Transformers’ Latest Brutal Optimus Prime Move Was Inspired by a Surprise Anime

WARNING! Spoilers ahead for Transformers #4Transformers writer/artist Daniel Warren Johnson just revealed one notable inspiration for the Robots in Disguise in his current Skybound Entertainment reboot of the series. According to the acclaimed creator, the Energon Universe era of the franchise owes a debt of inspiration to the long-running, beloved anime franchise Mobile Suit Gundam.

The writer/artist of Transformers #4 – colored by Mike Spicer, and lettered by Rus Wooten, in collaboration with Johnson – acknowledged Gundam’s influence in the letters column of the recently released issue.

Referencing the epic moment in the previous issue which saw Optimus Prime rip his own arm off and use it as a weapon, Johnson notes the scene was inspired by the OVA series Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, in which a Gundam pilot is forced to use the disembodied arm of his mech as a weapon in a climactic battle.

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New Transformers Draws Inspiration From A Classic Anime

“That arm-ripping scene is a homage to one of my favorite anime shows of all time, Gundam the O8th MS Team,” Johnson wrote, before further elaborating on the mega-popular Japanese mecha series’ influence on his work: “I wouldn’t be drawing robots as an adult without Gundam, so watch that series if you haven’t yet!!!” Daniel Warren Johnson also noted Gundam’s influence on his YouTube channel, where the writer/artist has been providing “director’s commentary” for each issue of Transformers. There, Johnson cited the Mobile Suit Gudam: The Origin manga, a retelling of the original Gundam series by character designer Yasuhiko Yoshikazu.

“This is the robot art that got me thinking to be able to do a dynamic [Transformers] comic,” Johnson explained of the 12-volume series, expressing his admiration at the way Yoshikazu drew the series’ robot action. “What gave me confidence to try Transformers was to try and make something that looked a little like [Gundam].” Starting in 1979, the Gundam series is one of the biggest franchises in all of Japan, and one of the highest-grossing franchises of all time. Telling the story of a war fought with “mobile suits,” the franchise is notable for pioneering the “real robot” subgenre.

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Gundam stood in stark contrast from previous giant robot shows by treating the mecha as weapons of war as opposed to super-powered heroes. The 08th MS Team, which Johnson specifically paid homage to in Transformers #4, took place in the “Universal Century” continuity of the original series, chronicling the “One Year War” of the future between the forces of the Earth Federation and the outer space colonies of the Principality of Zeon. The parallels between Gundam and Transformers are natural, though Johnson is notably one of the first creators to overtly make this connection explicit.

The 08th MS Team is often cited as one of the very best in the entire Gundam series, and Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin has been highly acclaimed since its original release. In other words, Johnson is certainly pulling from the best the franchise has to offer. Daniel Warren Johnson’s grounded approach gives Transformers the same verisimilitude that made Gundam the most popular giant robot franchise in the world, paying homage to one of the greats with style and panache.

Transformers #4 is on sale now from Skybound Entertainment

Transformers #4
	Writer/Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson Colorist: Mike Spicer Letterer: Rus Wooten Cover Artists: Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer