Forum - View topicTransformers in the Encyclopedia
|
Goto page 1, 2 Next |
| Author | Message | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Emerje
 Posts: 7338 Location: Maine |
|
|||
|
Since we've got a bunch of coproductions in the Encyclopedia maybe it's time Transformers has been added to it's fullest extent. Right now the only thing in the 'pedia are a bunch of japanese only series (but not all of them). The original Transformers should deffinatly have a listing as it was a coproduction between Hasbro, Sunbow, and Toei. Transformers were started by Hasbro bringing over several japanese robot toy lines (mostly ones owned by Takara) and selling them under the Transformers banner. The story was writen mostly within Hasbro with Marvel Comics helping out with consulting. Later on many series were made only in Japan, with all but on american series thus far not showing up in japan (Transformers: Beast Machines).
So can we add the original Transformers to the encyclopedia? Also what about the CGI series Transformers Beast Wars as it's a sequal to Transformers (and a prequal thanks to time travel), was shown in japan, and spawned a few japanese only Beast Wars series. Thoughts? Emerje |
||||
|
||||
|
drakh
Posts: 145 |
|
|||
|
Well, IMO, aside from the fact that it was based on Japanese toys, I don't think the original Transformers series is any more anime then Batman (which had animation by TMS and Sunrise) or X-Men: Evolution (Madhouse). It might be interesting to add a section similar to the voice actors "Non-anime roles" to animation houses pages though.
|
||||
|
||||
|
Emerje
Posts: 7338 Location: Maine |
|
|||
|
Well, the way I see it it deserves to be here as much as all of the Japanese-French or Japanese-Italian and whatever other collaborations like The Mysterious Cities of Gold, The Little Prince, or Willy Fog.
(BTW I did find the Beast Wars sequals after some hunting) Emerje |
||||
|
||||
|
BrianC
Posts: 95 |
|
|||
|
Do you think Inspector Gadget, Heathcliff, and The Littles should be listed in the Encyclopedia too? They are Japanese-French co-productions that are commonly mis-identified as American cartoons.
|
||||
|
||||
|
Emerje
Posts: 7338 Location: Maine |
|
|||
No, but the last I knew there wasn't a long running series of Japanese spinoffs to any of those titles, nor have there been Japanese only toy toylines. Transformers is one of the most Japanese colaborations there is. The story and concept may be American, but the basis, design, and animation itself are almost purely japanese. Emerje |
||||
|
||||
|
Dan42
Chief Encyclopedist
 Posts: 3782 Location: Montreal |
|
|||
|
The design was Japanese? My understanding was that the first Transformers series was entirely plotted, scripted, designed and storyboarded in the US, and only animated in Japan. Something like what ADV is currently doing with Mutineer's Moon (which I don't consider anime). There's difference between co-producing with a Japanese studio and subcontracting the animation to a Japanese studio.
|
||||
|
||||
v1cious
 Posts: 6202 Location: Houston, TX |
|
|||
umm... have you seen Transformers Armada? |
||||
|
||||
|
Dan42
Chief Encyclopedist
Posts: 3782 Location: Montreal |
|
|||
|
No, but I was talking about the FIRST transformers series, not Armada.
|
||||
|
||||
|
Emerje
Posts: 7338 Location: Maine |
|
|||
|
Well, I had written this long post, but then it came up with an error and didn't go through.
Anyway, short form, I did a lot more research and found that the only real colaboration was between Hasbro and Takara on the toys. As far as the animation goes, Hasbro got things together, Marvel did the character designs and stories, and Sunbow just animated what they came up with. Here's the list of titles (I believe in order) of all of the titles that were made originaly for the Japanese market: Transformers: Scramble City (OAV) Transformers: Headmasters (TV) Transformers: Super God Masterforce (TV) Transformers: Victory (TV) Transformers: Zone (TV) Transformers: Return of Convoy (TV) (AKA Transformers: Battlestars) Transformers: Operation Combination (TV) Transformers: Beast Wars II (TV) Transformers: Beast Wars II the Movie (Special) Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (TV) Transformers: Car Robots (TV) Transformers: Micron Legend (TV) That should cover everything. The titles without links aren't in the Encyclopedia yet. Something of interest, the Micron Legend series (Armada in the US) was a split project between Hasbro and Takara. Hasbro is incharge of the toys and US licensing while Takara is incharge of all animation and Japanese licensing. That should cover everything. (this time I'll copy the text before I post.  )
Emerje |
||||
|
||||
|
jmays
ANN Associate Editor
 Posts: 1390 Location: St. Louis, MO |
|
|||
Now they are! Thanks for all the research and summary. Now we can fill in some of those details. ^_^ -Miagi |
||||
|
||||
|
Dan42
Chief Encyclopedist
Posts: 3782 Location: Montreal |
|
|||
|
After consulting a local Transformers expert (thanks Étienne
 ), I came to the conclusion that the original series should be added in the Encyclopedia. I learned that although the concept is entirely American, it was based on a pre-existing line of Japanese toys. So, in a way, the design of the robots is Japanese. Also, given the number of japanese sequels/spinoffs/whatever, it makes sense to have the whole Transformers universe in the encyc. Otherwise it would be like missing pieces of a puzzle.
This ties in with the previous discussion about including live-action titles in the Encyclopedia. As a result of all this, I've decided to use Emerje's suggestion and add the category not anime but related. This will allow to keep non-anime titles in the encyc while separating them from the anime titles. The titles in this category have the same types (TV, OAV, movie...) but the staff can add an extra information to specify why it's not really an anime. That reason is displayed along with the type in the Encyclopedia so we get stuff like "Steel Angel Kurumi Pure (live-action TV)" and "Transformers (U.S. TV)" The same thing applies to manga. The Dirty Pair is a prime example of "manga" that is not really manga because it was created by an American from a Japanese concept. I've also put Megatokyo in the not manga but related category. |
||||
|
||||
|
drakh
Posts: 145 |
|
|||
Cool. Then you should add Beast Wars, since Beast Wars II is a direct spin-off, actually taking place between the first and second season of the former. |
||||
|
||||
|
Emerje
Posts: 7338 Location: Maine |
|
|||
Also in the Beast Wars II Movie/Special, Beast Wars' Optimus Primal (Convoy) is a key character. They used the design of the CGI version and made the cell animated version. 
However Beast machines was never shown in japan and can be left out. Also, don't forgot the G1 TF movie. In japan it was known as Transformers: Matrix Forever One more thing (and I know I'm asking a lot, sorry) can the encyclopedia listing be organzised a bit better simmilar to how Lupin was reorganized? Just start each listing with "Transformers:" and then the subtitle. Thanks a lot Dan and Miagi Emerje |
||||
|
||||
|
Zack26
SPAMMER
 Posts: 91 |
|
|||
|
heh And don't forget about Transformers: Energon.
|
||||
|
||||
|
Emerje
Posts: 7338 Location: Maine |
|
|||
|
We'll have to reserve that until we know for sure it's being handled the same way as Armada was. For now it's too early to tell and there isn't enough info to go by, not that I've seen anyway.
Emerje |
||||
|
||||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group