Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!

Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!
Genre Super Robot
Action
Adventure
Science fiction
Created by Ciro Nieli
Voices of Greg Cipes
Kevin Michael Richardson
Tom Kenny
Kari Wahlgren
Clancy Brown
Corey Feldman
Mark Hamill
Ashley Johnson
James Hong
Hynden Walch
Country of origin United States
Japan
No. of episodes 52 (List of episodes)
Production
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s)
Release
Original network Jetix[1]
(Toon Disney US
ABC Family
Toon Disney Japan)
Original release September 18, 2004 (2004-09-18) – December 16, 2006 (2006-12-16)

Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! (commonly known by its initialism, SRMTHFG) is an American/Japanese animated television series, and was created by Ciro Nieli, one of the directors of Teen Titans, produced by Jetix Animation Concepts with animation being done by a Japanese studio known as The Answer Studio (who would later work on the Cartoon Network original series Transformers: Animated).[1] Set mainly on the fictional planet of Shuggazoom, the series follows the adventures of five cyborg monkeys and a human boy named Chiro as they struggle to protect their planet - and the rest of the universe - from the forces of evil.

As is obvious from the visual appearance of the show, there is a significant anime influence present, despite being produced for American television. It was also influenced by Star Trek, Super Sentai (most recognizably exemplified in the West by Power Rangers), Voltron and Star Wars. The show also contains various references to pop culture, a notable example being the episode "Season of the Skull", which is a parody of the 1970s thriller The Wicker Man.

Plot

The Super Robot Monkey Team is set in Shuggazoom City, a city that takes up a good portion of its planet, named Shuggazoom. The rest of the planet is called "The Zone of Wasted Years."

The main character is a boy named Chiro. When he was exploring the outskirts of the city, he stumbles upon a giant abandoned robot. Once inside, his curiosity gets the better of him, and he pulls on an old, untouched switch, thus awakening the five robotic monkeys that form the Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce. In the process, Chiro also fused himself with the Power Primate, allowing him to transform into the brave fighter and bold leader of the team. With the aid of the five Robot Monkeys: Antauri, Gibson, Otto, Nova, and Sparx, their mission is to save Shuggazoom City from the Skeleton King, the main antagonist of the series.

By virtue of the fact that Chiro was not a superhero from birth, the five Robot Monkeys must train him, which ultimately results in him leading the team. The Robot Monkeys continue to train Chiro, as he fulfills his destiny as protector of the universe.

When fighting the larger enemies, the Hyperforce uses the Super Robot, which can split into six separate vehicles. Its main attack, when combined as the whole robot, is Lasertron Fury, a powerful energy beam that is fired from its chest. The Super Robot also serves as Chiro and the Monkeys' headquarters and home.

Protagonists/Heroes

Chiro

A 13 (later 14 the middle of the first season)-year-old boy who is at first hesitant in accepting his role as leader of the Hyperforce, but gradually comes to accept his destiny of becoming a defender of Shuggazoom and later the universe. He falls in love with a robot called Jinmay. He pilots the Torso Tank Driver 1, which forms the torso of the Super Robot. Chiro's powers come from the Power Primate, an entity inside of him. He is voiced by Greg Cipes.

Antauri

NTAR-11 (or Antauri, pronounced "Antary") is the black (later silver in the last two seasons) monkey, and the team's second-in-command. He is wise, serious, calm and collected, and cares very much for his friends. He teaches Chiro how to control the Power Primate and gives spiritual advice to the rest of the Monkey Team. He spends most of his time either meditating or patrolling Shuggazoom City. Antauri pilots the Brain Scrambler 2, which forms the head of the Super Robot. His main weapons are his Ghost Claws in addition to the Monkey Mind Scream, an attack Chiro learns during the series. When Antauri became the Silver Monkey, he is capable of going through walls, throwing boomerang resembling weapons, and grab and/or walk with hidden spider legs. He is voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.

