Brave Raideen
Encyclopedia
is a super robot
anime
series. Produced by Tohokushinsha, Asahi News Agency and Sunrise
, it aired on NET (now TV Asahi)
from 4 April 1975 to 26 March 1976, with a total of 50 episodes. The official name being Raideen the Brave, it is mainly known as "Brave Raideen," or "Heroic Rydeen".
, senses the evil presence and awakens within its golden pyramid. A young Japanese boy, Akira Hibiki, is alerted about the Demon Empire by a mysterious voice and rushes to the pyramid. It is soon revealed that Akira is a descendant of the ancient people of Mu who must help Raideen save the Earth. Akira enters the robot by way of a ramp, accelerating his motorcycle into the robot's head and assuming control of Raideen from an internal cockpit. In typical anime style, Akira is aided by Mari Sakurano, who happens to be the daughter of a prominent scientist, and his friends from the soccer club. Half way through the story the Demon Empire's master, Barao, is released from his statue prison and intends to finish what he started twelve thousand years earlier.
series or Tekkaman Blade
than the original Raideen.
dubbed "Japan's Pyramid," a meteor falls from the sky containing an evil life-form that seeks total destruction. Just as Saiga is put in danger by this life-form, the bracelet that his father left him reacts to the pyramid, and the titular robot is activated. It is now up to Saiga and Reideen to defend the Earth against the mysterious invaders.
is considered the first super robot anime to reach a large U.S. audience directly. It was first broadcast in Honolulu, Hawaii
on KIKU TV-13
, which ran the series with English subtitles created and produced in-house. The series first hit the Mainland in June 1976, Sunday nights at 8:00 P.M. on San Francisco's KEMO TV-20 and Los Angeles
's KWHY TV-22. Later in 1976, Brave Raideen
began running on KMUV TV-31 in Sacramento, CA (Sunday nights; timeslot to be confirmed), as part of the station's Japanese-American programming. The series also aired similarly in Chicago
(station and dates to be confirmed), as well as broadcast as part of the Japanese programming on New York City
's WNJU TV-47
.. The Stateside push was sponsored by Honolulu-based Marukai Trading Co., Ltd., who distributed a large line of Japanese-produced merchandise (as well as some Hawaii-produced items, such as tee-shirts) to local retailers in localities airing Brave Raideen
— including Popy
's Jumbo Machinder
(which may account for Mattel
's launching of the popular Shogun Warriors
line in the U.S.), according to author August Ragone.
toyline during late 1970s under the Mattel
brand, as well as the Marvel comic book based on said toyline.
which included a song called "Sarin
the Brave," a parody of Brave Raideen.
Super Robot
is a term used in manga and anime to describe a giant robot or mecha, with an arsenal of fantastic super-powered weapons, extreme resistance to damage unless the plot calls for it, sometimes transformable or combined from two or more robots and/or vehicles usually piloted by young, daring heroes,...
anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series. Produced by Tohokushinsha, Asahi News Agency and Sunrise
Sunrise (company)
is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. It is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings. Its former name was Nippon Sunrise, and prior to that, Sunrise Studios...
, it aired on NET (now TV Asahi)
TV Asahi
, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....
from 4 April 1975 to 26 March 1976, with a total of 50 episodes. The official name being Raideen the Brave, it is mainly known as "Brave Raideen," or "Heroic Rydeen".
Story
After a slumber of twelve millennia, the Demon Empire awakens to seize control of the Earth. Raideen, the giant robot-like protector of the lost continent of MuMu (lost continent)
Mu is the name of a hypothetical continent that allegedly existed in one of Earth's oceans, but disappeared at the dawn of human history.The concept and the name were proposed by 19th century traveler and writer Augustus Le Plongeon, who claimed that several ancient civilizations, such as those of...
, senses the evil presence and awakens within its golden pyramid. A young Japanese boy, Akira Hibiki, is alerted about the Demon Empire by a mysterious voice and rushes to the pyramid. It is soon revealed that Akira is a descendant of the ancient people of Mu who must help Raideen save the Earth. Akira enters the robot by way of a ramp, accelerating his motorcycle into the robot's head and assuming control of Raideen from an internal cockpit. In typical anime style, Akira is aided by Mari Sakurano, who happens to be the daughter of a prominent scientist, and his friends from the soccer club. Half way through the story the Demon Empire's master, Barao, is released from his statue prison and intends to finish what he started twelve thousand years earlier.
Cast
- Akira Hibiki: Akira KamiyaAkira Kamiyais a Japanese voice actor. He has been represented by Theater Echo, Aoni Production, and others. He is currently represented by Saeba Shoji.-Career:Kamiya made his debut on Mahou no Mako-chan in 1970 while working for Theater Echo...
- Mari Sakurano: Makoto Kousaka, Kiyoko Shibata
- Tarou Sarumaru: Ikuo NishikawaIkuo Nishikawais a Japanese voice actor who works for Production Baobab.-Notable voice roles:*Jim in Adventures of Tom Sawyer *Elder Hestia in Appleseed *Godo in Berserk*Hugh W. Conwell in Blue Submarine No. 6*Robert J...
- Dan Araiso: Keisuke Yamashita
- Reiko Hibiki: Misako Hibino
- Riki Jinguuji: Makio InoueMakio Inoueis a Japanese voice actor. He began voice acting in the '60s, landing small roles in Astroboy, and was the actor of choice for deep-voiced, serious males in the '70s. These days, he rarely takes on new roles...
