The DVD Dissection: Transformers Cybertron - The Ultimate Collection
Posted by Chad Webb on 09.04.2008
The show you love to hate, or perhaps hate to love arrives on DVD. How does it stack up?
Featuring the Voices of:
Gary Chalk: Optimus Prime
David Kaye: Megatron
Sarah Edmondson: Lori
Sam Vincent: Coby
Ryan Hirakida: Bud
Richard Newman: Vector Prime
Kirby Morrow: Hot Shot
Michael Dobson: Starscream/Breakdown
Brian Dobson: Red Alert
Richard Ian Cox: Scattershot
Series Directed By: Manabu Ono
Series Writing Credits: Charlotte Fullerton and others
DVD Release Date: July 22, 2008
Total Running Time: 1144 minutes
Episode Running Time: 21-23 minutes (w/out commercials)
Not Rated
The Show
Transformers Cybertron is a toy line and animated series, and another co-production between Hasbro and Takara. The Japanese title of the show was Transformers: Galaxy Force. It is also a sequel to the previous series' Transformers Armada and Transformers Energon. The three form the Unicron trilogy.
In this anime version featuring the Autobots and the Decepticons, all the robots are computer generated, while the backgrounds and humans are traditional cel animation. The basic plot follows the Autobots and Decepticons as they travel the galaxy in search of the four Cyber Planet Keys to save the universe. The theme music "Transformers: Cybertron Theme" was made by Paul Oakenfold for both the beginning and ending of each episode. It is quite catchy or could be just impossible to shake from my head.
Spoilers may follow
In order to prevent my episode summaries from getting too lengthy, I’ll stick to detailing my thoughts on this series in this section. It had been awhile since I watched any sort of Transformers animated series, but then I reviewed the newest show, followed by Cybertron. In my research of Cybertron, I noticed that most people either totally love or totally hate it. There are three main points the detractors usually bring up. Before I get to them, understand that yes, Cybertron was designed as Japanese anime, hence the English translations do not always mesh seamlessly. However, if you enjoy anime, as I do, then this fact will not be a huge bother.
The first issue that turns many viewers off are the children characters. They are Coby, Bud, and Lori. Coby and Bud find Landmine after he crashes on Earth, and aid in fixing him back to working condition. From there, they become friends with the Autobots, and are vital parts of the mission. The children are indeed annoying, and are not appropriately used in many of the episodes. Coby is an engineering genius, an ability not many kids his age possess, but whatever. Bud can be described as simply irritating, while Lori is a catty and nasty little girl who helps in no way. Regardless, let us not forget that the kids do not always have a huge part in the episode. When the storylines involve them more, the ratings below reflect that. That does mean that the series was without brilliant episodes. Like most of the flaws in this series, I forgot about the troublesome trio as I became immersed in the story.
The second is the actual transforming of the bots. These sequences are handled using Japanese anime speed lines, and as it occurs multiple times in each episode, I can understand how it would drive some insane. The only occasions where it really got on my nerves was when Optimus Prime transformed. The other Autobots and Decepticons do not receive nearly as much screen time when they transform, so I thought it was adequate with everyone but Optimus. Additionally, I thought it was very eye-catching and visually stimulating that viewers were able to see just how and what parts transformed. This was another minor grumble that can be overlooked and accepted as the show continues. I mean, at least they do transform regularly, as opposed to Transformers Animated.
The third common complaint was the accents of certain bots. Scattershot for instance, has a Southern twang to his voice. He is a robot from another planet, but he sounds like he’s from Texas. You will also hear an Australian accent similar to that of Paul Hogan, a British one, and the list goes on. As frequently as I read about this on forums and message boards, I cannot understand how they all missed the point. These somewhat ridiculous accents were inserted so that young children can distinguish their favorite characters easier. This transformers universe has a lot of intriguing bots, and the colors do not always do the trick, so the voices are sometimes extremely different. The two worst accents are the Southern and Australian bots. Luckily, they are not given as much time in the episodes, so again, I just brushed this gripe under the rug. It does afford the bots unique personality traits though, which is a welcomed change.
I ordered Transformers Armada on DVD, but have not seen it or Energon while writing this review. I can say knowledge of the two aforementioned shows was not entirely necessary. A quick summary from Landmine is given at the commencement of this show. The black hole is probably not explained as thoroughly as it could have been but that is forgivable. I am a child of the 80’s as I am sure many of you readers out there are, so I grew up with Transformers G1 as happily as anyone. It was the first and the best, but that should be obvious. What baffles me is how so many fans scoff at any subsequent show just because it is inferior to G1. It’s like saying all Indiana Jones movies are terrible besides Raiders of the Lost Ark. Wait, people do that also.
Cybertron establishes a more epic atmosphere to the events in the Autobot saga. The storylines are intelligent, thought-provoking, and exhilarating. The majority of the characters are fleshed out superbly, and are customarily entertaining to watch. They are also given equal amounts of screen time for the most part, and hardly ever disappear unexpectedly as in Transformers Animated. For example, Thundercracker might only have one line, but at least we know he is there. In these storylines, the decisions mean something. Optimus Prime occasionally makes the wrong choice, and eventually he pays for it. The Autobots and Decepticons change as the course of the adventure unfolds. They all experience various emotions, and do not always end up as one would predict. Those points are important because it is how the show expresses its strengths.
