What are some notable differences besides names between Car Robots and RID? Any dialouge or plot differences?
Almost all of the Dialouge and much of the plot was different between the two series. One episode wasn't aired in the US because of 9/11.
Actually, most of the series was really quite different. Keep in mind, that unlike A/E/C, Car Robots was a Japanese show in it's entirety; it wasn't built for a US Market, and was entirely a Takara product; it used a majority redeco line because of the fact that it was far cheaper for them to do it that way as an entitiy on their own, taking advantage of the fact that many of the molds hadn't been released in years or ever in Japan. Because of that, there was no Optimus Prime and Megatron, as standard in the Japanese continuities, we had an entirely new cast. A cast from the future. You see, Gigatron, leader of the Destrongers had very nearly conquered the universe in the future. Hearing of a weapon of ultimate power hidden on a backward planet in the past, he set off to claim it, just as Fire Convoy did. The two met up in the past, our present. Gigatron had taken a scant number of troops, thinking that he wouldn't meet any real resistance, and those chosen supposedly were chosen for the best chance of finding the ancient weapon. In RID, Optimus and Megatron did battle because that's what Transformers do. There was a far heavier emphasis on finding Brave Maximus and his power over the course of the Car Robots. In RID, Brave Maximus went unmentioned for most of the series. In CR Black Convoy had been a commander given the same mission as Fire Convoy years prior, and his ship and crew had been lost, to be found by Gigatron and reformatted them into the Destructicons, to bolster his forces against the surprisingly high number of Autobot troops. In RID, Megatron just wanted more people to boss around, and used the crew of a lost ship to bolster his forces. In CR, God Magnus showed up because Cybertrons defenses were failing and he felt it would be better to use new weapons then try to find old ones. His goal was to combine as many matrices as possible to come up with the raw power to defeat the Destrongers. His goal was partially realized when he combined matrices with Fire Convoy, resulting in God Fire Convoy. The two would have their arguements and their disagreements, but would eventually work together. He accidently channeled some power into the Car Brothers, giving them their super modes when he was trying to contain multiple matrices. In RID, Ultra Magnus is brother to Optimus Prime, who showed up because he wanted the Matrix of Leadership and was jealous that Prime had it. After trying to take it, he fails and creates the Super Car Brothers. However, in CR, Black Convoy was a keen one, and Gigatron would eventually be betrayed by the Destructicons who wanted the power of Brave Maximus for themselves. Gigatron would recieve the power reserve to Brave Maximus, upgrading him to Devil Gigatron. With his new uber powers, Devil Gigatron would use his power to remove the free will from the Destructicons as punishment, leaving them as little more than Vehicon Drones. In RID, Scourge pulls off a Starscream quest for power, Megatron finds an ancient earth artifact and becomes Gigatron, who would then threaten Scourge into obeying him. In CR, Devil Gigatron is an energy vampire, absorbing power and able to redirect as he wishes. He absorbs power from God Magnus' attack, drains Brave Maximus dry and unleashes the gigabats to drain the energy from as many living things as possible and absorbs the life energy of millions of people (in a second uber upgrade to himself) He effortlessly defeats the Autobots and then tortures them, threatening to kill them off one by one while Fire Convoy watches unless Fire Convoy opens up the space tunnels to allow Devil Gigatron to travel to the Earths core, to feed upon it's thermal energy and become like a God. Fire Convoy and God Magnus put aside their differences and as God Fire Convoy, they agree. They attack Devil Gigatron, but he proves too powerful. The Children of the world repower Brave Maximus, who sends God Fire Convoy the Master Sword, which still doesn't even the odds. Causing a rupture in the Earths core and attacking him at the same time causes too much power to flow into Devil Gigatron, and he's momentarily shut down to prevent overload to himself, allowing him to be captured in that split second. In RID, Galvatron takes his hits, but keeps on ticking. He then declares that it's really a battle between him and Prime, and challenges him to a battle. Optimus decides on the Earths core, and reconciles with Ultra Magnus. Omega Prime battles and beats Galvatron. There's other differences too, but that's the main plot ones.
They're actually called the "Combatrons" not the "Destructicons." Other than that, you seem pretty spot-on.
"Because of that, there was no Optimus Prime and Megatron, as standard in the Japanese continuities" Since convoy is pretty much the Japanese name for prime I don't get this statement. A rose by any other name smells just as sweat as they say. And Gigatron(as well as magmatron) is obviously derived from Megatron. Seems like Car Robots just had a slightly more Mature and in depth version of the same story. Once TV-N subs it I'll be sure to watch it. I wonder if Gelshark is as funny as Sky-Byte?
I just want to point out a few bits here, which aren't as different as they're made to sound... In RiD, Megatron reveals late on in the series that he did indeed specifically come to Earth to find Fortress Maximus, as in CR. In RiD, Scourge and the Decepticons were sent on the mission to recover Fortress Maximus, the same as they were in CR. Aside from the Orb of Sigma being identified as a reserve power unit for Fortress Maximus, RiD and CR are the *same* here. Scourge and the Decepticons want to acquire the power of Fortress Maximus for themselves, just as in CR, and Galvatron mind-wipes them to restore their loyalty, also as in CR, not just "threaten them."
Yeah Black Convoy becomes so boring after that In CR God Magnus stalkes Speedbreaker and almost only talks to him when with Car Robo bros. Yaoi fangirls dream there.
Don't forget that in Car Robots, Gigatron has a different personality for each transformation. God Magnus was supposed to look for Fire Covoy's Matrix, since he thinks he deserves it, not Fire Convoy. The "Combatrons" (original name for Scourge and his Decepticons) is the Japanese G1 name for the G1 Combaticons. I really enjoyed Car Robots, it was a lot of fun, more than RID. I still don't understand why they changed the cool and kick-ass original 3D Opening of Car Robots. Once I saw Gigatron there I decided I had to get that figure. Thanks Car Robots for getting me back to the collecting realm!
You know, I went back and forth on that in the post, because I honestly couldn't remember. LOL give me a break, it's been 8 years since I saw it. Also, Gigatron and Devil Gigatron having different personalities for each mode was definately different, but also something that slipped my mind when I was posting.
So the Orb of Sigma is a power reserve for Brave Maximus? Do the O-parts have one function, just to locate the Orb of Sigma?
Did they ever get Tai back? I don't remember if they did in RID. Maybe CR had some other different fate for her.
