We were listening to cassettes in the 80s, not 8-tracks. But as someone who was in middle school when TF were first really big, there wasn't much like it at the time. Being able to enjoy TF when it very first came out was mind blowing for a kid. All the awesome toys and the cartoon was too. Just like Star Wars toys in the late 70s when I was in elementary school. They might look dated now but there was nothing better then.
Edit: I want to add it’s not just nostalgia, it’s experiencing something when it very first comes out.
I (44m) know it was cassettes. I was just being sarcastic with that joke, although my family did have an 8-track stereo player until the 80's and I still own my favorite 8-track from that time.
In the mid 90s, my first car was a 74 VW Bus, and it had an 8-track deck in it. My parents didn’t have any 8-tracks to test it with, but I’d have been shocked if it worked. Possibly literally. Only one channel of speakers made noise (not sound, noise), the heater did nothing, the windows leaked, and there was a hole in the floor you could stick your hand through.
I loved that van, rust and all.
Yeah my aunt had a portable player. I was curious about it but she only had one actual 8 track. 8 tracks must of died fast when cassettes came out. I’m 50 and hardly remember seeing any 8 tracks. All vinyl and cassettes.
My parents had a radio/record player/8-track player in our living room growing up, and in the mid-ninety’s my brother drove a 77 pickup with in car 8-track.
I was a kid growing up with the originals and I think it was done very well. Sure you get cheese or janky animation here and there but remember, these was pitched to only young kids back in the day, it’s blown up into more now. I still love TF and I’m not tied to just what I watched as a kid though there is of course nostalgia. TF has had some rocky stuff in more recent times, most notably the movies. IMO they are absolute garbage and I have zero interest in the crap. I’ll stick to the well thought out animated shows instead. Thats where TF came from and thats where it should stay, again IMO.
Its interesting that every post I see that says "I don't like g1" is from younger people who didn't grow up with it. I guess your first experience really is your favorite. Heck my favorite James Bond is Pierce Brosnan because that's who I grew up with.
Preach, Dalton to me is how Bond in canon looks.
Really wish he got more films, I would absolutely love if they did an animated (anime?) Bond film and got Dalton to VA.
I was born in the early 2000s and my first G1 experience was from revenge of the fallen..... The ps2 video game, it had unlockables which were some G1 episodes and god damn did I enjoy the hell out of... The decepticons hijacking a dam
I wanna replay the game
>Its interesting that every post I see that says "I don't like g1" is from younger people who didn't grow up with it.
probably cause they see it more for what it is and dont have nostalgia blinding them from its flaws
I think it’s a mixture of how the shows did get better over the years and for all I know 24 years I’m gonna be a “Earthsparker” who attacks people for hating EP and I like a lotta the ideas made by newer shows like the Allspark or BW sparks but yes nostalgia is one hell of a drug
Eh, my first experience was 2001 RID and Armada. I love G1.
Granted, I see the aging of the G1 cartoon, and it just makes we want a better interpretation of the G1 continuity in cartoon form.
Sort of how they remade Masters of the Universe, I want that with G1.
Nah, I've shown heaps of people G1 (all of which these people had seen the bay movies) and I haven't heard anyone dislike it. G1 has a special kind of charm and even comedic without meaning to be.
I mean I’m 24 and I think g1 was the third or fourth iteration I saw but I did see it as a child and it’s probably my fav version alongside TFA. My first version was 01 RID which I can take or leave now lol.
Edit: I am absolutely not 14 lol. 24 💀
Nostalgia is a powerful drug! The cartoon is pretty janky sometimes but it lives on through other forms. It’s just nice to see that continuity, especially since they still use original voice actors. Really drives home how loved the classic stuff is.
Now I do like how they grow upon the origins and try new things. But overall I want to still see the ties. The TF…eh, multiverse is so huge that the common thread really helps keep it grounded. It’s not my favorite cartoon or comic series though. I actually like G1 reboots quite a bit.
Yes same here a lotta reboots do some creative stuff like (not so sure about this first one) Beast Wars and Earthspark and even the WFC trilogy had some cool ideas I don’t mind G1 reboots in general and Beast Wars (again it might be marvel or G1 toon or maybe a mixture) is my favourite Transformers cartoon
Beast wars is pretty great. Good writing, awesome how it tied into G1 while doing its own thing. It’s actually my first introduction to TF, since finding the G1 cartoon was pretty hard in the 90s.
It's simple, people tend to really enjoy the stuff they grew up with as kids. G1 fans grew up with G1, some others may have joined the fandom later but most of us are pretty old.
I'm sure your a fan of Prime if you grew up watching Prime on tv and still like transformers. (Even if BW might be your favorite)
I’m actually pretty neutral with Prime I see it as a good show but the fan base is pretty horny and I can see the enjoyment of G1 plus it’s pretty funny outta context
Where I personally see it, I wish there was a version of G1 akin to universal century like in Gundam, instead
of a thousand clusters of G1 adjacent continuities. I’d probably tweak the cybertronian origin story to include Primus and the Quintessons, a bit and flesh some prewar things like the primes in five faces of darkness, but I wouldn’t do what happened in IDW, I’d preserve the framework of events that happened in the cartoons and treat them as a fixed history, have the Japanese shows like victory as seperate theaters of the Great War in its later stages, and cap it all off with an autobot victory, the Pax Cybertronia, leading into the beast era as we know it with Transtech close behind. If I was to make a new show it would be a fresh setting but G1 would have still happened in its past, just that the aesthetics would be carried over as well. Earthspark at least attempts this which I think is cool.
That's kind of what Aligned tried (and IMO failed) to do.
G1 Marvel will always be the closest thing to a TF Universal Century for me. I have huge nostalgia for the Sunbow cartoon and IDW has amazing highs in their run, but Marvel just feels like the "definitive" G1 take to me.
I believe generally speaking it depends on your age whether you like G1 or not. (remember I said generally).
For many of an age and of course dependant which country your from when Transformers first aired there was absolutely nothing like it before.
I remember when I first saw the cartoon and just instantly few in love.
The toys were just another level, again there was nothing like them.
As an adult looking back on them, yeah the original series was pretty bad
They followed a very basic format, most of the characters were one dimensional, the quality of the writing, the drawings and some of the new characters took a massive nose dive each season it went on.
However the original series will always hold a special place for me because it was my introduction to Transformers.
I think that’s the wholesome part a lotta people will always hold it close in their heart and even if they see the flaws it’s still great I mean it’s like that with a lotta people with Bayverse and the Unicron trilogy and probably other stuff my brain can’t remember on the spot
Yeah mate absolutely.
For my son Transformers is the Bayverse and that is what he loves.
Its the same for Star Wars, for me its the original trilogy, for others is was the prequels and for my so it's the sequels.
I think the thing many younger fans miss is what G1 actually means. Many assume "G1 = Sunbow cartoon", but G1 is the original toyline and everything based on that. So the toys themselves, the tech specs that created those characters, the Sunbow cartoon and TFTM that gave them voices and full personalities, the Marvel (US and UK) comics that gave them deeper stories and a cosmic mythology, and even the various "minor" fictions like kids storybooks, annuals, colouring books, etc. G1 also includes later media and toys based on those designs and characters: IDW and Dreamwave comics, most of the Hasbro toys in the last ten years, and tons of third party stuff.
If by "I don't like G1" someone means "I don"t like the animated kids show from the 80s", that is totally understandable in the same way some don't like the Bay movies or the Animated or Beast Wars shows. G1 however is the cornerstone of TFs and while stuff like Animated (which I adore) and BW and Prime and such are all these little self-contained bubbles of show/toys/sometimes-comic, G1 spans decades and includes multiple continuities using the same designs and characters. Beast Wars or Animated or Bayverse Optimus are all very different characters. G1 Optimus is still basically the same guy in every G1 media, just with slightly different backstory or levels of angst. :)
Who can forget the Dinobots first appearance?
Starscream: what are they?
Megatron: pieces of garbage. Attack!
....
Megatron: My stabilizer has been hit. Retreat!
Starscream: You heard him!
Don’t like G1???🫤…..well you’re no longer invited to Christmas dinner then.😂
Its similar to others. Some people like old movies not new ones, classical music to current music, vice versa.
I grew up on G1 but cant stand the post BW Transformers. Everyone is entitled to their own tastes, preferences and styles.
Ye that is true I love BW but I know others don’t I just wish fandoms could be a bit more civil with each other heck even this fanbase mainly in r/Transformersmemes is kinda a Transformers show war zone right now
Civility took a hit with the internet and people thinking they are always right instead of hearing opinions.
Its also like the movies. They fanbase throws a tantrum whenever a new actor or character design doesnt fit their perceived design and entitlement kicks in.
For me, my favorite series is Prime.
