Exosquad
Encyclopedia
Exosquad is an American animated television series created by Universal Cartoon Studios as a response
to Japanese anime
. The show is set in the beginning of the 22nd century and covers the interplanetary war
between humanity and Neosapien
s, a fictional race artificially created as workers/slaves
for the Terrans. The narration generally follows Able Squad, an elite Terran unit of mecha pilots, on their missions all over the Solar System
, although other storylines are also abundant. The series ran for two complete seasons on USA Network
and Fox
, from September 1993
to November 1994
, and was cancelled after one third-season episode had been produced.
ity ("Terrans") has expanded its presence beyond Earth, terraforming
and colonizing Venus and Mars. These three planets are "the Homeworlds", the core first of the Terran interplanetary state and later of Neosapien Commonwealth
. Not all Terrans are affiliated with the Homeworlds, however: the Pirate Clans
, descendants of Terran criminals exiled to the Outer Planets who live off looted Homeworlds' space freighters
, are a major independent faction in the show. The first episode opens with the Earth Congress dispatching the entire Exofleet
, humanity's space-based military
, to counter the Pirate threat.
With war with the Pirate Clans looming, an uprising begins among the Neosapien
s, an artificial humanoid
race coexisting with Terrans. In the back-story
, the Neosapiens were used primarily as slaves during the colonization
of Mars and Venus and therefore have been engineered
to be physically stronger and better adapted to hostile environments than humans. Their mistreatment by Terrans led to the First Neosapien Revolt fifty years before the series' begin, which was mercilessly crushed but had brought some positive changes into their lives. Still not content with his fate, the Neosapien Governor of Mars, Phaeton, sets a new insurrection, codenamed "Operation [Neosapien] Destiny", in motion as soon as the Exofleet leaves to chase after the Pirate Clans. The absence of the Exofleet is also a part of Phaeton's plan as it enables the Neosapiens' capture of the Homeworlds without much effort.
The two seasons that the series was on the air follow the progress of the Neosapien War, as seen through the eyes of Able Squad, an elite E-frame unit, composed of J.T. Marsh, Nara Burns, Maggie Weston, Kaz Takagi, Alec DeLeon, Rita Torres, Wolf Bronsky, and Marsala (see Cast). Their exploits unfold against the backdrop of the on-going war, as the squad participates in events often crucial to turning its tide. The show features a realistic outlook on war: many characters die in combat, military operation
s are carefully planned and reconnoitered in advance, and psychological effects of warfare
are explored. For example, separate episodes detail Exofleet's reconnaissance
of Venus prior to its recapture, the actual liberation, and the repulse of the first Neosapien reconquest attempt. Moreover, even after Venus is retaken by Terrans, several episodes deal with the remaining Venusian resistance
and Neosapien forces who hid across Venus, refusing to surrender and awaiting reinforcements.
The second season draws to a close with the defeat of the Neosapiens and the liberation of Earth, but it ends with a cliffhanger
suggesting that a third season would describe a war against a new alien race
, and that the Terrans and the Neosapiens would be forced to ally with each other. However, the series was cancelled soon after the end of the second season so a third season was never made (see Production).
Exosquad features an ensemble cast
that portrays eight members of the Able Squad.
While the main focus of the show is on the Able Squad, individual episodes and story arc
s are frequently dedicated to other characters as well. For example, the C5 Jumptroop Squadron, several Homeworlds Resistance
cells, prominent Pirates
, and high-ranking Neosapien officers are all given much screen time.
Exosquad had a very serious approach to the plot with several intertwined narrative thread
s and a number of characters displaying a full spectrum of human emotions, relationships and experiences, such as friendship, love
, hatred
, personal tragedies, treachery
and taking responsibility for others. Michael Edens, the story writer and editor in the second season, credited the show's realism
for much of its success. Prejudice
and racism
are recurring themes in the series, as both Terrans and Neosapiens are shown to harbor hatred and a sense of superiority towards each other. Interplanetary politics
and space war
typical for military science fiction
were presented with an assumption of the fictional future history
of the Solar System up to that point. The Able Squad's duties became more spread out as the second season unfolded, and there were separate story arcs on Mars, Venus, Earth, and in space. Espionage
and intrigue were often featured instead of straightforward battles.
