A few weeks ago, animation studio Trigger (of Cyberpunk Edgerunners and Delicious in Dungeon fame) teased it was working on something for the Transformers franchise. With the brand’s 40th birthday looming ahead, there was no question what it was for, the real question was if it was going to just be a celebration video or something more ongoing. It is indeed the former, and it’s also a pretty damn good celebration when all’s said and done.
Technically, Trigger’s video is still region-locked to Japan, but that fortunately didn’t stop fans from uploading region-free versions themselves. Set to Bump of Chicken’s 2007 single “Mayday,” it’s a grand showcase of Transformers as a TV and movie brand. Nearly everything is featured in some way here, from the original G1 incarnation to now-classic cartoons like Beast Wars and Transformers Animated. Even the two live-action movie eras get to make an appearances, though it doesn’t look like any versions from the upcoming Transformers One show up. (If you’re curious, the franchise wiki listed every character who appears, and in numerical order!)
Trigger’s never been shy about its love of Transformers: its staff is reportedly filled with big fans, and the wiki notes key animators Masaru Sakamoto and Hiroki Mutaguchi, plus director Akira Amemiya have all done official illustrations or helped design the Flame Toys Furai Model kits. That love for the series comes through, and it’s interesting to see the studio’s interpretations of Optimus Prime and Megatron’s clashes and the former’s death in the 1986 movie. In general, more death and war featured here than you think, some of which are gonna hit you in the heart.
So here’s to Transformers: happy 40th birthday, and here’s to another 40. Keep on Transformin’ on.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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