) - A member of the Decepticons and later Predacons. She's formerly an Autobot named Elita-One.
* Soundwave (voiced by
Jeff Bennett
Jeff Bennett (born October 2, 1962) is an American voice actor. He voiced the titular character of ''Johnny Bravo'', Dexter and Dee Dee's Dad in ''Dexter's Laboratory'', List of The Powerpuff Girls characters#Ace, Ace, List of The Powerpuff Gi ...
) - A sound-manipulating Decepticon created by Megatron and brought to life with Sari's AllSpark Key.
* Wasp/Fugitive Wasp/Waspinator (voiced by
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
) - A former Autobot who was framed as a Decepticon spy. He is Bumblebee's nemesis.
* Shockwave/Longarm Prime (voiced by
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor. He is the current voice of Captain Hook, Ludwig Von Drake and others for The Walt Disney Company, Shockwave on '' The Transformers'', Brainiac in the DC Animated Universe, Count Dooku and Cad Bane in ...
) - A Decepticon double-agent who infiltrates the Autobot ranks on Cybertron.
*Strika (voiced by
Tara Strong
Tara Lyn Strong (; born February 12, 1973) is a Canadian and American actress. She is known for her voice work in animation, websites, and video games. Strong's voice roles include animated series such as '' The Powerpuff Girls'', '' The Fair ...
) - The leader of Decepticon group "Team Chaar". She is in a relationship with Lugnut.
*Oil Slick (voiced by
Phil LaMarr
Phil LaMarr is an American actor and comedian. He was one of the original featured cast members on the sketch comedy television series '' Mad TV'', where he stayed for five seasons. His voice acting roles in animated series include the Sam B of ' ...
) - A member of Team Chaar. He specialises in chemical weapons, and prefers to attack Autobots when they're transformed.
*Blackout (voiced by Bumper Robinson) - A member of Team Chaar. He is the team's muscle, and can power down electronics with a single stomp.
*Lockdown (voiced by Lance Henriksen) - A bounty hunter who often works with the Decepticons. He keeps parts of his victims as trophies.
* Swindle (voiced by
Fred Willard
Frederick Charles Willard Jr. (September 18, 1933 May 15, 2020) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work with Christopher Guest in his mockumentary films ''This Is Spinal Tap'' (1984), ''Waiting for Guffman'' (1996), ''Be ...
) - A smooth talking Decepticon con man.
* Mixmaster (voiced by
Jeff Bennett
Jeff Bennett (born October 2, 1962) is an American voice actor. He voiced the titular character of ''Johnny Bravo'', Dexter and Dee Dee's Dad in ''Dexter's Laboratory'', List of The Powerpuff Girls characters#Ace, Ace, List of The Powerpuff Gi ...
) - A member of the Constructicons.
* Scrapper (voiced by
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
) - A member of the Constructicons.
Humans
* Professor Isaac Sumdac (voiced by
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
) - The founder of Sumdac Systems and Sari's father.
* Sari Sumdac (voiced by
Tara Strong
Tara Lyn Strong (; born February 12, 1973) is a Canadian and American actress. She is known for her voice work in animation, websites, and video games. Strong's voice roles include animated series such as '' The Powerpuff Girls'', '' The Fair ...
) - The techno-organic daughter of Professor Isaac Sumdac.
* Captain Fanzone (voiced by
Jeff Bennett
Jeff Bennett (born October 2, 1962) is an American voice actor. He voiced the titular character of ''Johnny Bravo'', Dexter and Dee Dee's Dad in ''Dexter's Laboratory'', List of The Powerpuff Girls characters#Ace, Ace, List of The Powerpuff Gi ...
) - The police chief of DPD (Detroit Police Department).
Civilians
* Porter C. Powell (voiced by Bumper Robinson) - The science man with laboratories
* Cyrus "Colossus" Rhodes (voiced by
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor. He is the current voice of Captain Hook, Ludwig Von Drake and others for The Walt Disney Company, Shockwave on '' The Transformers'', Brainiac in the DC Animated Universe, Count Dooku and Cad Bane in ...
