Transformers: Live Action vs Animated

Transformers: Live Action vs. Animated

Welcome to WatchMojo, and in this installment of Versus, we’re pitting the live-action Transformers against the animated Transformers to determine which side is the best of the franchise.

We’ll be looking at everything from fights, to designs, to quality of the stories. Since we’ll be doing an in-depth look at various Transformers movies and TV shows, we’re rolling out a spoiler warning.

Which side are you on? Let us know in the comments below!

Round #1: Action Sequences

If there’s one thing that the live-action Transformers have become known for, it’s their fights. Not only are there gigantic explosions in every one of these movies(seriously, is there some quota that Michael Bay needs to hit?). There are also epic battles that leave you glued to the screen. Whenever the Autobots and the Decepticons face off, it’s always an absolute visual spectacle. And the fights only seem to level up in intensity with each new movie. Remember Optimus Prime fighting Megatron in the first film? By the fifth, he’s entering the battlefield on a dragon!

While most of the action sequences from live-action come at you at a mile a minute, the animated ones are a little different. With animation, a lot of the action is rooted not only in the smashing and tumbling, but also in the emotion and drama. Sure, there are tons of fights where the fate of entire planets is at stake. But for about as many of those, there are also smaller-scale duels where the stakes are much more personal. The action sequences are visually interesting, emotionally-charged, and incredibly varied. Like, did you know Starscream and Knockout once got chased by Terrorcon zombies in “Transformers: Prime?”

It’s a close call between these two. Both have numerous iconic action sequences, but we just have to go live-action. There’s something about seeing these epic clashes in a real-world setting that we can never really get enough of. Like Bumblebee and Optimus fighting on the frontlines of Cybertron, or Optimus fighting three Decepticons in the forest. Scenes that would look cool in animation are outright unforgettable in live-action.

WINNER: Live-Action 1 / Animated 0

Round #2: Heroes

The live-action Autobots have good intentions, but they’re not exactly angels. For starters, the Autobots, despite being the good guys, are pretty ruthless. Optimus himself is no exception. They kill Decepticons, level buildings, and despite saving the day, leave entire cities wrecked. And while Optimus and Bumblebee are the Autobot all-stars, a lot of the others are kind of just background characters. Sure, they have other Autobots, but they hardly ever feel like their own characters. They’re just sort of there. Besides the Autobots, live-action has other heroes in the form of human protagonists. But when you want to watch a franchise about alien robots, the humans tend to just feel more like distractions.

The animated Transformers, on the other hand, are able to bring a whole other level of complexity to their heroes. The Autobots have totally fleshed-out characters. With their own personalities, goals, and storylines. So many of them get time to shine as heroes. You’re not just watching the adventures of Optimus and Bumblebee. You’re getting a wide variety of characters like Ultra Magnus, Arcee, and Ratchet. Just to name a few. And in “Transformers: Prime,” new Autobot recruit Smokescreen grapples with the possibility of becoming the next Prime. Similar to live-action, humans do pop up sometimes in animation. But they hardly overstay their welcome. As the focus always remains specifically on the Transformers.

Live-action has great heroes in Optimus and Bumblebee. Optimus’ speeches alone are the stuff of legend and you can’t not love Bumblebee. But if you ever want to see more Autobots getting to be heroes, then live-action probably isn't the right fit. We’re going with animated on this one. As the Autobots are just given more. More variety, more stories, more fun!

WINNER: Live-Action 1 / Animated 1

Round #3: Villains

With villains, live-action has had some cool selections. They haven’t just relied on the Decepticons. In “Age of Extinction,” we were introduced to the bounty hunter Lockdown. Who’s not like all the other Transformers because he’s neutral. “Age of Extinction” also had some human threats. Like Harold Attinger, leader of a Transformers-hunting group called Cemetery Wind (that’s a creative name alright). And we also can’t forget Quintessa from “The Last Knight,” the sorceress who created Optimus Prime! All in all, the live-action movies were pretty versatile with their choices of villains.

