Transformers - the Takara Collection: Headmasters [DVD]

The actual series is fairly basic- Galvatron returns to retake Cybertron (obviously the pact with Optimus Prime wore out), and employs the new Headmasters, lead by the mysterious Megazarak/Scorpinok. However, from a far off, distant planet, autobot headmasters come and well.. you can sort of figure it out for yourself. The plot actually goes somewhere, though, something that's been missing from Transformers series before this.

The series was the first Japanese-spearheaded project in the Transformers animated series that acheived a full length production (Scramble City, a one-off that introduced Ultra Magnus, Metroplex and Trypticon into the Japanese G1 toyline, due to the absence of the movie), and as such doesn't stray too far away from the original styles of Generation one (though sadly, the music is not as orchestral or fantastic as the majority of G1's score), including similar designs, characters, and even the scene-changing interludes are still there, which really add to the "alternative nostalgia" thing in the title. It's something you should have watched when you were a child, and it feels like something you should have watched, but due to where you were in the world, you just couldn't.

There's even things for the general Anime fan to enjoy, such as a more flowing contiuity and development of characters, plus a slightly more streamlined-Japanese mecha feel for later characters as they appear in the series. The DVDs also come with the original Japanese audio, and the translations (so I've heard) are still fairly top notch. Hironobu Kageyama, the over-the-top JAM Project singer and performer of three of the original Japanese Dragonball Z credit sequences, among a plenthora of other anime, gives us a fairly fun and if not standard opening to get hooked in to.

Sadly though, as this is a primarily Japanese-Asian series, the treatment wasn't too great as far as it comes to the English track. Gone are Frank Welker and Peter Cullen, since this series was never released to the US public. However, an "Engrish" dub was produced for a SIngapore/Asian English speaking market, who's cast is mostly inappropriate, the scripting and direction is fairly horrible and confusing (The ressurected Billy (Blaster) vs the decepticons, and "I am the ninja consultant for the decepticons!"), and the performances generally subpar. I can see some people watching this, but only for the comedy value really, since it completely removes any merit or serious watching value from the series, assuming you're a native English speaker. It would have been nice to have a faithful redub, and new score cast for this release, but I somewhat doubt you could justify the expense in a realistic way.

So as long as you stick to the subtitled Japanese track, you'll be in store for a somewhat rewarding experience, especially if you've never seen this before. It's like the continuation you've always wanted, only it's really.. not, but at the same time, it's also fairly good. It proves that the Japanese are capable of making a coherant Transformers series without the use of (to most) irritating, silly and pointless power-ups and speed lines. It's not without it's flaws, though. Hopefully we'll get Masterforce and Victory released, since that would be quite nice.

There is no point in watching cartoons from your childhood if you are going to scrutinize them as an adult - you will not enjoy them !

A small warning - the English language soundtrack to these episodes is awful.