) - The green alien man, fights outside of the wrestler
* Angry Archer (voiced by
Jeff Bennett
Jeff Bennett (born October 2, 1962) is an American voice actor. He voiced the titular character of ''Johnny Bravo'', Dexter and Dee Dee's Dad in ''Dexter's Laboratory'', List of The Powerpuff Girls characters#Ace, Ace, List of The Powerpuff Gi ...
) - The courage evil fury man
* Carly Witwicky (voiced by
Tara Strong
Tara Lyn Strong (; born February 12, 1973) is a Canadian and American actress. She is known for her voice work in animation, websites, and video games. Strong's voice roles include animated series such as '' The Powerpuff Girls'', '' The Fair ...
) - The mother of the witwicky family
* Spike Witwicky (voiced by
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor. He is the current voice of Captain Hook, Ludwig Von Drake and others for The Walt Disney Company, Shockwave on '' The Transformers'', Brainiac in the DC Animated Universe, Count Dooku and Cad Bane in ...
) - The father of the witwicky family
* Daniel Witwicky (voiced by
Tara Strong
Tara Lyn Strong (; born February 12, 1973) is a Canadian and American actress. She is known for her voice work in animation, websites, and video games. Strong's voice roles include animated series such as '' The Powerpuff Girls'', '' The Fair ...
) - The son of the witwicky family
*Nanosec (voiced by Brian Posehn) - A wanted lost stealed man sent to the Society of Ultimate Villainy
*Slo-Mo (voiced by
Tara Strong
Tara Lyn Strong (; born February 12, 1973) is a Canadian and American actress. She is known for her voice work in animation, websites, and video games. Strong's voice roles include animated series such as '' The Powerpuff Girls'', '' The Fair ...
) - A scientist girl sent to the galaxy
*Henry Masterson/Headmaster (voiced by Alexander Polinsky) - A normal man into a similar at
Galactus
Galactus () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Formerly a mortal man, he is a cosmic entity who consumes planets to sustain his life force, and serves a functional role in the upkeep of the p ...
spoof with Robotic flying head
*Prometheus Black/Meltdown (voiced by Peter Stormare) - A wevil average destruction man
*Master Disaster (voiced by Bill Faggerbakke) - An evil spaceman, reminds me Street Demon costume
*Sparkplug (voiced by Bumper Robinson, David Kaye,
Jeff Bennett
Jeff Bennett (born October 2, 1962) is an American voice actor. He voiced the titular character of ''Johnny Bravo'', Dexter and Dee Dee's Dad in ''Dexter's Laboratory'', List of The Powerpuff Girls characters#Ace, Ace, List of The Powerpuff Gi ...
and John Mariano) - A builder man, with construction his anywhere
*Profesor Princess (voiced by
Kath Soucie
Kath Soucie (, ). is an American voice actress, known for voicing Phil, Lil and their mother Betty DeVille in '' Rugrats'', Lola Bunny in the ''Looney Tunes'' franchise, Fifi La Fume and Li'l Sneezer in ''Tiny Toon Adventures'', Maddie Fent ...
) - A female supervillain girl to the Society of Ultimate Villainy
Starscream's clones
* Thundercracker (voiced by
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
) - The first counterpart code
* Ramjet (voiced by
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
) - The second counterpart code
* Skywarp (voiced by
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
) - The third counterpart code
* Sunstorm (voiced by
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
) - The fourth counterpart code
* Dirge (voiced by
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
) - The fifth counterpart code
* Thrust (voiced by
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
) - The sixth countperpart code
* Slipstream (voiced by
Tara Strong
Tara Lyn Strong (; born February 12, 1973) is a Canadian and American actress. She is known for her voice work in animation, websites, and video games. Strong's voice roles include animated series such as '' The Powerpuff Girls'', '' The Fair ...
) - The last counterpart code
Others
* Ultra Magnus (voiced by
Jeff Bennett
Jeff Bennett (born October 2, 1962) is an American voice actor. He voiced the titular character of ''Johnny Bravo'', Dexter and Dee Dee's Dad in ''Dexter's Laboratory'', List of The Powerpuff Girls characters#Ace, Ace, List of The Powerpuff Gi ...
