Wasn't there a story line where Shockwave had begun redesigning all Cybertronians to become 'headmasters' merely as a way to conserve energy when not in combat? It explains why some of their pre-Earth vehicle modes had places to hold human-sized beings.
My favourite is the one of human size robots escaping from Cybertron and evolving their transformation in a different direction, turning in the head of the robot mode of their vehicles. It matches with the existence of human size transformers like Rumble and Frenzy.
Man! The fact that you put these out on Saturday mornings makes my week! I'm going to have to start eating a whole box of lucky charms by myself while I watch them
I started with one random video, and that lead to another...then I found the playlist. This is pretty good to help explain the lore to newer fans. I'm an old G1er, and have read/watched all of this Transformers material. The one thing I was fuzzy on, was the 13 Primes. You cleared a couple things up for me there. I like how you present the material, and I hit the sub button for more.
@@disneyboy3030 Yeah, but he wasn't even a headmaster within the cartoon. Heck, Cerebro/Spike/Whatever his name was in this continuity acted more like a minicon.
Yeah, until you see Targetmasters snap their bodies in half to become guns or Brainmasters pretty much disembowel themselves to form faces for their robot partner. Trust me, it can always get more bonkers.
Not to insult such an old gimmick in the brand's history, but when we've had a franchise that's had tiny transformers that turn into tiny vehicles, engines, weapons, armor and/or all of the above, HEADS seems like it would be the very last in that line. The desperation move. The punchline to a joke. Like, "And now, the greatest transformers of all; REMOVABLE HEADS THAT TURN INTO LITTLE MEN!" The fiction has of course been able to sell the idea (to a degree), but the whole thing could've gone horribly wrong unfathomably fast.
I'm not a fan of the concept in case of Cybertronians, but I actually love the idea as human villains attempting to control Cybertronian technology. Exactly because it is gruesome! Henry Masterson from Animated is perfect example of that.
I really love Headmasters. I'm so glad they were revisited as a concept with Titans Return. Sure, some of the Titan Masters don't fit properly in their transtectors (my Kup needs his TM to have its head rotated 180* to fit properly), but robots with swappable heads that are ALSO alt-mode pilots are fun.
In most situations I Prefer the Japanese version as it's easier to think about. Although for Titans a Return, I imagine the Titans have a basic personality to help manage their huge bodies, but a Titanmaster can bond and pilot them. Like, Trypticon can be a big dumb dinosaur without Full-Tilt/Necro, but if Terri-Bull or Galvatron or someone were to attach to that slot in the back of his head they would take over.
Headmasteres show are not that geart. It Coz destoyes ceybertorn and killes of optimos again for no resone. But at end of day traformers g1 ended in rebireth at it every good but still have small flows like couler.
Henry Masterson in my opinion was the best Headmaster, because not only was he a legitimate threat, he was hilarious while being so. Probably explains why he showed up in one episode in every season.
Well I hated the rebirth, the g1 show was so amazing with season 1, 2, and the movie,them season 3, but I always hated why they ruin part 4 of transformers with that stupidid concept in rebirth and thats why I hated the rest of season 4 , I did love all transformers but I hate therej concept ,sorry if this offends but why count they keep them fully robot technology instead of an órgano bab pilot 💀👾👾
I was really fascinated by the concept put forward in the IDW comics, where the Headmaster "melds" not only physically but mentally with his Transformer partner. There was this one scene where Hunter and Sunstreaker were debating tactics and Hunter was like, "Aren't you really just arguing with yourself at this point?" or something along those lines. I REALLY wish they had kept those two around. I would have loved more of that. :c On a different note, could you explain the Brainmasters, please? I know there are four of them, and they feature prominently in Transformers Victory, specifically main character Star Saber. Like, that one scene where Star Saber drops Jan off at school and has a conversation with the headmistress, but they have to talk on the roof, since Star Saber's body is too big. But I'm watching that scene and I'm like, "hang on, don't you have a man-sized robot in your cockpit? That's your "Brain" right? Why can't you use that body to interact with the humans?" TF Wiki's page on the subject was...less than clear on the subject.
There's not a lot to tell - the origins of the technology was never explained in Victory media, only getting one years later when "Ask Vector Prime" was able to "canonize" the original, planned explanation that didn't get used at the time. The idea is that they were basically "reverse Headmasters" - full-size robots who had their consciousnesses transferred into small robot forms so they could interact with smaller lifeforms. So yes, it'd make perfect sense for Star Saber to do just as you say in that scene, but he doesn't because the Victory cartoon is pretty universally terrible at advertising the play features of the Victory toys. The Multiforce are barely ever shown splitting into their component pairs or swapping positions, the Brainmasters never use their brains, the Crossformers never do anything with their shells, the Dinoforce never transform...
@@ChrisMcFeely I must say that I'm glad of this comment. I'm currently watching Victory and was feeling like I was missing something even after reading the TF Wiki.
It's certainly a better fit for Headmaster at the very least, as otherwise the body is left a headless Robot. Binary Bonding works better for power boost combinations where the miniature partner forms a non-essential but useful component like a weapon.