- Rei Asuka: Kotoe Taichi
- Daisaburou Higashiyama: Shojiro Kihara
- Prince Sharkin: Osamu Ichikawa
- Berostan: Kaneta KimotsukiKaneta Kimotsukiis a Japanese voice actor who was born in Kagoshima.He is most known for the roles of Suneo Honekawa , Dracula , Pāyan , Iyami , Tom , Benzou Karino , Horrorman , Conductor and Jiminy Cricket is a Japanese voice actor who was born in Kagoshima.He is most known for the roles of Suneo Honekawa...
- Barao: Junpei TakiguchiJunpei Takiguchi, better known by the stage name , was a Japanese voice actor and narrator from Chiba Prefecture.Besides his many narration and dubbing roles, he was also known for his roles in Time Bokan , Yatterman , Mazinger Z , Tekkaman: The Space Knight and for his narration roles in Burari Tochūgesha no...
- Daldan:
- Gourai:
- Gekido:
Staff
- Directors: Yoshiyuki TominoYoshiyuki Tominois a Japanese mecha anime creator, director, screenwriter and novelist. He was born in Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, and studied at Nihon University's College of Art...
(Episode 1-26) and Tadao NagahamaTadao NagahamaTadao Nagahama was a director of both puppet shows and animation.He is best known as the director of Toei's Romantic Trilogy, which added human drama to the Super Robot Genre....
(Episode 27-50) - Planning: Tohokushinsha and Asatsu
- Original Story: Yoshitake Suzuki
- Character Design: Yoshikazu YasuhikoYoshikazu Yasuhikois a Japanese animator and manga artist in the anime industry.Yasuhiko dropped out of Hirosaki University and was hired by Osamu Tezuka's Mushi Productions in 1970 as an animator. He later went freelance and worked on various animation productions for film and television. In 1981 he won the Seiun...
- Mecha Design: Katsushi Murakami, Studio NueStudio NueStudio Nue is a Japanese design studio formed in 1972 by Naoyuki Kato, Kenichi Matsuzaki, Kazutaka Miyatake, and Haruka Takachiho...
(Uncredited), Yoshikazu YasuhikoYoshikazu Yasuhikois a Japanese animator and manga artist in the anime industry.Yasuhiko dropped out of Hirosaki University and was hired by Osamu Tezuka's Mushi Productions in 1970 as an animator. He later went freelance and worked on various animation productions for film and television. In 1981 he won the Seiun...
(Uncredited Finishing) - Storyboards: Yoshiyuki TominoYoshiyuki Tominois a Japanese mecha anime creator, director, screenwriter and novelist. He was born in Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, and studied at Nihon University's College of Art...
- Animation Director: Yoshikazu YasuhikoYoshikazu Yasuhikois a Japanese animator and manga artist in the anime industry.Yasuhiko dropped out of Hirosaki University and was hired by Osamu Tezuka's Mushi Productions in 1970 as an animator. He later went freelance and worked on various animation productions for film and television. In 1981 he won the Seiun...
, Norio Sioyama, Moriyasu Taniguchi - Sound Director: Toshio Saito
- Supervising Sound Production: Kazumi Numata
- Music: Akihiro Komori
- Produced by NETNETNET or Net may refer to:* Net , fibers woven in a grid-like structure* Net , any textile in which the warp and weft yarns are looped or knotted at their intersections* New Jersey Nets, a basketball team...
and Tohokushinsha
Raideen
- Height: 50 meters
- Weight: 520 tons
- Armor: Mutronium
- Power Source: Pyramid Power
- Weapons and Powers:
- God Missiles: Bird-like bladed missiles from its abdomen that are highly accurate. Later upgraded with homing capabilities.
- God Block: A retractable shield in its right arm. This is later upgraded to be used as a buzzsaw called the God Block Spin.
- God Breaker: A sword hidden in the God Block.
- God Boomerang: A red bladed bird-like boomerang hidden in its right arm. This is later upgraded with a pair of rocket jets to make its impact faster and stronger.
- God Gorgon: Harpoon-like arrows stored in its back using a bow on its left wrist. These arrows are charge with energy and explode on contact; these are sometimes fired in barrages. The bow is later upgraded with both halves being bladed and called the Gorgon Sword.
- Aura Shock: Electric shocks from its fingers.
- Telekinetic Beam God Alpha: A powerful energy field around its body used to deteriorate whatever is attached to it.
- God Pressure: Green lightning bolts from its forehead.
- Energy Cutter: Surrounding its God Breaker with lightning to make it more powerful.
- God Bird: An eagle-like jet for faster flight and often used for Raideen's finishing attacks.
- Ramming: Simply ramming through enemies at super sonic speeds. Also has a spinning variation called the Titan Drill.
- God Bird Claw: God Bird's talons.
- Esper Burn: Heat beams from the eyes. Also acts like x-ray vision.
- God Thunder: Summoning lightning from the sky and directing it towards an enemy.
- God Cutter: Head detaches and is used like a battering ram while the neck hole reveals a large spear tip that goes through enemies.
- God Voice: An extremely powerful purple sonic rings from torso to entrap enemies and tear them apart at a molecular level.
