Movie aesthetics are really popular with kids right now thanks to the live action moofies, so it's little wonder that they play an influence with TF Prime. And the TF Prime designs are a kind of "hybrid" between the movie designs and more orthodox Transformers "G1" designs (which is really inspired by Japanese mecha; the roots of Transformers (e.g. Diaclone, Macross etc.)). I've come to enjoy Animated since Seasons 2 and 3, but I'm still not a big fan of the cartoony designs. But I can look past design aesthetics if the story telling is good.

 

After all, in the world of the Transformers things are often... More Than Meets The Eye! :D

 

Some people criticised the episode "Convoy" for using humans as the primary antagonists, but I liked it. It's good to show that:

+ The Autobots have threats other than Decepticons and Scraplets from space

+ Humans can be formidable enemies and the Transformers aren't gods.

 

And I like the human villains in Prime a whole lot more than the human villains in Animated (SUV FTL!!). Raf just seems a bit too freakishly smart for a kid his age though... much like Chip Chase, only he's not a super strong pretend cripple. ;) :P Although Chip was a bit more believable as a young adult rather than a child.

 

P.S.: And will SOMEBODY give Agent Fowler a flight suit and helmet?!? Holy occupational health and safety, Batman!!

I think good character development is fundamental to any good form of story-telling.

 

I agree 100% and this has been the biggest disappointment in Bay's movies for me.

so far im enjoying TF prime and i want it to go on for a long time but i have afew problems with:

1. no back stories on some of the characters and it wouldnt be too hard either since there are only a handful of them to go through

2. not enough characters in either faction ( i was realy hoping skyquake would survive) although we did gain 2 in duec ex machina

3. Optimus has absolutely no depth whatsoever, it's like he has a one track processor or something bent on the destruction of the decepticons and i feel that when the autobots finaly win prime is just gonna flop there or something

 

othere than that, prime is amazing and i am hoping it improves (especialy on OP)

2. not enough characters in either faction ( i was realy hoping skyquake would survive) although we did gain 2 in duec ex machina

 

 

I find it absolutely ridiculous that Skyquake was introduced and killed in the same episode. Waste of a character. I'm hoping we'll see him again but it seems pretty unlikely.

The 5-part premiere was ok but they should have stopped there.

 

It is all pretty damm mediocre and to think they cancelled Animated for this makes me dislike it even more.

Honestly, I don't disagree with you. If the 5 part premiere would've just been a standalone movie while Animated continued to be the main series, I would've been totally fine with that.

Animated wasn't bringing the kind of returns they wanted, so they tried to take Animated and combine it with the realism of the movies and fell flat on their faces even more. Sorry but I saw the Animated toys just sitting there on clearance shelves everywhere

Animated wasn't bringing the kind of returns they wanted, so they tried to take Animated and combine it with the realism of the movies and fell flat on their faces even more. Sorry but I saw the Animated toys just sitting there on clearance shelves everywhere

 

I thought Animated was one of the highest rated TV shows for boys ages X-XX at the time? That show was excellent and I loved that the toys were able to retain accuracy from an engineering standpoint. All lines since TF1 for sure have ended up in a pile of clearance before long. Hasbro had a bomb and went nuts after TF1 when they didnt make enough for the holiday and ended up producing too much year round. What was left on the shelves isnt necessarily an accurate way to determine how much was sold.

 

We could do this dance for years Onslaught. But at the end of the day we both know that Soundwave was awesome. XD

Animated wasn't bringing the kind of returns they wanted, so they tried to take Animated and combine it with the realism of the movies and fell flat on their faces even more. Sorry but I saw the Animated toys just sitting there on clearance shelves everywhere

 

I thought Animated was one of the highest rated TV shows for boys ages X-XX at the time? That show was excellent and I loved that the toys were able to retain accuracy from an engineering standpoint. All lines since TF1 for sure have ended up in a pile of clearance before long. Hasbro had a bomb and went nuts after TF1 when they didnt make enough for the holiday and ended up producing too much year round. What was left on the shelves isnt necessarily an accurate way to determine how much was sold.

 

We could do this dance for years Onslaught. But at the end of the day we both know that Soundwave was awesome. XD

 

Yeah Soundwave is awesome still waiting for Takara to repaint him into WFC Soundblaster :P

The 5-part premiere was ok but they should have stopped there.

 

It is all pretty damm mediocre and to think they cancelled Animated for this makes me dislike it even more.

It's a good thing it isn't the reason then, huh?