Commercial bumper

From Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki

This article is about the bits between the show and the ads. For the television advertisements, see Commercial.

Commercial bumpers are short segments used to mark the start and end of a commercial segment during a television show. They have been used in many Transformers cartoons.

Japanese term: Eye catch

Contents 1 Generation 1 1.1 1984 1.2 1985 1.3 1986 1.4 1987 2 Generation 2 3 Beast Wars 4 Robots In Disguise 5 Super Link

[edit] Generation 1

The original Transformers cartoon featured a rotating series of commercial bumpers, which changed by season. The music for all seasons remained the same, however, with Victor Caroli narrating "The Transformers will return after these messages" and "We now return to The Transformers", while a character transformed. The animation for the season 1 and 2 bumpers was provided by Toei while the animation for the season 3 and 4 bumpers was provided by AKOM.

[edit] 1984

The Transformers will return:

• Optimus Prime transforms to robot mode.
• Jazz drives out from behind an Autobot symbol, spins out while transforming to robot mode, and backs off-screen while firing.

We now return to the Transformers:

• Starscream flies over Earth, transforms to robot mode and lands.
• Laserbeak flies under cam in cassette mode; a passing Decepticon symbol hides his transformation to condor mode.

[edit] 1985

The Season Two commercial bumpers are distinguished by their bright, solid-color backgrounds.

The Transformers will return:

• Cosmos transforms and lands on an upside-down planetoid, which then rotates so he's upright.
• Omega Supreme transforms from base to robot and fires.
• Shockwave transforms from gun to robot and fires at the camera
• Devastator forms, raises his fists together and is enveloped by an energy glow.
• Blitzwing

We now return to the Transformers:

• Thrust transforms to robot mode and lands.
• Warpath transforms to tank mode and drives under the camera.
• Astrotrain flies past in shuttle mode, changes to robot mode and fires, then changes to locomotive form and drives into the camera.
• Grimlock changes to dino mode and uses his tail to smash a rock outcrop with the Decepticon emblem.
• Hook, in crane mode, lifts a sign declaring "We now return to the Transformers".

[edit] 1986

The Transformers will return:

• Sharkticon, transforming to shark mode and walking into the camera.
• Rodimus Prime, dodging fire from Cyclonus before changing to vehicle mode.
• (?) Base-mode Trypticon fires, then transforms to dinosaur mode.

We now return to the Transformers:

• Ultra Magnus, discharging two passengers before transforming to robot mode.
• (?) Blurr flies past camera, transforms and fires.

[edit] 1987

The Transformers will return:

• Scorponok transforms from base to scorpion, scuttles at the camera, and transforms to robot.

We now return to the Transformers:

• Highbrow transforms from helicopter to robot over a planet.

[edit] Generation 2

Generation 2 incorporated CGI clips from the line's toy commercials, each one featuring a piece of unique narration.

Into commercial:

• The Constructicons start smashing stuff as the narrator appeals to the audience: "Hey, don't trash the place! Transformers: Generation 2 will be right back!"
• Ramjet swoops down and transforms to robot mode as the narrator requests: "Don't go ballistic! Transformers: Generation 2 will be right back!"

• The Dinobots burst out of the ground.
• Jazz drives off a ramp and transforms to robot mode, firing his blaster.

[edit] Beast Wars

Beast Wars featured only a single, short commercial bumper, with the show's logo from the opening credits accompanied by the "BEAST WARS!" cry, and Garry Chalk proclaiming either "We'll be right back!" or "We're back!" as appropriate.

[edit] Robots In Disguise

Into commercial:

• CGI animation of a superdeformed Optimus Prime transforming into the FoxKids logo. Neil Kaplan narrates "We'll be right back, on FoxKids!"
• The Spychangers run towards the screen and transform, as Wally Wingert implores "Don't speed up--we'll be transforming back to the show!"

Back to show:

• CGI clip of Optimus Prime's transformation from the original Car Robots opening credits. Kaplan: "Shift--shape--and ready to roll--back to Transformers on FoxKids!"
• Side Burn's face appears on his own car-mode viewscreen. Wingert: "Dude! We're cruising the fast track, back to Transformers on FoxKids!"

[edit] Super Link

The Japanese version of the Energon cartoon featured still shots of various characters, who would introduce themselves to the audience or give their characteristic rallying cry ("Galvatron—hyper mode!" for example). Rather than follow a fixed pattern across the series or be chosen randomly, the bumpers would often relate to the events of the episode during which they appeared, and characters would sometimes make references to what was happening in the show at the time. The special episode "Distribution" featured an abundance of original commercial bumpers which didn't actually lead into commercials, but were just included for "fun" in the middle of the show.

Super Link's commercial bumpers didn't make it into Energon (because it took commercial breaks more frequently and at different times), but the fake bumpers from "Distribution" did, since they were actually part of the episode. Naturally, the joke (weak as it was in the first place) was met with dull bemusement by the Energon audience, since viewers who had not seen Super Link(i.e. most of the viewing audience) had no idea what they were.

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