Were Transformers and Animorphs Connected?

Transformers found new life in the 1990s, but the series also produced one of the strangest crossovers in Hasbro’s history with a surprising connection to a children’s book series. By now, some of the greatest gimmicks to come out of Transformers have been crossovers with other franchises. Optimus Prime never needed to face the Terminator or venture into the Star Trek universe, but the world is no less better for these bizarre bouts of creativity. Yet, following Animorphs’ entry into the series, Transformers engaged in a perplexing collaboration that left fans bewildered, prompting them to question the origins of this partnership, its influence on the series, and even whether it occurred at all.

Premiering in 1996, Beast Wars: Transformers continued the popular Hasbro series that debuted in 1984. A confusing tale of time travel, Beast: Wars Transformers pitted the Predacons and Maximals against each other for the fate of their future in the past. Most remembered for its now-dated CGI animation, memorable characters, and impressive animal-inspired figures, Beast Wars: Transformers brought the franchise back to life and to the frontline of children’s toyboxes worldwide. However, the Maximals and Predacons weren’t the only animal shapeshifters to premiere in 1996. K.A. Applegate’s Animorphs hit publication and elevated Scholastic book fairs with a story of an extraterrestrial conflict between the mind-controlling Yerks and the titular teenage morphers. Exploring complex themes about adolescence and warfare intertwined with sci-fi storytelling alongside Beast Wars: Transformers, Animorphs made the ’90s a wild time to be alive as both popular series took flight.

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The 1990s witnessed the crossovers of various popular series, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to converge in the most bizarre ways. Ace Ventura teamed up with The Mask, Marvel collided with DC in the comics, and Hercules encountered Aladdin, nearly leveling Argabah in the process. Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe explored the multiverse concept, it seemed there were no limits, and nothing could keep worlds apart. However, in a franchise that eventually prided itself on its crossovers and how far it could push them, one of the strangest occurred in the late ’90s when Animorphs became part of the Transformers universe, causing some confusion within the canon.

Despite sharing only their shape-shifting abilities and the common backdrop of an alien war on Earth, Animorphs and Transformers remain distinct series. Hasbro’s decision to integrate Animorphs into the Transformers lineup rather than releasing it as a standalone set seemed like an odd creative choice. By 1999, Animorphs had demonstrated its ability to stand independently, securing a prime-time spot on Nickelodeon and gaining substantial popularity without the need for the Transformers brand. However, alongside video games, choose-your-own-adventure books, and fast-food promos, Animorphs action figures became released under the Transformers name. Featuring characters such as Ax and Visser Three, the toys mirrored the books and possessed the protagonists’ iconic ability to shift. With a diverse range of brightly colored creatures and gimmicks like the “Tri-Rex,” the Animorphs seamlessly blended in with the Beast Wars figures, making for some imaginative playtime. Unfortunately, unlike their sister series, in the end, the Animorphs toys faded into obscurity, eventually being retooled into the Mutants, an extension of the Beast Wars line.

Despite the implied shared universe through the branding, Transformers and Animorphs have yet to receive a crossover story. However, their relationship within the larger Transformers universe is more complicated than most gave it credit for. While Animorphs maintained its own unique canon, Hasbro’s Ask Vector Prime provided a platform for fans to ask questions about the biggest mysteries in the Transformers universe. In September 2015, the status of the Animorphs was called into question, prompting discussions about the cluster they reside in. Although Prime’s response was vague — stating that “The Animorphs are outside the Multiverse, though occasionally close enough for a small bit of reality drift. The TransTech do not generally have the equipment or inclination to track everything in the Megaverse,” this acknowledgment possibly explains the cameo of the Beast Wars video game in the TV show and the mention of the Taxxons in Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac while leaving the door open for a true crossover, should it ever happen.

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Animorphs was neither the first nor last series to crossover with Transformers but was a stepping stone to something that’d become an indelible part of the series’ identity. While the Autobots and Decepticons will always have the nostalgia to carry them and the beloved characters to tell new stories, the art of the crossover has kept the series alive. Curious fans will continue to wonder who’ll show up in the chronicles of the Cybertronians next, under what bizarre circumstances brought them together, and how it all ends. Crossovers, shared universes, and the inclusion of other franchises have launched Transformers to new heights, making for some of the most engaging gimmicks since the series began, with Animorphs playing a vital role in it.

