Transformers: Prime

The O-so Famous Logo Oui?

Transformers: Prime, also known as Transformers: Prime –The Animated Series, is an American computer-animated television series based on the Transformers toy franchise by Hasbro. It airs on the The Hub in the United States. The series broadcast its first two episodes on Friday, November 26, 2010, at 4:00pm Eastern/3:00pm Central on The Hub television network, as a special preview. It broadcast officially on Monday, November 29, 2010, at 6:30pm Eastern/5:30pm Central. On February 11, 2011, the series started to air new episodes, under the name of Transformers: Prime –The Animated Series. Other channels air the series internationally. A second season has been announced, and is slated to air Febuary 18th 2012, In Conjunction with Transformers: Rescue Bots.

The series has received universal acclaim, as well as a positive amount of viewers. Transformers: Prime is rated TV-Y7-FV, despite its darker, more violent tone. Many references/Easter eggs to other Transformers continuities have appeared in the series.

Overview

Mini-Series

It has been three years since the Decepticons last attacked Earth and the Autobots still await their return. After the death of Cliffjumper, the Autobots fight to protect the Earth from the Decepticons and befriend three young humans and the returned Megatron who has been missing for three Earth years. Megatron plans to use Dark Energon to raise an undead army of Cybertronians and defeat the Autobots. The Autobots destroy his space bridge and Megatron is believed killed in the process. Starscream becomes the new Decepticon leader.

Season 1

After Megatron's apparent death, new Decepticon leader Starscream does not stray from Megatron's path and recruits several new Decepticons. Starscream attempts many missions to destroy the Autobots and find their headquarters, while keeping a shard of the "last" remaining Dark Energon that he took out of Megatron's chest. In the episode "Out of His Head", Megatron returns after an incident where he Takes control of Bumblebee's mind. Megatron then reclaims leadership of the Decepticons, keeping a strict eye on Starscream. After Starscream uses Megatron's share of Dark Energon, he tries to find more to once again bring back his "un-dead army". At the end of the episode "Partners", Starscream became an independent and hasn't been seen or heard from ever since. During the final four episodes of the season, the Autobots unwillingly team up with Megatron to battle a legendary threat to Earth's existence, Unicron. To defeat Unicron, Optimus uses the Matrix of Leadership. With this sacrifice, he not only loses the Wisdom of the Primes but also his memories of the war and his comrades, and joins Megatron as a Decepticon under his old name, Orion Pax.

Season 2

Following the events of the "One Shall Rise" three-part episode, the Autobots attempt to recover Optimus Prime's memories in order to regain his leadership of the Autobots. Season 2 was set to begin airing November 28, 2011, but was pushed back to Feburary 2012.

Production

Concept

After the success of High Moon Studios' third-person shooter game Transformers: War for Cybertron, Hasbro set the continuity of the series in War for Cybertron's. Hasbro created a 400-page Transformers production bible, titled the "Binder of Revelation", for Prime. Whereas the movies were about a boy and his car, the dynamic between the kids and the robots on the show was meant to be more like The Iron Giant.

Animation

Digitalscape Company Limited, famous for their work on such titles as Soul Calibur III, Ninja Gaiden, and Dead or Alive Paradise, was made responsible for the CGI Animation of Transformers: Prime. Although Digitalscape ran a job fair looking for a talent to work on the production, Polygon Pictures ultimately won. Jose Lopez, character designer, described the animation of the series as "groundbreaking mix of 2D animation and CGI." A show on the level of Transformers: Prime' would take about two years to produce, but the animators only had ten months, so five episodes were animated at a time (hence the monthly gaps during a season).

Cast

• Adam Baldwin – Breakdown
• Reggie Bannister – Museum Guard (ep. 10)
• Steven Blum – Starscream, Vehicons, M.E.C.H. Navigator (ep. 16), Hooligan
• Clancy Brown – Silas
• Jeffrey Combs – Ratchet, M.E.C.H. Soldier #1 (ep. 9)
• Peter Cullen – Optimus Prime
• John DiMaggio – Vogel
• Nathan Fillion – ???
• Richard Green – Skyquake
• Tania Gunadi – Miko Nakadai
• James Horan – Wheeljack
• Ernie Hudson – Agent William "Bill" Fowler
• Dwayne Johnson – Cliffjumper
• David Kaye – Hardshell
• Josh Keaton – Jack Darby, M.E.C.H. Navigator (ep. 9), Starter Guy (ep. 11), Tailgate
• Alexandra Krosney – Sierra
• Sumalee Montano – Arcee
• John Noble – Unicron
• Daran Norris – Knockout, Vehicon (ep. 22)
• Nolan North – Smokescreen
• Andy Pessoa – Rafael "Raf" Esquivel
• Markie Post – June Darby
• Brad Raider – Vince
• James Remar – ???
• Kevin Michael Richardson – Bulkhead, Vehicons, Makeshift, Science Fair Judge (ep. 6), Fast Willy (ep. 11), M.E.C.H. Commando (ep. 16), Decepticon Miner (ep. 22)
• David Sobolov - Shockwave
• Tony Todd – Dreadwing
• Gina Torres – Airachnid
• Frank Welker – Megatron, Vehicon (ep. 8)

Crew

• Susan Blu – Voice Director (Ep. 1 –11)
• Duane Capizzi – Supervising Producer, Head Writer
• Nicole Dubuc – Staff Writer
• Marsha Griffin – Staff Writer
• David Hartman – Supervising Director, Art Director
• Jeff Kline – Executive Producer
• Joseph Kuhr – Staff Writer
• Alex Kurtzman – Executive Producer
• Jose Lopez – Character Designer
• Matthew Margeson – Music Arranger (Ep. 15—)
• Steven Melching – Staff Writer
• Roberto Orci – Executive Producer
• Steven Puri – Producer
• Mandy Safavi – Producer
• Jamie Simone – Voice Director (Ep. 12—)
• Therese Trujillo – Supervising Animation Producer
• Brian Tyler – Composer (Ep. 1—)