Brave Raideen

Brave Raideen
勇者ライディーン
(Yūsha Raidīn)
Genre Mecha
TV anime
Directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, Tadao Nagahama
Studio Sunrise, Tohokushinsha Film
Network TV Asahi
Original run 4 April 197526 March 1976
Episodes 50
Anime and Manga Portal

Brave Raideen (勇者ライディーン Yūsha Raidīn?) is a super robot anime series. Produced by Tohokushinsha, Asahi News Agency and Sunrise, it aired on NET (now TV Asahi) from 4 April 1975 to 26 March 1976, with a total of 50 episodes. The official name being Raideen the Brave, it is mainly known as "Brave Raideen," or "Heroic Rydeen".

Contents

Story

After a slumber of twelve millennia, the Demon Empire awakens to seize control of the Earth. Raideen, the giant robot-like protector of the lost continent of Mu, senses the evil presence and awakens within its golden pyramid. A young Japanese boy, Akira Hibiki, is alerted about the Demon Empire by a mysterious voice and rushes to the pyramid. It is soon revealed that Akira is a descendant of the ancient people of Mu who must help Raideen save the Earth. Akira enters the robot by way of a ramp, accelerating his motorcycle into the robot's head and assuming control of Raideen from an internal cockpit. In typical anime style, Akira is aided by Mari Sakurano, who happens to be the daughter of a prominent scientist, and his friends from the soccer club. Half way through the story the Demon Empire's master, Barao, is released from his statue prison and intends to finish what he started twelve thousand years earlier.

Cast

Staff

Series Mecha and Monsters

Raideen

Bluegar

A fighter that assists Raideen early into the series. It is armed with a variety of weapons.

Poindar

First premiers in episode 21 and is piloted by Araiso and the children of the series. Powers include an extendable boxing glove (later two), claw hands for bashing, can be used as a submarine, a slingshot in the torso, and explosives attached to balloons.

Demon Empire Forces

Fossil Beasts

Colossal Monsters

Combined Colossal Monsters

Production Notes

Episodes

Remakes

Reideen the Superior

A 38 episode remake aired as "Raideen the Superior" (超者ライディーン; Chōja Raidīn) in 1996. This series was directed by Toshifumi Kawase. Five seemingly ordinary teenagers are actually superheroes called "Raideens" and their mission is to fight their enemy the so-called "Super Devils." This series was notably different than the original, more akin to a Super Sentai series or Tekkaman Blade than the original Raideen.

REIDEEN

On January 2007, a twenty-six episode series, simply titled "REIDEEN," began transmission. In this remake, Saiga Junki, a high school student with a gift in mathematics, learns that his archaeologist father, who disappeared years earlier, has died. When going to claim his remains at a pyramid dubbed "Japan's Pyramid," a meteor falls from the sky containing an evil life-form that seeks total destruction. Just as Saiga is put in danger by this life-form, the bracelet that his father left him reacts to the pyramid, and the titular robot is activated. It is now up to Saiga and Reideen to defend the Earth against the mysterious invaders.

International release

Brave Raideen is considered the first super robot anime to reach a large U.S. audience directly. It was first broadcast in Honolulu, Hawaii on KIKU TV-13, which ran the series with English subtitles created and produced in-house. The series first hit the Mainland in June 1976, Sunday nights at 8:00 P.M. on San Francisco's KEMO TV-20 and Los Angeles's KWHY TV-22. Later in 1976, Brave Raideen began running on KMUV TV-31 in Sacramento, CA (Sunday nights; timeslot to be confirmed), as part of the station's Japanese-American programming. The series also aired similarly in Chicago (station and dates to be confirmed), as well as broadcast as part of the Japanese programming on New York City's WNJU TV-47.[4]. The Stateside push was sponsored by Honolulu-based Marukai Trading Co., Ltd., who distributed a large line of Japanese-produced merchandise (as well as some Hawaii-produced items, such as tee-shirts) to local retailers in localities airing Brave Raideen — including Popy's Jumbo Machinder (which may account for Mattel's launching of the popular Shogun Warriors line in the U.S.), according to author August Ragone.

Merchandise

The original toy figures of Raideen (spelled "Raydeen") were introduced to the U.S. market as part of the Shogun Warriors toyline during late 1970s under the Mattel brand, as well as the Marvel comic book based on said toyline.

Reception

In December 1994 police found a pamphlet at the headquarters of Aum Shinrikyo which included a song called "Sarin the Brave," a parody of Brave Raideen.[5]

References

  1. ^ "古今名力士" (in Japanese). Eisai Co.. 2006-01-13. http://www.eisai.co.jp/museum/curator/mgm/060113g.html. Retrieved 2008-02-13. 
  2. ^ Broestl, Sean (2006). "Anime Expo 2006 - Yutaka Izubuchi Focus Panel". Anime News Network. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention.php?id=336. Retrieved 11 July 2006. 
  3. ^ Wong, Amos (February 2003). "Interview with Yutaka Izubuchi". Newtype USA 2 (2): 14–15. 
  4. ^ Clements, Jonathan. McCarthy Helen. [2006] (2006). The Anime Encyclopedia: Revised & Expanded Edition. Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 978-1-933330-10-5
  5. ^ Lifton, Robert Jay. Destroying the World to Save It: Aum Shinrikyo, Apocalyptic Violence, and the New Global Terrorism. Henry Holt and Company, 1999. First Edition. p. 185. ISBN 0-8050-5290-9.

External links