Voltes V

Want some trivia of Voltes V and why it banned in the Philippines?

Voltes V story narrates the heroic exploits of the young robot pilots known as The Voltes Team and their trials against alien invaders from planet Bozania. 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 also revolutionized anime by introducing enemy characters with considerable depth. Voltes V's Prince Heinel (Prince Zardoz in the English dub, Sirius in the Italian one) for example, sets a standard for anime villains with a back story and personality in an era when most anime villains were thoughtless formulaic characters with little beyond their menacing appearance and sinister laughter (Though Heinel bears a striking resemblance to Garuda in Combattler V, as do the rest of the main characters).

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 tyrannical ruler, Emperor Zu Zambajil. 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 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 Super Electromagnetic Top (Similar to the Choudenji Yo-Yo of Combattler V) and Tenkūken ( Sky Sword, "Laser Sword" in English dub, "Excalibur" in the Italian one). With Tenkūken, Voltes V started the trend in super robots genre in using sword as the finishing a.k.a. "Hissatsu" weapon, marking the enemy's final moments with his signature "V" slash.

Voltes V deviates from the robotic design of the Combattler V. The plot of Voltes V has a more serious tone than Combattler V's comedic storyline. Voltes V's formula is also similar to that of the story of the later Daimos series.

The Voltes Team and Allies

After the disappearance of Prof. 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)

• Steve Armstrong is the Voltes V team leader. He is a marksmans, a Motocross champion, an ace pilot, and the eldest of the three Armstrong brothers. He was a very adventurous child, but the disappearance of his father changed him. He became more responsible, caring for his younger brothers as well as for the people who depended on him. His uniform was red. Voiced by Yukinaga Shiraishi in the original version of Voltes V.
  

• Robert "Big Bert" Armstrong is the defense tactician. He was once a playful child but Big bert outlook in life suddenly changed when his father disappeared. Alarmed by this change in his personality, Mrs. Armstrong sent him to live in the country where a martial arts master taught him different fighting styles and forms of meditation. Upon rejoining his brothers, Daijirō was already a master of different hand-to-hand fighting styles. The naginat (fighting staff) became his favorite weapon. Together with Ken'ichi and Hiyoshi, Daijirō started training as a member of the Voltes V Team. Unlike in the group portrait above his uniform was dark green, not brown. Voiced by Tesshou Genda in the original Voltes V. He pilots the Volt Panzer (Body Chest).
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• "Little" John Armstrong) is a genius in inventing automations. He has been interested in learning, mechanics, robotics , and electromagnetism since a very young age. He was considered a genius by many university professors. He even created a funny little octopus-robot called Tako-chan ("Octo-One" in the dubbed version). But to his big brothers, Ken'ichi and Daijirō, Hiyoshi will always be a little brother, a child who never felt the warmth and love of a real father. He also excels in swimming and diving. Because of his exceptional talents, Hiyoshi was asked to join the Voltes V Team as a technical handyman, specifically for repairs during field operations. His uniform was light green. Voiced by Noriko Ohara in the original Voltes V series. Volt Frigate (Legs) is Hiyoshi's vehicle.

• Mark Gordon is a rodeo champion. He was orphaned while still a young boy. His mother died trying to save him from a pack of wolves. After his mother's death, he grew bitter, aloof, but cool under crisis. He learned how to live in the streets and perform odd jobs. This kind of life strengthened his personality. Upon joining the rodeo, he learned to ride horses and how to use a whip. He found his greatest friend in a white stallion known as Aiful ("Alpha"). The two, man and beast, became inseparable. He won two rodeo championship contests with Aiful as his horse. Then one day, The Earth International Defense Force asked Ippeo to join the team. When he refused, he was taken forcibly, so for the first time, Ippei and Aiful where separated. Dr. Hamaguchi has Aiful brought to Big Falcon early in the series. His uniform was blue. Voiced by Kazuyuki Sogabe in the original Voltes V series. He pilots the Volt Bomber (Arms).

• Jamie Robinson is a kunoichi (female ninja) and the 18th heir of the Kōga-ryū ninja. Young, slim, and beautiful, Jaime received special training during her childhood. By the age of 13, she already possessed extraordinary skills and lightning reflexes. She also learned the gentle arts from her mother. Through her mother's guidance, Megumi became a person with a calm yet alert disposition. Joining the Voltes V Team, she was the voice of reason among the male members, especially whenever Ken'ichi and Ippei were about to clash during personal conflicts. Her cool demeanor and uncanny skills qualified Megumi as the fifth (and only female) member of the Voltes V team. Her uniform was yellow with pink accents. Voiced by Miyuki Ueda, who also played as the voice of Chizuru Nanbara in Combattler V, as Erika in the Daimos series, contributing directors.

