Why Do You Like Transformers?

A no news day so thought I would post a query from Greg in Australia for the Transformer fans to answer (politely and kindly please). He has been asking for a while for a response and I just kept forgetting. I don't know it will help him but figure fans will enjoy giving their views on Transformers.

Hi, I hope you're doing well. My name's Greg Baxter and I'm from Australia. I came across your great Transformers blog. I'm writing as my classmate and I are researching and profiling the Transformers in my media course at school. Thanks so much for your time. I hope to hear from you.

Question 1. What made and still makes Transformers and the Transformers universe (preferably the comic, or the animated series), so unique and compelling to you, compared to other sci-fi, or sci-fi fantasy, that
you also admire ?

Question 2. Who are currently your 3 favorite Transformers
characters and please say why, for each one named ?

Sincerely,
Greg

Sadly I don't have a real good response to either question.
1. For me it was the toys that got me going. I have always just found the concept of a real world object turning into a robot to be cool. I like the engineering and creativity that doing something like that requires. From there the original G1 cartoon added a mythology that gave life to the characters in a classic battle of good versus evil that is fun to watch as a kid. As an adult looking at those cartoons they strike as simple and lacking depth but the love remains.

2. I never really developed favorites to be honest (it is probably why I have not been bothered by who does or does not show up in the movies). My liking them was based on more of whether the toy looked cool or not and not much to do with their roles in the cartoons. If forced to choose, I would go with the usual - Starscream (schemers are always fun), Megatron (unabashedly evil and doesn't care), and Optimus Prime (kind, noble, the best kind of leader).

Before people complain, I know, where is the news?!? As always, once there is some I will post it, this is just something to pass the time and for fun.