Talk about why you love it, your favorite episodes, your favorite moments, memories you have watching it as a kid, etc. Please keep negative comments to a minimum.

I don't think the cartoon's importance can be overstated. I believe without it Transformers would not be where it is today, it would have been a comic book and toy line perhaps no more fondly remembered than Micronauts. There's no doubt it was the reason I fell in love with Transformers thirty years ago. I remember seeing the very first commercial promoting the comic book. I was five years old watching Pac-Man in my living room on a Saturday morning when I was stopped dead in my tracks by thirty seconds of pure awesomeness. I'd never seen anything like it! What the hell was that?! I didn't read comic books at that age and I never saw that commercial again but it made such an impression on me that I wondered about it for months until I stumbled upon the first season later that year. I was ecstatic. I thought He-Man was as good as it got, but this blew it away. In all honesty, I was a bit disappointed with the toys when I first saw them. Most of them didn't look like their cartoon counterparts and they could barely move. I finally came around a few months later because I loved the show so much and fell in love with the characters, I needed the toys to act out my own Transformers adventures.

We lived in Alabama from '84 - '86 when I was in first and second grade. The weird thing was Transformers was aired as part of the Bozo the Clown show on the Chicago Superstation in the mornings before school. Seems like such a strange concept now and even at the time I hated that I had to sit through Bozo's horseshit just to watch my favorite cartoon! For all the crap it gets from fans now, it felt like a really edgy show, especially compared to Filmation and Hanna Barbera productions. There were a few shows at the time with better animation (Mighty Orbots, imported Robotech), but overall Toei's animation was above average (I'm going to leave out AKOM here...) and could often be dynamic and beautiful thanks to the talents of legends like Floro Dery, Masami Obari, Peter Chung, Romeo Tanghal, et al. I think it's pretty amazing what both the writers and animators were able to achieve given the insane production schedule, flying by the seats of their pants, using Jim Shooter and Bob Budiansky's bibles as a springboard and making the rest up as they went.

I saw The Movie in theaters with my mom right before I started third grade. Nothing could have prepared me for that experience. It blew the brains right out of the back of my head. Everything about it. The epic scope, the deaths, the new characters, the animation, the soundtrack, everything. I was one of those kids who cried when Prime died. It was because of the movie I was so eager to get the new toys. I was pumped about their post movie adventures and even though I noticed that a lot of the episodes were poorly drawn (of course I wasn't aware that the animation chores were split between AKOM and Toei in season 3), I loved the new characters, the space opera angle, the deeper mythology, and the darker, more dangerous tone.

By '87 I was loving the Headmaster toys and couldn't wait to watch their adventures on TV. I waited and waited, but sadly nothing ever came. I never saw "The Rebirth" as far as I can remember and couldn't believe the cartoon was just... over. I mean, last we saw Prime had returned AGAIN and was ready to kick all kinds of ass in new adventures! But... nothing. Without the show, I lost interest in Transformers around the time Pretenders hit.

Thankfully, we're living in a golden age for G1 fans who can fire up their Rhino or Shout Factory DVDs anytime and relive those amazing old memories.

 

Just wanted to post here and say this is a great topic/thread and to post so I can find this and come back later and make a proper post.

Thanks for this thread/topic DeanML  

 

Yeah, man! Can't wait for you and everybody else to chime in.

 

Brilliant thread, Dean ML, I love your passion for G1. It's strange, the idea of this thread is so obvious but I'm surprised no one has made one up until today, haha. Brilliant thread, will contribute when I have something to say.  

 

"I've never seen anything so beautiful before in my life, all right, hand me the bomb."
Nuff' said.

 

I couldn't believe this wasn't already a thread, either! Looking forward to your contributions, Malware5.

 

I didn't grow up with G1 but my Favorite movie is the 1986 Transformers movie over 300 times, I've watched the entire G1 series as well and my favorite is probably "The Rebirth" all three parts were good. Despite all the errors I couldn't help but love the awesome series.

 

One of the best!

 

I could never really get into The Rebirth. They had to fit so many new concepts and characters into three episodes that it felt like a parade of stuff constantly being introduced. AKOM's animation makes it even harder to re-watch, but it's still fun. I enjoyed discovering the Japanese Headmasters series last year as well as Masterforce and Victory, but it just wasn't the same. Close but not quite. I love Japanese animation, but not Japanese story sensibilities. Wish we could've seen a Sunbow season 4 unfold with Toei animation!

 

I love the Generation One cartoon, flaws and all. I wish the U.S. cartoon would have gone with Headmasters instead of Rebirth.

 

Also the Return of Optimus Prime was a good 2 part series.

 

Yes, especially part 2 which had particularly nice animation. I remember being awestruck seeing Prime back and kicking everyone's ass. Ending with The Touch was a nice, uh... touch. Speaking of music, I love the DiCola inspired soundtrack that was used in the latter half of season 3. Really helped bring an edgier, modern sound to the show. Shame it couldn't have been used through the whole season.

 

Yes finally a place for me to express my love for the original!!!

G1 is the best thing to come out of the franchise to date. I know there have been newer, flashier versions, but G1's simplistic animation, designs, and plots were part of its charm. I admire how the cartoons did their job without ridiculously detailed robots, or modern CGI. It also gave us great characters, most of which haven't been done so wonderfully since. It was cute, funny, as well as awesome, it was entertaining, and action packed, while being kid friendly. It set the standards for the franchise, and gives us something to compare the newer versions to.

Long live G1!

 

The movie wasn't that kid friendly. They killed off fan favorites at the beginning of the series and also swore in the movie.