• Dr. Ned Armstrong/Baron Hrothgar is the father of the three Armstrong brothers and also of the Boazanian attack force leader, Prince Heinel; making Prince Heinel a half-brother of the three Gō brothers. He is a royal-blooded Boazanian born without horns and was next in line to the throne of Boazan. Due to this abnormality, based on Boazanian physical characteristics, he had to wear fake horns in order to avoid stigma and scandal. When his secret was revealed by his jealous and ambitious cousin, Zu Zambajil, he was branded a traitor, stripped of his title and imprisoned, until he was able to escape, leading him to earth. After the birth of his youngest son, Hiyoshi, he left earth with the intention of returning to Boazania and putting an end to the tyrannical rule of, now Emperor, Zambajil. Voiced by Yuu Mizushima in the original Voltes V series.

• Dr. Mary Ann Armstrong is the human wife of Dr. Kentarō Gō and the mother of the three Gō children. She met Lagour when he escaped Boazan and crash-landed on Earth. She later married Lagour and, as a scientist herself, assisted him in creating Voltes V. She raised her children on her own when her husband left, and continued to care for them until her death. She sacrificed herself to help Voltes V when it was under the mercy of a beast fighter.

• Dr. Richard Smith is the commander of Camp Big Falcon fortress at the beginning of the Voltes V series. He helped design and build the Voltes V robot and is a good friend of Prof. Gō. He is somewhat a father figure to the Voltes team, especially to the Gō brothers due to his relationship with their father. He managed Big Falcon on Prof. Gō's behalf until he was killed saving Voltes V. Voiced in the original Voltes V by Seizo Katou.

• General Oka (Commander Robinson) is Jaime Robinson's father. He is the 17th heir of the Kōga-ryū ninja, a co-designer of Voltes V, and commander of the Earth International Defense Force. On the verge of retirement due to ill health; he dies late in the series saving his daughter from a Boazanian beast fighter that had the power to control people's minds. Voiced in the original by Hiroshi Masuoka.

• Dr. Hook is another commander of Big Falcon. After Hamaguchi's death, Sakunji, a former student of Hamaguchi, is called upon to take over command of Big Falcon. He is a hard-nosed commander who continually pushes the Voltes V Team to their limits during training, sometimes to the point of risking their lives. Voiced in the original by Tamio Ouki, who also played General Miwa in Daimos and Captain Tashiro in Gunbuster. Although he first appeared cruel, he has also shown his soft side as the series went through, especially that he was concerned about the people of the Earth more than anything else.

• General Dange (General Watson) is a Boazanian colleague. He was a member of Boazanian nobility, and military general until he deliberately broke his horns, because he "..believed in equality and decided to fight for it" and joined the rebellion against Emperor Zambajil. When Dr. Gō returned to Boazan, he broke him from capture and escaped with him to earth, along with a handful of rebels. He assisted Voltes V by piloting the "Mechanical Eagle" and installing new weapons upgrade components during Mid-battle. En route to Camp Big Falcon, he was attacked by a beast fighter and was severely injured. However, just before he died he managed to tell Ken'ichi, Daijirō, and Hiyoshi of their father and Boazanian origins.

• Commander Garth is another Boazanian colleague who escaped with him to earth. He is the leader of the Boazanian refugees/rebels on earth and helped Armstrong construct the Solar Bird, a giant spaceship that is designed to be the partner for space travel for Camp Big Falcon. After Armstrong was re-captured by General Gururu, he lead the Voltes team and Camp Big Falcon to Boazan to launch the final attack on Emperor Zambajil and his regime.

Ban in the Philippines

In 1979, shortly before the series was going to end in the Philippines, then president Ferdinand Marcos issued a directive banning of Voltes V "because of excessive violence". The president also states that due to cartoons such as this may affect children in their education. It was then re-aired seven years later, after the former president was exiled in Hawaii.

Gundam Seed

Gundam SEED Destiny was generally well-received by reviewers, but with guarded praise that acknowledged flaws. Sharp differences of opinion regarding the show helped to create a mixed reputation for the series.

