I Watched Transformers: Armada

(Published Dec 8, 2020)

I know, I should have watched this when I originally got into Transformers back in 2014. But, I did try to watch it... It was just so bad I stopped after episode 3. I finally made myself watch it and I watched it ALL. So, my thoughts? Firstly, the animation is VERY cheaply done. It's anime, so not much work is put into it as a traditional animation. That's why anime is so popular because it's a lot of skipping around frames, etc. to make a cartoon faster. Some anime is starting to blend in traditional animation, such as the American anime "Castlevania," but Armada certainly is not doing this.

Most of the cartoon is single frames. Meaning it's just a picture with the dialogue over it. They may move their mouths some, but everything is still. There is so little animation in this you literally don't miss anything if you look away for like 5 minutes. And when it is in motion it skips frames and basically is still pictures being moved around the screen.

The animation is shit. Simply put. The G1 cartoon is better.

As for the voice acting, they have the same voice actors for Optimus Prime and Megatron who did them in "Beast Wars" and "Beast Machines," David Kaye as Megatron and Garry Chalk as Optimus. So, they aren't bad.... Everyone else is really bad. Fred Willard does the voice of one of the characters, who you know best as Swindle from "Transformers: Animated." May he RIP.

Other than those voice actors everyone is... Bad. Starscream's voice actor sounds like he has had some acting training so isn't the worst, but definitely needs more work. It's just a lot of shouting, and the dialogue is definitely the main reason the actors are bad because they are being made to grunt a lot, say dumb things, so much repeating.... It's not something for the intellectual to watch...

But, ignoring the production errors, the story is.... unique.

So, for those who haven't seen it it's about of course the Decepticons and Autobots being at war. But these tiny robots called minicons have like great powers. When they combine to a regular Cybertronian that Cybertronian becomes stronger. And some minicons combine with each to form powerful weapons, such as the Starsabre, Boom Shield, etc. So the goal is to collect them all (gotta catch them all) and whoever has the most minicons is the most powerful so wins.

The minicons escaped the war and crashed landed on Earth where they lied dormant for a few million years before being woken up by annoying human children, and a beacon summoned the Decepticons and Autobots. And the war resumed on Earth. Then later Unicron happens, but I'll get to that.

So, the story itself is unique and interesting. But of course the way it's told is, well, childish because it is a kid's show. The Decepticons lose constantly to a few Autobots, and always have the retreat, and the Autobots save the day again. Very much G1 cartoon and "Transformers: Prime." And the annoying human kids are always there at the base or on the battlefield....

NO ONE has any character development. NO ONE.

There is an arc where Starscream does actually show character development, and I wish the show kept to this because they had something. At one point Starscream is left behind to fight the Autobots and he of course would have been killed had it been reality and not a kid's show. Poor baby was calling out for help but no one came. :( And he was in the rain! Poor baby!

He had the Starsabre with him, comprised of three minicons, and eventually made it back to the moon where the Decepticon base was located. He confronted Megatron and everyone about what had happened and Megatron basically told him to stop crying and take a bath. So, he does. Here, we see Starscream show he has compassion by letting the minicons who make up the Starsabre also heal and get a "bath" with him.

Optimus had been saying a million times that Megatron only wanted to enslave and abuse the minicons and all Decepticons are like this, but clearly Starscream isn't. He's showing compassion to these minicons and treating them as equals, or at the very least kind of like they are children. His babies. And I shall refer to them as such.

Starscream later finds out that Thrust wants him gone and Megatron is in on it (in a previous episode Megatron had beaten Starscream and made it clear he doesn't care for him). Starscream, with his sword babies, fights his way out, having to battle Megatron. He escapes to Earth with his babies and runs into the Autobots who at first fight him, but then learn that the Decepticons are attacking Starscream, not them working together.

Starscream is taken to the Autobot base where he explains what happened, and the Autobots are divided about letting him stay or not. Starscream becomes frustrated and begins to storm out with his babies when Optimus stops him and tells him to think about the offer. As Starscream stands there with his back to the Autobots he looks down to see the babies hugging his legs. The minicons like never show attachment to ANY of the other Cybertronians so I think this was cute as it was informative. It's telling us Starscream is the very few who treats the minicons as individuals, whether Autobot or Decepticon.

Starscream eventually agrees and joins the Autobots, but there's a lot of fighting and people not trusting him.

He does a mission with Jetfire where he's pouting alone and literally says, "leave me alone!" to the minicons so they leave. Then this bastard says, "even the minicons have abandoned me." YOU JUST TOLD THEM TO LEAVE YOU ALONE!!!

Then, Jetfire gets annoyed with Starscream so handcuffs him to himself (Oh my gosh) and Optimus says, "Bring Starscream in for punishment" (OH MY GOSH) and Starscream and Jetfire argue like a married couple.

Starscream continues to show character development when the human kids make him a blanket as a gift and he keeps it... For a time. He's then manipulated to join the Decepticons again by Thrust and it kills his character development and the reason why he left in the first place!

It returns to pretty much the same show it was for 2 seasons until everyone goes into space back to Cybertron. There it continues to not explain things nor make sense, as most of the show doesn't explain stuff, and the things they do explain they explain 80 times... But at one point several characters get warped onto some strange planet where they get their colors changed. Megatron instantly is like, "call me Galvatron!" And Starscream looks at his new blue color scheme and says, "I look like Thundercracker."