Sparx

SPRX-77 (or Sparx, pronounced "Sparks") is the red monkey, and the team's best pilot. He is very much the comedian of the group. But, he is still very brave and willing to protect his comrades at any cost. Though he is the very essence of annoying to Nova, he still harbors feelings for her. This doesn't keep him from hitting on other females at times, even right in front of Nova. He never calls Chiro anything but "Kid," except in select episodes. Sparx pilots the Fist Rocket 3, which becomes the right hand of the Super Robot. His main weapon are his Magnet Fists. He turned evil in the second-to-last episode Fire of Hate, but with the help of his friends, and a love confession from Nova, he turns good again in the last episode Soul of Evil. He is voiced by Corey Feldman.

Gibson

GBSN-23 (or Gibson) is the blue monkey, and the team's science and medical officer. His full name is Mr. Hal Gibson, but he prefers "just 'Gibson'". When answering scientific-related questions, he answers them with long, even confusing and boring, speeches, which are always interrupted by someone or something. He has trouble deciding if Otto, the team's mechanic, is a genius or an idiot. He despises bugs and someone who is smarter than him. Gibson pilots the Fist Rocket 4, which becomes the left hand of the Super Robot. His main weapon are his Cybovac Drill Fists, which contain a variety of different charges within them, giving him the widest choices of attacks. He is voiced by Tom Kenny.

Otto

OTTO-34 (or Otto) is the green monkey, and the team's mechanic. Although his talent with machines is unmatched, he is quite oblivious to everything else around him, but has an obsession with naming the monsters the team encounters. As the monkeys are robotic themselves, it is usually up to him repair any damages. He has a dream of being in the circus, more specifically becoming a trapeze artist. He also has a soft spot for anything young or smaller than him, as seen in The Stranded Seven when he gives the seemingly useless piece of metal on the end of his tail to a young cat-like alien, whom he called "Lil' guy." Otto pilots the Foot Crusher Cruiser 5, which becomes the left foot of the Super Robot. His main weapon are his Energy Saw Fists. He is voiced by Clancy Brown.

Nova

NOVA-52 (or Nova) is the yellow monkey, and the team's main fighter. She was considered the only female on the team, until Jinmay became an honorary member, and has been known for her fiery attitude. She has a love-hate relationship with Sparx and eventually admits her feelings, claiming she loves him and saying that it's "too much to lose him", in the last episode. She also cares for Chiro as if he were a brother. Antauri stated she's the team's third-in-command, which did not bode well with Sparx and Gibson, as they were fighting about who it would be in the episodes The Savage Lands, Part 1 & 2. Nova pilots the Foot Crusher Cruiser 6, which forms the right foot of the Super Robot. Her main weapons are her Robotic Fists. She is voiced by Kari Wahlgren.

Villains

The Skeleton King

An evil undead warlord/sorcerer residing in The Citadel of Bone, a gigantic living spaceship made entirely out of bone filled with nightmarish creatures, who plots to rule the universe starting with Shuggazoom and is obsessed to find out why Chiro is able to manipulate the Power Primate. As a living mortal, Skeleton King was the Alchemist, a kindly master of the elements of science and magic whose soul was eventually corrupted by The Dark Ones, an evil race of trans-dimensional entities, thus becoming their most loyal servant. Before the corruption could be complete, however, the Alchemist created the Robot Monkeys to protect the cosmos from his own evil. Skeleton King masterminded key events like the creation of The Pit of Doom and the corruption of the Power Primate to awaken one of The Dark Ones from Shuggazoom's core. During the climactic battle, Skeleton King's decapitated head merged with the unleashed Dark One to become the "Skeleton King Worm" and traveled across the universe, transforming once peaceful worlds into desolate wastelands in its wake. Eventually, the Hyperforce ended the Skeleton King Worm's rampage by destroying it before it could destroy the planet Earth, another target in the Worm's path. However, after being getting severed from the worm, Skeleton King's head was recovered from the depth of space by Mandarin and returned to Shuggazoom, where it was later stolen by the Skeletal Circle, a group of Skeleton King's mortal disciples led by Ma and Pa Shenko (Valeena's Parents), who thought to use the head's power to curse Shuggazoom City until they were interrupted by the Hyperforce. During the battle, the head was split in two to reveal a Crystal Skull which was collected by Mandarin and Valeena. It was revealed that the Crystal Skull was one of the elements needed to resurrect Skeleton King (along with objects such as The Alchemist's Robe, The Ice Crystal of Vengeance, The Fire of Hate, and The Soul of Evil), which led Mandarin and Valeena to team up and gather the objects across the planet with the Hyperforce attempting to stop them. The search ended in the Pit of Doom (the place where Skeleton King lost his original body), where Valeena was successful in resurrecting Skeleton King in a new form similar to Darth Vader. Upon his resurrection, he blasted Valeena into ash and raised a black castle of Formless Ooze within the Pit, which currently serves as a fortress for him and his undead army as he plans to wage war "between the living and the dead" on Shuggazoom City.

