Trans Formers 40 - When Did You Start Watching Trans Formers

[wentwood]

A friend of mine had a few episodes but here's what started it for me

Shout Factory released Trans Formers East (Head Masters - Victory) on DVD. Then I watched The Unicron Trilogy. Recently I picked up a 25th set for G1 US and the 86 movie.
Shout Factory DVD was when I became a regular viewer. I watched Rebirth Parts 1 - 3 to set up for Head Masters. In the spring it will be Beast Wars on stream once I finish Victory.

I was 6 when Trans Formers was on TV so missed the 1st over the air run.

 

[LordGigaIce]

I can't remember but maybe 1992-1993? I would have been 5-6. I was a G2 kid.

 

[Princess Viola]

Why are you writing it as Trans Formers, what the hell.

Anyways like 2002 is when I started watching, when I was 5-6 years old. Caught some summer reruns of RID on Fox Kids while up at my summer home (Fox Kids didn't air on Fox where I lived in Florida, so that whole block was basically non-existent to me otherwise) and then later on Armada when that started on Cartoon Network.

 

[Undead Scottsman]

The earliest episode I can remember watching is the Return of Optimus Prime (specifically the fight between Computron and Abominus). I probably caught plenty of other eps on TV, though I have no recollection of them

Growing up I had "Fire in the Sky" on an official VHS tape. (Which is funny because I never knew Skyfire came back) and the Transformers movie that my mom taped off of HBO. Also the Gobots/Rocklords movie.

It wasn't until the advent of stuff like Morpheus/Kazaa that I was able to watch the whole series, which I probably did around the early 2000's when RiD got me back into the franchise.

 

[Shadhausen]

I was 10 in 1984 so I watched them first-run.

 

[The Mighty Mollusk]

Aside from catching random episodes on TV, I remember renting VHS tapes from Major Video (local rental chain, think they got bought out by Blockbuster at some point), and having the Movie that my dad recorded off a rental onto an eight-hour blank tape with a bunch of other cartoons. It was between Banjo the Woodpile Cat and a bunch of 70s and 80s Spider-Man episodes.

 

[Covert Agent Rodimal]

Whenever MtMtE came out the first time in 1984.

 

[Haywire]

I was born in 1981, and GI Joe, Transformers, and Gobots were all part of my childhood. I can't pinpoint the exact moment in time, but I do know that I was definitely into Transformers and Gobots by my 4th birthday, so 1985 at the latest. Watched the G1 show on broadcast, then VHS from local rental stores, and finally on cable (I think I remember Sci-Fi channel playing the G2 version when they had a cartoon block.)

 

[Steevy Maximus]

At least I’m not the oldest one posting here

I’m the same age as Transformers, so I was a little late to G1. Not sure which was “first”, but I have vague memories of watching the assorted syndication runs in 1987 and 1988 plus having the Animated film on VHS. And there were local video stores and grocery stores that had a few assorted episodes for rental.
I know I had several toys in 87 (Goldbug, Brainstorm and Highbrow are the most prominent, plus Seaspray, Dirge and Shockwave that were acquired at a local pharmacy well after their time), and I still hold vague memories of getting Powermasters Optimus Prime (my first Optimus!) for Christmas in 1988.

Now I work with young nurses whose first Transformers memories are the dang 2007 movie…

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

That said, 1986 was when I really fell in love with it.

 

[Anonymous X]

I watched the pilot three-parter whenever TV•AM* aired it back in 1985. That’s it, really. I saw most of the rest of the first season of the cartoon on TV•AM, which was the extent of the G1 cartoon being available on regular broadcast television in the ‘80s. (Like most British Transformers fans of my age range, the Marvel UK comic was far and away my primary TF media.) Did see Transformers the Movie in the cinema when it was released here, which was December 1986.

* for younger British people, TV•AM was the ITV franchise for early-morning television, back when ITV was a network of regional franchises rather than a single broadcaster.

 

[Blot]

Growing up I had "Fire in the Sky" on an official VHS tape.

Every Transformers episode needs to start with the loudest VHS logo in history

 

[Platypus Prime]

I first 'saw' it as the Marvel Comics promo on TV, and had Thundercracker and a 'red' Bumblebee before the first G1 cartoon show ever aired. I was about on the ground floor as you could be. As such, my original take on Transformers was quite different than the official stuff to come and it's made a difference in how I look at any of it to this day. For example, I still see Autobots not flying as pointless and just assume they do for any display I may rig up (and I gave Bumblebee a 'flight' mode by pulling out the front and extending the arms before Tracks made it cool, and I did it IN THE SNOW, UPHILL BOTH WAYS- (cut for space) -and WE LIKED IT!

 

[Dake]

I was there Gandalf... From day one.

 

[Dvandom]

On Sunday mornings on TV as the original MtMtE aired.

---Dave

 

[Cybersnark]

I was born in '79, and my oldest reliable memories are from circa 1985, so I was a fan for literally as long as I can remember.

I remember having to set the VCR to record episodes because of church functions that my parents dragged me to.

 

[LordGigaIce]

I remember having to set the VCR to record episodes because of church functions that my parents dragged me to.

You needed to improvise more.
Like the time I played Pokemon in synagogue. Granted I was 11 at the time, but I was like 35 when I drafted my fantasy hockey team during Rosh Hashana services

 

[Steevy Maximus]

I was born in '79, and my oldest reliable memories are from circa 1985, so I was a fan for literally as long as I can remember.

I remember having to set the VCR to record episodes because of church functions that my parents dragged me to.

I would sometimes be late for work on Saturdays (I worked at Pizza Hut in HS. I would go in for a few hours Saturday to assist with the lunch buffet rush) to try and catch Beast Machines on Fox Kids.

 

[Rhinox]

Been a fan since the beginning.

 

[Confuzor]

I was too young to remember when specifically. But going back to the G1 toon I mustve been watching it since early on. I have vague memories of drawing Devastator in 1st or 2nd grade. I also distinctly recall how weird it was to see Optimus Prime playing basketball.

I do also recall seeing The Movie in theaters with a friend and there being standing cheering when Starscream crumbled.