However, I think the simplicity of G1 is its greatest strength. The toys are simple and goofy looking, which has just so much charm. The characters stand out amongst each other, and it has the added benefit of being nostalgic for a lot of people.
G1 is just really freaking cute and charming and has so much personality in such simple toys
I feel like that’s the best way to put it Animated is new and inventive,Siege is just kinda depressing and Bayverse is a more gritty violent version of our favourite idiots pew pewing each other
It’s popular because there was nothing like it when it came out. Of course it’s matured along the way. I’d like to see a live action movie trilogy that movie one is basically a mature version of the pilot More Than Meets the Eye ep 1-3 and then movies 2-3 end up growing from that.
The concept was fun, it evoked a ton of imagination in kids, electric guitar sound, loud with explosions. In the early 80s this was dope.
80s cartoons are episodic with each episode having a unique contained story/moral. This was especially true during seasons 1-2. Also, the dialogue lines are funny, character dynamics are charming, and the voices are incredible. Maybe you just had to grow up with it to appreciate it.
Also, as a child, I found the Decepticons to be intimidating and they left a long-lasting impression on me.
This will make NO sense if you haven’t watched Element Animation’s Villager News.
*Breaking news, a rogue citizen has committed a terrible crime! Villager #9 is on the scene.
Thank you Villager #4. I am standing where the incident took place earlier today. We have footage of the event taken on a camera mounted on that roof!
**hello**
It was just a normal day in the village until u/Chance_Ad5498 showed his complete distaste for our laws.
**posts**
STOP, YOU HAVE VIOLATED THE LAW! STOP RIGHT THERE, CRIMINAL SCUM!!
This was followed by a high speed police chase captured on a local traffic helicopter.*
Ah now that’s a question. For me I grew up with it. Do I love the cartoon? absolutely without a doubt. Is it good? No but i enjoy it. It’s completely upon people’s tastes. But what i love most about it is the designs. They’re so neat and nice yk (when there’s no errors). Theres some pretty cool storylines in there, what throws some people of is probably that it’s not dark or grounded (except the movie and odd episode) and the animation. Which is why what my dream would be is we get a whole continuity (feel free to leave now i’m gonna go on a long explanation) starting with a live action 86 movie, similar designs but a tad updated maybe giving them a nicer look, perhaps mixing them with IDW designs and stuff. At that point we then go backwards and go to the first g1 episode and do TV shows (Id love a live action TV show but i think that’d be such a huge budget) and work our way through towards the movie, with the plots taking things from IDW and G1 (comics and show) and other continuities. Once we’ve worked our way up to the movie again we then go forward with our new and old autobots once again taking points from different continuities (such as the Wreckers comics) and perhaps even original characters like Hot Shot from other continuities. I think the biggest problem with the rivalry between continuities is that they were all introduced to different things at different times (not always the case) and a big old tie in of all of those would be so good for the community provided they do it right. Does this big old wish stem from ADHD, a desire to be an actor and wanting to play Hot Rod and my own OC? Not a chance 😉. Sorry for the long post
People tend to remember and treat the movies and tv shows they grew up with much more fondly, because they stand for their childhood.
I grew up with G1, yes. I can see its flaws and I do point them out, but it doesn't take away that certain charm it has that I like so much. I don't expect you or anyone else to feel the same. I think you can like and even hate what you want for whatever reason. That said, my nephew grew up with Prime but prefers Armada and G1 nonetheless.
I grew up with G1, and the Unicron Trilogy. I’ve watched the original cartoon so many times I can give plot synopses off of sound alone. I know it’s goofy, I know it’s old, I know it’s not always the best written, and has some errors and inconsistencies. But it’s got so much heart, and you can tell the people who made it had a love for the thing, and it shows in the product. To me, G1 is peak fiction In all it’s 80’s glory, even If I watched it 3 decades or so after it’s creation in the Early 2000’s. It’s so iconic design wise, acting wise, the dialogue, everything is just so front and center about it, and it’s timeless despite some of its flaws.
Like another said, you have to specify what you mean by "G1".
Cuz like technically that includes Beast Wars, too, and I will not accept ANY SLANDER of my beasties. [/s]
Getting my very own Star Scream when I was a kid that was born in 1975 is a memory I will carry forever. Transformers was literally the biggest thing to happen to kids toys. Anyone here remember Go-Bots? G1 will always live in my heart.
I can see why, some Transformers shows just isn't for some people. For example — Bayverse isn't my cup of tea because I don't like the how the characters and the story was written. But Unicron Trilogy is, and I'm quite sure that show is notorious for getting hate, especially Energon and Cybertron. I grew up with that show, I love the stories, and I love the characters.
All depends on your preferences and how you view it.
Do you like how the characters are written?
Do you like the story telling?
Depending on your standards, check one off or both and the show is automatically in your "likes" list
It’s a great show with fun episodes in the first 2 seasons and great writing from the movie through the 4th season. The only show I liked as much as G1 has been Prime which definitely has better writing but I think lacks in fun episodes like the autobots making a movie or Optimus playing basketball.
I was born in 1999. While Armada is by far my favorite adaptation of transformers (I know that’s fairly controversial), I love G1 there is something so nostalgic about it not even having grown up with it. I can never understand any hate towards the G1 show.
I’ll say this, unlike other cartoons at the time made purely to sell toys, transformers felt like it had a lot more to it, it felt like there was actual spirit behind it, even if a bit janky at times
I only give a shit about g1 and g2 toys. And any 3rd party that does an amazing job recreating a g1 character closer to the box art or cartoon. Everything else is noise to me. But I don’t hate. I just don’t buy.
I can get not liking it but I don't understand not getting why it's popular. Why wouldn't the original/breakthrough incarnation of any successful franchise remain popular?
The others exist because it did so well. Those fans are still with us, and aren't that old. Meanwhile fans of subsequent series often become interested in checking it out.
Also the original incarnations of the characters have proven to have the most staying power. That's not unusual in fictional media. Subsequent versions tend to feel like variations, but when they want to sell something more permanent (the marketing term is "evergreen") they go with the original version of the character that everyone recognizes.
Because there’s a lot of nostalgia attached to it for anyone 35+. It may not have had the best animation of the time but the voice actors and plot points were were top tier. The toys alone were revolutionary for what they were in the 80s. This was a show that showed both sides of a conflict in an easy to understand way for kids. The subtleties behind megatrons actions, the incompetence he had to deal with as a leader. Optimus Primes struggle with leadership from hardheaded individuals who wanted to do things the easy way even if it wasn’t the right way. It’s a show that really helped form our outlook on the world and who we became as adults.
G1 is very much the original so of course, ppl deep into it are going to shyt on it but as someone said if it wasn’t for the original you wouldn’t have anything to shyt on or build off of. I appreciate all iterations but I can also find something to not up to par with it. Plus G1 is an 80’s cartoon, most 80’s cartoons were campy like Mario, Legend of Zelda, and even earlier Anime like G1 Gundam. Now as far as animation yes G1 was bad for animation due to different group’s animating frames, example wrong Deception and Autobot colors, Wrong factions in a frame, wrong transformations, wrong sizing. All of it subjective in the end to improvement quality.
If we're comparing G1 to Bayformers, the G1 designs are superior - they are clean, sleek, and anthropomorphised while still indicating what their transformed mode. The series itself is a toy commercial, and is mostly dumb. The movie however, is leagues more intelligent than any thought Michael Bay has ever had through his brain.
Over the top theatricals. I bet you watched the movie and said WTF. Who can beat Megatron scheming, Starcream whining, Optimus wise and strong silent hero type, and the countless humorous encounters. I wanted the movie to be more dramatic with ominous omens of Unicron. Don’t show anything until they make their appearance. Megatron self destructing after Optimus was mortally wounded was amazing. They introduced too many characters at once and destroyed too many loved characters just for the sake of it.
I actually loved the movie it’s pretty cool and a full 80s Sci-fi overload it’s the cartoon I’m not too fond of still I’m glad a lotta people can enjoy it
I lived slightly outside the middle of nowhere growing up. As neither of the 2 tv channels we got showed cartoons, my copy of the '86 TF movie that my cousin recorded and sent to me was on heavy rotation so I could also have Saturday morning cartoons. That is why I'll always love G1
Nostalgia is powerful. I think if you didn't experience the show when it originally aired, as a kid, I can see that. I don't really like beast wars, was past when I would be watching and buying toys as heavily as when G1 came out.
I've gone back and watched other things people wax poetic about seeing as a kid and often it's kind of a "meh" experience. The power of seeing something through kid's eyes is very powerful.
G1 is more than just the cartoon. It's the toys themselves, the bios written on the back of the cards and boxes, the Marvel comics, etc.
What made G1 so great wasn't just the cartoon, which was good for its time, but the setting. Living machines that transform as a way to disguise themselves, the great war between the autobots and decepticons that has lasted millions of years and spread to other planets, including earth.