My favorite version of the Headmasters is the western modern version (shared mind), the gimmick still has a fair explanation that doesn't break what we already think we know about transformers, the Japanese explanation (big vehicle, just the head's alive) really takes away the emotion of watching them battle and hurt each other to survive, and I'm not even going to explain why I wouldn't want lime meaty aliens be the heads of my boys
Stupid organic aliens, dude there freaken robots, they dont need a organic being to survive, there made of metal and cybertronian stuff, I rather fully robots like the jg1,titans return and idw but with a mix of g1 to make it like it use tobe in g1 when it was great the show
The strangeness of 1980 exploring gross concepts with the popularity of robots, computers and AI concepts of futuristic appeal lead robots to intertwine with human intelligence.
Considering the condition on the world lately, re-watching these has brought me much joy- thanks for doing these! Maybe you answer this later but wasn't there a brain master, like Star Saber? And was Breast Force & extension of the powermaster concept? You really have some awesome videos sir!
Next book to be added to the TTRPG is the Enigma of Combination book! I am wondering if we will get these as part of it, or if they will be a whole book to themselves.
In 1987 I was already a huge Transformer fan but when the Headmasters were introduced they absolutely blew my mind. I loved them. Bought Brainstorm and Targetmaster Blurr right away.
Man, now I personally want to see a continuity combine Headmasters with Holoforms. So, like, their robot mode is just a standard robot, but their vehicle mode is "driven" by a human-disguised that can drive around and interact with actual humans, taking "robots in disguise" to a whole 'nother lever. So you don't need to worry about working around riderless bikes or cars. Probably too tricky to scale toy-wise, though. As always, great overview. Your videos are seriously the highlight of my subscription feed.
That's early IDW you're describing, there! In the first few years of IDW's comics, the Autobots used solid-light "holomatter" avatars to "drive" their vehicles, and to move around and interact with the human world, even able to project them across moderate distances, so they could physically "be" places their robot forms couldn't go! Glad you're enjoying the series! :)
Actually, they're describing what some fans I know call the 'reverse Headmaster' process...instead of a little bot combining and controlling the larger one, it's a large bot that can eject a little one that runs around and can do human-scaled stuff. (there's one fanfic I know that had Optimus Prime doing this after Hi-Q died of old age..while scientists reversed the Powermaster process on his main body, he basically went on vacation and toured the world disguised as a human).
I think the best course of action would be to marry the 2 ideas together A small cybertronian transforms into the head for a transtechtor and this can be replicated with a mech suit for humans/nubulons who want to help
I discovered the Japanese Headmasters cartoon in 2006 but didn't watch it til last year. I love the concept and can't wait to see 3rd party versions of the Targetmasters.
What completely killed any chance of my ever being able to watch or enjoy that was "mechaZarak". To this day I can't begin to fathom what possessed them to do that.
Fantastic Video Chris! I really like the Takara approach: Smaller Transformers piloting larger bodies, all with just one mind. For me, it’s the most straight-forward & least ridiculous of all the other versions.
I have always loved the nebulan/human bonded with an open enough mind to accept new species and even sub cybertronian species like a minicon to bond as well. I even have a fun mental game of inserting my self into a story as a head of Jetfire like Transformer (in his original design lost to Macross/Robotech) and even use a cyclone from the other show with 2 other partners a weapon and an engineer as the engine.
I love the titans return line. I got overlord and skyshadow and soundwave and trypticon and I have such a huge decepticon base. I have some of those 4 dollar titan masters with tiny vehicles they can attach to and those vehicles and titan master all over it makes it look so cool. I also have blaster, Super Ginrai and god bomber and Fortress Maximus and I put blocks under Fortress Maximus’s legs to hold them up like skyscrapers and the titan masters over the huge base is just awesome. Titans return is my favorite toy-line from the past years it’s just so much fun.
I like the small organic creature route. It's intresting in a weird way. I wish the idea of two fundamentally diffrent creatures bonded and forced to have a partnership was explored more.
Very well done story. As a kid I liked the headmaster g1 version although i never had any of the figures unfortunately. But I also liked the powermaster line of which I had a few of those figures. I like both concepts. The other concepts you brought up i also thought were interesting
I like the Japanese style of Headmasters technology and I plan to feature many classic ones in my fanfiction along with all the other ones, with a few new spins.
5:18 the description of one pilot controlling a big robot body among few things reminds me of Starvengers , and the Shogun Warrirors , Voltron too i guess seemingly too , etc.
When you consider Cybertronians can live for millions of years, pairing them with organic partners never made sense to me due to the limited lifespan of us Humans as an example. They'd be having to switch partners every 20-30 years. Japan handled them better with the smaller robot controlling a larger one.
Daniel, a young boy is paralyzed because of his interactions with transformers. The fix is let’s give him a job where he folds at the waist and becomes the head of a transformer. That story didn’t sit well with me even when I was a child.😂
The idea that the head is a separate character is weird to begin with, and becomes confusing when interchangeability is played up. (In Titans Return, technically nobody is actually associated with their own face.)
