Transformers: Energon facts for kids
| Transformers: Energon | |
North American DVD cover
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Quick facts for kids 超ロボット生命体トランスフォーマー スーパーリンク(Chō Robotto Seimeitai Toransufōmā Sūpārinku) |
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| Genre | Action, Adventure, Mecha, Superhero |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Yutaka Satō (1-5) Jun Kawagoe (1-13) Takashi Sano (6-51) |
| Produced by | Fukashi Azuma Matsuo Sugiyama |
| Written by | Akira Okeya |
| Music by | Kazunori Maruyama |
| Studio | Actas Studio Galapagos |
| Licensed by | |
| Network | TV Tokyo |
| English network | |
| Original run | January 9, 2004 – December 24, 2004 |
| Episodes | 51 |
Transformers: Energon is a cool animated TV show and toy line. In Japan, it's called Transformer: Superlink. It came out in 2004 and 2005. This series is a direct follow-up to Transformers: Armada. It's special because it was the first Japanese Transformers show to use computer-generated (CG) animation for the robots. This style continued in the next series, Transformers: Cybertron.
Transformers: Energon is part of a big story arc called the "Unicron Trilogy." This trilogy also includes Transformers: Armada and Transformers: Cybertron. In Energon, the Autobots can combine with other robots of the same size. The Decepticons can use powerful forms. Plus, there are new Energon weapons and stars that can be attached to any Transformer toy. Smaller robots called Mini-Cons are still around from the last series, but they don't activate special toy features anymore.
Contents
The Story of Energon
The story of Transformers: Energon begins ten years after a big war for the Mini-Cons. The giant planet-eating robot Unicron was thought to be destroyed. But a mysterious being named Alpha Q (who is a Quintesson) starts sending energy-eating robots called Terrorcons. These Terrorcons attack the Autobots' cities in space. They collect Energon, which is a powerful energy source, for Alpha Q's secret plan.
New Threats and Old Enemies
As the Autobots fight these new enemies, they get help from their human friends, including a teenager named Kicker. Alpha Q creates Scorponok to lead the Terrorcons. He also brings back a part of the evil Decepticon leader Megatron from inside Unicron. This part becomes a sword. Later, Megatron fully returns to life and takes control of Unicron's body! He forces Alpha Q to hide inside Unicron's head. Megatron then attacks Earth.
Alpha Q tries to get Starscream to defeat Optimus Prime, the Autobot leader. But Starscream is tricked into joining Megatron. Scorponok secretly works for Alpha Q while pretending to be loyal to Megatron. Meanwhile, the Autobots build Energon Towers on Earth to protect it. A legendary Autobot named Rodimus also reappears to help.
Battles in Space
With Earth protected by the Energon Grid, the Autobots focus on Unicron. They fly into space and find Unicron's body. Megatron makes Unicron move and chases the Autobots through a space bridge. They end up near Cybertron, the Transformers' home planet. Cybertron is full of Energon towers, which fire at Unicron and damage him.
The Autobots team up with Alpha Q and Rodimus. They learn that Alpha Q wants to use Energon to rebuild the worlds Unicron destroyed. Megatron's forces attack Cybertron. A dangerous Decepticon named Shockblast joins Megatron. During a prison escape, an Autobot guard named Wing Dagger loses his partner. Later, Wing Dagger becomes the powerful Wing Saber and joins Optimus Prime in battle inside Unicron. Kicker helps by sending all of Earth's Energon into Unicron's head. Alpha Q then crashes Unicron's head into his body, causing a huge reaction that pulls everyone into a new part of space.
New Worlds and Final Fights
In this new part of space, Alpha Q has successfully recreated all the worlds Unicron destroyed. Unicron's head has become an Energon sun, powering these new planets. The Autobots build more Energon Towers to protect these worlds. But Megatron sees these new planets as a way to get more Energon and reactivate Unicron.
Megatron tries to control Inferno, an Autobot, but Inferno fights back and is destroyed. Luckily, his spark is saved, and he is reborn as Roadblock. An ancient Autobot, Omega Supreme, also awakens and joins the Autobots. Megatron manages to bring Unicron back to life, and Unicron reclaims his head, which sadly kills Alpha Q. Shockblast tries to control Unicron but is taken over by the giant robot and destroyed. Megatron then takes control, but Unicron's mind also starts to control him.
Optimus Prime and Omega Supreme combine to form Optimus Supreme. With a power boost from Primus, Optimus Supreme grows to a giant size. In a huge battle, Optimus Supreme destroys Unicron. However, Unicron's mind lives on inside Megatron.
The End of Unicron's Influence
Many Decepticons are captured, but Megatron and his remaining forces escape and free them. Shockblast's brother, Sixshot, joins Megatron to get revenge on Optimus Prime. Unicron's mind guides Megatron to a hidden pool of Super Energon. This transforms Megatron into the even more powerful Galvatron. Two guardians of the Super Energon, Bruticus Maximus and Constructicon Maximus, wake up and join Galvatron. But the third, Superion Maximus, sides with the Autobots.