Bluegar
A fighter that assists Raideen early into the series. It is armed with a variety of weapons.Poindar
First premiers in episode 21 and is piloted by Araiso and the children of the series. Powers include an extendable boxing glove (later two), claw hands for bashing, can be used as a submarine, a slingshot in the torso, and explosives attached to balloons.Demon Empire Forces
- Demon Empire Robots: The human sized infantry of the series, although hardly used in the second half. They are armed with a sword and a machine gun.
- Drones (also referred to as Dromes): Fifteen foot flying squid demons used for the first half of the series from episode 1 until episode 27. Although they appear to have disappeared at that point, in a flashback of Barao attacking the Mu Empire they were seen along human-like demons rampaging cities. They are armed with only their twin tentacles and launching fire balls from their underside, although some have used weapons such as large missiles, swords, and even buzzsaws.
- Gante: A giant stone demon, sometimes called a dragon in some episodes, used to transport fossil beasts during the first half of the series. It first premiered in episode 1 and was destroyed in episode 27. It was armed with a variety of weapons.
- Mecha Gante: A mechanical version of Gante the first premiered in episode 39 that was used to transport colossal monsters until episode 48. Although it did not have many weapons what they lacked in number they made up for in power.
- Barao: The leader of the Demon Empire and appears in every episode starting with episode 2. For the first half of the series his powers included instilling life into rocks to create fossil beasts and eye heat rays when he was in his statue form until episode 27. Upon being released his powers included forming an entire island in a matter of seconds, psychically freezing weapons in mid air, seeing into other dimension, causing fissures, fusing colossal monsters together, manipulation of the elements, hand lightning bolts and energy beams, mouth flames that create flaming tornadoes, purple horn energy bolts and balls, a bow and arrow, a barbed boomerang, summoning flames from the middle cave of his island, a giant scythe, blade resistance, levitation, constricting roots from the lower half of his body, and a pair of broadswords with hidden saw blades.
Fossil Beasts
- Bastodon: Appears in episode 2. Powers include a right arm sword, levitation, mouth flames, and can regenerate left arm into a sword. He is one of the only two fossil beasts to appear in various Super Robot WarsSuper Robot Warsis a series of tactical role-playing video games produced by Banpresto, which is now a Japanese division of Namco Bandai. The main feature of the franchise is having a story that crosses over several popular mecha anime, manga and video games, allowing characters and mecha from different titles to...
titles. - Garda: Appears in episode 3. Powers include burrowing, launchable pincer claw hands, spiked ball form, launchable torso spikes, and a head pincer.
- Madon: Appears in episode 4. Powers include whip tentacles all over the body, zombifying black lightning, regeneration, and blue electric surges.
- Bira: Appears in episode 5. Powers include levitation, ensnaring antennae, pink hyper sonic waves from the torso, scythe arms, and self duplication.
- Tortoise: Appears in episode 6. Powers include launchable shell fragments, a cage hidden in the shell, and swimming.
- Scar: Appears in episode 7. Powers include launchable drills from the torso, reformation from miniature versions of itself, paralyzing electric surges, a chain of rocks from the scalp, and can constrict opponents when broken down.
- Shiva: Appears in episode 8. Powers include swimming, four arms, self duplication, a tornado attack produced by it and the self duplicate, and levitation. It is based on the Hindu god of the same name and is specifically states to be 60 meters tall and weighing at 500 tons.
- Manmou: Appears in episode 9. Powers include ice burg encase, icy vortexes from the ears that can freeze nearly anything, levitation, twin ensnaring trunks, and four launchable trunks that regenerate after launching.
- Jagger: Appears in episode 10. Powers include twin spiked buzzsaws for each hand attached to chains, large jaws for the lower half of the body, blade resistant armor, can turn into his former human self, a constricting tentacle in the lower half jaws, a car mode, can withdraw its head quickly, and spike missiles from the shoulders. His name is pronounced as Jaguar, although his head appears to have more in common with that or a lynx and a saber toothed tiger.
- Girudeen: Appears in episode 11. Powers include arrows from the mouth, swimming, flight, an imitation God Blade and God Boomerang on the right wrist that can regenerate if destroyed. He is one of the only two fossil beasts to appear in various Super Robot Wars titles.
- Algandos: Appears in episode 12. Powers include levitation, a thick turtle shell, can encase its body in flames using flamethrowers around the body, two green lasers from each eye, a tail that can detach and form into a serpent with large jaws, torso missiles, can absorb magma, and can increase its body temperature hot enough to melt projectiles upon making contact with its body.
- Shurga: Appears in episode 13. Powers include fanged serpents for hair that can regenerate quickly and eat through metal, a naginata with a sickle and trident, mouth flames, flight, pectoral missiles, launchable spikes from the back, can revert to her former human form, and can create illusions and manipulation of the environment by spinning her hair.
- Draculon: Appears in episode 14. Powers include a green geat ray from the torso mouth, flight, four cannons on each side of the torso, launchable harpoons from the wrists, spy bats, regeneration in a matter of hours, flight, sharp claws, and can use wings as razor clubs that can split into four spears when thrown.
- Diyan:
- Diyan Mark 1: Appears in episode 15.Powers include a pair of nunchucks, levitation, fire breath, ice breath, acidic melting beam, and head separation.
- Diyan Mark 2: Appears in episode 15. Powers include three cable linked diamond claws on the body, fire breath, ice breath, four diamond knuckle spikes on each hand, diamond teeth, regeneration, can combine its head horns to form a powerful boomerang, and a high resistance to heat such as lava.
