Then & Now - Your Feelings Towards Animated

Discussion in 'Transformers Animated Discussion' started by Kickback, Mar 4, 2008.

  1. ams

    ams Generation All Veteran

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    Looks like I’m in the tiny minority, but for the sake of the ongoing success of the franchise, I think that’s a good thing in this case.

    When I first saw the promo shots, I was VERY excited… finally, a TF show we could be proud of, hopefully to follow the style and tone of the Batman/Justice League animated series. Domestically-produced, solid voice actors, and a fresh, new approach to the line. My expectations went through the roof and I touted to everybody that there was a phenomenal new series on the way.

    Disappointment began for me when the first toy test shots began appearing, and traditional mechanical looks were nowhere to be found. I’m all for change, but I suppose there are some “norms” I need to see consistently in a line of toy robots. I never imagined the bendy-metal, heavily stylized look and absence of mechanical detail would be reproduced so faithfully in the toys. That accuracy is generally seen as a major positive, but after the extreme complexity and "realism" of the movie designs it’s too harsh of a change for me.

    However, I still had very high hopes for the show… but after working my way through the first 8-10 episodes, I’m finding it to be falling back into slapstick humor + laughable supervillains + corners-cut-in-production standard cartoon fare. I wasn’t expecting it to look like GaoGaiGar, but the noticeably low frame rate is visibly distracting and takes away significantly from my enjoyment.

    So TFA has fallen gravely short of my preconceived expectations, but that’s really my fault, not TFA's. This will be the first Transformer line in 25 years I don't plan to purchase at all, let alone purchase to completion. If nothing else, it has given me a much greater sympathy for the people who hated the movie line. It’s no fun when your expectations and reality are so far removed from one another.

    In spite of all that, I’m delighted to see it well-received by the kids and the majority of the fanbase. TFA is going to be a major hit, and make tons of money… and those of us that prefer the more traditional look have Universe to look forward to this year (and new movie toys next year) so there’s something in place for everybody... it really is a win-win. And if I do happen to grab one of the toys when they come out and end up loving it, I'll be the first person to admit I was wrong. :thumb 
     
  2. Super_Megatron

    Super_Megatron Veteran

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    Holy Shit, an ams sighting! What's up bro!

    On topic I'm quite pleased with Animated, I enjoy the show which is something I haven't done since RID. The toys look great and are really starting to grow on me, the style just took some getting used to, just like with the Movie.
     
  3. Joe Moore

    Joe Moore Is Not Jim... Veteran

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    When it first showed up, I hated it.

    Now that the show is on, and I have seen the toys, I still don't dig it. I don't outright hate it. Just the show has kinda bored me and the toys aren't my taste. I don't see myself continuing to watch the show, and I be ignoring the toys for the most part.
     
  4. KA

    KA Well-Known Member

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    great post ams, in spite of length, thats a rarity.

    I was never going to be dissapointed with this line because I took it as a deviation rather than progression. Just like how I perceived the movie line, they actually break away from how TFs generically look so I'm okay with it since I know its not permanent.

    And then the cartoon came out and I'm like wow this is actually fun. I'm not forcing myself to watch it just because its got TFs in it, its genuinely enjoyable.

    Then I got the toys and I'm like, wow, I can't believe how well designed these are, theyre really close to their cartoon versions despite the stylized look, which I think is quite a feat.

    TFA has met and exceeded my expectation of the line. And I'm glad TF is doing well enough that they can diversify the brand, so there's something for everybody.
     
  5. Ops_was_a_truck

    Ops_was_a_truck JOOOLIE ANDREWWWWWS!!!!!!

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    That's like THE #1 reason I enjoy this show. RID, Armada, Energon and Cybertron were just...dull and poorly dubbed. I'm not going to apologize for that - they were, at least to me, simply unwatchable. I tried a few episodes (maybe 8 of all of those series in total?) and just couldn't tolerate it.

    TFA is totally different. I eagerly await an opportunity to sit down and watch Transformers cartoons again. That means a lot.
     
  6. Johnator

    Johnator 'Til All Are Gone!

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    You aren't in a tiny minority. You are in a tiny minority on a Transformers Animated board. :)  Big difference so don't feel bad about it.
     
  7. revlimiter

    revlimiter Bot Hacker

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    Then: I loved the designs when I first saw them. Great re-imagining of old characters. I was unsure of Prime's mouth though.

    now: I LOVE the show. And the designs. And not Prime's mouth. I still wish for a faceplate. but after the brilliance that was Soundwave, they could paint Prime in daisy wallpaper as much as I care. Soundwave was so perfect, I don't care if the series hops in a handbasket and presses the "hell" button on the elevator.
     
  8. Joe Moore

    Joe Moore Is Not Jim... Veteran

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    I will say this, I am happy that people like the series. By people supporting it, it helps the brand grow as a whole. If those that love the series support it by purchasing toys, and those purchases spill over beyond Animated, then only good things can happen.
     