Paul Fargo of Anime News Network reviewed the first DVD volume positively, giving an overall B+ ranking for the original Japanese language version and a B- for the English dub. He also rated the story and art B-, while assigning the animation a B+ and the music an A grade, while writing "the first five episodes presented on this disc... send Gundam Seed Destiny off on a good start." While noting that "In a way, the whole setup of a Gundam theft at the beginning is somewhat redundant" to the SEED series, he felt "Destiny pulls the concept off more effectively than its predecessor by injecting it with a lot more energy and excitement." Nevertheless, he criticized the plot by saying "For all of its action and hinting around, it's still a derivative Gundam hijacking sequence." Of protagonist Shin Asuka, Fargo wrote "he's barely given any dialogue beyond verbally abusing returning fan-favorite characters," and said that "diminishing his role like this and making him completely unsympathetic is not a smart move at all." An additional criticism of the story was "the issue that we really don't know what the point of the series is even five episodes in." Visually, Fargo concluded that "the animation is a step up from what was seen in SEED," but was critical of "instances of recycled animation" being used so early in the show. Character designer Hisashi Hirai's work also came under fire, writing that "Hirai's designs show no distinct variety beyond hairstyle and eye color, making for an incredibly redundant-looking assortment of characters," but "the mobile suit designs by Gundam veteran Kunio Okawara are actually pretty impressive." Shuuichi Ikeda and Mami Koyama as Gilbert Durandal and Talia Gladys were highlighted for their voice work, and with regards to the music, "Toshihiko Sahashi, who scored the first SEED, returns for Destiny and thoroughly tops his previous efforts." Fargo concluded "this first volume of Gundam Seed Destiny is a pretty solid first entry to this newest installment of the constantly growing Gundam franchise," that while "not perfect" nonetheless "still provides enough entertaining action and subtle intrigue to keep the viewer wanting more by the end."

Writing for Mania.com, Chris Beveridge gave the Odex release of the first quarter of the series an A- rating, observing "Isn't this how Seed began? And how many other Gundam shows?" His comparisons to Gundam SEED and other Gundam series continued with his comment that "A lot of the fun for this season is seeing how characters who survived the first season have moved on," continuing "Most interesting was that it seemed to take almost five episodes before Kira and Lacus showed up which parallels some of Amuro's own journey in Zeta Gundam. It's the parallels to past shows, the nods and winks, that make this a lot of fun to watch but it's also done well enough that it stands firmly on its own." He concluded that "Seed Destiny is some of the best marathon material out there, at least for this set," and recommended it to Gundam SEED fans, saying "I can't wait to get my hands on more of it. " In reviewing the second quarter, Beveridge again assigned an A- and wrote "The Gundam franchise is the only anime series that really tackles the subject of war, the perceptions of it and the numerous effects of it on people, property and relationships to any real effect anymore." He commented "The action scenes are good throughout here with some creative missions set into play," but expressed dissatisfaction with some of the mecha designs: "I do continue to not like the three part nature of Shinn's mobile suit though since it really feels like just a goofy Transformer."

Also writing for Mania.com, Bryce Coulter gave the Anime Legends Edition of first half of the series an A rating and commented "This continuation of Gundam Seed is enjoyable to watch, but the overall plot line is similar in many ways to the original." He also noted that "It really isn’t clear who the main character in the series is suppose to be." Coulter praised the political aspects of the series, saying "The complex, delicate and deadly aspects of the politics portrayed in these episodes ring all to true in our current cultural environment in more ways than one."

Reviewing the final three volumes of the series for Mania.com, Luis Cruz gave volume 10 a B- rating, and a B grade to both volumes 11 and 12. Concerning volume 10, he wrote "Seed Destiny is rapidly approaching its conclusion, but it is more interested in churning out new Gundams, and in turn new merchandise, rather than a compelling story." He also dismissed the inclusion of a recap, calling it "a superfluous episode." While he enjoyed that "Yuna Seiran finally receives the beating everyone has wanted to lay on him since the beginning," he continued by saying "it cannot overcome the fact that this volume is outright boring." In reviewing volume 11, Cruz was particularly impressed with the "poignant moments in Seed Destiny that manage to squeeze their way in between the eye candy of the battle sequences." He wrote "What stands out in this volume is a conversation between Kira and Arthrun... It is a brief but brilliant, thought provoking piece of writing," and also noted "The depth of Durandal's megalomania also provides substance to the story," continuing "He is the villain you love to hate, the perfect blend of charisma, intelligence, and ruthlessness." Concluding his thoughts on the volume, however, Cruz stated that "Unfortunately, there have been only a handful of these character building moments throughout the series. It is frustrating to see these sandwiched as an afterthought between battles designed to move product. They tease you with glimpses of how much more captivating the series could have been." Finishing with volume 12, Cruz summarized the series as "an uneven ride that managed to skim the surface of good, hard science fiction only to retreat into the land of explosions and shiny giant pieces of merchandise." Criticizing the show's attempt to create sympathy for Meer Campbell, he wrote that she was "such a minor pawn throughout the series, that the audience has no emotional investment in her." However, he was more positive toward the series' conclusion, stating "The final battle managed to have some weight to it, a sense of urgency that kept me glued to the screen," but also noting "how similar Seed Destiny's ending was to its predecessor... I know the message of the series was the idiocy of not learning from the mistakes of the past, but one would hope that they could have found a fresh way to cap this story."