- Drozden: Appears in episode 16. Powers include swimming, missile launchers in its fingers that can also fire small green flames, detachable scissors on the torso, regeneration even from decapitation, explosive grapple claw spikes on the pectorals, levitation, can cause whirlpools with its spiked tail, and mouth flames.
- Golemon: Appears in episode 17. Powers include three axes in each shoulder, flight, an extendable pendulum tail, knee spinning sais, reformation, and energy beams from the pectorals.
- Tarantu: Appears in episode 18. Powers include swimming, pink torso diamond beams called the Tarantu Death Beam, impaling electrical mouth webs, sword arms, barbed metal wire from the spinneret, levitation, three rockets in the abdomen, mandibles, four grapple legs on the abdomen, and a launchable sword in each shoulder. According to General Agyaru its power can rival that of 300,000 nuclear bombs.
- Great Conger: Appears in episode 19. He is a gorilla that escaped captivity and became a fossil beast. Original mass was 15 meters high and weighted 8 ton before becoming the fossil beast Gongu.
- Gongu: Appears in episode 19. Powers include mouth flames, strong teeth that can chew projectiles, strength, and shoulder missiles.
- Dogcat: Appears in episode 20. Powers include a machine gun turret on its back with electrical dagger bullets, swimming, wrist and ankle buzzsaws, pectoral glue guns, a rainbow heat ray from the mouth, reinforced teeth, blade resistance, and burrowing.
- Muchiru: Appears in episode 21. Powers include iron teeth, twin maces with launchable spikes that regenerate after being used, extendable spiked whip tail, flight, hurricane winds from wings, electromagnetic rings called the Light Trap, energy absorbing with it's tail, blade resistance, spiked torso rockets, and launchable arms.
- Mechanical Beast: Appears in episode 22. Powers include twin remote buzzsaws, powerful treads, three howitzer cannons, a large tank cannon, and submerging under and floating on top of water.
- Condorun: Appears in episode 22. Powers include flight, ultra sharp talons with launchable feet, blue mouth flames, launchable back knife, blue energy bolts from the antennae, rapid fire missiles in each side of its torso, projectile resistance, and regeneration for its feet.
- Bouga: Appears in episode 22. Powers include swimming, torso rockets, flight, a launchable clamp, and head scissors.
- Moguron: Appears in episode 23. Powers include burrowing, swimming, a giant nose drill, and three missile launchers on the back.
- Kamagira: Appears in episode 23. Powers include sword arms with chains on them, pectoral rockets, and launchable pendulum tail missiles.
- Raideen Robot: Appears in episode 23. Powers include a false God Breaker and armor similar to that of Raideen's Mutronium armor. It is used for training fossil beasts and was quickly destroyed by Kamagira.
- Kibango: Appears in episode 24. Powers include spawning mouth blizzards, a long extendable hook finger on each hand with freezing properties, explosive launchable tusks with needle missiles, levitation, a drill missile launcher for its belt buckle, and cutters from the abdomen. Unlike other fossil beasts it is over ten thousand years old instead of being created by Barao at the time of the episode.
- Nibango: Appears in episode 24 and is a green colored clone of Kibango with all of the same powers.
- Modorosu: Appears in episode 25. Powers include surrounding itself in a giant fire ball, swimming, four missile launchers on the abdomen, drill missiles on the pelvis, rotating claw arms, flight, a mouth flamethrower, detachable wheels with spiked missiles, and buffalo horns that charge up with heat.
- Gameren: Appears in episodes 25 and 26. Powers include reviving the other fossil beasts, camouflage to the point of fusing with the environment, high jumping, a Chinese sword, an extendable tongue, and torso spike missiles.
- Ant Lion: Appears in episode 27. Powers include burrowing, eight torso cannons, eight extendable pincer arms, mandibles and fangs that emit electricity, blade resistant armor, and flight.
Colossal Monsters
- Giant Sharkin: Appears in episode 27. Powers include a shield that acts like a buzzsaw, a rapier, hair missiles, and his cape will coil if torn from his body. Appears in various Super Robot Wars titles.
- Great Typhoon: Appears in episode 28. Powers include flight and cannons in both howitzer and machine gun style.
- Koka: Appears in episode 28. Powers include traveling in a whirlwind, a round shield on the left wrist that emits very hot electricity, invisibility, self bisecting, a larger spiked wheel that splits and impales enemies with spikes from both inner sides, drill missiles on the lower half, a harpoon for the right hand with five hidden mini harpoons, flight, twin missile launchers in the lower half, and two smaller spiked wheels on the lower half.
- Drillazer: Appears in episode 29. Powers include extendable drill arms, nine drill missiles hidden in the torso, and a giant drill rocket used for suicide attacks hidden in its body.
- Razar: Appears in episode 29. Powers include purple heat rays from the eye for its head with pinpoint accuracy, six lesser heat rays from the eyes on its palms, elbows, and knees that can blind humans and melt Mutronium, flight, agility, can increase its body temperature to the point of melting Mutronium, claw missiles in the shoulders and hips, and can fire a destructive rainbow beam from the energy in its seven eyes.
- Giltoio: Appears in episode 30. Powers include a mace on a rope and a buzzsaw in a round shield.
- Gamma: Appears in episode 30. Powers include buzzsaws for hands that emit heat, a wired pendulum in each hip, flight, mouth sonic waves, and a launchable saw on each shoulder.
- Dozu: Appears in episode 31. Powers include flight, launchable ax hands, and drills in the feet.