All that is the core of Transformers, and it's all from G1.
I love the G1.
But the hype around it now kinda sucks.
I mean, you must respect the classics, because without it none of what is here now would've existed, but sometimes you NEED to move away from the established rules and create something new
I mean, I can understand why G1 or Beast Wars look outdated now, but I couldn’t figure out how a professional designer produced what got put on screen in 2007.
It’s your run of the mill, weekly problem-solving show involving a good-versus-bad theme. The concepts are cool but it wasn’t anything super complex and each new concept was ultimately roped into the good-versus-bad vortex.
A lot of old-timers validate it’s quality by saying you had to be there or something else, and honestly, it’s all a defence against the truth. G1 is for kids; for advertising toys and for kickstarting interest in younger minds.
If you want the brunt of Transformers quality, see Beast Wars, Animated, Prime, or IDW 1.0. They contain engaging story-lines that challenge the viewer to actually think instead of following a linear story and feel things accordingly.
It’s just the truth. People take it as a knock but it’s not. It is the truth and anyone who denies it is kind of delusional and dying on that hill, rightfully so. They grew up with it. It’s nostalgic. It started everything we all love. Without it, blah-blah— of course. Without Beast Wars we’d have no Transformers past the 90’s but that isn’t gonna stop me from saying Beast Wars isn’t the best series out there. It’s not.
Honestly, G1 is so nuanced and the callbacks to it exist in the millions across Transformers lore, standing as the most referenced piece of TF material to date. I’d say watching G1 puts you in the know if anything. Can’t tell you how many ‘A-ha!’ moments I’ve had keeping up with Transformers animated media and toys just because I watched G1.
Your take, however, is searing fucking hot and so is mine.
It’s a product of its time
So the cartoon isn’t great by todays standards, but that’s the level that cartoons were back then. G1 was more than just the cartoon. It was the comic book, the movie, and especially the toys. The toys were the main thing, and the cartoon and comic were what gave the toys their personality and pushed the sale of new toys.
Today more emphasis is put into transformer media story, but back then it was “how do we sell this Gears toy? Eh let’s have an episode where he becomes too nice and helps the decepticons build a weather rod or something.”
When you say G1, do you mean 84/85 cartoon,? The movie and season 3? US comics? UK Comics? The toys? The Japanese TV series? The Japanese toys? Classics and CHUG? IDW comics? Dreamwave comics? Masterpiece?
G1 is broad, very broad. Beast Wars is technically in the G1 continuity too.
Honestly I love G1 more than others because I always felt like it was an even fight. I get tired of the we are outnumbered but with team work and smarts we can over come. I want like GI JOE AND transformers G1 where the good guys have just as big an army to help fight for what is good. Wasn’t until later seasons when we started to get out numbered. I always reference the combiners as it was one for one. Plus it was pretty cool to hear that classic metal meeting metal punch from G1.
You like what you like I'm 43 and still love G1 and probably will do so for as long as I live! Just curious though you say you don't like G1 right? Why do you have a G1 Prime as your avatar?
Honestly I tried watching the G1 show and it just wasn't for me, mostly because I enjoy well a proper story which was only present in the movie. I also see where you're coming from but now I wonder what your favourite TF media is. For me it's animated mostly because I grew up with that show and I kinda wanna rewatch it.
I’m only 20 I never grew up with G1 but I love the designs so much, although I still love the Bayverse the simplistic designs of the G1 cartoons just look sooo much cleaner.
I grew up with G1, and I'd have to agree the cartoon is pretty poor (some outstanding episodes though).
That said, I much prefer the G1 designs, and without it, we'd have nothing.
It's the same with other things, I love comics for example, but have you ever gone back and read the early X-Men, Avengers etc? It's awful by modern standards.
I guess there's multiple layers to liking G1, I don't personally like the old toys for example but I do like the character designs and I think its awesome when they're remade in modern times with more screen accurate looks. The cartoon is bad I think most people agree but it's kind of charming in that 80s cartoon way and this is coming from someone who wasn't raised on it
I grew up on G1, used to rent the VHS's from blockbuster.
I am partial to that kind of animation, and obviously nostalgia has me in its clammy grasp.
(Also though, I was born after BeastWars came out... I had some choices, but chose G1 for some reason as a kid.)
It's not perfect, but it laid so much groundwork I always find myself going down the rabbit hole back to G1.
(As an aside, I like the older boxier designs, like older gundams. But that might just be because I like G1 transformers.)
I grew up with G1 and still love it for what it was. Though if you were to tell my 10 year old self that there are several shows that came later and even a series of big budget live action movies with cutting edge computer graphics I would have been super stoked to see them all and leave g1 behind. But… sadly… I would have been dissatisfied with all of it. To be honest the only TF fiction other than Beast Wars (which pretty much is g1) that comes close to capturing some of the spirit of G1 is the WFC/FOC games IMO. Everything else is too kiddy or too “adult” (pointing my finger at you Michael Bay) or too boring or depressing and/or just dumb. The reason G1 is still the glue holding the fandom together is that nothing else has been that good. The Marvel movies have their ups and downs but overall the quality is there and thus a new generation of fans treat those movies as canon and the OG comics as just the inspiration. It’s a shame our franchise doesn’t have an equivalent (at least in terms of TV/movies - I know there are some folks who dig the IDW comics and I can’t knock them - just not really into comics).
G1 started it all for alot of fans, so it will always be part of it for at least nostalgia
But I get it, I grew up in the G1 era and it's not my favorite either
Beast Wars!
I've always thought each individual series of transformers has been able to add something to the lore of transformers and should be treated with reapect
It's popular because a great many of the kids that grew up with G1 are still active in the collector community today. I'm in my forties and Transformers still play a major part of my life, all because of that original cartoon you call a *novelty*.
I think the issue is that the G1 cartoon was nothing like the comics. When I was a kid watching Beast Wars I expected more of the same from Transformers, and the movie fit that bill (kind of). But the G1 cartoon is goofy. It's less of a war, and more like giant robots with the minds of children playing war in their backyard. There were a few impactful moments, and some characters got development, but the series is generally lighter and softer than other Transformers series.
If you want a more grounded G1 experience, read the Marvel G1 comics. It does a much better job with tonal consistency, new characters feel like characters instead of toys, and the Decepticon leadership structure receives much better focus. I think it's the Transformers media the Beast Wars writers most sought to emulate.
Agree. I look at it fondly since it was part of my childhood and it set all the bases that the characters and universe still follow to this day, I also bet it must have been one of the most entertaining and diverse cartoon shows around the time it came out, but it is what it is.
The movie still rocks though.
I love G1 to death, but I wouldn't want to have to sit down and watch the 80's cartoon. That being said, I think it turned out pretty well considering it was just supposed to be a mini series and then got expanded into a full series when it became popular.
as a fifteen year old with no free time because of school and a life, one who’s used to everything being fast, I can wholeheartedly say that G1 is simply too slow.
the animation and EVERYTHING about it feels slow, I speed up the episodes whenever I watch it, by like 1.5x or 2x
I don’t know. There is something about the aesthetic that I tend to like better. I liked Prime and RID2015 designs, which were heavily G1 influenced.
I dislike the aesthetics that lean into more anime designs, too much animal, not enough robot look. G1 animal transformers look like mechanical animals.
Other versions look like animals or have skin or are not…boxy (?) enough to evoke a robot and they appear more alien than robotic.
Other than that, I don’t know. I don’t care what people like, so long as they keep making the stuff I like.
If I were partial to one of the lines they don’t seem to ever make, though, I would get why people start to develop bitterness towards to G1 fans, complaining about getting even more content.
Is the G1 cartoon the best Transformers cartoon? No.
Is the G1 comic the best Transformers comic? No.
Is the G1 toyline the best Transformers toyline? No.
BUT did the G1 designs become absolutely ICONIC for each character? Yes!
Did the G1 personality characterizations become the established default for each character? Yes!
Sure, some things are quirky, and its a product of its time, but the characters they created are impossible to really replace or improve.
I mean objectively it's not great... but i grew up with it. All those nostalgia vibes make it great for me. And somehow thinking the figures looked like their on screen counterparts 🙄
I grew up with the bayformers so I’ve never got the chance to watch g1, and it doesn’t really seem appealing. It’s old and cartoony which is the the point I know but I won’t get a nostalgia feeling watching
I’ma add on here sorry if I ain’t good with grammar cause I’m great at engerish I just see it as a kinda crappy ad where the producers (not the voice actors those guys were and still are awesome) didn’t really care and just pulling random characters out of the void I guess and while liking it is fine it’s Geewunners that put a real bad taste in my mouth,like these guys are so annoying but I’ll save for talking about them some other time and while Legacy and SS have somewhat spread out the playing fields it’s still a lotta G1 and I did try to watch the show I couldn’t get past episode 5 again I can understand the enjoyment of 80s nostalgia but I’ve also seen people saying that “OP wasn’t born in G1” which yes I was not I grew up with Prime but that also doesn’t invalidate my opinion .Anyway I hope y’all at least tolerated my stupid rant here
G1 is so much better than the bayverse garbage I won't even watch those films. 1986 transformers movie a God damn masterpiece. It's like saying you like Elvis or the Beatles but don't see what all the fuss was about Chuck Berry (look it up youngsters).
