"Transformers" (1984) TV series 1984-1987

Director:

Peter Wallach

Writer:

Roger Slifer (live-action sequences)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

17 September 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

More than meets the eye!

Plot:

Two opposing camps of alien transforming robots fight in a war that has the fate of Earth in the balance.

Plot Keywords:

Robot | Alien | Battle | Good Versus Evil | Alien Civilization

Cast

Frank Welker	...	Megatron / ... (68 episodes, 1984-1987)
Peter Cullen	...	Optimus Prime / ... (63 episodes, 1984-1987)
Chris Latta	...	Starscream / ... (63 episodes, 1984-1987)
Corey Burton	...	Spike Witwicky / ... (55 episodes, 1984-1987)
John Stephenson	...	Thundercracker / ... (51 episodes, 1984-1987)
Casey Kasem	...	Teletraan I / ... (51 episodes, 1984-1986)
Dan Gilvezan	...	Bumblebee / ... (50 episodes, 1984-1987)
Don Messick	...	Ratchet / ... (49 episodes, 1984-1986)
Michael Bell	...	Prowl / ... (46 episodes, 1984-1987)
Jack Angel	...	Ramjet / ... (37 episodes, 1985-1987)
Scatman Crothers	...	Jazz (34 episodes, 1984-1986)
Ken Sansom	...	Hound / ... (30 episodes, 1984-1985)
Michael Chain	...	Hoist / ... (28 episodes, 1985-1986)

Also Known As:

Super God Robot Force
Tatakae! Chô robot seimeitai Transformer (Japan)
The Transformers (USA) (new title)
Transformer 2010 (Japan) (third season title)
Transformers: Generation 1 (USA) (informal title)

Runtime:

Argentina:30 min | USA:30 min (98 episodes)

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:U (video rating) | Singapore:G | Canada:G (TV rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | USA:TV-Y7 | Australia:G (some episodes)

Company:

Sunbow Productions

Trivia:

The only character not referred to by name in the pilot trilogy is Windcharger, who, unlike all the other characters, does not get anything to do to display him for the audience (episode 0.03 "More Than Meets the Eye Part 3")

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Animation errors can be found in each and every episode, and some of these are quite noticeable. Characters are colored differently from shot to shot at times, robots that should be dead appear randomly, and sometimes, you can see the same character twice in the same shot. Another issue is the misplacing of animation cels, which resulted in characters appearing to be small/gigantic, and in some instances, full limbs and other body parts are missing.

Quotes:

Starscream: [in Cyclonus' body] So, you think Galvatron's nothing but slag iron now?
Octane: Yeah, we've seen the last of that creep!
[Galvatron enters the room]
Galvatron: Seen the last of who, Cyclonus?
Starscream: [in Cyclonus' voice] Er, no-one really, sir, I mean...
Galvatron: You mean what, old friend?
Starscream: [in his own voice] Well now, who do you think I mean?
Galvatron: Starscream!
[Starscream laughs while Octane runs off]
Galvatron: [smiling] I shall enjoy destroying you even more this time than the last.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Strongbad_email.exe: Disc Five (2007) (V)

The best cartoon of the eighties!

Cartoons like Voltron and Thundercats are good by their standards, but Transformers blows them all away. Like it's follow ups, Beast Wars & Beast Machines, this show was designed to sell toys. But Transformers and the future series are much better them some people say. The reason the show ended in the first place is because sales for the toys dropped a lot, so the show was cancelled along with the comics. It's the classic good versus evil show. All the characters are great, especially Optimus Prime. Transformers is a number 1 show.