变形金刚：基础课
The year was 1995, and Transformers was at a turning point. 在1995年 变形金刚来到了一个转折点
Transformers: Generation 2 had failed to breathe new life into the franchise, 变形金刚G2没能给这个品牌带来新的生机
and Hasbro knew a drastic reinvention was required 孩之宝也知道 如果他们不想让这些变形机器人彻底退休 7 if they wanted to avoid retiring the robots in disguise entirely. 就必须要有一次重大变革
几年前 在1991年 孩之宝已经收购了玩具公司肯纳
A few years earlier, in 1991, Hasbro had acquired the toy company Kenner,
肯纳曾负责过70到80年代的那些超级热门玩具线 比如最早的星球大战玩具线
responsible for such mega-hits in the 70s and 80s as the original Star Wars toyline
和 DC 的超能力收藏系列
and DC’s Super Powers Collection,
变形金刚正是被交给了这个分公司
and it was to this subdivision that Transformers was handed,
希望能在此被给予用于1996年的新创意以重振雄风
to be hopefully revitalized with new ideas for 1996.
这集基础课就来讲讲他们开创的变形金刚新纪元——野兽纪元！
These are The Basics on the new era of Transformers that they ushered in… The Beast Era!
我们用“野兽纪元”总体指代变形金刚的
"The Beast Era" is how we collectively refer to the two Transformers series
从1996年持续到2001的两个系列：野兽之战（超能勇士）和兽械争霸（猛兽侠）
that ran from 1996 to 2001: Beast Wars and Beast Machines.
野兽之战引领了什么巨大变化？
The big change that Beast Wars ushered in?
顾名思义 所有人物都变形成动物
Like the name suggests, all the figures turned into animals.
当然 动物替换形态并不是实质上的新想法
Now animal alternate modes weren’t an inherently new idea, of course,
但并不像 G1 里的机器动物 这些野兽战士们是变形成
but rather than the mechanical beasts of Generation 1, the Beast Warriors transformed
有机外貌的动物 这给这个系列带来了一种全新的美学
into organic-looking ones, bringing a whole new aesthetic to the franchise.
从能让这些人偶可动性远超它们祖先的球形关节
From ball-joint construction that made the figures significantly more articulated than their forebears,
到每个玩具独特的动作特征 再到与野兽形态融为一体的武器
to unique individual action features, to integrated weaponry that stored away in Beast Mode,
这个系列把很多创新当作常规标准
the series featured many new innovations as standard.
它还建立起了一种新的秩序感 以前的变形金刚玩具
It also instituted a new sense of order; while past Transformers toy assortments
从没根据任何固定的尺寸级别分类 但是野兽之战引入了递增的“尺寸级别”系统
had never adhered to any set sizes, Beast Wars introduced the system of ascending “size classes” –
基础级 加强级 巨大级 强者级 等等——这个分级系统沿用至今
Basic, Deluxe, Mega, Ultra, etc – that’s still used today.
为了进一步将野兽之战一刀两断地与前身区分开来
Further distinguishing Beast Wars as a cleanbreak from what had come before,
对战的派系并不是博派和狂派
the competing factions were not the Autobots and Decepticons,
而是大多由哺乳动物 禽类和海洋生物组成的由擎天圣领导的
but the heroic Maximals, largely comprising mammals, birds, and marine life,
正义的巨无霸 和威震天领导的
led by Optimus Primal, and Megatron’s Predacons,
取名自G1里的那个动物霸天虎小队
who took their name from the animal-themed Decepticon team from Generation 1,
并且由爬行动物 昆虫 和蛛形纲动物组成的原始兽
and consisted of reptiles, insects, and arachnids.
正如第一个擎天圣和威震天的玩具附带的迷你漫画里所展现
The original intent for the line, as laid out in a mini-comic included with the first
和元年玩具角色简介里所反映的 这条线最初的意图是
Optimus and Megatron toys and reflected in the character bios of the first-year toys,
把这场野兽之战设定在现代地球上展开
was that the Beast Wars would be waged on modern day Earth,
擎天和威震天就是G1里的同名角色
with Optimus and Megatron being the same characters as in Generation 1
但是很快这就随着由创作过世界上第一部半小时 CGI 动画剧集《ReBoot》的加拿大公司
but that soon changed with the advent of the Beast Wars animated series.