Skeleton King's design and color scheme are homage to the 1970s Japanese toy series Henshin Cyborg's villain known as Dokuro King as well as other undead villains Horned King and Skeletor. He is voiced by Mark Hamill.

Mandarin

The orange monkey, and the Hyperforce's original leader. He was the wisest out of all of the six monkeys, but since their job was to protect Shuggazoom City, Mandarin felt a little bit more than serving his guardian and wanted to rule. As a result, he was kicked off the team and exiled to an off-world prison until his accidental release, which was triggered by a signal from one of his robotic gloves, which was found in a secret compartment in his old room by Chiro. He then joined forces with Skeleton King, only to be replaced with a formless ooze replica of himself. The Mandarin replica would fill Mandarin's role in the series from then onwards. His weapons were a Plasma Sword Fist and Shield Fist. He is voiced by James Hong.

Mandarin 2

A just-as-powerful clone of Mandarin with the same memories and personality that was created by Skeleton King from Formless Ooze and the DNA of the original Mandarin who got replaced. Following his master's first death, he joined forces with Valeena to resurrect him, in which they were successful. After Valeena was killed by the Skeleton King (as a form of "gratitude"), Mandarin joined his master once more to aid him in waging a war between the living and the dead. His main weapons were original Mandarin's sword and shield, but later a sword and a large bone hand which was later destroyed by Gibson in Episode 52, thus making him nearly powerless. He is voiced by James Hong, who voices the original Mandarin.

Valeena

Valeena Shanko (better known as the Skull Sorceress) was a member of the Skeletal Circle who was brought to Skeleton King by her caring but critical parents as a child to accept his full power. Unfortunately, Skeleton King's influence saw her a fit to rule the Savage Lands from an abandoned ancient temple. Her first appearance is in the episode of Antauri's resurrection, where she kidnapped Jinmay in an attempt to sacrifice her to the Skeleton King Worm but the Monkey Team interfered, freed Jinmay, and knocked Valeena off the temple edge and into a pit of ooze. She returns in later episodes near the end of the series run as one of the main villains, and when the team returned to Shuggazoom in The Ghosts of Shuggazoom, she was revealed to be behind everyone turning into zombie like ghosts. She was defeated again and trapped inside of a necklace that Mandarin wears in the Night of Fear to show the Monkey Teams true fears. It is revealed in one of the episodes that her whole goal was to resurrect Skeleton King after his first defeat. She succeeded along with Mandarin, but as a token of "gratitude", Skeleton King blasted her into ash. She is voiced by Hynden Walch.

Formless

The Formless are the monochrome skeleton-like creatures that are created from some kind of black ooze and act as the foot soldiers of the Skeleton King's army.

Guardian Formless, more violent and dangerous, can be seen in Episode 27 and Episode 28. They belong to Valeena, the Skull Sorceress.

TV Monster/Skeleton King Droid

A black and bulky looking, yet powerful robot made to personally serve Skeleton King as his herald. He was later transformed into the powerful Skeleton King Droid as a result of having a piece of the Skeleton Kings essence in him. Also voiced by Mark Hamill.

