Direct-to-video TRANSFORMERS animated movies?

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Direct-to-video TRANSFORMERS animated movies?

Post by relak »

Marvel has gone that route (Ultimate Avengers, Dr Strange, Planet Hulk etC)
DC has gone that route (Justice LEague: Doom, Batman Year One, All star Superman)
even video games (Dante's Inferno, Deadspace Downfall)

Direct to video animated movies are not restrained by the money grabbing whims of a network or the sales of an accompanying product line.

In other words, the creators have more creative control over the story and continuity wont be a big issue since each production will be self-contained.

It also allows stories to be told that would not normally get green lit for a TV run.

So how feasable would it be for direct to DVD productions based on TRANSFORMERS?
Think about it?
It wont have to be comfined to the PRIME continuity
A production could faithfully adapt comic book stories like Edge of Extinction or Target 2006 (like what DC did with Batman Year One and All Star Superman)
It could be the outlet for untold stories like Transformers:Animated season 4 or even a continuation from where "The Rebirth" left off.
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Post by Skyquake87 »

They key difference with Marvel's properties is that they are able to be exploited in such a manner. All Transformers media exists to promote and complement the core product : toys.

You've got to remember that Transformers are a childrens toyline and not the pan-generational force that Marvel or DC's superheroes are. The movies have changed that to a degree, but unless movie activity is sustained, then long term I can't see Transformers remaining at a similar level. And, TBH, as discussed in other threads this hasn't resulted in a resurrgence of interest in the current comics, nor seemingly much interest in the old Sunbow cartoon (most supermarkets here seem to be lumbered with piles of Metrodome's S1 & S3 box sets).

There's this strange view in Transformers fandom that somehow Transformers is more than it actually is. Sure, there have been some extensions of the toyline (the UK comic, Beast Wars, Beast Machines for example) that have pushed the boundaries of what constitutes a children's toy based comic and / or cartoon and imbued it with some maturity that has ensured some degree of brand loyalty, but at the end of the day, its about selling toys. To children.

That's not to say seeing one-off straight to DVD releases are out of the question, but Hasbro have committed to Prime and their approach now is to carefully world build and control the development and progress of their biggest non-licensed IP. So I don't think you'd get them rushing to produce stuff off the back of now defunct iterations of the franchise, no matter how well regarded they are. Plus, Hasbro are all about the 'new'. Its about promoting new products and toylines to sustain interest and sales. Any new straight to DVD release is likely only going to court a hardcore demographic within fandom - most likely the ones deeply committed to the brand who do go out buy the toys, t-shirts and comic books which is probably not worth the risk to a firm whom are just starting out with producing their own cartoons to support their own toys.

That said,i suspect a dvd movie based around the war for cybertron game and its sequel would do alright.
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Post by relak »

But im sure by now transformers has SOME semblence of being that pan generational force. Like Marvel and DC, Transformers have had multiple interpretations in the past, it has had a rich history of both AV and print media.

Like you said HASBRO is commited to Prime.
But the thing about being DTV is that it doesnt have to be under hasbro. All that is needed is the rights to the names and stuff.

Whatever profits are made would be generated solely from the sale of the show either on DVD, itunes, hulu etc and not from the toyline that it promotes.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Skyquake87 wrote:There's this strange view in Transformers fandom that somehow Transformers is more than it actually is. Sure, there have been some extensions of the toyline (the UK comic, Beast Wars, Beast Machines for example) that have pushed the boundaries of what constitutes a children's toy based comic and / or cartoon and imbued it with some maturity that has ensured some degree of brand loyalty, but at the end of the day, its about selling toys. To children.
This, basically. And to be fair on fandom, a fair chunk of it actually enjoys Transformers on this sort of level - a number of people are turned off by the Serious Business approach of the comics, for instance, and a lot of the criticisms levelled at the films is that they don't encompass the same values and morality as a Saturday morning cartoon - okay, so those values included all Arabs being evil, beating women is fine, let dangerous criminals off each time even if they never ever learn, etc. But I digress. Many people get their fix of epic and/or pretentious material elsewhere - why bend the thing to be like Gundam when Gundam exists?

