Even with a foregone conclusion that the film will make millions and sell loads of toys, I thought I would share my thoughts on the first episode of the first Transformers anime I remember watching when I was 9! Let's open up the first episode of Transformers: Robots in Disguise, "Battle Protocol!"
Our theme song is actually a fairly good rendition of the Transformers theme. Have a listen for yourself.
After that, we get our title laid out in space!
While it's nighttime in Japan, we see our human lead; Koji Onishi, waking up to watch a broadcast of his father Dr. Onishi during a symposium of alternative energy. Even though I never really pegged his family as too well-off when I was younger, apparently Koji lives in a relatively nice house and his family also has a flatscreen TV when they were still relatively new.
Dr. Onishi gives his speech to the world leaders in New York, and apparently this hairstyle runs in the family, as the Transformers wiki suggests.
Then, the Predacon Leader, Megatron crashes through a building as a giant hand! OK, a couple things I will have to address: 1. Three days after the dub of this anime started airing, 9/11 occurred, so this and subsequent episodes had to be heavily re-edited or outright cut entirely. Similar things had to be done with Digimon Tamers and Power Rangers Time Force on the same block. 2. Apparently, Megatron's toy in this line was a six-changer, so the show really wanted you to see all six alt-modes, hence the first appearance of him being a giant hand.
As his father is attacked by Megatron, Koji tries to call him on his cell phone (I'm not doing that joke, by the way), the doctor tries to warn his sun before he gets cut off! Also, I must note how Koji's phone looks rather quaint nowadays. They did predict how phones would get sleeker, but flip phones like this have been largely displaced by smart phones instead.
Then, a fire truck is commandeered and drives off; and when a fireman points it out, his partner suggests that the "smoke must be making him loopy." I wonder if this fire had anything to do with the homeowner taking up "botany," if you'll pardon this joke.
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| Dave's not here, man! |
It also turns out that Koji was instructed before he lost contact with his father to meet outside his house. He does so, with his early-2000s clothes and his phone on a lanyard around his neck; still looking like a miniaturized iBook from that time frame.
He has been summoned by none other than Optimus Prime in his vehicle mode; who will take Koji to New York to help save his father, but not before Prime makes him wear his seat belt! Even when you're riding in a giant robot fire truck, safety comes first!
After he tells Koji on the monitor that Megatron wants his father for what he knows about archeology and alternative fuel, Optimus takes the both of them to New York via a recurring piece of technology in the franchise: a space bridge, which in this version is an actual physical bridge that comes up from the ocean and takes them both through time and space!
He has been summoned by none other than Optimus Prime in his vehicle mode; who will take Koji to New York to help save his father, but not before Prime makes him wear his seat belt! Even when you're riding in a giant robot fire truck, safety comes first!
After he tells Koji on the monitor that Megatron wants his father for what he knows about archeology and alternative fuel, Optimus takes the both of them to New York via a recurring piece of technology in the franchise: a space bridge, which in this version is an actual physical bridge that comes up from the ocean and takes them both through time and space!
Optimus and Koji then arrive in New York, where Megatron has transformed into his dragon form! Optimus then transforms into his robot mode to do battle in some fairly good and toy-accurate animation for the time.
While Koji is suspicious of Optimus and Megatron working together, the two make it quite clear they're enemies: Optimus and the Autobots fight for freedom, Megatron and his Predacons want tyranny. The only thing they agree on is they need resources to survive. For one of the sillier takes on the story, it's actually a surprisingly intriguing take on the robotic civil war element of the series. I've pointed out before that Japan considers mecha that aren't piloted to be childish, hence why some of the Transformers fiction produced there is... odd. Still, this was also a co-production between the American branch of Hasbro, one of several that the two countries worked on. Makes sense, the toyline started out from the Microman and Diaclone lines that were later combined and reversioned for the US; and the series in its native Japan is a version known as "Car Robots."
Megatron then sends fellow Predacons Slapper, Dark Scream and Gas Skunk after Optimus to stop him from saving Dr. Onishi!
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| Slapper, Dark Scream and Gas Skunk only $14.99 each! Each sold separately at fine retailers everywhere! |
So, Optimus decides to initiate "Battle Protocol," with the help of our virtual companion T-AI! Yes, even the AI is adorable in this 'verse! Still, it has nothing on the Kiss Players version of the character (I'm DEFINITELY not doing that one, I am still compiling my next Top 13 anime I will never recap as well with that in mind).
