Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Scramble City Activation

An OVA (Original Video Animation) released in Japan during April of 1986, Scramble City attempts to explain the appearance of new characters between Fight! Super Robot Life Transformers and Transformers 2010. Since Transformers: The Movie would not premiere in Japan for a few years, Scramble City serves as the introduction for later characters such as Ultra Magnus, Metroplex and Trypticon in Japanese continuity.

The story details the Autobots' secret construction of Metroplex under Ultra Magnus' direction. Naturally, Megatron learns of this and dispatches Starscream with the Constructicons to destroy this new threat. Optimus Prime leads a group of Autobots to defend the incomplete Metroplex, and the battle quickly escalates as more combiner teams join the fray. Although Devastator is forced to retreat, Superion must confront both Bruticus and Menasor at the same time.

During the fight, the combined forms display the ability to swap their arm and leg components. This "scramble" tactic is used to replace damaged limbs, confuse or intimidate the opponent and even to disable foes. At one point, Breakdown takes Fireflight's place as Superion's leg, immobilizing the Autobot combiner. The tactic is also a gimmick of the combiner toys which allows any of the smaller robots to serve as an appendage to the larger team leaders.

The day is saved when a completed Metroplex, Ultra Magnus and the Protectobots arrive to drive off the Decepticons. However, as the Autobots celebrate their victory, Trypticon rises from beneath the waves, promising a stupendous fight to the finish between the two city transformers.

Alas, this fight never happens, as the OVA concludes and there is no true sequel. Scramble City 2 does exist, but it is a mere retelling of the OVA with stop motion toys.