) - The leader of the Elite Guards.
* Sentinel Prime (voiced by
Townsend Coleman
Townsend Putnam Coleman III (born May 28, 1954) is an American voice actor who has performed in many animated series and TV commercials beginning in the early 1980s. Among his most notable roles are Michaelangelo from ''Teenage Mutant Ninja ...
) - An arrogant member of the Elite Guards. This character's in-series color scheme of blue and gold would go on to be the primary color scheme for his counterpart from the 2024 CGI-animated film, '' Transformers One'', where he serves as its main antagonist, and is voiced by
Jon Hamm
Jonathan Daniel Hamm (born March 10, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Don Draper in the period drama series '' Mad Men'' (2007–2015), for which he won numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and tw ...
.
* Jazz (voiced by
Phil LaMarr
Phil LaMarr is an American actor and comedian. He was one of the original featured cast members on the sketch comedy television series '' Mad TV'', where he stayed for five seasons. His voice acting roles in animated series include the Sam B of ' ...
) - A member of the Elite Guards.
* Jetfire (voiced by
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
) - A member of the Elite Guards and Jetstorm's twin brother.
* Jetstorm (voiced by
Phil LaMarr
Phil LaMarr is an American actor and comedian. He was one of the original featured cast members on the sketch comedy television series '' Mad TV'', where he stayed for five seasons. His voice acting roles in animated series include the Sam B of ' ...
) - A member of the Elite Guards and Jetfire's twin brother.
* Grimlock (voiced by David Kaye) - The Leader of the Dinobots
* Autotroopers (voiced by Chris Ho) - The police force responsible for safeguarding Cybertron's streets.
* Cliffjumper (voiced by David Kaye) - The counterpart of the Autobots
* Hot Shot (voiced by Bill Fagerbakke) - The choices of the cybertronians
* Wreck-Gar (voiced by
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American comedy musician, writer, and actor. He is best known for writing and performing Comedy music, comedy songs that often Parody music, parody specific songs by contempo ...
) - The autobots before of the bionics
* Rattletrap (voiced by
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
) - There's escape from the autobots
* Red Alert(voiced by
Tara Strong
Tara Lyn Strong (; born February 12, 1973) is a Canadian and American actress. She is known for her voice work in animation, websites, and video games. Strong's voice roles include animated series such as '' The Powerpuff Girls'', '' The Fair ...
) - The cybertronians with DNA code
* Highbrow (voiced by David Kaye) - He makes use of technology acquired from various alien races.
* Brawn (voiced by
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor. He is the current voice of Captain Hook, Ludwig Von Drake and others for The Walt Disney Company, Shockwave on '' The Transformers'', Brainiac in the DC Animated Universe, Count Dooku and Cad Bane in ...
) - The cybertronians fights alongside the code nebula reasons
* Rodimus Prime (voiced by Judd Nelson) - A autobots inside let's be decepticons
* Yoketron (voiced by
George Takei
George Takei ( ; born April20, 1937), born , is an American actor, author and activist known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS ''Enterprise'' in the ''Star Trek'' franchise.
Takei was born to Japanese-American parents, with w ...
) - The autobots are territory
* Grandus (voiced by
Jeff Bennett
Jeff Bennett (born October 2, 1962) is an American voice actor. He voiced the titular character of ''Johnny Bravo'', Dexter and Dee Dee's Dad in ''Dexter's Laboratory'', List of The Powerpuff Girls characters#Ace, Ace, List of The Powerpuff Gi ...
) - The cybertronians with the forces of evil
* Warpath (voiced by David Kaye) - Saving secrets fight the universe
* Ironhide (voiced by
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor. He is the current voice of Captain Hook, Ludwig Von Drake and others for The Walt Disney Company, Shockwave on '' The Transformers'', Brainiac in the DC Animated Universe, Count Dooku and Cad Bane in ...