I wouldn't be surprised to see a straight-to-DVD Prime film, what with the models and the like being around (though it's much more likely we'll get multi-part stories that can be packed as a DVD movie a la Darkness Rising), but if there is it'll be firmly aimed at kids because they're the only demographic Hasbro care about, and that's where the DVD will be filed - next to Armada and G1. It's difficult to see why anyone involved would want it to be much different - why shun one large demographic in the hope of maybe expanding a much smaller demographic by a few percent?

Transformers is for kids. We get fringe benefits through comics the core audience just isn't interested in, homage toys that suit both parties and the occasional high ticket item.

It's pretty difficult to see what could be gained from an animated adaptation of Target 2006 or something anyway. It'd most likely turn off kids and most fans are happy enough with it in the medium it was designed for.

And where's that rewritten Headmasters pitch?
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Post by Cliffjumper »

relak wrote:But the thing about being DTV is that it doesnt have to be under hasbro. All that is needed is the rights to the names and stuff.
Wait, what? You seriously think Hasbro is just going to let some animation studio take some of their most lucrative trademarks and just do whatever the **** they like with them? For a DVD? That will be sold in stores? Under their brand?

This will never, ever happen. Transformers is under Hasbro. If they don't want to do it, it doesn't get done outside of fanworks unless you've got the muscle of Paramount (and they in turn have visions of nine-figure box office takings).

Fact Attack: This doesn't happen with the Marvel/DC DTDVD films either.
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Post by Hound »

Really what I see that it comes down to is that Hasbro doesn't make cartoons for us, the adults who've been fans for 25 years or more.

We're already fans, and I suspect they're well aware that ebay is probably getting as much of our coin as they are.

They might throw us a bone occasionally, but they aren't spending big money on making something for us.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

As it's all supposed to be the same continuity anyway (officially at least) I could see a "Secret origin" of Prime style War For Cybertron DTV being potentially a goer, it'll rake in some extra cash of a popular show and pimp the FoC toys to kids who don't play the games. How feasible it is would probably depend on how well the Darkness Rising "Movie" sold I suspect. Some sort of special tie in to the next film isn't out of the question either. It's certainly not uncommon for popular kids shows, even toy based ones, to go down that route.

Other stuff? Far less likely. Though the DCU films do manage to be both extremely geeky and generally suitable for kids (at least the ones I've seen anyway) the various different versions of Transformers really aren't different enough to make much of a go of it. Would the slightly different character designs really make a G1ish film worth it? I could see Prime "borrowing" plot elements in future, as it has already with a few things, but flat out adaptations seem very unlikely.
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Post by Skyquake87 »

...its also occurred to me that the most revitialising entries in the long life of Transformers have been the ones produced with minimal interference from Hasbro themselves. Which may explain why the slightly patchwork and contrived nature of Prime has yet to win me over.
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Post by Rurudyne »

Skyquake87 wrote:...its also occurred to me that the most revitialising entries in the long life of Transformers have been the ones produced with minimal interference from Hasbro themselves. Which may explain why the slightly patchwork and contrived nature of Prime has yet to win me over.
What would G1 have been without patchwork and contrived?

Still, I got one thing that's inarguably in favor of Prime ... it isn't that Transformers/Rescue Squad mashup. What's next: a My Little Transformers version of Beast Wars?
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Post by Cliffjumper »

It's just a shame that revitalising tends to tally with "not really popular with the public". Obviously there're exceptions like BW and the peak of the UK comic, but generally creators get more leeway when it's down to just converts paying attention.
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Post by relak »

This, basically. And to be fair on fandom, a fair chunk of it actually enjoys Transformers on this sort of level - a number of people are turned off by the Serious Business approach of the comics, for instance, and a lot of the criticisms levelled at the films is that they don't encompass the same values and morality as a Saturday morning cartoon - okay, so those values included all Arabs being evil, beating women is fine, let dangerous criminals off each time even if they never ever learn, etc. But I digress. Many people get their fix of epic and/or pretentious material elsewhere - why bend the thing to be like Gundam when Gundam exists?
A new G1 DTV movie could go back to that sort of level complete with replicating the 1980s style artwork and traditional animation.
It's pretty difficult to see what could be gained from an animated adaptation of Target 2006 or something anyway. It'd most likely turn off kids and most fans are happy enough with it in the medium it was designed for.
Same way it must have been difficult to see what could be gained from an animated adaptation of Under the REd Hood or Superman/Batman. The comic story wasnt exactly on the same popularity level as Year One, Dark Knight Returns or Killing Joke, yet the animated movies ended up among Warner Premiere's higherst sellers.
A faithful adaption of a comic story would pull in the comic fans.
Attention to technical aspects like utilising top notch traditional 2D animation will pull in the visual geeks who are growing tired of 3D CGI.
And where's that rewritten Headmasters pitch?
dude. I got a life man. Priorities take precedence and i got to rewatch the thing first. REst assured it will materialise in that other thread.