- Tetsdan: Appears in episode 31. Powers include flight, a restrainer explosive coffin hidden in the abdomen, a chained mace on each wrist, swimming, a three section launchable claw on its back that can turn into a chainsaw, blue lasers from the shoulders, and can launch its forehead spikes and nasal horn with them exploding on contact.
- Sokota: Appears in episode 32. Powers include a rocket launcher on each pectoral, four bladed edges in each arm, flight, and six needle missiles in each arm.
- Draiger: Appears in episode 32. Powers include spiked soles, strength that can throw enemies with enough force to make them spin, knee missiles, two drill missiles in the torso that will continually drill into an opponent's body, electrical bolts from the elbows that will cause the drill missiles to explode, flight, and thigh spike missiles.
- Yukimadendar: Appears in episode 33. Powers include a long whip tail, a mouth flamethrower in both heads, electric fangs, and coiling heads that constrict.
- Crash: Appears in episode 33. Powers include a spiked whip in each shoulder, flight, reformation, a large extenadable drill in the torso, swimming, an extendable smaller drill in each pectoral, wrist spike missiles, electrical surges from the body, and if blown to pieces that turn into eleven humanoid robot that can disguise themselves as humans and the leader robot having electric hair, a blade in the right foot, and a buzzsaw in the left elbow, spike missiles from its mouth, four hand rockets in its body, and a drill in each arm.
- Gilanda: Appears in episode 34. Powers include heavy armor, flight, and body blades.
- Dodgergal: Appears in episode 34. Powers include six rocket launchers on its back, a mouth flamethrower, a chained mace for the right hand that emits electricity and fires the spikes like missiles, controlling severed body parts, reforming, and a drill bomb in the forehead.
- Hydra: Appears in episode 35. Powers include flight, spraying water from its body, a ninjato, and a crescent bladed staff that spins.
- Salamander: Appears in episode 35. Powers include mouth flames strong enough to reduce rock into cinder, claw missiles, a high body temperature with flame emission, a trident tail, flight, yellow eye heat beams, electrical bolts from the dragon mustache, launchable flaming abdomen scales, a missile launcher on each pectoral, and mutating liquid from the neck.
- Salamander Hydra: Appears in episode 35. Powers include flight, slicing waves of water from the hands, armor strong enough to break weapons on contact and survive a ram attack from the God Bird, a ninjato that can slice through Mutronium, launchable crescent bladed staffs from the back, a mechanical tentacle in each shoulder with hidden drills in them, . It is a combination of Hydra after being mutated by Salamander's mutating liquid and one of his flaming abdomen scales, however, if the scale is damaged Hydra will revert to its normal form.
- Gabuss: Appears in episode 36. Powers include pendulum bladed arms and flight.
- Madanga: Appears in episode 36. Powers include a crossbow for the right hand that can morph into a drill, explosive lava arrows stored on its back with arrowheads that pierce through Mutronium, tank treads on the feet, flight, reformation as long as its human host Yurika has its core, can control its arms after they are severed, and a mouth flamethrower that can be used underwater. Appears in Super Robot Wars Compact 2 and Impact.
- Zaikron: Appears in episode 37. Powers include swimming, a 10-tube missile launcher in the torso, flight, coiling treads in each shoulder that emit massive amounts of heat, reformation, and saw-like wheels on the hips.
- Matazu: Appears in episode 38. Its only known power is a launchable drill on a chain for its head.
- Dangus: A centipede-like colossal monster that fuses with objects around it, it possesses two different forms for battle and can swim or fly for quick escapes.
- Form 1: Appears in episode 38. Powers include tank treads on the feet, a crane claw for the left arm, a mace on a wire for the right arm, reformation, and pink electrical bolts for the satellite dishes on its scalp.
- Form 2: Appears in episode 38. Powers include swimming, torpedo launchers from the body, kamikaze planes used as projectiles, machine gun turrets all over its body, reforming, and coiling electric tendrils.
- Gandulas: Appears in episode 39. Powers include a trident and mouth flames.
- Gigar: Appears in episode 39. Powers include retracting into its tail, sharp claws, a rib cage-like set of blades that extend long distances, flight, invisibility, needle missiles from below the neck capable of shredding Mutronium, and a large blade resistant mace tail.
- Gudura: Appears in episode 40. Powers include body part separation, bladed segments, and can encase body parts in flames.
- Cross Jet: Appears in episode 40. Powers include dual heads on opposite sides of its body, strength, flight, explosive skin bits that act like homing mines, regeneration over the course of hours, a pair of rocket launchers in the torso, and using its body like a buzzsaw.
- Kibamata: Appears in episode 44. Powers include ice breath strong enough to create snow storms, ice breast missiles, a sword-trident hybrid staff, white eye ice beams, detachable constricting hair, and needle missiles on the scalp.
- Bigata: Appears in episode 44. Powers include levitation, mouth flames, saber teeth, twenty four torpedoes in the torso, and a pair of rockets on the back.
- Slado: Appears in episode 47. Powers include levitation, homing missiles, six fanged dragon heads, five saber toothed snake heads, and Mutronium piercing swords in the body.
- Grostan: Appears in episode 47. Powers include flight, a pair of buzzsaws on chains at the sides on its front, dual 3-tube rocket launchers on the front with the rockets having electrical rope for ensnaring, and yellow eye heat beams from the front head. Appears in Super Robot Wars Compact 2 and Impact.
