(SPOILER WARNING!!)
I would say something about still being in my revitalised Transformers craze thanks to Bumblebee (review here, by the way), but I don't think I ever lost my love for it, hence why I've done reviews on The Headmasters (here) and Masterforce (here). Ever since I watched the first Bayverse film in 2007 and was exposed to re-runs of the original show on Kix! (or Pop Max, whatever), I simply never stopped with my love for the franchise, even when I stopped collecting toys for three years straight as I was in my "Im GrOwN uP nOw, MuM!!" phase. I would watch toy reviews; I would see the films as they came out; I would re-watch older series on YouTube (chiefly Beast Wars, Beast Machines and the original Robots in Disguise [before copyright kicked them off, ffs]); I would even read about the IDW series even if I didn't collect the comics myself.
I bring all of this up, because I really wanted to show my love for this series will simply never die (unlike the Bayverse [too soon? I don't think so]). But even with all of these shows in my head, one will always stick out as one of the best:
Yeah, this was an oddball when it was initially announced by Hasbro, especially when it was originally conceived as a tie-in to the Bayverse as something of a prequel story. Though for obvious reasons (even with how convoluted the continuity for the films got), that's not what ended up happening. Instead, somewhere along the lines, this became it's own original property that homages basically everything in the franchise while still creating it's own standalone tales to establish it as it's own canon. It's essentially what Hasbro is doing right now with Cyberverse, but doesn't need a voiceless Bumblebee to market it to kids (though because of his popularity in the films, Bumblebee was included into the main cast and replaced Hot Shot).
I think most people even vaguely aware of the Transformers knows the story by now; Autobots, Decepticons, war, Earth, GO! However, the approach is quite different. This time, the war has been over for centuries, with the Autobots winning the war and driving the Decepticons off of Cybertron. The focus is on a rookie Space Bridge repair crew consisting of Academy drop-out Optimus Prime, cool-headed and stubborn Ninja-bot Prowl, cranky medic/war veteran Ratchet, clumsy oaf Bulkhead, and egocentric speedster Bumblebee. In the pilot, they come across one of Cybertron's most heralded artefacts; the Allspark. Upon its discovery, however, they are quickly intercepted by a Decepticon warship, aboard it the tyrannical overlord of the Decepticons; Megatron.
During a scuffle involving Starscream planting an explosive on Megatron's back (because of course he would do that), the Autobots ship goes through a Space Bridge activated by the Allspark and crash land on Earth, Megatron burning up in the planets atmosphere in the process. The ship crashes in Lake Erie, Michigan and the Autobots are left in Stasis Lock for 50 years, during which Detroit has gained an actual economy again through it's advances in robotics technology. The man responsible for this technological boom is Professor Isaac Sumdac, who is leading some kids on a tour of his facility and introduces them to self-replicating Nano-bots. However, the Nano-bots get out of control when introduced to a cockroach, turning it into a giant monster that gets stronger whenever it eats machines.
This grabs the Autobots attention as they wake up and try to lend a hand, adopting Earth based vehicle modes in the process and eventually befriending Isaac's daughter, Sari, who gets chosen by the Allspark to hold a portion of its infinite power within a key. And thus, the Autobots (who don't even bother hiding due to the abundance of automatons everywhere) are made the defenders of Detroit and must learn of Earthen customs to understand their new friends better, all the while dealing with numerous threats ranging from the mundane, such as a thief with a speed suit, to the extreme, namely appearance from Decepticons. And from behind the scenes lies a dormant threat, as well as Isaac's inception for his robotics empire; Megatron's head inside of his personal lab.
Again, from the outset, Animated quickly becomes a noticeably different beast from most other Transformers shows. Usually, you'd have the situation of the week with Megatron doing something dastardly and then Optimus and his Autobots would come in to stop him so they can fight another day. That's been the set-up for almost 25 years at that point and, aside from Beast Wars/Machines, it hasn't really been shaken up to this extent. Even with the major cast change between Seasons 2 and 3 in the original cartoon just moved things to space and had Rodimus and Galvatron instead of Optimus and Megatron. Sure, the general set-up is the same, but the execution of it is more focused around having more personal stories as opposed to simply having both factions fight in disguise. The series starts off light-hearted and silly, but when you get to the 7th episode, "Thrill of the Hunt", it becomes clear that there is more to the characters than meets the eye (pun intended and relished).
