Transformers (U.S. TV)

Like its sister show in the U.S., G.I Joe (Seasons 1 and 2), Transformers was funded by Marvel/Sunbow studios in America, but actually animated by Toei studios in Japan.

Transformers was created by Hasbro based on Diaclone and Microman - two Takara toy lines that were moderately popular in Japan, but never had their own anime show. The regular-sized Autobots (i.e. Optimus Prime, Prowl, Jazz), Decepticon jets (i.e. Starscream, Thundercracker), Dinobots, Constructicons and Insecticons were derivatives of Diaclone toys while Megatron, Soundwave, Reflector and the smaller Autobots (i.e. Bumblebee, Cliffjumper) were taken from existing Microman toys. It should also be noted that Reflector was not available in stores; Reflector was a mail-order product that required a certain amount of Robot Points taken from other Transformers packages.

In addition to Takara's Diaclone and Microman, Hasbro picked up robot toys from other companies for the Transformers line. Shockwave (known in Japan as Laserwave) was originally sold in Japan by ToyCo as "Astro-Magnum" (a gray version was briefly sold at RadioShack prior to the TF era). Omega Supreme was based on Toybox's "Mechabot-1." The Deluxe Autobots - Whirl and Roadbuster - were originally released in Japan by Takatoku Toys as Oberon Gazette and Mugen Calibur, respectively, from the anime series Tokusou Kihei Dorvack. The Deluxe Insecticons - Venom, Barrage, Ransack and Chopshop - were from Bandai's short-lived Beetras toy line. Sky Lynx was based on a toy designed by Toybox, but was never released due to that company's bankruptcy.

Skyfire was loosely based on "Jetfire," a slightly modified VF-1S Super Valkyrie (from the Macross series) toy Hasbro picked up from Matsushiro Toys, which owned the molds after Takatoku Toys went bankrupt. In mid-1984, Matsushiro Toys sold the Valkyrie molds to Bandai; ironically, due to Matsushiro's old contract, Bandai had the obligation to manufacture Jetfire variants for Hasbro. Due to copyright reasons, Hasbro, Marvel and Sunbow could not directly include Jetfire in the cartoon series, and the Jetfire toy was not available in Japan.

The Japanese broadcast of the series had some sets of two episodes re-edited into single episodes. In addition, the third season was titled Transformers 2010, and its storylines were slightly tweaked to have less references to Transformers: The Movie, which wasn't released in Japan until 1989.

Before Hasbro created Transformers, Diaclone toys were modestly popular in Europe. In France, a Diaclone comic book series was published, featuring the transforming cars and planes as the heroes, while the non-transforming robots were the villains. Battle Convoy/Optimus Prime was known in the comics as simply "Diaclone."

In 1983, one year prior to the Transformers era, Takara marketed Diaclone cars in specialty toy shops in the U.S. as Diakron.

The early half of the 1990s was a turbulent era for the Transformers franchise in the U.S. While different continuities were generated in Europe and Japan, Hasbro pulled the plug on Transformers in the domestic toy market in 1990 (two years after the cartoon series was cancelled) due to sagging sales. In 1992, Hasbro attempted to reinvent the franchise with Transformers: Generation 2, which was merely a selection of the original episodes re-edited with new (but cumbersome) camera angles. Within the next two years, Generation 2 was canned due to low ratings and poor toy sales (contributed by disappointing quality control). Transformers was then given a complete makeover in 1995 as Beast Wars.

Casey Kasem left the cast shortly after the release of the movie. Kasem, who is of Lebanese descent, had a major disagreement with the series newer subplots involving a fictional Arab nation called "Carbombya" and its dictator, Abdul Fakkadi. As a result, Cliffjumper did not appear on further episodes after the movie, and Teletraan I was destroyed and replaced by Teletraan II (voiced by Frank Welker).

Optimus Prime retained his original Diaclone name "Convoy" (コンボイ) in the Japanese version mainly due to the popularity of the Battle Convoy toy prior to the creation of Transformers. Since then, every variant of Optimus Prime has been known in Japan as Convoy, or has been given a variant name of Convoy (i.e. Fire Convoy in Transformers Car Robots, Galaxy Convoy in Transformers Galaxy Force). There have been two exceptions, though. The first is Ginrai/Super Ginrai/God Ginrai (released in the U.S. as Powermaster Optimus Prime), who was a completely different character using a truck body similar to Prime. The second being the live-action version and future animated releases such as Transformers Animated and Transformers: Prime, which is known in Japan as "Optimus Prime" (オプティマスプライム).

Season 3 of the series followed the events that occurred after Transformers: The Movie. With G.I. Joe writer Flint Dille as story editor, the storylines became darker and more sci-fi oriented to suit the movie's post-2005 setting. The season, however, was marred by cost-cutting measures in production. The animation was done by Korean-based studio AKOM, which was inferior to Toei Animation's work on seasons 1-2. In addition, the soundtrack incorporated recycled BGM tracks from seasons 1-2 and G.I. Joe. As a result of all the changes, as well as a majority dislike of Rodimus Prime as Autobot leader, viewer ratings dropped dramatically. By popular demand, Optimus Prime returned for good towards the end of this season.

In the same fashion as G.I. Joe, Transformers had its own series of "Knowing is Half the Battle" public service announcement (PSA) clips. However, majority of them never aired on television. The PSAs appear as bonus features on various Transformers DVDs, as well as the 20th Anniversary release of Transformers: The Movie.

Unofficially, Cobra Commander from G.I. Joe makes an appearance on episode 88, "Only Human," as a trenchcoated figure named "Old Snake." Aside from his silver mask, obvious clues to Old Snake's identity include his mention of being a former leader of a terrorist organization. At the end of the episode, Old Snake shouts out, "COBRA!" before coughing and gasping for breath.

Marissa Faireborn of season 3 also has a connection with G.I. Joe. For decades, fans have speculated that she is the daughter of Flint and Lady Jaye, as Flint's real name is Dashiell R. Faireborn. The rumor was confirmed by story editor Flint Dille on the commentary of the Transformers: The Movie 20th Anniversary DVD.

Astoria Carlton Ritz from "The Girl Who Loved Powerglide" is named after the hotels Waldorf-Astoria and Ritz-Carlton.

According to co-creator Bob Budiansky, Ironhide was named after the 1960s/1970s TV series Ironside, while Ratchet was named after Nurse Ratched from the novel/film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.