I don't know if anyone's ever said it before but with all these episodes so far I'm surprised we have not seen anything on Nemesis Prime / black Convoy / scourge person that's something I would love to see you cover sometime
He's always been in the back of my mind, definitely, there's an interesting history to go through with the concept. If I'd started the series earlier, I'd have done him to coincide with The Last Knight!
Go one further--the old Powermasters couldn't transform unless you inserted the engine. Would sentient Powermaster toys feel a sort of locked-in syndrome if deprived of their partner?
"So I' sez to 'im, you fink I'm gonna tear off me *head* and let some *squishy* live n'it, you got another fink comin'" ---Double Punch, Generation 2: Redux
I think I like the Masterforce version the best. Using the headmaster mechanic to allow humans to work alongside transformers in combination with the pretender mechanic allowing transformers to interact in human spaces was an interesting idea I thought. It would have been great if the story had gone more into those sorts of interactions, and it was a bit disappointing that the transformers basically fell into the background as the humans stepped up as the defenders of Earth. Felt like the resolution of the series didn't quite live up to the set up.
In my head canon in G1 Headmasters were actually Micromasters refit to control larger bodies built by Shockwave. Since they couldn't make new transformer lives they reused the micromasters to make Frontline soldiers who could take a beating and abandon their bodies if need be.
As a kid, I used to love the bracelet-wearing ones, since you could pretend to have those bracelets. Harder to pretend that you’re a robot than a person inside a robot body. And Ginrai (basically Optimus Prime but as a Power Master) was cool as hell! In fact, I was watching the show in a Ukrainian dub, and they ended up naming the guy Optimus Best (that’s how they translated Prime in those shows, since the word doesn’t have a direct translation). Naturally, I knew who Optimus Prime was from Gen 1, but my first instinct was “who names their kid Optimus Best?” Yes, now I know his actual name is Ginrai, but didn’t know that back then (no internet access and no Wikipedia).
*The takara way to use smaller humans who control lifeless big transforming shell-robots, is pretty much how it is often portrayed in japan. They often 'work' in that way. I do not remember the names, but I've seen quite some cartoons and 'live action' (power ranger style) cartoons that functioned that way. I think, on the other hand, what hasbro liked and introduced with the transformers was more the idea that the robost themselves were the persons in control, just as they had originally changed the transformers from lifeless robots from japanese diaclone toys towards the "living" transformers with their own personalities we know today*
Binary bonding, to me, doesn't make sense once you want to move on from the "advantage" that a Transformer can become two units. For starters if the alternate mode doesn't have any offensive weaponry, as was the case with many of the Autobots, then the Transformer would still need the head in robot mode to be able to deal damage. Then we start entering into more philosophical discussions about loss of autonomy and privacy. Transtectors is the only concept that makes sense to me when it comes to Headmasters.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I am always entertained watching your THE BASICS videos Chris. Can you please do a basics video on Quickswitch? Can you please also do a basics video on the Transformers Generations toy line? Once again, thank you for a great video. :D
I love the Headmasters concept! It works no matter which version you use! My version of Headmasters works the same except I use female humans, humanoids, aliens, and animals(all female) as the Titan Masters(the robots' heads)!
Interestingly, the concept of characters transforming into robot heads were reused in the Bomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden Victory toyline (a subline of B-Daman), where Bomberman characters would transform into the head of giant marble shooting mechs by the name of B-Da armors, even going as far as to reuse the phrase "head on". Taking into account that the toys of this line all could transform into an alt mode (albeit very simple), it'd seem as though Takara reused concepts from Transformers when making this new subline.
Love the transtector, as it can give action use to humans, MasterForce is an amazing anime! The bound looks like works fine for power/god masters. Saddly the head change in the add would be great, but the toys cant hide their heads and put another one, close to this only super link omega supreme, his neck had eyes! I do love galvatron titan, cause his head is megatron and for me make all the sense, make galvatron a super mode to mega!
Fortress Maximus is a bit of a special case, he's so big that instead of just having a headmaster that becomes his head, he's got a smaller transformer called Cerebro that transforms into his head, and Cerebro has a headmaster that transforms into his head. I am not sure if any other transformer does this.
In terms of design, the only real issue with the Headmasters figures was that the toy was kind of ruined if the small robot accessory was lost. Targetmasters didn't have that problem. And technically neither did Powermasters, since it was still possible to unlock the figure's robot mode without the little engine being inserted.
To be completely honest...I never really liked the idea of Headmasters. It just feels... WEIRD. I mean, it's nice that a transformer gets a "battle partner", but when this battle partner becomes vital to complete the transformer's full robot mode, as the battle partner becomes the robot mode's head...idk, it feels more like a hindrance than an advantage, as them being separated from each other means that the transformer is without a head, and thus with a disadvantage. At least with Targetmasters, the transformer still has his / her full body, and when separated from their targetmaster, they can still fight bare handed, or with any other weapon in their disposal. If anything, I feel like only big transformers like Fortress Maximus and G1 Scorponok work with the idea of the headmasters, as they are so massive and powerful that, unlike more common transformers, they aren't needed all the time on the battle field, and their battle partners being separated from them means that there will be less of a risk that the fully formed robots might be taken over or brainwashed by the enemy. That's just my opinion, though.
