The Original Transformers

The Original Transformers is the name used by Kid Rhino to market its VHS tapes and Region 1 DVDs of the original The Transformers cartoon.

VHS releases

Four sets of three VHS tapes were released, followed by three individual VHS releases. The tapes released in threes could be purchased individually or in sleeved "Paks" of three.

• The Original Transformers — Volume 1: Prime Threat (September 21, 1999)

Contains two episodes with the theme of Optimus Prime being used against his own troops: "A Prime Problem" and "City of Steel".

• The Original Transformers — Volume 2: Revenge of the Decepticons (September 21, 1999)

Contains two episodes with the theme of crappy stuff happening to Optimus Prime: "The Search for Alpha Trion" and "Dark Awakening".

• The Original Transformers — Volume 3: Programmed for Evil (September 21, 1999)

Contains two episodes with the (loose) theme of Transformers' brains: "Starscream's Brigade" and "Auto Berserk".

The box art features Rodimus Prime and Galvatron despite both episodes pre-dating those two characters' debut.

• The Original Transformers — Volume 4: The Key to Vector Sigma (February 22, 2000)

Contains both episodes of the multi-part story that introduced the Stunticons and Aerialbots: "The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1" and "The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2".

This is the first of the Kid Rhino releases to use "new" artwork for the packaging rather than pre-existing art from the 80s.

• The Original Transformers — Volume 5: Return to Cybertron (February 22, 2000)

Contains two episodes with the theme of Cybertron's ancient past: "War Dawn" and "Forever Is a Long Time Coming".

• The Original Transformers — Volume 6: Evolution Revolution (February 22, 2000)

Contains two episodes with the theme of new types of Decepticons: "Heavy Metal War" and "The Insecticon Syndrome".

• The Original Transformers — Volume 7: The Return of Optimus Prime (June 20, 2000)

Contains both episodes of the multi-part finale to Season 3: "The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1" and "The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2".

• The Original Transformers — Volume 8: Evil Experiments (June 20, 2000)

Contains two episodes with the theme of imprisonment and experimentation: "The Killing Jar" and "Webworld".

• The Original Transformers — Volume 9: Grimlock the Hero (June 20, 2000)

Contains two episodes with Grimlock being a main focus: "Madman's Paradise" and "Grimlock's New Brain".

• The Original Transformers — Volume 10: Megatron's Master Plan (November 7, 2000)

Contains both parts of the titular episode: "Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1" and "Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2".

• The Original Transformers — Volume 11: The Decepticon Possession (November 7, 2000)

Contains two episodes with the theme Scourge getting possessed somehow: "Ghost in the Machine" and "The Burden Hardest to Bear".

• The Original Transformers — Volume 12: Size Matters (November 7, 2000)

Contains two episodes with the theme Transformers being out of scale with their surroundings: "Child's Play" and "Microbots".

• The Original Transformers — Exclusively from Blockbuster (October 10, 2000)

Contains the three-part series premiere, "More than Meets the Eye", as well as the episodes "Aerial Assault" and "Cosmic Rust".

As the name implies, this tape was sold as an exclusive through Blockbuster rental stores.

• The Original Transformers — Kidmongous: Exclusively from Blockbuster (November 28, 2000)

Contains the two parters Dinobot Island and Desertion of the Dinobots plus the single episode S.O.S. Dinobots.

This tape was also an exclusive to Blockbuster stores, as part of their Kidmongous line of exclusive videos, but was a rental only.

Heroes / Villains

The "Heroes" and "Villains" compilations were released simultaneously on VHS and DVD. A problem with the early pressings of the "Heroes" DVD resulted in it being an exact copy of the "Villains" disc. Kid Rhino offered disc replacements to correct the problem.

• The Original Transformers — Heroes: The Rebirth (May 8, 2001)

Contains all three episodes from season 4: "The Rebirth".

• The Original Transformers — Villains: The Ultimate Doom (May 8, 2001)

Contains the titular three-part story arc: "The Ultimate Doom".

