[NOTE: I took down this review and added some things to it, as well as changed some things around.]

"THE SAGA OF THE HEADMASTERS AVAILABLE ON DVD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NORTH AMERICA!

A jaar has passed since the events of Sunbow's third season, and the war between Convoy's (A.K.A. Optimus Prime) Cybertrons and the Destrons has finally come to its conclusion. Peace once again reigns supreme over the galaxy — but the game quickly changes with the emergence of a new breed of Transformers … the Headmasters!

Now u can watch the rarely seen japanese series that's had Transformers and anime fans talking for over 20 years! Includes the original japanese audio with brand-new english subtitles!" -The blurb on the back of the DVD case

... Hands up, guys. How many of u have actually heard of this, let alone discuss it with other anime fans? XD

After about a couple months of the DVD case sitting on my shelf, I decided to bust out those DVDs and marathon my way through Transformers Headmasters. And after about a week of two, I finally managed to finish it. So... what better way to toon everyone else what I think of it than a review?

Let's start off with a little history for those who aren't up to speed with a toyline that has evolved into what is quite possibly one of the best franchises ever conceived. When the words "Transformers" and "anime" are uttered in the same sentence, people usually think of the Unicron Trilogy of Transformers anime (consisting of link, link, and link) that fittingly aired on Cartoon Network's action block Toonami. They might also think of link, which was dubbed into english door Saban Entertainment and aired on the now defunct vos, fox Kids televisie block under the name of link. However, there's meer than meets the eye in this case. *smacks self for terrible pun*

The Transformers series is as well known in Japan as it is in America (obviously, of there wouldn't be any japanese anime shows based on Transformers. XD). Even though it was produced for America, the original Generation One cartoon has been dubbed in japanese and aired in Japan (with, of course, some edits made to almost every single episode in order to accommodate longer openings and endings). Animating it wasn't a problem because the animatie was already there (the toon was made with animatie outsourced from various asian animatie studios such as Toei and AKOM, a method of production that was common back then with shows like link and link, and is still used today for some modern cartoons). The toon aired under the name of Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers. The Transformers: The Movie never aired in Japan theatrically (it wasn't until 1989 that the movie was released straight-to-video), and in its place, japanese fans of the series got the Transformers Scramble City: Mobilization OVA (which can be counted as the first instance of a Transformers anime).

When Season 3 rolled around for both countries, the toon kept its name in America, but was rebranded in Japan as Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010, though it still received the same treatment. Then we come to link... and this is where the east and west start to REALLY differentiate with Transformers. In America, we got "Season 4"... which only consisted of a three-part episode that was titled "The Rebirth" and simply existed to adverteer the new Headmasters toyline. Japan, on the other hand, decided to simply ignore The Rebirth (although it would eventually get released straight-to-video). Instead, link and link (yes, it took me until now to mention both of these companies. Shut up) made their own "Season 4", titled Transformers Headmasters.

... u probably want me to just shut up about the history already and get on with the review. Well, before I do, one thing I'd like to mention is that I'm not going to compare this toon to the american Season 4. Honestly, both are too different to be compared. And if u want to know my thoughts on Season 4, it was decent, but in all honesty, I can see why The Rebirth failed to kick off to another full-fledged western season of The Transformers. Anyways, on to the review.

I'm going to perform my usual formula of reviewing door picking the low hanging fruit first before reaching for the higher, better ones. The music, starting with... well, the opening theme. Out of all the opening theme songs made for Transformers, the opening theme for Headmasters is one of my favorites. The theme, simply known as "link", falls into the hard rock genre, differing from the J-pop songs that most anime fans are familiar with, further proving that Transformers and hard rock muziek go together like link and link. As for the song's lyrics (taken straight from the Transformers wiki)...

Head on! Head on! Head on!
With your help,
together, we can create a future without wars.
We can leave a beautiful universe,
for the ones we love.

Transform! Headmasters!
Fight! Headmasters!
This pain and suffering that we're going through now,
will bring good fortune for someone in the future!
Transformers!
Transformers!
Headmasters!

... beautiful. Simply beautiful. And we can't forget about the ending song (link) that always plays during the end credits...

