Super Life-Form Transformers: Beast Wars Neo Explained

is a 1999 Japanese animated television series Transformers franchise. It serves as a sequel to the preceding series Beast Wars II.^{[1] [2]} The production of the series involved NAS, TV Tokyo, and Ashi Productions. Hozumi Gōda reprised his role as Lio Convoy from Beast Wars II in this series. Each episode has a runtime of approximately 30 minutes and was broadcast in the standard 4:3 aspect ratio.

Plot

The series centers on the conflict between the Maximal and Predacon factions over the control of mysterious Angolmois Capsules. Big Convoy, a "one-man army," is tasked with teaching a group of young recruits to confront Magmatron's group. As the series progresses, both factions ultimately unite to combat the dark god Unicron and his sub-group, the Blentrons.

Characters

This is a list of characters from the 1999 anime series Super Life-Form Transformers: Beast Wars Neo. As a direct sequel to Beast Wars II, Beast Wars Neo follows a group of young Maximals, led by Big Convoy, as they traverse the galaxy to prevent Magmatron's Predacons and Unicron's Blentrons from collecting capsules containing Angolmois Energy.

Main

• Maximals - Descendants of the Autobots.
  • Big Convoy - A Convoy warrior known for his immense power and tendency to engage in battles alone, earning him the reputation of a "one-man-army." Despite his preference for solitude, he is tasked by the supercomputer Vector Sigma and the Convoy Council on to lead a group of young Maximals on a mission to retrieve the Angolmois Capsules before Magmatron and later Unicron can claim them. Big Convoy transforms into a woolly mammoth and wields the Big Cannon.
  • Longrack - The group's sub-commander, known for his aggressive strictness and talkative nature. He transforms into a giraffe and is skilled at tinkering with machines. In combat, he uses the Arm Shot and Crush Arm attacks.
  • Colada - A cold, quick-tempered, and arrogant Maximal who transforms into a cobra. His powers and personality make him favor dry climates.
  • Stampy - A cheerful but cowardly Maximal triple-changer, often frustrating his teammates. He transforms into a domestic white rabbit and a pair of scissors. Stampy has enhanced hearing, speed, and intelligence-gathering abilities.
  • Break - A bold, temperamental, and tidy Maximal who transforms into a penguin. He excels in cold environments, cares deeply for his teammates, and can launch the destructive Break Anchors from his right arm.
  • Heinrad - An easy-going, sociable, yet mischievous and unmotivated Maximal who transforms into a tanuki. He has a clock on his body that allows him to freeze time for 30 seconds, though this drains his energy.
  • Mach Kick - A rowdy and free-spirited Maximal, formerly the second-in-command of the Thoroughbred Corps, who transforms into a black horse. He joins Big Convoy's team after losing his original team to the Predacons. Mach Kick admires Big Convoy and often clashes with his friend Longrack. In battle, he can perform the Elastic Hand attack and wields the Tail Tomahawk.
• Predacons - Descendants of the Decepticons.
  • Magmatron - The leader of the Predacons, who declares himself the "Emperor of Destruction." He seeks the Angolmois Capsules to eradicate all life in the universe. Magmatron can split into three dinosaur forms—Landsaurus (giganotosaurus), Skysaurus (quetzalcoatlus), and Seasaurus (elasmosaurus)—and recombine into the chimeric Magmasaurus. When the Blentrons' goal of resurrecting Unicron threatens his plans, he attempts to destroy them, losing the loyalty of his crew in the process.
  • Guiledart - Magmatron's ambitious right hand, tactician, and engineer who supports reason. He transforms into a triceratops, performs the Thunder Horn Blast attack, and wields the Tail Shooter gun.
  • Saberback - A mysterious, crafty, and dishonest Predacon who enjoys tormenting Sling. He transforms into a stegosaurus and wields the Triple Claw talons, which can fire lasers when fully powered.
  • Sling - A cowardly and immature Predacon who often complains when belittled by other Predacons. He transforms into a dimetrodon, can disguise himself as a flower, and wields the Tail Bunker and Sling Shield.
  • Dead End - A cool-headed, solitary, and cruel Predacon soldier who can transform into an ammonite. He performs the Spiral Bomb attack and wields the Dead Gun in battle.
  • Archadis - A cunning, vain, talkative, and snobbish Predacon who transforms into an archaeopteryx. In combat, he wields the Wing Gundreads fully automatic cannons, Wing Bombs, and the Founder Shot.