Will Meugniot
, the executive producer of the series, once compared anime series Mobile Suit Gundam
and Exosquad to the Pacific
and the European Theaters of World War II
, respectively. Michael Edens recalled in an interview that the plot was supposed to remind of the Second World War, too, for example with the Neosapien reconquest attempt of Venus, capture of the Moon
and battle for Chicago
paralleling the battles of the Bulge
, Okinawa
, and Berlin
, respectively. The viewers also pointed out parallels between the villain
ous Neosapien leader, Phaeton, and Adolf Hitler
of the Third Reich.
The series owes its title to the Exo-Frames (commonly referred as E-frames): multi-purpose mecha
-like powered exoskeleton
s mostly utilized as armored combat vehicles or reinforced body armour by the characters.
Exosquad was among the first animated series by Universal Animation Studios
(then known as Universal Cartoon Studios) and was created under influence of anime
imported from Japan. As a result, its complex story line covered a large number of topics from war through romance to genetic engineering and was able to appeal to a broad audience. Although the first season ran for only thirteen episodes in 1993, the rising popularity of the show allowed Universal to make the second one three times as long. In its second season, Exosquad was put into the "Universal Action Hour" together with Monster Force
.
As the second season progressed, some characters, according to Michael Edens, "took on a life of [their] own": for example, Nara Burns killing Phaeton and the Neosapien Thrax becoming a major recurring character after his initial appearance were not pre-planned. Another character, Alec DeLeon, was supposed to perish in the destruction of Mars but the Universal executives strongly opposed it, so he was killed several episodes later, on the Moon, only to be promptly resurrected in a Neo Mega body.
The show was purportedly cancelled after 52 episodes because at that time, many independent production companies were being taken over by larger networks, who wanted to produce their own content. Exosquad was eventually moved to poor time slots, such as 4 a.m., until the ratings
were no longer sufficient to sustain it. The final episode detailed the post-war
political and social climate prevalent in the Exosquad universe, and closed with J.T. Marsh engaging a group of alien space vessels, whose exact nature was to be explained in the third season or a feature movie. Michael Edens later remarked that the staff originally planned the aliens to be insectoid
and that the Pirates' dark matter
, Dr. Ketzer's experiments, and the unactivated clone of Phaeton would have played a great role in fighting them. The idea of a movie based on Exosquad was being promoted by executive producer
Jeff Segal and it was also planned to expand the fictional universe with a spin-off
series, then codenamed Exo-Pirates. Both initiatives were scrapped with the cancellation of the third season.
The first season of Exosquad was released on seven VHS
cassettes shortly after its original run, and in 2007, it was made available on Hulu
video on demand
service. The complete second season was published on Hulu in February 2009. The first season has been made available on Zune Marketplace. Bootleg
copies have been circulating through online stores. On December 23, 2008, Universal Studios Home Entertainment
announced the 13 episodes comprising the first season of Exosquad would be published on DVD
on April 14, 2009. It was released on the announced date as a two-disc set. Curiously, only three episodes in this set ("Seeds of Deception", "Resist", and "Betrayal") have the actual Season One opening; the other ten episodes are incorrectly shown with the Season Two opening. The show also aired internationally, e.g. broadcast on Russian Channel One
in 1996.
Between 1993 and 1996, Playmates Toys
produced a line of action figure
s and model kits of E-frames and spaceships featured in the television series. The descriptions of the toys are a major source of Exosquad universe lore. The toys were often compared to the popular Robotech franchise, and Playmates acquired the license to Robotech to produce both toy lines under the same label, spawning rumors of a possible crossover
. This possibility was considered by the authors but later abandoned.
A Sega Genesis video game under the same title was developed by Appaloosa Interactive
and published by Playmates. A comic book
adaptation was published by Topps Comics
in 1994. Additionally, an interactive movie
book and a board game
based on the series were released.
, religion
, and politics
), calling the show "thought provoking and inspiring" with "an incredible amount of depth" in it. Moses specifically praised the characterization of the Neosapien characters, which avoided "absolute good and evil" designations, and voice acting
in the show, wherein he perceived it "better than everyone else". Both Will Meugniot and Michael Edens commented that Exosquad was the best show they have worked on.
Gord Lacey of TVShowsOnDVD.com
reviewed the first season upon its DVD release and likewise praised the maturity and complexity of the show, which subverted his expectations. He criticized the occasionally blurry visuals and too quiet audio of the release, rating them both 7/10. Lacey named the absence of DVD extras as a possible source of disappointment for the fans of the show.
Anime-influenced animation
Anime-influenced animation refers to non-Japanese works of animation that emulate certain aspects of the visual style of anime. Due to Western culture, the term anime has been coined to explicitly refer to Japanese animation...
to Japanese 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....
