After destroying Unicron at the end of Energon, a giant black hole formed and is now threatening to swallow Cybertron. Lacking a better solution, Optimus Prime orders all of the planet's inhabitants to evacuate to Earth and remain hidden while he and the Autobots figure out a solution. Just as the last of the evacuees are being loaded onto the space bridge, an ancient Transformer, Vector Prime, appears and tells Optimus of a way to close the black hole. Eons ago, the original Transformers created four Cyber Planet Keys and headed to four different planets in an attempt to create a trans-universal space bridge. The space bridge was never completed and the keys were lost forever.
Just as Vector Prime hands a map showing the location of the four keys to Optimus, Starscream emerges from a warp gate and attacks the Autobots; Prime figures out that Starscream is just a distraction and heads back to find Megatron, now freed from his imprisonment at the center of Unicron, heading through a warp gate with the map. Without the map, the Autobots are forced to relocate to Earth to track down Megatron and search for hints about where the keys may be hidden. While on Earth, the Autobots meet three kids - Lori, Coby and Bud - who end up joining them on their adventures.
It's probably better to start with what I didn't like rather than what I did since most ended up negating each other. One of the more annoying aspects is the "over anime-zation" of the series. Yes, I'm well aware that the series is Japanese, but there's a noticeable Dragonball influence on the entire series that never really jived with me. Everything from fusions to epic one-punch fights to dueling energy-level auras show up in nearly every episode to the point that they easily make up a least 5 minutes of the show's 20+ minute runtime. Nearly all of the episodes run into each other, so plotting issues aren't massive problem, though this does leave some episodes as little more than one fight with no plot progression.
Even thought "fusion" Transformers have been around since the series' start, I didn't like that characters would always automatically combine into their most powerful mode before a fight. Then I realized that I've always questioned why characters never do that. Why did the Power Rangers always waste time fighting a monster rather than calling the big robot and crushing it? "Nerd logic" like this is prevalent throughout the show; so while it may be aimed at kids, it still knows its audience. There are numerous references to the Generation 1 series, including the original Optimus being shown as an "Ancient" and a shot of someone listening to Soundwave's G1 tape player mode. There are also a few "blink and you might miss it" pop culture references. One Transformer says his flux capacitor is busted and another scans Oceanic Flight 815 to acquire his vehicle mode.
It is also neat how the series ties in a lot of ancient legends, like Atlantis, into the plot and even builds a strong history for the show. Some of the plotlines can also get a bit heavy, which is surprising considering the show's target audience. I also loved the show's art direction, which is a combination of traditional animation and CG. A few compositing issues show up in certain scenes, but it's a good look for the series.
Transformers Cybertron: The Ultimate Collection was the first chance I had to watch Transformers: Cybertron all the way from beginning to end. While the Generation One series (the old 80's series) will always remain my favorite, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it and recommend it to open-minded Transformers fans (which I think I've finally been converted to) or parents looking for a way to introduce their kids to Transformers.