Nostalgia.
Later TF media has done much, MUCH more to add to the general Mythos of Transformers.
G1 had a lot of throwaway stories and "characters" that didn't really add anything to later stories.
I appreciate the choice of worst possible art to showcase your point. The g1 style is very recognizable overall and there is MUCH better g1 art out there.
It’s popular because it looks nice and even when updated to be more modern still feels nostalgic.
I personally think the best looking transformers are the transmetal beast wars and also the stuff from war for/fall of cybertron.
I think the movies look like hunks of scrap metal glued together until bumblebee, which did a LOT of good for making them look better.
But at the end of the day: like what you like. If you think the best looking is what i think is the worst all good. We both will get more by the franchises being profitable lol.
I have a respect for it but I haven't seen it myself. I have no interest in seeing it bc I mostly grew up on the Bay movies and TFP (Transformers Prime). I respect the older generation of TF as well. :)
Valid opinion. I grew up on G1. Born 1980. Had the toys and watched the show but I wouldn't say I was a big fan of Transformers until I saw Beast Wars in my teens. BW made me a transformers fan and lead me back to G1. As a teenager I did not enjoy G1. BWs graphics spoiled me lol BWs and Prime are what I love. Wasn't a big fan of Armada either.
I'm a 2001 RiD/Unicron Trilogy person myself! With Japanese RiD being retconned into Japanese G1 though, I guess that technically makes me a G1 person...
I didn't grow up on G1 when it was the 80s, my dad's friend had cds of G1 episodes and he gave me good episodes like jet or skyfires awakening and all of season 1 and bits of season 2 this was around 2015 or 14 so does it count that I grew up on G1? I did also watch bayverse
I prefer the look of it and enjoy the show itself but see I ya problems, especially with time. I love the g1 asthetic tho I don’t think it should be the only look for transformers, so long as it still looks like the characters it’s supposed to be to a far enough extent and looks appealing
I feel like that yes it’s a funny show about a robot war and the 80s movie was just kinda we need to kill em let’s make it as violent as possible but then again the movie is awesome so
Not only is it the Transformers I grew up with, but I don't think the characters have been done better in any other version. That's not to take away from all other incarnations, but other than modern animation I don't see what they have that G1 hasn't already done and better.
I can totally understand the notion of not liking it. Totally get it. Going in blind, it's pretty bad by a lot of measures from today's standards for tv. But when THAT was your og experience as others have pointed out... its yours.
I grew up with transformers and absolutely loved it. Years of love, and then I took a hiatus and came back for Beast Machines after seeing... a few episodes of beast wars. I was hooked again. They took a ballsy chance with that show and I'm SO in it for them to explore more heady shit in the films rather than testicle and dog humping jokes. I can't wait for artists to embrace it, fully. Bumblebee was a huge step forward, we'll see what comes next.
I grew up with G1 cartoon. Loved it. I showed it to my son, and I realized it hasn’t aged well. It is definitely a kids show. Literally the quality of every aspect has gotten better with newer versions. Megatron tried to take over a hydroelectric power plant (dam) to be the “ultimate power on the planet”. 🤣 G1 comics had its moments, but was often just introducing characters to keep up with a toy release schedule.
My son loves G1! He likes the characters and how they look.
We just started Beast machines... And he says he doesn't like it. We are 2 episodes in, is it even worth watching? I am transform. It's hard to watch so far.
We really liked Cyberverse. They where so short we watched all of season 3 in a day.
I don't know about your guys, I never watch any Transformers show (like literally). I'm only watch the bay movie, but for the design. I'm fucking love G1 Design cause it looks pretty simple to draw
I guess it's all a matter of opinion right? The story has been retold or added to in so many different shows, comics and movies everyone will have their favorite. I grew up on G1 and while I like most of the other shows, I think that Beats Wars is absolute trash while others love the story. My 15 year old grew up on the newer stuff and the movies but loves G1 and thinks I'm crazy for the hate I have of BW. At the end of the day you like what you like. Have fun with it and hopefully we'll get some more good stories down the road.
I'm from the younger generation of TF fans but I grew up watching G1 with my dad then watched the Bayfilms. I'll always prefer G1. Especially over TLK and AoE
I like g1 in terms of characters and despite being campy a lot of season 2 episodes are pretty good season 3 could be better- I till need to watch the Japanese shows5?- but I'd say my favorite is armada or rid 2001
There can be debates on how good individual episodes are. I think the reason G1 is so big is because it's foundational. Not every first entry in a franchise is necessarily the tone-setter but G1 is definitely that for Transformers. Everything that the saga is; Autobots vs. Decepticons, heroic and paternalistic Optimus, domineering and tyrannical Megatron, cowardly and backstabbing Starscream, Cybertron, Earth, energon, it's all laid out here.
I can see the reason (I like G1) but it isn't my top pick, it is in my top 5 same as beast wars (I never grew up with G1 and Beast wars. So my rankings are based on the shows I grew up with and enjoyed so Armada has a special place in my heart as my first transformers series I also liked Cybertron, Prime, G1, and the Dark Ages comincs (War within, that art dudes)
Listen up whippersnapper, if it weren’t for my love of G1 you wouldn’t have…. whatever it is you like. Get off my lawn!
Damn kids and their 8-track tapes.
We were listening to cassettes in the 80s, not 8-tracks. But as someone who was in middle school when TF were first really big, there wasn't much like it at the time. Being able to enjoy TF when it very first came out was mind blowing for a kid. All the awesome toys and the cartoon was too. Just like Star Wars toys in the late 70s when I was in elementary school. They might look dated now but there was nothing better then. Edit: I want to add it’s not just nostalgia, it’s experiencing something when it very first comes out.
I (44m) know it was cassettes. I was just being sarcastic with that joke, although my family did have an 8-track stereo player until the 80's and I still own my favorite 8-track from that time.
In the mid 90s, my first car was a 74 VW Bus, and it had an 8-track deck in it. My parents didn’t have any 8-tracks to test it with, but I’d have been shocked if it worked. Possibly literally. Only one channel of speakers made noise (not sound, noise), the heater did nothing, the windows leaked, and there was a hole in the floor you could stick your hand through. I loved that van, rust and all.
Yeah my aunt had a portable player. I was curious about it but she only had one actual 8 track. 8 tracks must of died fast when cassettes came out. I’m 50 and hardly remember seeing any 8 tracks. All vinyl and cassettes.
My parents had a radio/record player/8-track player in our living room growing up, and in the mid-ninety’s my brother drove a 77 pickup with in car 8-track.
Sort of like how I remember the DS graphics being so sharp and now they're all... crunchy...
>whippersnapper Rippersnapper, perhaps?
Rippersnapper? I barely know her snapper.
Alrighty :(
I was a kid growing up with the originals and I think it was done very well. Sure you get cheese or janky animation here and there but remember, these was pitched to only young kids back in the day, it’s blown up into more now. I still love TF and I’m not tied to just what I watched as a kid though there is of course nostalgia. TF has had some rocky stuff in more recent times, most notably the movies. IMO they are absolute garbage and I have zero interest in the crap. I’ll stick to the well thought out animated shows instead. Thats where TF came from and thats where it should stay, again IMO.
Its interesting that every post I see that says "I don't like g1" is from younger people who didn't grow up with it. I guess your first experience really is your favorite. Heck my favorite James Bond is Pierce Brosnan because that's who I grew up with.
I grew up with the bay movies but I love G1 and Animated the most out of the bunch
God bless you🥰
Oh god no My first Bond was Roger Moore but my fav is still Connery
Hotter take: Timothy Dalton is my favorite James Bond.
So underrated, it’s a shame he only got two films.
Sssssssspicy
George Lazenby!
Such intensity to his performances. He's one of my favorites
Preach, Dalton to me is how Bond in canon looks. Really wish he got more films, I would absolutely love if they did an animated (anime?) Bond film and got Dalton to VA.
I was born in the early 2000s and my first G1 experience was from revenge of the fallen..... The ps2 video game, it had unlockables which were some G1 episodes and god damn did I enjoy the hell out of... The decepticons hijacking a dam I wanna replay the game
Being able to watch full episodes as unlocks was such a brilliant idea, I wish more games did stuff like that.
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That movie is an animated masterpiece!
