As someone who was there from the start I'd say that there are lots of positives to take from Bayformers and TFA, lives too short to fixate on what you don't like about either.

And, also, yeah, CHUG keeps me content. Snuggly, bubbly content.

Apart from the woeful treatment of Octane.

 

I was born in 1975, and as a kid I was into science fiction, cars and robots, so when Transformers came along I thought they had made it specifically for me. I raced home from school every day to watch the cartoon and I would have owned every single toy if not for the fact that my parents hated it, and I was dependent on them to buy me anything I wanted. By the time G1 ended, they refused to buy me more than one or two small toys a year, so it's just as well it was over for a while. I was fifteen, after all, and really should have had other things on my mind...

I didn't get into Beast Wars until the Transmetal stuff started and the G1 references started showing up in the cartoon. I think my first BW toy was Transmetal Tarantulas, which I actually bought only reluctantly, and at the insistence of my girlfriend who wanted me to reconnect with something I'd really loved in childhood. At the time, I really thought buying toys was just for kids, and I'd be content just watching the show. And anyway, they were critters, not cars...

I went from that to becoming a Beast Wars completionist over the next couple of years. Picked up just about everything that came out. Then, at a comic book convention, I bought Car Robots Wild Ride, and as nice as Beast Wars was, this was what I'd really been craving. The detail and articulation astounded me. I guess it wasn't that much of a step up from Beast Wars, but hey. This was a car. Compared to the last car Transformer I'd bought, the difference was like going from black-and-white to color.

Well, I'm starting a wall of text here, so I'll gloss over the rest. I love Transformers just as much now as I did then. For someone who once thought "The toys are for the kiddies, I'll stick with the cartoons," I rarely watch the cartoons but I buy as many of the toys as I can afford. I own the entire Unicron Trilogy on DVD and... yeah, one day I'll make it through one of those series. The Bay films aren't what I would have done, but I can enjoy them for what they are and I see them as cash machines that have infused millions of dollars into my favorite franchise and ensured its health for a good long time.

If I could change anything about the toys themselves, I'd bring back die-cast. Boy, I miss die-cast. I spent so many years playing with die-cast toys (and it wasn't just Transformers, kids, every toy had die-cast metal in those days), that anything without metal in it just feels flimsy and cheap.

In closing: I'm proud to be an "old-timer." Kids: get off my lawn. It's time for my mid-morning nap.

 

Transformers as a whole.... The newer stuff is just gimmicky and cheap/playschool looking to me. I figure if it keeps the name alive, I'm for it......... I don't have to like it though.

The movies are awesome!!

Toys-- G1 awesome, Beast wars cool, Animated and Movie suck sweaty baboon balls.

 

Dude, same here! Not to derail the thread but did anyone else go through this when G1 frist came out?

My Dad fucking hated me playing with Transformers toys, even from an early age. He kept pushing me to get Lego and Meccano (which I did as well and loved it) but first chance he got he sold a bunch of my G1s at a car boot sale during my teens.  

Man if he could see my collection room now!

 

I grew up through the 80's ans my first transformer ever was Optimus Prime.i remember coming home from school and watching the show in teh afternoons and totally cheering on the Autobots.Going to the theater with my mom to watch the '86 movie,being only 5 at the time crying when Prime died.

I really have grown up with transformers,and even though some of the shows that have come out really werent the best,they all still had that one thing that everyone can agree they love....Big Robots Fighting and Turning Into Stuff.

Now that im older and consider myself a full blown collector I look back when i was a kid and remember the times i had when i was young having transformer themed birthday parties and such.Its amazing how soemthing like this can get inside of you a lot more than you think it does because it really is a part of you.

I wont say that transformers have been done total justice by the Bayformer movies but the fact that you get to see Optimus Prime on the movie screen in Live Action form and being voiced by the great Peter Cullen is a childhood fantasy come true.I love collecting and the figures coming out now are fantastic with its small setbacks here and there.As well a kick ass video game that would make any fan jump for joy.

All in all i think the transformers are doing pretty damn good.

 

Yes, u can say I'm an old timer as I remember when g1 was on tv. Barely catching the bus to school some morning. Person I did not care for BW when it was on. I have not rarely care for any of the newer cartoons in fact. Tho I do like the fact that I can share my hobby with 2 of my nephews. I took them to botcon 07 and every year they want me to take them back to botcon. Yes my that uncle that spends over their set limit for birthday and xmas. If it means them getting the transformer they want. Hopefully one day I will have a son that will like tfs as much as I do. Who knows maybe my little girl with grow up to be one of the few tfs girl fans

 

"Old timer? That's something you'll never be if you don't make it back to the city!" Got to love Kup! Anyway, I have and always will love Transformers no matter what incarnation they take. I wasn't impressed with Animated especially the toys, but kids liked them and they are the bread and butter of the TF Universe. I can't wait for another 25 great years.

