TRANSFORMERS ARMADA: SEASON 1, PART 2 / THUNDERCATS - SEASON TWO, VOL. 2 (1985) / ULTRAMAN - SERIES ONE, VOL. 2

TRANSFORMERS ARMADA: SEASON 1, PART 2 (2002)

Movie: * ½ Disc: * *
(Region 1)

Not the animated Transformers TV series about giant robots beating the crap out of one another that ageing twentysomethingers recall with nostalgic fondness, but rather a new show produced rather recently (in 2002).

It is difficult to believe that anyone other than boys under the age of 10 would be interested in Transformers Armada. Plots are overcomplicated and simplistic at the same time, and while the animation is okay-ish for this type of TV show, it is rather talky and adults should steer clear of it as the voice-over talent tends to get a bit grating.

This four disc set released by Rhino completes Season One. (Not to be confused with the computer-generated Transformers – Beast Wars series, Armada is a traditionally 2-D animated series.)

THUNDERCATS - SEASON TWO, VOL. 2 (1985)

Movie: * ½ Disc: * *
(Region 1)

The same goes for Thundercats — a rather soulless mid-1980s Japanese animated TV series aimed purely at selling action figurines to small boys recalled today with undue nostalgic fondness by twentysomethingers who watched the show as kids.

The animation and storylines are better than those for He-Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (two other major TV shows of the era intended for small boys), but lacks the occasional tongue-in-cheek humour that made the Turtles more watchable.

Small boys will love it, but it is doubtful anyone else will. Start at the beginning of the series though to be properly introduced to all the characters and plots.

ULTRAMAN - SERIES ONE, VOL. 2

Movie: * * ½ Disc: * *
(Region 1)

Much more entertaining — albeit in a “so bad, it’s good” fashion — is this live action Japanese TV series from the late 1960s. Expect loads of guys in rubber monster suits and cardboard models and sets. Both the Japanese with English subtitles and dubbed English soundtrack are great fun in the same way Westerners snigger at Asians’ poor command of English behind their backs (by the way, just how good is your Japanese?) and in the way they reflect the male chauvinist attitudes of the day.

Recommended if you’re in a Mystery Science Theater 3000 kinda mood (the cheesy theme song is a hoot too) although there are portions of the disc when the English audio will drop out and the audio will revert to the original Japanese dialog with English subtitles.