) - The cybetronians having on the galaxy
* Tracks (voiced by
Townsend Coleman
Townsend Putnam Coleman III (born May 28, 1954) is an American voice actor who has performed in many animated series and TV commercials beginning in the early 1980s. Among his most notable roles are Michaelangelo from ''Teenage Mutant Ninja ...
) - The cybertronians with code forces of evil
* Alpha Trion (voiced by
Phil LaMarr
Phil LaMarr is an American actor and comedian. He was one of the original featured cast members on the sketch comedy television series '' Mad TV'', where he stayed for five seasons. His voice acting roles in animated series include the Sam B of ' ...
) - The autbots are beware at Decepticons
Comic adaptation
''Transformers: Animated'' was adapted into comics and published by
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW) and is recognized as the fifth-largest comic ...
in 2008. The book used cartoon screen captures arranged in comic book style panels. In the same year, they also published a comic series featuring original stories titled ''Transformers Animated: The Arrival''. In Japan, a
manga
are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
adaptation titled was created by Naoto Tsushima and serialized in
Kadokawa Shoten
, formerly , is a Japanese publisher and division of Kadokawa Future Publishing based in Tokyo, Japan. It became an internal division of Kadokawa Corporation on October 1, 2013. Kadokawa publishes manga, light novels, manga anthology magazines ...
's Kerokero Ace magazine from March 26, 2010, to March 26, 2011.
Production
The series is
animated
Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby image, still images are manipulated to create Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on cel, transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and e ...
by Japanese animation studios MOOK DLE, The Answer Studio, and Studio 4°C. Formerly known by the working title ''Transformers: Heroes'', its new simplified title was designed to specifically distinguish it from the
live-action film
Live action is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live action with animation to create a Live-action animation, live-action animated feature film. Live action is used to define ...
released in July 2007, months before the first episode aired. The series is distributed internationally by
Entertainment Rights
Entertainment Rights PLC (formerly known as Sleepy Kids PLC and SKD Media PLC) was a British multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate that specialised in television shows and cartoons, children's media, films, and distribution. ...
. Hot Shot was originally going to be part of the main cast, but was replaced by Bumblebee. Hot Shot still makes an appearance in the show.
The show's supervising director is Matt Youngberg (''
Teen Titans
The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to DC ...
'', '' The Batman''), with Cartoon Network vice-president
Sam Register
Sam Register (born 1969) is an American film and television producer and businessman. He is currently the president of Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe.
Career
Formerly Vice President of Cartoon N ...
, who also created '' Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi'', as an executive producer and Vincent Aniceto as a line producer. Additionally, ''
Beast Machines
''Beast Machines: Transformers'' is an animated television series produced by Mainframe Entertainment as part of the Transformers franchise. Hasbro has full distribution rights to the show as of 2011. It was a direct sequel to '' Beast Wars'', ...
'' writer Marty Isenberg returned as the head writer for this series. Art director and lead character designer Derrick J. Wyatt (''Teen Titans'', '' Ben 10: Omniverse'', and '' Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated'') created the controversial "brand new look" that this series introduces.
The first episode was due to be screened in full on November 3–4, 2007, at the NTFA Mini-Con, a ''Transformers'' convention in Arlöv,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
, but US toymaker
Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment holding company founded on December 6, 1923 by Henry, Hillel and Herma ...
pulled their approval of the screening of the full episode, despite it being green-lighted by Hasbro Nordic at first. The episode had to be cut down to the first 11 minutes.
Japanese version
While ''Transformers: Animated'' had aired and completed its run in many other territories, the release of the series in Japan had been delayed. However, on December 18, 2009, it was announced through the launch of the official website that
Takara Tomy
(trade name, trading as Takara Tomy in Asia and Tomy elsewhere) is a Japanese toy company. It was established in 1924 by Eiichirō Tomiyama as , became known for creating popular toys like the B-29 friction toy and luck-based game Pop-up Pi ...
would be bringing the series to Japan come Spring 2010. Later,
TV Tokyo
JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as is a Japanese television station that serves as the flagship of the TX Network.TV Aichi
Aichi Television Broadcasting Company, Ltd. (TVA; ), also referred to as , with the callsigns JOCI-DTV (channel 10) is a Japanese television station
A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity ...
confirmed the exact date of broadcast, which was April 3, 2010, at 8:00AM.
