[RamenRider]

Transformers are written as metal humans who can transform anyways, the blockade is only in your head. A Transformer is basically any other alien in any sci-fi universe ever which are written with a humanoid appearance and nature in mind. Like Mr. Spock. You can relate to Mr. Spock fom Star Trek right? Well there you go, the Decepticon Shockwave is an evil Spock. That’s not even a joke, he has been written to be exactly that: An evil Mr. Spock. In the comics at least, in the cartoon he’s a useless tool

Most Transformers (maybe except monster bots, and even those do in some ways) act like a human, so relate to that. Imagine them as superheroes whose ability is to change their form. But they are also aliens, like Superman, so they do things a bit different. They don’t eat or drink, they consume Energon. They don’t sleep, they go in repair mode. They don’t die when they’re blown apart, you can repair them. And so on and so forth.

I really have no problem relating to Transformers, and with that mindset neither should you. They are just big, transforming metal humans. Also, relating / imagining being someone else who’s totally different from you is where the real fun begins. You can be a guy who dresses up as a bat every night, but you could also be a giant robot who can transform at will. And it doesn’t stop there, every Transformer is different. Optimus Prime is the brilliant leader with a little bit of a stiff yet friendly nature, Grimlock is the caveman who thinks a bit simpler but has a strange sense for humor, Megatron is a former activist who tried to change the corrupt government of Cybertron peacefully, failed and used force instead which corrupted him, Starscream is a egomaniac, (self proclaimed) military genius and a traitor who tries to become the Decepticon leader wherever he can. (I use my own headcanon for these, created from many different source materials over the years, but that should give you an idea how you could interpret these characters)

All of them are so different and can be used in so many story-driven ways that you can never run out of ideas what these guys could do. Especially if you add their ability to transform. You can have them as jets fighting air battles, cars driving races, or even as dinosaurs chomping fools.

Also because of the fast lore within the universe, there are countless variations to them. They are individuals, and much like humans they can be totally different things. Sixshot for example is a ninja. Yes you heard that right. He’s a ninja from the Six-Clan, whose members all have six different forms. He uses ninjitsu to fight: He creates illusions as doubles, can vanish into thin air, and uses his six modes to further strengthen his battle capabilities. Isn’t that awesome?

They also have pirates, doctors, adventurers, scientists, gangsters, and so on. There are countless variations, much like with human characters. And in most cases, them being able to transform is not what makes them different, it’s what makes them better. They can transform into vehicles or animals which suit their type.

If you get bored with a superhero, you look for a different one. If you get bored with a Transformer, you look for a different one. Much like superheroes (or villains) there are so many different characters that you’ll never get bored. Of course they share a gimmick, but that makes them all the more fascinating, especially since their gimmick varies. There are triple changers who have two alternate modes, giant city bots, combiners, Headmasters, Powermasters, Pretenders and so much more. And most of them are still only giant metal humans, so they are written as such.

And then there are tons of different incarnations. You don’t like planes or cars? Well there’s Beast Wars, where the robots are basically build like a Terminator: Robots with synthetic flesh, muscles, skin, fur, claws etc. They are more than your regular Transformer since they feature an animalistic side, yet with the intelligence of a human like being. Which brings entirely new possibilities and problems.

You see, they are quite easy to relate to once you drop the idea of what you think a robot is. These are not like the robots you know, they are living beings, but instead of flesh and blood they have metal and Energon. They still feel like a human would, only that they of course have a different look on what "life" means, but that only makes them more interesting than a regular human hero.

So get rid of your view of a robot and enjoy Transformers for what they are and relate to them as persons, not beings. Later on you will figure out how a Transformer would think anyways