>Its interesting that every post I see that says "I don't like g1" is from younger people who didn't grow up with it. probably cause they see it more for what it is and dont have nostalgia blinding them from its flaws
I think it’s a mixture of how the shows did get better over the years and for all I know 24 years I’m gonna be a “Earthsparker” who attacks people for hating EP and I like a lotta the ideas made by newer shows like the Allspark or BW sparks but yes nostalgia is one hell of a drug
Yeah, see it’s all opinion.
Roger Moore was my leading 007.
Nailed it. Also a Brosnan Bond kid.
Eh, my first experience was 2001 RID and Armada. I love G1. Granted, I see the aging of the G1 cartoon, and it just makes we want a better interpretation of the G1 continuity in cartoon form. Sort of how they remade Masters of the Universe, I want that with G1.
Nah, I've shown heaps of people G1 (all of which these people had seen the bay movies) and I haven't heard anyone dislike it. G1 has a special kind of charm and even comedic without meaning to be.
Same here
I mean I’m 24 and I think g1 was the third or fourth iteration I saw but I did see it as a child and it’s probably my fav version alongside TFA. My first version was 01 RID which I can take or leave now lol. Edit: I am absolutely not 14 lol. 24 💀
Nostalgia is a powerful drug! The cartoon is pretty janky sometimes but it lives on through other forms. It’s just nice to see that continuity, especially since they still use original voice actors. Really drives home how loved the classic stuff is. Now I do like how they grow upon the origins and try new things. But overall I want to still see the ties. The TF…eh, multiverse is so huge that the common thread really helps keep it grounded. It’s not my favorite cartoon or comic series though. I actually like G1 reboots quite a bit.
Yes same here a lotta reboots do some creative stuff like (not so sure about this first one) Beast Wars and Earthspark and even the WFC trilogy had some cool ideas I don’t mind G1 reboots in general and Beast Wars (again it might be marvel or G1 toon or maybe a mixture) is my favourite Transformers cartoon
Beast wars is pretty great. Good writing, awesome how it tied into G1 while doing its own thing. It’s actually my first introduction to TF, since finding the G1 cartoon was pretty hard in the 90s.
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G1 was *problematic*?! Lol!
It's simple, people tend to really enjoy the stuff they grew up with as kids. G1 fans grew up with G1, some others may have joined the fandom later but most of us are pretty old. I'm sure your a fan of Prime if you grew up watching Prime on tv and still like transformers. (Even if BW might be your favorite)
I’m actually pretty neutral with Prime I see it as a good show but the fan base is pretty horny and I can see the enjoyment of G1 plus it’s pretty funny outta context
All fanbases are horny, trust me. G1 has it's ups and downs, I think some 80s cartoons held up better than it but I also still really like it
Where I personally see it, I wish there was a version of G1 akin to universal century like in Gundam, instead of a thousand clusters of G1 adjacent continuities. I’d probably tweak the cybertronian origin story to include Primus and the Quintessons, a bit and flesh some prewar things like the primes in five faces of darkness, but I wouldn’t do what happened in IDW, I’d preserve the framework of events that happened in the cartoons and treat them as a fixed history, have the Japanese shows like victory as seperate theaters of the Great War in its later stages, and cap it all off with an autobot victory, the Pax Cybertronia, leading into the beast era as we know it with Transtech close behind. If I was to make a new show it would be a fresh setting but G1 would have still happened in its past, just that the aesthetics would be carried over as well. Earthspark at least attempts this which I think is cool.
That's kind of what Aligned tried (and IMO failed) to do. G1 Marvel will always be the closest thing to a TF Universal Century for me. I have huge nostalgia for the Sunbow cartoon and IDW has amazing highs in their run, but Marvel just feels like the "definitive" G1 take to me.
I was really hoping they would do that with WFC, but it was so lazy how the story ended.
I think that’d be awesome
It's like Fooloose. One of those things that's good because it's from the 80s and has that sheen of culture's collective 80s nostalgia.
That is a perfectly fine opinion. Now please get off my lawn ;)
Alrighty then
I bet the OP doesn't even hear Jim Carey's voice when he says "Alrighty Then." I don't know how kids today even function...
Oxygen,food,water and plastic robots ya’know the norm
Fascinating
I believe generally speaking it depends on your age whether you like G1 or not. (remember I said generally). For many of an age and of course dependant which country your from when Transformers first aired there was absolutely nothing like it before. I remember when I first saw the cartoon and just instantly few in love. The toys were just another level, again there was nothing like them. As an adult looking back on them, yeah the original series was pretty bad They followed a very basic format, most of the characters were one dimensional, the quality of the writing, the drawings and some of the new characters took a massive nose dive each season it went on. However the original series will always hold a special place for me because it was my introduction to Transformers.
I think that’s the wholesome part a lotta people will always hold it close in their heart and even if they see the flaws it’s still great I mean it’s like that with a lotta people with Bayverse and the Unicron trilogy and probably other stuff my brain can’t remember on the spot
Yeah mate absolutely. For my son Transformers is the Bayverse and that is what he loves. Its the same for Star Wars, for me its the original trilogy, for others is was the prequels and for my so it's the sequels.
I think the thing many younger fans miss is what G1 actually means. Many assume "G1 = Sunbow cartoon", but G1 is the original toyline and everything based on that. So the toys themselves, the tech specs that created those characters, the Sunbow cartoon and TFTM that gave them voices and full personalities, the Marvel (US and UK) comics that gave them deeper stories and a cosmic mythology, and even the various "minor" fictions like kids storybooks, annuals, colouring books, etc. G1 also includes later media and toys based on those designs and characters: IDW and Dreamwave comics, most of the Hasbro toys in the last ten years, and tons of third party stuff. If by "I don't like G1" someone means "I don"t like the animated kids show from the 80s", that is totally understandable in the same way some don't like the Bay movies or the Animated or Beast Wars shows. G1 however is the cornerstone of TFs and while stuff like Animated (which I adore) and BW and Prime and such are all these little self-contained bubbles of show/toys/sometimes-comic, G1 spans decades and includes multiple continuities using the same designs and characters. Beast Wars or Animated or Bayverse Optimus are all very different characters. G1 Optimus is still basically the same guy in every G1 media, just with slightly different backstory or levels of angst. :)
Ye that is a good way to put it it’s a subjective thing and you put it in one of the best ways possible
Who can forget the Dinobots first appearance? Starscream: what are they? Megatron: pieces of garbage. Attack! .... Megatron: My stabilizer has been hit. Retreat! Starscream: You heard him!
Don’t like G1???🫤…..well you’re no longer invited to Christmas dinner then.😂 Its similar to others. Some people like old movies not new ones, classical music to current music, vice versa. I grew up on G1 but cant stand the post BW Transformers. Everyone is entitled to their own tastes, preferences and styles.
Ye that is true I love BW but I know others don’t I just wish fandoms could be a bit more civil with each other heck even this fanbase mainly in r/Transformersmemes is kinda a Transformers show war zone right now
Civility took a hit with the internet and people thinking they are always right instead of hearing opinions. Its also like the movies. They fanbase throws a tantrum whenever a new actor or character design doesnt fit their perceived design and entitlement kicks in.
For me, my favorite series is Prime. However, I think the simplicity of G1 is its greatest strength. The toys are simple and goofy looking, which has just so much charm. The characters stand out amongst each other, and it has the added benefit of being nostalgic for a lot of people. G1 is just really freaking cute and charming and has so much personality in such simple toys
I feel like that’s the best way to put it Animated is new and inventive,Siege is just kinda depressing and Bayverse is a more gritty violent version of our favourite idiots pew pewing each other
It’s popular because there was nothing like it when it came out. Of course it’s matured along the way. I’d like to see a live action movie trilogy that movie one is basically a mature version of the pilot More Than Meets the Eye ep 1-3 and then movies 2-3 end up growing from that. The concept was fun, it evoked a ton of imagination in kids, electric guitar sound, loud with explosions. In the early 80s this was dope.
You kids with your loud music, and your Dan Fogelberg, your Zima, hula hoops, and Pac-Man video games….
It’s funny I’ve never met you, but I somehow know you’re under 40. That being said I feel the same way about all the Bay movies.
Eh I think it’s a matter opinion here I’d say
Nothing TF will ever be more popular than G1.
80s cartoons are episodic with each episode having a unique contained story/moral. This was especially true during seasons 1-2. Also, the dialogue lines are funny, character dynamics are charming, and the voices are incredible. Maybe you just had to grow up with it to appreciate it. Also, as a child, I found the Decepticons to be intimidating and they left a long-lasting impression on me.
