"Toyetic" Cartoons

I disagree. In my opinion, Beast Wars is grossly overrated and Animated is much better. You know a show is doing something right when it can add in characters like Nanosec and Angry Archer and make it work (seriously, they handled the human element FAR better than the live action movie). Whilst I'd agree on the moral of the day issue, Animated is telling a much more natural story than Beast Wars which seemed to get bloated in trying to make itself feel epic. Characters take the spotlight when it's right for the character and the story, not just having two rosters of characters hanging about. I'm certainly much keener to try and pick up some Animated toys than Beast Wars ones. I even picked up a Legends 'Rescue Ratchet' because at the time it was the closest thing to a representation of the awesome character from the show.
 
Well, I haven't noticed any repetitiveness, but whatever. I would have figured that if anyone were lessons over and over, it would be Sari.

As for how they use the characters, you have to understand that part of it comes with what kind of show they're making. While Beast Wars and the original Transformers were essentially the old "robot gang war" chestnut so familiar to Trans-fans, Animated is doing something different. The basic idea that the folks who developed the show came up with is: "The Transformers as super-heroes". So, basically you have a core "team" of Autobots and villians that rotate in and out as the story allows as well as Autobots that appear on occasion as guest stars. It's the way super-hero cartoons operate. Blackarachnia appears when there's a Blackarachnia story. Just like how if you watch a Spider-Man cartoon, Doc Ock would only appear if there was a Doc Ock story. And Soundwave's revamp proved so powerful that he's best appearing only once in a blue moon. I mean, it's like looking at a Spider-Man cartoon and saying "Why do they expect me to buy a Lizard toy if the Lizard only appeared in one episode so far." It's because he's part of the Rogues Gallery and probably an awesome toy, y'know.
 
Plus the Decepticons are less an evil army in Animated and more basically a gathering for the Cybertronian outcasts. Megatron is obviously the leader, Starscream is his backstabbing second in command, Lugnut and Blitzwing are genuinely loyal (with the former a fanatic) but Blackarachnia is with them simply because the Autobots would make her a lab sample and Lockdown's way of business most often merges with the Cons. The wider part is that they're not trying to make the two main factions cut and dry. We're getting hints that Megatron's 'corrupt Autobots who drove us from our home' propganda isn't a million miles from the truth.
 
I'd say it depends on how the show was put together, like if it had a good plot and characters that it makes you forget about any connections towards a franchise. For me Huntik is a great example of this since there is going to be a cardgame on the way, but the TV series has a good plot and characters and the connection isn't in your face (or atleast I hope it wont in the future) :shrug:

So yeah a show that treats itself like an actual TV series is definatly worth a look.
 
I feel bad for adding fuel to the fire but I think Cybertron had a better story than Animated. It had a FOCUSED story with a set goal and everything. It dragged on too long on Velocitron but on the whole felt far more focused than other series before it.

That's not to say Animated isn't a good show, I just don't think it has a better storyline, just better individual episodes.

And no one takes Angry Archer seriously.



I know! I wanted a spider form Spider Riders but they never released any...at least not that I know of :sad: it wasn't the best of show but I liked the design dangit!

I was also completely dismayed at the ATTROCIOUS excuse for a 'game' they made out of Di-gata Defender. Darn you Spinmaster! It was so ridiculously cheap and pointless! I could come up with better rules in an afternoon! WTH?
 
I'm the exact opposite, i was more upset when a toyline that had potential to be a decent toon never even came out with one (ie, the warlord toys from the 80s. Yeah, they were a he-man knockoff but i had more fun with deimos and arak than i did with tri-kops and mossman, and i always wanted a tv series but it never happened)
 
I wouldn't call that exact opposite, the two situation relate a lot though.

I think LEGO could make AWESOME cartoon series out of some of their stuff... Exo Force for exemple would have kicked ass!
 
That's probably one of the reasons I dislike Animated so much; I dislike superhero shows. No real goal or plot and an over reliance on status quo turns me off to an action show. Giving the Transformers human villains is a neat concept, but the villains they have seem like they belong in Teen Titans with how goofy and silly they are. Meltdown seems to be the only somewhat credible villain, but even he's questionable with the way he acts and dresses. Seeing characters like Professor Princess and Angry Archer, coupled with being stuck with the same five heroes every episode who I don't care for in the slightest really don't make me want to watch the show.
 
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