DVD releases

• The Original Transformers — First Season Collector's Edition (April 23, 2002)

Collects the three individual Season 1 volume discs as listed below, together with a fourth bonus disc containing various information about and demonstrations of Kid Rhino's restoration process, some commercial bumpers, "outtakes and anomalies", textless title sequences, the script for "Transport to Oblivion", footage shot at BotCon 2001 and an interview with Glen Hallit.

Also comes packaged with two "collectible" oversize reproduction animation cells.

• The Original Transformers — Volume One (April 23, 2002)

Contains episodes 1-5: "More than Meets the Eye" through to "Roll for It".

• The Original Transformers — Volume Two (April 23, 2002)

Contains episodes 6-10: "Divide and Conquer" through to "War of the Dinobots".

• The Original Transformers — Volume Three (April 23, 2002)

Contains episodes 11-16: "The Ultimate Doom" through to "Heavy Metal War".

• The Original Transformers — Season 2 Part 1 (November 26, 2002)

Collects the first four individual Season 2 volume discs as listed below.

• The Original Transformers — Season 2 Part 1: Vol. 1 (November 26, 2002)

Contains episodes 17-23: "Autobot Spike" through to "The Autobot Run".

• The Original Transformers — Season 2 Part 1: Vol. 2 (November 26, 2002)

Contains episodes 24-30: "Atlantis, Arise!" through to "Dinobot Island, Part 1".

• The Original Transformers — Season 2 Part 1: Vol. 3 (November 26, 2002)

Contains episodes 31-36: "Dinobot Island, Part 2" through to "Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2".

• The Original Transformers — Season 2 Part 1: Vol. 4 (November 26, 2002)

Contains episodes 37-40: "Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1" through to "A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court", plus a mistake reel, interviews with Earl Kress, Neil Kaplan and Michael McConnohie and footage from BotCon 2002.

• The Original Transformers — Season 2 Part 2 (April 22, 2003)

Collects the final four individual Season 2 volume discs as listed below.

Also comes packaged with two more "collectible" oversize reproduction animation cells.

• The Original Transformers — Season 2 Part 2: Vol. 5 (April 22, 2003)

Contains episodes 41-47: "The Golden Lagoon" through to "The Gambler".

• The Original Transformers — Season 2 Part 2: Vol. 6 (April 22, 2003)

Contains episodes 48-54: "Kremzeek!" through to "The Girl Who Loved Powerglide".

• The Original Transformers — Season 2 Part 2: Vol. 7 (April 22, 2003)

Contains episodes 55-61: "Hoist Goes Hollywood" through to "Cosmic Rust".

• The Original Transformers — Season 2 Part 2: Vol. 8 (April 22, 2003)

Contains episodes 62-65: "Starscream's Brigade" through to "B.O.T.", plus an interview with Buzz Dixon.

• The Original Transformers — Season 3 Part 1 (October 14, 2003)

Collects the first three individual Season 3 volume discs as listed below.

• The Original Transformers — Season 3 Part 1: Vol. 1 (October 14, 2003)

Contains episodes 66-72: "Five Faces of Darkness" through to "Chaos".

• The Original Transformers — Season 3 Part 1: Vol. 2 (October 14, 2003)

Contains episodes 73-77: "Dark Awakening" through to "Surprise Party".

• The Original Transformers — Season 3 Part 1: Vol. 3 (October 14, 2003)

Contains episodes 78-79: "Madman's Paradise" and "Nightmare Planet", plus PSAs, trailers and footage from OTFCC 2003.

• The Original Transformers — Season 3 Part 2 & Season 4 (March 9, 2004)

Contains episodes 80-98: "Ghost in the Machine" through to "The Rebirth".

Notes

• The bonus disc included with the First Season Collector's Edition DVD set refers to it containing the "Japanese opening", a "Japanese recap" and a "Japanese scene clip". These are not from the Japanese version of the G1 cartoon, but rather are all taken from the Omni Productions dubs of the original Takara-made sequel series, with the "scene clip" being taken from Masterforce, and the "recap" being from Victory. The "opening" is also from Victory, accompanied by the song "Transformer V", which was used by Omni for all three of the Takara sequels.
• The Season 1 set's bonus disc also contains an audio-only easter egg labelled as "The Transformers theme song in Japanese". This is, in fact, the Victory closing theme "Cybertron Banzai".