Several of the animated shows introduced powerful enemies. Like Overlord, a living, breathing, Decepticon superweapon from “Titans Return.” And Trypticon, the Kaiju-esque Transformer from “The Transformers” (that’s right, robot Godzilla). And for the end all be all, look no further than Unicron! Sure, he’s also been teased in “The Last Knight.” But we doubt any live-action adaptation could do this reality-shattering god of Transformers justice. It’s not just about having awesome portrayals of terrifying villains. The animated shows were also able to dive into some iconic relationships. Like the classic power dynamic between Megatron and the cowardly throne-seeking Starscream portrayed beautifully in “Transformers: Prime.”

Live-action may have introduced some awesome antagonists, but they’ve still barely scratched the surface of epic threats. And they’ve arguably dropped the ball with their most important villain: Megatron. Sure, he has an amazing debut, and he evokes total fear into everyone around him. But after the first movie, this “leader” has constantly ended up playing second fiddle to someone else! Needless to say, Megatron in animation doesn’t bow down that much. We’re going with animated for this round.

WINNER: Live-Action 1 / Animated 2

Round #4: Designs

The Bay films had the tall order of adapting the designs of the Transformers for live-action. Setting the tone for how the new wave of fans would perceive them for years to come. No pressure. The designs created were largely sleeker. And pretty cool! In every iteration, Megatron looks terrifying and Optimus looks larger than life. And with the growing capabilities of CGI, we got some really amazing visuals. The designs might not have always been the most accurate at first, but you can’t say they weren’t memorable. And with Travis Knight’s “Bumblebee,” we saw designs that retained those classic Generation One qualities while still looking modern.

The animated Transformer designs tend to be about as accurate as you can get. Sure, sometimes they’re out there. Like what was going on with Optimus in “Transformers: Cybertron?” But overall, the animated Transformers consistently harken back to the classic designs. First found in the Generation One toyline. Including the first-ever animated Transformers project, “The Transformers,” which fans fittingly dubbed as “Generation One.” Admittedly, sometimes the designs can come across as looking a little bulky. But when you see the Transformers in action, those thoughts quickly flee like Starscream fleeing from the Autobots. To put it simply, the animated Transformers have some purely iconic designs.

It’s another close one! But we’re going to have to give it to live-action. Animation gave us the classic designs. But live-action took that blueprint and managed to update it for newer audiences on a much larger scale. Sometimes designs don’t always have to be an exact one-to-one adaptation.

WINNER: Live-Action 2 / Animated 2

Round #5: Critical Reception

It’s no secret that the live-action movies have been… well, mixed to say the least. Confusing plots, too much focus on the humans, and not-so-subtle product placement. Looking at you Oreo Bot! Unfortunately, the list of issues kind of goes on. The live-action installments have ranged from mediocre to atrocious. The only ones that can really be given a seal of approval are the first “Transformers,” which kickstarted it all, and “Bumblebee,” which seems to be taking the franchise in a new direction. We’re not saying the live-action movies were the worst thing ever. Far from it! They have a certain charm. But they’re probably not getting a 15-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival.

Many of the animated shows were absolute winners. They might not have been given as much mainstream attention as the live-action movies, but that’s no excuse to sleep on these! Several of the animated shows went on to receive major awards. Like “Beast Wars,” with its win at the Daytime Emmy Awards. That’s not the only Emmy Award-winning “Transformers” show either. “Transformers: Prime” won several Daytime Emmy Awards and also earned a nomination for Outstanding Writing in Animation. The animated side of Transformers offered rich stories, intricate characters, and stunning visuals that earned praise from fans and critics alike. That’s no easy task!

The live-action movies have no doubt etched out a spot for themselves in pop culture history. But with panned movies and a continuity that just scrambles our brains, it’s been a bumpy ride. It's hard not to admit that sometimes we just want a little more. We’re guessing you can tell where this is going. Animated shall stand, live-action shall fall!

WINNER: Live-Action 2 / Animated 3