Mainframe 娱乐公司出品的野兽之战动画片的到来
Produced in Canada by Mainframe Entertainment, creators of ReBoot,
野兽之战动画片无视了玩具线的设定
the world’s first half-hour CGI cartoon, the Beast Wars animated series ignored the toyline’s set-up
反而把巨无霸和原始兽设定成
and instead presented the Maximals and Predacons as the descendants
来自三百年以后的汽车人和霸天虎的后代
of the Autobots and Decepticons from three hundred years in the future,
他们通过时间旅行滞留在史前地球上了
who became stranded via time-travel on prehistoric Earth.
这个星球被发现有大量能量——变形金刚的主要燃料来源——
The planet proved rich in energon, the Transformers’ primary fuel source –
实际上 太大量了以至于能量的辐射有使巨无霸和原始兽系统过载的威胁
so rich, in fact, that its radiation threatened to overload the Maximals’ and Preadcons’ systems,
迫使他们选用基于当地动物的替换形态
forcing them to adopt alternate modes based on the local animals
这种替换形态的有机“皮肤”可以保护他们的机器人身体
that shielded their robotic bodies with organic “skins.”
野兽之战发行的时候并没有被变形金刚粉丝热烈欢迎
When it launched, Beast Wars was NOT warmly received by Transformers fans.
他们惊愕于这样一个与他们的认知彻底背离的系列
Such a radical departure from everything they knew caused consternation,
导致了臭名昭著的反野兽、挺载具的战斗口号 比如“要卡车不要猴子”
leading to infamous anti-beast, pro-vehicle rallying cries like “TRUKK NOT MUNKY”
但是野兽之战动画将会改变这一切
but the Beast Wars cartoon would change all that.
昂贵的CGI使得让所有角色都加入动画的想法不可能实现
CGI made the notion of including the entire cast of the toyline an impossibly expensive prospect,
所以这个系列反而只在每方安排了五人小队
so the series instead starred only small five-man teams on each side,
随着剧情发展又加入了少量其他角色
adding a handful of additional characters as it progressed.
这种更加集中的描绘导致了更多层次的性格刻画 这让连续的剧情
This tighter focus led to more layered characterisation that, added to serialized plotting
有复杂的故事线和次要情节 这和粉丝以往在美国电视上从变形金刚
with complex story arcs and sub-plots, was unlike anything fans had seen from Transformers
看到的任何东西都不一样
on American television before.
随着诸如原生体和火种之类的变形金刚知识的关键要素第一次被引入
As key elements of Transformers lore like protoforms and sparks were introduced for the first time,
以及这部剧集逐渐和它的前作发展出紧密的联系
and the series grew to build a deep connection with what had come before it,
参考了G1动画和漫威漫画 并且还有
referencing both the Generation 1 cartoon and Marvel comic, and featuring guest appearances
几个G1角色的友情客串 这个系列很快就赢得了粉丝的心
by several Generation 1 characters, fandom was quickly won over.
因为动画成功的影响 玩具线抛弃了它最初的“现代”方案
Reflecting the cartoon’s success, the toyline discarded its original “present day” scenario
并且将其调整为反映动画的设定 但是当然
and adjusted to reflect the show’s setting. But of course,
很快动画就要考虑到玩具线的新情况而做出改变了
soon the cartoon was changing to accommodate the new additions to the toyline.
1998年诞生了“融合变体” 就是野兽形态是两种动物杂种的玩具
1998 brought “Fuzors”, toys with beast modes that were a hybrid of two animals,
还有金属变体 它把玩具的标志性美学特征转变成了变形成机械动物的
and Transmetals, which inverted the toys’ defining aesthetic to organically-styled robots
有机风格的机器人
that transformed into mechanical animals,
并且还有真空镀铬和第三“交通”形态
with vacuum-metalized chrome and tertiary “transport” modes.
在1999年 这两个系列演变成了“金属变体2” 这个系列的玩具把两种形态下的有机和机械美学
In 1999, these evolved into “Transmetals 2,” toys that blended organic and robotic aesthetics
融合成了一种畸形的效果
to monstrous effect in both modes.
这种有机和机械的融合在野兽之战饱受争议的续作
This steady merging of the organic and the technological was taken to its ultimate extreme
兽械争霸当中达到了顶峰
in Beast Wars’ controversial sequel series Beast Machines.
它从1999年持续到2000年 并且让故事发生地回到了被威震天
It ran from 1999 and 2000 and returned the action to a Cybertron successfully conquered
和他的武装兽大军成功统治的塞伯坦
by Megatron and his Vehicon army.
巨无霸被圣贤超级电脑升级成了真正有机机械身体
Upgraded by the Oracle supercomputer to become truly techno-organic –
也就是金属和肉体在分子水平融合
metal and flesh merged at the cellular level
他们被赋予了让这个金属世界恢复有机平衡的职责
– the Maximals were charged with restoring an organic balance to the metal world.
