"Transformer: Super Link" (2004) TV series

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Directors:

Jun Kawagoe
Yutaka Sato

Writer:

Akira Okeya (writer)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

31 January 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Animation

Plot:

Years after "Transformers: Armada", the Autobots continue to battle the Decepticons, but this time they must also prevent the resurrection of Unicron.

Cast

Gary Chalk	...	Optimus Prime (4 episodes, 2004)
Trevor Devall	...	Alpha Q (4 episodes, 2004)
Matt Hill	...	Ironhide / ... (4 episodes, 2004)
Scott McNeil	...	Jetfire / ... (4 episodes, 2004)
Brent Miller	...	Hot Shot (4 episodes, 2004)
David Kaye	...	Megatron / ... (3 episodes, 2004)
Michael Daingerfield	...	Inferno / ... (3 episodes, 2004)
Michael Dobson	...	Starscream (3 episodes, 2004)
Alvin Sanders	...	Demolisher (3 episodes, 2004)
Makoto Aoki	...	Cadet A / ... (2 episodes, 2004)
Don Brown	...	Cyclonus / ... (2 episodes, 2004)
Paul Dobson	...	Rodimus (2 episodes, 2004)
Ron Halder	...	Dr. Jones / ... (2 episodes, 2004)
Kirby Morrow	...	Rad / ... (2 episodes, 2004)
Colin Murdock	...	Scorponok / ... (2 episodes, 2004)
Doug Parker	...	Mirage / ... (2 episodes, 2004)
Ward Perry	...	Landmine (2 episodes, 2004)
Brad Swaile	...	Kicker / ... (2 episodes, 2004)

Also Known As:

"Transformers: Energon" (USA)

Country:

Japan | USA

Language:

Japanese | English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-Y7

Goofs:

Continuity: In the episode, "Imprisoned Inferno", Cliffjumper's and Downshift's names are mixed up. This goof is fixed in Episode, "Omega Supreme".

Quotes:

Scorponok: Nooo! Megatron!
Megatron: Megatron doesn't exist anymore. I am the destroyer of worlds. All will bow down before the might of UNINCRON and especially you Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime: So one enemy is destroyed and another takes his place. This battle isn't over it's just begun.

Movie Connections:

Follows Transufômâ: Scramble City Hatsudôhen (1986) (V)

Much better.

When I heard about this show, I was rather skeptical. I was sorely disappointed with "Transformers: Armada" (or "Micron Densetsu," depending upon your language preference) and I really had very little hope for the following series. Called "Transformers: Energon" in the English-language version, "Superlink" had been airing for four weeks in Japan before the first Energon episode aired in the States. That being said, there are four episodes by which to judge this series, and I think that's a fair sampling for a preliminary evaluation.

Thus far, Superlink/Energon is superior to Micron Densetsu/Armada in every conceivable way. The animation is just that -- animated. Armada had a very distinct lack of motion that really detracted from it. Armada was more or less a comic book on television with mouths that occasionally opened and closed. Superlink is just the opposite. It looks like an actual cartoon (what a concept!). On top of that, the cel-shaded CGI technique makes it all look quite incredible.

Of course, it would be easy to disregard the inadequate animation of Armada if the writing was worth talking about. I suppose it goes without saying that it was not. Now, however, Superlink seems to have given us Transformers fans something to actually look forward to. Whereas the dialogue and plot of Armada was incredibly stale and not at all engaging, Superlink is very in your face and quick.

The biggest improvement, however, would be the voice acting. Although I have yet to see or hear the English version of this show (Energon), the Japanese version is much better than its predecessor Micron Densetsu and I can only assume that since this major problem has been cleared up at the source, it will be like that when it gets here. The dialogue isn't flat and there aren't awkward silences for no reason. The actors actually sound like they're -- gasp -- acting. Overall, this is a very worthy successor to the holy trilogy of Transformers series (the original, Beast Wars, Beast Machines). Great stuff all around and I can't wait to see what else develops.