We have not seen nor heard of Thundercracker at ALL. So this is only a known reference to anyone who knew about the G1 cartoon or comics up to the time this cartoon was made!

Hot Shot finally begins to show some character development when he's given the Matrix of leadership, and Optimus like... fake dies as he does. But then loses that character development later on.

The minicons warn of Unicron coming, and Prime is all like, "We must join with the Decepticons," but Megsy, err, Galvatron as his new color scheme dictates he be known as, is like, "fuck that!"

So, Hot Shot tries to convince Galvy which exposed that Thrust is working for Unicron so Galvatron orders the Decepticons to find him and kill him. Starscream leads the chase with the humans, some minicons, Hot Shot, and Wheeljack. Starscream shows his character development again that he's not a bad guy by saving the annoying humans, and working with the Autobots. But they eventually lose Thrust and Starscream goes back to Meg-Galvatron to beg him to join with the Autobots.

Galvatron tells him to go fuck himself and so Starscream thinks things over. He eventually then gets in a fight with Megatron-GALVATRON when the latter is measuring his dick against Optimus'. Starscream lets his spark be known to Galvatron telling him he only wanted to be accepted and like seen as a person. And to prove to Galvatron how important it is for him to help the Autobots he lets Galvatron stab him with his sword. Starscream then just lets Unicron obliterate him in the most unnecessary death ever, which is typical of Transformers media....

Galvatron realizes his dick is smaller and joins with Prime.

And they fight Unicron, and win and then Galvatron instantly is like, "Aha! My dick is the bigger one!" and attacks Prime, and then Unicron isn't dead and like Galvatron sacrifices his life to save everyone but doesn't actually die....?

And it basically ends..... And that's the show. And this thing has two series sequels?! Ugh...

Anyway, show and dialogue isn't good and if they actually worked on it they could have had something! Especially if they made Starscream stay with the Autobots. This Starscream is different from the other Starscreams so it actually worked with him.

I did like how Demolisher stood up for Starscream and even broke down the door to stop Megatron from beating him. And kept trying to protect Starscream. Usually no one protects Starscream or talks to him, but here Starscream was treated like a person by some of the other characters.

And literally EVERYONE has tit guns.... The words "Autoboobs" and "Autobutts" also was said a lot...

The kids in this show are so stupid... Thing happens right in front of them and then one of them says, "this isn't true! I won't believe it for a second!" But you just saw it happen!

Megatron called Thrust a "squid head."

And one scene that was hilarious was when Hot Shot got into an argument with Prime and he insults him and IMMEDIATELY sad music begins to play and Prime just... Walks away like the sad truck dad he is. And he went and pouted in another room with the sad music still playing! Like... What?

Also, some of the things said in this show....

Optimus: "it's time to pull out, Starscream." Starscream: "Ha! I'm not going anywhere!" Optimus: "You either come now or else! That's a direct order."

It ends with Optimus saying, "Take your time, Starscream."

OH. MY. GOOOOOOOOSH. Then this was said in another episode: "I don't know if I can penetrate it... But I'll give it a shot!"

It did have a few quotes that were funny or actually decent, but not much. These were a few of the ones I think were better:

Megatron: "You don't like my plan? You're looking at a demotion." Man, he's salty

Starscream: "It doesn't matter what I say you have already convicted me."

Megatron: "Your misguided aspirations are about to end in failure."

Even if I wasn't a Starscream fan I still say he's the best character from this show just because he has the most character development, and his actual empathy and care towards the Minicons. And on top of this he shows he's a real warrior who actually thinks. It's also interesting how he uses his left wing as a sword. Cyberverse clearly taking off that idea. But I guess if some Cybertronians have built in tit and arm guns they should have built in swords. And the IDW "Armarda" Starscream, from the Windblade comics, takes from this idea since he has built in swords, only they come from his arms.

Anyway, I'd say it's a 2/10. Most points deducted due to lazy animation and terrible dialogue. Rest for story. If you want to see it I found it for free here: https://tubitv.com/series/10/transformers-armada I was messaging my friends about it as I watched it and this was one of my messages:

"The autobots surrounded him and he was like, "demolisher and cyclonus are here so back off!" And the autobots were like "no... No one else is here... Just us." And in the saddest voice Starscream was like, "but where's.... My guys..?" It was so sad! He's still in the rain all alone.... S3 e7"

Still mad about that!

On to Energon now....

Starscream after his new paintjob

Starscream debating if he should join the Autobots as the minicons hug his legs.

"I look like Thundercracker..."

Unicron killing Starscream

Dick face Megatron

I wonder if the Armada comics are any better...?

Hot Shot, Red Alert, and Truck Dad

Megatron's antlers are legit the same thing as the space bridges in "Transformers: Animated."

Red Alert looks like Robocop...

Fanart of Armada Swindle as he appeared in the IDW comics. He is seen only once comforting Starscream in a flashback of Starscream's life before the war.

Megatron thinking about Starscream's death. This scene was actually well done. But I feel like Megatron was more thinking about how he lost the only good looking Decepticon he could fuck.