Wait, what? You seriously think Hasbro is just going to let some animation studio take some of their most lucrative trademarks and just do whatever the **** they like with them? For a DVD? That will be sold in stores? Under their brand?
Wasnt that the case with the Unicron trilogy, RID and the Japanese TRansformers productions?
.its also occurred to me that the most revitialising entries in the long life of Transformers have been the ones produced with minimal interference from Hasbro themselves.
Precisely

Transformers Animated was produced by Cartoon Network studios, and Hasbro mainly playing an overseeing role rather than a creative role. Look how awesome it was.

From what i've read, even Beast Wars was generally left to Mainframe. Only G1 and TF Prime seemed to have direct creative control from Hasbro (TF Prime being even more so since its under Hasbro studios themselves)

HAsbro only handled the toys.

Really what I see that it comes down to is that Hasbro doesn't make cartoons for us, the adults who've been fans for 25 years or more.
Yea that was kinda what i was getting at.
But i dont mean they should abandon their Aligned continuity.

Like how the DTV animated movies are just a "side job" to Marvel's live action movie universe, TF DTV movies will be the "side job" to Hasbro's Aligned continuity. Each with a different production team or even a different animation studio.

ANOTHER advantage about having an external company handle production rather than HAsbro (other than better creative control) is that the money will be concentrated purely on pushing the production values.
If it were to be a franchise under hasbro, the money would be split among the production and promotion of new toys.
One reason why those DTV movies tend to look a lot more awesome than TV series.

Bottom line: Hasbro can handle the kids. But let another studio handle animation for the adult fans.
Would the slightly different character designs really make a G1ish film worth it? I could see Prime "borrowing" plot elements in future, as it has already with a few things, but flat out adaptations seem very unlikely.
Not just designs, but im talking using wholly different visual styles. STuff that Hasbro would never otherwise approve.
Can you imagine a flat out adaptation of TF Generation 2 comics produced by Genndy Tartakovsky?(Creator of Samurai Jack, Clone Wars microseries and the opening prologue of Priest). Darek Yaniger's artwork already fits his kinetic animation style. As does the over-the-top nature of the story and action.
As it's all supposed to be the same continuity anyway (officially at least) I could see a "Secret origin" of Prime style War For Cybertron DTV being potentially a goer, it'll rake in some extra cash of a popular show and pimp the FoC toys to kids who don't play the games.
I've been wondering why that already hasnt been done. If hasbro studios is too busy with TF PRime, let the game studio do it was an extended cinematic. The pre-rendered cinematic sequences in WFC were awesome. Better than anything seen in TF Prime.
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Post by wolfbolt86 »

relak wrote:Wasnt that the case with the Unicron trilogy, RID and the Japanese TRansformers productions?
Not really. Those shows were either a joint venture or an done only for the Japanese market. They were green lighted by Takara which has the half the rights to all transformers.

Pluse unlesse Hasbro makes any toys for these things, they would never green light them.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

