You know from the outset that the Japanese version of Transformers is more wholesome than the U.S. version. That's apparent right from the theme song, which has lyrics that translate to mean: "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! The pain and suffering that we're going through right now will bring good fortune for someone in the future! Transformers!"
Whoa, what?! We're used to slightly racist caricatures of the Transformers fighting in the desert while Megan Fox runs around being pretty!
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Transformers: The Japanese Collection: Headmasters (on DVD from Shout! Factory July 5) still includes all the trademark robot fighting that the franchise has become so famous for. But it also, strangely, has a positive message about peace and environmentalism that would be great for American kids to receive -- if this set wasn't in Japanese.
Sure, the set's got subtitles, but what kid in the U.S. likes to read his television shows? There might be some that do, but if I'm guessing right, a significant portion of the target audience simply don't want to sit around and have to read what Galvatron is saying to the rest of his Decepticons (sad, I know, but true). With dubbing, this set could have been good for young fans to watch a cartoon series with a more positive message than the meaningless violence that a lot of cartoons have (not that I'm a Focus on the Family sort guy or anything like that). Now, though, this set's really for the niche fans, the ones who collect these DVDs religiously. You know, the fans of the original cartoon who are probably a little peeved at Michael Bay. And while they'll definitely enjoy this four-disc set, which includes art galleries for special features, I wish that some of the younger audiences had more of a chance to enjoy it, too.
