Chōdenji Machine Voltes V

Chōdenji Machine Voltes V
超電磁マシーン ボルテスV
(Super Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V)
Genre Mecha, Drama, Super Robot
Anime television series
Directed by Tadao Nagahama
Studio Toei Company,
Nippon Sunrise
Network TV Asahi
Original run 4 June 1977 25 March 1978
Episodes 40

Chōdenji Machine Voltes V (超電磁マシーン ボルテスV Chōdenji Mashīn Borutesu Faibu, Super Electromagnetic Machine Voltes Five) more popularly known as Voltes V, is a Japanese anime television series that was first aired on TV Asahi starting June 4, 1977. It was created by Saburo Yatsude (a pseudonym referring to a committee within Toei Company) and directed by Tadao Nagahama. Voltes V is the second part of the Robot Romance Trilogy of the Super Robot genre which includes Chōdenji Robo Combattler V and Tōshō Daimos. Like Combattler V, the series was animated by Sunrise and produced by Toei Company. The series was animated by Sunrise on Toei's behalf. This super robot along with the other two aforementioned super robots first appeared the USA as a part of Mattel's Shogun Warriors line of import toys, released in the late 1970s.

Description

Voltes V narrates the heroic exploits of the young robot pilots known as The Voltes Team and their trials against alien invaders from the planet Boazan. Armed with the Super Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V, the five pilots drive back the invaders one Beast Fighter at a time. The series is different from typical super robot anime of the time in that it illustrates human sentimentality and common values, with underlying themes such as the love of family, equality, selfless sacrifice, team work, and patriotism.

Voltes V is a work that has a heavy revolutionary undertone. The series ends with Voltes V's spectacular counterattack on planet Boazan to liberate the slaves from the oppression of a tyrannical ruler, Emperor Zu Zambojil. After Voltes V, Tadao Nagahama directed the TV anime version of Rose of Versailles, which leaves speculation that perhaps Voltes V was influenced by Nagahama's research on the French Revolution for his future project. The theme of enslaved population rising up to overthrow an aristocracy lend support to theory.

Voltes V's arsenal consists of variety of missiles, a bazooka, beams, and weapons such as Chōdenji Top (Similar to the Chōdenji Yo-Yo of Combattler V) and Tenkūken (天空剣 Sky Sword, "Laser Sword" in the English dub, "Excalibur" in the Italian dub). With Tenkūken, Voltes V marks the enemy's final moments with a signature "V" slash. This established it as one of the first super robots to use a sword in its finishing attack.

Voltes V deviates from the robotic design of the Combattler V. Voltes V '​s plot has a more serious tone than the comedic storyline of Combattler V. Voltes V also follows a formula similar to that of Daimos.

Plot

An armada of horned humanoid aliens known as Boazanians invade earth and launch their "beast fighters" all over the world, defeating most of the world's armed forces including the US military. Their first humiliating defeat by Super Electromagnetic Machine, Voltes V brings the invaders to focus their attacks on Japan. Voltes V was designed by Professor Kentaro Gō (Doctor Ned Armstrong), his wife Professor Mitsuyo Gō (Doctor Mary Ann Armstrong) and their trusted colleague, Professor Hamaguchi (Doctor Richard Smith) and built by large scale construction effort backed by United Nations Earth Defense Force and General Oka (Commander Robinson). Voltes V is a robot composed of five "Volt Machines", and each are themselves formidable weapons. Each machine is piloted by Ken'ichi(Steve), Daijiro(Big Bert), and Hiyoshi(Little John): the three sons of Kentaro and Mitsuyo Gō, along with the only daughter of General Oka; Megumi(Jaime Robinson), and Ippei Mine(Mark Gordon), an orphan cowboy.

Voltes V's home base is Camp Big Falcon, a fortress situated on a bird-shaped island along the coast of Japan. Voltes V's enemies are the Boazanians; namely Prince Heinell, Katharine, Jangal, and Zuhl. The series focuses on the struggle against the Boazanian invaders, and the Gō brothers' search for their long-lost father, Kentarō Gō. As the series progresses, four major characters—Professor Mitsuyo Gō, Zuhl, General Oka and Professor Hamaguchi—die. Zuhl and Hamaguchi are replaced by Belgan and Professor Sakunji (Doctor Hook), respectively. Later in the series, the brothers learn of their unique heritage of being half Boazanian. The characters deal with their identity's impact on their own lives and that on both their close friends and bitter enemies.