The series was shown in a 4:3 aspect ratio, similar to Cartoon Network's broadcast, unlike the original 16:9 ratio used by The Hub. To compensate, the Japanese version added side backgrounds, such as one featuring the Autobot insignia.
In line with the Japanese movie release, Takara Tomy modified the dub to resemble the movie more closely, retaining many of the original character names. Optimus Prime's name was kept instead of changing it to Convoy. However, to align the main cast with the movie, Bulkhead was renamed Ironhide, which meant the English version's Ironhide had to be renamed "Armorhide".
Following the trend of earlier ''Transformers'' series such as '' Beast Wars'' and ''
Beast Machines
''Beast Machines: Transformers'' is an animated television series produced by Mainframe Entertainment as part of the Transformers franchise. Hasbro has full distribution rights to the show as of 2011. It was a direct sequel to '' Beast Wars'', ...
'', the Japanese dub of ''Transformers: Animated'' takes on a more cheerful tone than the original. It includes a lot of self-referential, fourth-wall-breaking humour, and numerous pop-culture references.
The Japanese opening theme is "TRANSFORMERS EVO." performed by
JAM Project
JAM Project ("JAM" standing for "Japan Animationsong Makers") are a Japanese Music in Japanese animation, anison band founded on July 19, 2000, by anison singer Ichirou Mizuki. The band is composed of many vocal artists well known in the anime mu ...
, while the ending theme is "AXEL TRANSFORMERS" by Rey.
Cast
Main cast
*
Jeff Bennett
Jeff Bennett (born October 2, 1962) is an American voice actor. He voiced the titular character of ''Johnny Bravo'', Dexter and Dee Dee's Dad in ''Dexter's Laboratory'', List of The Powerpuff Girls characters#Ace, Ace, List of The Powerpuff Gi ...
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor. He is the current voice of Captain Hook, Ludwig Von Drake and others for The Walt Disney Company, Shockwave on '' The Transformers'', Brainiac in the DC Animated Universe, Count Dooku and Cad Bane in ...
- Ratchet,
Megatron
Megatron is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the ''Transformers'' media franchise produced by the American toy company Hasbro and the Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. He is the tyrannical leader of the Decepticons, a villaino ...
Highbrow
Used colloquially as a noun or adjective, "highbrow" is synonymous with intellectual; as an adjective, it also means elite, and generally carries a connotation of high culture. The term, first recorded in 1875, draws its metonymy from the pseud ...
,
Cliffjumper
Cliffjumper is the name of several fictional characters from the Transformers franchise. His name is usually associated with an Autobot whose toys are often red repaints or remold of Bumblebee (Transformers), Bumblebee toys.
Transformers: Gene ...
Tom Kenny
Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants (character), the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media since its debut in 1999. Kenny has voice ...
–
Starscream
Starscream is a character in the ''Transformers'' media franchise produced by the American toy company Hasbro and the Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. He is the second-in-command of the Decepticons, a villainous faction of alien robots that s ...
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 taxon, extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct r ...
, Blitzwing, Blackout, Porter C. Powell, Lester Black
*
Tara Strong
Tara Lyn Strong (; born February 12, 1973) is a Canadian and American actress. She is known for her voice work in animation, websites, and video games. Strong's voice roles include animated series such as '' The Powerpuff Girls'', '' The Fair ...
Cree Summer
Cree Summer Francks (born July 7, 1969) is an American-Canadian actress and singer. She is best known for her extensive work in animation, voicing characters such as Elmyra Duff in ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' and related media, Susie Carmichael ...
Townsend Coleman
Townsend Putnam Coleman III (born May 28, 1954) is an American voice actor who has performed in many animated series and TV commercials beginning in the early 1980s. Among his most notable roles are Michaelangelo from ''Teenage Mutant Ninja ...
