At least the look is supposedly new - I hated the Energon and Cybertron stuff with the mix of cell and CG. Although I kinda liked the Armada look. I guess it won't be like that either. Maybe it'll have a look without giant eyes on humans for one - I've missed that.

Still, the other news is worrying - it's like the facts were 'massaged' to make it sound better when it was first released to us.

same animation company doesn't mean same style. probably does, but not necessarily. as long as they don't do cheap-ass anime ripoff gags and styles, I'll give it a go.

Although I haven't seen Armada in years, while watching the DVD that came with the classics Prime/Megs 2-pack, they showed clips of the Uni-Trilogy and Armada looked terrible. Not saying it wasnt a decent series, but the animation doesnt hold up.

I for one hate CG mixed with hand drawn animation. Unless done very well like in Futurama, where it was used for alot of sets and such. Cybertron tends to overuse the shading and it just removes the bots from the rest of the world.

I'd like to see a full blown hand drawn effort, but don't think anyone wants to fit the bill. ti's a god damned shame

Not saying Armada was brilliant. I guess I was just hankering back to the days of cell only.
I definitely should've gone right back to G1 though.

transformers and kiddy anime don't mix, imo. if it were done like gundam wing or cowboy bebop or something of that sort, it would look kick ass. not that non-anime WOULDN'T be welcome, or anything.

hasbro will never go for an all out action, serious edged, adult anime. just doesn't fit with it's target audience.

the fact they know shit about who their real audience is is beside the point.

i think most hasbro execs would have a stroke if they knew how many men and women in their twenties and thirties still buy their product and watch the spin off material.

i would love for it to be wall to wall big robo carnage.

Well, I'd question a line like, "I'll tear him a new waste disposal unit," being for a younger audience's full grasp & enjoyment.

Well if this concept art by Sean "Cheeks" Galloway, who's onboard for the cartoon, is anything to go by - we are going to see some SEVERE dumbing down in design. At one extreme - Baymorphicators, at the other extreme - Heroes. See below. *MEH!*





edit: the above from a news item at Seibertron, plus the following:

- The Animation studio will not be Gonzo, but Answer and Mook and the cartoon will not be 'Anime' in style.

-The look of the series will be 'brand new' to Transformers.

- The only writer previously connected to Transformers that has submitted ideas for the series is one of the story editors on Beast Machines.

- Character design is being done by talent from the Teen Titans, Legion of Superheroes, Fosters series.

- The Director worked on Teen Titans and X-Men Evolution

- Cartoon Network will be partner in the production of the show.

What's that word again... oh yeah. MEH!

As I said at TFL:

DisneyFormers.

These are just to give us a rough idea right? I doudt that the designes are anywhere near finalized yet. But even then, by all we know, that style COULD work if the background and effects meld well. It could end up being a very styleized Transformers cartoon in a good way. Lets just wait and see.

but... I want TF's that resemble the TF's throughout the last 20 years! not super-stylized Teen fraggin' Titans! I guess this is the "in thing" in current toon design, and so they've just hopped on the bandwagon with it. You think that if it looks like this sort of style that in 20 years time you'll look back fondly on it? I think not. It will age badly. But that's just my view.

Are they even supposed to transform into anything?

Or... are these the human-built slave robots that the TFs encounter..?

It's lazy, cheap-looking, dumbed down, and frankly pathetic.

I may not be a huge fan of the anime that we've had in the past for the TF cartoons, but at least that didn't look like Transformers were meant for three-year-olds...

kinda looks like that samurai jack / clone wars style.

YUCK!! worked for samurai jack, but didn't for star wars, and won't for transformers.

BAH!!!

I thought the Samurai Jack style melded VERY well with the Star Wars universe. It just felt right to me. But these are most likely not even characters that will show up in the show. These designes may not even be the final look that they decide on. I wouldant get too worked up yet.

That sounds familiar, Sledgie... weren't we told that with the "early" and "concept" designs for Baymorphicators?