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Transformers: Armada

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This article is about the anime television series. For the comic book, see Transformers: Armada (comic book).
Transformers: Armada
Optimus Prime, his super mode and Mini-Con Sparkplug
超ロボット生命体トランスフォーマー マイクロン伝説
(Chō Robotto Seimeitai Toransufōmā Maikuron Densetsu)
GenreAdventure, mecha
Created by
  • Yūjin Ishikawa
  • Steve Drucker
Anime television series
Directed byHidehito Ueda
Written byRyo Motohira
Music byHayato Matsuo
StudioActas
Licensed by
Original networkTXN (TV Tokyo)
English network
Original run August 23, 2002 (2002-08-23) – December 26, 2003 (2003-12-26)
Episodes52 (List of episodes)

Transformers: Armada, known in Japan as Super Robot Life-Form Transformers: Legends of the Microns (超ロボット生命体トランスフォーマー マイクロン伝説), is a Japanese anime series[3] which debuted on August 23, 2002. As the first series co-produced between the American toy company Hasbro and their Japanese partner Takara, Armada begins a new continuity/universe for Transformers, with no ties to any of the previous series, including its direct predecessor Transformers: Robots in Disguise (known as Transformers: Car Robots in Japan) in 2001.[4] It inspired two sequels, Transformers: Energon (2004) and Transformers: Cybertron (2005).

Hasbro handled the production of the English dub of the series, which was outsourced over to SD Entertainment. Hasbro themselves handled North American rights, with Entertainment Rights securing international rights,[5] while Takara handled the distribution of the Japanese license. Transformers: Armada and both of its following series are all part of a saga known as the "Unicron Trilogy".

Plot

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On the planet of Cybertron, war rages between the two factions known as the Autobots and the Decepticons over the race of smaller, power-enhancing Transformers called Mini-Cons. Seeking to flee the conflict that surrounds them, the Mini-Cons escape Cybertron with the aid of the Autobots, but an attack by the Decepticons cripples the ship as it flees through a space bridge. The ship materializes in the Solar System and impacts with the Moon, breaking in two. One portion of the ship stays embedded on the Moon, while the other plummets to the planet below. The Mini-Cons, all locked in pentagonal stasis panels, are scattered across the globe. The ship crashes to Earth and 4 million years pass.[6][7]

When two boys Bradley "Rad" White and Carlos Lopez investigate the caves outside their hometown, one of the small towns in an area known as the "High Desert" they accidentally uncover the wreckage of the Mini-Con ship and activate it, causing it to send a signal that alerts both the Autobots and Decepticons as to the Mini-Cons' presence on Earth. Megatron and Optimus Prime's forces teleport to Earth from Cybertron as a result. Rad, Carlos, and their friend Alexis Thi Dang befriend the Autobots, along with the Mini-Cons High Wire, Grindor, and Sureshock (known commonly as the Street Action Mini-Con Team in the toyline). The Transformers assume earth vehicle alternate modes and the hunt begins to locate the scattered Mini-Cons.

After a series of battles, each of the Transformers successfully acquires a partner Mini-Con. Smokescreen arrives to join the Autobots' team. Hologram recordings in a sunken city reveal the existence of the mighty Mini-Con weapon, the Star Saber sword. The Decepticons possess one component of the weapon and invade the Autobot base to steal the remaining two pieces, only for the Autobots to seize possession of the sword.

A mysterious mercenary named Scavenger arrives on Earth and sides with the Decepticons, urging them to locate the components of the Skyboom Shield, another Mini-Con weapon that can counter the power of the Star Saber. At the same time, an Autobot drifter named Sideways enters the fray but soon reveals his allegiance to the Decepticons after he betrays Hot Shot, allowing the Star Saber to fall into the Decepticons' hands.

Concurrently Scavenger reveals himself to be an undercover Autobot, and rejoins his fellows, soon followed by Blurr, the latest arrival from Cybertron. When the Decepticons complete the Skyboom Shield, a mighty battle ensues that ends with the Autobots gaining possession of the shield. The two weapons unleash a powerful energy flare, drawing the Decepticons, Thrust, a master tactician, and Tidal Wave, a large and powerful warrior, to Earth.

Meanwhile, Sideways surreptitiously stirs trouble in the Decepticon camp by playing on their contradictions. While luring the Autobots' human allies into cyberspace in an attempt to capture their Mini-Cons, Sideways reveals that he serves a mysterious higher power. Thrust arrives and puts his tactical prowess into play, only for his schemes to be foiled by the arrival of the second-in-command Autobot, Jetfire, whose power to combine with Optimus defeats Thrust's schemes.