relak wrote:A faithful adaption of a comic story would pull in the comic fans.
Attention to technical aspects like utilising top notch traditional 2D animation will pull in the visual geeks who are growing tired of 3D CGI.
There are around 10000 comic fans. As discussed elsewhere, the basic subject matter would be of limited interest to anime fans.
Wasnt that the case with the Unicron trilogy, RID and the Japanese TRansformers productions?
Not exactly. The UT was, IIRC, a joint production, and Takara are in this case effectively the same thing as Hasbro. In all of these series they had input, veto and so on - this is why the Car Brothers become the Super Car Brothers, Smokescreen is killed off and brought back as Hoist, nearly the entire cast of the previous series are dumped for successive Japanese series and so on.
Transformers Animated was produced by Cartoon Network studios, and Hasbro mainly playing an overseeing role rather than a creative role. Look how awesome it was.
Putting aside that it was terrible, exactly the same as the above applies. It's a co-production. Hasbro aren't idiots, they don't write scripts or choose voice actors. They will commission the series from a partner (in the case of Animated, CN), dictate the robot cast to a certain degree (or was it a coincidence that Animated's initial cast featured long-term big-hitters Prime, Bumblebee, Starscream and Megatron?), veto storylines they're not keen on and make sure the show primarily appeals to the key demographic.
From what i've read, even Beast Wars was generally left to Mainframe. Only G1 and TF Prime seemed to have direct creative control from Hasbro (TF Prime being even more so since its under Hasbro studios themselves)
Tigerhawk, Dark Glass, Optimal Optimus, Fuzors, Transmetals, etc. BW saw Mainframe make a generally good fist of coming up with good explanations for Hasbro's needs, but to suggest they were left to it is incorrect. And BW 'got away' with a lot because the brand was basically dead and Hasbro/Kenner had nothing to lose.
HAsbro only handled the toys.
No, Hasbro handle the brand. They're not idiots and know their strengths and weaknesses and will leave partners to it if they're not doing anything detrimental with their property, but they retain and always have retained massive power over any output under the name. Examples of this are too numerous to list. The only partner who's had anywhere near the clout to do as they please is Paramount, and even then rating issues probably mean Hasbro were happy enough to just take their massive cut of the box office, revel in exceptional toy sales and make sure they had younger demographics covered with Animated.
Bottom line: Hasbro can handle the kids. But let another studio handle animation for the adult fans.
The adult fans number somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000. Comics are a feasible medium for material directed at them, so are computer games. A 70-minute cel-animated film produced by an experienced studio with a quality voice cast would have a seven-figure budget at least. You're making the mistake of assuming there are a huge amount of potential adult Transformers fans out there desperate for this thing to happen and shunning current material until it does, which is a huge fallacy.

The difference between Transformers and the various Marvel/DC properties (while it's not something I've seen a lot of, the direct-to-DVD Marvel cartoons I have seen while enjoyable tend to be as compromised as hell by the need to appeal to children as well as older fans) is that Transformers never has been, isn't and probably never will be a fiction-driven franchise either in the eyes of its' owner or the vast majority of those who know of it. Fannish DVD movies aren't going to change that either - a DVD version of On the Edge of Extinction or Animated Season 4 is only going to be preaching to the converted.

As I've said before, I'm struggling to see who such a project would even be for apart from a few over-sensitive fans who want some sort of bragging rights over their Gundam and Macross counterparts. I'm sorry you're so ashamed of Transformers' fiction to date and want something dark and edgy you think you can show to peers who think it's a kids' cartoon and show them (protip: it wouldn't work anyway), but most fans take Transformers for what it is rough and smooth and can tell the difference between something it actually needs and wet-brained pipedreams.
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Post by relak »

There are around 10000 comic fans. As discussed elsewhere, the basic subject matter would be of limited interest to anime fans.
Not if its got awesome animation by some renown names in anime.

Edge of Extinction with the animation standard of Gundam Unicorn. More people will be attracted by cutting edge the animation standard and the fact that there is a big name (Sunrise studios) working on it.
You're making the mistake of assuming there are a huge amount of potential adult Transformers fans out there desperate for this thing to happen and shunning current material until it does, which is a huge fallacy.
No. But there are huge amount of potential adult audiences desperate for a good story and cutting edge animation.

The point is in the marketing. Dont keep concentrating on marketing it to the Transformers fans. Thats what Robotech (market to the fans) does and look at how dead it is recently.

If you're gonna make people come for the Transformers, then of course very little will come. There are definitely more animation enthusiasts and anime fans than transformers fans. Make them come for the animation, the familiar names etc. They'll come for the animation, stay for the Transformers. Not the other way around.

And adapting comic stories is just 1 outlet.
Like the DC animated films they can also do untold origin stories or continuing past stories or even character centered anthologies.