 

Loved (G1) Transformers as a kid. Loved it, loved it, loved it. Sure there were other cartoons/toys that caught my attention: GI Joe, MASK, almost all 80's toons (never got into He-Man though, surprisingly). But at the end of the day, there was no quesiton who was #1 in my books. In modern day terms, my mentality could translate to "IF IT AIN'T TRANSFORMERS, IT AIN'T SHIT!"

I mean, the idea itself was pure genius: boys think cars are cool, boys think robots are cool. Fuse the two together to get cars that turn into robots. Now add an amazing fiction featuring some great characters = zOMG AMAZEBALLS! [suck it Go-Bots]

My fond memories of G1 episodes:
-basically any multi-parter: MTMTE (natch), The Ultimate Doom, Dinobot Island, Five Faces of Darkness, et al
When they just leave you in suspense and wanting more, dying to know what happens next. I'm a sucker like that.
-any episode featuring the Dinobots
-Fire in the Sky: to this day Skyfire/Jetfire is still one of my favorite characters
-The Key to Vector Sigma: MOAR TOYS!!!
-Masquerade: Autobots disguised as the Stunticons, how cool is that?!
-The Return of Optimus Prime: Just read that episode title! Nothing more needs to be said
-The Rebirth: a lot of fans thumb their noses at this, but I quite dug the 'Master gimmicks
I'm going to stop there, otherwise I'd just be listing off episodes that aren't Carnage in C-Minor

Saw the movie in theatres too. Don't recall crying over Optimus Prime's death, but it definitely blew my mind as well. Fuckin' UNICRON!!!! Could not...comprehend...

 

But of course! It meant that the parents most certainly had to accompany their kiddies, and thus they get to see all the new characters to buy for their kiddies.



Beast Wars was the robot playtime of my youth, but catching up with G1 via the magic of the Internet, I've had a lot of fun watching its plethora of wacky antics and hilarious shenanigans, 80's style. There's only so few instances where I can watch a gigantic super-advanced jet robot getting swarmed and mauled by perturbingly large crocodilians  

 

I'm from 1978.

G1 Aired on saturday mornings. It basically defined my childhood weekends.

Personally, I actually loved the toys a bit more than the cartoon models, for
their 'diaclone-esque / Microman' intricacy & 'realistic' altmodes; whereas I always perceived the cartoon models as simplifications ( which they are, technically ).

Of course, the writing and consistency, was hit & miss.

Still..... there was something about the whole G1 package, which set it apart from stuff like Gobots - and I really loved Gobots toys too.
It means that to me, G1 Transformers had some real heart and soul going on.

The 1986 movie truly excited me, but I wasn't really pleased with the new eliptical / Cybertronian design aesthetics....and the 'new' 1986 toys felt simplified to me.

Fortunately, by 87/88, Transformers toys saw the return of 'realistic' or traditional altmodes with the Powermasters and Headmasters. Then again.... by that time, the actual G1 tv show had long lost its heart and soul... until Action Masters delivered the deathblow to G1 as I knew and loved it.

Ironically, it took about 20 years from there on, to reignite my interest in Transformers....and it was Bayformers 2007, which did just that.

 

The show itself was awesome and the movie I over watched.

 

I love the G1 cartoon, minus the Rebirth, as I wish characters like Sixshot and Punch/Counterpunch got to appear more. I'm with whoever wishes the US cartoon went the longer Headmasters route.

Anyways, I have many episodes I like, both goofy and serious.

-"The Golden Lagoon." I'm a huge Beachcomber fan, and it is nice seeing a character care about protecting something other than other Autobots, humanity, and energy from the Decepticons.
-Any episode that prominently features the Dinobots or Starscream. The Dinobots are great, and Starscream's dynamic with the other Decepticons and especially Megatron is always entertaining.
-Special mention of Dinobots goes to "Dinobot Island." It's a fun two episode saga, and I love dinosaurs, so I love it even if the depiction of the dinosaurs and other extinct reptiles is outdated. In fact, to me that is part of the fun. Plane-sized Dimorphodons? Yes please. Plus Dinobots inspiring dinosaurs to fight is awesome.
-"A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court." I like goofy episodes with goofy romances, and this one is no different. This is actually the episode that got me in to G1. "Me and my big mouth," Rumble.
-"Dark Awakening"
-"Webworld." I love this episode. It shows how crazy Galvatron really is, and it has my favorite quote of his. "This, Cyclonus, is beauty...devastation wrought with precision and care."

There are others, but these ones pop out the most for me.

 

Oh, man, Webworld is a standout. One of my absolute favorites. Very dark and twisted stuff for an '80's kids' cartoon. Toei did a great job on the animation and it had the newer soundtrack that I loved. Definitely unique in that I believe it's the only Decepticon centric episode in G1 (the Autobots appeared briefly in the beginning). The dynamic between Cyclonus and Galvatron was a great departure from Starscream and Megatron, with Cyclonus ever faithful and devoted to his leader.

Dark Awakening was truly disturbing stuff! Might've been the best episode had Toei animated it, but in all fairness it was one of AKOM's better efforts. I can't remember if I cried at the end of this one, but I'm sure I at least got a lump in my throat at the end. What a mindfuck that was to us poor kids!

Dinobot Island was great fun, and one of Toei's best efforts from season 2. You can definitely feel storyboard artist Peter Chung's influence in the dynamic layouts of many of its scenes. You'll notice Don Glut was responsible for many of the Dinobots' episodes. He's a huge dinosaur and paleo enthusiast, having written actual books on the subject in conjunction with paleontologists. He's also a B movie fan and B movie maker, responsible for some racy cavegirl flicks.