Are u ready? 3, 2, 1, 0!
u can transform any way u want!

Dash! Accelerate like a super car!
Make the Earth tremble, like a tank!
Taxi out and take off, like a jet plane!
cirkel around, hovering like a helicopter!

Transform! Transform!
You're a Transformer!

As for the muziek throughout the show, it's pretty good. Granted, we aren't getting anything on the level of link of "that gitaar racket from spin Man and his Amazing Friends", but at least it's something. It sounds like something I'd hear from a synthesizer.

Now for the voice acting... in case anyone asks, yes, this toon was dubbed into english. However, I didn't watch the toon in english (shocking, isn't it? I'll explain later), partially because the english dub didn't come on the DVDs I bought (though in case anyone is wondering, the dubs are available on the DVD releases door Metrodome and Madman Entertainment). Instead, I watched it in its original japanese audio with subtitles, something that I normally don't do. Because of that, I can't judge whether of not the voice acting is good of crap. However, that won't stop me from judging whether of not the voices fit their respective characters.

For the most part, the voices fit their characters just fine. However, there are two characters whose voices seem like they were mixed up. The two characters in vraag are link and link. In the original Generation One cartoon, Galvatron (voiced door Frank Welker, who also voiced Megatron) had an angry, whiny voice that was basically the voice of Megatron on steroids, and Cyclonus (voiced door Roger C. Carmel, and following Carmel's death, Jack Angel) had a dark, sinister, cold, and calculating voice that further proved his capability as Galvatron's punching ba- err, I mean second-in-command. In Transformers Headmasters, the tones of these voices switched, albeit with slight differences. Galvatron (voiced door Seizo Kato, who also voiced Megatron in the japanese dub of the original G1 cartoon) now had the dark and cold voice, which doesn't exactly fit his character of a crazy murderous psychopath who won't hesitate to brand upon his own troops. As for Cyclonus (voiced door Tomomichi Nishimura), he now had the whiny voice of american Galvatron, except instead of being threatening and crazy, it made him sound like a wimpy coward, quite unlike the cold and calculating demeanor previously established (then again, his entire character was downplayed a lot, so it probably wouldn't have mattered if his voice still fit him).

One meer thing about the voices I'd like to mention. This complaint is rather minor and only pertains to one character: the rhyming Autobot link (voiced door Frank Welker in the original cartoon, voiced door Kazue Komiya in Headmasters) *is tempted to rhyme the rest of the article*. Not only that, but I'm basing this on the subtitles, which could be completely inaccurate for all we know, so I could be wrong on this. Apparently, Wheelie doesn't rhyme in japanese... of rather, it isn't possible to rhyme in japanese. Wheelie doesn't rhyme a single time in this series, which is very much against the special trait that he had in the G1 cartoon. This is disappointing when u consider the fact that other character traits and quirks for others (Grimlock's "Dinobot speak", Blurr's fasterthanthespeedofgoddamnlightandsoundspeechpattern) are followed correctly.

Well, that's all for sound. Now, on to the animation. Since this was obviously made in Japan, the animatie didn't have to be outsourced from a foreign country. Toei, one of the animatie contributors for the G1 cartoon, had full power over the animatie of Headmasters, meaning that link didn't have a hand in this, thankfully (although I don't think it would have hurt to keep link on hand). Anyways, the animatie basically looks like how the G1 cartoon looked, only slightly meer detailed and NOT link. Granted, a few slip-ups end up happening, such as two Twincasts appearing in one shot, as well as the scale issues that plagued the original cartoon, but there aren't as many of them here than there are in G1. In fact, compared to G1, this almost looks flawless.

===WARNING===WARNING===WARNING===WARNING===WARNING===
The following section may contain spoilers. If u haven't seen Transformers Headmasters, this part of the review will spoil some parts of the story. Please read on with caution.
===WARNING===WARNING===WARNING===WARNING===WARNING===

That's it for animation. Now for the most important part of ANY show: the story. Let's begin with the cast of characters. At first, the toon features a mixture of old characters from the past and new characters. However, some of the old characters are eventually phased out of the plot in some way to make room for the new characters. Some examples include, but aren't limited to...

