This episode is notable for featuring Waspinator as a real threat to the Maximals; only in later episodes would he become the much-abused comic relief.
In Japan, this episode was called "Cho Seimeitai Transformer Tojo," or "Enter the Super Robot Lifeform Transformers."
Before they scan animal forms, most of the the Transformers cannot be fully seen. We only catch glimpses of their hands, closeups of their faces, and vague and shadowy outlines. This is because the animators hadn't designed Cybertronian forms for them. Only after they have acquired their Earth forms do we see them fully. We do, however, get a brief glimpse of Megatron's full form.
The Predacon Scorponok is seen with Maximal symbols on his missiles. This represents the number of Maximal "kills" he has made before his arrival to Earth (and is NOT an animation mistake, as sometimes thought).
When the Maximal and Predacon ships crash, the rising clouds of smoke briefly take on the shapes of human skulls.