In that episode, Ratchet is forced to confront a demon from his past in the form of the bounty hunter Lockdown. We see Ratchet is afraid of confronting him because of the past that they share, with Ratchet being responsible from erasing Arcee's memory core to stop Lockdown from getting activation codes that could turn the tide for victory in the war. This not only makes it one of the darker episodes (both figuratively and literally, as Lockdown causes black-outs throughout Detroit), but also makes Ratchet a more emotionally complex character; his crankiness is a facade to mask his fears of losing someone he cares about and unintentionally being responsible for them getting hurt, hence why he blocks himself from getting to know people. Helped that Lockdown is a legitimately intimidating presence, with his voice provided by Lance Henriksen and him quickly becoming a large highlight for the series whenever he pops up.
Sadly, the first season does falter with the human villains. Most of them are one-dimensional and simply exist for someone the Autobots have to catch. Nino Sexton, also known as Nanosec, is just a basic thief with a suit that enhances his speed. Couple that with an annoyingly nasal voice and you get a really annoying antagonist. Henry Masterson, inventor of the Headmaster unit, is more like one of those narcissistic MLGs you'd find on Halo 3 message boards with a voice equally annoying as grating to match. Angry Archer (based on toy designer Aaron Archer) is at least an entertaining goof with his reverse Robin Hood shtick, but there is otherwise nothing to him. Really, the best of them was Prometheus Black, also known as Meltdown, due to his hatred of Isaac Sumdac leading to him becoming a being made entirely of a corrosive liquid, but he is otherwise a bland villain who was just a bland weirdo before his accident. Frankly, just watch his performance again and tell me you could ever take him seriously as a threat.
Thankfully, while the Decepticons are used sparingly in this show, they are the main attraction whenever they show up. Starscream in this show, while being the traditional backstabber we expect him to be, is still a powerful foe worthy of being a true challenge for the Autobots to overcome. He also provides a good laugh with his faux-sycophancy whenever he plays kiss-ass to Megatron, which is accented by his performance given by Tom Kenny. He's no Steve Blum, but he can still get a laugh. Lugnut and Blitzwing make for a great duo, with the former working brilliantly as an extreme loyalist to the GLORIOUS Decepticon cause, and the latter also giving the audience some levity thanks to his three personalities to coincide with his nature as a triple-changer. Blackarachnia also makes for a great villain, with it being revealed that she was previously the Autobot Elita-1, but after Optimus unintentionally abandoned her on a planet infested with spiders, she was mutated into a techno-organic with a burning hatred for the ones who had left her behind, when all she wants is to be rid of the plague of being a techno-organic; to be Elita-1 again.
And while I still have my grievances with the human villains, all of it is balanced out with the shows reinvention of Megatron!
This may be my favourite reinterpretation of the character. While he still retains all of the arrogance and villainy of the traditional Megatron, he is far more cold and calculating, biding his time to make his grand return to not only take revenge of the Autobots (and Starscream), but finally grab the Allspark to rid Cybertron of all Autobots and scorch Earth of any organic beings. He makes for a great, intimidating threat and his power is built up throughout the show, so that when he makes his comeback in the first seasons finale, it was worth it. Even when he's stuck as a head inside of Sumdac's lab he is still able to manipulate everything to his advantage just so he could get a new body; from something as simple as tricking Sumdac into thinking he's an Autobot to the more extreme of using Sari to upgrade Soundwave into becoming self-aware, he is always thinking ahead and using everything at his disposal to benefit him and reach his end goal. And of course, his voice provided by Corey Burton is simply bone chilling while also giving the character a sense of sophistication.
