Starzinger

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Starzinger

Starzinger screenshot
SF西遊記 スタージンガー
(Esu Efu Saiyuki Sutājingā)
Genre Science fiction
Anime television series
Directed by Yugo Serikawa
Written by Leiji Matsumoto
Studio Toei Animation
Network Fuji TV
Original run April 2, 1978 – August 24, 1979
Episodes 73
Anime film
Directed by Yugo Serikawa
Written by Leiji Matsumoto
Studio Toei Animation
Released March 17, 1979
Manga
Written by Leiji Matsumoto
Published by Wonder Comix
Original run 1979 – 1980
Volumes 3

Sci-Fi West Saga Starzinger (SF西遊記スタージンガー Esu Efu Saiyūki Sutājingā) is an anime series aired in Japan from 1978 to 1979. In the United States it is referred to as Spaceketeers and is part of Jim Terry's Force Five series. In the United Kingdom, it is referred to as Sci-Bots on VHS releases.

In 2009, William Winckler Productions produced three all new English dubbed movie versions edited from the original series. Producer William Winckler, known for Tekkaman the Space Knight, wrote, produced and directed the English films, which are seen on broadband in Japan. An English dubbed movie version was made and released to DVD in America in 2011, it was directed by William Winckler. A new U.S. DVD release of the William Winckler films by Shout! Factory is scheduled for August 20, 2013.

Story

The story revolves around the Princess of the Moon, Aurora and her three cyborg companions (Kugo, Djorgo, Hakka) who must travel to the Great King planet and restore the Galaxy Energy in the year 2072. The universe is becoming more and more unbalanced as the Queen of the great Planet grows older. Their adventure includes battling the starmen who are transformed from the unbalanced minerals and planets.

Concept

Starzinger is essentially a Sci-fi space opera retelling of the shenmo fantasy novel Journey to the West, a Chinese literary classic written by the Ming Dynasty novelist Wu Cheng'en. The Sci-fi twists were designed by Leiji Matsumoto based on the Terebi Magazine manga [1] with art by Gosaku Ohta.[2]

Staff

Director: Yugo Seirikawa, Kozo Morishita, Kazumi Fukushima

Creator: Leiji Matsumoto

Screenwriter: Tatsuo Tamura, Michiru Umadori, Sukehiro Tomita

Design: Masaki Suda

Animator: Masaki Suda, Satoshi Kamimiya

Music: Shunsuke Kikuchi

Characters

Japanese Name English Name Italian Name Spanish Name French Name Swedish Name Voiced by Power Vehicle Description
Princess Aurora (オーロラ姫 Orora Hime)AuroraPrincipessa AuroraPrincesa AuroraPrincesse AuroraPrinsessan Aurora Kazuko Sugiyama Telepathy and psychic abilities, can channel Galaxy energy The only human among the main four characters. She is the last of the Moon people. Based on Xuanzang.
Jan Kugo (ジャン・クーゴ)Jesse DartYan CoogGalácticoYann KougarJan Cogo Hiroya Ishimaru Wield Astro-lance that change size, shoot laser; in the second season he can become giant or tiny at will Starcrow A red suited cyborg. Became a cyborg to benefit and help humanity: demoted to menial jobs, he gained a bad temper. Based on the monkey-demon, Sun Wukong, of which "Kugo" is an anagram.
Sir Djorgo (サー・ジョーゴ Sa Jogo) Arimos Sir GorgoGiorgio Sir Jorgo Kei Tomiyama Wield Laser-trident with freeze abilities; occasionally shot missiles from his shoulders Starcopper/Sea Wasp A blue suited cyborg. The most intelligent of the three. When in doubt he asks his portable computer (which often displays TOEI logo while elaborating a problem). Based on the water-demon, Sha Wujing, as Gojyo was the Japanese name of Wujing.
Don Hakka (ドン・ハッカ)Porkos Don Acca Glotín Don Hakka Kousei TomitaSwing mace that turns into a flail, shoots rocket from his feet. Starbood/Space Hog A green suited cyborg, cheerful, hungry and the comedian. Based on the pig-demon, Zhu Bajie, as Hakkai is the Japanese name of Bajie, and Porkos may refer to pork, as in pig.
Prof. Kitty Empress Dottoressa KittyDoctora Sandra Doktor Kitty Eiko Masuyama A scientist. She reared Aurora after the death of Aurora's parents. Based on Guanyin
Assistant Prof.DodgeProf.Schnitzel Dottor DodgeProfessor Jorquel Professor Dodge Jouji Yanami An intelligent Professor, He made Kugo into the cyborg he is
Prince Gaima Keiichi Noda Based on the son of Bull Demon King, Red Boy.
Gingin Man & Kinkin Man Kinkin e GinginGuinguiriano Kenichi Ogata Monster Brothers. Based on King of Gold Horn & King of Silver Horn
Beramis BelamisCapitana Balamia Noriko Ohara Electronic sword A female cyborg. A captain of Queen Lacets, later became friend and ally of Jan Kugo.
Captain Satomi Majima
King (キングギューマ kinku gyuma) Rey Guyima Takashi Tanaka Based on Bull Demon King.
Queen Lacets Reina Zarcanda Yumi Nakatani, Nana Yamaguchi Based on Princess Iron Fan.