Eventually, Sideways' deception is discovered and Megatron destroys him with the Star Saber, only for Sideways to escape by reforming his body. Tidal Wave arrives on Earth, and the Autobots prove vastly outmatched. Rad, Carlos, and Alexis are alerted to the existence of the Requiem Blaster, the third Mini-Con weapon by Sideways, and locate Skyblast, one of its components. Skyblast sings an eerie harmony that summons the other two Mini-Cons from their stasis, and they form the Blaster, allowing Optimus to defeat Tidal Wave.

Both sides soon gain new members in Sideswipe, an eager new Autobot, and Wheeljack, a former Autobot who has joined the Decepticons, believing that Hot Shot betrayed him on Cybertron. Thrust formulates a new scheme that allows the Decepticons to steal the Requiem Blaster, which involves mortally wounding Smokescreen in the process, causing Red Alert to re-format him into the more powerful form of Hoist. Starscream is his patsy, leading the already-alienated Decepticon to turn on Megatron and side with the Autobots. Starscream forms a friendship with the kids, particularly Alexis, and allows the Autobots access to the Decepticons' base.

A raid allows the Autobots to free the Mini-Cons. Still, Starscream discreetly catches Thrust scheming with Sideways and makes a tough choice to steal the Skyboom Shield and Star Saber and rejoin the Decepticons as a double agent. With all three Mini-Con weapons now in their possession, the Decepticons create the Hydra Cannon, a weapon that combines all their power and plans to destroy Earth from orbit. Optimus uses his Matrix to absorb the blast but sacrifices himself in the process.

The Decepticons head for Cybertron in their craft, and the Autobots, now with Hot Shot in command, hastily construct a craft named the Axalon to pursue them. The Mini-Cons, now unleashing their true powers, accompany them into space, immediately leading into a battle that sees them use their full power to resurrect Optimus.

A black hole transports a small number of Autobots and Decepticons to a barren world where they are ravaged by Nemesis Prime, a twisted clone of Optimus, and have their power and armor enhanced by the Mini-Cons and with Megatron renaming himself Galvatron. Subsequently, the Decepticons return to Cybertron and quickly overthrow most of the planet through the powers of the Mini-Con weapons. Hot Shot assaults the Decepticon base solo, resulting in the revelation of Thrust's treachery. Thrust escapes with the Skyboom Shield and Requiem Blaster, delivering them to Sideways, who uses them to awaken the great and terrible Unicron, an underlying enemy whose coming the Mini-Cons had foretold.

Rad and his friends are sent drifting through time, where it is revealed that via this, they played a part in the development of the Mini-Cons revealed to be the cells of Unicron. Rad convinces High Wire which eventually leads the Mini-Cons to leave Cybertron setting the whole events. Galvatron refuses to believe in the threat of Unicron and Starscream forces him into a duel—a duel Starscream purposefully loses, sacrificing himself to prove to Galvatron the threat of Unicron exists. Sideways steals the Star Saber, fully awakening Unicron, as the Autobots and Decepticons unite into one armada to attack the colossal Transformer who had been disguised as Cybertron's moon. During the battle, Galvatron confronts Thrust over his betrayal and leaves him to perish after the latter inadvertently gets himself crushed in Unicron's shoulder.

While Unicron attacks Cybertron, Galvatron, and Optimus enter Unicron's body, where Sideways reveals himself to be created by Unicron as an emissary to bring the Mini-Cons back under his master's control only to have Rad re-awaken their minds, allowing the Mini-Con weapons to free themselves, de-powering Unicron. With Sideways eliminated and the threat of Unicron apparently gone, Galvatron challenges Optimus to a final battle, only for the energy released from their conflict to reactivate Unicron. Upon realizing his mistake in continuing their hatred, Galvatron decides to sacrifice himself to end the cycle of hatred that allows Unicron to exist. With Galvatron's death, Unicron mysteriously disappears, and peace returns to Cybertron. Despite justice being given to all Transformers, Optimus feels dishonored, stating that he does not deserve the Matrix anymore, and goes into exile. The Autobots then sent the kids back to Earth.

Episodes

[edit]
Main article: List of Transformers: Armada episodes

Production and release

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Development

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Transformers: Armada was written and produced in Japan, with creative input from America. However, the show premiered on Cartoon Network's Toonami in America before its original Japanese counterpart had aired—the result of a demanding production schedule set by the network, which caused the series to be fast-tracked out of production. Consequently, Armada features a lot of unfinished animation (which would go on to be perfected for the completed Japanese episodes), and a hastily produced dub which features many errors in naming such as Sureshock being repeatedly called "Grindor" in multiple episodes, Hot Shot being called "Hot Rod", and Optimus's Mini-Con partner Sparkplug being called "Leader-1" (the same name as Megatron's Mini-Con), as well as transliteration and nonsensical dialogue which does not match the action onscreen.