  9. Optimus Scourge

    Optimus Scourge Arcee's boy toy Veteran

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    < Hopelessly addicted

    TFA ROCKS!!! :rock 
     
  10. Prowl

    Prowl Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, loved it then, and love it now. Is it perfect? Nah, I wish the animation was at least on Par with JLU or The Batman, but at the least it has an ongoing story that I can actually get into.
     
  11. Radioactive Ravage

    Radioactive Ravage Ancient

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    Then: I'm not going to lie, I had problems getting accustomed to another Transformers show. I realized that the popularity of the movie had pushed this one, yet the designs were drastically different from any we had seen before. The severe "yuck" that was A/E/C was also a turn-off. Though that series was Japanese, I still wasn't sure that America could handle their own TF series. However, after seeing the ridiculously negative reaction a vast majority of the board members had, I told them what I always tell people: we must wait and see. I generally adapted to that mindset, and was positively hopeful for the series.

    Now: No matter what you say, I believe that Animated is a fantastic show. A HUGE departure from the cartoons that are now on television, it features a plot with great interaction and characterization. I am especially excited for the toys- which also feature great design. Never have we experiences such diversity in Transformers. Now, the movie and Animated lines present all new opportunities.

    So yeah, not much a change.
     
  12. KA

    KA Well-Known Member

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    actually, im not too sure abt this. did it really?

    considering that TFA was developed while TFTM07 was in production, im not sure the immense success of the movie was an actual factor in the design/creative process. im pretty sure when TFTM07 established itself commercially last summer, TFA designs were already being finalized/early production lines had begun already.

    if anything, the partnership with CN would have been the driving/determining force, since CN also wants to push their end of the product.
     
  13. FreshDebesh

    FreshDebesh <b><font color=brickred>oye chak de phatte!</font> Veteran

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    My feeling haven't really changed much. I was excited at Botcon last year and its still exciting to watch every saturday morning. My cartoon network feed is from the east coast, so I have to wake up at 7:30 in the am to watch, but its worth it! I feel like I'm one of the few people that actually liked Teen Titans and its animation style, so I had no problem "accepting" the change in animation aesthetic with TFA. I have good feelings about this show and its only going to get better. I think as the story unfolds, we're gonna see great character development and plot twists. Like Kickback said earlier on, Animated is the new G1. Should be a fun ride!
     
  14. KA

    KA Well-Known Member

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    after this is over g1 will be the old animated \m/
     
  15. Jetstorm

    Jetstorm Wielder of the Keyblade

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    I remember being *slightly* nervous when I read about how it was going to have human villains as the main villains, but all I kept saying to myself was "there is no way it could be as bad as the past 3 shows".

    And I was right, I'm loving it! As my sister said (who also shares my hatred for the human-focused past three shows): "I'm glad they didn't drop the ball on this one!".

    At the beginning of the latest episode I was saying "If this was Armada... it would probably show like Carlos and Rad playing basketball and something would happen where they need the Autobots" and my sister laughed and was "Heh yeah, you're probably right".

    The designs don't bother me at all really, but then again I grew up in the beast-era (no "ZOMG tehy can't be beeestzorsss" here!) so that's good.

    Basically what it comes down to is this: as long as the focus is NOT on the humans... I don't hate it.

    :thumb 
     
  16. northerncrowe

    northerncrowe Well-Known Member

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    Hated the first released designs but once I heard who the production team was I was convinced. It was still problematic to have them against humans to start but it gave them room for more character-based stories. I still think there is room for them but there were too many to launch the show. The best ones have a balance between the two.

    It will only get better.
     
  17. ian5555

    ian5555 Well-Known Member

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    Quite true Ravage, if the movie had bombed we wouldn't have seen TFA. I'm starting to like it a little more. I don't see it ever topping G1 or BW for me though.
     
  18. KA

    KA Well-Known Member

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    again, i'm very, very, very sure this cant be.

    TFTM07 was released july last year.

    TFA premiered right abt end of 07/early 08.

    thats abt a half year gap.

    i dont think they waited to see how well the movie did before starting production on TFA. even then, i dont think CN would give up the show just because it tanked at the BO.

    the transformers line have always done decently even w/o the support of a successful movie (unlike star wars). there have even been lines devoid of TV support. why this mentality of 'oh, TFA was only possible because of the movie'? i mean, look at classics. the only support was fan exclusive comics.

    bottom line is, hasbro can do whatever they want, really.
     
  19. Backpack

    Backpack G1 forever.

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    The very first pic that surfaced of Prime was go awful and I thought it would suck beyond suck. That is until shortly after this image of the main cast was released and my opinion changed.

    [​IMG]

    I was pretty open to the new show once I could see that the art, while very stylize was still very quality work. The Botcon preview won me over. It was pure love from that point forward.
     
  20. ian5555

    ian5555 Well-Known Member

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    Just specualting but we'll never know because it did do so well. If I were a business like Hasbro though, and the movie tanked AND the figures didn't sell well there is no way in hell I put out a cartoon based on it. The movie did do well and the toys sold so it was a no brainer for them to try something to capitalize off it's success. They took a chance that it would be a huge success and started production of the cartoon to coincide with the movie.