Elevator Monster

A psychic being that serves the Skeleton King. He looks like an old man, except that his waist and below is an elevator-like protrusion instead of feet. He has the ability to transport anybody who comes into the elevator to a completely different spot. He disguised himself as an old man in an elevator, leaving many people inconspicuous. Voiced by Clancy Brown.

Gyrus Krinkle

A sad and lonely man who grew up with a robotic mother. He is a fan of the Hyperforce, and this fanaticism eventually turned into an obsession. In one episode he creates his own virtual world using an invention he created where he can manipulate anything he wants to his will and sucks Chiro into it, but he ends up having his own physical body sucked into the world, but he appears in a painting of him with the Hyperforce as you hear him laugh, assuming he is living out his dream. He is voiced by Jeffrey Combs.

Professor Maezono

Now a disembodied brain, Professor Jakus Maezono was one of the human scientists who worked on the Prometheus Project and assisted in the creation of the Super Robot. He wanted to transfer his consciousness into the Prometheus Five model, thus allowing him to live forever as the ultimate super-weapon. Dr. Takeuchi, his friend and fellow scientist attempted to stop him but was killed in the process. Voiced by Dee Bradley Baker.

Sakko

A tiny monkey who acts as a spy for Skeleton King. He was originally presumed to be Jinmay's pet in the first episode, but he pins her down and opens up her chest, revealing that she is a robot. He fails Skeleton King and is taken away by a strange jack in the box looking robot with legs, but he appears in later episodes and with an eyepatch. He makes a brief cameo in Episode 42 in the Ranger 7 Moon Base Prison joyfully showing an artwork of the Skeleton King holding him. He is voiced by Gibson's voice actor Tom Kenny.

Flytor

A union of three monsters of the Skeleton King. Skeleton King sent him to scan Chiro's Power Primate.

Biff Beefy Box/Cloggy Colon Creature

Not To Be Confused With Biff Tannen From Back To The Future Part I and II. A seemingly friendly Wonder Fun Meat World manager. He first looks like a box carton in which you get at a restaurant to hold your food, and has three friends one being a meat cone, a shake, and a giant fries who mutate into strange zombie creatures. It is found out that he is planning to eat people by fattening them up, being an obvious tribute to Motel Hell and Soylent Green. Also voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson. He is currently imprisoned in the Ranger 7 Moon Base Prison.

Scrapperton

Also known as Duke Scrapperton, Grand Earl of the Mecha Realm. Once a mortal man who replaced every part of his body (except for his brain and what appears to be one remaining eye) with a mechanical part. He hovers over Shuggazoom in his first appearance in a giant scrap pile in space, and appears later in a floating Victorian style ship, and wearing a metal suit resembling a Victorian style general. He is voiced by Eric Idle.

Morlath

Also known as the Mythic Lord of the Northern Ice, this gigantic frost demon was trapped in a cavern in the Sea of Ice outside Shuggazoom City until he encountered the Skeleton King, who offered to free him if he lent his power to freeze the city. Instead of freeing him however, the Skeleton king imprisoned Morlath into his power and was able to use his power as a result. He was freed when the sceptre was destroyed during the Skeleton King's battle with Chiro and Antauri in the episode I, Chiro. He later guarded the Ice Crystal of Vengeance (which was a piece of the Skeleton Kings essence) in season 4, only for it to be stolen by Valeena and Mandarin. He was soon afterwards destroyed by the Super Robot. He had a daughter, Ice Witch. Voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.

Master Zan

Antauri's teacher, works for the Skeleton King. He was part of a group of mages that protected the cosmos from a group of creatures called the Dark Ones which have been dormant in the center of many planets, but Skeleton King power is too powerful, so he had no choice to obey him and is using the Power Primate to awaken the Dark One Worm but it leads to his demise by being blasted with the Power Primate from Chiro. Voiced by Michael York (actor).

Wigglenog

A genie like alien creature who has the power to grant three wishes, and much like a genie, is set free when the three wishes are granted. Chiro first wishes that they had some real action, second Gibson is wished to Otto would be smarter, and the third and final wish is Sparx wishes for an anti-wigglenog bazooka but it ends up firing flowers because the rule is you cannot harm a Wigglenog or wish to cause harm to it. Otto outsmarts the Wigglenog and wishes they never met him after faking him out with one extra wish. The Wigglenog is voiced by John Kassir.