A battle causes Energon gas to cover Cybertron, trapping the Autobots. Kicker and the Omnicons stop the gas. Galvatron takes control of Cybertron and moves it towards Alpha Q's new region of space. The Autobots attack, but Galvatron dives into the Super Energon again, growing to a huge size. Unicron's mind takes over Galvatron and tries to merge with Unicron's spark, which is still floating in space.
Optimus Prime also grows to a giant size and fights Galvatron. This brings Galvatron's own mind back. Prime then drains Unicron's power from Galvatron. Galvatron tries to destroy Unicron's spark but gets possessed by it. All the Autobots combine their sparks with Optimus Prime, making him stronger for the final battle with Unicron. But then, Galvatron takes control of his body again. He chooses to plunge himself into the new sun created by Primus from the Super Energon. He would rather die than be controlled by Unicron. This action ignites the sun, bringing new life to Alpha Q's worlds and creating a brighter future.
Who's Who: The Voices Behind the Robots
This section lists the talented actors who gave voices to the characters in Transformers: Energon.
English Voice Cast
- Alistair Abell - Prowl
- Mark Acheson - Unicron
- Sharon Alexander - Arcee
- Doron Bell - Cliffjumper
- Don Brown - Cyclonus/Snow Cat, Constructicon Maximus/Steamhammer
- Garry Chalk - Optimus Prime
- Michael Daingerfield - Inferno/Roadblock
- Trevor Devall - Alpha Q, Bruticus Maximus/Barricade
- Michael Dobson - Signal Flare, Starscream
- Paul Dobson - Rodimus, Superion Maximus/Storm Jet
- Brian Drummond - Shockblast
- Tabitha St. Germain - Alexis
- Ron Halder - Primus, Brian Jones, Padlock
- Matt Hill - Carlos, Ironhide
- David Kaye - Megatron/Galvatron
- Ellen Kennedy - Misha Miramond
- Terry Klassen - Skyblast, Six Shot
- Scott McNeil - Jetfire, Omega Supreme, Strongarm
- Brent Miller - Hot Shot
- Kirby Morrow - Bradley "Rad" White
- Colin Murdock - Scorponok, Wing Saber
- Nicole Oliver - Miranda Jones, Sally Jones
- Ty Olsson - Downshift
- Doug Parker - Tidal Wave/Mirage
- Ward Perry - Landmine
- Alvin Sanders - Demolishor
- Tony Sampson - Rhyming Omnicon fanboys
- Brad Swaile - Kicker Jones
- French Tickner - Bulkhead
Japanese Voice Cast (Superlink)
- Akira Tomisaka - Alexa
- Isshin Chiba - SandStorm/SnowStorm, BlastArm, Superion
- Jin Yamanoi - ShockWave/ShockFleet, Dr. Jones, AirGlide
- Junichi Endo - Galvatron, Carlos
- Katsuyuki Konishi - Grand Convoy, OverDrive
- Kenta Miyake - LandMine, Omega Supreme
- Koji Yusa - Ironhide/Irontread, Wing Dagger/Wing Saber
- Kosuke Toriumi - Hot Shot
- Makoto Yasumura - Downshift, Red Alert, WheelJack, Bruticus
- Masataka Nakai - Rad
- Masumi Asano - Sally, Miranda, Ariel
- Mitsuo Iwata - Roadbuster
- Nobuo Tobita - Nightscream, Sprung, Signal Flare, Buildron, Padlock
- Nobutoshi Kanna - Inferno, Laserwave, Sixshot
- Nobuyuki Hiyama - Skyfire
- Ryotaro Okiayu - Rodimus Convoy
- Tesshō Genda - Primus
- Yasunori Masutani - MegaZarak
- Yukiko Tagami - Misha
- Yūichi Nagashima - AlphaQ
- Yukie Maeda - AlphaQ (true)
The Comics
Just like with Transformers: Armada, the Energon toy line came with small mini-comics. These comics told short stories, often showing battles between the Autobots and Decepticons. They also introduced new characters like the Terrorcons and Omnicons.
A bigger comic series for Energon was made by a company called Dreamwave. This comic series continued the story from the Armada comics. It took some creative freedom with the characters and plot, making a much larger story. It even added new characters not seen in the TV show.
The comic also continued plotlines from the end of the Armada comic. Optimus Prime kept his Armada look for a while as Cybertron was attacked by a still-active Unicron. Some Autobots and a Decepticon captured by Unicron became his "Four Horsemen." These were Rhinox, Terrorsaur, Airazor, and Cheetor. Optimus Prime later got his Energon form.
The human characters, Rad, Carlos, and Alexis, had more important roles in the Energon comic than in the TV show. Alexis became an anti-war activist and helped the Autobots rescue Kicker. Rad and Alexis's relationship was explored more, but the comic series ended before it could be fully developed.
The comics also showed more of how humans reacted to the Transformers being on Earth. Some people were not happy about it. The comic series ended suddenly, leaving many stories unfinished.
The Toys
A small number of Transformers: Energon "Built to Rule" toy sets were released for testing. These sets had a different design for the robot skeletons, making them more solid and blocky. This made the robot modes look stronger. However, the toy line didn't sell well, so it was stopped in 2004.
See also
In Spanish: Transformers: Energon para niños
