TRANSFORMERS ENERGON: THE COMPLETE SERIES! Relive the Adventures of this Classic Animated TV Series in One Complete Set. Featuring All 51 Action-Packed Episodes! Own this Collectible 7-DVD Set on May 6, 2014 from Shout! Factory.
For those who were wondering if and when it would happen…here it is. I have been tasked to review the latest Transformers DVD box set! Airing in the U.S. from January 2004 through June 2005, Transformers Energon is a direct sequel to the Armada series. It is also the second part of the rare Unicron Trilogy. Here is the scoop on the new box set:
“This spring, get ready to relive some of the most exciting classic action battles of the AUTOBOTS through the complete series release of TRANSFORMERS ENERGON. In 2004, TRANSFORMERS fans were introduced to the animated series TRANSFORMERS ENERGON, the second part of the rare UNICRON Trilogy–consisting of ARMADA, ENERGON and CYBERTRON. The heroic OPTIMUS PRIME, his legions of AUTOBOTS and their human friends are in search of the valuable substance Energon, which they find on Earth. A mysterious force has discovered the Energon as well and will stop at nothing to gain control of it all. It’s up to the AUTOBOTS to save the fate of mankind and planet Earth from total destruction. The UNICRON Trilogy continues…Ten years of peace have passed since UNICRON’S destruction, but all of that’s about to change. A mysterious enemy has unleashed the TERRORCONS on the AUTOBOTS’ cities, gathering energy for plans of total domination. Enter a newly revived MEGATRON and the universe is in for a war unlike any it’s ever seen between the AUTOBOTS and the DECEPTICONS. And once again, Earth is caught in the middle! Can OPTIMUS PRIME and his valiant AUTOBOTS–alongside their human allies–protect the Earth against this new threat? Find out with the complete series of TRANSFORMERS ENERGON!”
As with Armada, the Energon series boxed set is packaged in a fat box with flip trays that house the 7-DVDs. This was the first fully CG animated Transformers series, utilizing 2D for the ‘human’ portion of each show and a 3D Cell Shading format for the rest. The quality, in my opinion, was a vast improvement over the previous series. Unfortunately, the animation was completed before the voice actors were recorded, causing the misalignment of dialogue and action sequences, and incorrect character names in spots. Though, these errors were fewer in quantity than with the Armada series.
I had to laugh when I read an old review of the Energon series that was included on the Transformers Wiki website. It described Energon as, “A series with a strong beginning, which slowly but surely degenerated into what is widely considered the worst Transformers cartoon broadcast in the United States. In retrospect, the fans’ positive initial reaction may have been simply because it wasn’t Armada.” I don’t know if I would say it was the “worst” Transformers cartoon; there are so many different series to dissect and those are some harsh words. I will say that, personally, I enjoyed it better than Armada simply for the fact that it had a better look to it, making the show a little more enjoyable to watch. None of the Transformers series have ever been perfect. It’s all in what you choose to take away from the experience.
All in all, the Energon series was enjoyable enough for what it was. Could it have been better? Absolutely! But, if you are a diehard Transformers fan or a completist when it comes to collecting, you will no doubt find great pleasure in adding this complete series to your collection. Surely, Shout! Factory and Hasbro will eventually release the Cybertron series, allowing fans the opportunity to collect the entire Unicron Trilogy. Until then, you can immerse yourself in this sophomore effort.
“On May 6, 2014, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro Studios, will release TRANSFORMERS ENERGON: THE COMPLETE SERIES on home entertainment shelves, featuring all 51 unforgettable episodes collected in one deluxe 7-DVD set. Whether discovering this series for the first time or reliving the childhood memory, this collectible DVD set is a must-have for every fan and collectors to complete their TRANSFORMERS home entertainment library. TRANSFORMERS ENERGON: THE COMPLETE SERIES is priced to own at $44.99 SRP. “
Pre-Order is available now at Amazon.
For those of you who want just a taste of the Energon series, perhaps before (or in addition to) purchasing the complete boxed set, check this out:
“On May 13, 2014, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro Studios, will release TRANSFORMERS ENERGON VOLUME ONE DVD on family home entertainment shelves at Walmart Stores. Featuring the first seven adventure-filled episodes from TRANSFORMERS ENERGON, this new DVD delivers fun-filled home entertainment that kids and parents will enjoy! Bring home TRANSFORMERS ENERGON VOLUME ONE DVD at an affordable low price of $5.97 SRP. “
About Hasbro Studios:
Hasbro Studios is the Los Angeles-based entertainment division of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS). The studio is responsible for entertainment brand-driven storytelling for the company across television, film, commercial productions and short-form. It develops, produces and distributes TV shows based on Hasbro’s world class brands, including TRANSFORMERS, MY LITTLE PONY, LITTLEST PET SHOP, and FAMILY GAME NIGHT. Many of these shows air on the Hub Network, a U.S. television network for kids and their families, that is a joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK). Hasbro Studios shows can also be seen on networks in more than 180 territories globally. Since its formation in 2009, the studio has received seven Daytime Emmy wins and 16 nominations. On the film side, the studio is developing and producing a number of features based on Hasbro’s brands, including TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION (Paramount), G.I. Joe 3 (Paramount) and CANDY LAND (Sony). The studio team also oversees the production of commercials that feature Hasbro’s brands as well as production of short-form content that can be seen on all of the major digital and social media platforms globally.
About Shout! Factory:
Shout! Factory, LLC is a diversified multi-platform entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering, preserving and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their entire careers sharing their music, television and film favorites with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD and Blue-Ray offerings serve up feature films, classic and contemporary TV series, animation, live music, and comedy specials in lavish packages crammed with extras. Shout’s audio division boasts GRAMMY nominated “best of” compilations. In addition, Shout! Factory maintains a vast digital distribution network which delivers video and audio content to all the leading digital service providers in North America. Shout! Factory also owns and operates Timeless Media Group, Biograph Records, Majordomo Records, HighTone Records and Video Time Machine. These riches are the result of a creative acquisition mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California.
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