| Machine
Robo: Revenge of Chronos (1986)
Animation Production: Ashi Productions
Domestic Release: Software Sculptors/Central Park Media
Episodes: 1-5
By Jeffrey
Couto
Introduction
It’s about time I owed up to something
that I have been keeping hidden from everyone who visits Japan
Hero…I have love for justice in my heart…It’s
true!
That's why since I first saw the original
Machine Robo TV series in the mid-90’s I’ve been
a huge fan of the show. Unfortunately for a long time this
anime has only been available on VHS…until recently
that is, as Central Park Media has finally decided to move
ahead with a DVD release of the show, much to the delight
of old school anime fans like myself.
The Story
"The journey of a robot prince begins!
The planet Cronos is a world of super-robotic lifeforms, ruled
by the wise Master Kirai. But their peaceful existence is
shattered by the conquering armies of the Gandora robots.
Now, machine combats machine in an epic battle for the planet.
Master Kurai’s son, Rom, must lead a company of transformable
mecha warriors into the fray!" -- Software
Sculptors Website
Review
Floating in space is a planet not much unlike
our own, the world of Cronos, a planet filled with robotic
life forms. This is the home to master Kirai and his son Rom,
who alongside Drill and Jet has been under intense training
in the Sky, Space, and Heart Fist Fighting Style so that they
may one day defend the Hyribead, a source of unlimited energy.
The world of Cronos is a peaceful one until
it is invaded by the evil Gandora, who decide to attack the
planet so they may claim the Hyribead and gain eternal life!
Their forces will not rest until they can obtain and control
this unlimited power source so it will be up to Rom and his
friends now to put a stop to the evil invaders and protect
the Hyribead and its secrets.
This is such an awesome show! From beginning
to end Machine Robo is one fun ride that doesn’t fail
to entertain. From the dramatic entrances Rom makes and his
pronouncements before fighting the shows’ villains,
to the highly stylized animation, and heroic music, this is
one heck of a classic anime show.
The basic setup of each episode is that of
a traveling adventure anime, where the characters travel from
town to town, meeting new characters and situations along
the way. During each of these adventures Rom and his team
usually run into Gandora's forces, which they must then defeat
in order to secure that location and protect the local populace.
This is a simple setup, but it works perfectly within the
framework of the show and allows the writers to inject some
variety into the stories and settings that we explore in each
episode.
The chapters in this first DVD volume revolve
for the most part around our heroes helping one of the many
villages that exist in the world or Cronos, so each one could
be considered a stand-alone story. The first episode is the
only one that is really used to setup the characters and their
initial motivations for defending the Hyribead.
Overall, this is a very fun anime that really
stands out from more contemporary offerings. In many ways
it felt like watching a samurai drama as Rom valiantly and
honorably fights his enemies, sacrificing himself for the
greater good when necessary. The show also doesn’t shy
away from bravado and showmanship as it depicts our hero standing
around before battle making what are almost poetic announcements
and ending each one with the phrase “You don’t
deserve to know my name” (which always comes as an answer
to the question, “who are you?”). In fact, this
show is probably one of the most quotable ones I’ve
seen recently, with classic fighting technique shouts, and
tons of heroic lines, that are the stuff our breakfasts at
Japan Hero HQ are made of.
Production-wise this is a vintage show, so
while the animation, effects, and music may not live up to
what can be done now, it certainly holds its own. The animation
quality is solid and the drawings are highly stylized, especially
during battle scenes, as we get to see some interestingly
angled characters that move and sometimes deform in ways that
were the hallmark of anime back in the early and mid 80’s.
The color palette used here is varied as we travel from canyons,
deserts, and forests, to snow-covered landscapes, and even
outer space.
The soundtrack is classic 1980’s anime
gold. From the energy-filled opening theme to the heroic instrumental
pieces that accompany our heroes into battle there is some
nice variety to the music used in the show. For the most part
everything seemed to fit well with the visuals, although some
of the more relaxed pieces seemed to fade into the backgound
and become almost unnoticeable.
The DVD itself comes with the first five episodes
of the show, which include:
Episode 1 – “Rising Storm”
Episode 2 – “Wolf Sword, Call Forth the Thunder
of Courage”
Episode 3 – “Steal the Metal Laster”
Episode 4 – “Devil Trap! The Enslaved Village”
Episode 5 – “Hot Fight at Absolute Zero”
Extras include an art gallery, which comes
loaded with tons of artwork and stills from the show, black
and white character sketches, a sing-along for fans of the
opening song, and trailers for other releases from the company.
Conclusion
If you love classic anime this has your name
written all over it. Machine Robo is a lot of fun to watch
and a great reminder of all those classic 1980’s robot
anime shows. I’m really looking forward to checking
out the second volume of this release and see how the episodes
in that one compare to these introductory ones.
Very highly recommended to all anime fans,
especially those of you who enjoy more vintage anime.
Jeffrey Couto
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