. The show is set in the beginning of the 22nd century and covers the interplanetary war
Space warfare in fiction
Space warfare in science fiction has served as a central theme within the genre, tracing its roots back to the "future war" novels of the 19th century. Space warfare in science fiction has served as a central theme within the genre, tracing its roots back to the "future war" novels of the 19th...
between humanity and Neosapien
Neosapien
The Neosapiens , featured in the science fiction animated television series Exosquad, are a fictional race of genetically engineered sentient humanoids.-Background:...
s, a fictional race artificially created as workers/slaves
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
for the Terrans. The narration generally follows Able Squad, an elite Terran unit of mecha pilots, on their missions all over the Solar System
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
, although other storylines are also abundant. The series ran for two complete seasons on USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
and Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, from September 1993
1993 in television
The year 1993 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1993.For the American TV schedule, see: 1993-94 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
to November 1994
1994 in television
The year 1994 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1994.For the American TV schedule, see: 1994-95 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:...
, and was cancelled after one third-season episode had been produced.
Plot
The series is set in the years 2119–2121 AD, several decades after humanHuman
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
ity ("Terrans") has expanded its presence beyond Earth, terraforming
Terraforming
Terraforming of a planet, moon, or other body is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology to be similar to those of Earth, in order to make it habitable by terrestrial organisms.The term is sometimes used more generally as a...
and colonizing Venus and Mars. These three planets are "the Homeworlds", the core first of the Terran interplanetary state and later of Neosapien Commonwealth
Neosapien Commonwealth
In the 1993-1995 sci-fi animated television series Exosquad, the Neosapien Commonwealth was the commonwealth built by the Neosapiens under Phaeton's leadership after the Second Neosapien Revolt and their conquest of the Homeworlds...
. Not all Terrans are affiliated with the Homeworlds, however: the Pirate Clans
Pirate Clans
In the 1993-1995 sci-fi animated television series Exosquad, Pirate Clans were the descendants of the human criminals who were exiled from the Homeworlds and forced to work as miners on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn . However, after the invention of Neosapiens, the Pirates' ancestors were...
, descendants of Terran criminals exiled to the Outer Planets who live off looted Homeworlds' space freighters
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
, are a major independent faction in the show. The first episode opens with the Earth Congress dispatching the entire Exofleet
Exofleet
Exofleet is the name for all battle spaceships in the sci-fi animated television series Exosquad, built by the humans of the Homeworlds also known as the Terran space navy...
, humanity's space-based military
Space navy
A space navy is a fictional military service arm tasked with waging battle in or exploring space.* Lensman - Galactic Patrol* Star Trek - Starfleet* Star Trek: The Next Generation - Imperial Klingon Navy...
, to counter the Pirate threat.
With war with the Pirate Clans looming, an uprising begins among the Neosapien
Neosapien
The Neosapiens , featured in the science fiction animated television series Exosquad, are a fictional race of genetically engineered sentient humanoids.-Background:...
s, an artificial humanoid
Humanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
race coexisting with Terrans. In the back-story
Back-story
A back-story, background story, or backstory is the literary device of a narrative chronologically earlier than, and related to, a narrative of primary interest. Generally, it is the history of characters or other elements that underlie the situation existing at the main narrative's start...
, the Neosapiens were used primarily as slaves during the colonization
Space colonization
Space colonization is the concept of permanent human habitation outside of Earth. Although hypothetical at the present time, there are many proposals and speculations about the first space colony...
of Mars and Venus and therefore have been engineered
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
to be physically stronger and better adapted to hostile environments than humans. Their mistreatment by Terrans led to the First Neosapien Revolt fifty years before the series' begin, which was mercilessly crushed but had brought some positive changes into their lives. Still not content with his fate, the Neosapien Governor of Mars, Phaeton, sets a new insurrection, codenamed "Operation [Neosapien] Destiny", in motion as soon as the Exofleet leaves to chase after the Pirate Clans. The absence of the Exofleet is also a part of Phaeton's plan as it enables the Neosapiens' capture of the Homeworlds without much effort.