The newer versions of the Autobots are also more interesting than before. I already mentioned Ratchet and he emotional complexity, but that's not to say the others don't have enjoyable characterisations. I like how this show had Optimus be an inexperienced rookie for a change, as it actually gave the character a chance to learn and grow as a hero. If he were still the wisdom spewing, morally righteous saviour that he usually is, it would've been boring because it was something we had seen before. Sure, I love Optimus Prime, but a change of pace is always welcome. Bulkhead may be an oaf, but he makes for an entertaining one, especially when he gets to smashing things. Prowl, like Optimus, is a nice change of pace; he may be as stubborn as the character normally is, but he is still able to give helpful advice to the others and still shows a willingness to help, even if it's to get a little bit of quiet away from everyone else. Also, he's not a prick in this one; which helps. As for Bumblebee, he can best be described as a less annoying Scrappy-Doo; he's small, loud and full of himself, but it never gets to the point of being irritating, as he actually learns his lesson by the end of the day while retaining his fun-loving attitude. I can definitely see why he was originally going to be Hot Shot.
As for the human cast, it is thankfully kept to a minimum, consisting only really of Isaac, Sari and the techno-phobic police Captain, Carmine "This is why I hate machines" Fanzone. Isaac seems like a decent enough guy for much of the series, though he is ironically quite naive about a lot of things. Again, Megatron easily tricked him into building him a new body, but then Isaac acts all aloof when the speed suit he invented goes missing and is given to Nanosec who uses it to carry the material Megatron needs. These are some obvious things that most people would catch, but Isaac pretty much misses them at every opportunity. Granted, he does try to help stop Megatron when he learns the truth, but he still does things that don't seem right for a supposed scientist. As for Fanzone, I actually enjoyed the character whenever he was on-screen, especially when he makes his hatred for machines clear, even to the machines. It makes a nice change for someone to be cynical of something in their everyday world, and yet Fanzone still has a good sense of right and wrong, trusting the Autobots to protect the city just as he does. At least he ins't an inherently bad guy, and his techno-phobia is more based on bad luck with machines instead of being malevolent.
And this brings me to Sari, the main kid who hangs out with the Autobots and helps them get acclimated to humans. In the first few episodes, she does come off as somewhat annoying and bratty, especially when she keeps on getting involved in the conflict. But at the very least, this trend of annoyance doesn't last with how she does legitimately want to help the Autobots during their stay and also provides a good lead in to humanity. That, and with her Allspark key she at least has more of a functional purpose in the show. She also becomes more important and relevant to the main story later in the series, but that's for another day. Again, she can be annoying at times, but she is still far from the worst human character in the franchise. Trust me; there are still far worse *cough* Kicker *cough* than Sari.
Admittedly, this show is not perfect, especially early on. While the animation style is certainly a given taste, my only real issue with the animation revolves around the overall consistency. At times, the animation has a lot of energy and life to it, which allow the action scenes to pop off the screen. Other times, however, it can be really stilted, and I blame that on the show trying to have an Americanised anime style. There are instances when the characters stand still and stare at something coming right at them when they have ALL the time in the world to just get the fuck out of the way! One instance was in the 4th episode, "Home is Where the Spark is", where the Autobots are dealing with equipment trying to kill them at their home base, and Sari is about to be shot by a nail gun... and she stands perfectly still, standing in horror, as it fires at her. And from how the scene is framed, she had a good 5 seconds to GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE WAY!
This, in turn, also affects the tone of the show as well. At some points, the show can be rather serious in tone, as evident with the episodes "Thrill of the Hunt", "Along Came a Spider", "Sound and Fury" and the two-part finale, "Megatron Rising". Each of these episodes took a more serious tone and showcased the characters facing legitimate struggles. But then there are episodes like "Nanosec", "Lost and Found" and "Nature Calls", which are silly in their concepts and presentations, don't really develop the characters in a meaningful way and mainly exist as excuses for comedy. While they can sometimes provide a decent laugh, this also acts as a detriment to the show and creates a conflict in tone, thus making it somewhat difficult to take seriously at times. It also doesn't help that the humour could be cringe inducing at some points. The second episode, "Transform and Roll Out Part 2", as an example, has Sari whisper into Optimus' ear about where babies come from... yes, really.