- Biden: Appears in episode 48. Powers include flight, twin launchable spiked wheels on the shoulders, and a whip tail that fires electric bolts.
- Mongi: Appears in episode 48. Powers include flight, pectoral needle missiles, scalp spears, and drill fingers.
- Suneka: Appears in episode 48. Powers include flight, burrowing, twin mouth flamethrowers, and constricting with the aid of its body spikes.
- Bangor: Appears in episode 48. Powers include a large wheel used for floating on top of water, dual pectoral drills, abdomen missiles, flight, five extendable drills in each foot, a high resistance to sonic attacks, a coiling tread from his wheel, and a large cutlass. It is actually Gourai after offering himself to become a colossal monster. Appears in Super Robot Wars Compact 2 and Impact.
- Baragon (not to be confused with the Toho monster of the same nameBaragonis a fictional Kaiju that was first featured in the 1965 Toho-produced film, Frankenstein Conquers the World. Baragon is a four-legged dinosaur with a horn on his head and large ears. His main weapon is a heat ray that he can fire from his mouth...
): Appears in episode 49. Powers include flight, swimming, yellow eye beams, a double sided trident, spiked steel hair from the dragon head that can form a large pincer claw, mouth lava and flames, sharp talons, spike missiles from the side heads, a barbed machete, and a bladed nasal horn. Appears in Super Robot Wars Compact 2 and Impact.
Combined Colossal Monsters
- Gardon: Appears in episode 41. Powers include electrical bolts, flames, and missiles from the dragon head mouths, a pair of saw bladed round shields that can combine to fire a green electric beam, a whip with a mace at the end, a rather weak grenade launcher for the left hand that can barely damage an armored turret, a sword in the abdomen, flight, a whip tail, regeneration, and buzzsaws on the soles of the feet. It is a combination of two colossal monsters fused together by Barao named Gundon and Gildon. Appears in Super Robot Wars Compact 2 and Impact.
- Sand Killer: Appears in episode 42. Powers include acidic sand from the body, emitting hurricane force winds, flight, x-ray vision, regeneration, adhesive cannons hidden in the forearms, can combine its sand and wind to create a sandstorm capable of destroying a city in a minute, pink energy beams from the turbines in its shoulders, and four missile launchers in the torso. It is a combination of two colossal monsters fused together by Barao named Sand and Storm.
- Shargon: Appears in episode 43. Powers include flight, a pair of missile launchers on each wing, drill talons, swimming, a shark mouth with drill teeth, and a tail flamethrower. It is a combination of two colossal monsters fused together by Barao named Condor and Shark.
- Bigada: Appears in episode 45. Powers include self bisecting, throwing stars on the shoulders, green tusk bolts, flight, a Chinese sword that fires lightning bolts, and spikes hidden in each bisected half. It is a combination of two colossal monsters fused together by Barao named Ondera and Shigidira.
- Gabiron: Appears in episode 46. Powers include flight, a pair of spiked tails that act like a buzzsaw, finger missiles, a mouth flamethrower from the dragon head, launchable bull horns from the head on the abdomen with them creating electrical bolts to start fires, six missiles in each shoulder, a chained ax on the back that can slice through Mutronium, a launchable jet pack, and a large howitzer cannon hidden in the neck and head. It is a combination of two colossal monsters fused together by Barao named Storigato and Starigalom.
Production Notes
- The Brave Raideen series is renowned in Japan as the first to include a giant robot whose origins are mystical rather than scientific; Raideen itself is in fact portrayed as a sentient being. Raideen is also historically noteworthy for being one of the first transforming giant robots (Goldar, from Ambassador MagmaAmbassador Magmais the title and protagonist of a manga and tokusatsu TV series created by Osamu Tezuka. The TV series, produced by P Productions, aired on Fuji TV from July 4, 1966 to September 25, 1967, with a total of 52 episodes. It is the first color tokusatsu TV series in Japan, beating Ultraman to the...
, was an earlier character, although Goldar's transformation from robot to rocket ship was not a detailed mechanical transformation). The diecast toy version of Raideen, released in Japan in 1975 by PopyPopyPopy Popy Popy (ポピー）was a Japanese toy manufacturer of the 1970s and early 1980s. The company was owned by Bandai. It was founded in 1971, and merged back into the parent company in 1983...
, was the first true transforming robot toy. Brave Raideen was the first anime mechaMechaA mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
work of anime director and writer Yoshiyuki TominoYoshiyuki Tominois a Japanese mecha anime creator, director, screenwriter and novelist. He was born in Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, and studied at Nihon University's College of Art...
, better known as the creator of GundamGundamThe is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....
. The latter half was directed by Tadao NagahamaTadao NagahamaTadao Nagahama was a director of both puppet shows and animation.He is best known as the director of Toei's Romantic Trilogy, which added human drama to the Super Robot Genre....
, and may be seen as a predecessor to his famous Romantic Trilogy, consisting of Combattler VCombattler Vis the first part of the Robot Romance Trilogy of Super Robot series created by "Saburo Yatsude" and directed by Tadao Nagahama. The robot's name is a portmanteau of Combine, Combat and Battle, and the V is intended both as an abbreviation for "victory" and in reference to the five component...
