
Transformers began as an animated TV series,
which depicted a war among gigantic robots who are able to transform
into other animals, objects and vehicles. The series was written and
also recorded in the United States, but animated in Japan. The series
was entirely based on the transformer toys made by Takara, a Japanese
toy manufacturer. They were developed by Hasbro of America.
The series was called Fight! Super Robot
Life Form Transformer in Japan for the first two seasons, and then
Transformers 2010 for the next two seasons. After these series
concluded, several sequels were created that were Japanese-originated.
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The toy line was relaunched in 1993, and the
comics of the time were referred to as Transformers: Generation 2. The
toy line and anime series all came from Microman, a toy line in Japan.
This line actually descended from GI Joe 12” action figures. Hasbro
bought into the new line and toys from MicroChange and Diaclone were
released on the market.
After the FCC repealed regulations that did not
allow toy companies to broadcast toy-based cartoons in 1984, the new TV
program was on its way. Hasbro's previous success with toy lines to TV
helped them in deciding to repeat the feat when Hasbro's marketing VP
spoke to Marvel comics about developing the robot series, which was
dubbed “Transformers”.
The editor at Marvel during this time
produced a story idea for the series, and created the idea of two
factions of alien robots in a war.
They were named Autobots
(the heroes) and Decepticons
(they were evil).
Names and profiles were created, but Hasbro requested many revisions,
which were eventually done at the last minute by another editor, and
accepted by Hasbro. At this time, work truly began on the four-issue
bi-monthly comic book series, and a three part TV pilot.
From TV, the Transformers sprang to the silver
screen in 2007. The movie is based in total on the original
Transformers franchise. The storyline involved the war between the
Autobots and the Decepticons, which were two groups of robots who had
the ability to transform into machinery, to disguise
themselves.
The Decepticons want to gain All Spark
control. This was the object that created their robot race. They would
use All Spark to build an army by simply giving Earth's machines life.
Optimus
Prime and Megatron,
and their respective followers, would
battle for control.
The producers actually started development
of the Transformers movie in 2003, working off a treatment that was
eventually produced by Steven Spielberg. General Motors and the
military wing of the United States loaned aircraft and vehicles for the
filming. This enabled the movie studio to save money on production, and
it also added more realism to the on-screen battle scenes. Hasbro
promoted the film heavily, dealing with many companies, to include
product placements with ebay and GM, a release of books, toys and transformer
comic
books, and a viral marketing campaign.
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The Transformers movie received mixed
reactions from critics, but it was a success at the box office. The
characters had been heavily redesigned, and reviewers also criticized
the exposure of the humans in the movie, at the expense of seeing the
robots more.
The movie won four awards from the
prestigious Visual Effects Society, and was even nominated for three
separate Academy Awards, those for Best Sound Editing, Best Visual
Effects and Best Sound. This was the first in the Transformer movie
franchise, and interest was rekindled in the characters. It has been
released in double-features with the movie Transformers: Revenge of the
Fallen. These can be purchased in 3-D, as well.
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