Still, even with these things holding the show back, it is still a quality series with it's story, characters and music. Even when it gets dumb at points, it's still fun with how you get to enjoy the characters and their interactions. Also, count the references; there are PLENTY to spot.
Overall rating: 8/10 (really damn good).
So until next time; this is Callum Lewis, the Media Hood, signing off!
Monday 25 February 2019
Friday 15 February 2019
Transformers: Choujin Masterforce (1988-1989)
(REDUNDANT SPOILER WARNING!!)
While I wasn't the biggest fan of The Headmasters, I was still willing to give the rest of the Takara Trifecta a chance to see if they were, in any way, better. The main problem I had with Headmasters was the lack of a storyline and the characters being absent of any actual personality, which I feel should be the main parts of a series that hooks an audience in to watch.
Oh, and Daniel and Wheelie. Never. Forget. Daniel and Wheelie.
Besides, I have heard some other peoples thoughts on the next series, Choujin Masterforce, on how it was a vast improvement over Headmasters. And having finally seen it all the way through... Yeah, it is. Not just on a character and story perspective, but also on other levels such as action scenes and music. Choujin Masterforce is a massive improvement in every sense of the word, and is one of my favourite instalments in the franchise (that I have seen, at any rate).
And once again, I'll be using the Japanese names and judging the series based on the version I saw in the Complete Takara Collection box set released by Metrodome, as the SHOUT! Factory releases are apparently terrible and it's surprisingly difficult finding other subs of the series that are, otherwise, easily accessible. Also, I refuse to torrent. It just won't be happening. So, if there are any incorrect translations present that I am not aware of, I'm sorry; I'm working with what I got.
Anyway, TIME 4 BACKSTORY!
In the future of... the future, Earth is at peace. That is, until the reemergence of Destrons who have been on the planet since the Stone Age; a trio of Pretenders with monster forms consisting of Blood, Gilmer and Dauros, along with a seemingly endless horde of Seacons. And of course, to counter them are the Cybertron Pretenders who have lived on the planet disguised as humans; lead by Metalhawk and consisting of Diver, Lander and Phoenix. Both sides are now uping their game, as there comes the revelation of the Godmasters, lifeless Transtectors that can harness Chokon Power (or, "Super-Soul power") through a unity with a human wielder. Thus, the race is on for the Cybertrons to recruit people who can use Godmasters to fight on their side to stop the new Destron Emperor of Destruction, Devil Z, from wiping out humanity. Helping both the Cybertrons and Destrons along the way are the Headmaster Juniors, human children who can also use the titular Masterforce to fight alongside the robots in battle; the Cybertrons helped by Shuta Go, Cab and Minerva, and the Destrons recruiting Wilder, Bullhorn and Cancer.
Oh, and the Godmasters, too; made up of Lightfoot, Ranger, Road King, Double Clouder, Grand Maximus, Overlord, Hydra, Buster and Ginrai.
Oh, and Black Zarak and Sixknight. There are a LOT of characters in this show.
The main critique that most fans tend to agree on is that the series has difficulty deciding who the main characters are. The best one could say is that Ginrai is the main character by the end of the series, but it otherwise seemed to juggle between the Pretenders, the Cybertron Headmaster Juniors and the other Godmasters, but they get less significant time than Ginrai does. Some of this might have been due to the fact that Ginrai, for an in-story reason revealed AFTER the events of the series, was designed after Optimus Prime (or Convoy), or it could have been due to the fact that this series was initially conceived as something of a fresh start disconnected from the original series and Headmasters. Nonetheless, there is a form of incoherence of who the main character is supposed to be.
