The Transformers are back on the big screen with the release of Transformers: Dark of the Moon and to mark the occasion, we're looking back at the long history of Transformers on TV – the medium that played a crucial role in elevating the popularity of the "robots in disguise" and has kept them relevant for many generations since. Think you remember every single television version of the Transformers ? There may be a couple that fell off your radar…

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Let's face it, this is the Transformers series for the majority of the fans of the characters, and certainly for those who grew up during the 1980s. Unlike Hasbro's other huge toy line at the time, G.I. Joe, where the comic book incarnation is probably considered the most "genuine" version of the story, it's the cartoon that stands out most of all for Transformers fans. Many central conceits simultaneously introduced on the cartoon and in the comic became core elements of the characters in most of the later incarnations. Some of the most notable of these elements are the Transformers' home planet Cybertron; their crash landing on Earth millions of years ago; and the Autobots' friendship with a teenage boy with the last name Witwicky (" Spike " in the cartoon, "Buster" in the comic).The original cartoon also served to make icons out of many of the main characters of the series, including Bumblebee Ravage and more. However, the standouts were probably Megatron Starscream and of course, Optimus Prime . Megatron and Starscream made for a terrific villainous pairing, with the ruthless and evil Megatron (voice over veteran Frank Welker ) constantly fending off the power hungry plotting of Starscream (voiced by Chris Latta, who would also become very familiar as the voice of Cobra Commander on G.I. Joe). As for Optimus Prime, as silly as it sounds, the giant robot who could transform into a truck became a huge hero for kids, who loved to see his brave acts and hear the comforting voice of Peter Cullen intoning "Autobots, transform and roll out!"The impact of this series can be seen in echoes throughout the current live-action Transformers movies, which are filled with a ton of recognizable elements, including Shia LeBouf's character Sam Witwicky, a variation on the cartoon's Spike Witwicky . And fan demand went a long way towards ensuring that the man who is Optimus Prime to most Transformers fans, Peter Cullen, would reprise his role in the films.If nothing else, you have to treasure a TV show that has the line "Grab onto your crankshaft, I'm shifting into overdrive."

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Following the end of the U.S. Transformers series in 1987, a new animated series entitled Transformers: Headmasters began airing exclusively in Japan. The series picked up where the third season left off -- the U.S. show's abbreviated fourth season, "The Rebirth" story arc, didn't air in Japan. The titular Headmasters in the Japan series differed from the ones introduced in the U.S. series' fourth season; in the Japan version the Headmasters were made up of Cybertronians who left Cybertron years ago and settled on a planet called Master. To survive in Master's harsh climate, the Cybertronians built large bodies called Transtectors, to which they attached themselves as heads. Transformers: Headmasters aired for 35 episodes, completing its run in 1988. Fun fact: This series took place in 2011. Welcome to now, suckers!A month after Headmasters completed its run, a new Transformers series started up with the rather ridiculous (when translated to English) title of Transformers: Super-God Masterforce . The series reimagined the Headmasters as human beings who combine with Trastectors to become Transformers, and oddly used recognizable robots from the previous series -- such as the Powermaster version of Optimus Prime -- but making them different characters. In Optimus Prime's case, he was known as Ginrai, a human trucker who would transform into a Prime-like Transformer. Transformers: Super-God Masterforce ran for 42 episodes, ending in 1989.The '80s Japanese Transformers series continued to diverge from the U.S. series in style and story, and hit an apex of totally crazy titles with the 1989 series Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers Victory . Drawn in much more of an anime style and utilizing loads of stock footage and a large number of clip shows, the animation quality of Transformers: Victory (as the series is commonly referred to by fans) left a bit to be desired. The series ran for 38 episodes, finishing its run in December 1989.

The Japanese-exclusive run of late '80s animated series ended in 1990 with the extremely short-lived (and disappointingly boring-named) Transformers: Zone, which aired just one episode before being cancelled. Zone focused mainly on the Micromasters Transformers.