"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:

Alien | Robot | Battle | Actor Playing Multiple Roles | High Tech

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 / ... (58 episodes, 1984-1987)
John Stephenson	...	Thundercracker / ... (54 episodes, 1984-1987)
Dan Gilvezan	...	Bumblebee / ... (51 episodes, 1984-1987)
Casey Kasem	...	Teletraan I / ... (51 episodes, 1984-1986)
Don Messick	...	Ratchet / ... (49 episodes, 1984-1986)
Michael Bell	...	Prowl / ... (48 episodes, 1984-1987)
Jack Angel	...	Ramjet / ... (38 episodes, 1985-1987)
Scatman Crothers	...	Jazz (34 episodes, 1984-1986)
Gregg Berger	...	Grimlock / ... (30 episodes, 1984-1986)
Ken Sansom	...	Hound / ... (30 episodes, 1984-1985)
Michael Chain	...	Hoist / ... (29 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:

Because both Bluestreak and Prowl changed into Datsun sports cars and had similar helmets with "devil's horn" crowns, the animators tried to avoid confusion between the two by removing Prowl's shoulder-mounted rocket launchers which were apart of the toy Prowl. However, occasionally animators would accidentally color Prowl grey like Bluestreak.

Goofs:

Continuity: The cartoon is notorious for its lack of continuity and the number of its plot-holes - at least compared to later Transformers shows. For example, robots that could fly in one episode suddenly lose this ability, the Decepticon group called the Constructicons have three contradicting origins, and it is also common for newcomer characters to simply appear in an episode with no explanation given as to why they haven't been seen before. As such, it is not surprising that most of the cast ended up being ignored and forgotten when new characters had to be added.

Quotes:

Jazz: Maybe Ironhide's ready for a nice, cushy office job.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Our World (2007) (V)

car-robots

This is one of the most popular cartoons of the 80s. It was original and not follow the trend of Hanna-Barbera's copycat mysteries/adventure cartoons a decade earlier. Automobiles that become robot fighting machines,producers couldn't be more creative then that. It was all action which us kids grow into after watching Superfriends or Spiderman and the amazing friends. I remember collecting some of the action figures then giving them away after they became out-dated. Though still a classic and one of the best cartoons of that generation.