T-AI then summons three new Autobots to do battle against the Predacons, and by proxy, more toys to put out!
First off is X-Brawn, a rebrand of Brawn who retains the southernisms of his senior; and is being driven by a butt monkey of this anime, Kelly! She has a running gag of something unfortunate happening to every car she drives, with this first example of being a victim of X-Brawn's ejector seat sending her blasting off!
He is joined by Side Burn, a sports car who is attracted to other cars, and this series' version of Prowl! Despite his persona being a "by the book" cop, apparently, his voice actor Wayne Lewis has done adult films under the alias "Wankus." Huh. I wonder if he knows Karl Hungus.
The other Autobots take the space bridge to New York, and the ensuing fight scene is both amusing and action-packed; and it's actually one of the better Transformers anime I've seen. I will have to watch some more of the bad ones to see which other ones I can work with, I will probably do one of them after I go see The Last Knight. I will do some other bad mecha series I've been meaning to soon, depending on when I go see my father.
Even though Optimus is taking a beating, Koji decides to distract Megatron long enough for Optimus to activate some more of his weapons! While I may not be the biggest fan of most of the human characters of the franchise, in many ways, Koji is actually a better character than I gave him credit for when I was 9.
Still, Megatron kidnaps Dr. Onishi anyway, kicking off the events of the series and only leaving his eyeglasses behind for Koji! Don't think the coordinates of the All Spark are on those, at any rate.
First off is X-Brawn, a rebrand of Brawn who retains the southernisms of his senior; and is being driven by a butt monkey of this anime, Kelly! She has a running gag of something unfortunate happening to every car she drives, with this first example of being a victim of X-Brawn's ejector seat sending her blasting off!
He is joined by Side Burn, a sports car who is attracted to other cars, and this series' version of Prowl! Despite his persona being a "by the book" cop, apparently, his voice actor Wayne Lewis has done adult films under the alias "Wankus." Huh. I wonder if he knows Karl Hungus.
The other Autobots take the space bridge to New York, and the ensuing fight scene is both amusing and action-packed; and it's actually one of the better Transformers anime I've seen. I will have to watch some more of the bad ones to see which other ones I can work with, I will probably do one of them after I go see The Last Knight. I will do some other bad mecha series I've been meaning to soon, depending on when I go see my father.
Even though Optimus is taking a beating, Koji decides to distract Megatron long enough for Optimus to activate some more of his weapons! While I may not be the biggest fan of most of the human characters of the franchise, in many ways, Koji is actually a better character than I gave him credit for when I was 9.
Still, Megatron kidnaps Dr. Onishi anyway, kicking off the events of the series and only leaving his eyeglasses behind for Koji! Don't think the coordinates of the All Spark are on those, at any rate.
We then close on Koji and Optimus Prime vowing to find Dr. Onishi, setting the stage for the rest of the anime. It was such a great idea to look at this after such a long time.
"Battle Protocol" was a great pilot for this anime, and even though the series hasn't had an official DVD release in the US as of this writing; I can honestly say it's one of my favorite Transformers anime. While it is quite upfront about being a toy commercial as well as a story about robotic civil war, in many ways; it's actually better than I remember it. Since it's the only Transformers anime that hasn't been officially released on DVD as of this writing; I certainly hope Hasbro and Shout! Factory can work something out soon. The former owns the name, since they used it for the most recent US cartoon as of this writing (I would have gone with More than Meets the Eye), and the latter can definitely add to the already impressive catalog of DVDs the company has to offer.
E3 is also underway as of this writing, and with EA's livestream having taken place earlier today; I will try to get some of my potential video game-related anime recaps out soon, depending on which date I go see my father in California. I will also potentially be writing some more articles after Nintendo's livestream on Tuesday; and I also have another one in mind before then to address some more points about future Pokémon games and offer counterpoints to fans who are disappointed with last Tuesday's direct presentation. That will be all for now. See you space cowboy.
E3 is also underway as of this writing, and with EA's livestream having taken place earlier today; I will try to get some of my potential video game-related anime recaps out soon, depending on which date I go see my father in California. I will also potentially be writing some more articles after Nintendo's livestream on Tuesday; and I also have another one in mind before then to address some more points about future Pokémon games and offer counterpoints to fans who are disappointed with last Tuesday's direct presentation. That will be all for now. See you space cowboy.
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