With titans return I personally like the single mind concept, and the standalone Titan masters increase the power much more than the regular partnered headmasters
I go for the single mind concept. The concept from the G1 comic book line from Marvel is my favorite. I gotta question, has Gallen appeared n any other media yet?
Briefly in IDW's Kirby-style "Transformers vs. G.I. Joe" comic, in his traditional role as Fortress Maximus's head-within-a-head. Aside from that, you've gotta get into fan-club-exclusive stuff for even a mention.
I recently re-bought some old Transformers UK annuals that I'd had as a kid, and was actually rather thrown by the text story about how humans get turned into Headmasters. It was like something out of Cronenberg. No wonder our generation is fucked up!
I like a blend of the 2 Organic beings in a exosuit and have an extended robot body that they entirely control Maybe humans and nebulons no longer wanting to be useless so some one like wheel jack or ratchet whips something up for a few of them Maybe even hijack a few decepticons every now and then just to troll them
Short answer: because Headmasters is JAMMED with errors like that. Often the Nebulon parnter is drawn in place of the robot, or the wrong robot entirely is drawn, because there were SO many new character models and the artist couldn't keep them straight. Longer answer: Cerebros didn't actually exist at that point in the story, only being created a few issues later as part of an upgrade to make Max bigger. But, the character model artwork for Galen/Spike showed the Cerebros head mode as his alternate mode, so, not knowing any better, the artist would draw Galen transforming into Cerebros's head... which would then attach to Fortress Maximus. It's not SUPPOSED to look that way - it's not what's actually happening in-universe, it's just an error, and Max would usually then be drawn with his normal head design right after Heading-On. The Headmasters mini is one of the best things Budiansky wrote after the first year of the comic, but artistically it's... yeah.
Wasn't there a story line where Shockwave had begun redesigning all Cybertronians to become 'headmasters' merely as a way to conserve energy when not in combat? It explains why some of their pre-Earth vehicle modes had places to hold human-sized beings.
If that story doesn't exist, it should [sorry for answering three years after the mesage was made]
Maybe in a japanese story
@@fasinfata I agree with you. This is an interesting idea.
I think you may be confusing them with "micro masters" who are regular transformers but just very small
This is a very interesting idea
"hey guys, let's ripp our heads off and combine with some weird monkeys"
I prefer the " THUMBMASTERS". Small robots that become opposable digits to help the Autobots open pickle jars.
The Thighmaster Transformers were very provocative. They could probably open pickle jars as well.
LOL
Laserbeak operation pickle open
Voltron would like that
That Doesn't Sound Like A Bad Idea Tbh....
My favourite is the one of human size robots escaping from Cybertron and evolving their transformation in a different direction, turning in the head of the robot mode of their vehicles. It matches with the existence of human size transformers like Rumble and Frenzy.
They can explain it as being more energy efficient!
Rumble & Frenzy actually became Official Headmasters heads you could BUY !!!!!!
also, Spike and Daniel in their EXO Suits also became Official Headmasters heads as well.
@@markplott4820I haven’t heard of Frenzy and Rumble being headmasters.
Tbh I think cogman decapitating nitro Zeus and hijacking his body while zeus' head looks on would make the film 100× better
Yes. And I actually liked the film
100x0 is still 0
But yeah i would be awesome.
@THE DRAGON KNIGHT SLAYER64 Coolio
It would have been better if nitro Zeus had not died at all...
Man! The fact that you put these out on Saturday mornings makes my week! I'm going to have to start eating a whole box of lucky charms by myself while I watch them
I liked mixing Chex or Cheerios with Milk Chocolate powder.
I love IdWs version of the headmasters. Its so gruesome and dark science stuff. I just like it the best
I started with one random video, and that lead to another...then I found the playlist. This is pretty good to help explain the lore to newer fans. I'm an old G1er, and have read/watched all of this Transformers material. The one thing I was fuzzy on, was the 13 Primes. You cleared a couple things up for me there. I like how you present the material, and I hit the sub button for more.
I learned all my transformers stuff from chris
"How will the Titans Return Cartoon choose to depict the Headmasters?"
Answer:
They Dooon't!
Probably for the better considering how headscratchingly confusing the explanation would be for established core characters...
@@DonaldWWitt that's not entirely true. We did get Fortress Maximus.
@@disneyboy3030 Yeah, but he wasn't even a headmaster within the cartoon. Heck, Cerebro/Spike/Whatever his name was in this continuity acted more like a minicon.
@@AustynSN you mean emmisary?
This was a huge mistake! They had a great idea and didn't use it! What a waste!!!
You know, the Headmasters are pretty gruesome. They rip off their own heads. That's some Mortal Kombat stuff right there.
Yeah, until you see Targetmasters snap their bodies in half to become guns or Brainmasters pretty much disembowel themselves to form faces for their robot partner. Trust me, it can always get more bonkers.
Not to insult such an old gimmick in the brand's history, but when we've had a franchise that's had tiny transformers that turn into tiny vehicles, engines, weapons, armor and/or all of the above, HEADS seems like it would be the very last in that line. The desperation move. The punchline to a joke. Like, "And now, the greatest transformers of all; REMOVABLE HEADS THAT TURN INTO LITTLE MEN!"
