Yep. Transformation-vogueing, "epic" posing in general, shouting attacks, "comic" body-shrinking scenes sweatdrop scenes etc are all cringeworthy and should be sidestepped carefully by anyone attempting a Transformers anime.

 

Yeah I have to agree, the Japanese humor seen in anime is too distracting for me to enjoy it. Then again me liking a anime is the exception not the rule so I am clearly biased.

 

My friend hates anime more than any person. He earned that hatred through trial and suffering

But eh.anime is sort of a slightly dying thing at the moment. Transformers is big enough they'll go all-out, but... Well, if it isn't broken don't fix it

(I do not want another Energon)

 

in the west maybe... which is a good thing.. no more anime butching by the west...

 

lolwut  

The Western "anime trend" might be dying down, but several of the best anime in the past 15 years have come out in the last two or three years. Anime itself is actually getting better after a long relative slump that started at the end of the '90s.

And I sorta agree with Calvin here, the trend dying down is good. Not so much because it means less butchering. The worst anime butchering happened in the '80s when anime was not trendy. I'm just sick of conventions and the Internet filling up with trendy anime "fans". The type who just watch whatever fluff is on Cartoon Network and are hyperactive about those but have no real interest in exploring other anime beyond the low-hanging fruit. It jacks up the SNR.

 

I think you're taking the word "Japan" too literally. I believe everyone else figured I meant "a Japanese studio" but I didn't think I'd actually have to explain that.

Anyway, in respect to TF: GO! wasn't it created for the sake of advertising the figures? Thinking about the comment I've read about the anime cliches in TF anime I can't help but think of the difference in attitude as to how Japanese studios and Western studios see Transformers. Comparing TF: Prime to TF: GO!, the former portrays the bots as human-esque characters whereas the latter want to portray them as badass robots even if the characterization is wooden. That said, I like how dynamic the Japanese makes the Transformers when they're in action.

 

I know what you meant, but I'm pointing out that it's a generalization that's all sorts of problematic. That seems pretty clear to other posters in the thread. "I didn't think I'd actually have to explain that."

 

I think I'll just be reiterating some earlier points but..
No, I do NOT want a Japanese to be solely responsible for the next core Transformers series.

While the anime medium is MORE than capable of creating compelling and complex, while still fun, stories; history has shown Takara unable or unwilling to view the brand in that light. Takara has and will likely continue to view the non-movie side of the brand as explicitly "for the kids" and keep the standards for their series low for the sake of selling toys (more so than the brand already does).

Much of the issues with Takara's view of the Transformers brand only seemed to intensify once Hasbro started footing the bill for the animation (thus, less risk and less need to invest on Takara's part), hence the shoddy product we got in Armada and Energon. Hasbro, supposedly, had to almost drag Takara to the deal with Gonzo Animation to get something halfway better than stuff like Energon.

Flamepanther did indeed cite some impressive talent, but the problem is...that talent costs money. Money Takara is CERTAINLY not interested in spending, and the return would probably be dubious for Hasbro would likely want from a core animated series.

 

I get the impression that Transformers is generally weird and sort of niche in Japan. It does seem like Takara-driven shows are made for a much younger audience, but that doesn't jibe with certain other things. It might just be our cultural perspective talking. For instance, one of my friends in college was an exchange student from Japan. When we held a private screening of Transformers: The Movie, she wanted to know whether it was related to Beast Wars. She had never heard of Transformers in any other context--totally unaware of G1, G2, etc--but she was aware of the Japanese dub of Beast Wars. She said it was known as a showcase for star voice talent. So what we see as a dumbed-down kiddie version might just be intended as silly fun for general audiences. I don't know, as I only have her impression of the show to go by. But Takara is a lot more careful than Hasbro to make sure their toys appeal to older collectors, including the ones being marketed on TV, so a difference in perception makes sense.

To another market, it might seem like Hasbro is hellbent on gearing their toys toward toddlers and then selling them with overly serious shows for angsty teenagers.  

 

I would kill for a high-quality Transformers anime aimed at an older audience. No one does giant robots better.

 

Thing is, TFs aren't exactly giant robots genre the same way as Japanese mecha shows are.

Much was made of their mecha genre trappings like being robots, but it never had anything more than them being robots.

Marvel's production bible legacy is still all over this franchise.

I'd rather not have anime approaching TFs like mecha.

 

This so much. I think the only decent sentient mecha series that came out of Japan was the Yuusha, which was a cousin series to Transformers to begin with. I adored the Yuusha stuff, but it basically disappeared other than them rereleasing GaoGaiGar on Bluray. The most popular of the Yuusha shows was the one where the sentient mechs took a back seat to a piloted mech.

Japan just doesn't like making series with sentient giant mechs. Especially now, all I see are just piloted giant mechs. As much as I love Japan and such, they just don't do sentient mechs. Now if maybe they just had a Japanese studio do the animation while being written by some good American writers, I could get behind that.

 

What about the Brave series, which on occasion even borrowed the occasional TF mold (I.E. a massively overhauled Sixshot retool)? Though admittedly, the only Brave robot I actually can name off the top of my head is Build Tiger, for reasons entirely unrelated to that actual character.

 

Yuusha is Braves lol, I was calling them by their Japanese name.

Build Tiger was a combiner from J-Decker, which is my absolute fav of the Yuusha series.

 

Both series are part of the Yuusha/Brave! franchise which did originate with Brave Exxaiser... from unused Takara work for late Japanese G1 TFs. Hence borrowed molds and awfully similar in style character designs.

This franchise was a kind of an exception. Its origin sort of explains why it feels so close to TF in feel.

 

That'd be awesome yet lame.

I doubt Transformers will ever be able to aimed for an older audience in Japan.

It's still seen as kids stuff.

 

Unless it's ironically, like Beast Wars evidently might have been.

 

Yes, please!

 

Counterpoint: Gurren Lagann. If a TF series managed to be anywhere near as awesome as GL, I think the fandom would die from happiness. Imagine Prime getting GL style upgrades throughout the series or TF villain character designs as good as Lazengann or Enkidudu. I haven't been excited for a TF program since Animated, and even then I didn't really like the character designs. Maybe bring Wyatt and his writing staff back with Gainax style animation? I like stylization, but the Animated/Teen Titans style didn't translate into good toy designs, at least for me.

 

I watched Transformers Go. It was the worst TF show I have ever seen. And even if they could get better writers, unless they stop the emotionless-CGI, I probably wouldn't enjoy the series much.