As a consequence, some of the characters, specifically Hydra, Buster, Sixknight, Lightfoot, Ranger, Double Clouder and Road King, don't have much in terms of focus or character development and lose relevance to the story pretty quickly after their debut. I can at least let the Pretenders, both Cybertron and Destron, have a pass, as they have been on Earth longer and are more of mentor figures to the younger, less experienced characters, no too dissimilar to the Spirit Rangers from Kyoryuger. Nonetheless, some of the characters feel like extra support just there to sell toys. I understand that that's the main aim for any Transformers series regardless of quality, but I counter that with the argument that the character should be would encourages viewers to buy the toys, not just a promotion of them.
Heck, there even a few missed opportunities with them, most notably Double Clouder. In reference to his toy and Western counterpart, Double Dealer, Clouder is a Transtector with a neutral missile truck mode, a Destron beast mode and a Cybertron robot mode. As such, he is initially cast as a double agent working for the Destrons so that they can discover the Cybertron's base of operations and destroy it. However, it's over and done with after two episodes and, because the Destrons left him to die, Clouder joins the Cybertrons and is automatically a good guy. The episodes focused on the base attack and it's destruction are some of the best in the series, especially with the ramifications of it's destruction and the effect it has on everyone, but Clouder's sudden shift of allegiance doesn't, especially when he is never punished for what he has done and the hand he had in ruining everything for the Cybertrons, which lessens the impact of the bases destruction.
There could've been more time focused on Clouder and his interactions with the others, slowly showing his shift of allegiance and his guilt for when the base is destroyed, not dissimilar to how the Teen Titans animated series would handle Terra. But instead, due to the lack of filler plots, we gone none of that. Kind of a waste if you ask me.
Thankfully, the characters who DO get focus and development have easily identifiable personalities that I got to like quickly. Ginrai is a nice breathe of fresh air for the commander type, as he isn't entirely fond of being the leader at first, but slowly learns his responsibility of being the leader and how important it is to take those responsibilities. The Cybertron Headmaster Juniors, though initially one of the dumbest ideas in the franchise, prove to be incredibly likeable very quickly. Shuta has an understandable motivation, having lost his father early one in the series; Cab is energetic and straight forward, but never to the point of being a liability; Minerva shows herself as smart and a pacifist, but is still willing to stand up for the others while understanding that not everyone can be a good person.
Even the Destrons have more of a personality than before, as none of them, aside from Black Zarak, Hydra and Buster, are just basic:
I will never tire of that clip.
Giga and Mega, the Godmasters for Overlord, still seek the destruction of the Cybertrons to prove their loyalty to Devil Z, but they otherwise treat their fellow Destrons as some kind of bizarre family unit, mainly due to Mega doting excessively on the Headmaster Juniors as they were they're own children. Wilder and Bullhorn, even through their violent antics, still have a sense of respect for their comrades, and despise other children or people that aren't involved being used hostages or bargaining chips, due to hating any sign of weakness or frailty. This helps elevate the villains to being more than basic mooks standing in for the main villain,
But the most surprising of characters has to be Cancer... Yes. One of my favourite characters in this show is a kid named Cancer. At least you could justify the name as a reference to the Horoscope, as his beast mode is (apparently) a bipedal mutant crab monster.
Regardless, what made this kid appealing to me is how he is actually exposed to the chaos that the Destrons, and by proxy himself, have been spreading. He is a victim of bullying due to being orphaned as an infant, but he was taken in by a martial arts master and spent his years trying to master his techniques as a sign of gratitude to the old man. But a combination of the bullying and his own desires are what lead to him leaving his master and joining the Destrons to advance his skill. But when Minerva shows kindness to him in a time of need, which lay the seeds for his eventual turn on the Destrons when he sees the destruction they spread, especially when his home and few friends at the dojo are threatened by an invasion from Black Zarak. When he learned that his master dies alone and saddened by Cancer's departure, he finally took the chance to try and save people and actually redeem himself for what he has done. The character who I thought would be my least favourite actually ends up being my favourite character this series.
