Sean Akizuki's Fantasy Critic

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 suppose...

There's always the problem of milking the franchise, right? Apparently, Transformers started to stale in America so it was time to try something new. The comics created the Pretenders and the Powermasters -- two concepts that were integrated into the Japanese-only Transformers: Masterforce Anime series sometime in 1988. At that time, Super Sentai had been established and trying to mix the formula of Transformers with Super Sentai may have been the aim. I wonder if Toei planned to make it live but instead chose the animation route? Either way, it was time to bring back Optimus Prime -- OR NOT! The concept of Powermaster Optimus Prime was from the comics. An alien humanoid known as Hi-Q would bring back Optimus Prime. An alien from Nebulon named Hi-Q became the partner to rebuild Optimus Prime. Hi-Q was the obvious professor-type character. Given Optimus Prime's role as a senior commander -- I believe it's fitting that Hi-Q would be the perfect partner. However, the concept w...

Transformers have gone some through multiple changes. The great toy massacre in Transformers: The Movie was just one phase. Eventually, the Headmasters were introduced in the canceled Season 4. That's the problem with most American shows -- the tendency to milk the franchise until it's dry. New gimmicks were needed to keep the Transformers toyline alive. The Pretenders toyline came. Ironically, the Pretender gimmick was never put in a new season based on the American Transformers  continuity!  Scorponok was the maker of the Pretender technology -- within the Marvel Comics continuity. However, it's said that the UK comics had retconned that idea. Some forms would be that familiar and be carried over into the Japanese-only continuity. It's possible Hasbro didn't want the concepts to be wasted so Toei Animation and Takara (the toy makers) to do the Japanese-only continuity. Hasbro usually chose to ignore it as non-canon to their side. Beast Wars made ZERO mention of th...