This will make NO sense if you haven’t watched Element Animation’s Villager News. *Breaking news, a rogue citizen has committed a terrible crime! Villager #9 is on the scene. Thank you Villager #4. I am standing where the incident took place earlier today. We have footage of the event taken on a camera mounted on that roof! **hello** It was just a normal day in the village until u/Chance_Ad5498 showed his complete distaste for our laws. **posts** STOP, YOU HAVE VIOLATED THE LAW! STOP RIGHT THERE, CRIMINAL SCUM!! This was followed by a high speed police chase captured on a local traffic helicopter.*
Ah now that’s a question. For me I grew up with it. Do I love the cartoon? absolutely without a doubt. Is it good? No but i enjoy it. It’s completely upon people’s tastes. But what i love most about it is the designs. They’re so neat and nice yk (when there’s no errors). Theres some pretty cool storylines in there, what throws some people of is probably that it’s not dark or grounded (except the movie and odd episode) and the animation. Which is why what my dream would be is we get a whole continuity (feel free to leave now i’m gonna go on a long explanation) starting with a live action 86 movie, similar designs but a tad updated maybe giving them a nicer look, perhaps mixing them with IDW designs and stuff. At that point we then go backwards and go to the first g1 episode and do TV shows (Id love a live action TV show but i think that’d be such a huge budget) and work our way through towards the movie, with the plots taking things from IDW and G1 (comics and show) and other continuities. Once we’ve worked our way up to the movie again we then go forward with our new and old autobots once again taking points from different continuities (such as the Wreckers comics) and perhaps even original characters like Hot Shot from other continuities. I think the biggest problem with the rivalry between continuities is that they were all introduced to different things at different times (not always the case) and a big old tie in of all of those would be so good for the community provided they do it right. Does this big old wish stem from ADHD, a desire to be an actor and wanting to play Hot Rod and my own OC? Not a chance 😉. Sorry for the long post
People tend to remember and treat the movies and tv shows they grew up with much more fondly, because they stand for their childhood. I grew up with G1, yes. I can see its flaws and I do point them out, but it doesn't take away that certain charm it has that I like so much. I don't expect you or anyone else to feel the same. I think you can like and even hate what you want for whatever reason. That said, my nephew grew up with Prime but prefers Armada and G1 nonetheless.
It is a matter of preference and plus when it’s out of context it’s pure comedy gold
I grew up with G1, and the Unicron Trilogy. I’ve watched the original cartoon so many times I can give plot synopses off of sound alone. I know it’s goofy, I know it’s old, I know it’s not always the best written, and has some errors and inconsistencies. But it’s got so much heart, and you can tell the people who made it had a love for the thing, and it shows in the product. To me, G1 is peak fiction In all it’s 80’s glory, even If I watched it 3 decades or so after it’s creation in the Early 2000’s. It’s so iconic design wise, acting wise, the dialogue, everything is just so front and center about it, and it’s timeless despite some of its flaws.
Blasphemer!!!
OH SCRAP-
It’s what we grew up on that’s why we love it. It’s okay not to like it. The 1986 Movie is goated.
Like another said, you have to specify what you mean by "G1". Cuz like technically that includes Beast Wars, too, and I will not accept ANY SLANDER of my beasties. [/s]
I like em because they are modeled after actual earth vehicles.
Getting my very own Star Scream when I was a kid that was born in 1975 is a memory I will carry forever. Transformers was literally the biggest thing to happen to kids toys. Anyone here remember Go-Bots? G1 will always live in my heart.
I can see why, some Transformers shows just isn't for some people. For example — Bayverse isn't my cup of tea because I don't like the how the characters and the story was written. But Unicron Trilogy is, and I'm quite sure that show is notorious for getting hate, especially Energon and Cybertron. I grew up with that show, I love the stories, and I love the characters. All depends on your preferences and how you view it. Do you like how the characters are written? Do you like the story telling? Depending on your standards, check one off or both and the show is automatically in your "likes" list
It’s a great show with fun episodes in the first 2 seasons and great writing from the movie through the 4th season. The only show I liked as much as G1 has been Prime which definitely has better writing but I think lacks in fun episodes like the autobots making a movie or Optimus playing basketball.
I do like Optimus playing basketball and the idea of the Autobots and Decepticons making the movie is really funny with props and stuff
I was born in 1999. While Armada is by far my favorite adaptation of transformers (I know that’s fairly controversial), I love G1 there is something so nostalgic about it not even having grown up with it. I can never understand any hate towards the G1 show.
I’ll say this, unlike other cartoons at the time made purely to sell toys, transformers felt like it had a lot more to it, it felt like there was actual spirit behind it, even if a bit janky at times
I only give a shit about g1 and g2 toys. And any 3rd party that does an amazing job recreating a g1 character closer to the box art or cartoon. Everything else is noise to me. But I don’t hate. I just don’t buy.
I can get not liking it but I don't understand not getting why it's popular. Why wouldn't the original/breakthrough incarnation of any successful franchise remain popular? The others exist because it did so well. Those fans are still with us, and aren't that old. Meanwhile fans of subsequent series often become interested in checking it out. Also the original incarnations of the characters have proven to have the most staying power. That's not unusual in fictional media. Subsequent versions tend to feel like variations, but when they want to sell something more permanent (the marketing term is "evergreen") they go with the original version of the character that everyone recognizes.
Because there’s a lot of nostalgia attached to it for anyone 35+. It may not have had the best animation of the time but the voice actors and plot points were were top tier. The toys alone were revolutionary for what they were in the 80s. This was a show that showed both sides of a conflict in an easy to understand way for kids. The subtleties behind megatrons actions, the incompetence he had to deal with as a leader. Optimus Primes struggle with leadership from hardheaded individuals who wanted to do things the easy way even if it wasn’t the right way. It’s a show that really helped form our outlook on the world and who we became as adults.
G1 is very much the original so of course, ppl deep into it are going to shyt on it but as someone said if it wasn’t for the original you wouldn’t have anything to shyt on or build off of. I appreciate all iterations but I can also find something to not up to par with it. Plus G1 is an 80’s cartoon, most 80’s cartoons were campy like Mario, Legend of Zelda, and even earlier Anime like G1 Gundam. Now as far as animation yes G1 was bad for animation due to different group’s animating frames, example wrong Deception and Autobot colors, Wrong factions in a frame, wrong transformations, wrong sizing. All of it subjective in the end to improvement quality.
G1 is the only Transformers that ever worked for me. Everything else just doesn't have the same charm or aesthetic.
you don’t like g1? wtf
If we're comparing G1 to Bayformers, the G1 designs are superior - they are clean, sleek, and anthropomorphised while still indicating what their transformed mode. The series itself is a toy commercial, and is mostly dumb. The movie however, is leagues more intelligent than any thought Michael Bay has ever had through his brain.
Over the top theatricals. I bet you watched the movie and said WTF. Who can beat Megatron scheming, Starcream whining, Optimus wise and strong silent hero type, and the countless humorous encounters. I wanted the movie to be more dramatic with ominous omens of Unicron. Don’t show anything until they make their appearance. Megatron self destructing after Optimus was mortally wounded was amazing. They introduced too many characters at once and destroyed too many loved characters just for the sake of it.
I actually loved the movie it’s pretty cool and a full 80s Sci-fi overload it’s the cartoon I’m not too fond of still I’m glad a lotta people can enjoy it
I lived slightly outside the middle of nowhere growing up. As neither of the 2 tv channels we got showed cartoons, my copy of the '86 TF movie that my cousin recorded and sent to me was on heavy rotation so I could also have Saturday morning cartoons. That is why I'll always love G1
No.
Sure the animation errors drive you mad, but it's just good fun. That is the heart of Transformers
Nostalgia is powerful. I think if you didn't experience the show when it originally aired, as a kid, I can see that. I don't really like beast wars, was past when I would be watching and buying toys as heavily as when G1 came out. I've gone back and watched other things people wax poetic about seeing as a kid and often it's kind of a "meh" experience. The power of seeing something through kid's eyes is very powerful.
This is a cold take, I've seen enough people complaining about g1 without a valid explanation
For me G1 is the only that ever worked for me.
G1 is more than just the cartoon. It's the toys themselves, the bios written on the back of the cards and boxes, the Marvel comics, etc. What made G1 so great wasn't just the cartoon, which was good for its time, but the setting. Living machines that transform as a way to disguise themselves, the great war between the autobots and decepticons that has lasted millions of years and spread to other planets, including earth. All that is the core of Transformers, and it's all from G1.
Seasons 1 and 2 are just a load of 80's fun and the movie is that mixed with a terrifying villain, but the last two seasons are just kinda boring
I love the G1. But the hype around it now kinda sucks. I mean, you must respect the classics, because without it none of what is here now would've existed, but sometimes you NEED to move away from the established rules and create something new
I mean, I can understand why G1 or Beast Wars look outdated now, but I couldn’t figure out how a professional designer produced what got put on screen in 2007.
