Read from CBR:
Transtech was an intended sequel to Beast Machines, building upon the tremendous changes that took place in the show's finale. It also had the coolest array of concept art made in preparation, hinting at a bizarre cyberpunk aesthetic that would have redefined Transformers. Unfortunately, the series never came to be, though its unique designs did inspire several robots in disguise down the line.
Scheduled to its roll-out in 2001, Transtech would have built upon the radical design schematics that began in Beast Wars. That series notably combined the Transformers with seemingly organic beast modes -- a massive departure from Generation 1's robotic beasts such as Grimlock and the other Dinobots. This "fleshy" aesthetic translated into robot mode, with even the robotic elements having a more rounded, biomechanical look reminiscent of Japanese anime such as The Guyver. The Transmetals inverted this concept with metallic beast modes and more organic robot modes, whereas the Transmetal 2 upgrade was a painfully asymmetrical fusion of the two. Beast Machines continued this with the unorthodox looking (but completely robotic) Vehicons and the more animalistic Maximals who were meant to be a perfect balance between nature and technology.
With Transtech, the Transformers were going to once again pull from anime and insectoid mecha designs, as shown in Draxhall Jump's concept art. Optimus Prime, evoking Optimus Primal, would've had a Cybertronian truck alternate mode, though the grill had a design resembling a gorilla's face. Likewise, Cheetor was a transforming race car with a cheetah-print paintjob, otherwise eschewing his more animalistic original alt-mode. It was largely meant to evoke the new technorganic Cybertron seen in the previous series' finale, even if actual organic components seem to have been abolished.
Several characters returned from Beast Machines and even Generation 1, including new versions of Starscream and Shockwave. The design for the latter both dramatically changed the original version while still oddly recreating it, emphasizing a strange "return to form" after the many changes of the preceding series'. Sadly, none of these designs ever graced the small screen or the toy aisle, with the Beast Machines follow-up ultimately canceled.
Transtech was an intended sequel to Beast Machines, building upon the tremendous changes that took place in the show's finale. It also had the coolest array of concept art made in preparation, hinting at a bizarre cyberpunk aesthetic that would have redefined Transformers. Unfortunately, the series never came to be, though its unique designs did inspire several robots in disguise down the line.
Scheduled to its roll-out in 2001, Transtech would have built upon the radical design schematics that began in Beast Wars. That series notably combined the Transformers with seemingly organic beast modes -- a massive departure from Generation 1's robotic beasts such as Grimlock and the other Dinobots. This "fleshy" aesthetic translated into robot mode, with even the robotic elements having a more rounded, biomechanical look reminiscent of Japanese anime such as The Guyver. The Transmetals inverted this concept with metallic beast modes and more organic robot modes, whereas the Transmetal 2 upgrade was a painfully asymmetrical fusion of the two. Beast Machines continued this with the unorthodox looking (but completely robotic) Vehicons and the more animalistic Maximals who were meant to be a perfect balance between nature and technology.
With Transtech, the Transformers were going to once again pull from anime and insectoid mecha designs, as shown in Draxhall Jump's concept art. Optimus Prime, evoking Optimus Primal, would've had a Cybertronian truck alternate mode, though the grill had a design resembling a gorilla's face. Likewise, Cheetor was a transforming race car with a cheetah-print paintjob, otherwise eschewing his more animalistic original alt-mode. It was largely meant to evoke the new technorganic Cybertron seen in the previous series' finale, even if actual organic components seem to have been abolished.
Several characters returned from Beast Machines and even Generation 1, including new versions of Starscream and Shockwave. The design for the latter both dramatically changed the original version while still oddly recreating it, emphasizing a strange "return to form" after the many changes of the preceding series'. Sadly, none of these designs ever graced the small screen or the toy aisle, with the Beast Machines follow-up ultimately canceled.
