Chōdenji Machine Voltes V

Chōdenji Machine Voltes V

Japanese DVD (2015 release) cover art of the first volume
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
Produced by Yoshiyuki Tomino
Written by Yoshitake Suzuki
Masaaki Sakurai
Masaki Tsuji
Katsuhiko Taguchi
Yumiko Tsukamoto
Music by Hiroshi Tsutsui
Studio Toei Company,
Nippon Sunrise
Original network TV Asahi
Original run 4 June 1977 25 March 1978
Episodes 40

Chōdenji Machine Voltes V (Japanese: 超電磁マシーン ボルテスV, Hepburn: Chōdenji Mashīn Borutesu Faibu, lit. "Super Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V"), popularly known simply as Voltes V is a Japanese anime television series which first aired on TV Asahi on June 4, 1977. The "V" in the name is pronounced as the Roman numeral for "five." It was created by Saburo Yatsude, directed by Tadao Nagahama and produced by Yoshiyuki Tomino. 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. The series was animated by Sunrise and produced by Toei Company. This super robot along with the other two aforementioned super robots first appeared the United States as a part of Mattel's Shogun Warriors line of import toys, released in the late 1970s.

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. The Boazanians first defeat from the hands of 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 Jon): the three sons of Kentaro and Mitsuyo Gō, along with the only daughter of General Oka; Megumi (Jamie 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; led by Prince Heinell (Prince Zardoz), Katharine (Zandra), Jangal (Draco), 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 General Bergan 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.

Characters

The Voltes V Team and Allies Protagonist

The Boazanian Nobility Antagonist

Cast

Airings and release

Voltes V was broadcast in Japan by TV Asahi from June 4, 1977 to March 25, 1978 that less than a year.

An American English dubbed version was released in North America in 1983 by 3B Productions as Voltus 5. It was a condensed version of episodes 1, 2, 9 and 18. The English dub used the character names of the Philippine English version.

Philippines

In the Philippines, an English-language dub of Voltes V was first aired by GMA-7 on May 5, 1978. The anime series, which was shown every Friday (6:00 pm), became popular across the nation.[1][2][3] In April 1979, shortly before the series finale, the authoritarian President Ferdinand Marcos issued a directive banning Voltes V and other similarly-themed anime series, ostensibly due to concerns about "excessive violence".[3][2][4][5] The ban, however, led to speculations that the series was actually pulled from broadcast due to its underlying themes of rebellion and revolution.[6] In 2012, Marcos' son Bongbong defended his late father's decision to ban Voltes V, citing pressure from parents.[7]

After Marcos's regime fell in the 1986 People Power Revolution, the series returned on Philippine television and was aired on multiple broadcasters like PTV-4 and ABS-CBN in 1986, IBC-13 in 1989 and RPN-9. It returned to GMA in 1999, with the English dub version aired weekly on January and later on Filipino/Tagalog on December.[8][9] The latter's popularity spurred numerous homages and pastiches, namely the Ang Dating Doon parody religion sketch on the comedy show Bubble Gang.[10][11]

In the same year, the last five episodes of Voltes V, which was never originally aired due to President Marcos' ban of the series, compiled together and was released theatrically by GMA Films under the title as "Voltes V: The Liberation".[2][12][13]

In 2005, the cable channel Hero, owned by the ABS-CBN Corporation, released Voltes V as Voltes V Evolution.[9] 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.[14]

On March 27, 2017, in celebration of the anime's 40th anniversary, a new Tagalog dub of Voltes V returns to Philippine television on its original network, GMA, in the "Astig Authority" block every weekday mornings. The new voice cast features several of the network's artists such as Bea Binene, Derrick Monasterio, Jak Roberto, Hiro Peralta, and Ken Chan.[15][14][3]

In September 2016, a video-on-demand service, iflix began streaming all episodes of Voltes V both in English and Filipino dub.[8][9]

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.[16] 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.[17]

Legacy

In the Philippines, due to popularity of the anime, Voltes V has embedded itself in Filipino pop culture.[18][19] The debut album of the Filipino rock band Eraserheads is titled Ultraelectromagneticpop!, a reference to the "Ultraelectromagnetic Top" used in the series. In the GMA's comedy-gag show, Bubble Gang, its segment Ang Dating Doon (a parody religious program of Ang Dating Daan) top-billed by Isko "Brod Pete" Salvador used the Voltes V theme as its theme song.[10][11]

A thirteen-foot sculpture made by Toym Leon Imao called at the time Last, Lost, Lust for Four Episodes was displayed in front of the Palma Hall at the University of the Philippines Diliman from September 20 to 28, 2014, consisting of brass, fiberglass, and galvanized iron. The sculpture was made to represent "the anger felt as a 10-year-old when Voltes V and the other robots were summarily removed from television."[20][21]

See also

References

  1. Dancel, Raul (29 August 2014). "My little Voltes V rebellion". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Sison, Norman (June 7, 2015). "Revenge of the Voltes V generation". ABS-CBN News. ABS-CBN Interactive. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Catolico, Gianna Francesco (23 March 2017). "‘Voltes V’ back on TV for 40th anniversary". Inquirer.net. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  4. Gamil, Jaymee (24 September 2014). "‘Voltes V’ fan gets back at Marcos". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  5. "'Voltes V' and Martial Law in an Artist's Memory". University of the Philippines Diliman. 30 September 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  6. Montemayor, Tony (14 April 2009). "Searching for Voltes V". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  7. ABS-CBNnews.com (6 April 2012). "Bongbong: Poverty is not a poor man's battle". ABS-CBN News.com. ABS-CBN Interactive. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  8. 1 2 "iFlix Adds Voltes V With Both English, Tagalog Dubs". Anime News Network. September 19, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 Melegrito, JM (September 19, 2016). "iFlix adds Voltes V, Several Telesuccess anime titles". Anime Pilipinas. Retrieved March 22, 2017.
  10. 1 2 Ardona, Annalyn (27 November 2015). "Name one ‘Bubble Gang’ sketch that made you die laughing". GMA News Online. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  11. 1 2 Policarpio, Allan (20 June 2011). "Brod Pete to raise the roof anew". Inquirer.net. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  12. "Voltes V: The Liberation Trailer (1999)".
  13. "VOLTES V LIBERATION COMMERCIAL".
  14. 1 2 Quinto, Keneth (25 March 2017). "Kapuso stars lend their voices to "Voltes V" characters". LionhearTV. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  15. Dabu, Bianca Rose (22 March 2017). "Voltes V returns on GMA-7: Find out which Kapuso stars will voice iconic series". GMA News Online. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  16. B, Josh. "DX Voltes V". CollectionDX. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  17. B, Josh. "Voltes V Respect for Volt in Box". CollectionDX. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  18. Locsin, Joel (6 October 2014). "An official Voltes V LEGO set? This Pinoy needs your help to get it done". GMA News Online. GMA Network Inc. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  19. Mendoza, Diana (15 February 2014). "Of Marcos babies and the Voltes V generation". Rappler (in English and Filipino). GODADDY.COM, LLC. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  20. Imao, Toym Leon (27 September 2014). "Ferdinand Marcos angered ‘Voltes V’ generation". Inquirer.net. INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  21. Imao, Toym. "Coping with a Couple's Copious Conjugal Cupboard of Curios, Cops, Cuffs and Corpse". University of the Philippines Diliman - College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
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