In the world of Cybertron, the fate of the bots is surprisingly ambiguous. Some can be reborn, scan other objects as reasonable disguises, and in rare cases attach to the leaders. The names, vehicles, animals, and other random objects the transformers choose to disguise themselves are more fascinating in this series than any other. In addition, I had a better idea of what this particular fictional universe contains. The mystery of where they would travel to next, do battle at, or scavenge was mesmerizing. The planets housing the Cyber Planet keys were smart, inventive, and entertaining. However, the weakest episodes of the run resulted due to the fact that the writers had to keep the bots on said planet for an allocated amount of time. This meant that some escapades are mediocre or average, such as how many times Hot Shot is racing for the Velocitron cup.
The beginning of the series is solid with mostly commendable episodes as the Autobots and Decepticons search for the locations of the Cyber Planet keys, and proceed to the first stop. One episode dealt completely with a natural disaster on Earth, which was by far the worst of the series. The end of the first season was riveting as the bots fight to discover the Atlantis ship. I thought it was incredibly creative that the writing staff took legends and myths of Earth and incorporated them into this narrative. In season two, the endless races on Speed Planet grow tiring, but that is wrapped eventually, and a terrific battle on Jungle Planet livens things up. The end of that season is very exciting as Crosswise is awakened along with thousands of Ancient Decepticons.
Season three is a huge improvement from the previous season as Starscream takes charge and skirmishes are waged on Cybertron itself. Starscream steps in the center villain ring in this season, and to be honest, the minor break from Megatron was healthy. Without spoiling an excessive amount of the final season, I’ll just say it was masterful. The battle between Megatron and Starscream was legendary. Anyone who bashes the show incessantly should rewatch the finale.
Not all the characters are handled properly. Scourge is the fierce ruler of Jungle Planet. He is a bot who changes into a three headed dragon. He looks and sounds cool, but for some reason the writers bounced him around like a racquetball in gym class. He switches between good and evil many times after being berated by Lori. It is unfortunate since the range Scourge reveals gave the writers opportunities to make him interesting. I don’t think they ever had a clear idea on what to do with him, so someone suggested he be friends with a human girl? Megatron is my favorite character with Starscream as a close second. I root for the bad guys. Megatron is the epitome of everything cruel, despicable, and wicked. He is exactly what evil should be. As far as the Autbots are concerned, I really enjoyed Crosswise and Evac, who sadly were not introduced until the latter half of the run. Red Alert and Optimus Prime were generally fun and absorbing as well.
Transformers Cybertron is a show that requires a healthy dose of patience. It does have some problems, but all can be explained. It just depends on what you can look beyond, and whether or not you hold G1 up on a pedestal that no series will ever come close to. The power of the writing, in terms of dialogue and story structure, is magnificent. The characters are given depth, dimension, and time to stretch. Had the need for the children been examined again, and possibly addressed, there would be fewer detractors. Transformers Cybertron can be viewed without having any knowledge of the previous installments of the trilogy. As a matter of fact, it might be better. This is not a flawless victory, but a definite winner when given the chance.
End - 10/10 Unfinished - 10/10 Beginning - 7/10 Inferno - ? (End of Season 4)
The Video
One facet I will not waver on whatsoever is the pristine quality of this transfer. It is gorgeous from start to finish. The computer generated transformer characters mesh exquisitely with the hand drawn backgrounds. The combination is effective because it separates this generation of transformers from the others, which was essential. Plus, it enables all the intricacies of these bigger and more complex robots to be better exposed. Some stated it made the Transformers look clunky. I disagree. I felt they possessed a bit more realism and similarities to the live-action film. The vast array of colors, the beautiful daylight on Earth, the cold darkness of space, and the neat traits of the other planets make for a wonderful picture experience. The colors stand out as clean, and never bleed. It is presented in full screen.
The Audio
The sound is crisp, thunderous, and positively clear for the duration. The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo. It is a television series after all, but I shudder to think what superior audio options could have done. The explosions, gun battles, high speed races, and transforming are all outstanding through the speakers. Despite the accents, all the characters are understandable and lucid. No subtitles are available here, but they aren’t vital.
The Packaging
Transformers Cybertron is distributed in cardboard box with four slim keep cases inside. Each slim casing houses two discs. The box artwork has Megatron and Optimus Prime, while the individual discs contain random images pertaining to that discs contents. The menus are simple with a single picture of a character. They are easy to navigate with two selections.
The Extras
No extras, but seeing as this is the complete series, I can be somewhat kind to the absence of special features.
The Show: 8.0/10.0
The Episodes: 7.5/10.0
The Video: 10.0/10.0
The Audio: 9.0/10.0
The Packaging: 8.0/10.0
The Extras: 0.0/10.0
The 411: Transformers Cybertron, the final installment of the Japanese anime Unicron trilogy, is a series you will either love or hate depending on your level of tolerance. While it does not compare to G1, no one should have expected it to. The transforming, the weird accents, and the children are certainly legitimate issues, but all can be stomached in my opinion. The show has a lot of brilliant episodes that are both complex and gripping for fans of all ages. For the price, and the amount of material you receive, this is worth the money providing you have an open mind to the Transformers universe. The technical specifications are top notch and the packaging is very reliable. Unfortunately the extras department is bare bones, which takes the rating down a couple notches. My best advice is to Netflix a disc or so, but do not dismiss it based on the first couple episodes. If you enjoy what you see, go ahead and buy it.