The two seasons that the series was on the air follow the progress of the Neosapien War, as seen through the eyes of Able Squad, an elite E-frame unit, composed of J.T. Marsh, Nara Burns, Maggie Weston, Kaz Takagi, Alec DeLeon, Rita Torres, Wolf Bronsky, and Marsala (see Cast). Their exploits unfold against the backdrop of the on-going war, as the squad participates in events often crucial to turning its tide. The show features a realistic outlook on war: many characters die in combat, military operation
Military operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
s are carefully planned and reconnoitered in advance, and psychological effects of warfare
Combat stress reaction
Combat stress reaction , in the past commonly known as shell shock or battle fatigue, is a range of behaviours resulting from the stress of battle which decrease the combatant's fighting efficiency. The most common symptoms are fatigue, slower reaction times, indecision, disconnection from one's...
are explored. For example, separate episodes detail Exofleet's reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
of Venus prior to its recapture, the actual liberation, and the repulse of the first Neosapien reconquest attempt. Moreover, even after Venus is retaken by Terrans, several episodes deal with the remaining Venusian resistance
Homeworlds Resistance
In the 1993-1995 sci-fi animated television series Exosquad, Homeworlds Resistance was an undercover resistance movement on Neosapien-occupied Earth and Venus during the Neosapien War. Because Mars, the third Homeworld, was controlled and populated primarily by Neosapiens even before the war...
and Neosapien forces who hid across Venus, refusing to surrender and awaiting reinforcements.
The second season draws to a close with the defeat of the Neosapiens and the liberation of Earth, but it ends with a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
suggesting that a third season would describe a war against a new alien race
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
, and that the Terrans and the Neosapiens would be forced to ally with each other. However, the series was cancelled soon after the end of the second season so a third season was never made (see Production).
Cast
Exosquad features an ensemble cast
Ensemble cast
An ensemble cast is made up of cast members in which the principal actors and performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance and screen time in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows flexibility for writers to focus on...
that portrays eight members of the Able Squad.
- Lt. / Lt. Cmdr. J.T. Marsh (voiced by Robby BensonRobby BensonRobby Benson is an American film and television actor, television director, educator and singer.-Early life:Benson was born Robin David Segal in Dallas, Texas, the son of Freda Ann , a singer, actress, and business promotions manager, and Jerry Segal, a writer...
), the original leader of the Able Squad, is a responsible and capable officer respected by troopers and superiors alike. - Lt. Nara Burns (Lisa Ann BeleyLisa Ann BeleyLisa Ann Beley is a Canadian voice actor, who has voiced various characters from anime. She grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, before moving to Vancouver, where she studied in the University of British Columbia's acting program.-Anime:...
) is the least experienced member of the team, whose parents died during the Neosapien assault on Venus. Her relationship with Marsala is a recurring theme in the series. After Marsh's promotion, Burns becomes the new squad leader. - Lt. Margaret "Maggie" Weston (Teryl RotheryTeryl RotheryTeryl Rothery is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her role as Dr. Janet Fraiser on Stargate SG-1.-Life and career:Rothery was born in Vancouver, British Columbia...
) is the field repair specialist of the squad. An introvert and a loner, she has a hidden crush on Alec DeLeon. - Sgt. Rita Torres (Janyse JaudJanyse JaudJanyse Aldis Jaud is a Canadian actress, dancer and singer/songwriter. She is of Icelandic-French descent....
). The second in command of the Able Squad and a perfect soldier, often juxtaposed to Wolf Bronsky. She has a soft spot for children and harbors intense hatred towards the Pirate Clans. - Alec DeLeon (John PayneJohn Payne (voice actor)John Payne is an English-born Canadian voice actor who works for Ocean Studios in Vancouver, Canada. He has played several roles in anime, most notably Ramba Ral in Mobile Suit Gundam and Rasetsu in InuYasha....
) is the intelligence and communication specialist. Of FrenchFrench peopleThe French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
origin, he is very intelligent and well-educated, making him J.T. Marsh's right-hand man. - Wolf Bronsky (Michael DonovanMichael DonovanMichael David Donovan is a voice actor for many TV shows and anime. He is most known for his voice on the series ReBoot for his voices of Phong, Mike the TV, Cecil, and Al. He has also provided the voice of Sabretooth for X-Men: Evolution and Carnage for Spider-Man Unlimited. He played the lead...
) is the longest serving trooper in the Able Squad, a crack-shot and a slob. Despite his appearance, he has a heart of gold, knowledge of arts and is a very romantic person. - Kaz Takagi (Michael BenyaerMichael BenyaerMichael Benyaer is a Canadian actor and cartoon and video game voice actor.Benyaer was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He enjoyed playing Hadji in The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, stating, "[he] is one of the few roles for an ethnic actor that is not a bad guy...
