When Transformers Animated was first revealed with early designs… we all hated them. We had just come out of 4 anime series and the first live action movie and suddenly wacky angular exaggerated designs were presented, we reacted badly. We admit that. By we I mean Transformers fans. But at one of the conventions, in the lead up to the series, showed the first few minutes of the first episode and, well it won us over. I like to use this as a good example of what to do when people are apprehensive about a show. Not go on about how the fans are wrong and they will love it when it’s out. No, show them what it’s like and work to win them over.

Transformers Animated is now considered one of the best Transformers shows and one that was cancelled prematurely, with us all hearing the bits about what was planned for a season 4. Ah well so let’s get to the 3 part opener.

In what will catch people off, we are first greeted with scenes from G1, though as you hear an over-narration you find out it’s actually old war documentary footage. And so we learn that like Beast Wars this is set after the Autobot Decepticon war. Though not so far that the two factions have become different factions. Basically The Autobots won and Decepticons are now more of a legendary foe that few have ever met.

Instead of a team of combatants, we are introduced to a space bridge repair crew, led by a young Optimus Prime, aided by an elderly Ratchet who was in the wars, two somewhat more childish characters with Bumblebee and a brand new iteration of Bulkhead (this is the one that we use as the basis going forward in the franchise) and a Ninja like prowl.

As with Beast Wars we get small bits that show us elements of the characters. Optimus is far too skilled to be simply the captain of a space bridge repair crew, and lines imply something happened in the past that got him demoted. Prowl seems to not care at all about the team and looks down on them and Ratchet’s old war veteran nature. All elements that will be developed further later on.

And then they find the All-spark. This came out after the movie so some elements are clearly taking a nod from that, such as Megatron’s Cybertronian mode. Anyway. Finding the All-spark causes a Decepticon warship to appear which has been searching for it, and so we get to meet some of the core Decepticons, and we get to learn a little about them too. And then Starscream plants a bomb on Megatron as he flies off to get the All-spark from the Autobots.

Next: battle on ship, All-spark goes doo dad and they appear, crash on Earth with Megatron’s body being ejected before they crash into Lake Erie, time jump 50 years.

We are introduced to a postmodern Boston that, thanks to Sumdac systems, has become a city famous for robotics.

The first episode of the three parter focused on the Autobots before they got to Earth and now the second part focuses on them emerging from their ship and basically becoming super heroes of sorts for the future Detroit.

It’s in the third part that we get to see them more celebrated but also have them fight Starscream who was quickly abandoned by the other Decepticons.

The three parter works exceedingly well at not only introducing us to the characters but also the type of stories this show will do. We see them not only face Decepticons, who are notably bigger and better fighters than the Autobots, with them having to go 5 against 1 to take a single one down, but also face criminals of future Detroit. At the same time we get small snippets like in the first episode that delve into characters’ pasts that are revealed, including one line that most people didn’t realize until it was revealed in the finale of season 2 (shame they never made a toy of that character).

The third episode ends with the reveal of what happened to Megatron and how it ties into the development of postmodern Detroit so it’s clear that will be a plot thread that season 1 will build towards…which given the last two episodes are Megatron Rising  Part 1 and 2… well come now it was clear the season finale would see them face Megatron again.

Still Animated has one of the strongest starts of any Transformers opener. It has the solid story structure of G1 but also the great character development and teases of Beast Wars. We get snippets of characters like Ultra Magnus that you look forward to seeing, not to mention an Earth and human characters you actually want to see.

So check this one out and see how it won over people that on the first reveal were very concerned. Also yes I did not go into episode 2 and 3 as much as the first but look how much the first episode alone took, you think I’m going to do that for all 3 parts?

Rating: 🎅🎅🎅🎅🎅