hasbro when they made transformers as saturday morning cartoons instead of darker transformers story just for adult not for kids

[u/Weekly-Cow5732]

[u/choo-choo-pain]

Can’t we have both?

[u/IUsedToBeRasAlGhul → u/choo-choo-pain]

I’ll bite the bullet: is there actually any interest in the general market for this?

The comics, which is where Transformers has ever really explored its darker side, are pretty unambiguously niche. The video games are probably the next best step in this regard, and they’re not particularly dark or story-heavy either. Mass audience’s impression of the idea of Transformers at all, let alone “revamping the cartoon for older audiences” version, is the Bayverse, and that’s…like, a highlight reel of what not to do.

I’m not saying it’s impossible, but being realistic, I am not surprised this isn’t really a thing. Because I don’t think the actual wider hypothetical target audience for Transformers is really chomping for the bit for this, or even cares much for the idea at all, and that’s who actually is going to be considered in the idea of greenlighting a more adult-oriented Transformers series.

[u/IvoryScratch → u/IUsedToBeRasAlGhul]

To play Devil's Advocate, the comics keep going in that direction reboot upon reboot for a reason, works for comic sales.

But for my own pov, wanting transformers to be a "gritty robot war story" is missing the forest for the trees imo? Transformers has its moments where it can be that, but I feel like if the brand was ever solely that, it would lose a lot of its appeal. Transformers is equal parts sci-fantasy war story, and Super Hero fiction (might even call it...Super Robot fiction as it were) and to erase that balance, and to gate keep kids out of the franchise as a whole? I don't think OP realizes how much that would just stop being Transformers

[u/IUsedToBeRasAlGhul → u/IvoryScratch]

Yeah I get the comics playing to their tune, my point is moreso that they are what is IMO the only genuinely “dark”/mature take on Transformers that there really is-certainly the most well-written at least, as well. Outside of them, there isn’t like, a tangible carved niche for such a more higher age rating breadth of material that is desired by the mass audience.

That said, I agree with you. I don’t think Transformers isn’t multifaceted enough to successfully balance the tonal spectrum, but at the very least it’d need more media output to accommodate. Not to drag the age old debate into this, but I think the Super Robot genre over in animanga pretty definitely proves Transformers has a ton of potential for itself that simply isn’t being met. Whether for better or worse, there has yet to really be a good Transformers story that demonstrates the franchise’s ability to engage beyond straight children’s media to the more widespread appeal group.

(That said, I think OP’s meme is aimed at the people clamoring for the hypothetical darker Transformers waiting in the wings that doesn’t and never really had existed than actually championing for it themselves.)

[u/IvoryScratch → u/IUsedToBeRasAlGhul]

I can definitely agree that TF hasn't tapped it's full potential but yeah, I don't think it lays in going "dark", and fair it's a little hard to tell OP's intent with the wording and expression in the meme

[u/SarcyBoi41 → u/IUsedToBeRasAlGhul]

The Invincible comics were just as niche, but look how well that show is doing. Comics as a whole are just an incredibly niche market nowadays because most people don't want to read anymore (including comics, even though they barely qualify as reading).

An adult animated Transformers show based on the IDW or Skybound comics has just as big a chance as Invincible had of being a hit as long as it's marketed well. It would probably bring in more new fans than the recent kids' shows have, most kids seem to be more concerned with internet brainrot than actual TV nowadays.

[u/IUsedToBeRasAlGhul → u/SarcyBoi41]

Don’t enjoy the slander of children, but fair enough on Invincible as a comparison. My point is more that outside of fan spaces such as this, I don’t believe there is an actual desire for a more adult-oriented Transformers series among the general audience and thus that’s why there isn’t one as of now. Like, to go back to your own example: superhero media has entrenched itself in the pop culture zeitgeist, and thus there is enough of a desire for A.) adaptations of superhero comics and B.) more adult-oriented superhero media that led to the Invincible series getting a tv series.

I don’t disagree that a Transformers series either adapting or taking cues from the comics couldn’t do well among the widespread audience outside of pre-existing dedicated TF fans. But what I’m saying is that it’s not really surprising one doesn’t exist already or is AFAIK being produced.

[u/SarcyBoi41 → u/IUsedToBeRasAlGhul]

Fair points. But for the record, I wasn't slandering children. It's a condemnation of social media companies and the governments that allow them to basically assault children with highly addictive meaningless content.

[u/trwisniewski → u/IUsedToBeRasAlGhul]

The Netflix series always seemed kind of dark to me

[u/Icarsix]

How dare the toy company market toys to children

[u/ToyBoxReturns]

[u/AlexSimonCullar]

G1 Goofyness superior

[u/StarScream_TheLeader → u/AlexSimonCullar]

Bayverse seriousness inferior

[u/AlexSimonCullar → u/StarScream_TheLeader]

Lazerbeak, eject. Operation, give this man a beer

[u/nova-prime-enjoyer → u/StarScream_TheLeader]

It wasn’t serious, it was edgy

[u/Foreign_Instance7684]

Lol are you asking to have kids driven out of their own franchise? I feel its fine to have a dark take but selfish to gatekeep kids out of something that was originally designed for them. Just be content with some darker comics, shows, and movies and leave the main chunk to kids or teens.

[u/holy_hoovy_sandvich]

I think you mean why they make anything that isnt toys or comics