Thankfully, due to the absence of filler plots, more focus is put on the overall threat of Devil Z and his machinations, even if not much is revealed about his past aside from being the creature that powers the Godmasters and their ability to absorb Chokon energy for their fights. Their antics start off small time, due to the Pretenders being more old-school evil, but they are still leading to their goal of humanities destruction. Even with the more outlandish plots of the week, they are still smart in the execution of their goals for those plots. Although, Blood's plan of causing a stampede in African to try and get humans to kill their cattle? Yeah, that one was stupid. Nonetheless, this Destrons are probably some of the best written in the franchise as none of them are just one dimensional or really all that stupid. If only Headmasters or (spoilers) Victory had villains this smart or interesting... yeah, I'm not liking Victory thus far.
The music, even if the theme song once again is slow and disconnected from the themes of the show, is far more exciting and fitting for the scenes that they are used for. One of my personal favourites is probably "We Believe Tomorrow", mainly due to this feeling of both despair and hope that contrast perfectly with the more mellow musical accompaniment that helps to convey the scenes where it is used. Hell, it was first used for the destruction of the Cybertron's base, and it actually left a strong emotional impact with me when seeing it fall apart and the Cybertrons are left without a feeling of hope.
The action, despite its reuse of stock footage and not being the best animated, is always engaging to watch for due to the characters being more entertaining and, get this, VITAL TO THE STORY! One of the complaints that I alluded to in my review for Headmasters was that the action was never engaging due to the absence of any form of character development or personality, feeling more like a lower grade generic super robot anime. While, yes, Masterforce also uses several anime troupes, the use of them do not supersede the story or character development, but instead is accented by such, thus making the final victory in the battle between Ginrai and Devil Z at the Matterhorn all the sweeter and feels earned.
Choujin Masterforce is a far better series than Headmasters. I understand that isn't saying much as Headmasters was more of a corporate cash in than the Prime Wars Trilogy, but it doesn't detract the idea that Masterforce is a really good show. The characters are better defined and likeable, the villains have more complexity to them than previous shows (or even a few modern ones [looking at you, RID '15]), the music fits the series near flawlessly and the story has emotional weight that leaves the viewer satisfied by the end of it. Masterforce really is a series that any Transformers fan should check out for themselves.
Overall rating: 8/10 (really damn good!)
Until next time; this is Callum Lewis, the Media Hood, and you too can use your Masterforce, and TRANSFORM!!
While I wasn't the biggest fan of The Headmasters, I was still willing to give the rest of the Takara Trifecta a chance to see if they were, in any way, better. The main problem I had with Headmasters was the lack of a storyline and the characters being absent of any actual personality, which I feel should be the main parts of a series that hooks an audience in to watch.
Oh, and Daniel and Wheelie. Never. Forget. Daniel and Wheelie.
Besides, I have heard some other peoples thoughts on the next series, Choujin Masterforce, on how it was a vast improvement over Headmasters. And having finally seen it all the way through... Yeah, it is. Not just on a character and story perspective, but also on other levels such as action scenes and music. Choujin Masterforce is a massive improvement in every sense of the word, and is one of my favourite instalments in the franchise (that I have seen, at any rate).
And once again, I'll be using the Japanese names and judging the series based on the version I saw in the Complete Takara Collection box set released by Metrodome, as the SHOUT! Factory releases are apparently terrible and it's surprisingly difficult finding other subs of the series that are, otherwise, easily accessible. Also, I refuse to torrent. It just won't be happening. So, if there are any incorrect translations present that I am not aware of, I'm sorry; I'm working with what I got.
Anyway, TIME 4 BACKSTORY!