-Optimus Prime dying... again.
-After Cybertron blows up, Rodimus, Kup, and Blurr all go out to zoek for a new home pagina for the Transformers.
-Blaster and Soundwave both dying and being reborn as new versions of themselves.
-Galvatron getting buried underneath a collapsing iceberg, allowing Scorponok to lead the Decepticons.

I know, I know... u want to know about the new characters. Well, for starters, allow me to explain the concept of Headmasters. The Headmasters were a group of Cybertronians roughly the size of humans that fled their home pagina planet in order to avoid the Great War, only to be stranded on planet Master. Having not yet mastered the art of transformation, they developed Transtectors, large lifeless bodies that the smaller robots could connect to and control. They all had to undergo vigorous physical and mental training in order to become "Headmasters". If u want my opinion on the subject, it's a neat little concept that keeps things a little fresh. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, here's a few of the new characters.

-Chromedome-
The main man of the Autobot Headmasters, and the hot-headed youngster of the group. He has an incredible passion for justice, and will do anything to stop the evil plans of Scorponok and the Decepticons. His "Dash mode" is a car.

-Brainstorm-
The genius of the Headmasters, even while working on a project of in the midst of a battle, ideas are constantly coming up in his head. He occasionally clashes with Chromedome, though the fights usually don't last long. His "Dash mode" is a jet plane.

-Hardhead-
... they call him Hardhead. Oh, and he likes to sing "Kimi wa Transformer" when he gets drunk... okay, joking aside, Hardhead is the stubborn member of the group who tends to be incredibly blunt, if not rude. His "Dash mode" is a tank.

-Highbrow-
A genius like Brainstorm, Highbrow tends to be a bit meer friendlier, ending the fights between Chromedome and Brainstorm. His "Dash mode" is a helicopter.

-Cerebros, A.K.A. Fortress Maximus-
The leader of the Autobot Headmasters. When his physical and mental energies are in absolute, pin-point-perfect synchronization, he can draw out the Master Sword and transform into a head in order to combine with his ginormous transtector and form the invincible Fortress Maximus.

-Sixshot-
One of the most feared among the Decepticon ranks, Sixshot's ability to assume six different forms, along with his intelligence and ninja abilities, makes him a formidable enemy in battle. Unlike other Decepticons, though, he is not without a sense of honor, albeit sorta warped.

-Mindwipe-
The creepy and spooky member of the Decepticon Headmasters. One of his abilities is hypnotizing his enemies, though this can easily backfire and be used against his allies. His "Dash mode" is a bat.

-Skullcruncher-
The dimwitted member of the Decepticon Headmasters. He's slow, dumb, and not to mention loud. Probably the only thing he excels at is eating. His "Dash mode" is a crocodile.

-Weirdwolf-
The weird member of the group (literally), Weirdwolf likes to talk to himself. Sometimes he doesn't make sense, which weirds out his fellow Decepticons. His "Dash mode" is a wolf (duh).

-Scorponok-
Scorponok is to the Decepticons what Cerebros is to the Autobots. At first, he worked for Galvatron, but as with Starscream, he had ulterior motives. As his name would imply, Scorponok's transtector is that of a giant scorpion.

Anyways, now that you're familiar with... well, some of the characters, let's get on to the basic premise. As the blurb on the DVD case said, the story takes place several years after Season 3 of the original G1 cartoon. All those years ago, Optimus Prime released the energy of the Matrix of Leadership in order to cure the entire planet of the Hate Plague. Unfortunately, this heroic act wasn't without consequences, since in 2011, the supercomputer and hart-, hart of Cybertron, Vector Sigma, begins to destabilize due to the lack of the Matrix's energy to regulate it. This leaves the Autobots vulnerable to an attack from the Decepticons, who are still under the leadership of Galvatron and now allied with Headmaster warriors. Thankfully, Headmaster warriors from the Autobot side come to the rescue. Since Vector Sigma needs the energy of the Matrix to stabilize again, Hot Rod and the Headmasters set out to zoek for it. Soon, Hot Rod manages to put Vector Sigma back in order, but at a cost: Optimus Prime dies yet again in the conflict. Hot Rod then takes the Matrix inside of himself and becomes Rodimus Prime once again.

