Transformers: The Rebirth, Parts 1-3 [DVD] [1987]

Well, you've read the description of the story from the back of the package above this review - but don't be fooled by the trilogy's aspirations to an awe-inspiring storyline, because it's a COLOSSAL toy commercial on a greater scale than any episode before it, and even more than "Transformers: The Movie" was, bringing in over two DOZEN new characters (with all but two of them appearing in the first episode alone, out of thin air, no less - and that's not even counting Nebulons, either) in order to get the kids at home to buy their toys. That said, it's still a fairy enjoyable tale, from before the "master" gimmick got totally out of hand, albeit with several plot contrivances, and a syrupy ending that doesn't really give a lot of closure for what is the end of a four-year series.

The animation for the previous, third season of Transformers was mainly done by the animation studio known as Akom, who are known for producing some of the worst animation seen on Transformers. While "The Rebirth" is not their worst work, it is still FAR from the best that the show has seen. While attractively fluid at times, there are some particularly glaring scale errors, repetitive and infuriating mixing-up of which Decepticon partner Nebulon is supposed to be which, more mis-colourations than any other animation studio produced on the show, and - a trademark of the studio - immense liberty-taking with transformations, which basically amounts to the characters "melting" into their different modes in any way the animators can manage, which changes from scene to scene. That's not to mention that the basic quality of the drawings used is also pretty poor. Incorrect designs also creep in - Cyclonus, for example, spends almost all of part two being animated from a different, earlier model sheet.

The voice acting is of the usual Transformers standard, but you seriously get to the point where you become really fed up of hearing the same old voice actors used for new characters over and over again, as they have long exhausted their vocal range on the show, and are reduced to re-using voices, or producing ones which sound quite bad, just for the sake of making the characters sound different.

I'm quite surprised that Maverick (not exactly famed for going to great lengths to get things just right) were able to find copies of the episodes that have the correct, exclusive opening and closing sequences on them (and FYI, the animation in the opening sequences beats the pants off that used the episodes themselves). Mind you, whatever source they used, it wasn't perfect, as in part two the screen flickers a tiny bit here and there, VHS-like.

There aren't any extras, of course - Maverick are like that. But the ultimate crime with the "Rebirth" DVD is simply that it contains only three episodes. All of Maverick's previous DVD releases have contained five to six episodes, and while "The Rebirth" has only three, the price tag for it is no lower. What it REALLY should contain, in addition to the three "Rebirth" episodes, is it's immediate predecessor, "The Return of Optimus Prime," the two-part story that ended the third season. That would have brought the total up to a nice five episodes, and would fit well, not only because of their airing order, but because a plot point from that story actually carries over to "The Rebirth." Still, "The Rebirth" is a big Transformers moment, and it's worth seeing. But it's better if you can get it on the cheap.