Will we ever get a "dark" Transformers animated series?

Discussion in 'Transformers General Discussion' started by lazerface, May 6, 2012.

  1. lazerface

    lazerface Well-Known Member

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    Transformers animated series aimed specifically at late teen/adult audience?

    Will we ever get an animated series aimed specifically at late teen/adult audience?

    I know they have gone this way with some of the comics, and the War For Cybertron video games.

    I thought Prime might be it after the first couple episodes, but the human characters, and some of the writing has proved me wrong.

    I think there is so much potential, and probably enough market out there for a straight to DVD, or web series... I'm not looking for anything like the R or X rated weird Japanimation stuff, but just some cool war stores, where they aren't afraid to have characters die or get blown to bits sometimes...

    I always thought the G2 comics would have made a great cartoon.

    I don't think Hasbro would ever license something like this, while their main concern is selling toys to kids, but I wish they would. Thoughts?
     
  2. Stryker055

    Stryker055 Trying my best here!

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  3. Nachtsider

    Nachtsider Banned

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    A Last Stand of the Wreckers direct-to-DVD movie would be very nice.
     
  4. Valkysas

    Valkysas Attack Buffalo

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    A show doesn't have to be "dark" to be mature or entertaining to adults.

    What they did with Beast Wars, Animated, and Prime is the best approach. Intelligent writing, fleshed out characters that play off each other well, and they're series that can be enjoyed by all age groups equally.
     
  5. Nevermore

    Nevermore It's self-perpetuating a parahumanoidarianised!

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    We did.

    It was called "Beast Machines".
     
  6. lazerface

    lazerface Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, I wrote "dark" for a lack of better words...

    I guess I just want something episodic, with like 50+ characters of various importance, intelligent writing, and some robot carnage.

    Please give me HBO's The Wire version of Transformers LOL.
     
  7. Overlord Balder

    Overlord Balder Voices Slugslinger!

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    I'm sorry, but War For Cybertron is not even close to being something dark [especially if compared to Prime, which actually is far darker and filled with nightmarish imagery].

    With that cleared, I really think Transformers doesn't need to be dark, the movies [especially the movies] and TFP are the limit this franchise should go: quite dark, but still fun.
     
  8. tikgnat

    tikgnat Baweepgranaweepninnybong.

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    Lemme guess, by 'dark' are we talking emo-goth OMG I'm an angst ridden teen Bumblebee that's struggling to find my place in a world perpetually at war?

    Oh and one faction sparkles in sunlight?
     
  9. Hot Shot.

    Hot Shot. Well-Known Member

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    Yep.

    It's a shame it failed as a Beast Wars sequel.

    That, and the "Our ancestors came to Cybertron and paved over it" nonsense.
     
  10. lazerface

    lazerface Well-Known Member

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    I have been watching Prime each week as it's released, and really enjoy it. It's about as "dark" as I need, but I just wish there were more unique Transformer characters, and less drones. The human animation kind of bugs me.

    I haven't watched Beast Wars/Beast Machines except for a few episodes. The animation looked terrible to me, so I never watched it while it was on air. I will probably get around to it some day.

    Animated seems like the furthest thing from what I am looking for, but I have only based that on the animation style, and a few minutes I watched of the first episode. I keep seeing good things written about it, though.
     
  11. Aernaroth

    Aernaroth <b><font color=blue>I voted for Super_Megatron and Veteran

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    Unlikely, given market drivers.

    There's always the comics though...
     
  12. MaxxieOD

    MaxxieOD Jazz is my homebot

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    Animated started off more light-hearted, but things went downhill into season 2 and 3.
    I'm still a bit disturbed by how Blurr was killed.
    Animated touched on several subjects that can be...well touchy, especially about war and such. If you're not watching shows JUST because of the animation style, then I feel sorry for you. Don't judge a show just cause of how it was animated (I love Rescue Bots, and the animation completely threw me off at first, but it works well with the show).

    I don't think we need a dark, emo-ridden show. What we have currently with Prime (as well as WfC/FoC) is as dark as we need to get. I don't agree with you on saying that WfC is dark, as it's not as dark as what you're wanting. Go watch Spawn or something if you're wanting a dark cartoon. Leave Transformers out of that stuff, please.
     
  13. lazerface

    lazerface Well-Known Member

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    I'm not sure where emo came from. I liked Spawn some in the 90's but don't really care for the religious stuff or excessive blood.

    I guess I just had something in mind, like the G2 Marvel comics.
     
  14. mrgalvaprime

    mrgalvaprime IDW2019 Stan

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    Beast Machines wants to have a word with you....
    He's alive, don't worry :wink:  He's not up and walking yet, but he wasn't dumped into the furnace (read the Stunti-con job)
     
  15. KikBlava

    KikBlava Well-Known Member

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    Beast Wars isn't entirely dark, but I highly recommend it for some mature storytelling, such as the episodes, Code of Hero, Transmutate and The Agenda 3 parter. A Transformers cartoon doesn't have to be dark all the time. But if you really want dark cartoons, I recommend several DC cartoons such as Batman Beyond and Justice League.

    I just remembered The Headmasters is a bit dark, there was a bit of swearing in different versions of subtitles. But you still had that shithead Daniel Witwicky so, not completely dark. But like I said, Transformers isn't meant to be dark. Its meant to be goofy, entertaining, and half of the time taken seriously.
     
  16. Kylehudson14

    Kylehudson14 On when I'm on

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    Id say TFP is kinda dark, at least at the start it was & it still kinda is. Lots of deaths so far, if deaths arent dark then I dont know what is.
     
  17. Spin-Out

    Spin-Out Well-Known Member

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    We've got two of them: BM and Prime, and both are really rather underwhelming compared to the lighter TF series like Beast Wars and TFA!
     
  18. daitarn red

    daitarn red bionic hero

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    transformers for all ages
     
  19. Silk Spectre

    Silk Spectre The Evil Queen

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    Just my feelings, here, but.....

    Never really bought into the idea that death automatically makes something "dark". Death can be an aspect, one facet of a film/show/book that helps set "darkness", but it isn't the only thing. To me, "darkness" is much more than a single incident: it's a tone, an atmosphere, a mood - something that can certainly be created from character death, but also has to come from within the story itself, the very execution of it - no pun intended.

    Character death can be a piece of the recipe but if all of the needed ingredients aren't in place, "darkness" still won't necessarily be achieved successfully.

    I also think it's possible to achieve darkness without character death.

    But I don't think "dark" really works that well with what's being discussed in this topic. "Dramatic" or even "epic" (overused word, but still.....) would work better. Something that contains elements like an evolving story with a large scope and fully developed characters.

    Neither TF Prime or the movies achieve that. I think Prime wants to be a little more dramatic, even to be epic at times, but I don't think it's successful - in fact, I'm kinda at the point with it where I would rather they find the fun. They're almost in nowhere's land for me. What held the movies back is the writing for the story and characters. The lack of it.
     
  20. Oberoniss

    Oberoniss DOESN'T-EXIST BABBU

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    I'd adore a series meant only for adults, but that's never going to happen.