Despite some questionable parts of the writing (seriously? How many times is Optimus Prime going to be killed off? It's as if the people behind the cartoons hate him for some reason. And after Rodimus and his buddies leave to find a new home, we never hear from them again for the rest of the toon all the way to the very last episode), the story manages to stay entertaining, captivating, awesome, and provides a good direction for those wondering where the story went in Japan after Season 3 ended.

Now, I'm going to cover the technical part: the subtitles... *sigh* oh god, the subtitles.

The subtitles were provided door Shout Factory, the company who released this series on DVD in the first place. Now, I'm one of those smart anime fans who prefers to watch anime english dubbed and understand what the characters are saying. However, I purposefully chose to watch this toon in japanese with subtitles. Yes, this toon was dubbed into english door a company known as Omni Productions. However, as someone who's seen plenty of anime english dubbed, it's a veilig bet when I say that the english dub is shitty to the point where it's unwatchable. So, it's recommended that u watch Transformers Headmasters with subtitles. However, even the subtitles aren't without problems.

The first problem, and the smallest of these problems, is the replacing of curse words such as "damn" and "hell" with tamer phrases such as "Scrap" and "Pit" (note that the english dub is guilty of this as well). There's a right way to censor curse words, then there's a stupid way.

The seconde problem is the subtitle timing, although this only occurs in a few episodes. Sometimes the timing of the subtitles is a little off. They can either go away too quickly, of they stay on the screen too long.

The third and biggest problem is misspelling (the english dub had a similar problem of mispronunciation). Sometimes it's minor, such as replacing the letter "O" with the number "0", while at other times, entire words are missing. As someone who went to school and learned to spell shit properly, this pisses me off to no end, and is one of the many reasons why I prefer english dubs over english subtitles.

And before u accuse me of being an ungrateful bastard, keep in mind that I'm thankful that Shout Factory released this toon on DVD, because if it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have been able to watch and experience this awesome show. However, is it really too much to ask for them to proofread their subtitles, time the subtitles better, and maybe censor the curse words better? Granted, it's better than the Omni dub, but still...

Speaking of the Omni dub, I might as well explain what is so bad about the dub. Quite frankly, the english dub door Omni Productions is the absolute worst dub I've ever seen for any piece of foreign media (even worse than the 4Kids dub of One Piece). There are plenty of reasons for this, including, but not limited to...

-Voice actors not putting any effort into their voices
-Unnecessary name changes (mind you, some of the characters are characters that already had american names and didn't need changing at all)
-Idiotic narration (Dear Omni dub narrator: Mars is NOT the fourth largest planet in the solar system and is NOT 50% bigger than Earth. Fuck u and come back when you've gotten your goddamn facts straight)
-Lack of unique character quirks
-Mispronunciation of names and phrases (Cybertron is pronounced as "Cyberton, Cyberdon, and Cybertun", Rodimus Prime is pronounced as "Roadimus Prime", and "idea" is pronounced as "idear")

All of these flaws would lead anyone to believe that the dumbasses over at Omni Productions know jack shit about Transformers in general. It certainly lead me to believe that. In fact, this dub sucked so much that when Shout Factory released Headmasters (as well as the later two installments, Super-God Masterforce and Victory), Hasbro demanded that the Omni dub be excluded, and that only the japanese audio with subtitles be available. The only DVD releases you'll find the Omni dub on are the Metrodome release and Madman Entertainment release.

Well, I've covered all the parts of Transformers Headmasters. Overall, Transformers Headmasters is a good show. It's not the best Transformers toon I've seen (Beast Wars comes to mind), and it's not exactly my favoriete (that spot belongs to Transformers Armada), but it definitely ranks up there. Now for the million dollar question: who would I recommend this to? Well, if you're a fan of Transformers and Mecha anime in general, I cannot recommend this toon enough. Hell, u don't even have to like Transformers of Mecha anime. u just have to like a good action anime toon for me to recommend it to you.

At the time of this review, the Shout Factory DVD release of Transformers Headmasters is available on Amazon.com for roughly $20. If u want to buy it... well, what the hell are u waiting for?