Lockdown
A lockdown () is a restriction policy for people, community or a country to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks that could possibly harm the people if they move and interact freely.
The term is used for a prison protocol that us ...
*
Phil LaMarr
Phil LaMarr is an American actor and comedian. He was one of the original featured cast members on the sketch comedy television series '' Mad TV'', where he stayed for five seasons. His voice acting roles in animated series include the Sam B of ' ...
–
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. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
,
Oil Slick
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually given to marine oil spills, where oil is released into th ...
Kevin Michael Richardson
Kevin Michael Richardson (born October 25, 1964) is an American actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, he has mostly voiced villainous characters in animation and video games. In film, Richardson voiced Goro in ''Mortal Kombat'' (1995) ...
– Omega Supreme (Season 2)
*
Kath Soucie
Kath Soucie (, ). is an American voice actress, known for voicing Phil, Lil and their mother Betty DeVille in '' Rugrats'', Lola Bunny in the ''Looney Tunes'' franchise, Fifi La Fume and Li'l Sneezer in ''Tiny Toon Adventures'', Maddie Fent ...
George Takei
George Takei ( ; born April20, 1937), born , is an American actor, author and activist known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS ''Enterprise'' in the ''Star Trek'' franchise.
Takei was born to Japanese-American parents, with w ...
Fred Willard
Frederick Charles Willard Jr. (September 18, 1933 May 15, 2020) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work with Christopher Guest in his mockumentary films ''This Is Spinal Tap'' (1984), ''Waiting for Guffman'' (1996), ''Be ...
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American comedy musician, writer, and actor. He is best known for writing and performing Comedy music, comedy songs that often Parody music, parody specific songs by contempo ...
– Wreck-Gar
Crew
* Susan Blu – Casting Director and Recording Director
* Marty Isenberg – Story Editor
* Matt Youngberg – Supervising Producer
* Sebastian Evans – Composer
Home video and streaming/digital releases
North America
The North American releases feature full-screen video and stereo sound in both English and Spanish (except Season Three and The Complete Series (both feature widescreen video and stereo sound in only English)).
* Transform and Roll Out (DVD, June 17, 2008)
: A single DVD containing the feature-length premiere "Transform and Roll Out".
: Also includes the first two unaired shorts, "Career Day" and "Evel Knievel Jump".
:* A Target exclusive version came with a second disc containing the follow-up episode "Home Is Where the Spark Is".
* Season One (DVD, August 19, 2008)
: A two-disc set containing the complete first season, from "Home Is Where the Spark Is" to "Megatron Rising Part II".
: Also includes a season 2 "sneak peek" photo gallery.
* Season Two (DVD, January 6, 2009)
: A two-disc set containing the complete second season, from "The Elite Guard" to "A Bridge to Close Part II", with audio commentary on selected episodes.
: Also includes the shorts "Starscream Heckles Megatron" and "Explosive Punch" and a photo gallery.
* Season Three and The Complete Series (DVD, June 10, 2014)
: Shout! Factory released the third season on DVD on June 10 as well as the complete series afterwards.
, the series is currently available for streaming online on the official ''Transformers'' YouTube channel (the first and second seasons only), as well as Kabillion and the AVOD/ FAST services Plex,
Pluto TV
Pluto TV is an American free ad-supported streaming television service owned and operated by the Paramount Streaming division of Paramount Global. Founded by Tom Ryan (business executive), Tom Ryan, Ilya Pozin and Nick Grouf in 2013 and based in ...
,
The Roku Channel
The Roku Channel is an over-the-top video streaming service available in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the UK. The service was launched in 2017, and is owned and operated by Roku, Inc. It is the most popular free ad-supported streaming televisio ...
and
Tubi
Tubi (stylized as tubi) is an American over-the-top ad-supported streaming television service owned by Fox Corporation since 2020. The service was launched on April 1, 2014, and is based in Los Angeles, California. In 2023, Tubi, Credible L ...
, as they use the widescreen masters from both the 2014 Shout! Factory DVD release and Cartoon Network HD/Hub Network broadcasts and the only Cartoon Network Studios-produced show to made available on the AVOD/FAST streaming services.