 

That is rather phucked up, my friend. I had the opposite experience, luckily, or I'd resent my dad for it to this day. Dad loved to put in the 86 movie VHS and crank up the stereo system, pop some corn and watch it with my brother and I. He also helped me figure out the toy transformations and got into the story.

People don't realize what a profound effect that kind of thing can have on kids, harshing on their kiddy fads. I'm gonna support my kids even if they get into friggin' power rangers.

 

You folks are lucky. The '86 movie is the first movie I saw in the theater by myself, because my parents refused to sit through it with me. They paid for my ticket and picked me up when it was over. I guess it's just as well--if they hated those dumb toy robits before, Spike's potty mouth would have pushed them over the edge.

I gave my two-year-old niece that book "I Am Optimus Prime," and I can't describe the glee I feel now when she asks one of them to read it to her... for the third time in a row!!        Ahhh, revenge is sweet.

 

No one here is old until they reach my grandfather's age and he's 97 and still kicking; however, yes, I do remember the beginning of Transformers being 31 myself.

Actually, yes, I am quite content with Transformers right now.

Here's where it gets tricky for me. As far as toys go...sorry...action figures, the one drawback for TFs is that they are very expensive, especially the ones I want. Masterpieces, the independent pieces like Warbot and the truck armor, and Device Labels are great but again, very expensive. I tend to avoid lines and most figures unless I really, really want them; otherwise, they tend to sit around and gather dust without me looking at them. The lines do need more Trailbreaker though.

The comics are so-so with me. I liked Last Stand of the Wreckers and a few other stories; however, the ongoing is pretty bad. Again, it needs more Trailbreaker.

The movies are tricky. I love the '86 film but it's rubbish with the storyline; however, it's delightfully fun rubbish. The 2007 movie was decent and I enjoyed it for what it was. I hated the 2009 movie since I thought it was awful and agree with about 95 to 99% of Ebert's review of it. They need more Trailbreaker.

TV shows: I tend to avoid the Japanese entries like Armada/Micron, Energon, and Cybertron. I'm alright with RiD. I love Beast Wars, Beast Machines, Animated, and American G1. Japanese G1 is a vision that one has to behold to truly understand (the good, the bad, and the downright awful). I am looking forward to checking out Prime. It wouldn't hurt for most of the shows to have more Trailbreaker.

The video games...well...a lot of them are "meh". I love War for Cybertron though and the Armada game isn't bad. They definitely need more Trailbreaker.

No prob.

 

I'm as happy as a speckled pup under a little red wagon! No, wait, that's how cute I am.

Um, I'm happier than a mule eatin' briars! No, that's how big I'm grinnin'...

I'm so happy, I squeak when I walk! Naw, that's how tight I am...

Uh... I'm happy as a screen door on a submarine! Damn, no, that's how useful I am...

I'm happier than Dan Quayle at a spelling bee! No, that's uh...oh, that's how much I'm sweatin'...

I'm happier than a cat that can lick its butt! No...wait...that's how quick I am...

Happier than a turd in a punch bowl? No, that's how popular I am. Geez...

Happy as frog hair? Naw...that's how fine I am... Let me see, uh...

I'm so happy I'd make a pit bull climb a plate glass window! Shit...no, that's how scary-looking I am...

Happy as rollin' off a log? No, that's how easy I am. Darn it...

Ah! I'm happier than a fart in a pair of panty hose! No...that's how trapped I feel...

I'm so happy that I'd stop plowin' to fart! Damn, no, that's how lazy I am...

Happy as a one-armed fiddler with the crabs? No...that's how busy I am...

Happy as socks on a rooster! No, that's how sexy I am...

I'm happy as snot on a doorknob...no, wait, that's how slick I am...

I'm so happy, I could stop a 8 day clock! No, that's how ugly I am again...

Aw hell with it. I'm happy!

 

Meh, that's when you just start buying lifesize versions of Transformers.  

 

I was six years old when Transformers (the 1984 U.S. version) came out, and, I'm perfectly content with the way in which things are.