The Skeletal Circle

The Skeletal Circle was an underground cult consisting of normal Shuggazoom citizens who worships the Skeleton King. They consist of sorcerers & evil people. The cult would practice black magic & conjure vile spells using the Skeleton King's skull as a source for power. Ma & Pa Shanko, Valeena's parents & owners of the arcade in Shuggazoom, are the leaders of the cult & are voiced by Kari Wahlgren and Clancy Brown respectively. Valeena used to be a member, but she left when Ma & Pa Shanko chose her to accept the Skeleton King's powers. The cult only appeared in Episode 49. It is unknown what happened to the cult after Episode 49, but it is likely that the cult disbanded because they no longer practiced black magic, Valeena & Mandarin took the Skeleton King's skull, & Ma & Pa Shanko were arrested.

The Dark Ones

A species of evil entities with the power to destroy creation that were created by an unknown cosmic force when the universe was young. While many were confined in the Netherworld, some of them are dormant in their planets' cores. They have so much evil that any organic life is painfully weakened in the Netherworld.

Allies

Jinmay

A robot girl who Chiro falls in love with. She becomes an official Hyperforce member and becomes the protector of Shuggazoom when the Hyperforce left to destroy the Dark Worm. She and Chiro have fallen in love when they first met after he rescued her. She has pink hair and green eyes. She usually wears her green dress with a heart in the front and the back when she was an honorary member. Now she wears the same style as Chiro's but in dress form. When she called for help in Ghosts of Shuggazoom she was wearing her original dress. She is voiced by Ashley Johnson.

The Sun Riders

A team of television superheroes that Chiro idolizes. Super Quasar, the leader of the group, can emit solar energy from his visor. Aurora Six the stunning and single female member wields the Sun Gun. Johnny Sunspot. They once worked under the Skeleton King, but eventually turned to the Hyperforce's side. Super Quasar was voiced by Keone Young Aurora Six voiced by Meredith Salenger and Johnny Sunspot was voiced by Tom Kenny.

Slingshot

Also known as Prometheus Five, the fifth and most recent in a series of robots of which the Super Robot is the prototype. Slingshot can manipulate energy to increase speed. He is voiced by Scott Menville.

Planetoid Q

A living planetesimal who was used by Skeleton King to collide with The Planet Shuggazoom until Chiro convinced it to work for the side of good. Voiced by Clancy Brown.

The Circus of Ooze crew

A brainwashed intergalactic circus crew: The Ringmaster, the leader who can infect people with black ooze and transform into a living carousel, Leeah the Jungle Girl who can transform into a serpentine-like creature with hypnotic eyes and the clown which could create duplicate clones of himself. They were infected by The Citadel of Bone's Black ooze and plotted to transform the populace into mindless clowns until Chiro and Otto destroyed The Ringmaster's hat which transformed everyone back to normal. After the ordeal The Circus allowed Otto to perform into circus and remained allies with the Hyperforce. The Ringmaster was voiced by Robert Englund and Leeah was voiced by Kari Wahlgren.

Thingy

A tiny furball that can transform into a large battle form. Its slobber made all of the monkey team immune to a computer virus it was carrying; a scheme of Skeleton King to destroy the Hyperforce. Except for Gibson and the Super Robot, who tried to destroy Suggazoom City, due to the virus. Both returned to normal after they were licked by Thingy as well. Voiced by Frank Welker.

Mobius Quint

A galaxy-class pilot who became obsessed with taking revenge on Skeleton King after a fragment of The Citadel of Bone placed his ship, The Last Chance, and his crew at risk. Voiced by Lance Henriksen.

