Big City - Underground Terror

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"Dude, call him off!!!"
"Big City - Underground Terror" 大都会・地下の恐怖 () (Daitokai - Chika no Kyōfu)
Production company	Takara, Toei
Airdate	16 May 1989
Writer	Yoshihisa Araki
Director	Jōhei Matsūra
Animation studio	Toei
Continuity	Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Deathsaurus and the Breastforce invade American subway tunnels to steal electrical energy.

Synopsis

Killbison's tired of these dirty old sidewalks.

Aboard the Thunder Arrow, Deathsaurus hands down his newest set of orders to the Breastforce, instructing them to steal electrical energy from a major American subway system. Leozack advocates concern over potential Autobot interference, but Deathsaurus coolly silences him, telling him that it is not his place to worry about it. As the Breastforce depart, Leozack sulks about the fact that their plan leaves them scurrying around underground, and blows up at his teammates when they suggest that he might wants to keep his voice down in case Deathsaurus hears. A little later, the Breastforce arrive in American and Drillhorn burrows a path for them into the city's subway system. Jallguar manages to avoid a collision with a train, and a large trail of rubble left by Drillhorn derails another.

At the Shuttle Base, Star Saber and the Brainmasters process reports from the Multiforce, who are patrolling the globe for Decepticon activity. The lack of a report from America prompts them to move the Shuttle Base, after which Jan and the Rescue Team go outside to practise their speedy rescue tactics. The drill is soon interrupted by the sound of a klaxon, signalling to Jan and the Rescues that the Brainmasters have discovered the Decepticons' activities in America. Despite realizing the limitations that they will be subjected to by attempting to fight within a subway (and realizing that the Decepticons likely planned it that way), Star Saber orders the Autobots into action. The Brainmasters and Rescue Team board the Galaxy Shuttle, and Jan sneaks aboard to join in the battle.

Back in the subway, Leozack is too busy being pissy to focus on his job, and decides to disobey orders and just do things the most direct way—which for him involves opening fire on the tunnel walls to expose the various electrical systems. It's not long before the rest of the Breastforce follow his lead, causing explosions that begin tearing through the streets above as Star Saber and the Autobots arrive. Analyzing the Decepticons' tactics, Star Saber deduces that their _target is the subway's power center, and he prepares to head there himself while the Rescue Team help in the damaged areas and the Brainmasters take on the Breastforce. Jan almost manages to sneak aboard Holi without being seen, but even though Star Saber spots him, he convinces the Supreme Commander to allow him to help.

Hump that tank!

Star Saber heads into the power distribution center (in his small robot form of Saber, with the V-Star hovering along behind him), and after some searching, discovers that he is not alone. What he does not expect, however, is to find that the Decepticon in the center is Deathsaurus himself! With Star Saber unable to open fire for fear of damaging the equipment, Deathsaurus unleashes his Breast Animals, and the intelligence of his scheme is revealed—in the cramped quarters of the subway, the Autobots are no match for the small, nimble Breast Animals! Laster and Blacker have also discovered this fact in their battles with Drillhorn and Killbison; Killbison even leaves his Bisonbreast to tackle Blacker, but Leozack shows up to criticize him for running. Leozack unleashes his own Breast Animal, and he, it and the Bisonbreast take on Blacker together.

Back with Star Saber and Deathsaurus, the Autobot leader has spotted the flaw in Deathsaurus's plan, and _targets the Decepticon's now-unprotected chest plate. Deathsaurus's Breast Animals continue to interfere, so Star Saber calls on his own little friend, instructing the V-Star to crash into Deathsaurus. The villain raises his shield to block the oncoming craft, but this results in him leaving his chest open, and Star Saber hurls his sword, impaling Deathsaurus on its blade. Thusly wounded, Deathsaurus recalls his Breast Animals and flees with what energy he has managed to gather. The news of his retreat quickly reaches Jallguar, and he informs Killbison and Leozack of the situation. Leozack has no desire to back down from the fight, but when Killbison and Jallguar flee, he is left on his own and with no choice but to pull out.

With the Decepticons driven off, Star Saber and the Brainmasters emerge from the tunnels, and meet up with Jan and the Rescue Team, who have been busy helping civilians escape from a collapsed subway station. Star Saber credits his team with performing well under disadvantageous circumstances, and the Autobots set about rebuilding the damaged city.

Featured characters

(Numbers indicate order of appearance.)