) is the other "rookieRookieRookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
" of the team, besides Nara Burns, who respects all fellow members deeply but often causes them trouble. He especially regards Bronsky as his mentor, with all due consequences to his discipline. - Marsala (Gary ChalkGary Chalk (actor)Gary Chalk is an English-born Canadian actor, tri-national US-Canadian-UK citizen and voice artist. He has lend hit voice in over 30 animated television series and has been in films such as The Fly II and Freddy vs. Jason....
), one of the few Neosapiens serving in the Exofleet, is a complex character, who often makes insightful comments on the situation at hand. Over time, he develops a deep emotional attachment to Nara Burns. Throughout most of the series, he is seen as very stoic, often not getting the punchlines of jokes and remaining calm when provoked.
While the main focus of the show is on the Able Squad, individual episodes and story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
s are frequently dedicated to other characters as well. For example, the C5 Jumptroop Squadron, several Homeworlds Resistance
Homeworlds Resistance
In the 1993-1995 sci-fi animated television series Exosquad, Homeworlds Resistance was an undercover resistance movement on Neosapien-occupied Earth and Venus during the Neosapien War. Because Mars, the third Homeworld, was controlled and populated primarily by Neosapiens even before the war...
cells, prominent Pirates
Pirate Clans
In the 1993-1995 sci-fi animated television series Exosquad, Pirate Clans were the descendants of the human criminals who were exiled from the Homeworlds and forced to work as miners on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn . However, after the invention of Neosapiens, the Pirates' ancestors were...
, and high-ranking Neosapien officers are all given much screen time.
Themes
Narrative thread
A narrative thread, or plot thread , refers to particular elements and techniques of writing to center the story in the action or experience of characters rather than to relate a matter in a dry 'All knowing' sort of narration...
s and a number of characters displaying a full spectrum of human emotions, relationships and experiences, such as friendship, love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
, hatred
Hatred
Hatred is a deep and emotional extreme dislike, directed against a certain object or class of objects. The objects of such hatred can vary widely, from inanimate objects to animals, oneself or other people, entire groups of people, people in general, existence, or the whole world...
, personal tragedies, treachery
Treachery
Treachery is a statutory offence in Australia. There was also an unrelated statutory offence bearing that name in the United Kingdom, but it has been abolished. Both of these offences were derived from or inspired by the related offence of treason. The name treachery was chosen because it is a...
and taking responsibility for others. Michael Edens, the story writer and editor in the second season, credited the show's realism
Realism (arts)
Realism in the visual arts and literature refers to the general attempt to depict subjects "in accordance with secular, empirical rules", as they are considered to exist in third person objective reality, without embellishment or interpretation...
for much of its success. Prejudice
Prejudice
Prejudice is making a judgment or assumption about someone or something before having enough knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy, or "judging a book by its cover"...
and racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
are recurring themes in the series, as both Terrans and Neosapiens are shown to harbor hatred and a sense of superiority towards each other. Interplanetary politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and space war
Space warfare in fiction
Space warfare in science fiction has served as a central theme within the genre, tracing its roots back to the "future war" novels of the 19th century. Space warfare in science fiction has served as a central theme within the genre, tracing its roots back to the "future war" novels of the 19th...
typical for military science fiction
Military science fiction
Military science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction in which the principal characters are members of a military service and an armed conflict is taking place, normally in space, or on a planet other than Earth...
were presented with an assumption of the fictional future history
Future history
A future history is a postulated history of the future and is used by authors in the subgenre of speculative fiction to construct a common background for fiction...
of the Solar System up to that point. The Able Squad's duties became more spread out as the second season unfolded, and there were separate story arcs on Mars, Venus, Earth, and in space. Espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
and intrigue were often featured instead of straightforward battles.
Will Meugniot
Will Meugniot
Will Meugniot is an American writer, storyboard and comics artist, film producer and director.- List of works :* The DNAgents * Exosquad * G.I. Joe: Valor vs...
, the executive producer of the series, once compared anime series Mobile Suit Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam
is 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 Exosquad to the Pacific
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
and the European Theaters of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, respectively. Michael Edens recalled in an interview that the plot was supposed to remind of the Second World War, too, for example with the Neosapien reconquest attempt of Venus, capture of the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
and battle for 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...
paralleling the battles of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
, and Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
, respectively. The viewers also pointed out parallels between the villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
ous Neosapien leader, Phaeton, and Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
of the Third Reich.