Voltron: The Lion Force

Voltron: Defender of the Universe

Voltron was a Japanese anime seen in Television series aired from September 10,1984 to November 18,1984.The first titled Voltron: Defender of the Universe.

A remake of the series, Voltron: The Voltron: The Third Dimension, was made in the 1990s using CGI techniques. The 1980s Voltron series was based on two unrelated Japanese anime series Beast King Go Lion and Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV (both originally produced by Toei Animation & Bandai). The anime was later dubbed into English and edited by the North American television production and distribution company World Events Production. The dub was not a direct adaptation, however, due to much violence being removed from the original Japanese series.




The first season was based on the 1981 series Beast King Go Lion (, Hyakujūō Goraion), and the anime, featured a team of five young pilots commanding five robot lions, which could be combined to form Voltron. In this undefined future era, the Voltron Force was in charge of protecting the planet Arus (ruled by Princess Allura) from the evil King Zarkon (from planet Doom), his son Lotor, and the witch Haggar, who would create huge Robeasts to terrorize the people of Arus. Despite being the first of the two robots to appear on American television, the "GoLion" version of Voltron was regarded as "Voltron III" within the toyline because, within the original planned "three-Voltron" continuity, Arus was the furthest setting from Earth's side of the universe ("Voltron I" being intended for the Near Universe, and "Voltron II" for the Middle Universe).

AstroBoy

Anime: Astro Boy

Astro Boy " The Origin"

Astro Boy is the first Japanese television series that embodied the aesthetic that later became familiarized as anime. It is originated as a manga in 1952 by Osamu Tezuka, who is oftenreputed as "god of manga". After enjoying success abroad Astro Boy was remade in 1980 as Shin tetsuwan Atomu, known as Astro Boy in the United States and other Western countries, and again in 2003. In November 2007, he was named Japan's envoy for overseas safety. An American computer-animated 3-D film based on the original manga series by Tezuka will screening in theatres on October 23, 2009.



Astro Boy is a science fiction series set in a futuristic world wherein androids co-exist with humans. Its focus is on the adventures of the titular " Astro Boy" (sometimes called simply Astro) a powerful robot created by the head of Ministry of Science Dr. Tenma, to replaced his son Tobio, who died in a car accident. Dr. Tenma built Astro in Tobio's image and treated his as lovingly as he were the real Tobio, but soon realized the little android could not fill the void of his lost son, specially given that Astro could grow older or express human aesthetics (in one of panels,Astro is shown preferring the Mechanical shapes of cubes over the organic shape of flowers).

After some time Professor Ochanomizu, the new head of Ministry of Science, noticed Astro Boy performing circus and convinced Hamegg to turn Astro over to him. He then took Astro as his own and treated him gently and warmly, becoming his legal guardian. He soon realized that Astro was gifted and superior powers and skills, as well as ability to experience human emotions.

Astro then is shown fighting crime, evil and injustice. Most of his enemies were robot- hating humans, robots gone berserk, or alien invaders. Almost every story included a battle involving Astro and other robots. A DVD set of the 1960's version is set to be released for the conicide with the movie.

Astro was listed on Empire magazine's 50 Greatest Comic Characters list ranking forty third on the list. The 1960's anime was named the 86th best animated series by IGN, calling the first popular anime TV series.

The 1980's anime was extremely popular in Australia, Canada and most of Asia, with two different English dubs. The dub shown in Australia (& to a lesser extent in the USA) coordinated by Tezuka Prod. & NTV & produced in the USA & a dub produced in Canada solely for broadcast there.

While the 2003 anime did poorly in North America, having received poor distribution and was heavily edited, which included the removal of its orchestrated soundtrack and much of Astro's childlike innocence. It was better received in the UK on the BBC, where it ran in syndication for almost three years as well as other parts of the world such as Dubai based MBC 3.

Astro Boy is a 2009 computer-animated 3-D film based on the highly successful Japanese franchise of the same name by Osamu Tezuka. It is being produced by Imagi Animation Studios the animation production company of TMTN and the upcoming Gatchaman. The studio announced the project in September 2006. It will be directed by David Bowerrs and produced by Mary Garger with Pilar Flynn as associate producer. The film was originally to be directed by Colin Brady who directed the 2006 animated fil Everyone's Hero. It has been announced that Freddie Highmore will provide the voice for the characther of Astro Boy in the movie. The film features the voices of Freddie Highmore, Kristen Bell, Nathan Lane, Eugene Levy, Matt Lucas, Bill Nighy, Donald Sutherland and Nicolas Cage. A short trailer of the movie was shown in the North American Home Theather of Playstation Home from december 28 to January 8, 2009.