Bullet Train to the Rescue
From Transformers Wiki
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 It's pink, so it's a girl, right? | ||||||
| "Bullet Train to the Rescue" (Gattai seyo! Shinkansen Robo) "Unite! Bullet Train Robo" | ||||||
| Production company | TV Tokyo, NAS, Studio Gallop | |||||
| Airdate | April 19, 2000 (Japanese) September 11, 2001 (English, limited markets) September 12, 2001 (English) | |||||
| Written by | Yukiyoshi Ōhashi (Japanese) Steve Kramer (English) | |||||
| Director | Akira Katō | |||||
| Animation studio | Studio Gallop | |||||
Railspike, (the gruff train)
Midnight Express (fancy train)
Rapid Run, (cool train)
Contents |
Synopsis
Gas Skunk destroys an unmanned freight train and is promptly told by Sky-Byte that he's wasting his time and should be searching for energy. Slapper also takes out an unmanned freight train and is given the same lecture by the shark.
The Autobots watch a news report of the launch of the Linear RFG, an automated train set to make its first run today. Koji is excited to be able to ride on the train, but Prime, aware of the recent railroad incidents, keeps a watchful eye. He brings the three Autobot brothers, planning on following the train in case the Predacons try some shenanigans.
As anticipated, the Predacons are up to their regular hijinks and plant a pulsar bomb to sabotage the train's track where the tracks cross over a bridge. Side Burn and Prowl engage the Predacons, while Prime radios the train's command center in hopes of halting the train before it reaches the scene of the battle. But because of Dark Scream's meddling, communication with the train is shut off. To save the day, the Autobots need to call on the help of Team Bullet Train.
T-AI radios the three members of the team. Each of them abandons his human passengers (Much to Kelly's annoyance, as Rapid Run disrupts her commute to work) and rushes across the space bridge to meet with Optimus and the Linear RFG. Prime leaves the three to their own affairs so he can assist in fighting off the Predacons planting a bomb on the track ahead. Team Bullet Train radios Koji and asks him to request that the driver use the manual override to slow down the train, but the brakes aren't working and the train is speeding up, scaring the passengers. With the easy solution unavailable, Midnight Express has the brilliant idea of coating the track with glue! Railspike has a better solution, however: slow the train down by linking up with it.
Ahead, the bomb explodes, taking out the bridge. The Predacons withdraw from the conflict, standing back to watch the anticipated carnage and leaving the Autobots to deal with the oncoming train. The Linear RFG rolls towards the gap, despite the additional weight of the three Bullet Trains trying to anchor it. So Optimus converts into his super mode and attempts literally to catch the trains to block them from derailing. Prime is successful, and the train comes to a stop before anything goes into the chasm. Sky-Byte tries one last chance to ruin the day, but Side Burn wrecks Sky-Byte's footing and aim.
Finally Megatron arrives and begins battling the Autobots. Team Bullet Train returns, having moved the Linear RFG safely away from the destroyed bridge, and combine into Rail Racer. Overpowered by the force of Rail Racer's attacks, Megatron flees with his troops in tow. The menace defeated, Team Bullet Train gets back to work, and the Linear RFG completes its inaugural run watched over by Optimus.
Featured characters
(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)
| Autobots | Predacons | Humans |
|---|---|---|
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Quotes
"There's nothing going on here that would concern you."
- —Gas Skunk attempts the Jedi mind trick on Prowl.
"How about coating the entire track with glue! That would slow it up."
"Dude, I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that."
- —Midnight Express fails to impress Rapid Run with his problem-solving abilities.
"Don't you even bother to say hello anymore?"
- —Optimus is disappointed at Megatron's lack of social graces.
Side Burn: Wow, how come we can't do that?
Prowl: I don't know, I think they're double-jointed.
Side Burn: Maybe they can teach us how to do that.
X-Brawn: I was never a good student.
Side Burn: Come to think of it, I wouldn't want to fuse with you guys anyway.
- —The Autobot Brothers, after watching Team Bullet Train combine into Rail Racer.
Notes
Differences with Car Robots
- In Car Robots, Sky-Byte berates Slapper for attacking an empty train because it does nothing to show humanity the Predacons' ruthlessness. In Robots in Disguise, he considers it a waste of time that's keeping him from searching for energon. This change leads into a general alteration to the plot of the episode: in Robots in Disguise, Sky-Byte wants to steal energy from the Linear RFG, while in Car Robots, he simply wants to destroy the train to prove the Predacons' power to mankind.
- Car Robots specifically notes that Koji was able to get on the Linear RFG thanks to the influence of one of his father's friends.
- Car Robots has Optimus access the space bridge to keep up with the speed of the Linear RFG, whereas Robots in Disguise has him claiming that he needs to return to base to monitor the situation from there (which he doesn't seem to do since he's next seen still running alongside the train).
