"Transformers: Robots in Disguise" (2001) TV series 2001-2002

Directors:

Osamu Sekita
Michael McConnohie (co-director)

Writers:

Richard Epcar (writer)
Marc Handler (writer)

Release Date:

8 September 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Animation | Family | Sci-Fi | Action

Plot:

Optimus Prime and the Autobots defend Earth against Megatron and combined forces of the evil Predacons and Decepticons.

Plot Keywords:

Transforming Robot | Android | Based On Toy

Cast

Steve Blum	...	Dark Scream, WARS (as Steven Blum)
Tifanie Christun	...	Dorie Dutton (voice)
Jerry DeCapua	...	Gas Skunk
Keith Diamond	...	Rapid Run
Doug Erholtz	...	Miscellaneous
Sandy Fox	...	T-ai (voice)
Bob Joles	...	X-Brawn
Neil Kaplan	...	Optimus Prime / Ro-Tor
David Lodge	...	Midnight Express, Railracer
Peter Lurie	...	Slapper
Michael McConnohie	...	Ironhide, Hotshot
Mike Reynolds	...	Railspike
Daniel Riordan	...	Megatron / Galvatron / Omega Prime
Philece Sampler	...	Kelly (voice)
Joshua Seth	...	Carl (Koji's friend)

Runtime:

USA:22 min | USA:30 min (39 episodes)

Country:

Japan

Language:

English

Certification:

USA:TV-Y7

Company:

Dong Woo Animation Co.

Quotes:

Slapper: Well, if we're gonna dress up like Autobots, then I'm gonna look like Optimus Prime! Yeah, that's it!
Gas Skunk: No, I'm gonna be Optimus Prime! I'll have a red helmet and a siren...
Dark Scream: I'll be Optimus Prime, I want him!
Sky-Byte: Stop this nonsense! If you had any brains you'd be dangerous. I, of course, shall be Optimus Prime.
Slapper: Well, ain't that just Prime.

Movie Connections:

Alternate language version of "Transformer: Car Robot" (2000)

RID is very entertaining

Every time the latest iteration of Transformers comes out, old-skoolers like me immediately run out and disparage it for not being as good as the last. As a big G1 fan, I can honestly say that the guys who did the translating and voice work for RID did a fantastic job. They took something very foreign, Japanese, and weird (and I say this as a die-hard anime fan) and reworked it into something extremely funny and entertaining. No, it's not as serious as TFBM, and since they didn't have control over storylines like they did with Beast Wars, the character development was dictated by decisions made in Japan. Nonetheless, the finished product looks good and is a blast to watch. The voice actor for Sky-Byte must have garnered the envy of all the other VAs for getting the best lines and funniest dialogue and emotional rampages. No, RID isn't self-possessed and serious. But it *is* entertaining and fun, and for a show about giant robots, I don't think that's such a bad thing.