The fiction has of course been able to sell the idea (to a degree), but the whole thing could've gone horribly wrong unfathomably fast.
@@urrsys9765 Hehehehehehehehehehehehe...
FRATERNITY!
I'm not a fan of the concept in case of Cybertronians, but I actually love the idea as human villains attempting to control Cybertronian technology. Exactly because it is gruesome! Henry Masterson from Animated is perfect example of that.
I've been collecting the figures for decades but I've never kept up with the media, these videos are appreciated
All we need now is an episode on the basics of the Powermasters! I am looking forward to that!
I really love Headmasters. I'm so glad they were revisited as a concept with Titans Return. Sure, some of the Titan Masters don't fit properly in their transtectors (my Kup needs his TM to have its head rotated 180* to fit properly), but robots with swappable heads that are ALSO alt-mode pilots are fun.
In most situations I Prefer the Japanese version as it's easier to think about. Although for Titans a Return, I imagine the Titans have a basic personality to help manage their huge bodies, but a Titanmaster can bond and pilot them. Like, Trypticon can be a big dumb dinosaur without Full-Tilt/Necro, but if Terri-Bull or Galvatron or someone were to attach to that slot in the back of his head they would take over.
Headmasteres show are not that geart. It Coz destoyes ceybertorn and killes of optimos again for no resone.
But at end of day traformers g1 ended in rebireth at it every good but still have small flows like couler.
I really actually prefer that idea for titan masters. Really gives the name a bit more meaning
I like how Takara was like screw it just make mechs for transformers.
I love the Nebulan origin. You can draw a straight line of evolution from there to the Maximals and Predacons of Beast Wars.
Combined with the pretender technolgy giving rise to organic alt modes
Screw nebulan , I hated these folks cause it ruin my lige with that concept and I hated season 4 for that, worst are in history 💀👾👾
Henry Masterson in my opinion was the best Headmaster, because not only was he a legitimate threat, he was hilarious while being so. Probably explains why he showed up in one episode in every season.
Rebirth remains my favourite story from G1. It's as gritty as the show got and there's a great showing from the entire main cast of bots.
Well I hated the rebirth, the g1 show was so amazing with season 1, 2, and the movie,them season 3, but I always hated why they ruin part 4 of transformers with that stupidid concept in rebirth and thats why I hated the rest of season 4 , I did love all transformers but I hate therej concept ,sorry if this offends but why count they keep them fully robot technology instead of an órgano bab pilot 💀👾👾
I was really fascinated by the concept put forward in the IDW comics, where the Headmaster "melds" not only physically but mentally with his Transformer partner. There was this one scene where Hunter and Sunstreaker were debating tactics and Hunter was like, "Aren't you really just arguing with yourself at this point?" or something along those lines.
I REALLY wish they had kept those two around. I would have loved more of that. :c
On a different note, could you explain the Brainmasters, please? I know there are four of them, and they feature prominently in Transformers Victory, specifically main character Star Saber.
Like, that one scene where Star Saber drops Jan off at school and has a conversation with the headmistress, but they have to talk on the roof, since Star Saber's body is too big. But I'm watching that scene and I'm like, "hang on, don't you have a man-sized robot in your cockpit? That's your "Brain" right? Why can't you use that body to interact with the humans?" TF Wiki's page on the subject was...less than clear on the subject.
There's not a lot to tell - the origins of the technology was never explained in Victory media, only getting one years later when "Ask Vector Prime" was able to "canonize" the original, planned explanation that didn't get used at the time. The idea is that they were basically "reverse Headmasters" - full-size robots who had their consciousnesses transferred into small robot forms so they could interact with smaller lifeforms. So yes, it'd make perfect sense for Star Saber to do just as you say in that scene, but he doesn't because the Victory cartoon is pretty universally terrible at advertising the play features of the Victory toys. The Multiforce are barely ever shown splitting into their component pairs or swapping positions, the Brainmasters never use their brains, the Crossformers never do anything with their shells, the Dinoforce never transform...
@@ChrisMcFeely I must say that I'm glad of this comment. I'm currently watching Victory and was feeling like I was missing something even after reading the TF Wiki.
Found this video on my random deep dive on HeadMasters this really helped me understand.
"How with the Titans Return cartoon choose to depict the concept?"
Answer: They dont.
That's cool...
And disturbing
I always found it disturbing and freaky as a kid!
I much prefer the Japanese G1 take, the binary bonding stuff always seemed weird and out of place
It's transformers with giant (to them) mecha. What's not to like?
I prefer that as well. It's easier for people to view Headmasters as Tiny Cybertronians that can control vehicles that for larger bodies.
It's certainly a better fit for Headmaster at the very least, as otherwise the body is left a headless Robot.
Binary Bonding works better for power boost combinations where the miniature partner forms a non-essential but useful component like a weapon.
SPDSTRINT
Same i liked how the small bots adapted by building bigger bodys
I know most of these concepts but some of them im finding new and interesting. Please keep them coming.
