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Japanese Transformers: Headmasters

General information:

This was the first Japanese only Transformer series made. Taking place in the year 2011 (one year after the previous TF series, which was set in 2010), it sees the introduction of a radically new paradigm of transformation; the presence of a smaller character who combines with the alternative form to transform into the robot mode. These were the Headmasters -- small robots that transformed into the heads of their larger Transformer-sized bodies, which were called transtectors. The Headmaster robots were the "brains" of the union; the transtectors were only transforming robots, with no sentience, mind, or personality; basically, the Headmasters were the pilots of the larger machines.

Transformers: Headmasters, as a television show, is held in lower esteem than the other Japanese Transformers series by many knowledgeable fans. The reasons range from inferior animation in relation to the other TF series, obvious attempts to remain true to the American art styles (rather than native anime stylings), less character development in favor of more time for battle, and no real plotline to speak of.

One other important thing to know is that in the Japanese realm of events, the American miniseries (Season 4), "The Rebirth", did not take place. Nothing shown in those episodes has any bearing on what occurs in this continuity. No Nebulos, no Plasma Energy Chamber, none of that applies here.

Series synopsis:

At the beginning of the series, Convoy (Optimus Prime) once again led the Cybertrons (Autobots) in peace, while Galvatron and his Destrons (Decepticons) plotted for their return to power. Galvatron begins to wage war once again on Seibertron and it's Cybertron defenders, and nearly win due to the power of his Destron Headmasters (Weirdwolf, Skull {Skullcruncher}, and Wipe {Mindwipe}). However, Fortress (Cerebros, Fortress Maximus) returns to Seibertron at this time, accompanied with the Cybertron Headmasters (Chromedome, Highbrow, Brainstorm, and Hardhead), and helps fend off the invaders. It is at this time that the existance of the Headmasters is revealed and their particular characteristics are learned.

These new characters came from the planet Master, which was populated by human-sized robots who built larger, transforming bodies for themselves. Fortress was the leader of an energy gathering expedition, and the Destron and Cybertron Headmasters were members of the expedition. The Destron Headmasters left Master, due to their differences with Fortress and the Cybertron Headmaster and were led by the mysterious Headmaster, Zarak.

While Hot Rodimus (Hot Rod) searched for the missing Cybertron Matrix of Leadership, Convoy (with help from the "ghost" of Alpha Trion) found and tried to repair the failing Vector Sigma. When Hot Rodimus returns with the Matrix, Alpha Trion recharges the spent Matrix (as seen in "The Return of Optimus Prime" in America), causing Hot Rodimus to transform into Rodimus Convoy (Rodimus Prime) once again. Following a battle with Galvatron, Cyclonus, and Scourge, Convoy dies once more in an attempt to revitalize the Vector Sigma supercomputer with his lifeforce. This paves the way for Rodimus Convoy to step in and lead the Cybertrons once more.

In an attack masterminded by Zarak, the Headmaster for Megazarak (Lord Zarak, Scorponok) and the true leader of the Destron Headmasters, Seibertron is destroyed after the Destron Headmasters plant explosives on the newly reactivated Vector Sigma (more or less trivializing the death of Convoy). It is at this point that Zarak becomes the Destron leader, since Galvatron disappears after the explosion. Rodimus Convoy, Char (Kup) and Blurr leave the war in order to locate a new home for the peaceful Transformers, and Fortress is placed in charge of the remaining Cybertrons (Chromedome plays the role of 2nd in command). The Cybertrons move their base of operations to Metroflex (Metroplex) on Earth, which was being commanded by Ultra Magnus.

At some time following the Transformers' return to Earth, Soundwave and Broadcast (Blaster) have a final, one-on-one match-up and kill each other; but are soon rebuilt into Soundblaster and Twincast, respectively. During the battles waged on Earth and in space, the planet Mars is destroyed, Ultra Magnus is assassinated by Sixshot, and Galvatron return only to be buried in Alaska following an avalanche caused by the Cybertron Headmasters. In the end, a Destron attempt to destroy the Earth is thwarted by the Cybertrons, Fortress Maximus destroys Megazarak, and the Destrons are driven away from Earth.