There's a lot of things I don't keep up with or don't partake in, simply because they've never appealed to me. (Beast Wars, for instance.) However, this doesn't mean I don't begrudge those who do like such things, or roll my eyes in the least. Because I figure Transformers is one of those canons where it's bigger than any one person--bigger than any one group. There's enough to pick and choose what you do and don't like, and plenty of room for lots of different interpretations and all.

Given as such, I'm pretty much always content with the way in which things are, and it's because I already have the things I like--G1 and Animated. And so anything else they come up with will either be icing on the cake, or something I can shrug and ignore. And of course I always hope for the former, and often end up with the latter--but, well, I guess what I mean is, what little I do enjoy, I really enjoy, and so I figure that more than makes up for any future disappointments that may or may not ensue.

 

I remember coming home from school as fast as I can just to watch Transformers. It was 1985 and I was in Grade 2. I collected Gobots,Transformers, and a whole bunch of Diakron-Diaclone figures as well. We(my generation) didnt collect for value (investments). I hear kids of today, especially this year when I was at Botcon, talk about this or that figure will be worth alot in the future I need to get him. We didnt think that way we beat the crap out of our G1 toys to the point they didnt even resemble the characters anymore. I love G1, but as all things you have to adapt to your surroundings and era. I like where Transformers are today considering the brand almost died in 1995.

 

Old-Timer....

Well I guess I fit that bill. I started TF's in 1984 with the Marvel Comics at the tender age of 14. Saw a couple of episodes and got a few figures to see how they really transformed.

26 years later and I'm still collecting. That's right, still. I've been buying just about every TF toy from any country they've been sold each year they've been released. (and I have 5 large rooms full to prove it)

So I guess you can say that I'm happy with the way things have turned out. I think each and every story and toyline has added something positive to the whole. While most would fixate on the positives or negatives of any give series, I've found each and every one of them to interesting and fun in their own way. I guess that's why I've never lost the love.

So when this September rolls around and I enter into the 40th. year of my life on this spinning blue planet, I'll blow out the candles on my cake and make a wish that the next 26 years of my collecting TF's will be as much or more fun than the last 26.

 

(sorry in advance for the novel--lol)

I remember when Transformers first hit the airwaves and the stores (I'll be 34 on August 9th). I'm a die-hard G1 fan and while I loved the 'toon, I really loved the toys, the artwork, and the designs for the animation. I saw the '86 Transformers: The Movie in the theater when it first opened and my love turned to hatred. I watched them kill off my favorites within 20 minutes or so (Optimus Prime & Ironhide being my top faves). It took a bit to get into the new guys, but by the end of the movie, I liked 'em and looked forward to Season 3. I wasn't much of a fan of The Rebirth (cool concept, crappy animation and it was THE END). Once it stopped airing, I did what most kids did and moved on to other things. I still loved it and missed it though. Once high school rolled around, I didn't think much of it and even though I was still a fan. It wasn't until I was in college that Transformers started burning in my veins again.

I took a trip to Wal-Mart after classes one day and I hit the toy aisle as usual (this was '96, I believe--can't quite remember for sure). But by this time of my life, I was still into comics and collecting tons of DC and Marvel action figures. I decided to see if they had anything new and I come face to face with something called Transformers: Beast Wars. I hadn't heard jack about it (didn't have internet access installed at home until '99) and I stood there both shocked and amazed.....and cringed a bit at first. Here was something awesome and weird at the same time. Growing up on G1, you had cars, trucks, weapons, boomboxes, microscopes, cameras, etc.......and here were giant bugs, apes, and dinos. My first thought was "holy crap! Transformers is BACK!".....which ran into my second thought "why did they turn them into THESE?!". I looked 'em all over and some were pretty cool, but for the most part, I just didn't have that same love for these as I did the G1 bots and cons. I passed on them, but it got me interested in Transformers again.

After that, I ran across the show on TV (didn't even know they had a new show at the time) and I gave it a try. It was during the first season of Beast Wars and the story seemed cool, the CGI was top notch for the time, but it still didn't hook me at first like G1 did. After watching for a while, it grew quickly on me and suddenly I was a huge Beast Wars fan. I didn't care for the original toys from season 1, but once the transmetals hit and everything after, I loved a lot of it (in fact, I still have Optimal Optimus, Depth Charge, Rampage, Inferno, TM Optimus & TM Megatron, Silverbolt, Tarantulas Dinobot, Dinobot II, and tons more in storage back home in Florida).