Adaptations

The movie was aired in March 1979 by reusing footages from the first segment of the series. It was more or less a summary.

The last 9 episode of the actual series was rebranded as "SF Saiyuki Starzinger II", though when shown outside Japan it is treated as one continuous series. It was never intended to be anything more than remarketing the last few episodes, since it was aired immediately after the first 64 episodes were shown in June 1979. The 65th episode began instantly in July 1979 with all the galactic energy restored in the storyline.

Internationalization

Starzinger was aired in early 1980s in Latin America with the name of "El Galáctico" (The Galactic), as part of the four-series show "Festival de Robots" which translate to "Festival of Robots". The other shows were "Steel Jeeg", "Gaiking", and "Magne Robo Gakeen".

In North America, it was aired as "Spaceketeers" as part of the package show Force Five. As the "Journey to the West story" is not well known in the region, the characters were renamed to reference the Three Musketeers. To also fit into the Force Five time slot, the show had to be edit-squeezed into 26 episodes. The US version puts them on a mission to the Dekos Star System which contained evil powers changing peaceful creatures to evil mutants. The Force Five version not only just produced 26 episodes, but this English Version of the series never reached their conclusion.

24 episodes of the original 73 also aired in Scandinavia (mainly in Sweden) under the original name Starzinger.
List of what episodes were cut out can be found at: Warfists Starzinger site in the episode section

Gallery

  • VHS cover of the US version

Home Media

VHS

UK

Release name
 Release date
 Classifaction
 Publisher
Format
Language Subtitles Notes
 REF
SCI-BOTS 1 Conflict Unknown U Krypton Force Ltd PAL English None Run Time 56 min 5 sec. [3]
SCI-BOTS 2 Strike Back Unknown U Krypton Force Ltd PAL English None 46 min. [4]
SCI-BOTS 3 Battle of the flame dragon Unknown U Krypton Force Ltd PAL English None 43 min. [5]
SCI-BOTS 4 Betrayal Unknown U Krypton Force Ltd PAL English None [6]

Trivia

  • It was aired every week Sunday 7:00pm to 7:30pm.[citation needed]

References

  1. ↑ Clements, Jonathan. McCarthy Helen. [2006] (2006). The Anime Encyclopedia: Revised & Expanded Edition. Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 978-1-933330-10-5
  2. ↑ Scan of a page from the Starzinger manga, with Matsumoto and Ohta in the credits (Japanese).
  3. ↑ "Sci-Bots 1 - The mutants lighting strike - conflict". retrotrader.com. Retrieved 20 March 2012. 
  4. ↑ "SCI BOTS 2 - Krypton Force - Sci Bots Fight Back - Strike Back - UK VHS PAL VIDEO". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 20 March 2012. 
  5. ↑ "KRYPTON FORCE -SCI-BOTS 3-BATTLE OF THE FLAME DRAGON". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 20 March 2012. 
  6. ↑ "KRYPTON FORCE- SCI-BOTS 4-BETRAYAL". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 20 March 2012. 

External links

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