Hasbro handle the brand.
ok thanks for clarifying that. I never knew they were such harda**es.
A 70-minute cel-animated film produced by an experienced studio with a quality voice cast would have a seven-figure budget at least.
Which is most likely similar to the budget on 3 episodes of TF Prime.
Ok, there seems to be an impression that such a project would abandon the kid demographic. Like i said, Hasbro can keep pushing Tf Prime.
Such DTV projects will expand to include older demographic.
a DVD version of On the Edge of Extinction or Animated Season 4 is only going to be preaching to the converted.
The point is not to push the "Transformers-ness" of the story but to push the story itself and the medium. A good story is a good story. Awesome animation is awesome animation and will be recognised for it.
I'm struggling to see who such a project would even be
For people who would never get into Transformers otherwise because it is continually seen by its owners and even much of its own fans as a children-only franchise with no potential to expand otherwise.
I'm sorry you're so ashamed of Transformers' fiction to date and want something dark and edgy you think you can show to peers who think it's a kids' cartoon and show them
Dark and edgy Transformers that i can show my peers Already exists.
On the animation side It's called Beast Machines. The subject of at least 2 "A" grade philosophy presentations.

Transformers: The Movie (1986) also works and had it's fair share of converts (until they watched the rest of G1 and thus denounced TF once again)

Such works already exist. But i digress. A DTV project need not be just dark and edgy. It could be a comedy too. The whole point of DTV production is that its format is a lot mroe flexible. You can do any genre.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

relak wrote:Not if its got awesome animation by some renown names in anime.
Seriously? Anime outside of Asia is a cult, no more.
Edge of Extinction with the animation standard of Gundam Unicorn. More people will be attracted by cutting edge the animation standard and the fact that there is a big name (Sunrise studios) working on it.
Sunrise are owned by Bandai, aren't they?
Which is most likely similar to the budget on 3 episodes of TF Prime.
Ok, there seems to be an impression that such a project would abandon the kid demographic. Like i said, Hasbro can keep pushing Tf Prime.
Such DTV projects will expand to include older demographic.
Expand? Do you mean they will also cover an older demographic, or that the older demographic would be large enough to compensate for the loss of the younger one? For the former, that means compromises all round. For the latter, you're living in a dream world.

The budget for Prime will not be that high - most of the costs will have gone on CGI models and voice actors. The former will recoup their worth across the series; the latter is a cost that would presumably still exist for any direct-to-DVD movie. Cel animation is hugely costly compared to the respectable - but not top-line - CGI used for Prime.
Dark and edgy Transformers that i can show my peers Already exists.
On the animation side It's called Beast Machines. The subject of at least 2 "A" grade philosophy presentations.

Transformers: The Movie (1986) also works and had it's fair share of converts (until they watched the rest of G1 and thus denounced TF once again)

Such works already exist. So why can't more be done to reach out to a wider audience?
Love the way you cite a film that triggered the franchise's first decline (the one it could well have not come back from) which saw the general public stick two fingers up at the idea, then the show that went down so badly it saw the reins handed over to Japanese paedophiles for a decade. Why not cite the G2 comic while you're at it?

If Hasbro do want to make something direct-to-DVD for the brand, it's going to be as inclusionist as possible. They will want kids to watch it as well as adults because there's no gain in alienating fans (which include kids); there's also the problem of someone possibly picking this thing up for their kids due to it having the branding of a well-known toyline on it and having a negative reaction; not worth the hassle. So the best hope would be for something that pleases both, not ignores one or the other.

Much as I loathe Shortpacked, this is basically what you sound like - http://www.shortpacked.com/2005/comic/b ... ster/a-61/
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Post by inflatable dalek »

I think if there were such a DTV, aiming for the Darkness Rising level would be just about perfect myself, it's got the mix about right of being something kids can watch with their parents without too much embarrassment on either side. And lots of injokes and homages to the past for the fans.

Thinking about it, I wonder how many of the straight to DVD "films" that tend to show up over here actually are? Bionicle, Ben 10 and Pokemon and so are, are many just Darkness Rising style edits of episodes or theatrical films from Japan where the franchise doesn't have as much mileage in the West style things?
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Yeh - over here at least there are still a lot of kids without satellite TV and thus only basic digital packages; the last time I turned the thing on there didn't even seem to be any dedicated 'cartoon' channels (just the CBBC stuff), so they can probably get away with the old multiparter 'movies'.

I do think the WFC/FOC movies is a viable idea; I've no idea of the mechanics but I'd wager that what exists in terms of models for cutscenes would do the bulk of the work. But commissioning fresh feature-length cel-animated stuff from scratch? No way.
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Post by relak »

Seriously? Anime outside of Asia is a cult, no more.
Thats an example. I did mention other non-anime names like GEnndy Taratovsky, Peter Chung etc.