After getting completely hooked on seasons 2 and 3, I was on a Transformers high again....lol. Then the low started to kick in a bit. When the show shot into Beast Machines, I liked some of the futuristic vehicles, but hated the new look of the animal bots (the CGI was great though). Never fully watched all of the series, but from what I did, the story was good, I just couldn't look past the odd looking Prime and others. I thought all hope was lost and I'd never see true Transformers vehicles again.

Then came the almighty internet. Had it hooked up at home in '99 and I stared searching for any and all things Transformers. By the time 2000 rolled around, I was latching onto tons of info on a new TF series in Japan.....Car Robots! The Autobots were back, baby! I went so far as to order a crap ton of the episodes from a seller on ebay (on VHS, mind you). These suckers were straight up Japanese language, with commercials and all. Best money I'd spent in a while at that point. It wasn't the whole series, but I just wanted to check it out and see the animation (which was basically back to basics). Now I'm part Japanese, but I don't speak any, so this was basically for looks (I'm 1/4 Japanese--my grandmother Japanese, born in Japan, and moved to the US when she was younger).

Once the toys started releasing in Japan, I was all over them thanks to BigBadToyStore. I bought 'em all up (though over the years I've sold some or used them for kitbashes--or have plans to). I loved the fact that this was basically a cross between G1 and Beast Wars in a way. It gave you the best of both worlds and the transformations and designs were TONS better than the old G1 bricks. And the best part? Rubber tires again! All in all, Car Robots gave us their best and I ate it up. The other great part was seeing a few of the G1 bots used as characters and molds for the toys. They weren't the same characters, but holy crap it was great to basically get a nice "Bruticus" mold again! When Car Robots finally reached the States in 2001 (under "Robots In Disguise"), I could finally watch and understand what was going on. I still haven't watched the entire series to this day, but I really liked most of the story from what I did watch.

After this came the Armada, Energon, Cybertron years. I was still on a high from Car Robots and when Energon hit, I just bought up a lot of it and watched the show. The first episode got me excited because I saw a few G1 designs being used, only to find out they were basically filler. Some of the animation looked great, but the majority kinda sucked and the story was pretty flat (mostly due to the human element--I literally hated their voices). I also didn't like the mini-con story in the 'toon. It was too much like Pokemon--gotta catch 'em all! Each episode seemed to be about finding another mini-con. I loved the mini-con toys (brought back memories of Micromasters). I just never really got into it like I thought I would (again, I never watched all episodes of this, or any of the A/E/C trilogy). The best part of Armada was finally getting a cool Unicron toy! Energon was kinda cool at first. I liked the way some of it looked and seemed like a mix of animation and CGI. I liked a lot of the character designs and snapped up some of the toys. The story still seemed kinda flat. Never watched the entire series here either. Best part were the G1 homages that started hit with the toys. Then came Cybertron, of which I probably watched the least. Not because of the designs, toys, or animation (everything looked great), but because of work and other things going on at the time. I did enjoy what I saw though, but the story still seemed like it could've been better. There were some great toys that I snapped up here though.

Then we moved into a drought. I was left on a sort of high (for toys at least) and wondered if anything new would come. We started hearing rumblings about Animated (or Heroes as it was known at the time). It sounded awesome to me.....until I heard that the people who did Teen Titans were behind it. I started hating on it before it even hit. Once I saw some early footage of it, it wasn't so bad and while I still to this day think they should have animated it more modern (more like G1, Car Robots, or even Armada), it really grew on me. After watching the first 3 episodes, I was basically hooked and I enjoyed most of the series (again, haven't watched all of these either due to being busy with things). The toys were kinda meh, in my eyes. I did like the Prime and Megatron deluxe figures and I picked those up. I also snapped up a Prowl, Voyager Megatron, and (thanks to my bud Altitron) a TakaraTomy Animated Arcee. The rest weren't all that appealing (though I did get Grimlock for my nephew and he loved it and I liked it for the most part). The toys just weren't that appealing to me overall.

Same goes for the live action movies. I was excited back in 2005 (I believe) when early footage was shown advertising the Transformers movie. I couldn't believe how far we'd come and that we were actually going to see these suckers larger than life and realistic, for the most part. Once the designs started trickling out and we got a glimpse of the characters and movie itself, I really loved the movie for what it was worth....action and of course, explosions. I didn't care much for the movie toys though. I liked the added details and more complex transformation schemes, but being an old school G1 fan, I couldn't get into them for some reason. At first, I was turned off by the look that Bay and Co. chose for them. But I bit my tongue and gave it a go before saying anything for or against. I ended up loving the movie and designs, but the toys just didn't cut it for me. I think the worst one (in my opinion) was Starscream. To this day, I can't see anything but a giant space crab when he's in bot mode (be it toy or on screen). When ROTF hit, same thing--loved the movie for what it was worth and I really liked most of the designs, just didn't care much for the toys. I think I only own maybe 6 movie toys (Brawl MISB, Voyager Prime from TFTM--being customized into Onslaught for my Bruticus custom, Arcee - collecting dust, Jazz - dust, that Black S7 SUV (can't remember the name) - dust, & Cliffjumper - dust. Most of these guys just didn't appeal to me. I do want a couple of the Barricade mold at some point though.