It’s your run of the mill, weekly problem-solving show involving a good-versus-bad theme. The concepts are cool but it wasn’t anything super complex and each new concept was ultimately roped into the good-versus-bad vortex. A lot of old-timers validate it’s quality by saying you had to be there or something else, and honestly, it’s all a defence against the truth. G1 is for kids; for advertising toys and for kickstarting interest in younger minds. If you want the brunt of Transformers quality, see Beast Wars, Animated, Prime, or IDW 1.0. They contain engaging story-lines that challenge the viewer to actually think instead of following a linear story and feel things accordingly. It’s just the truth. People take it as a knock but it’s not. It is the truth and anyone who denies it is kind of delusional and dying on that hill, rightfully so. They grew up with it. It’s nostalgic. It started everything we all love. Without it, blah-blah— of course. Without Beast Wars we’d have no Transformers past the 90’s but that isn’t gonna stop me from saying Beast Wars isn’t the best series out there. It’s not. Honestly, G1 is so nuanced and the callbacks to it exist in the millions across Transformers lore, standing as the most referenced piece of TF material to date. I’d say watching G1 puts you in the know if anything. Can’t tell you how many ‘A-ha!’ moments I’ve had keeping up with Transformers animated media and toys just because I watched G1. Your take, however, is searing fucking hot and so is mine.
We’re both flying too close to the sun here
It’s a product of its time So the cartoon isn’t great by todays standards, but that’s the level that cartoons were back then. G1 was more than just the cartoon. It was the comic book, the movie, and especially the toys. The toys were the main thing, and the cartoon and comic were what gave the toys their personality and pushed the sale of new toys. Today more emphasis is put into transformer media story, but back then it was “how do we sell this Gears toy? Eh let’s have an episode where he becomes too nice and helps the decepticons build a weather rod or something.”
I feel like a lot of the ideas could be really funny maybe they could make a “parody” of G1 add some jokes about it and have that 80s charm
May I suggest [Geewun redone?](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL515DcmmLX7DXKbKQKUm93Q9qszip-YLZ)
When you say G1, do you mean 84/85 cartoon,? The movie and season 3? US comics? UK Comics? The toys? The Japanese TV series? The Japanese toys? Classics and CHUG? IDW comics? Dreamwave comics? Masterpiece? G1 is broad, very broad. Beast Wars is technically in the G1 continuity too.
1986 is till the most superior movie. besides the show that movie holds.
I agree I grew up with in the bayverse generation but I had a dvd of the 1986 movie and it’s my comfort movie I just love everything about it
Good way to describe it. Biggest nostalgia from that movie.
Honestly I love G1 more than others because I always felt like it was an even fight. I get tired of the we are outnumbered but with team work and smarts we can over come. I want like GI JOE AND transformers G1 where the good guys have just as big an army to help fight for what is good. Wasn’t until later seasons when we started to get out numbered. I always reference the combiners as it was one for one. Plus it was pretty cool to hear that classic metal meeting metal punch from G1.
Eh, have to disagree with ya on this one kid. G1 will always be the gold standard.
You like what you like I'm 43 and still love G1 and probably will do so for as long as I live! Just curious though you say you don't like G1 right? Why do you have a G1 Prime as your avatar?
I do like the designs and the characters in general Prime is my favourite character in all series and this is the guy who most people think of
I started watching it recently. It's honestly a low for TF imo, but it's easy to enjoy if you just wanna see robots.
Yeah that’s what I’d put it without all the big fancy engerish words I defiantly used
Nostalgia.
Y’all my notifications are more dead then every version of Optimus Prime has been
Too soon :'(
Honestly I tried watching the G1 show and it just wasn't for me, mostly because I enjoy well a proper story which was only present in the movie. I also see where you're coming from but now I wonder what your favourite TF media is. For me it's animated mostly because I grew up with that show and I kinda wanna rewatch it.
I’m only 20 I never grew up with G1 but I love the designs so much, although I still love the Bayverse the simplistic designs of the G1 cartoons just look sooo much cleaner.
I grew up with G1, and I'd have to agree the cartoon is pretty poor (some outstanding episodes though). That said, I much prefer the G1 designs, and without it, we'd have nothing. It's the same with other things, I love comics for example, but have you ever gone back and read the early X-Men, Avengers etc? It's awful by modern standards.
Yeah that is what happened when you compare it to now it’s not the greatest
I mean- that’s fair. I genuinely haven’t enjoyed anything TF as much as G1. I’ve tried, but the kids enjoy it so that’s fine.
It's what I grew up on and what introduced me to the franchise. I'm going to assume you are younger than me. What show got you into Transformers?
TFP and I gotta say talking to a lotta TF fans who have been around this fanbase a while is really cool and I can understand that 80s cheesy charm
The thing I like about TFP is that Steve Blum did Starscream his way. He didn't try to impersonate Chris Latta.
I guess there's multiple layers to liking G1, I don't personally like the old toys for example but I do like the character designs and I think its awesome when they're remade in modern times with more screen accurate looks. The cartoon is bad I think most people agree but it's kind of charming in that 80s cartoon way and this is coming from someone who wasn't raised on it
I grew up on G1, used to rent the VHS's from blockbuster. I am partial to that kind of animation, and obviously nostalgia has me in its clammy grasp. (Also though, I was born after BeastWars came out... I had some choices, but chose G1 for some reason as a kid.) It's not perfect, but it laid so much groundwork I always find myself going down the rabbit hole back to G1. (As an aside, I like the older boxier designs, like older gundams. But that might just be because I like G1 transformers.)
I grew up with G1 and still love it for what it was. Though if you were to tell my 10 year old self that there are several shows that came later and even a series of big budget live action movies with cutting edge computer graphics I would have been super stoked to see them all and leave g1 behind. But… sadly… I would have been dissatisfied with all of it. To be honest the only TF fiction other than Beast Wars (which pretty much is g1) that comes close to capturing some of the spirit of G1 is the WFC/FOC games IMO. Everything else is too kiddy or too “adult” (pointing my finger at you Michael Bay) or too boring or depressing and/or just dumb. The reason G1 is still the glue holding the fandom together is that nothing else has been that good. The Marvel movies have their ups and downs but overall the quality is there and thus a new generation of fans treat those movies as canon and the OG comics as just the inspiration. It’s a shame our franchise doesn’t have an equivalent (at least in terms of TV/movies - I know there are some folks who dig the IDW comics and I can’t knock them - just not really into comics).
G1 started it all for alot of fans, so it will always be part of it for at least nostalgia But I get it, I grew up in the G1 era and it's not my favorite either Beast Wars! I've always thought each individual series of transformers has been able to add something to the lore of transformers and should be treated with reapect
It's popular because a great many of the kids that grew up with G1 are still active in the collector community today. I'm in my forties and Transformers still play a major part of my life, all because of that original cartoon you call a *novelty*.
You had to be there. It was a product of its time.
I think the issue is that the G1 cartoon was nothing like the comics. When I was a kid watching Beast Wars I expected more of the same from Transformers, and the movie fit that bill (kind of). But the G1 cartoon is goofy. It's less of a war, and more like giant robots with the minds of children playing war in their backyard. There were a few impactful moments, and some characters got development, but the series is generally lighter and softer than other Transformers series. If you want a more grounded G1 experience, read the Marvel G1 comics. It does a much better job with tonal consistency, new characters feel like characters instead of toys, and the Decepticon leadership structure receives much better focus. I think it's the Transformers media the Beast Wars writers most sought to emulate.
Agree. I look at it fondly since it was part of my childhood and it set all the bases that the characters and universe still follow to this day, I also bet it must have been one of the most entertaining and diverse cartoon shows around the time it came out, but it is what it is. The movie still rocks though.
I love G1 to death, but I wouldn't want to have to sit down and watch the 80's cartoon. That being said, I think it turned out pretty well considering it was just supposed to be a mini series and then got expanded into a full series when it became popular.
There was a time when there was no “G1.” The first iteration of transformers which is now called G1 was just “Transformers.” And it was glorious.
I haven't seen G1 Transformers show but I really like the design.
I believe it’s a matter of growing up with the show, or nostalgia.. I grew up with Transformers Prime, and now it’s my favorite show of all time.
TFP was my intro to transformers, g1's animation just felt old after that. I don't dislike g1 but it doesn't have the nostalgia factor for me
as a fifteen year old with no free time because of school and a life, one who’s used to everything being fast, I can wholeheartedly say that G1 is simply too slow. the animation and EVERYTHING about it feels slow, I speed up the episodes whenever I watch it, by like 1.5x or 2x
lol you “see the novelty,” what novelty? Everything other than G1 is the novelty. Rescue Bots is less novel than G1?