Veteran Transformers voice actors Garry Chalk and David Kaye appear in the English dub of series as Optimus Prime and Megatron respectively. Chalk previously voiced the equivalent character Optimus Primal in Beast Wars: Transformers and Beast Machines: Transformers, while Kaye voiced a different version of Megatron in the same shows.

When Armada was released on DVD in Japan, each of the thirteen volumes came with a four-page mini-manga and an exclusive repainted Mini-Con figure. The manga, titled Tales of the Microns: Linkage, feature these repaints in an original story which served to fill in many of the blank spots and plot holes in the animated series.

Airing

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Despite Transformers: Armada being made by a Japanese studio, it premiered first in the United States. The series premiered on Cartoon Network (via the network's Toonami block) on August 23, 2002 at 4 P.M. with a 90-minute movie special, consisting of the first three episodes titled "First Encounter", "Metamorphosis" and "Base".[8] Following its premiere, new episodes started coming out on August 30, airing every Friday at 6:30 P.M.[9] On November 4, 2002, the series also began airing from Monday to Thursday until March 14, 2003[10][11].During this time, the series also moved to the network's Saturday Video Entertainment System programming block from March 1, 2003[12] to May 10, 2003 and in the early mornings from March 17, 2003 to June 27, 2003. The series returned to Toonami for a second run beginning on September 1, 2003, airing exclusively on Fridays until September 29, 2003[13], when it also returned to the Monday-Thursday lineup. The series then stayed in the lineup until January 2, 2004.[14] The series also appeared on Toonami's Super Saturday lineup from September 21, 2002 to February 22, 2003, the final airing of the block before its cancellation.

In the December issue of Japanese magazine Animage, it was announced that the anime would start airing in Japan on January 10, 2003 on TV Tokyo, with new episodes coming out every Friday at 6 P.M.[15]

In Canada, the series premiered on Corus Entertainment's YTV on December 18, 2002.[16] In Spain, Armada aired on Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2004.[17][18] The series also aired on Cartoon Network in Australia in 2004.[19][20] In India, the series also aired on Cartoon Network from May 12, 2004 to 2005.[21]

In the Philippines, the series premiered on GMA Network on March 12, 2005 with a Filipino dub.[22]

The series is also available for streaming online on Tubi, Pluto TV, Amazon Prime Video and The Roku Channel, as well as the Transformers YouTube channel (the first 15 episodes only).[23][24][25][26][27]

Home media

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Entertainment Rights owned worldwide home video rights to the series.[28]

North America

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In 2003, Entertainment Rights signed a North American home video deal with Rhino Entertainment Company to release the series on DVD in North America.[29] These sets are now discontinued and out-of-print.

In August 2013, it was announced that Shout! Factory had partnered with Hasbro Studios to release numerous Transformers series on DVD in the United States, including Transformers: Armada.[30] Shout! Factory would then subsequently released Transformers: Armada: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1 on March 11, 2014.

International

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In the United Kingdom, Right Entertainment and Universal Pictures Video released several VHS and DVD volumes of the series.

In Australia, Madman Entertainment released both volumes of Transformers: Armada on DVD in Region 4 in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

[edit]

Video game

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Main article: Transformers (2004 video game)

Developed by Atari Melbourne House and released for PlayStation 2 by Atari on May 11, 2004, in North America and May 7, 2004, in Europe, the Transformers video game (originally called Transformers Armada: Prelude to Energon, but simply titled again as Transformers.) is loosely based on the Armada series. The player controls three Autobots: Optimus Prime, Hot Shot, and Red Alert. The general story is the same as the TV show: the player must find and collect the Mini-Cons and fight off Megatron and his Decepticons. The player travels through various large environments on Earth (such as the Amazon Jungle and Antarctica) while fighting off Megatron's "Decepticlone" army and finding Mini-Cons that give the player's character different abilities in order to get further into the game. The player will also fight a number of familiar Decepticons from the Armada show, such as Starscream, Cyclonus, and Tidal Wave. The plot is similar to Armada, right down to the final battle with Unicron at the end. A few of the voice actors from the show (notably Garry Chalk as Prime and David Kaye as Megatron) voiced for the game. There are also subtle references to The Transformers: The Movie. The game is rated T on the ESRB ratings scale.

Comics

[edit]
Main article: Transformers: Armada (comic book)

From 2002 to 2003, Canada-based Dreamwave Productions published a Transformers: Armada comic book, that ran for 18 issues.

Merchandise

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Built to Rule was a building blocks toyline from Hasbro that is compatible with such leading brands as Lego. Each Transformers kit is centered around a "Trans-Skeleton", a very simple humanoid body that folds up for vehicle mode without dis-assembly. From there, extra parts are added to the Trans-Skeleton for either mode. For Armada, the Trans-Skeleton was a very broad, flat solid plate with thin, stick-like limbs attached to it, which led to very awkward-looking robot modes.

