Transformers: Why Memory may be better than Reality.

Transformers. One of my greatest loves.

While I was a little too young for the very first iteration of Transformers toys and cartoon by Hasbro, I was around for the first round of re-runs of the show, as well as 2nd Generation (buffs of the original). I owned A LOT of transformers: 1st waves, 2nd waves, MicroMasters, Terrorcons, the Gestalts (Superion, Predaking), even the non-transforming Headmasters. When I was in Grade 8, having only been able to remember parts of the 1986 animated blockbuster movie, Transformers: The Movie, my friend Chris and I acquired our first copy of it for our own, and watched it a lot. I loved them, and they loved me.

The Greatest Story Ever Told...oh wait.

Ok, that last part is a bit over the top, but I say this all for a purpose I’ll get to in a minute

In the last few years, I’ve been getting my hands on the original cartoon’s DVD boxed sets, with the obvious intention of watching them. Was I in for a surprise! Transformers, the first cartoon, is brutal. The plot has more holes than Swiss, the voice acting is blasé at best, and the animation is re-hashed at every possible point. Like He-Man (though not THAT bad), it was a cartoon designed to push toys on stupid kids. The movie, in point of fact, was actually designed to introduce an entire new line of toys, as well as to give a semblance of why they won’t make any more Ironhide toys. Luckily, despite the first 2 seasons, that movie is still AWESOME, and the subsequent seasons had a lot more to do with storylines, with plausible introductions to new toys..er..Characters, superceding season 1 and 2′s piece of cinematographic mastery (“Hey Reflector, get over here! Yes Sir!” *Cue Reflector, done)

My point is, sometimes memory is better than reality. But, sadly, we can’t live in memory, only in reality. So take it as it is, and enjoy some really bad cartoons.

And check out Teletraan-1, the Transformers Wiki.

And the new cartoon is actually great.

WK

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This entry was written by Will, posted on January 26, 2009 at 8:47 am, filed under Life and tagged memory, Nostalgia, transformers. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.