Jim Sorenson has updated his blog with a new entry called The Ark Addendum: Darkwings' Weapons which features the animation models for Transformers Masterforce's Buster and Hydra (aka Dreadwind and Darkwing).  The animation models were originally produced for the various "bibles" that are sent to animation and marketing houses during the production of a series   If you are interested in seeing more you can find some Beast Wars II and Beast Wars Neo scans from our own collection within the prototype and concept art section of this website

Hasbro have issued the following press release regarding Hasbro Studios which makes mention to new programming being planned for many of their brands including Transfomers right at the end of the release.  Of course it could just be that they wanted to throw in some of their biggest properties into the press release and, therefore, does not mean that its a 100% certainty that Hasbro Studio will be behind the next animated incarnation of the Transformers brand.

Hasbro, Inc. Announces Key Executive Appointments for Hasbro Studios

PAWTUCKET, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS - News) announced today the appointment of key executives at the company’s newly formed Hasbro Studios, which is based in Los Angeles. Industry veteran Stephen J. Davis, President of Hasbro Studios, will lead the “virtual” studio, which will produce shows based on Hasbro’s world class brands, deliver new branded content and produce programs from top third party content creators. Many of these shows will run on the new television network created by the joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA - News, DISCB - News, DISCK - News), that is planned to debut Fall 2010, as well as on multiple channels in international markets.

Davis has named the following individuals to take on key roles as part of the Hasbro Studios management team: Bob Boden currently Senior Vice President, Programming and Production Fox Reality Channel and former SVP of programming for the Game Show Network, will be Head of Reality and Game Show Development and Production. Michael J. Vogel, currently Director, Animated Programming, Sony Pictures Television, will serve as Head of Boys Animation. Brian Charles Lenard, Director, Scripted Development, RDF Media Group, Pangea Management Group and RDF USA, will take on the role of Head of Story Development. Mary Beth Bambridge, Head of Strategic Planning, William Morris Endeavour Entertainment, will be the company’s Head of Finance, and Kevin Healy, Head of Business and Legal Affairs, Hasbro Entertainment and Licensing will serve as Hasbro Studios’ Head of Legal and Business Affairs.

“There are a number of factors that makes heading up Hasbro Studios such an exciting opportunity,” Davis said. “First, great programming requires great content, and we have the unique opportunity to take an amazing portfolio of iconic brands into all new and creative places. Second, I have been given the green light to hire the best in the business, and the appointments we are announcing today demonstrates that Hasbro Studios will have the creative and intellectual firepower necessary to do great things. I am delighted with the team we are putting in place,” Davis concluded.

As previously announced, Hasbro Studios’ productions will feed all platforms, domestically and globally, including television, the Internet and mobile. New programming is planned based on brands such as ROMPER ROOM, TRIVIAL PURSUIT, SCRABBLE, CRANIUM, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, GAME OF LIFE, TONKA and TRANSFORMERS, among many others.

G1 Cartoon fans may be interested in an auction, a rather expensive auction, which has appeared on Yahoo Japan by softbank_peace. The Â­auction is for three pages of original Generation One Cartoon design sheets showing Megatron, Starscream and Doctor Arkeville.

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Jim Sorenson has updated his blog with three new entries regarding some character designs that did not make it into the Ark series of books.  The first is the model sheet for Fortress Maximus' transformation sequence, the second is the two of the alien prisoners he posted the other day and finally he also posted his take on why there's two different Headmasters designs for Crosshairs and other characters when you compare the Japanese series to the US series.

Following their report on Transformers Animated Season 2, TVShowsOnDVD are also reporting that Transformers Energon will get a released on DVD in a box set of 52 episodes from Paramount Home Entertainment.  Transformers Energon: The Ultimate Collection DVD box set is set to hit the US on 13th December 2008, just in time for Christmas.

The episodes will be feature on 4 thin-pack cases that are slid into an outer slip cover. Running time is 1092 minutes.

TVShows on DVD have updated their site with a Press Release relating to the upcoming "Transformers: Cybertron" Complete Collection DVD series. Th epress relesae states that the set, containing 7 discs (52 episodes) will cost USD 61.99.

Thanks to Seibertron for the spot.

This isn't really news related, and is blatant advertising of an auction we have on eBay, but we are currently selling of parts of our Transformers DVD collection, as we basically no longer have space to keep it.

The collection includes some brand new, sealed, items (Transformers Headmaters, Masterforce and Victory (with Zone) DVD's from Madman Entertainment) as well as some not-for-sale items from Metrodome (check-discs from Series 2, 3 and 4 of G1). Other items include the Metrodome Generation One DVDs, series 1,2 part 1, 2 part 2 and 3/4, along with a few miscellaneous Beast Wars DVDs and Transformers Takara.

Here's the full details.

Metrodome Check Discs
1. Season 2 Part 2 - 3 Discs
1. Season 3 & 4 - 4 Discs

Metrodome Box Sets - Region 2
1. Season 1 - £25
2. Season 2 Part 1 - £25
3. Season 2 Part 3 - £25
4. Season 3 & 4 - £30

Madman Entertainment - Region 0 - SEALED NEVER OPENED
1. Transformers Headmasters - $59.83 (AUD)
2. Transformers Masterforce - $59.83 (AUD)
3. Transformers Victory including Zone - $59.83 (AUD)

Maverick - Region 2
1. Transformers Takara - £9.99

Universal - Region 2 and 4
1. Beast Wars Vol 1 (The Agenda 1-3, Optimal Situation, Deep Metal, Changing of the guard, Cutting Edge) (Region 2,4) - £5.99

Rhino
1. Beast Wars (Region 1) Vol 1 (Beast Wars Part 1, Beast Wars Part 2, The Web, Equal Measure, Chain of Command, Power Surge) - $20
2. Beast Wars Vol 2 (Fallen Comrades, Double Jeopardy, The Probe, Gorilla Warfare, A Better Mouse Trap, Victory) (Region 1) - $20
3. Transformers Heroes The Rebirth - $20

The total retail value of this set is £232.59, excluding the check discs and the auction has no reserve, starting at the low price of just 99 pence.