, Voltes VVoltes Vis a Japanese anime television series that was first aired on TV Asahi starting June 4, 1977. It was created by Saburo Yatsude and directed by Tadao Nagahama...
and DaimosDaimosis a Japanese anime television series produced by Nihon Sunrise. Daimos is the third installment of the "Romantic Trilogy", following Chōdenji Robo Combattler V and Chōdenji Machine Voltes V. It ran from 1 April 1978 to 27 January 1979 and consisted of 44 episodes...
.
- This series was the second collaboration between writer/director Yoshiyuki Tomino and artist Yasuhiko Yoshikazu. The first work to feature both men was Wandering SunWandering Sunwas a televised anime series created, written and directed by Keisuke Fujikawa, and which ran for 26 episodes in 1971. Both Yoshiyuki Tomino and Yasuhiko Yoshikazu were involved in the production of Wandering Sun, and would later team up for the ground-breaking and genre defining series Mobile Suit...
(Sasurai no Taiyō) (1971). The two would later team up again for both Mobile Suit GundamMobile Suit Gundamis a televised anime series, created by Sunrise. Created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it premiered in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting Network on April 7, 1979, and lasted until January 26, 1980, spanning 43 episodes...
and Gundam F-91.
- "Raideen" was named after the sumo wrestler "Raiden Tameemon".
- According to RahXephonRahXephonis a Japanese anime series about 17-year-old Ayato Kamina, his ability to control a godlike mecha known as the RahXephon, and his inner journey to find a place in the world...
director Yutaka IzubuchiYutaka Izubuchiis a Japanese anime designer and director. Izubuchi is credited for designing costumes, characters and creatures, but most of his designs are mechanical...
, the similarity of designs and powers of the title robots and the basic plots of RahXephon and Raideen are intentional.
Episodes
- 01. Gante, The Colossal Dragon (大魔竜ガンテ)
- 02. Bastodon, The Giant Fossil Beast (化石巨獣バストドン)
- 03. Garda, The Iron Beat (鋼鉄獣ガーダ)
- 04. Giant Maddon Annihilates Tokyo (大マドン東京全滅)
- 05. Assault! Biira, The Ultrasonic Beast (強襲!超音獣ビイラ)
- 06. Recapture! The Hostages of the Giant Tortasu (奪回! 巨大トータスの人質)
- 07. Crush Skarl, the Replicating Beast! (分裂獣スカールを砕け!)
- 08. Counterstrike! Shiva, the Double-Headed Devil Beast (逆襲! 双頭魔獣シバ)
- 09. Terror! Manmo's Freezing Operation (恐怖! マンモーの冷凍作戦)
- 10. Showdown! The Lover of Jagar, The Fossil Man (対決! 化石人ジャガーの恋)
- 11. The Insurrection of Gildeen, The Assassin (殺し屋ギルディーンの陰謀)
- 12. The Strike of Algandos, The Fireball Beast (火球獣アルガンドスの痛撃)
- 13. The Love of Shuraga, The Beautiful Changeling (妖変美女シュラガの愛)
- 14. The Cave of Daakuru, The Devil Beast of Darkness (暗闇魔獣ダアクルの洞窟)
- 15. The Vengeance of Dian, The Jeweled Fossil Beast (宝石魔獣ダイヤンの復讐)
- 16. The Hell-Strike of Dorozuden, The Sea Dragon (海竜ドローズデンの地獄攻め)
- 17. The Immortal Goremon Rips The Devil To Shreads (不死身ゴーレモンの悪魔裂き)
- 18. The Heroic Agyaru's Deadly Blitzkrieg (壮烈アギャール必殺の電撃)
- 19. The Colossal Gonga: The Roar of Demonic Strength (巨獣ゴンガー魔腕の唸り)
- 20. Brutal! Devil Admiral Darudan (残忍! 悪魔提督ダルタン)
- 21. Assault! Trap of Muchiru, The Winged Beast (強撃!翼獣ムチールの罠)
- 22. Chaotic Attack! The Talons of Kondorun, The Devil Bird (乱撃! 魔鳥コンドルンの爪)
- 23. The Supernatural Scythe of Girah & The Thunderous Attack of Moguron (妖刀鎌ギラーと轟撃モグロン)
- 24. Supernatural Fists of Kibango, The Branching Devil Beast (分身魔獣キバンゴの怪拳!)
- 25. Conflagration of Modorosu, The Incandescent Beast (灼熱獣モドロスの炎)
- 26. The Wicked Gamereen's Infernal Charge (妖獣ガメレーン地獄の大進撃)
- 27. Fight The Devil Sharkin
- 28. Roughneck Big Beast of Hell!
- 29. Rzzar The Beast of Seven
- 30. Crushed Skull Gamba Samson
- 31. Tetsudan Upside Down Fear
- 32. Doraiga Heart-Breaking Operations
- 33. Veterinary Secrets of The Destroyer 11
- 34. Mysterious Secret Weapon Dodger Gal
- 35. Firedrake Salamander Flame Heat
- 36. Madanga Hell Shooter
- 37. Zaikuron Crashed Car Race
- 38. Dansguth Shattered The Magic Play The Beast!