In the future of... the future, Earth is at peace. That is, until the reemergence of Destrons who have been on the planet since the Stone Age; a trio of Pretenders with monster forms consisting of Blood, Gilmer and Dauros, along with a seemingly endless horde of Seacons. And of course, to counter them are the Cybertron Pretenders who have lived on the planet disguised as humans; lead by Metalhawk and consisting of Diver, Lander and Phoenix. Both sides are now uping their game, as there comes the revelation of the Godmasters, lifeless Transtectors that can harness Chokon Power (or, "Super-Soul power") through a unity with a human wielder. Thus, the race is on for the Cybertrons to recruit people who can use Godmasters to fight on their side to stop the new Destron Emperor of Destruction, Devil Z, from wiping out humanity. Helping both the Cybertrons and Destrons along the way are the Headmaster Juniors, human children who can also use the titular Masterforce to fight alongside the robots in battle; the Cybertrons helped by Shuta Go, Cab and Minerva, and the Destrons recruiting Wilder, Bullhorn and Cancer.
Oh, and the Godmasters, too; made up of Lightfoot, Ranger, Road King, Double Clouder, Grand Maximus, Overlord, Hydra, Buster and Ginrai.
Oh, and Black Zarak and Sixknight. There are a LOT of characters in this show.
The main critique that most fans tend to agree on is that the series has difficulty deciding who the main characters are. The best one could say is that Ginrai is the main character by the end of the series, but it otherwise seemed to juggle between the Pretenders, the Cybertron Headmaster Juniors and the other Godmasters, but they get less significant time than Ginrai does. Some of this might have been due to the fact that Ginrai, for an in-story reason revealed AFTER the events of the series, was designed after Optimus Prime (or Convoy), or it could have been due to the fact that this series was initially conceived as something of a fresh start disconnected from the original series and Headmasters. Nonetheless, there is a form of incoherence of who the main character is supposed to be.
As a consequence, some of the characters, specifically Hydra, Buster, Sixknight, Lightfoot, Ranger, Double Clouder and Road King, don't have much in terms of focus or character development and lose relevance to the story pretty quickly after their debut. I can at least let the Pretenders, both Cybertron and Destron, have a pass, as they have been on Earth longer and are more of mentor figures to the younger, less experienced characters, no too dissimilar to the Spirit Rangers from Kyoryuger. Nonetheless, some of the characters feel like extra support just there to sell toys. I understand that that's the main aim for any Transformers series regardless of quality, but I counter that with the argument that the character should be would encourages viewers to buy the toys, not just a promotion of them.
Heck, there even a few missed opportunities with them, most notably Double Clouder. In reference to his toy and Western counterpart, Double Dealer, Clouder is a Transtector with a neutral missile truck mode, a Destron beast mode and a Cybertron robot mode. As such, he is initially cast as a double agent working for the Destrons so that they can discover the Cybertron's base of operations and destroy it. However, it's over and done with after two episodes and, because the Destrons left him to die, Clouder joins the Cybertrons and is automatically a good guy. The episodes focused on the base attack and it's destruction are some of the best in the series, especially with the ramifications of it's destruction and the effect it has on everyone, but Clouder's sudden shift of allegiance doesn't, especially when he is never punished for what he has done and the hand he had in ruining everything for the Cybertrons, which lessens the impact of the bases destruction.
There could've been more time focused on Clouder and his interactions with the others, slowly showing his shift of allegiance and his guilt for when the base is destroyed, not dissimilar to how the Teen Titans animated series would handle Terra. But instead, due to the lack of filler plots, we gone none of that. Kind of a waste if you ask me.
Thankfully, the characters who DO get focus and development have easily identifiable personalities that I got to like quickly. Ginrai is a nice breathe of fresh air for the commander type, as he isn't entirely fond of being the leader at first, but slowly learns his responsibility of being the leader and how important it is to take those responsibilities. The Cybertron Headmaster Juniors, though initially one of the dumbest ideas in the franchise, prove to be incredibly likeable very quickly. Shuta has an understandable motivation, having lost his father early one in the series; Cab is energetic and straight forward, but never to the point of being a liability; Minerva shows herself as smart and a pacifist, but is still willing to stand up for the others while understanding that not everyone can be a good person.
Even the Destrons have more of a personality than before, as none of them, aside from Black Zarak, Hydra and Buster, are just basic:
I will never tire of that clip.