Recurring

• Navi - The Maximals' navigational computer.
• DNAVI - The Predacons' dragonfly-shaped navigational computer.
• Unicron - A disembodied cosmic entity seeking to restore his body through Angolmois Energy. By possessing the body of the deceased Predacon commander Galvatron, Unicron commands the chimeric Blendtrons to gather the Angolmois Capsules, aiming to transform Cybertron into his new body. Despite nearing success, Unicron is thwarted by Big Convoy and Lio Convoy.
• Blendtrons - Transformers created by Unicron, each with a chimeric beast mode, to serve his purposes.
  • Drancron - A Blendtron that transforms into an iguana/dragonfly chimera, armed with the Drancutter, Clap Missiles, and Lizard Claws.
  • Elphorpha - A brutal Blendtron that transforms into a killer whale/elephant chimera, noted for enhanced strength, acid production, and ceiling adhesion, and wields the Killer Tusks and Killer Shooter.
  • Ratorarta - A vicious Blendtron that transforms into a lionfish/hornet chimera, equipped with the Poison Arrow, Dust Hornet, and Lato Thrasher.

Guest

• Rockbuster - An efficient and pragmatic Maximal vigilante transforming into a crab. Initially worked with Big Convoy before a falling out due to their solitary natures, now operates independently of the Convoy Council. In battle, he utilizes his durable shell for enhanced endurance and wields the Claw Buster and Crush Claw weapons.
• Randy - A dedicated, patient, and honest yet reckless Maximal soldier-for-hire who transforms into a wild boar and uses the Charge Buster.
• Sharp Edge - A dedicated and honorable yet unpredictable Maximal soldier who transforms into a sawshark. He prides himself on his combat abilities and wields the Diamondtail blade.
• Bump - A reserved and solitary Maximal transforming into a giant armadillo, noted for enhanced strength, shell-like skin, and a lightning-fast draw-and-fire technique.
• Survive - A Maximal assault commander who transforms into a black bear and utilizes a bat-like reconnaissance scout called True One. He often disagrees with Big Convoy's solitary approach and aims to encourage more teamwork.
• Killerpunch - A sneaky and deceitful yet gullible Predacon intelligence operative obsessed with laying traps. He transforms into a styracosaurus and performs the Head Punch attack, which has homing capabilities.
• Hydra - An overly friendly Predacon seeking companionship and Magmatron's approval. After being stationed at a remote Predacon outpost, he befriended a maid droid and became overprotective of it. He transforms into a pteranodon and wields the Wing Shot.
• Crazybolt - A duplicitous Predacon escapologist known for rambling. He transforms into a frilled lizard and wields a rifle capable of destroying starships.
• Bazooka - A serious, single-minded, and honorable Predacon transforming into an euoplocephalus, known for the Gigaton Stamp attack.
• Hardhead - A simple-minded yet tough Predacon warrior who transforms into a pachycephalosaurus and wields the Pilesaber blade.
• Lio Convoy - The leader of a Maximal unit who seemingly sacrificed himself to defeat Predacon leader Galvatron and disperse the Angolmois Capsules across the universe in Beast Wars II. Though presumed dead, Lio Convoy was transported back in time, learned of Angolmois Energy's origins, and returned to the present to assist Big Convoy in defeating Unicron.

Toy line

The toy line for Beast Wars Neo includes exclusive figures initially available only in Japan. Some of these figures were later accessible to international fans through the Hasbro online store or were reintroduced in subsequent series, often repainted and remolded. Notably, the Transformers: Universe release of Nemesis Prime was a repaint of Big Convoy by Hasbro. This figure was released in Australia as an exclusive item and as a Target exclusive in the United States. Additionally, it was repainted again for the Ultra Mammoth, a Transformers Collectors Club exclusive figure. Magmatron also became a Target exclusive. Various other figures from the Beast Wars Neo line were introduced in the United States as repaints for different lines.

Theme Songs

• Opening

1. 1. • Lyricist: Yoshiaki Ochi / Composer: Yoshiaki Ochi / Arranger: Yoshiaki Ochi / Singers: M.C.R.

• Ending

1. 1. • Lyricist: Hitomi Yuki / Composer: Hitomi Yuki / Arranger: Hitomi Yuki / Singers: Hitomi Yuki

• Insert Song

1. "DA DA DA"
   • Lyricist: Yoshiaki Ochi / Composer: Yoshiaki Ochi / Arranger: Yoshiaki Ochi / Singers: M.C.R.

Episodes

	Title	Written by	Original airdate

External links

• Official Ashi Productions website
• Official NAS website
• TV Tokyo listing
• Official Ashi Productions website

Notes and References

1. News: The History of Transformers on TV. IGN. 2010-08-14.
2. News: A brief history of the Transformers. Malaysia Star. 2010-10-09.