- 39. Gigal Nails and Bizarre Wildlife
- 40. Cross-Killer Jet Black
- 41. Trap Combines Powerful Beast Gurdon
- 42. Sandstorm San Killer Fear
- 43. Shagon Animal Killer Combination
- 44. Kibanga Inferno Attack
- 45. Girumora Shears Devil Death
- 46. Gabiron One Death Demons
- 47. The Outraged Cries of Hell
- 48. The Lightning Australian Army Challenges
- 49. Barao's Last Wage
- 50. Shine! Raideen Immortal
Reideen the Superior
A 38 episode remake aired as "Raideen the Superior" (超者ライディーン; Chōja Raidīn) in 1996. This series was directed by Toshifumi Kawase. Five seemingly ordinary teenagers are actually superheroes called "Raideens" and their mission is to fight their enemy the so-called "Super Devils." This series was notably different than the original, more akin to a Super SentaiSuper Sentai
The is the name given to the long-running Japanese superhero team genre of shows produced by Toei Co., Ltd., Toei Agency and Bandai, and aired by TV Asahi...
series or Tekkaman Blade
Tekkaman Blade
or Teknoman is an anime series, released in 1992 and 1995 in both Japanese and English language versions.-Plot:During the year 2300 AD , otherwise known as United Earth Year 192, the Earth is under attack from an extraterrestrial enemy known as the Radam...
than the original Raideen.
REIDEEN
On January 2007, a twenty-six episode series, simply titled "REIDEEN," began transmission. In this remake, Saiga Junki, a high school student with a gift in mathematics, learns that his archaeologist father, who disappeared years earlier, has died. When going to claim his remains at a pyramidPyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
dubbed "Japan's Pyramid," a meteor falls from the sky containing an evil life-form that seeks total destruction. Just as Saiga is put in danger by this life-form, the bracelet that his father left him reacts to the pyramid, and the titular robot is activated. It is now up to Saiga and Reideen to defend the Earth against the mysterious invaders.
International release
Brave RaideenBrave Raideen
is a super robot anime series. Produced by Tohokushinsha, Asahi News Agency and Sunrise, it aired on NET from 4 April 1975 to 26 March 1976, with a total of 50 episodes...
is considered the first super robot anime to reach a large U.S. audience directly. It was first broadcast in Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
on KIKU TV-13
KIKU
KIKU-TV is an independent television station based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Currently, KIKU broadcasts on DTV channel 19, Time-Warner Cable 9/Digital 89 , Time-Warner Cable 10/Digital 89 , Time-Warner Cable Digital 89 , Hawaiian Cable 12, and Hawaiian Telcom Cable 20...
, which ran the series with English subtitles created and produced in-house. The series first hit the Mainland in June 1976, Sunday nights at 8:00 P.M. on San Francisco's KEMO TV-20 and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
's KWHY TV-22. Later in 1976, Brave Raideen
Brave Raideen
is a super robot anime series. Produced by Tohokushinsha, Asahi News Agency and Sunrise, it aired on NET from 4 April 1975 to 26 March 1976, with a total of 50 episodes...
began running on KMUV TV-31 in Sacramento, CA (Sunday nights; timeslot to be confirmed), as part of the station's Japanese-American programming. The series also aired similarly in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
(station and dates to be confirmed), as well as broadcast as part of the Japanese programming on New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's WNJU TV-47
WNJU
WNJU, channel 47, is the flagship station of the Spanish-language Telemundo television network, licensed to Linden, New Jersey and serving the Tri-State area television market. WNJU is owned by NBCUniversal, and is one-half of a duopoly with NBC network flagship WNBC-TV...
.. The Stateside push was sponsored by Honolulu-based Marukai Trading Co., Ltd., who distributed a large line of Japanese-produced merchandise (as well as some Hawaii-produced items, such as tee-shirts) to local retailers in localities airing Brave Raideen
Brave Raideen
is a super robot anime series. Produced by Tohokushinsha, Asahi News Agency and Sunrise, it aired on NET from 4 April 1975 to 26 March 1976, with a total of 50 episodes...
— including Popy
Popy
Popy Popy Popy (ポピー）was a Japanese toy manufacturer of the 1970s and early 1980s. The company was owned by Bandai. It was founded in 1971, and merged back into the parent company in 1983...
's Jumbo Machinder
Jumbo Machinder
Jumbo Machinder is the name of a series of large-scale plastic robots sold by Bandai's character toy subsidiary, Popy in the 1970s. Although a trademarked brand name, in common usage Jumbo Machinder is often applied to any large-size robot toy roto molded out of polyethylene terephthalate , a...
(which may account for Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
's launching of the popular Shogun Warriors
Shogun Warriors
The Shogun Warriors were the central characters of a line of toys licensed by Mattel Inc. during the late 1970s that consisted of a series of imported Japanese robots based on the then popular anime shows featuring giant robots...
line in the U.S.), according to author August Ragone.
Merchandise
The original toy figures of Raideen (spelled "Raydeen") were introduced to the U.S. market as part of the Shogun WarriorsShogun Warriors
The Shogun Warriors were the central characters of a line of toys licensed by Mattel Inc. during the late 1970s that consisted of a series of imported Japanese robots based on the then popular anime shows featuring giant robots...
toyline during late 1970s under the Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
brand, as well as the Marvel comic book based on said toyline.
Reception
In December 1994 police found a pamphlet at the headquarters of Aum ShinrikyoAum Shinrikyo
Aum Shinrikyo was a Japanese new religious movement. The group was founded by Shoko Asahara in 1984. The group gained international notoriety in 1995, when it carried out the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway....
which included a song called "Sarin
Sarin
Sarin, or GB, is an organophosphorus compound with the formula [2CHO]CH3PF. It is a colorless, odorless liquid, which is used as a chemical weapon. It has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction in UN Resolution 687...
the Brave," a parody of Brave Raideen.