- Robots in Disguise cuts out a shot of a distressed engineer (pictured) reacting to Railspike's decision to go off on his own.
- As they arrive to join Optimus Prime, Robots in Disguise has Railspike and Rapid Run discuss the urgency of the mission. Car Robots, meanwhile, has Railspike criticize Rapid Run for disregarding the priority of their passengers' safety.
- Where Robots in Disguise has Midnight Express simply comment on the time-saving nature of the Global Space Bridge, Car Robots has him bring up one of the characteristics from his Japanese toy bio, a preference for driving through cold areas. As Rapid Run points out, this fondness for the cold is the reason for his perspiration when he arrives late to join his team-mates in warmer climates; in Robots in Disguise, it's just plain old exertion.
- In Car Robots, Railspike wants to alert the passengers on board the Liner RFG to the situation, but in Robots in Disguise, he doesn't want to let them know.
- On discussing how to stop the Linear RFG, Car Robots has Midnight Express suggest using a big cushion, where Robots in Disguise has him propose coating the track with glue.
- After Rapid Run gets in front of the Linear RFG, Robots in Disguise cuts out a shot of Railspike and Midnight Express moving behind it.
- A still reaction shot of Prowl (pictured) watching as the Linear RFG is about to slam into Prime is cut from Robots in Disguise.
- In Car Robots, Optimus Prime uses his Blizzard Storm attack to explode the cliff out from under the Predacons. As this is done only through a pretty bizarre-looking shot of something that is not readily apparent as a jet of water shooting across the screen (pictured; Prime is shown with his cannon deployed after the cliff has exploded to explain the visual), coupled with the general oddness of water exploding a cliff, Robots in Disguise does away with it, and inserts some footage of Side Burn performing an "Optical Laser Strike" attack instead. This "attack" is actually a clip taken from the end of his transformation stock footage (also pictured), which features a flare of red energy erupting from his eyes and running across his visor.
- Scenes extended in Robots in Disguise by looped and repeated footage include:
- Slapper's dialogue just before he attacks the train
- Various bits of conversation between Prime, Koji and the Autobot Brothers in the Autobots
- Prowl's argument with Slapper and Gas Skunk
- Prime's conversation with the train technicians
- T-AI's selection of Team Bullet Train
- Railspike and Rapid Run's discussion about the Linear RFG
- Koji's discussion with Railspike
- Prime announcing that he must do something, before transforming into Super Mode
- Rapid Run requesting that they be allowed to move the Linear RFG back to a safe distance
- Prime's threat to the Predacons, and Sky-Byte's response
Animation or technical errors
- When Sky-Byte gloats that the train is doomed, his mouth is drawn with a mouth interior behind it rather than the usual all-white.
Continuity errors
- While following alongside the train, Optimus says he'd "better get back to headquarters", but the next time we cut to him, he's still with the train.
Trivia
- The combined form of Team Bullet Train, Rail Racer, refers to himself in the plural.
- The humans seem to be quite familiar with Optimus Prime and who he is.
- It would appear that this episode was originally to be titled "Bullet Train Rescue", as this was the title offered by various sources before the episode aired. The error has not entirely gone away, as this title was used on the R2 DVD menus. That said, it might have been better if this title had been used, since the very next episode has a title that is almost exactly the same. This would not be the last time this would happen in Robots in Disguise.
- The animators did not put terribly much effort into making Team Bullet Train's coaches match the driving cars. Railspike and Rapid Run's coaches are an undecorated off-white. Midnight Express' coaches make an attempt to match his livery, but still stand out sharply since they're single-level.
- Rail Racer's "Super Turbo Punch!" consists of punching his opponent in the face. Awesome!
- In some markets which aired cartoons in the morning rather than in the afternoon, this episode premiered on September 11, 2001. If that doesn't seem very significant, look at the date and the subject matter of the episode, and let it sink in...
Foreign localization
Italian
- Title: "Scambio pericoloso" ("Dangerous exchange")
Portuguese
- Title: "O Resgate do Trem-Bala" ("The Bullet Train Rescue")
Home video releases
- DVD
2000 — Transformers: Car Robots — Vol. 1 (Pony Canyon) — Japanese audio only.
2004 — Transformers: Robots in Disguise — Volume One (Maximum Entertainment)
2004 — Transformers: Robots in Disguise — Three-Disc Box Set: Part 1 of 2 (Maximum Entertainment)
2007 — Transformers: Robots in Disguise — Battle Protocol (Maximum Entertainment)
2007 — Transformers: Robots in Disguise — Special Edition 2-Disc Set (Maximum Entertainment)
2007 — Transformers: Robots in Disguise / RoboCop: The Animated Series / M.A.S.K. (Maximum Entertainment)
2007 — Transformers: Robots in Disguise — Season One (Maximum Entertainment)
2007 — Transformers: Robots in Disguise — Ultimate Collection (Maximum Entertainment)