Voltes V Commercial Banner

Characters

The Voltes V Team and Allies

After the disappearance of Professor Gō, the Earth International Defense Force trained five young people to be highly skilled Earth Defense Agents. Resolute and dedicated fighters, these agents act as both special commando units and pilots of the Super Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V, against the invading Boazanians.

(Note: Bold items in parentheses indicate character names in the Philippines' English, Filipino and Visayan-dubbed versions.)

The Boazanian Nobility

This is the dictatorial regime under Emperor Zu Zambajil, the most despotic emperor in history. During the reign of Emperor Zambajil, the main headquarters was called the Celestial Tower, the symbol of Zambajil's might.

Cast

Original Japanese Cast

Philippine Cast (1970s; In English, then in 1999; In Tagalog, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Ilocano and Bicolano;)

Notable: Kim Atienza revealed in a TV show in GMA 7, that he was Steve Armstrong's second dubber when Voltes V was dubbed for the first time in Filipino. He was still a councillor of Manila at the time he did work on the series.

Voltes 5 Evolution Cast (redubbed Tagalog version in 2005)

The following names replaced the original voice actors in the redub version on Hero TV.

Toys

During the series' run, Popy released a diecast metal toy of Voltes V. The toy was available either with the five Volt Machines sold separately or in a gift set known as the "Volt In Box". Aside from the Volt Machines combining to form Voltes V, the toy also transformed into Voltank mode (an alternate vehicle mode wherein the robot lied down face-first with the Volt Panzer and Volt Lander's wheels on the ground). Voltank mode never appeared in the series, but was a unique feature of the toy. The boxed set was re-released in 1982 before being repackaged as part of Bandai's Godaikin line for the international market in 1983.[1]

Popy also released a Jumbo Machinder version of Voltes V. Standing at over 24 inches in height, the toy featured firing projectile fists and could transform into Voltank mode, which small children could ride on.

In 2006, Bandai released a newer, smaller Voltes V toy as part of their Soul of Chogokin line. This toy is more detailed and more poseable than its Popy diecast predecessor. In 2008, the toy was re-released as a special edition called "Respect for Volt In Box", which pays homage to the original toy in both color scheme and packaging. In addition, this version has been retooled to transform into Voltank mode.[2]

International versions

Philippines

Since May 5, 1978, an English-language dub of Voltes V was first aired on GMA-7, which was shown every Friday (6:00 pm) and lasted for a year until 1979.

In 1979, shortly before the series finale, then-president Ferdinand Marcos issued a directive banning Voltes V and other similarly-themed anime series due to concerns about "excessive violence".[3][4] The directive also led to speculations at the time that the series was also taken off the air due to its aforementioned revolutionary undertones.[5]

In 1986, the series was aired in PTV-4 then on ABS-CBN from 1986–1987 and IBC-13 from 1989 (brief Tagalog dub Episodes 1 -11) and 1994 (English reruns Episodes 1 - 36), and on GMA in 1999 which was shown in Tagalog. The latter's popularity spurred numerous homages and pastiches, namely the Ang Dating Doon parody religion sketch in Bubble Gang.

In 2005, the cable channel Hero, owned by the ABS-CBN Corporation, released Voltes V as Voltes V Evolution. However, the voice cast was different from the GMA version. In an attempt to promote the show to a younger audience, the network had Jett Pangan, Sandara Park, Dennis Trillo and other Filipino celebrities re-dub the characters' voices. This decision alienated older, loyal fans who claimed the new voice actors lack effort in portraying their characters, or altogether miscast: however, the redub did somehow manage to pull though its whole run and had gone though at least one rerun in the said channel.

United States

An American English dubbed version was released in North America in 1983 by 3B Productions as Voltus 5. It was a condensed version of the first three episodes of the series. The English dub used the character names of the Philippine English version and had the theme song replaced with a generic instrumental.

Media appearances

References

External links