| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
The successive Transformers series focus on two factions of robots fighting out a civil war which spilled over to the planet Earth. On Earth, the robots could transform into local types of vehicles, such as cars, trucks and airplanes. The protagonists of the series were based on Transformer toys.
An important note regarding the Japanese way of doing television: Many successful Japanese series last only one season, unlike in the United States. Typically, with shows such as Transformers, a successful series will end after one season and a new series based upon a slightly modified universe will begin in the next season. This is why shows such as Headmasters, and Car Robots last one season each.
AKA Fight! Super Robot Life (Seasons 1-2) and Transformers: 2010 (Season 3) in Japan Note: The Transformers Movie was not shown in Japan until 1990. To bridge the gap between Seasons 2 and 3, a special was written an animated called Scramble City . Season 4 (a single three part story entitled The Rebirth) was also not shown and does not form part of the later Japanese continuity.
This series began with a three-episode story, later titled either More than Meets the Eye or Arrival from Cybertron. In this incarnation the planet Cybertron is running low on energy. The Heroic Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, set out in space to search for more energy but are attacked by the Evil Decepticons led by Megatron. Both races crash on Earth and lie in suspended animation for the next four million years. Awakened by a volcanic eruption, the computer on board, Teletran One, begins repairing Decepticons and Autobots. The Decepticons set out to plunder Earth's energy resources in order to revitalise Cybertron. The Autobots seek to prevent this and so the battle is renewed on Earth, Cybertron and across space.
Leaders come and go as the years pass. In the final episodes of the series Cybertron is revitalised using energy from the Earth's sun. The Autobots and Decepticons have discovered the world of Nebulos and united with rival groups of Nebulans to become Headmasters and Targetmasters .
This is part of Generation 1 (later named as such after the 1990s relaunch as Generation 2), and formed the basis for all Transformers series to come.
The comics produced by Marvel between 1984 and 1991, and again from 1993 to 1994, tell a substantially different version of the story. Both versions were equally authorised by Hasbro.
Was aired on Television in Hawaii poorly dubbed in the early 90's, Otherwise limited exposure in the west.
In this incarnation (which completely ignored the events of the American 3-part story arc "Rebirth"), the transformers, lead by Optimus Prime, then Rodimus Prime, and then finally Fortress (Maximus) are joined by a team of Headmasters, small Transformers long ago stranded on a hostile planet. There they were forced to create bodies to endure this environment.
This series is more momentus than most:
The characters used in Masterforce were marketed in America using the term Pretenders; The story of the pretenders was significantly changed for western audiences.
The G1 Transformers
Super God (Chojin) Masterforce, hereafter just Masterforce, continues on some time after the events of "Headmasters." The Autobots and Decepticons have left Earth after the events of that series, but a group of Autobot Pretenders (who have been hiding amongst Earth's population since men lived in caves thanks to the powers of their Pretender shells) guard the planet in secret. They are led by Metalhawk (aka Hawk in his human disguise). Pretenders take the form of any organic animal life. Cybertron (Autobot) pretenders take human forms; The Destron (Decepticon) pretenders take the form of beasts and demons.
Pretenders use bracelets (Masterbraces) to call their pretender suits (Shouting "Suit On") which then, after shouting "Pretender" discorporate and form their giant robot bodies. Headmasters is referenced here, and a few including Chromedome make cameo appearances. However, the true headmaster stars are what make the series so unusual and such a stand-out among Transformer series - they are not Transformers, but human children. They pilot lifeless Transformer bodies called "Transtectors" by donning suits that allow them to transform into the Transtectors' heads and connect to them, and as such, they are named the Headmaster Jrs. A particularly popular character from this team is schoolgirl Minerva, whose toy was released in the US in blue and yellow colours as Nightbeat.
Later, the concept of Powermasters (known as "Godmasters" in Japan) is introduced, the primary Godmaster being Ginrai, a truck driver who powers a Transtector bearing a resemblance to Optimus Prime (the toy of which was released in the US as Powermaster Optimus Prime).
The primary antagonists in this series are the evil energy entity, Devil Z and his subordinates, Giga and Mega, and their group of Godmasters, Pretenders and Headmaster jr's.
Ginrai becomes the ultimate powermaster, forming with his cab and trailer to form God Ginrai; Later, he combines with Godbomber to form Super God Ginrai.
At the conclusion of the series, after claiming victory, the Transtectors gain sentience and leave the Earth with the Transformers.