Production and release

[edit]

Development

[edit]

Transformers: Armada was written and produced in Japan, with creative input from America. However, the show premiered on Cartoon Network's Toonami in America before its original Japanese counterpart had aired—the result of a demanding production schedule set by the network, which caused the series to be fast-tracked out of production. Consequently, Armada features a lot of unfinished animation (which would go on to be perfected for the completed Japanese episodes), and a hastily produced dub which features many errors in naming such as Sureshock being repeatedly called "Grindor" in multiple episodes, Hot Shot being called "Hot Rod", and Optimus's Mini-Con partner Sparkplug being called "Leader-1" (the same name as Megatron's Mini-Con), as well as transliteration and nonsensical dialogue which does not match the action onscreen.

Veteran Transformers voice actors Garry Chalk and David Kaye appear in the English dub of series as Optimus Prime and Megatron respectively. Chalk previously voiced the equivalent character Optimus Primal in Beast Wars: Transformers and Beast Machines: Transformers, while Kaye voiced a different version of Megatron in the same shows.

When Armada was released on DVD in Japan, each of the thirteen volumes came with a four-page mini-manga and an exclusive repainted Mini-Con figure. The manga, titled Tales of the Microns: Linkage, feature these repaints in an original story which served to fill in many of the blank spots and plot holes in the animated series.

Airing

[edit]

Despite Transformers: Armada being made by a Japanese studio, it premiered first in the United States. The series premiered on Cartoon Network (via the network's Toonami block) on August 23, 2002 at 4 P.M. with a 90-minute movie special, consisting of the first three episodes titled "First Encounter", "Metamorphosis" and "Base".^[1] Following its premiere, new episodes started coming out on August 30, airing every Friday at 6:30 P.M.^[2] On November 4, 2002, the series also began airing from Monday to Thursday until March 14, 2003^[3]^[4].During this time, the series also moved to the network's Saturday Video Entertainment System programming block from March 1, 2003^[5] to May 10, 2003 and in the early mornings from March 17, 2003 to June 27, 2003. The series returned to Toonami for a second run beginning on September 1, 2003, airing exclusively on Fridays until September 29, 2003^[6], when it also returned to the Monday-Thursday lineup. The series then stayed in the lineup until January 2, 2004.^[7] The series also appeared on Toonami's Super Saturday lineup from September 21, 2002 to February 22, 2003, the final airing of the block before its cancellation.

In the December issue of Japanese magazine Animage, it was announced that the anime would start airing in Japan on January 10, 2003 on TV Tokyo, with new episodes coming out every Friday at 6 P.M.^[8]

In Canada, the series premiered on Corus Entertainment's YTV on December 18, 2002.^[9] In Spain, Armada aired on Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2004.^[10]^[11] The series also aired on Cartoon Network in Australia in 2004.^[12]^[13] In India, the series also aired on Cartoon Network from May 12, 2004 to 2005.^[14]

In the Philippines, the series premiered on GMA Network on March 12, 2005 with a Filipino dub.^[15]

The series is also available for streaming online on Tubi, Pluto TV, Amazon Prime Video and The Roku Channel, as well as the Transformers YouTube channel (the first 15 episodes only).^[16]^[17]^[18]^[19]^[20]

Home media

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Entertainment Rights owned worldwide home video rights to the series.^[21]

North America

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In 2003, Entertainment Rights signed a North American home video deal with Rhino Entertainment Company to release the series on DVD in North America.^[22] These sets are now discontinued and out-of-print.

In August 2013, it was announced that Shout! Factory had partnered with Hasbro Studios to release numerous Transformers series on DVD in the United States, including Transformers: Armada.^[23] Shout! Factory would then subsequently released Transformers: Armada: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1 on March 11, 2014.

International

[edit]

In the United Kingdom, Right Entertainment and Universal Pictures Video released several VHS and DVD volumes of the series.

In Australia, Madman Entertainment released both volumes of Transformers: Armada on DVD in Region 4 in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

^ "New G-Gundam Date". Anime News Network. June 26, 2002. Archived from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
^ Benenati, Vincent (June 25, 2002). "Info on "Transformers: Armada," "G-Gundam," and "He-Man" Premieres". ToonZone. Archived from the original on July 28, 2002. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
^ "Transformers Armada Schedule". Cartoon Network. Archived from the original on October 15, 2002. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
^ "Toonami Episode Guide for the Week of March 10th". Toonami InfoLink. March 9, 2003. Archived from the original on April 10, 2003. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
^ "Cartoon Network Pushes New Programming Block". Anime News Network. February 17, 2003. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
^ "Toonami Schedule Change". toonamiinfolink.com. September 28, 2003. Archived from the original on October 12, 2003. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
^ "New Schedule Hatches on Toonami Today". toonamiinfolink.com. January 5, 2004. Archived from the original on February 14, 2004. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
^ "New Anime in Japan". Anime News Network. November 14, 2002. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
^ "Transformers: Armada to air on YTV". Seibertron. December 16, 2002. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
^ "September Programming". cartoonnetwork.es. September 19, 2003. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
^ "October Programming". cartoonnetwork.es. October 30, 2004. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
^ "CN Schedule". Cartoonnetwork.com.au. February 3, 2004. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
^ "CN Schedule". Cartoonnetwork.com.au. August 10, 2004. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
^ "Cartoon Network gears up for summer with three new shows". indiantelevision.com. April 15, 2004. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
^ "Transformers Armada Premiers in the Philippines". Tformers. March 12, 2005. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
^ "Watch Transformers Armada". Tubi. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
^ "Watch Transformers Armada". Amazon Prime Video. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
^ "Transformers: Armada season 1". Pluto TV. Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
^ "Transformers Armada Season 1 Episodes Streaming Online for Free". The Roku Channel. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
^ "Transformers Armada | FULL EPISODES". YouTube. Archived from the original on August 21, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
^ "Entertainment Rights Secure Rights to Transformers Armada". Archived from the original on 2002-12-25.
^ "Entertainment Rights Signs Major North American Video and DVD Distribution Agreement". Archived from the original on 2003-08-19.
^ Oladipo, Abby (August 15, 2013). "Shout! Factory and Hasbro Studios Partner for Animated Series". The Licensing Book. Archived from the original on February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2018.

Development

[edit]

Transformers: Armada was written and produced in Japan, with creative input from America. However, the show premiered on Cartoon Network's Toonami in America before its original Japanese counterpart had aired—the result of a demanding production schedule set by the network, which caused the series to be fast-tracked out of production. Consequently, Armada features a lot of unfinished animation (which would go on to be perfected for the completed Japanese episodes), and a hastily produced dub which features many errors in naming such as Sureshock being repeatedly called "Grindor" in multiple episodes, Hot Shot being called "Hot Rod", and Optimus's Mini-Con partner Sparkplug being called "Leader-1" (the same name as Megatron's Mini-Con), as well as transliteration and nonsensical dialogue which does not match the action onscreen.

Veteran Transformers voice actors Garry Chalk and David Kaye appear in the English dub of series as Optimus Prime and Megatron respectively. Chalk previously voiced the equivalent character Optimus Primal in Beast Wars: Transformers and Beast Machines: Transformers, while Kaye voiced a different version of Megatron in the same shows.

When Armada was released on DVD in Japan, each of the thirteen volumes came with a four-page mini-manga and an exclusive repainted Mini-Con figure. The manga, titled Tales of the Microns: Linkage, feature these repaints in an original story which served to fill in many of the blank spots and plot holes in the animated series.

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