"Transformers Masterforce" Was When "Transformers" Got Merged With Concepts From Japanese Henshin Heroes

Transformers like any franchise -- is subject to wear and tear. That may explain why Hasbro allowed Toei Animation the liberty to adapt Transformers for the Japanese audience. Was it to avoid toys from going to waste or what? The Pretenders concept never made it into the G1 cartoon after Season 4. The events of "Rebirth" were utterly ignored by Transformers Headmasters -- a series that tried to connect with G1but ended up better off non-canon. Killing off Optimus Prime a SECOND TIME was just uncalled for. Eventually, Rodimus Prime left midseason and was replaced by Fortress Maximus. G1 Galvatron was replaced by the more competent G1 Scorponok. It also introduced a concept that would befit for Star Saber. Star Saber merging with V-Star is a blatant reference to Fortress Maximus combining with his ship Maximus. Fortress Maximus wielded the Master Sword in the Japanese continuity.

Masterforce was a Japanese-exclusive and events happened in Japan. Heck, Minerva who's supposedly Caucasian had a JAPANESE FATHER and a FRENCH MOTHER. Yes, those parents that were never mentioned again. The Masterforce concept was called Godmasters though I prefer the term Powermasters. It was also that time when I thought Ginrai was Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime's Transtector was found on Earth. However, it took some time before Ginrai bonded with Optimus Prime's Transtector. The series introduced the Autobot Pretenders (led by Metalhawk) and the Decepticon Pretenders. 

The Pretenders were Transformers disguised in organic, human-sized lifeforms. The Powermasters were humans who could become Transformers. Strange but it happened. Was Toei copying from Ultraman at that time or other popular shows that rivaled theirs? Instead of shells -- the Pretenders here shed their disguise to go from human-sized to robot mode. The concept of shells was used in Transformers Victory for the Dino Force -- where all the members are given Japanese names. 

It became daring to introduce a shapeless antagonist in Devil Z (Zetto in Japanese but some prefer to call him Zed). Devil Z caused the mayhem and chaos that created the Powermasters. Devil Z would also combine with Black Zarak for the remaining part of the series. Sadly, Devil Z lacks an origin story (for the Anime) unlike other evil forces like Unicron or the Quintessons. It could've been a good opportunity to connect Devil Z to the Quintessons or Unicron. Instead, the Transformers Wiki reveals this though take it with a grain of salt:

The Matrix of Leadership, invented by Primacron, was designed to be a receptacle for the bearer's wisdom, absorbing it and converting it into energy. When its original bearer, the Oracle, was physically destroyed, he transferred his wisdom to the Matrix and used it to travel to the planet that would later become Cybertron, emptying the Matrix in the process of becoming one with the planet. When the Quintessons sealed the Oracle in Vector Sigma and used his power to create the Transformers, they also acquired the Matrix, which became filled with their wisdom, an evil form of energy. When the Transformers rebelled, they recovered the Matrix and emptied its evil contents, forming a malicious and vengeful entity that sought revenge against the universe for being disposed. Millions of years later, this entity would steal the Powermaster bodies from the factory at G Nebula 89 and took them to Earth so that they could be influenced by the Angolmois Energy and Zodiac found there, becoming Godmasters in the process. The entity himself would also remain on Earth and absorb those energies for thousands of years before revealing himself, becoming known as Devil Zodiac (デビルゾディアック Debiru Zodiakku), or "Devil Z" for short. Bonus Edition Vol. EX

That storyline could've been cool. The Quintessons were somehow forgotten. I mean, come on, Transformers Season 3 still has a decent miniseries after the movie! Either the Japanese staff were no longer interested with the Quintessons. Transformers: Masterforce seems to take a significant time after Transformers: Headmasters. There's no mention of the OG humans. Must've grown too old and may have died at some point! I still fee the Quintesson storyline should've been referenced in Masterforce.

I may have initially disliked it. However, there was still some good creative direction IMHO. It was a nice change of pace. Headmasters does present a lot of problems similar to the third season it's based on! The creative implementation of the Pretenders and Powermasters concepts into animation was there. It's not perfect but I'm not going to say it's all that terrible either. Rewatching some episodes made me thinkthat it might get bonkers in some areas. However, Masterforce despite its oddity can be an enjoyable series. I'd probably put it in the same category as Kamen Rider BLACK RX or B-Fighter Kabuto -- I acknowledge they're not popular shows BUT I can enjoy them!