Giga and Mega, the Godmasters for Overlord, still seek the destruction of the Cybertrons to prove their loyalty to Devil Z, but they otherwise treat their fellow Destrons as some kind of bizarre family unit, mainly due to Mega doting excessively on the Headmaster Juniors as they were they're own children. Wilder and Bullhorn, even through their violent antics, still have a sense of respect for their comrades, and despise other children or people that aren't involved being used hostages or bargaining chips, due to hating any sign of weakness or frailty. This helps elevate the villains to being more than basic mooks standing in for the main villain,
But the most surprising of characters has to be Cancer... Yes. One of my favourite characters in this show is a kid named Cancer. At least you could justify the name as a reference to the Horoscope, as his beast mode is (apparently) a bipedal mutant crab monster.
Regardless, what made this kid appealing to me is how he is actually exposed to the chaos that the Destrons, and by proxy himself, have been spreading. He is a victim of bullying due to being orphaned as an infant, but he was taken in by a martial arts master and spent his years trying to master his techniques as a sign of gratitude to the old man. But a combination of the bullying and his own desires are what lead to him leaving his master and joining the Destrons to advance his skill. But when Minerva shows kindness to him in a time of need, which lay the seeds for his eventual turn on the Destrons when he sees the destruction they spread, especially when his home and few friends at the dojo are threatened by an invasion from Black Zarak. When he learned that his master dies alone and saddened by Cancer's departure, he finally took the chance to try and save people and actually redeem himself for what he has done. The character who I thought would be my least favourite actually ends up being my favourite character this series.
Thankfully, due to the absence of filler plots, more focus is put on the overall threat of Devil Z and his machinations, even if not much is revealed about his past aside from being the creature that powers the Godmasters and their ability to absorb Chokon energy for their fights. Their antics start off small time, due to the Pretenders being more old-school evil, but they are still leading to their goal of humanities destruction. Even with the more outlandish plots of the week, they are still smart in the execution of their goals for those plots. Although, Blood's plan of causing a stampede in African to try and get humans to kill their cattle? Yeah, that one was stupid. Nonetheless, this Destrons are probably some of the best written in the franchise as none of them are just one dimensional or really all that stupid. If only Headmasters or (spoilers) Victory had villains this smart or interesting... yeah, I'm not liking Victory thus far.
The music, even if the theme song once again is slow and disconnected from the themes of the show, is far more exciting and fitting for the scenes that they are used for. One of my personal favourites is probably "We Believe Tomorrow", mainly due to this feeling of both despair and hope that contrast perfectly with the more mellow musical accompaniment that helps to convey the scenes where it is used. Hell, it was first used for the destruction of the Cybertron's base, and it actually left a strong emotional impact with me when seeing it fall apart and the Cybertrons are left without a feeling of hope.
The action, despite its reuse of stock footage and not being the best animated, is always engaging to watch for due to the characters being more entertaining and, get this, VITAL TO THE STORY! One of the complaints that I alluded to in my review for Headmasters was that the action was never engaging due to the absence of any form of character development or personality, feeling more like a lower grade generic super robot anime. While, yes, Masterforce also uses several anime troupes, the use of them do not supersede the story or character development, but instead is accented by such, thus making the final victory in the battle between Ginrai and Devil Z at the Matterhorn all the sweeter and feels earned.
Choujin Masterforce is a far better series than Headmasters. I understand that isn't saying much as Headmasters was more of a corporate cash in than the Prime Wars Trilogy, but it doesn't detract the idea that Masterforce is a really good show. The characters are better defined and likeable, the villains have more complexity to them than previous shows (or even a few modern ones [looking at you, RID '15]), the music fits the series near flawlessly and the story has emotional weight that leaves the viewer satisfied by the end of it. Masterforce really is a series that any Transformers fan should check out for themselves.
Overall rating: 8/10 (really damn good!)
Until next time; this is Callum Lewis, the Media Hood, and you too can use your Masterforce, and TRANSFORM!!
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