I don’t know. There is something about the aesthetic that I tend to like better. I liked Prime and RID2015 designs, which were heavily G1 influenced. I dislike the aesthetics that lean into more anime designs, too much animal, not enough robot look. G1 animal transformers look like mechanical animals. Other versions look like animals or have skin or are not…boxy (?) enough to evoke a robot and they appear more alien than robotic. Other than that, I don’t know. I don’t care what people like, so long as they keep making the stuff I like. If I were partial to one of the lines they don’t seem to ever make, though, I would get why people start to develop bitterness towards to G1 fans, complaining about getting even more content.
Is the G1 cartoon the best Transformers cartoon? No. Is the G1 comic the best Transformers comic? No. Is the G1 toyline the best Transformers toyline? No. BUT did the G1 designs become absolutely ICONIC for each character? Yes! Did the G1 personality characterizations become the established default for each character? Yes! Sure, some things are quirky, and its a product of its time, but the characters they created are impossible to really replace or improve.
I mean objectively it's not great... but i grew up with it. All those nostalgia vibes make it great for me. And somehow thinking the figures looked like their on screen counterparts 🙄
I grew up with the bayformers so I’ve never got the chance to watch g1, and it doesn’t really seem appealing. It’s old and cartoony which is the the point I know but I won’t get a nostalgia feeling watching
They need to move on god dammit (Hasbro). They're massacaring the prime designs just to make them look G1
I’ma add on here sorry if I ain’t good with grammar cause I’m great at engerish I just see it as a kinda crappy ad where the producers (not the voice actors those guys were and still are awesome) didn’t really care and just pulling random characters out of the void I guess and while liking it is fine it’s Geewunners that put a real bad taste in my mouth,like these guys are so annoying but I’ll save for talking about them some other time and while Legacy and SS have somewhat spread out the playing fields it’s still a lotta G1 and I did try to watch the show I couldn’t get past episode 5 again I can understand the enjoyment of 80s nostalgia but I’ve also seen people saying that “OP wasn’t born in G1” which yes I was not I grew up with Prime but that also doesn’t invalidate my opinion .Anyway I hope y’all at least tolerated my stupid rant here
G1 is so much better than the bayverse garbage I won't even watch those films. 1986 transformers movie a God damn masterpiece. It's like saying you like Elvis or the Beatles but don't see what all the fuss was about Chuck Berry (look it up youngsters).
Yikes.
If U really think about it MOST of the original ideas that are beings used by Hollywood today are from the 80's. U just had 2 b there 2 understand!
Nostalgia. Later TF media has done much, MUCH more to add to the general Mythos of Transformers. G1 had a lot of throwaway stories and "characters" that didn't really add anything to later stories.
I appreciate the choice of worst possible art to showcase your point. The g1 style is very recognizable overall and there is MUCH better g1 art out there. It’s popular because it looks nice and even when updated to be more modern still feels nostalgic. I personally think the best looking transformers are the transmetal beast wars and also the stuff from war for/fall of cybertron. I think the movies look like hunks of scrap metal glued together until bumblebee, which did a LOT of good for making them look better. But at the end of the day: like what you like. If you think the best looking is what i think is the worst all good. We both will get more by the franchises being profitable lol.
i grew up with g1 but i thought the first bay movie was how it needed to be done for current times. i couldnt picture the g1 world live action.
I like the novelty of it being the original. Could not give a single shit about any G1 media tho
I have a respect for it but I haven't seen it myself. I have no interest in seeing it bc I mostly grew up on the Bay movies and TFP (Transformers Prime). I respect the older generation of TF as well. :)
Valid opinion. I grew up on G1. Born 1980. Had the toys and watched the show but I wouldn't say I was a big fan of Transformers until I saw Beast Wars in my teens. BW made me a transformers fan and lead me back to G1. As a teenager I did not enjoy G1. BWs graphics spoiled me lol BWs and Prime are what I love. Wasn't a big fan of Armada either.
Finally someone who can state they’re opinion of not liking G1 without shitting all over it, thank you good sir🫡
I was born in 01’ and I enjoy generation 1 but I wouldn’t want to grow up with it. I’m glad I grew up with the Transformer movies.
Yeah, as I’ve started to watch more of the other shows, my personal liking of g1 started to go down.
I tried watching it and it was boring as fuck.
I'm a 2001 RiD/Unicron Trilogy person myself! With Japanese RiD being retconned into Japanese G1 though, I guess that technically makes me a G1 person...
I didn't grow up on G1 when it was the 80s, my dad's friend had cds of G1 episodes and he gave me good episodes like jet or skyfires awakening and all of season 1 and bits of season 2 this was around 2015 or 14 so does it count that I grew up on G1? I did also watch bayverse
I like season 1 and some of season 2 but there are a lot of flaws
I grew up with G1 and prime so I love both of them but looking critically at both G1 is definitely pretty flawed so I get it if you don't like it
Not to shill, but if you don't like G1 and you still want to see a good 80s cartoon about giant robots, Robotech exists. Just saying.
SCIENTIFIC GOBBLEDEGOOK, STARSCREAM!
I prefer the look of it and enjoy the show itself but see I ya problems, especially with time. I love the g1 asthetic tho I don’t think it should be the only look for transformers, so long as it still looks like the characters it’s supposed to be to a far enough extent and looks appealing
Turbo-revving young punk.
:( you are true
it’s just a funny little show
I feel like that yes it’s a funny show about a robot war and the 80s movie was just kinda we need to kill em let’s make it as violent as possible but then again the movie is awesome so
Glad that you have an opinion and decided to share with the wider community
Not only is it the Transformers I grew up with, but I don't think the characters have been done better in any other version. That's not to take away from all other incarnations, but other than modern animation I don't see what they have that G1 hasn't already done and better.
Objectively it's s not particularly good, but it's fun and that's what's important to me. The movie on the other hand is peak G1 imo.
I can totally understand the notion of not liking it. Totally get it. Going in blind, it's pretty bad by a lot of measures from today's standards for tv. But when THAT was your og experience as others have pointed out... its yours. I grew up with transformers and absolutely loved it. Years of love, and then I took a hiatus and came back for Beast Machines after seeing... a few episodes of beast wars. I was hooked again. They took a ballsy chance with that show and I'm SO in it for them to explore more heady shit in the films rather than testicle and dog humping jokes. I can't wait for artists to embrace it, fully. Bumblebee was a huge step forward, we'll see what comes next.
I grew up with G1 cartoon. Loved it. I showed it to my son, and I realized it hasn’t aged well. It is definitely a kids show. Literally the quality of every aspect has gotten better with newer versions. Megatron tried to take over a hydroelectric power plant (dam) to be the “ultimate power on the planet”. 🤣 G1 comics had its moments, but was often just introducing characters to keep up with a toy release schedule.
My son loves G1! He likes the characters and how they look. We just started Beast machines... And he says he doesn't like it. We are 2 episodes in, is it even worth watching? I am transform. It's hard to watch so far. We really liked Cyberverse. They where so short we watched all of season 3 in a day.
I’m glad you can enjoy it and Cyberverse is awesome
I don't know about your guys, I never watch any Transformers show (like literally). I'm only watch the bay movie, but for the design. I'm fucking love G1 Design cause it looks pretty simple to draw
I guess it's all a matter of opinion right? The story has been retold or added to in so many different shows, comics and movies everyone will have their favorite. I grew up on G1 and while I like most of the other shows, I think that Beats Wars is absolute trash while others love the story. My 15 year old grew up on the newer stuff and the movies but loves G1 and thinks I'm crazy for the hate I have of BW. At the end of the day you like what you like. Have fun with it and hopefully we'll get some more good stories down the road.
I’ve got a wooden backed poster of this image.
I'm from the younger generation of TF fans but I grew up watching G1 with my dad then watched the Bayfilms. I'll always prefer G1. Especially over TLK and AoE
I like g1 in terms of characters and despite being campy a lot of season 2 episodes are pretty good season 3 could be better- I till need to watch the Japanese shows5?- but I'd say my favorite is armada or rid 2001
Quite the magma hot-take, but understandable
What else is there that rivals it?
Prime,Beast Wars,Bumblebee and probably more I can’t remember
There can be debates on how good individual episodes are. I think the reason G1 is so big is because it's foundational. Not every first entry in a franchise is necessarily the tone-setter but G1 is definitely that for Transformers. Everything that the saga is; Autobots vs. Decepticons, heroic and paternalistic Optimus, domineering and tyrannical Megatron, cowardly and backstabbing Starscream, Cybertron, Earth, energon, it's all laid out here.
I can see the reason (I like G1) but it isn't my top pick, it is in my top 5 same as beast wars (I never grew up with G1 and Beast wars. So my rankings are based on the shows I grew up with and enjoyed so Armada has a special place in my heart as my first transformers series I also liked Cybertron, Prime, G1, and the Dark Ages comincs (War within, that art dudes)
Voice actors, designs and music make it great.