Big Serow

Big Serow is a Beastformer from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Bambi II: Judgment Day.

Big Serow (ビッグセロウ Biggu Serō) is one of White Leo's most trusted and reliable soldiers. Serving as Leo's adjutant during the war with the Decepticon-backed armies of Alligatron, his endlessly calm, cool demeanor and tactical genius led his troops to numerous victories. His skill and track record has engendered an incredible amount of trust among the Autobot-allied Beastformers. And when brains isn't enough, he uses his surprising amount of brawn to power through whatever's in his way.

Following the war, he returned to his homeland of Saitan to rule as its King, aided by his friend Emperor Battle Bear. He is also incredibly close with Smileduck and his friend Dog Hunter. But to this day, the former insurgent Killer Fish holds a grudge against him for an injury Serow inflicted on him during the war.

Serow's MVP Weapon, the Big Boomerang, is more than just a strong blade; it can emit ultrasonic waves to track and seek out targets, homing in and cutting them down.

Fiction

The Headmasters cartoon

This deer is loaded for bear.

Voice actor: Yoshitada Ōtsuka (Japanese)

Big Serow was a member of White Leo's rebels, fighting against the Decepticons and their allies, Alligatron and the evil Beasts. He led one attack against their stronghold, only to be overwhelmed and order a retreat. With the injured Beastformers before them, Big Serow advised White Leo to send envoys for reinforcements, but White Leo was not willing to risk more soldiers. Hope soon came in the form of the Autobot Transformers, who aided by fighting the Decepticon Transformers while White Leo led a force, including Big Serow, to save the Beastformers enslaved by the Decepticons. However, they were already saved by a third party, and White Leo's forces met up with them in time to witness the retreat of the Decepticon Transformers from the planet. Big Serow, with the others, saw the Autobot Transformers off. Rebellion on Planet Beast

The Headmasters comic

Big Serow joined Kane in rescuing Chrome and Ros from Reprogamma. When they sneaked on the Decepticon Transformers, Big Serow was unable to stop Kane from rushing in to confront them. The Decisive Battle of Planet Beast!

Beastformers comic

One of the combatants in the great war between the Beastformers' and the Laser Beasts, Big Serow was seen charging into battle alongside Rabbit Kid and Bombsheep on their Hunters. Beastformers VS Laser Beasts

Legends comic

Big Serow took part in the final battle between the Beastformers and the Laser Beasts on Beast in 2023. In the Stag Hunter, he fought against Stronghurricane riding the Red Battler. The Road to Legends' Revival Chapter 1

In 2038, Big Serow attended to Queen Lune when she thanked Platinum Tiger for his help in driving away Galvatron II's Decepticons. Bonus Edition Vol. EX

Toys

Transformers: Beastformers

• Big Serow (Beastformer, 1987)

• ID number: 2
• Pack: A, D
• Accessories: Blade-weapon (usually)

Part of the first series of Takara's Beastformers toys, Big Serow is an anthropomorphic deer with green robotic armor. His left arm ends in a (non-spinning) drill. The Battle Emblem on his chest reveals one of three symbols when warmed up; Fire, Water or Wood.

Nominally, he comes with a silver crescent-blade weapon marked with a "2" (pictured at right). However, there is also a chance he could come with the weapon from one of the other 11 Beastformers in his shipping case; it is unclear why this happened.

The Hasbro Battle Beasts release of the figure can vary in the tone of the green paint used on its armor, with some samples being a more desaturated and matte olive; it's uncertain if the Takara version has similar (minor) paint variation.

He was re-released in the second series; while the toy proper was not changed, the packaging and packed-in bio card were. The first-series release comes in a generic red-grid "Cybertron Beastformer" box, with a red-grid bio card with a painted character image on the front, though there was a random chance of his card being replaced by the rare "Holography Mirror" card. In series 2 he came in a green-grid generic "Cybertron Beastformer" box, with the bio card putting the painted image on a jungle backdrop. As he shipped in the "D Pack" case, there was a chance of his bio card being replaced with a rare "Bewitching Serpent Seal" card featuring Cobrander.

Beastformers

• Big Serow (Beastformer, 1988)

• ID number: 2
• Accessories: "Big Boomerang" MVP Weapon (usually)

Re-released in the Transformers-less Beastformers sequel series, Big Serow was given a straight re-release with new packaging and a new, more filled-out bio card with corrected coloring. This new card also gave his weapon, now branded an "MVP Weapon", the name "Big Boomerang" (ビッグブーメラン Biggu Būmeran). Speaking of, just like with the Transformers release, there was a chance he could come with the weapon of any other Beastformer in the shipping case; this time the potential mix-up was played up as part of the "role-playing game" attached to the line, encouraging kids to buy more of the toys; matching the Beasts with their same-numbered weapons gave them more power in-game.

He was sold in the second assortment of individually-packed Beastformers, with a peg-hole in the top flap, and a sticker on the bottom with his name and role on it. This series did not have any kind of "rare card" random pack-in promotion.

Later in the run, the "mood ring" styled rubsigns were replaced with new rubsigns that revealed full-color Fire/Wood/Water images on black backdrops. (These rubsign variants also happened at the same time in the Hasbro Battle Beast version of the line.)

• Big Serow (Gahsapon Beastformer, 1988)

• ID number: 2
• Accessories: Weapon

Many Beastformers were also sold in gashapon capsule machines for the same price as their boxed versions (200 yen) during the "RPG" line, Big Serow included. This version is identical to the regularly-released boxed version, including the randomized rubsign, except the gashapons appear to have randomized weapons (or just really crummy quality control).

According to their pack-in paperwork, fifteen rare all-white/cream Beasts were available in these capsules, though only four were shown, Big Serow among them; Big Serow is one of only twelve confirmed "rare types" found. These rare versions can vary in how white they actually are, and it's uncertain if that's how they started or if some have simply yellowed with age. These versions tend to be very expensive on the secondary market, going for $100+ even when missing their arms.

Merchandise

Meiji candy toys

• Ramune Beastformers Battle Card (1988)
  • Meiji ID number: 21

A gold-foil "Battle Card" of Big Serow, featuring his painted character art from his Transformers: Beastformers bio card, was available in randomly-packed sets of cards that came with grape-flavored ramune candy tablets. The back of the card features a severely truncated bio, with data for the game from the Meiji chocoball SD figures' packaging.

Though this card shows line-art of a super-deformed Big Serow toy, no actual toy was ever produced.

Notes

• "Big Serow" is a misnomer, as serows are goat-like ungulates with bushy coats found in Asia that not particularly similar to deer. Beastformers would later include an actual serow, imaginatively named "Little Serow", though no connection between the two was ever established. The use of "Serow" in both names is likely due to the Japanese word for "serow"—kamoshika (氈鹿, "wooly deer")—using the Japanese equivalent of "deer" in it.
• His expanded 1988 bio card gives him the nickname Sero (セロ).
• The Hasbro release of "Deer Stalker" was available in 2-packs with another random beast, or packed in randomly with the larger Battle Chariots and Transport Stations.

Foreign names

• English: Deer Stalker