My favorite version of the Headmasters is the western modern version (shared mind), the gimmick still has a fair explanation that doesn't break what we already think we know about transformers, the Japanese explanation (big vehicle, just the head's alive) really takes away the emotion of watching them battle and hurt each other to survive, and I'm not even going to explain why I wouldn't want lime meaty aliens be the heads of my boys
Stupid organic aliens, dude there freaken robots, they dont need a organic being to survive, there made of metal and cybertronian stuff, I rather fully robots like the jg1,titans return and idw but with a mix of g1 to make it like it use tobe in g1 when it was great the show
The strangeness of 1980 exploring gross concepts with the popularity of robots, computers and AI concepts of futuristic appeal lead robots to intertwine with human intelligence.
This is the wildest concept in an already wild franchise.
Considering the condition on the world lately, re-watching these has brought me much joy- thanks for doing these! Maybe you answer this later but wasn't there a brain master, like Star Saber? And was Breast Force & extension of the powermaster concept? You really have some awesome videos sir!
Next book to be added to the TTRPG is the Enigma of Combination book! I am wondering if we will get these as part of it, or if they will be a whole book to themselves.
I love headmasters and all the different interpretations over the years!
In 1987 I was already a huge Transformer fan but when the Headmasters were introduced they absolutely blew my mind. I loved them. Bought Brainstorm and Targetmaster Blurr right away.
Man, now I personally want to see a continuity combine Headmasters with Holoforms. So, like, their robot mode is just a standard robot, but their vehicle mode is "driven" by a human-disguised that can drive around and interact with actual humans, taking "robots in disguise" to a whole 'nother lever. So you don't need to worry about working around riderless bikes or cars. Probably too tricky to scale toy-wise, though.
As always, great overview. Your videos are seriously the highlight of my subscription feed.
That's early IDW you're describing, there! In the first few years of IDW's comics, the Autobots used solid-light "holomatter" avatars to "drive" their vehicles, and to move around and interact with the human world, even able to project them across moderate distances, so they could physically "be" places their robot forms couldn't go!
Glad you're enjoying the series! :)
I like the idea of the pilots being minicons with hologram disguises.
Thank you for reminding me that I still need to read the IDW comics.
And they combine with regular-size bots GATTAI style?
Actually, they're describing what some fans I know call the 'reverse Headmaster' process...instead of a little bot combining and controlling the larger one, it's a large bot that can eject a little one that runs around and can do human-scaled stuff. (there's one fanfic I know that had Optimus Prime doing this after Hi-Q died of old age..while scientists reversed the Powermaster process on his main body, he basically went on vacation and toured the world disguised as a human).
I think the best course of action would be to marry the 2 ideas together
A small cybertronian transforms into the head for a transtechtor and this can be replicated with a mech suit for humans/nubulons who want to help
Good idea. Why marvel go so far though...
I have no head...I have no head....I have, oh wait, here it comes!
I discovered the Japanese Headmasters cartoon in 2006 but didn't watch it til last year. I love the concept and can't wait to see 3rd party versions of the Targetmasters.
What completely killed any chance of my ever being able to watch or enjoy that was "mechaZarak". To this day I can't begin to fathom what possessed them to do that.
My favorite gimmick in all of Transformers.
My FIRST Transformer that I had (when I was only 3- in 1987) was G1 Cromedrome.
I've also got the Titan's Return Fortress Maximus
Fantastic Video Chris!
I really like the Takara approach:
Smaller Transformers piloting larger bodies, all with just one mind.
For me, it’s the most straight-forward & least ridiculous of all the other versions.
Same.
Ironic that Japan created the less convoluted approach.
This explains Cogman’s size, wondered why he was so tiny.
I have always loved the nebulan/human bonded with an open enough mind to accept new species and even sub cybertronian species like a minicon to bond as well. I even have a fun mental game of inserting my self into a story as a head of Jetfire like Transformer (in his original design lost to Macross/Robotech) and even use a cyclone from the other show with 2 other partners a weapon and an engineer as the engine.
Perfectly done! I definitely learned a few things here.
I love the titans return line. I got overlord and skyshadow and soundwave and trypticon and I have such a huge decepticon base. I have some of those 4 dollar titan masters with tiny vehicles they can attach to and those vehicles and titan master all over it makes it look so cool. I also have blaster, Super Ginrai and god bomber and Fortress Maximus and I put blocks under Fortress Maximus’s legs to hold them up like skyscrapers and the titan masters over the huge base is just awesome. Titans return is my favorite toy-line from the past years it’s just so much fun.
FINALLY, after 20 years, I found you Headmasters!
I prefer the idea little robots that control a bigger body. It just makes more sense and is a little more sane than the 2 beings become one idea
I like the small organic creature route.
It's intresting in a weird way.
I wish the idea of two fundamentally diffrent creatures bonded and forced to have a partnership was explored more.
Very well done story. As a kid I liked the headmaster g1 version although i never had any of the figures unfortunately. But I also liked the powermaster line of which I had a few of those figures. I like both concepts. The other concepts you brought up i also thought were interesting
Silly as the concept was. I think it's great that we finally got to see the Headmasters concept come back. Great work Chris.
I'm a simple man, I see headmasters I click
Loving these 'basics'! Great job! And, thank you.