这个系列探索变形的精神层面的这种不常规的路子
Exploring the spiritual side of transformation, the left-field approach of the series
导致引入了一些之前不敢想象的概念 比如变形成植物的变形金刚
led to the introduction of previously-unthinkable concepts like Transformers who could turn into plants,
或者没有机器人形态而是兽变兽的完全有机变形金刚
or wholly-organic Transformers who had no robot modes, but changed from beast to beast.
很不幸 兽械争霸没能取得和他前任一样的成功
Unfortunately, Beast Machines did not find the success its predecessor had.
它的对于很多现在广受喜爱的角色性格的重释当时很难被粉丝接受
Its reinterpretation of many of the now-beloved characters’ personalities sat ill with many fans,
它那非常重要的“有机vs机械”的主题亦如此
as did its over-arcing “organic-versus-technological” theme.
凭着它的野心和智慧 今天它已经被很多事后领悟的人重新审视并喜爱
Ambitious and intelligent, hindsight has led it to be re-evaluated more favourably today,
但它仍然是一个容易引起意见分歧的系列——而当时 它的销量下降
but it still remains a divisive series – and back in the day, with sales falling off,
导致最后一批玩具要么取消 要么拖到了下一条玩具线里
that was enough to see the last batch of toys either cancelled or shuffled into the next toyline,
并且开发名为“超变体”的第三个系列的计划被搁置了
and plans for a third series named “TransTech” to be shelved,
导致野兽的纪元在2001年步入了终结
bringing the era of the Beasts to an end in 2001.
但是故事还没有结束
But the story doesn't end there!
正如日本在G1时期有过独占玩具和动画一样
Just as there had been exclusive toys and cartoons made in Japan
野兽纪元亦是如此 为了填补等待更多美版动画剧集引进
during Generation 1, so too did the same apply to the Beast Era, with new material being created
的空档时期 他们创作了新的素材
as a means of filling for time until more episodes of the American shows were available to import.
这些日版独占的系列记录了遥远未来的
These Japanese-exclusive series charted the adventures
不同的巨无霸和原始兽小队的冒险：
of different Maximal and Predacon teams in the far future:
1998年的野兽之战2让白狮擎天柱的巨无霸和惊破天的原始兽
1998’s Beast Wars II pitted Lio Convoy’s Maximals against Galvatron’s Predacons
在后末世地球上展开对抗
on post-apocalyptic Earth,
而1999年的新野兽之战讲述了猛犸擎天柱的巨无霸部队与炎冲天（帝释天）
while 1999’s Beast Was Neo followed Big Convoy’s Maximal unit as they raced across space
的原始兽横跨宇宙的作战 目的是找回宇宙大帝散落的生命力
against Magmatron’s Predacons to recover the scattered lifeforce of Unicron.
紧接而来的是2000年的 《Car Robots》
These were followed in the year 2000 by Car Robots –
这部动画和野兽纪元时间线的其他部分关系模糊
a show that was vague on its relation to the rest of the Beast Era timeline
——其中惊劫天的原始兽们与火焰擎天柱的汽车人们在现代地球展开冲突
– which brought Gigatron’s Predacons into conflict with Fire Convoy’s Autobots on present-day Earth.
在兽械争霸之后 它成为了仅有三部有过英语译制版的动画之一
After Beast Machines, it would become the only one of the three to be dubbed into English
译注：这里应该有错误，应该有4部译制成了英文的日版动画
被译成了《汽车人战记》
as “Robots in Disguise.”
不像G1里动画和漫画讲述了自己的不同故事
Unlike Generation 1, which had both a cartoon and a comic telling different versions of its story,
动画是野兽纪元里唯一的主要媒介
the cartoons were the only major piece of media for the Beast Era.
同期唯一的漫画是 3H 公司为官方的变形金刚年会 BotCon
The only contemporary comics were exclusives made by 3H Productions for BotCon,
创作的独家漫画 而且这些漫画都发生在动画的世界观下
the official Transformers convention, and they all took place within the cartoon’s continuity,
穿插在动画的事件当中 并且为了和2003年的
occurring during its events, and briefly continuing the story after Beast Machines
变形金刚U版玩具线紧密结合 还简要地续写了兽械争霸之后的故事
as part of a tie in with the 2003 Transformers: Universe toyline.
