Our thanks go to YouTuber shikamaru2589 who has contacted us to let us know that he has posted an English subtitled version of the opening theme for the Japanese Transformers Animated series which you can view below or by clicking here­.­

Thanks to ModXToys.com, we have created a mirror gallery of the May 2010 issue of Hobby Japan magazine.  The galley contains 177 scans from the magazine including two Transformers related pages.

YouTube user MasterKurow has uploaded episode 1 of the Japanese dub of Transformers Animated which you can view below.

The end credits from the Japanese version of Transformers Animated has been posted on YouTube.  The theme played during the credits is called Axel Transformers and is performed by the band Rey.

You can view the opening to the Japanese version of Transformers Animated using the YouTube video below. The theme if Transformers Evo by Jam Project

TV Aichi have updated their Transformers Animated website with short video comments by bands JAM Project, who provide the opening theme "Transformers Evo", and Rey, who provide the closing credit theme "Axel Transformers".

Also newly added are character pages for Megatron, Starscream, Blitzwing, Lugnut, Black Arachina, Sari Sumdac and Professor Issac Sumdac.

­Ameblo, a Japanese website, has posted a full gallery of the Japanese Transformers Animated Blackarachnia toy.

The figure looks very close to the Western release of the same figure.

The Tokyo International Anime Fair is currently on in Japan with a Takara Tomy showing off the Transformers Animated line.  Sega's Transformers Animated arcade game "The Chase" is also being shown off and includes a card slot reader where the profile cards that come with the toys can be swiped. 

We will be uploading a full image gallery from the event in a couple of hours, but for now you can enjoy some other images by visiting Hobbystock Blog.

TFW2005.com members Locustreign and Unitedbot have posted a response from the Hasbro UK Transformers Brand Manager regarding various Transformers items that should see, and in some cases will not see, a release on this shores with 2010.

The email states that the Transformers Revenge of the Fallen N.E.S.T. Scouts and Deluxes figures will be released and that Masterpiece Grimlock will be released in the 2nd half of the year as a Toys 'R Us exclusive.  The mail goes on to state that both the Transformers Revenge of the Fallen N.E.S.T. Voyagers-class and Transformers Animated Arcee and Autobot Ratchet Cybertron Mode will see not be released within the United Kingdom.

Now even though the email is from the current Transformers Brand Manager this is not a 100% confirmation that those toys will not be released.  In many instances in the past we have been told that figures would or would not be released within the UK which went on to be dis-proven.  This is often because the brand managers do not know specific names of items within assortments, that they simply make a mistake, or that things change over time and certain stores import the figures through US based partner companies such as Target or Walmart.  This is more likely to be the case for the NEST figures as Hasbro were pushing them hard pre the UK toy fair.

Within the latest issue of Figure King magazine (pronounced figure oh) there was a list of the cast as well as the opening episodes  The three-parter "Transform and Roll Out" has been renamed "New Chapter! Transformers", "Hero, the name is Autobot" and "Secret of the Allspark".  The fourth episode to air in Japan was the 10th episode in the western release "Sound and Fury", but the Japanese episode will be called "Operation: Soundwave".

In terms of the cast these are the names mentioned within the article.

Optimus Prime: Takahashi Hiroki
Bumblebee: Kishio Daisuke
Ratchet: Okawa Toru
Ironhide: Miyake Kenta
Prowl: Yusa Kouji
Ultra Magnus: Ginga Banjo
Sentinel: Suwabe Junichi
Teletraan I: Takagaki Ayahi
Megatron: Wakamoto Norio
Starscream: Yamanoi Jin
Blitzwing: Cho (Nagashima Shigeru)
Lugnut: Itou Kentaro
Blackarachnia: Uzuki Ryoka
Sari: Akesaka Satomi
Professor Sumdac: Nagasako Takashi
Captain Fanzone: Tobita Nobuo 

Credit to Drillbit of TFW2005.com for the report