I like the Japanese style of Headmasters technology and I plan to feature many classic ones in my fanfiction along with all the other ones, with a few new spins.
Thank you for making these videos.
5:18 the description of one pilot controlling a big robot body among few things reminds me of Starvengers , and the Shogun Warrirors , Voltron too i guess seemingly too , etc.
When you consider Cybertronians can live for millions of years, pairing them with organic partners never made sense to me due to the limited lifespan of us Humans as an example. They'd be having to switch partners every 20-30 years. Japan handled them better with the smaller robot controlling a larger one.
Daniel, a young boy is paralyzed because of his interactions with transformers. The fix is let’s give him a job where he folds at the waist and becomes the head of a transformer. That story didn’t sit well with me even when I was a child.😂
The idea that the head is a separate character is weird to begin with, and becomes confusing when interchangeability is played up. (In Titans Return, technically nobody is actually associated with their own face.)
I don't know if anyone's ever said it before but with all these episodes so far I'm surprised we have not seen anything on Nemesis Prime / black Convoy / scourge person that's something I would love to see you cover sometime
He's always been in the back of my mind, definitely, there's an interesting history to go through with the concept. If I'd started the series earlier, I'd have done him to coincide with The Last Knight!
Thank’s. This video helped clear a lot of questions about the headmaster
Imagine toy story was real. What would headmasters feel whenever you ripped off their head.
Go one further--the old Powermasters couldn't transform unless you inserted the engine. Would sentient Powermaster toys feel a sort of locked-in syndrome if deprived of their partner?
Oh Christ I do not want to think about that lol
Probably like Mr. Potato Head.
Very likely. They'd basically have to overpower their own joints to force a transformation.
if toy story was real I'm pretty sure my Optimus prime figures would be arguing over leadership of my room
"So I' sez to 'im, you fink I'm gonna tear off me *head* and let some *squishy* live n'it, you got another fink comin'"
---Double Punch, Generation 2: Redux
Ah yes the Titan Masters from Titans Return. All 1 of them.
I know all of this stuff already and yet these videos are still super interesting. Fun nostalgia.
Really wish we got cogman was shown as a headmaster
I think I like the Masterforce version the best. Using the headmaster mechanic to allow humans to work alongside transformers in combination with the pretender mechanic allowing transformers to interact in human spaces was an interesting idea I thought. It would have been great if the story had gone more into those sorts of interactions, and it was a bit disappointing that the transformers basically fell into the background as the humans stepped up as the defenders of Earth. Felt like the resolution of the series didn't quite live up to the set up.
9:07 Did anyone else notice how the Powermaster on the left has googly eyes?
These are very very very entertaining
I found hilarious that Sunstracker, of all the autobots, became a Headmaster in IDW and I wish that someday we can have a Sunstracker headmaster toy!
In my head canon in G1 Headmasters were actually Micromasters refit to control larger bodies built by Shockwave. Since they couldn't make new transformer lives they reused the micromasters to make Frontline soldiers who could take a beating and abandon their bodies if need be.
As a kid, I used to love the bracelet-wearing ones, since you could pretend to have those bracelets. Harder to pretend that you’re a robot than a person inside a robot body.
And Ginrai (basically Optimus Prime but as a Power Master) was cool as hell! In fact, I was watching the show in a Ukrainian dub, and they ended up naming the guy Optimus Best (that’s how they translated Prime in those shows, since the word doesn’t have a direct translation). Naturally, I knew who Optimus Prime was from Gen 1, but my first instinct was “who names their kid Optimus Best?” Yes, now I know his actual name is Ginrai, but didn’t know that back then (no internet access and no Wikipedia).
I just realized something. The titan masters, the ones with special powers, are the bionicle masks of transformers.
Awesome video. I have a G1 Headmaster Fortress Maximus and g1 hot rod Targetmaster. I love them thanks for the information.
*The takara way to use smaller humans who control lifeless big transforming shell-robots, is pretty much how it is often portrayed in japan. They often 'work' in that way. I do not remember the names, but I've seen quite some cartoons and 'live action' (power ranger style) cartoons that functioned that way. I think, on the other hand, what hasbro liked and introduced with the transformers was more the idea that the robost themselves were the persons in control, just as they had originally changed the transformers from lifeless robots from japanese diaclone toys towards the "living" transformers with their own personalities we know today*
Binary bonding, to me, doesn't make sense once you want to move on from the "advantage" that a Transformer can become two units. For starters if the alternate mode doesn't have any offensive weaponry, as was the case with many of the Autobots, then the Transformer would still need the head in robot mode to be able to deal damage. Then we start entering into more philosophical discussions about loss of autonomy and privacy.
Transtectors is the only concept that makes sense to me when it comes to Headmasters.
Back in day, I used to know a "HEADMASTER" her name was Laurie (; lol
Yesss I know a lot of this stuff and yet i still love yo watch your videos
Jonas Nagel your stupid hat and open mouth though
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I am always entertained watching your THE BASICS videos Chris. Can you please do a basics video on Quickswitch? Can you please also do a basics video on the Transformers Generations toy line? Once again, thank you for a great video. :D
I love the Headmasters concept! It works no matter which version you use! My version of Headmasters works the same except I use female humans, humanoids, aliens, and animals(all female) as the Titan Masters(the robots' heads)!