Captain Shuggazoom

The previous defender of Shuggazoom City, whose secret identity was the wealthy billionaire playboy industrialist Clayton Carrington. He was a close ally of The Alchemist, who built all of his equipment (including the sleep cannon). When the Demon Beast escaped the Netherworld from the Alchemist's dimensional portal to terrorize Shuggazoom City, Captain Shuggazoom fought against it and used the sleep cannon to put it into stasis. However, he was caught in the rays and lay dormant in a hidden underground cavern along with the Demon Beast for the next 60 years. He was later discovered and awakened by the Hyperforce, and the Demon Beast was roused in the process. After Captain Shuggazoom aided the Hyperforce in sending the Demon Beast back into the Netherworld, Captain Shuggazoom returned to the Alchemist's lab in the Savage Lands to learn what happened in Alchemist's last days before he was transformed into the Skeleton King. Captain Shuggazoom was attacked by Valeena and Mandarin but was rescued by the Hyperforce and currently resides in one of the Super Robot's healing chambers. Captain Shuggazoom bears a strong resemblance to Chiro and has a mental connection to Antauri. During his glory days he was young and dashing. When he awoke 60 years later, however, he had aged into an incredibly old man. He is voiced by Bruce Campbell.

The Alchemist

A mysterious yet kind man who can fuse the elements of Science and Magic for the good of mankind. It is revealed that The Alchemist was the former human identity of The Skeleton King who created The Hyperforce and Super Robot to combat himself when he was transformed by the Dark One's influence into his current undead form. Voiced by Mark Hamil.

Master Offay

Also known as the Hard Master, Master Offay runs an interplanetary dojo on the planet Galaxia and was Nova's former martial arts trainer. Voiced by Mako Iwamatsu.

Shuggazoom

Shuggazoom City

The only city on the planet, Shuggazoom, Shuggazoom city is the home of the Hyperforce.

Zone of Wasted Years

A rocky desert located on the outskirts of Shuggazoom City that landscapes the rest of the planet Shuggazoom. The Pit of Doom is located here, as well as the deep gorge where the Hyperforce found Captain Shuggazoom.

Savage Lands

A tropical jungle hidden within a series of caves located beneath Shuggazoom's surface. The jungle contains large deposits of the black ooze that is used to create the Formless, and thus the environment is inhabited by various Formless creatures. It is likely that the Savage Lands were once occupied by some sort of ancient civilization, as it houses a great deal of seemingly ancient temples and tombs. One of these temples was used as Valeena's base of operations, which she ruled over the area from after receiving her powers from Skeleton King. The Alchemist's laboratory is also located here.

Sea of Ice

A frozen plain located on Shuggazoom's North Pole that is occupied only by Morlath and his snow monsters. The Ice Crystal of Vengeance was located here.

Blasted Lands

A long forgotten realm located south of the Zone of Wasted Years. Centuries ago, a massive war struck here until everyone involved was destroyed. Unrelenting hatred rose. Since then, the Blasted Lands became a burning and unstable landscape. The Fire of Hate was located here.

Arcane Isle

A small island housing a large monoliths that serves as a portal to the Netherworld, the home dimension of the Dark Ones.

Ranger 7

The uninhabited moon of Shuggazoom. It is where the prison is and where Thingy was found.

Episodes

Broadcast

SRMTHG premiered on ABC Family's Jetix programming block on September 18, 2004. It also aired on Toon Disney's Jetix block until the Jetix programming block was taken off of ABC Family in August 2006, and the series began to air exclusively on Toon Disney.

It was also shown on Jetix UK from January 1, 2005, but was taken off the air on July 22, 2006, for unknown reasons. The entire series was, however, broadcast in the UK on GMTV's Toonattik.

SRMTHG was produced for widescreen, but originally shown cropped due to network restrictions.[2]

Each episode runs for 30 minutes, with commercials.

Its theme song is performed by Japanese synthpop/new wave band Polysics.

Disney did not renew the show for a fifth season, leaving it with a cliffhanger ending.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Desowitz, Bill (October 27, 2004). "Japan’s New Answer Studio Builds on Animation's Past and Future". VFXWorld. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Super Robot Monkey Team Episodes Debut in Widescreen". Animation World Network. 2006-02-10. Retrieved 2011-09-04.

External links

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