As early as 1986, with the introduction of “Old Snake” (G.I. Joe’s Cobra Commander), the Transformers lore implied that the Autobots shared a larger universe with other popular properties. In terms of the toy line, Animorphs in 1999 was among the first official crossover franchises and paved the way for more ambitious and stranger collaborations. Future crossover series would include Star Wars, Disney, and bizarrely enough, Japan’s Pepsiman, with Pepsi Convoy alluding to the character’s existence within the Transformers continuity. It’s something that continues into the modern day with 2019’s Transformers Collaborative collection that’s produced figures based on Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, and Street Fighter II. While the Animorphs always prided themselves on the power to bring change, few would think that it’d apply to the Transformers series, with their rarely acknowledged toy line having served as the first outside franchise to officially share their name and the same shelves as the Beast Wars figures.

While the Animorphs never received a narrative fully elaborating on their role in the Transformers universe, crossover stories have become a staple. While Hasbro usually hinted at a universe where G.I. Joe, Transformers, and other properties co-exist, producing comics like My Little Pony/Transformers, the stories based on the Transformers Collaborative resulted in some of the most enjoyable stories out of the franchise. An evolution of what they did with Animorphs, Transformers Collaborative took it to the next level. Characters like Gigawatt (Back to the Future’s Delorean) and Ectotron (Ghostbusters’ Ecto-1) came with enjoyably campy adventures that’d justify the creativity involved in turning iconic vehicles like Top Gun’s Maverick into transforming robots. Additionally, rather than serve as two separate series under the same title, the future toy lines descended from the Animorphs figures would bring worlds together like never before.

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While Animorphs remains a footnote in the history of Transformers and a nebulous part of their universe, the series is seeing a resurgence. Rumors are circulating about the live-action movie in development, the graphic novels are reviving the series on bookshelves, and pure ’90s nostalgia is drawing people back to the Nickelodeon adaptation. There’s a bright future ahead for K.A. Applegate’s stories. However, it raises the question: after all this time, should Transformers and Animorphs reunite for another collaboration?

With Animorphs finding new life as a graphic novel series, seeing a comic crossover with Transformers would make sense, especially considering nostalgia-fueled franchises like Stranger Things, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and G.I. Joe have done the same thing in recent years. However, even just a rerelease of the old Animorphs action figures wouldn’t go unappreciated by fans. Featuring imaginative creatures like Visser Three’s “Inferno Creature,” the “Tri-Rex” combiner, or just the fully posable Andalite figures would be a collector’s dream. While often in the shadow of its contemporaries like Goosebumps and the Harry Potter series, there’s no denying the popularity of Animorphs and just how underutilized the property has become as other children’s book series like Percy Jackson and the Olympians make their triumphant return. Rekindling Animorphs’ past with Transformers and expanding on it could be the start of something incredible and the story people have been waiting for since 1999.

If there’s one thing Transformers and Animorphs taught their respective audiences, it’s that change takes many forms, and sometimes, it’s the greatest power in the universe. It’s strange to think that just as six teens turned the tide in an intergalactic war, a now obscure set of toys based on them influenced one of the most popular series of all time. While the future of Animorphs may be uncertain, just like the Megatron figures children once played with, the future might be in the hands of the audience. Perhaps with enough support, love, and a healthy dose of nostalgia, Animorphs will return to prominence while ushering in a new generation of fans as a new chapter begins within the franchise.

Transformers

Transformers is a media franchise produced by American toy company Hasbro and Japanese toy company Takara Tomy. It primarily follows the heroic Autobots and the villainous Decepticons, two alien robot factions at war that can transform into other forms, such as vehicles and animals.

First Film

Transformers

First TV Show

Transformers

Cast

Peter Cullen , Wil Wheaton , Shia LaBeouf , Megan Fox , Luna Lauren Velez , Dominique Fishback