这就奠定了之后媒介的趋势：21世纪有数个新的野兽纪元故事
This set the trend for future media: the 21st century has seen several new Beast Era stories
它们出自于 IDW 公司和 Fun Publications 公司 其中有前传、续集和分支故事
from both IDW Publishing and Fun Publications, prequels, sequels, and side-stories,
有漫画、散文和甚至动画的形式
in the form of comics, prose, and even animation,
但是它们几乎全部也是派生自动画里的事件（尽管互相不同且矛盾）
but they almost all also spin off from the cartoon’s events (albeit in different, contradictory ways).
唯一一个重要的不是设定在动画时间线的野兽纪元作品
The only significant Beast Era fiction to not be set in the cartoon timeline
是 Fun Publication 的《野兽之战：起义》 一部受饥饿游戏启发的设定在塞伯坦上的长篇小说
is Fun Publication’s Beast Wars Uprising, a Hunger Games-inspired saga set on Cybertron,
在2014年到2016年通过变形金刚收藏者俱乐部发布
told through the Transformers Collectors Club between 2014 and 2016.
我们将在即将上线的一集中进一步讲讲那个宇宙的基础课 很快哟！
We’ll be taking a closer look at The Basics on THAT universe in an upcoming episode, very soon!
我们在今天这个时间点
And that brings us to today:
回首望去 会对野兽纪元投以崇高敬意
a point in time from which the Beast Era is looked back on with great regard.
可以毫不夸张地说 正因它没有墨守成规
It’s no exaggeration at all to say that, with its willingness to throw out the rulebook,
它才将变形金刚从流行文化的边缘中拯救出来
it saved Transformers from being lost to pop culture irrelevance.
尤其 野兽之战动画强大的编剧比它过时的电脑动画做得更好
In particular, the Beast Wars cartoon’s strong writing has outshone its dated computer animation
这保证了它被认为是变形金刚有史以来最好、最受喜爱的动画之一
to ensure it is remembered as one of the best, most-loved Transformers cartoons of all time,
而且留下来广泛的遗产 它的很多角色永垂不朽
with a far-reaching legacy. Many of its cast have been immortalized with new toys
并且在变形金刚U版、G系列和大师级玩具线中都有新玩具
as part of the Transformers: Universe, Generations, and Masterpiece toylines,
并且它的两个最受欢迎最突出的角色
and two of its most popular breakout characters,
荣誉至上的由原始兽转变为巨无霸的恐龙和不幸的黄蜂
the honour-bound Predacon-turned-Maximal Dinobot and the luckless Waspinator,
是最早被粉丝们投票进入变形金刚名人堂的成员
were the first entrants voted by fans into the Transformers Hall of Fame.
在2017年 粉丝们甚至在一次官方民意调查中将擎天圣选为冠军
In 2017, fans even chose Optimus Primal as the winner of an official poll
这使得他在天元神力玩具线中得到一个新玩具
that determined he would receive a new toy as part of the Power of the Primes toyline.
这些角色也出现在了其他世界观中
The cast have also appeared in other continuities,
他们被重新设定成那些经典角色同时代的人 而不是未来的后代
reimagined as contemporaries of the classic characters instead of future descendants,
既出现在了电视动画《变形金刚：机甲英雄》当中 也出现在了漫画当中
showing up on both television in Transformers: Animated, and in comic form,
比如IDW公司的 G1 漫画书 和日本的变形金刚 LG 漫画
in IDW Publishing’s Generation 1 comic books, and in the Japanese Transformers Legends manga,
这是一部把他们重新设定成竞争对手办公室里的销售人员的喜剧！
a comedy that reimagines them as salespeople at rival offices!
擎天圣即将在在天元神力中的登场看起来确保了
Optimus Primal’s impending Power of the Primes appearance seems to ensure
他不仅仅会出现在IDW当中 还会出现在即将到来的天元神力动画中
he will also be turning up, not just in IDW, but in the upcoming Power of the Primes cartoon,
而且已经宣布了演员朗·普尔曼会为他配音
with actor Ron Perlman having already been announced as providing his voice.
虽然在2018年有机野兽看起来不像1996年那般得到孩之宝的青睐
Though organic beasts don’t seem to fit into Hasbro’s vision for Transformers in 2018 like they did in 1996,
但是可以确定的是对于野兽纪元的爱如今依然照旧在粉丝和创作者当中存在
it’s clear love for the Beast Era is still as alive among fans and creators as ever.
正如黄豹曾经讲过：
As Cheetor once said:
“不管是野兽还是机器人 我们都是最屌的！耶！”
"Beast or ‘bot, we’re still the baddest! Yeah!"
喜爱本视频的网友可以去Youtube和 众筹网站Patreon支持原视频作者 链接在视频下方的简介当中
原视频作者：Chris McFeely
翻译：红龙火种 校对：红龙火种 后期：红龙火种