Quotes

"Move, you Autobot punk! If you don't, I'll put a hole in your guts with my drill!"
"Hah! The only thing you could put a hole in with that weak drill is tofu!"

—Drillhorn and Laster

"Tasukete! Herupu Mii!"

-Jan, practicing his english in a rescue simulation.

"I can't stand it any more! I am a destroyer; I shall destroy!"

—Leozack, having had enough of all this sneaking around.

"I don't understand one thing: Why didn't the Decepticons do any damage at the beginning? Are they playing some kind of game?"

—Star Saber is confused by the plot.

"Who's grabbing me from behind?!"

—Killbison

Notes

Animation and technical errors

• Blacker's head is tiny when he bends Killbison's cannons, and again later when Leozack is refusing to retreat.

Continuity Errors

• Although Deathsaurus is still depicted as being bigger than the normal mode Star Saber, he's still a lot smaller than in the rest of the series where he's depicted as being the size of a combiner.
• In the Omni Productions dub, the city being attacked is first named by the narrator as "Metropolis City", then later the Autobots look at a subway map for Los Angeles. The city goes unnamed in the Japanese version, however an onscreen map the Autobots view points pretty conclusively to it being New York City.
• If it is New York, the Big Apple sure looks a lot less futuristic in 2025 than it did in 2010 (Only Human).
• The result of Laster's showdown with Drillhorn is not shown. When last we see them, Laster is having a hard time with Hornbreast in the close quarters of the subway while Drillhorn stands around cackling, then defiantly charges both in an extra-dramatic bit of animation, followed by a scene change. From there, we never see Drillhorn again. The other Decepticons retreat at the end of the episode without him, and Laster appears none the worse for wear alongside his teammates in the closing group shots, with no mention of what happened.
• More glaring is Braver's total absence from the engagement. He disembarks from Galaxy Shuttle with everyone else when the Autobots arrive, then disappears completely while his comrades fight the Decepticons, reappearing in the group shots when the battle is over. What a brave guy!

Trivia

• As Galaxy Shuttle swoops into the city, one building is topped with an advert reading "TRANSFORMER" with a large "V" through it, and "ANIME STUDIO". As Star Saber descends towards the rail tunnels, another building with a similar sign is visible behind him.
• This episode unusually includes a line of dialogue in the preview shown before the title card. Specifically, Jallguar's line "Swiftly, discretely, and precisely...", uttered as he pops up in the subway station.
  • Ever conscientious, the English dub also inserts a line at the same point in the preview—"We need that energy!"—however it doesn't match the line Jaguar speaks when we reach that scene in the episode! For the record, the actual line is "Thank heavens for that!"
• How curious that this major American city has no police department, fire department or ambulance services of its own, apparently relying entirely on the Rescue Patrol Team for its emergency needs, and that there is no traffic on the streets at all to hinder their efforts.
• This is the only time Deathsaurus actually does something himself instead of letting the Breastforce or Dinoforce lead. Perhaps he's tired of their failure.

Foreign localization

English

• Title: "Terror Under the Metropolis" (Omni Productions dub)
• Original airdate: June 30, 1991

• Rather than being dissatisfied with Deathsaurus's plan involving sneaking around, Leozack complains that the Dinoforce should be sent instead as the Breastforce are soldiers, not sneaky thieves.
• Rather than musing to himself that it wouldn't be good if the train hits him, Jallguar appears to talk to the train.
• Drillhorn's threat to Laster is toned down considerably!
• Star Saber's relief at the energy theft being minimised becomes relief that the damage had been minimised. This line is immediately followed by a pan down a completely devastated street. All mention of the Autobots repairing the damage is also gone.
• The music and effects track is severely warped when Star Saber first approaches Deathsaurus in the power distribution center, and again during their battle near the end.

Home video releases

DVD

2003 — Transformers: Victory — DVD Box 01 (Pioneer LDC) — Japanese audio only.
2006 — The Takara Collection Vol 3 — Transformers: Victory (Metrodome)
2007 — Transformers — The Complete Takara Collection (Metrodome)
2008 — The Transformers: Victory (Madman Entertainment) — Optional Omni dub.
2009 — The Transformers: Japan Generation 1 — Complete Collection (Madman Entertainment) — Optional Omni dub.
2012 — Transformers: The Japanese Collection (Shout! Factory)
2012 — Transformers Japanese Collection: Victory (Shout! Factory)