Interestingly, the concept of characters transforming into robot heads were reused in the Bomberman B-Daman Bakugaiden Victory toyline (a subline of B-Daman), where Bomberman characters would transform into the head of giant marble shooting mechs by the name of B-Da armors, even going as far as to reuse the phrase "head on".
Taking into account that the toys of this line all could transform into an alt mode (albeit very simple), it'd seem as though Takara reused concepts from Transformers when making this new subline.
This was totally awesome! I'm a huge Transformers fan!
Love the transtector, as it can give action use to humans, MasterForce is an amazing anime! The bound looks like works fine for power/god masters. Saddly the head change in the add would be great, but the toys cant hide their heads and put another one, close to this only super link omega supreme, his neck had eyes! I do love galvatron titan, cause his head is megatron and for me make all the sense, make galvatron a super mode to mega!
Fortress Maximus is a bit of a special case, he's so big that instead of just having a headmaster that becomes his head, he's got a smaller transformer called Cerebro that transforms into his head, and Cerebro has a headmaster that transforms into his head. I am not sure if any other transformer does this.
Another great Video man! Always Looking forward to these videos. Still gotta watch that Terrocon video though :/
I'd make a joke about Headmasters, but it'd probably make your head spin.
In terms of design, the only real issue with the Headmasters figures was that the toy was kind of ruined if the small robot accessory was lost. Targetmasters didn't have that problem. And technically neither did Powermasters, since it was still possible to unlock the figure's robot mode without the little engine being inserted.
Awesome awesome work just found your channel keep up with the great work
To be completely honest...I never really liked the idea of Headmasters. It just feels... WEIRD. I mean, it's nice that a transformer gets a "battle partner", but when this battle partner becomes vital to complete the transformer's full robot mode, as the battle partner becomes the robot mode's head...idk, it feels more like a hindrance than an advantage, as them being separated from each other means that the transformer is without a head, and thus with a disadvantage. At least with Targetmasters, the transformer still has his / her full body, and when separated from their targetmaster, they can still fight bare handed, or with any other weapon in their disposal. If anything, I feel like only big transformers like Fortress Maximus and G1 Scorponok work with the idea of the headmasters, as they are so massive and powerful that, unlike more common transformers, they aren't needed all the time on the battle field, and their battle partners being separated from them means that there will be less of a risk that the fully formed robots might be taken over or brainwashed by the enemy. That's just my opinion, though.
With titans return I personally like the single mind concept, and the standalone Titan masters increase the power much more than the regular partnered headmasters
I really like the idea of a human being able to transform
I see you as becoming the Nobbel of the Transformers fandom. If you keep this up for months and years, your channel will be the lore spot.
I stopped digging into Transformers lore about ten years ago, and for some reason have been reading more into it lately.
Thanks to last year’s Retro Headmasters with the original headmaster names. I hope I get them all(except Fortress Maximus) before the end of the year.
I go for the single mind concept. The concept from the G1 comic book line from Marvel is my favorite. I gotta question, has Gallen appeared n any other media yet?
Briefly in IDW's Kirby-style "Transformers vs. G.I. Joe" comic, in his traditional role as Fortress Maximus's head-within-a-head. Aside from that, you've gotta get into fan-club-exclusive stuff for even a mention.
Thanks!
I recently re-bought some old Transformers UK annuals that I'd had as a kid, and was actually rather thrown by the text story about how humans get turned into Headmasters. It was like something out of Cronenberg. No wonder our generation is fucked up!
Make one about target masters please
I love how Headmasters were the prototypes of the Minicons
I like a blend of the 2
Organic beings in a exosuit and have an extended robot body that they entirely control
Maybe humans and nebulons no longer wanting to be useless so some one like wheel jack or ratchet whips something up for a few of them
Maybe even hijack a few decepticons every now and then just to troll them
Honestly I like the japanese version more. Less odd implications.
“how will the titans return cartoon represent the technology?” so, funny story! it didnt
2:58 Why does Fort Max have Cerebros' head in the one comic panel?
Short answer: because Headmasters is JAMMED with errors like that. Often the Nebulon parnter is drawn in place of the robot, or the wrong robot entirely is drawn, because there were SO many new character models and the artist couldn't keep them straight.
Longer answer: Cerebros didn't actually exist at that point in the story, only being created a few issues later as part of an upgrade to make Max bigger. But, the character model artwork for Galen/Spike showed the Cerebros head mode as his alternate mode, so, not knowing any better, the artist would draw Galen transforming into Cerebros's head... which would then attach to Fortress Maximus. It's not SUPPOSED to look that way - it's not what's actually happening in-universe, it's just an error, and Max would usually then be drawn with his normal head design right after Heading-On.
The Headmasters mini is one of the best things Budiansky wrote after the first year of the comic, but artistically it's... yeah.
Now time to cover the targetmasters, powermasters ;)
**puts on headmaster suit**
**breaks every bone in my body while turning into a head**