Sunrise are owned by Bandai, aren't they?
Yes but they arent controlled by Bandai the way Hasbro does. Sunrise has also done lots of work for american animed TV shows, most notably the BATMAN Animated series
Do you mean they will also cover an older demographic, or that the older demographic would be large enough to compensate for the loss of the younger one?
But there wont be a loss of the younger one. Thats why TF Prime and Rescue bots exists: to cater to the younger fellows.
If Hasbro do want to make something direct-to-DVD for the brand, it's going to be as inclusionist as possible.
Which is why i said it need not be Dark and Edgy. Dark stuff is just one of the many genre they can explore in a DTV production that would not otherwise see the light of day on daytime TV.

And its not as if Hasbro hasn't already done Dark DTV animation.

Case in point: G. I Joe Resolute
And the other G I Joe DTV movies like Valor Vs Venom werent too bad either. They werent exactly dark and edgy but it didnt pander to the kiddies either like REscue Bots.

You tend to miss my point of suggesting the DTV route for TRansformers.
It's not to just get dark and edgy shows out on the market but to allow the Transformers brand to explore other genre and other stories that would not otherwise be told thanks to their daytime TV's policy of "one continuity at a time" (which in this case is the Aligned continuity)
Cel animation is hugely costly compared to the respectable - but not top-line - CGI used for Prime.
depends on who you work with.
Robotech's "Shadow Chronicles" DTV feature of 88 minutes in cel animation apparently cost less than 5 minutes of motion capture CGI.
We can't be sure until and if they release figures for Tf Prime.

but I'm sure the production budget for TF Prime's average episode far outstrips that of high end anime series. Samurai 7, one of the most expensive anime series, cost about USD200,000 per episode.
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Post by tahukanuva »

Actually the Resolute thing's not a bad point. I mean, it's an anomaly and very unlikely to be repeated, even with GIJoe, but an adult-fan focused effort isn't entirely impossible. Of course, Resolute had a cast of like, eight, so corners were cut to even get that done.

Edit: Four. It had a cast of four.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

relak wrote:Thats an example. I did mention other non-anime names like GEnndy Taratovsky, Peter Chung etc.
Cult nevertheless. It's highly unlikely anything animated will ever escape the kids' TV ghetto. The way forward from a commercial point of view is Pixar-style family-orientated fare which snags adults with smart jokes and soul while keeping kids happy. Ignoring kids in an attempt to appeal to adults has largely resulting in failure outside of Asia (with the exception of animated sitcoms; even the bulk of those are generally family-orientated
Yes but they arent controlled by Bandai the way Hasbro does. Sunrise has also done lots of work for american animed TV shows, most notably the BATMAN Animated series
Batman isn't owned by a toy company who are arguably their biggest rival.
But there wont be a loss of the younger one. Thats why TF Prime and Rescue bots exists: to cater to the younger fellows.
Yes, but it would be excluding them from the straight-to-DVD title, which would obviously impact on the profitability of the venture.
And the other G I Joe DTV movies like Valor Vs Venom werent too bad either. They werent exactly dark and edgy but it didnt pander to the kiddies either like REscue Bots.
A couple of jokes aside they were diabolical, really bad stuff even compared to the DiC seasons.
tahukanuva wrote:Actually the Resolute thing's not a bad point. I mean, it's an anomaly and very unlikely to be repeated, even with GIJoe, but an adult-fan focused effort isn't entirely impossible. Of course, Resolute had a cast of like, eight, so corners were cut to even get that done.

Edit: Four. It had a cast of four.
The animation also wasn't brilliant - beautifully drawn, but often quite sparse. The most telling thing about Resolute is that it was, what, three years ago and there's no sign of anything similar happening, which I would say is validation that the demand and audience just isn't there; if it was there would have been three more by now, minimum. To some extent it proves the chasm between "well received by the fans" and "runaway success"; GI Joe's also recently began pitching to kids again for the first time in a decade with its' retarded stereotype Animated show, which suggests they hit a wall with the past five years' attempts to market GI Joe as a more adult-orientated franchise.


I do think there's a market out there for direct to DVD TF films, but I think whatever it was would have to be inclusionist and aimed at families for the wide variety of reasons laid out above, rather than wish fulfillment for fans. At the same time I don't think Hasbro are ignoring some vast untapped goldmine by not doing so, however.
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