--- title: The Transformers: A visual transformation (part 2/2) author: Chris Z published: 2012-11-10 modified: 2012-11-10 section: Lifestyle tags: Armada, cartoons, Comics, Hasbro, The Transformers canonical: https://www.stasheverything.com/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-22/ source: Stash Everything --- # The Transformers: A visual transformation (part 2/2) As we make our way into the 21st century, **The Transformers** franchise continues to rollout cartoons, toys and other manifestations. Moving on from the rehashes, beasts and Japanese incarnations, the robots in disguise were hard pressed to find a place to hide. Japan continued to unleash cartoons and accompanying goodies. In 2002 ***Transformers: Robots in Disguise*** became the first Japanese-original *Transformers* cartoon ever officially dubbed and broadcast for a US audience. Debuting about eighteen months after its Japanese incarnation, it aired (not without problems) from September 8, 2001 to March 30, 2002. Following this up was***Transformers: Armada*** a franchise that launched in the year 2002. It was the first franchise in the Unicron Trilogy, and was followed by *Energon* and *Cybertron*. The series featured components including comics, a toyline, video game and naturally a cartoon series. Seeing *Armada* was the first Transformers cartoon to be co-developed in the United States and Japan several characters were coloured differently. ***Transformers: Energon*** then aired in the US from January 2004 to June 2005. The series introduced to Transformers cartoons the technique of combining cel-shaded computer animation with 2D cel-animation, creating a fusion between the CGI of *Beast Wars*/*Machines* and traditionally animated series such as *Robots in Disguise*. At the same time ***Transformers: Universe*** was shown primarily from 2003 to 2005 which consisted of a toyline and comic series. The comic series was produced under the auspices of the then-Official Transformers Collectors’ Club. It was released at each year’s [BotCon](http://tfwiki.net/wiki/BotCon) convention and encompassed three storylines. When the live-action *Transformers* film was pushed back from November 2006 to July 2007, Hasbro needed to create a filler line to bridge the gap in their product offerings. That bridge was a revisitation of the original Generation 1 characters, dubbed ***Transformers: Classics***. Although no cartoons or comic books were planned for the line by Hasbro, Fun Publications picked up the ball for their Official Transformers Fan Club Magazine comic, making *Classics* the basis of their 2007 story-arc, “Crossing Over”. [![Transformers PS2 Cover](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Transformers-PS2-211x300.jpg)](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Transformers-PS2.jpg)Transformers PS2 Cover Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg then injected new life into the franchise via new motion pictured series highlighting advances in motion picture visual effects while giving Hasbro another opportunity to sell toys and other little nuggets of money making fodder. The world was then subjected to two more films while ***Transformers Animated***changed direction andbrought a highly dynamic and stylized look to the toys and fiction. ***Transformers: Prime*** much like *Iron Man – Armoured Adventures* was aimed at a younger teen audience. The multiple Daytime Emmy Award-winning computer-animated television series premiered on November 26, 2010. The ***Transformers: Rescue Bots*** cartoon series was then launched on December 17, 2011 with a preview of the first two episodes, and the full season starting February 18, 2012. Unlike *Prime*, *Rescue Bots* was animated in Toon Boom Harmony (similar to a Flash cartoon), and aimed at a younger generation of *Transformers* fans. Unusually for a *Transformers* cartoon, it features no Decepticons. So what is next for The Transformers? More toys? Yes more toys, comics, well yes (look for ***War of Cybertron***). Perhaps the brains of Hasbro need a new angle. How about Transgenderforms? For the record, if I could be a Transformer I would transform into an ATM or Megan Fox’s vanity unit. [Read Part 1 of The Transformers: A visual transformation](https://www.stasheverything.com/lifestyle/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-12/). [![Robots in Disguise](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Robots-in-Disguise-249x300.jpg)](https://www.stasheverything.com/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-22/robots-in-disguise/) Robots in Disguise [![TF GF manga cover](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/399px-TF_GF_manga_cover-300x300.jpg)](https://www.stasheverything.com/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-22/399px-tf_gf_manga_cover/) TF GF manga cover [![Energon Ultimate Collection DVD](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Energon_Ultimate_Collection_DVD-300x300.jpg)](https://www.stasheverything.com/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-22/energon_ultimate_collection_dvd/) Energon Ultimate Collection DVD [![Transformers Universe](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Transformers-Universe-300x300.jpg)](https://www.stasheverything.com/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-22/transformers-universe/) Transformers Universe [![Cybertron Ultimate Collection DVD](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Cybertron_Ultimate_Collection_DVD-300x300.jpg)](https://www.stasheverything.com/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-22/cybertron_ultimate_collection_dvd/) Cybertron Ultimate Collection DVD [![Balancing act cover](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/390px-Balancingactcover-300x300.jpg)](https://www.stasheverything.com/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-22/390px-balancingactcover/) Balancing act cover [![optimus-prime-transformers-movie](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/optimus-prime-transformers-movie-300x300.jpg)](https://www.stasheverything.com/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-22/optimus-prime-transformers-movie/) [![Transformers 2 Revenge of the fallen](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/transformers_2_revenge_of_the_fallen-300x300.jpg)](https://www.stasheverything.com/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-22/transformers_2_revenge_of_the_fallen/) Transformers 2 Revenge of the fallen [![Transformers Animated Poster](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/404px-TransformersAnimatedPoster-300x300.jpg)](https://www.stasheverything.com/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-22/404px-transformersanimatedposter/) Transformers Animated Poster [![Prime](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Prime-300x300.png)](https://www.stasheverything.com/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-22/prime/) Prime [![Rescue Bots cartoon](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/800px-Rescue_Bots_cartoon_title_screen-300x300.jpg)](https://www.stasheverything.com/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-22/800px-rescue_bots_cartoon_title_screen/) Rescue Bots cartoon [![Warf or Cybertron_comic_cover](https://www.stasheverything.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/WarforCybertron_comic_cover-300x300.jpg)](https://www.stasheverything.com/the-transformers-a-visual-transformation-part-22/warforcybertron_comic_cover/) Warf or Cybertron_comic_cover