Getter Robo – G
by jandrews on Mar.15, 2009, under Japan
Yesterday’s post reminiscing of childhood television got me to thinking. Not too long ago I was surfing Youtube, and I decided to see if they had any of my favorite childhood shows. I was in luck. Seems someone had put a significant amount of the Americanized version of Robotech on Youtube. I think I spent several hours a few days in a row watching my old childhood friend.
Since I had had success with Robotech, I thought I’d search for “Starvengers”, which was one of my favorites of the “Force Five” shows. It was pretty much “Starvengers” and “Gaiking” that I enjoyed the most. Danguard Ace was my least favorite, but I still watched it. Anywho. I do my Youtube search and low and behold. There is the first episode of “Starvengers”, but also episodes of Getter Robo G subtitled in english. Which I have never seen.
It was pretty common until Anime was taken more seriously in the late 90s, that the American production companies that brought over shows like those found in Force Five, Starblazers and Robotech had a habit of totally bastardizing the show before it was aired to the American public. Removing most indications that these events were happening in Japan. Changing names of weapons was common as well. I am getting a HUGE kick of some of the original names to the weapons. In “Starvengers” the weapon names for Star Dragon were “single hatchet, double hatchet, hatchet boomerangs, and omicron beam”. While “Getter beam” is not so amusing “Single Tomahawk”, “Double Tomahawk”, and “Tomahawk boomerangs” are a riot! Why on earth would you change these names, they were brilliant! I am thoroughly thrilled at the opportunity to watch the Japanese versions subtitled and unaltered.
A few years back I tried to re-watch the American version of “Space Cruiser Yamato” (Starblazers). I got through a few episodes and just couldn’t continue, maybe I’ll give it another shot.
I really wish one of the big Anime distributors would buy the rights to these shows and re-release them in the US. I think they’d be huge hits. Even if the animation is circa 1978-ish. They have held up pretty well over time. Plus General “Hidler” (who is based of Adolf Hitler) is a riot.
October 9th, 2009 on 7:29 pm
It was always my dream to have a Starvengers video game. I even made a feeble attempt at making one back in the early 1990’s, but alas, I ran out of resources.
If you want A+ versions of these on DVD (with the hilarious, classic English dubbing), just go to http://www.grendizer.net and order them from Wasim (WAI Productions).
I have the complete sets of all of Force Five, except for Spacekateers (which he chose not to remaster).
And you can also buy all 3 seasons of STAR BLAZERS on commercial DVD from Amazon.com. I started watching them again recently, and it’s amazing how advanced they were for when they were made. A+ Sci-Fi, A+ Comedy, and A+ Music.