While we're still waiting for Hasbro to get its new Transformers: Cyberworld line and accompanying series rolling, Takara Tomy is already on the ball with the first two episodes of their equivalent stopgap, Transformers: Wild King, now available on YouTube. The total combined run time for the two episodes clocks in at just under 11 minutes -- less, if you skip the toy promotion at the end. Check it out:
YouTube has auto-generated subtitles, but they ain't great. If you want to activate them, turn on the CC option, and then in the Settings (gear icon), choose to translate to English).
For those curious (but can't watch just yet), they get right into it, with Optimus Prime (not Convoy, so maybe this isn't meant to be a part of Japan's Generation 1?) following Megatron to a new planet, where he was investigating a new form of energy. If this is connected to anything else, that will probably come later.
Animation is kind of mixed. Visually, it stands above some earlier CG attempts at bringing the Robots in Disguise to life, but at the same time, is still kind of low-budget in other ways. For instance, if you liked how Wheeljack talked in the original G1 cartoon, you might appreciate the way everyone's eyes blink as they talk, but there's no mouth movement -- not even on the guys who actually have mouths. Kinda wild (no pun intended, but gladly claimed), and if nothing else, it should make any attempted fan dubs go much easier, since there is no lip syncing to worry about.
As mentioned, the end of the video is a promotion for the accompanying toys, showing you how to transform them and combine them, all while encouraging you to replicate scenes from the animation. Curiously, this only goes for Optimus and Lightlong, while Megatron and his crew... I guess we'll have to wait for next time?
So, what do you think? Does Wild King make your heart sing? You tell us everything in a groovy comment below!
Thanks to @Sabrblade for the tip!