Broadcasting

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Country Channel
Japan TXN (TV Tokyo, TVO, TVA, TVH, TVQ, TSC, BS-TV Tokyo)
United States Cartoon Network, Kabillion
Canada YTV
United Kingdom Sky One, Sky One Mix[31][32]
South Korea SBS Seoul
Germany RTL II
Mexico Fox Kids/Jetix
Peru
Colombia
Venezuela
Ecuador
Chile
Argentina
Bolivia
Paraguay
Guatemala
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Mexico Canal de las Estrellas, Jetix
Netherlands Fox Kids, Jetix
Belgium VT4, Fox Kids, Jetix
Portugal TVI, Canal Panda, Panda Biggs
Serbia Ultra
Malaysia TV3, Cartoon Network (Southeast Asia), TV2 (Malay dubbed)
Bulgaria bTV, Jetix, Nova Television
Slovenia POP TV
Brazil Fox Kids, Rede Globo
Poland Polsat, TV4
Philippines Cartoon Network, GMA 7,[22][33] Hero TV, TV5
Australia Cartoon Network, [19] Network Ten (On Toasted TV)
Israel Jetix
Arab World Countries MBC 3
France Gulli
India Cartoon Network, [21] Discovery Kids
Italy Fox Kids Italy, Jetix Italy, Super 3, NuovaRete
Romania Pro TV
South Africa SABC 2
Spain Cartoon Network [17]

References

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  1. ^ "Entertainment Rights Secure Rights to Transformers Armada". Archived from the original on 2002-12-25.
  2. ^ "Sky One picks up Transformers Armada". Archived from the original on 2024-06-13. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  3. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 871–872. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  4. ^ "The History of Transformers on TV". IGN. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  5. ^ "Entertainment Rights Secure Rights to Transformers Armada". Archived from the original on 2002-12-25.
  6. ^ "Transformers Armada: Season 1, Part 1". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on 2010-01-07. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
  7. ^ "Transformers Armada: Season 1, Part 2". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
  8. ^ "New G-Gundam Date". Anime News Network. June 26, 2002. Archived from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  9. ^ Benenati, Vincent (June 25, 2002). "Info on "Transformers: Armada," "G-Gundam," and "He-Man" Premieres". ToonZone. Archived from the original on July 28, 2002. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  10. ^ "Transformers Armada Schedule". Cartoon Network. Archived from the original on October 15, 2002. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  11. ^ "Toonami Episode Guide for the Week of March 10th". Toonami InfoLink. March 9, 2003. Archived from the original on April 10, 2003. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  12. ^ "Cartoon Network Pushes New Programming Block". Anime News Network. February 17, 2003. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  13. ^ "Toonami Schedule Change". toonamiinfolink.com. September 28, 2003. Archived from the original on October 12, 2003. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  14. ^ "New Schedule Hatches on Toonami Today". toonamiinfolink.com. January 5, 2004. Archived from the original on February 14, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  15. ^ "New Anime in Japan". Anime News Network. November 14, 2002. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  16. ^ "Transformers: Armada to air on YTV". Seibertron. December 16, 2002. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
  17. ^ a b "September Programming". cartoonnetwork.es. September 19, 2003. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
  18. ^ "October Programming". cartoonnetwork.es. October 30, 2004. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  19. ^ a b "CN Schedule". Cartoonnetwork.com.au. February 3, 2004. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  20. ^ "CN Schedule". Cartoonnetwork.com.au. August 10, 2004. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
  21. ^ a b "Cartoon Network gears up for summer with three new shows". indiantelevision.com. April 15, 2004. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  22. ^ a b "Transformers Armada Premiers in the Philippines". Tformers. March 12, 2005. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
  23. ^ "Watch Transformers Armada". Tubi. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  24. ^ "Watch Transformers Armada". Amazon Prime Video. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  25. ^ "Transformers: Armada season 1". Pluto TV. Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  26. ^ "Transformers Armada Season 1 Episodes Streaming Online for Free". The Roku Channel. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  27. ^ "Transformers Armada | FULL EPISODES". YouTube. Archived from the original on August 21, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  28. ^ "Entertainment Rights Secure Rights to Transformers Armada". Archived from the original on 2002-12-25.
  29. ^ "Entertainment Rights Signs Major North American Video and DVD Distribution Agreement". Archived from the original on 2003-08-19.
  30. ^ Oladipo, Abby (August 15, 2013). "Shout! Factory and Hasbro Studios Partner for Animated Series". The Licensing Book. Archived from the original on February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  31. ^ "Sky One picks up Transformers Armada". Archived from the original on 2024-06-13. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  32. ^ "Entertainment Rights Boards Armada". Animation Magazine. July 14, 2003. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
  33. ^ "Tagalog Transformers Quote of the Day". GeoCities. Archived from the original on October 26, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
[edit]
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