United Kingdom
Whereas in North America the series was released in complete seasons, the UK instead got several single-disc "volumes" containing four episodes each, also featuring full-screen video, but with audio and subtitles in English and German.
* Transform and Roll Out (DVD, August 4, 2008)
: Contains the feature-length premiere "Transform and Roll Out" and the shorts "Career Day" and "Evel Knievel Jump".
* Volume One: Blast from the Past (DVD, October 20, 2008)
: Contains episodes 4 Home Is Where the Spark Is, 5 Total Meltdown, 6 Blast From the Past and 7 Thrill of the Hunt
* Volume Two: Lost and Found (DVD, June 15, 2009)
: Contains episodes 8 Nanosac, 9 Along Came a Spider, 10 Sound and Fury, 11 Lost and Found
* Volume Three: Megatron Rising (DVD, June 15, 2009)
: Contains episodes 12 Survival of the Fittest, 13 Headmaster, 14 Nature Calls 15 Megatron Rising Part 1 and 16 Megatron Rising Part 2
* Volume Four: Mission Accomplished (DVD, June 15, 2009)
: Contains episodes 17 The Elite Guard, 18 Return of the Headmaster, 19 Mission Accomplished and 20 Garbage In, Garbage Out
* Volume Five: Fistful of Energon (DVD, September 3, 2009)
: Contains episodes 21 Velocity, 22 Rise of the Constructicons, 23 A Fistful of Energon and 24 S.U.V - Society of Ultimate Villany
* Volume Six: Black Friday (DVD, November 5, 2009)
: Contains episodes 25 Autoboot Camp, 26 Black Friday, 27 Sari, No One's Home, 28 A Bridge Too Close, Part 1 and 29 A Bridge Too Close, Part 2
Germany
Germany saw the same releases as the UK.
* Transformieren und Abfahrt (English: Transform and Roll Out) (DVD, September 10, 2008)
: Contains the feature-length premiere "Transform and Roll Out" and the shorts "Career Day" and "Evel Knievel Jump".
* Volume Eins: Drachenkämpfer (English: Dragon fighter(s)) (DVD, October 13, 2008)
: Contains the episodes "Home Is Where the Spark Is" through to "The Thrill of the Hunt".
* Volume Zwei: Die alten Waffen (English: The old weapons) (DVD, March 12, 2009)
: Contains the episodes "Nanosec" through to "Lost and Found".
* Volume Drei: Megatrons Auferstehung (English: Megatron's Resurrection) (DVD, June 4, 2009)
: Contains the episodes "Survival of the Fittest" through to "Megatron Rising - Part 2"
* Volume Vier: Mission erfüllt (English: Mission Accomplished) (DVD, August 20, 2009)
: Contains the episodes "The Elite Guard" through to "Garbage In, Garbage Out"
* Volume Fünf: Der doppelte Starscream (English: The double Starscream) (DVD, October 15, 2009)
: Contains the episodes "Velocity" through to "SUV: Society of Ultimate Villainy"
* Volume Sechs: Schwarzer Freitag (English: Black Friday) (DVD, TBA 2009)
: Contains the episodes "Autoboot Camp" through to "A Bridge Too Close, Part II"
Japan
In a press release by Takara Tomy, it was announced that starting in Fall 2010, they would be releasing the series on DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment Japan.
Video games
Transformers Animated: The Game is the first game based on the series. Released for the
Nintendo DS
The is a foldable handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens worki ...
platform in October 2008 by
Activision
Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one o ...
.
Two arcade games, Transformers Animated: The Chase and Transformers Animated: The Shooting were released in Japan by
Sega
is a Japanese video game company and subsidiary of Sega Sammy Holdings headquartered in Tokyo. It produces several List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises for arcade game, arcades and video game cons ...
. Both games took advantage of the cards included in the Japanese releases of the toy line.
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Portal bar, United States, Michigan, Television, Cartoon, Science Fiction, 2000s
Animated
Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby image, still images are manipulated to create Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on cel, transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and e ...