While I think it was a way to save costs, they look kinda neat (kinda like Max Payne).

And the rest of you guys?

 

It looked really cool. Plus, you just know it's important because of the other animation style.

 

I liked it.

 

I like them. Budget friendly, and because Prime art style got a certain 2d flair they still look like they fit in even if theyre paintings.

 

Of course I'd prefer to see full-blown 3D animation, but I prefer what they did to no flashbacks at all.

 

I like how it shows a classical art style to it. It fits their mythology.

 

It is probably for the best. Making thirteen different character models would be kinda hell for the animators.

 

I think it was good for now. With budget and everything, it may be hard for them to do to much without losing quality. Though the comic flashbacks were nice, I hope that there are some flashbacks in the series that will be animated and not comic style.

 

We had a couple in Predatory that were animated like the rest of the series. And on that train of thought, the "comic-styled" animation for the flashbacks of the Thirteen works because this is a point in time that is, quite literally, at the dawn of the Cybertronian race. Some of the details could have been lost to the passage of time, and IMO the animation reflects that.

 

This. I expect flashbacks of, say, Optimus's time on Cybertron(which will likely be in ep. 26) to be animated. maybe we'll even get a clearer view of some of the Primes.

 

They remind me of HMS's artwork for WfC.

 

I thought they were kinda cheap myself. Especially since in the past flashbacks and whatnot have not been comic-style.

 

Yeah they have. The one in the very first episode was comic style.

 

I also like the more two dimensional look in the story of the 13 as Optimus Prime recounts it; makes me think of heiroglyphics and Ancient Greek friezes and narrative pottery decoration. This to me imparts a suitably ancient, revered but beyond memory feel.

And that final point addresses the difference to the other flashbacks; the ones such as Arcee's are recollections of their own experiences. In this case, Optimus is recounting something to which I believe he was not witness to by quite a good stretch of time. In short, (living) memory: typical 3D, reciting ancient/pre history: more of a 2D look.

 

No it wasn't, it used actual renders that weren't obvious matte paintings. It was just a still life.

 

I'm a fan of how they did it. It's less costly budget wise, instead of rendering all the thirteen, and actually looked really stunning in that light. Very cool.

 

I agree with this. If the scene had been done in CG, it wouldn't have had that "distant past" feel to it.

It reminded me a lot of the scene in Deathly Hallows part 1, where the story of the hallows was done in stylized CG instead of live action. Having a scene in a completely different style than the rest of the series helps it stand out, and emphasizes its importance.