Character notes:

A number of notable characters appeared in the series.

• Fortress is the leader of the Cybertron Headmasters. Many millions of years ago, near the beginning of the Great War between the Cybertrons and the Destrons, Fortress led an eight man crew of Cybertron Transformers out into space in a search for energy, and landed on the planet Master. His crew then became Headmasters; while half remain affiliated with the Cybertrons, the other half join Galvatron.

  Fortress' ship and base, Fortress Maximus, is also his transtector robot, of which he forms the head. To transform into his Fortress Maximus robot form, Fortress must utilize a red sword from the body of Fort Max. When he gets the sword, he must store his energy in order to be able to perform the transformation. Once he's "powered up" high enough, he will transform into the head while the large body begins its transformation , and then, when the body is ready, he joins with it using the sword as the connector. In his robot mode, Fortress Maximus can whip out a gigantic sword, the Master Sword, to use in battle.

• Chromedome, a quick-tempered Cybertron Headmaster, played a large role in the story. He served as field commander on numerous occasions, due to Fortress' inability to transform into anything but Fortress Maximus' head. In one of the secondary plots of the series, Chromedome vowed to destroy the Destron Sixshot for his various evil deeds.
• Raiden, a Cybertron gestalt/combiner comprised of the Trainbots: Suiken, Getsuei, Yukikaze, Kaen, Shouki, and Seizan, who are trains in their vehicular modes. Raiden is the only new gesault to result from the series.
• Rodimus Convoy, despite the return of Convoy, still played the role of Cybertron leader for awhile, even if it was for only seven episodes. Not the flippant, wisecracking Transformer he was in the American show, Rodimus Convoy evolved into a more mature and militaristic leader. Following the destruction of Seibertron; he, Char (Kup), and Blurr set out to find a new homeworld, leaving Fortress in charge.
• Sixshot, who first comes into the series as a Destron ninja, becomes one of the most influential characters in the series. Because of his interaction with Daniel Witwicky, Sixshot turns against the Destrons, defecting to the Cybertron cause. His most notable achievement in the series is his status as the one who kills Ultra Magnus. He has six transformations (robot, tank, car, large gun, jet, winged wolf) and mode that is like a combination of all of them. In the tradition of the ninjas of feudal Japan, he is capable of a number of awesome tricks, in addition to his multiple transforms. He can make himself seem as to split into a number of separate selves, even able to have different modes for each of those selves. (Sidenote: he actually retains his large size in his gun mode, even though he is seen being held in Galvatron's hand in the commercial breaks.)

  Sixshot had a number of accomplishments during Headmasters. A warlord on Master, he killed one of his slaves, who happened to be a friend of Chromedome. Later, when Spike Witwicky attempted to negotiate an end to the war, Sixshot disguised himself as Galvatron at the meeting to allow the real Galvatron to carry out a new scheme. In his most notorious deed, he assassinated Ultra Magnus with a series of blasts from all of his modes at once. He kidnapped one of Chromedome's old friends from Master, Sappho, by impersonating Chromedome. He then planted a bomb on him and made him to walk into Fortress' base to blow it up from the inside; Chromedome was forced to shoot and kill Sappho before the bomb could explode. Chromedome swore to avenge the deaths caused by Sixshot. Sixshot's alliegence began to waver, however, when he witnessed Daniel battle natives of a world on which they had been marooned and it dawned on him that the Cybertron cause was the right one.

  Sixshot challenged Chromedome to a duel on an asteroid later on, which was stopped by the intervention of Daniel. When Zarak destroyed the asteroid, Sixshot rescued Daniel from a lava flow and committed him to Chromedome's care. While it was assumed Sixshot was destroyed, he actually survived and went after Zarak at Atlantis on Earth. When he couldn't defeat Zarak, Sixshot helped the Cybertrons with some information on Zarak's plans, and indirectly brought about the demise of the Destron Headmaster commander.