| Superior Defender Gundam Force | |
| SDガンダムフォース (Esudī Gandamu Fōsu) |
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|---|---|
| Genre | Mecha, Comedy, Action |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Yuuichi Abe |
| Studio | Sunrise |
| Network | TV Tokyo |
| English network | YTV Cartoon Network |
| Original run | January 7, 2004 – December 29, 2004 |
| Episodes | 52 |
Superior Defender Gundam Force (SDガンダムフォース Esudī Gandamu Fōsu) is a Japanese anime series. The scenario was created by Yūichi Abe.
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A Japan/America co-production, SD Gundam Force initially aired on Cartoon Network in the U.S. for 26 episodes, and later on TV Tokyo in Japan for 52 episodes, making it the longest Gundam series to date. The TV show was the first Japanese anime to never have VHS releases and all its home video releases are only available on DVD with each DVD having 3 episodes each. Though the final 26 episodes were left unaired on television in America, fans petitioned for the second half to be released, and in 2008 the last 26 episodes were released in an English-dubbed DVD set.
Unlike previous SD Gundam series, SD stands for Superior Defender. It is a crossover series based on the three SD settings that were used in earlier SD Gundam anime and manga: SD Command Chronicles, a science-fiction-styled militaristic setting; Musha Gundam, a setting with samurai-themed robots; Knight Gundam, a medieval European fantasy-themed setting. It also contains many references and homages to the standard Gundam shows, especially those of the Universal Century, Future Century, and After Colony timelines. In a sharp contrast to the dark nature of most of the other Gundam series, SD Gundam Force is extremely lighthearted, though it does at times get more serious as the series goes on, but it's never as dark as the more "traditional" Gundam series.
Despite being the longest-running Gundam series, SD Gundam Force was the least-watched Gundam title in Japan, having averaged a 2.1% share of the viewing audience throughout its broadcast. It beat the previous record holder, After War Gundam X, which averaged at 2.8% during its run.[1]
The story is set in the futuristic city of Neotopia, a happy peaceful place where humans and robots co-exist, until the Dark Axis, an evil force from another dimension, arrives.
Aware of the Dark Axis in advance, Neotopia established the secret Super Dimensional Guard to combat the invaders while keeping the conflict a secret from the public. A young boy named Shute becomes accidentally involved in the first battle between the Dark Axis and the SDG's Gundam Force robot hero, Captain Gundam. Shute's friendship with Captain is critical to activating Captain's Soul Drive, his mysterious power source that is the key to victory. As the fighting continues, Gundams from other dimensions such as Zero and Bakunetsumaru arrive to join the battle as allies. As the Gundam Force beat back the mono-eyed invaders the battle spreads beyond Neotopia into the dimensions of Lacroa and Ark, leading into a final confrontation with the supreme leader of the Dark Axis - General Zeong.
See List of Superior Defender Gundam Force characters
The characters of SD Gundam Force are split into two major factions- Super Dimensional Guard and Dark Axis. Amongst these are various sub-factions/alliances, usually designated by their members land of origin.
Each episode title is presented over a card, the art of which changed over the series to reflect the evolution of the main cast:
Although SD Gundam Force was designed with US standards in mind, there exists subtle differences between the English and Japanese language versions of the show. These include:
During the show's run in Japan, a limited time attraction was opened. Titled SD Gundam Force: Destructive Daishogun Appears!!Zako?, the twenty minute show used a special theater to present a whole new SD Gundam Force adventure which the audience could interact with. Seemingly set in between episodes 26 and 27 (although overall it is best treated as being non-canon), the stars of the show are the Zakos who have been forced to become the SDG's cleaning crew. The Lacroan villain Da Jarle, Knight of the Hammer and the Ark Destructive Daishogun Hakaimaru seek to unify the world with the mysterious Zakarello Mobile. Da Jarle is able to change the appearance of others and Hakaimaru has a bath fetish that leads to him creating a 'Super Bathhouse' command station. The audience and the Zakos join the Gundam Force as they attempt to stop this new alliance.
Original characters were created for the show by Masato Ichishiki, author of the SD Gundam Musha Maruden/SD Gundam Force Emaki Musharetsuden/SD Gundam Musha Banchō Fūunroku manga. Motion capture data was taken from Japanese pro-wrestler Shinya Hashimoto for Hakaimaru's movements. While Hakaimaru appears to be a generic Musha Gundam, Da Jarle resembles a OZ-12SMS Taurus.
The video portion of this attraction is included as an extra on the complete Japanese SD Gundam Force DVD box set.
Two games have been released based on the show; a side scrolling platform game for the Game Boy Advance and a 3D action adventure game for the PlayStation 2. The GBA game retold the story of the first 26 episodes of the show and allowed players to play as either Captain Gundam, Bakunetsumaru or Zero the Winged Knight. Characters could be switched at any time (for the cost of one bar from the special attack meter) and players would need to use each character's strengths to successfully complete the game.
The PS2 title was a much grander affair, presenting a brand new story. The mysterious Dimensional Halo appears in Neotopia and creates mirror versions of Neotopia, Lacroa and Ark. The Gundam Force are forced to battle their way through these copy dimensions and even face their own evil doppelgangers to reach De Scar Road and defeat the Dimensional Halo. Each Gundam Force member had a variety of new forms they could achieve including one super secret form for each which could only be unlocked by a code (the code was presented on a Japanese trading card and eventually filtered to the Western fandom). The game even eventually allowed the player to play as a Zako soldier.
The Dimensional Halo and it's minions were based on the weapons of the Zanscare Empire in Victory Gundam. The game also featured further references to the earlier UC, FC and AC timeline in the form of new villains to populate the mirror dimensions.
The second track used in the series' closing credits, Kokoro Odoru by nobodyknows+, featured in the 2005 Nintendo DS rhythm action game Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan.
SD Gundam Force has received a few manga interpretations. These include a serialized retelling of the show, a prequel manga and a loosely connected sidestory. Similar to most TV-to-manga adaptations, the 3 volume adaptation makes various subtle but notable changes for pacing reasons. Examples include the complete absence of Gunbike/Gunpanzer and Madnug managing to override his brainwashing, only to be killed by Zeong for his betrayal. The prequel manga presents untold stories of Captain Gundam, Bakunetsumaru, Zero, Zapper Zaku, Grappler Gouf and Destroyer Dom. The sidestory, SD Gundam Force Emaki Musharetsuden, is set in the land of Ark and focuses on a band of heroic Musha Gundams.
| Preceded by Mobile Suit Gundam SEED |
Gundam metaseries (production order) 1979–2011 |
Succeeded by Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO |
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