Anime Profile: Voltron: Defender of the Near Universe

Welcome to the future. On planet Earth, high-tech buildings create an imposing cityscape as air transports zip back and forth carrying scientists and policy makers to Earth's most important building, the headquarters of Galaxy Garrison. This towering structure is the nerve center for the all-important federation known as the Galaxy Alliance, a coalition of good planets and star systems that works for freedom and peace in the universe. Unfortunately, many of these planets have become overcrowded, creating serious inner and inter-planetary problems.

Under the direction of its wise leader, Space Marshall Graham, the Galaxy Garrison Council has adopted a bold plan to solve this critical problem. They have commissioned a state-of-the-art Star Cruiser to undertake a very special expedition into regions of deep space that have never before been explored. Its mission is to discover new habitable planets for colonization, while encouraging inhabited planets to join the Galaxy Alliance. And so...

Commander Hawkins has located an inviting planet that he believes may be habitable. He sends his best team of Space Explorers - the ace pilots of the colorful Air, Sea, and Land Teams - down to the planet to investigate. Their findings are very encouraging; the planet appears to be suitable for human life. Listening in on their transmission the Drules smile; this is what they have been waiting for! In a swift decisive move, the Drules attack with overwhelming forces, confident that this single Star Ship and its meager explorer craft will not stand a chance against them. And indeed they would be right, but the Drules have failed to account for one important factor...

The First Voltron - the legendary super robot of the far universe composed of 5 robot lions - has long been the key to the Alliance's defense system in that region of the universe. However, realizing that their new expedition would be journeying to space sectors far beyond the reach of even the mighty Voltron - the Alliance developed a new Voltron.

When broken into its component parts, the new Voltron consisted of 15 exploration vehicles specially designed for planetary investigation. Though these vehicles were very efficient at their designated tasks, they hardly appeared to be a formidable adversary. It is for this reason that when the mighty Drule Attack Ships swooped down upon them, their Evil Commanders anticipated little resistance. Imagine their surprise when these 15 humble Exploration Vehicles flew together and suddenly transformed into an awesome super-robot: Voltron, Defender of the Universe!

Piloted by its dashing captain, Jeff, the mighty Voltron swiftly unleashed its incredible power, defeating the numerically superior Drule Forces, and filling the air with its resounding battle cry: "Let's go Voltron Force!" The surprised Drules headed quickly for home to lick their wounds - and plot their revenge.

The Vehicle Voltron team is comprised of 15 Vehicles broken into three separate teams, the Air Team (consisting of Jeff, Rocky, Chip, Wolo, and Ginger), the Land team (Cliff, Marvin, Hutch, Murdoch, and Sinda), and the Sea Team (Cric, Shannon, Zandee, Tagor, and Lisa). Admiral Newley was in command of the force, and second to him was Commander Hawkins. Their main enemy was the Drule Empire attack fleet, which was a very nasty enemy indeed. Vehicle Voltron was never as popular as Lion Voltron, yet it still has many loyal fans. There was even a one hour special that was made, titled "Fleet of Doom", in which the Vehicle Force Voltron teamed up with the Lion Force Voltron.

Kikoukantai Dairugger XV was TOTALLY different from the Americanized version. The background music, character names, and voices were all changed, plus a ton of death had to be taken out of the series in order to make it kiddie-safe (in the 80's generations, cartoon characters weren't allowed to die). There may also have been a considerate amount of language blood, guts, and other such content either altered or edited out completely. Also, the Vehicle Voltron force were just EXPLORING space, not trying to find new worlds for people, which makes me wonder WHAT THE HECK WAS THE WHOLE PLOT OF DAIRUGGER, ANYWAY?! ~_^ In a way, it does kinda seem like the American plot makes more sense...