ToyNewsi reports from last weekend's Joecon the GI Joe toon will be getting a PG-13 makeover for a series to debut next year as web-episodes on Hasbro's G.I.Joe website. We could see something similar for other Hasbro brands like Transformers if this cartoon does well. It was said this is the direction they would like to head in with all their brands. However they did not say a Transformers cartoon was guaranteed to happen by any means. Read the full report at ToyNewsi.com. Read the Full News Story Here

*tries to picture a PG-13 My Little Pony*

meh.

 

I like the idea of possibly getting the short web series - it could give us some stories for the Classics/Universe line or other parts of the franchise that would be less likely to get show/movie treatment, which is great.

 

But I'm not sure what the PG-13 approach would accomplish. I think :animated proves a story doesn't have to be less-appropriate-for-children to be better. I'd rather the "rating" be a natural out-growth of the story they're telling rather than an active choice to say, "oh, let's do something where the characters say 'damn' and maybe imply some more graphic violence than usual" and then build a story around that.

Well, there are a couple of issues to be dealt with if one would want to bring Transformers to the PG-13 stage.

 

First of all, it depends on who would produce the cartoon. G4TV really doesn't have a lot of quality shows. Best thing I could imagine seeing them make would be an entire series based on the Bay movies. *shudder*

 

Second is the all-important product placement. If Transformers moved to a PG-13 environment, how many little kids would be allowed to buy their toys? Doesn't really set a good example if the characters are cursing their brains out.

 

Third is the fact that G4TV is a premium cable channel ONLY, so that you'd only be able to watch the show if you had "special service."

 

So yeah, IMO: PG-13 is no-go unless it's a movie.

meh.

 

I like the idea of possibly getting the short web series - it could give us some stories for the Classics/Universe line or other parts of the franchise that would be less likely to get show/movie treatment, which is great.

 

But I'm not sure what the PG-13 approach would accomplish. I think Animated.png proves a story doesn't have to be less-appropriate-for-children to be better. I'd rather the "rating" be a natural out-growth of the story they're telling rather than an active choice to say, "oh, let's do something where the characters say 'damn' and maybe imply some more graphic violence than usual" and then build a story around that.

 

In the case of Joe, its not for swearing. I was told the clip they were shown was very violent. I imagine there are some subjects that could be better dealt with in an adult Transformers mode such as extreme violence, death, and reproduction / sexuality.

In the case of Joe, its not for swearing. I was told the clip they were shown was very violent. I imagine there are some subjects that could be better dealt with in an adult Transformers mode such as death, and reproduction / sexuality.

Oh, Jesus God, no!

:pfx Let's not go there, shall we?

In the case of Joe, its not for swearing. I was told the clip they were shown was very violent. I imagine there are some subjects that could be better dealt with in an adult Transformers mode such as extreme violence, death, and reproduction / sexuality.

Tramp, is that you?

In the case of Joe, its not for swearing. I was told the clip they were shown was very violent. I imagine there are some subjects that could be better dealt with in an adult Transformers mode such as death, and reproduction / sexuality.

Oh, Jesus God, no!

 

Why the hell not? Get off your Wonderbread toad stool already. :kitty

 

Think Arcee meets Ghost in the Machine. :sparta

I believe the PG-13 cartoons will be extra features for fans, where themes can be explored that are less likely to be allowed on daytime television. They are not to replace the TV show, which will still be the main vehicle of advertising for the toyline. It will be an addendum to the main line, with the extra feature that lifting the G/PG limitations will allow for a different kind of storytelling, which gives it that extra bit that it needs to separate and distinguish itself between all the other things to be found on the internet.