What do you get when you take one of the best animation studios in the anime world, Studio Trigger, and give them free rein to celebrate a milestone anniversary for one of the most beloved franchises, Transformers? Last month, a collaboration between Studio Trigger and Transformers was teased, but nobody knew exactly what we would get.
This week, the project was officially unveiled, and it will almost surely warm the hearts of Transformers fans around the world. Studio Trigger has created a nearly four-minute animated video that takes us through the rich history of the long-running Transformers series, including its many sequels, spin-offs, and big-screen features.
Accompanied by the song "Mayday" by BUMP OF CHICKEN, the video takes us through all the different eras of Transformers. It's quite an emotional ride as it brings up some core childhood memories. Not to mention, the art style is absolutely gorgeous! Check out the special movie below!
The "Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie" was directed by Akira Amemiya (SSSS.GRIDMAN) with Hiromi Wakabayashi serves as creative producer for the short. Amemiya also provided storyboards and handled animation direction.
Studio Trigger has produced many popular anime including Kill la Kill, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and Delicious in Dungeon. After seeing this tribute video, I wouldn't be surprised to see fans clamor for a full-fledged Transformers anime from them.
Transformers is the creative collaboration between Japanese toy brand Takara Tomy and American toy company Hasbro. The franchise began in 1984 with Takara Tomy's Diaclone and Micro Change toylines, which were rebranded as Transformers for Western markets with the help of Hasbro. The Transformers mecha were designed by Shoji Kawamori, the creator of the Japanese mecha anime franchise Macross. The idea of transforming mechs came to Kawamori while working on the Diaclone and Macross franchise in the early 1980s.
The franchise's first animated television series, The Transformers, debuted in 1984. The series, which primarily followed the war between the heroic Autobots and the villainous Decepticons, ran until 1987. Animated by Toei Animation, many consider The Transformers to be an anime series.
Since then, Transformers has only grown in popularity around the world, resulting in live-action movies, animated television series, comic books, and more. The franchise is about to release its first-ever fully CG-animated movie, Transformers One, which arrives in theaters this week.
Would you want to see a Transformers anime series produced by Studio Trigger?