Starting in spring of 2005, Speed Planet (the year, incidentally, in which 1985's Transformers: The Movie was set), Cartoon Network, Hasbro and Takara continue the storyline begun in Transformers Armada and continued in Transformers Energon.
Transformers Cybertron, Speed Planet (Transformers Galaxy Force in Japan) begins on, you guessed it, the Transformers' home planet of Cybertron, which is in danger of impending destruction from an enormous black hole created by the destruction of Unicron in Transformers Energon. To save it, the Autobots launch an interplanetary search for four "Cyber Planet Keys", which of course the Decepticons are after as well. These Keys will unlock Cybertron's ability to transform itself, Unicron-style, and stop the black hole from destroying the entire universe.
Hey, it's something to do.
The Toys
The Transformers Cybertron toys are designed as progressively more alien and futuristic than those in the Armada and Energon lines. All the larger toys will include at least one (non-transforming) Cyber Planet Key which can be inserted into the Transformer and unlock special weapons, similar to the Mini-Cons from Armada. Most Transformers are associated with (originate from) a particular world--Earth Planet, Speed Planet, Jungle Planet, or Air Planet--or else they are "Universal", associated with all planets equally.
Several characters, mainly the most popular Autobots and Decepticons, return from the earlier toy lines return in new incarnations--as always, Hasbro is limited to names of the Transformers whose trademark has not expired.
- Supreme Class - electronic lights and sounds, two Cyber Planet Keys, about $50 retail
- Decepticon Starscream, Earth Planet (grey/red jet)
- Leader Class - electronic lights and sounds, triple-change modes, about $40 retail
- Autobot Optimus Prime, Earth Planet (red/grey truck) - trailer combines with Optimus Prime robot to create flight mode
- Decepticon Megatron, Earth Planet (grey/purple racecar or jet)
- Ultra Class - about $25 retail
- Autobot Jetfire, Earth Planet (white/green transport jet)
- Decepticon Scourge, Jungle Planet (black/red/gold dragon)
- Autobot Leobreaker, Jungle Planet (tan/grey lion)
- Decepticon Mudflap, Earth Planet (blue/purple missile truck)
- Voyager Class - about $20 retail
- Autobot Vector Prime, Speed Planet (white/maroon spaceship) with Mini-Con Safeguard, Speed Planet (grey superjet)
- Decepticon Crumplezone, Speed Planet (dark green/green racecar)
- Deluxe Class - about $10 retail
- Autobot Hot Shot, Speed Planet (blue/yellow sports car)
- Decepticon Thundercracker, Earth Planet (grey/blue fighter jet)
- Decepticon Dirt Boss, Speed Planet (purple/green monster truck)
- Autobot Landmine, Earth Planet (yellow/brown payloader)
- Autobot Red Alert, Earth Planet (white/blue/red SUV)
- Autobot Override, Speed Planet (red/white racecar)
- Scout Class - about $7 retail
- Autobot Overhaul, Jungle Planet (green/yellow SUV)
- Decepticon Ransack, Speed Planet (red/grey motorcycle)
- Autobot Scattorshot, Earth Planet (blue/yellow armored truck)
- Autobot Clocker, Speed Planet (white/blue/orange sports car)
- Decepticon Hardtop, Earth Planet (green/purple buggy)
- Mini-Cons Jolt (red helicopter), Six Speed (green racecar), and Reverb (blue SUV), Universal - Recon Team
The Cartoon
The cartoon is created almost entirely using 3-D computer graphics, with the exception of the human characters. This is a progression from Transformers Energon which used cel-shaded computer graphics for the Transformers only. Transformers Cybertron will not use cel shading, and whether this is an improvement or not depends on your point of view. (The last Transformers cartoon to rely entirely on computer graphics were the Beast Wars/Beast Machines series.)
Fan opinion on the show is largely mixed. While some applaud the accuracy of the translations, others complain that they're overly dependent on non-American accents to distinguish one voice from another. Upsetting to many is the fact that Cartoon Network began airing the series with the fourth episode and is only showing it once per week, even though the entire series contains 52 episodes.