In the end, nothing got me going again like the Classics line! New takes on original G1 characters--I think us old schoolers needed to change our pants when we first heard about those guys. LOL! I really loved each of the Classics toys and I prayed they'd do a show based on it (hey, one can wish, right?). After it was announced that Classics would end and that it was only a filler line until the movie, my hopes for a long running series of these toys was crushed. Then we heard about Universe and its continuing trend of releasing more updated G1 styled bots! Again, these were all great and I snagged tons of these guys (just like I did with Classics). Then it came to and end and now Generations has stepped up to the plate to continue it once more.

I'd say since G1, only Car Robots and Classics/Universe/Generations have captured that bit of magic that the old toys and series had. It's still not the same, but I remember feeling the same way now as when I hit the stores as a kid to see the walls of G1 stuff (that will never escape my mind--I can still see the shelves and wall covered in G1 and having to beg your parents to get some) . lol

In the last few years, I've taken my collecting and enjoyment of Transformers a step further by customizing and kitbashing the characters we don't have or never got with various generations (or may never get). It's given me something more to do with my love of Transformers and the toys as a whole. I'm now looking forward to seeing how Transformers: Prime plays out. From the looks of the test footage we saw recently, it looks great so far. I just don't know if I'm all that excited about a mix of Animated and movie designs for the characters. I still hold onto hope that we'll see an updated G1 or Classics/Universe type series (or maybe a G1 series that tells what the heck happened between 1987 and 2005--TONS of good stuff you could show). Do that and have the writing team behind Beast Wars or Animated and it's gold.

 

This is very much how I am and feel as well. OwaT and I were the same age when we watched "More than Meets the Eye", and I was enthralled as a kid then. I'd love to say that I stuck around for the whole tour of G1, but my interest dwindled and diminished after the end of the cartoon and the Marvel comic.

I came back to the fandom around 1999-2000, and have been here ever since. I'd say that's a good guess that I'll be around for a while, in some shape or form. I'll always find some way to continue to be entertained by TRANSFORMERS, even it's something I end up making (like customs or fan artwork).  

[Sorry, I don't feel the need to give a play-by-play for each series and such. I am generally happy that TRANSFORMERS is thriving.  ]

 

I agree with that also, Allen! I'm just happy we still have "Transformers" after all these years....considering so many other cool 80's cartoon and toylines have come and gone, never to be seen again.

 

i'm a g1 fan i was 19 when it came out i always got teased but didn't care. i'm very happy with transformers right know i don't think tf's would be as popular if mr.bay didn't come along. when the live action movies came i was loving it. everytime optimus transforms or talks i get goosebumps. i seen the very beginning with mtmte and just about every series with a few exceptions. all of us fans on here still have a little kid in us. why else would we like transformers so much. i can't wait for tf3 or tf prime to come out. again i'm happy with transformers and i hope it lasts another 25  

 

I was raised on G1, and figured it was about done when the Action Masters line vanished from shelves. I liked G2 a lot, but I clearly remember complaining to friends when I saw the first Beast Wars figures on shelves, with the whole "This is not Transformers!" attitude. But then I caught the Cartoon Network "One Week Only" Beast Wars airing... my first episode was, of all things, "Code of Hero". I've been hooked again ever since.

I think it's in a really good place right now. Though some people complain about Hasbro, they not only listen to their fans, they often do their best to try and give them what they want(Classics, con exclusives, etc.). I think Animated was brilliant and I'm really looking forward to Prime. The movies are fun popcorn adventure, at the very least, and it's cool to see Transformers on the big screen.

Even if I'm not crazy about TF3 or Prime once they've come out, their success allows for things like Generations, so I'm all for it. Even if I don't like a series, I'm not one to bash on it. I know a lot of people who don't like the newer cartoons of Batman or X-Men, but I look at it this way: I had "my" Transformers and even if I don't like the new stuff, mine will always be there. If the newer generation of fans wants to embrace something else, I'm fine with that, too. They should be able to have "their" Transformers.