Any way you slice it, Transformers Prime is obviously a bit more ambitious and sophisticated than your average cartoon: the visuals are fantastic and even the sound design aims for a theatrical experience. I'll admit that some of the character design details are a bit lacking, such as magically moving robot mouths and an oversimplified look for the humans (who, at times, look like Wii characters trapped in an XBOX 360 game). There's also a certain corniness to the dialogue that's practically expected with three young teens in the picture, but it's forgivable and easy to ignore. It all boils down to story and atmosphere, and it's here where Prime really shines: the series was nominated for multiple daytime Emmys and walked off with two during this first 26-episode season...and though it's obviously intended to be a kids' show that parents can enjoy, Transformers fans of all ages should have no trouble appreciating what Prime brings to the table. Season 2 already premiered a few weeks ago, but it's not too late to catch up.

Presented on Blu-Ray as a Limited Edition (for now) and also available on DVD, Transformers Prime: Season One arrives courtesy of Shout Factory. The former obviously bumps up the A/V quality a few notches and includes a bonus comic for good measure. Whether that's worth paying twice as much is somewhat debatable, but this is still a solid high-def package that the whole family can enjoy.

Presented in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio, this 1080p transfer of Transformers Prime: Season One is good but not perfect. To be fair, a few small problems are inherently due to the source material, including mild aliasing and jagged edges. Mild compression artifacts can also been spotted along the way, which seems like more of an authoring issue than anything else. Either way, what's here is largely impressive, as the image is typically razor sharp with vivid, striking colors and strong black levels. So while there's room for improvement, I'd imagine that most fans of Prime will be pleased.

The audio is a touch more consistent, as each episode arrives with your choice of DTS-HD 5.1 or LPCM 2.0 mixes. The former creates an enveloping and dynamic soundstage from start to finish, often filled with plenty of surround activity once the action heats up. A bit more low end would've helped to sell some of the action, as well as some added "punch" for the gunfire. Dialogue is crisp and the score is also well-represented with no obvious sync issues. Overall, fans won't find much to complain about here, as this ambitious audio presentation is leaps and bounds above most animated TV shows.

Seen above, this four-disc "Limited Edition" set is housed in a multi-hubbed keepcase, paired with a bonus comic book (see below) that fits inside a sturdy outer slipcover. It's an attractive and practical design overall, but a little taller than your average Blu-Ray packaging due to the book. The menu designs are smooth and easy to navigate, though an endless sea of commercials must be skipped beforehand. Each 22-minute episode has been divided into less than a half-dozen chapters, no obvious layer changes were detected and this Blu-Ray appears to be locked for Region "A" players only.

Disc 4 houses the remaining extras, which lead off with a promotional Behind-the-Scenes Featurette (11:03). It's short and not especially enlightening, though I enjoyed seeing a handful of voice actors do their thing. Also here is a slightly more in-depth Toy Featurette that focuses on Prime's characters and how they selected the roster (16:30), as well as a ridiculously short Teaser for Season 2 (0:20). Like the episodes, these bonus features are presented in 1080p and do not include optional subtitles.

Also included in this "Limited Edition" package is a softcover Graphic Novel that serves as a Prime prequel of sorts. It's a nice little bonus and quite substantial at 96 pages, but I'm assuming that later releases of this boxed set will omit the book (although I'm guessing it'll still be available separately).

I don't know if I was fully prepared to like Transformers Prime, but it's a fun series with great visuals, familiar characters, terrific voice acting and a not-too-serious tone. This is a substantial improvement over the Michael Bay movies...and dare I say, probably the most enjoyable Transformers I've seen yet. Though Prime is aimed at the younger crowd, I'd imagine that G1 fans should enjoy themselves too. Shout Factory pairs a decent A/V presentation with a nice mix of extras, which makes Transformers Prime: Season One worth a look. Recommended, but the DVD carries a more reasonable price tag.

NOTE: The above images were obtained from promotional outlets and do not represent Blu-Ray's native 1080p resolution.