As we deliver new immersive entertainment experiences to audiences worldwide, it was extremely important that we had the rights to fully control the usage of our intellectual properties. Entertainment is becoming increasingly important in helping us to strengthen and build our brands globally, and this will enable us to engage consumers in new and exciting ways".

Thanks to Seibertron for the news.

Madman have sent out the following press release regarding their Transformers Victory DVD boxset, for which Transformers At The Moon provided some of the toy galleries.

MADMAN PRESENTS THE FINAL CHAPTER OF TRANSFORMERS GENERATION 1

TRANSFORMERS: VICTORY completes the trilogy of Japanese exclusive Transformers series’. Originally aired in Japan in 1989, Victory follows the events of the previously released HEADMASTERS and SUPER GOD MASTERFORCE, which in turn directly continue from the original Transformers G1 cartoon!

Set in 2025 A.D., VICTORY introduces Star Saber, the mightiest Autobot warrior and greatest swordsman in the galaxy. The Decepticons continue to invade planets, so the Autobots and humans form the Space Defense Force, with Star Saber as its leader. Leading the Decepticons is Deathzaras, who has targeted Earth as the next planet to plunder.

Each Transformers set contains fan favourite special features such as character art, toy galleries, and exclusive cover artwork by the Transformers artists at IDW comics. VICTORY includes the rarely seen TRANSFORMERS: ZONE, the last ever episode of Generation 1. A MUST-HAVE for Transformers fans!

The pinnacle of the original Japanese series, VICTORY features fantastic animation and action that both Transformers and giant robot anime fans will enjoy. Now is the perfect time to discover the unique and amazing tales previously only told in Japan , a must for the army of Transformers fans looking to discover what happened next.

For more information on the unmissable range of Transformers DVDs, including the worlds-best TRANSFORMERS: GENERATION 1 COMPLETE COLLECTION, TRANSFORMERS THE MOVIE and BEAST WARS Seasons 1-3, plus our ultra cool Transformers apparel ranges, toys and statues, free downloads and more, visit the freshly updated Transformers minisite:

http://www.madman.com.au/transformers

TRANSFORMERS: VICTORY – DVD Specs and Features:

REGION FREE
English and Japanese Dialogue
4 disc set with all 32 episodes

Introductory booklet with episode guide
Includes RARE final Transformers episode: TRANSFORMERS: ZONE
All-new cover by IDW Transformers artist EJ Su
Toy gallery
Character art gallery
Japanese toy ads
Japanese toy catalogues
DVD ROM Content - the story continued in Manga

Next week Madman will be releasing their boxset of Transformers Victory in Australia. The set contains all 32 episodes with Japanese Audio and English Subtitles. The cover art is be E.J. Su and extras include the Victory Manga issues, Japanese toy advertisements, character art galleries and Toy Galleries from Transformers At The Moon and Seibertron

This time up it’s the turn of Transformers Devastation #6, the wrap-up of this the third ‘-ion’ arc (and as ever, I’ll try and make this more of a tease than a spoiler). And boy what an arc this has been! Big stuff happening!

That tired old phrase ‘things will never be the same again’ is wholly and justifiably applicable here. Stuff is revealed! Stuff is tied up! Other stuff kicks off! It’s a packed old end of arc issue, with Reapers versus Decepticons (to a shattering conclusion!), Hot Rod versus Headmasters (to a turbo-charged conclusion… of sorts) and Hunter/Sunstreaker versus the head of the Machination (to a point where we absolutely know who is who and what is what, but with a distinct ‘To be continued…’). Oh yeah! Plus, (much) more on the Dead Universe cast, with Galvatron making his first Earthbound moves, and first full appearances for Jhiaxus and ‘the Transformer formerly known as Nova Prime.’ The main focus, though, falls on our second fully fledged no-holds-barred (devastating) battle of this arc, this time between the catastrophic Reapers and the Ore-13 charged Decepticons.

Expect casualties! Carnage! Shocks! Last issue saw Starscream back in the fray, strutting his stuff, but this issue has him fighting (once again) side-by-side with Megatron (who isn’t exactly chuffed to see him!). Fallout/repercussions for sure. Hot Rod makes a shocking decision (kind of prompted by Optimus Prime’s equally momentous decision last issue) and Skywatch prepare to kick back before things get even more out of hand. And if you think that maybe feeds into a certain upcoming Spotlight, well, you’d be right on the money. Oh, and don’t think I’ve forgotten about Sixshot. He too has a part to play. All I can say is… phew! This one has it all! Really.

Devastation #6 hits stores in February 08. Art by EJ Su.

Madman Entertainment have released their region 0 (region free) Transformers: Headmasters box set. That is the Japanese series. The DVD set contains:

- Japanese Audio track
- English Audio track
- Corrected English Subtitles with Japanese names
- English Subtitles with Western character names
- Image galleries from Transformers At The Moon
- Image galleries from Seibertron
- Character art
- A cover by artist Guido Guidi.

The set can be purchased directly from their website.