The series owes its title to the Exo-Frames (commonly referred as E-frames): multi-purpose mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
-like powered exoskeleton
Powered exoskeleton
A powered exoskeleton, also known as powered armor, or exoframe, is a powered mobile machine consisting primarily of an exoskeleton-like framework worn by a person and a power supply that supplies at least part of the activation-energy for limb movement.Powered exoskeletons are designed to assist...
s mostly utilized as armored combat vehicles or reinforced body armour by the characters.
Production
Universal Animation Studios
Universal Animation Studios , is an American animation studio which is a division of Universal Studios....
(then known as Universal Cartoon Studios) and was created under influence of 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....
imported from Japan. As a result, its complex story line covered a large number of topics from war through romance to genetic engineering and was able to appeal to a broad audience. Although the first season ran for only thirteen episodes in 1993, the rising popularity of the show allowed Universal to make the second one three times as long. In its second season, Exosquad was put into the "Universal Action Hour" together with Monster Force
Monster Force
Monster Force was a 13-episode animated television series created in 1994 by Universal Cartoon Studios and Canadian studio Lacewood Productions. The story is set in approx. 2020 and centers on a group of teenagers who, with help of high tech weaponry, fight off against classic Universal Monsters...
.
As the second season progressed, some characters, according to Michael Edens, "took on a life of [their] own": for example, Nara Burns killing Phaeton and the Neosapien Thrax becoming a major recurring character after his initial appearance were not pre-planned. Another character, Alec DeLeon, was supposed to perish in the destruction of Mars but the Universal executives strongly opposed it, so he was killed several episodes later, on the Moon, only to be promptly resurrected in a Neo Mega body.
The show was purportedly cancelled after 52 episodes because at that time, many independent production companies were being taken over by larger networks, who wanted to produce their own content. Exosquad was eventually moved to poor time slots, such as 4 a.m., until the ratings
Audience measurement
Audience measurement measures how many people are in an audience, usually in relation to radio listenership and television viewership, but also in relation to newspaper and magazine readership and, increasingly, web traffic on websites...
were no longer sufficient to sustain it. The final episode detailed the post-war
Post-war
A post-war period or postwar period is the interval immediately following the ending of a war and enduring as long as war does not resume. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum when a war between the same parties resumes at a later date...
political and social climate prevalent in the Exosquad universe, and closed with J.T. Marsh engaging a group of alien space vessels, whose exact nature was to be explained in the third season or a feature movie. Michael Edens later remarked that the staff originally planned the aliens to be insectoid
Insectoid
Insectoid denotes any creature or object that shares a similar body or traits with common earth insects and arachnids. The term is a combination of "insect" and "-oid" . Compare "humanoid"....
and that the Pirates' dark matter
Dark matter in fiction
Dark matter is defined as hypothetical matter that is undetectable by its emitted radiation, but whose presence can be inferred from gravitational effects on visible matter. It has been used in a variety of fictional media, including computer and video games and books. In such cases, dark matter is...
, Dr. Ketzer's experiments, and the unactivated clone of Phaeton would have played a great role in fighting them. The idea of a movie based on Exosquad was being promoted by executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
Jeff Segal and it was also planned to expand the fictional universe with a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
series, then codenamed Exo-Pirates. Both initiatives were scrapped with the cancellation of the third season.
Media and franchise
The first season of Exosquad was released on seven VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
cassettes shortly after its original run, and in 2007, it was made available on Hulu
Hulu
Hulu is a website and over-the-top subscription service offering ad-supported on-demand streaming video of TV shows, movies, webisodes and other new media, trailers, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage from NBC, Fox, ABC, and Obstacle on October 20th 2011 Nickelodeon and CBS and many other...
video on demand
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
service. The complete second season was published on Hulu in February 2009. The first season has been made available on Zune Marketplace. Bootleg
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
copies have been circulating through online stores. On December 23, 2008, Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Universal Studios Home Entertainment is the home video division of Universal Pictures...
announced the 13 episodes comprising the first season of Exosquad would be published on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on April 14, 2009. It was released on the announced date as a two-disc set. Curiously, only three episodes in this set ("Seeds of Deception", "Resist", and "Betrayal") have the actual Season One opening; the other ten episodes are incorrectly shown with the Season Two opening. The show also aired internationally, e.g. broadcast on Russian Channel One
Channel One (Russia)
Channel One is the first television channel to broadcast in the Soviet Union. The channel was renamed Ostankino Channel 1 in 1991, after the Soviet Union broke up and the Russian SFSR became the Russian Federation. According to a recent government publication, the Russian government controls 51%...
in 1996.
Between 1993 and 1996, Playmates Toys
Playmates Toys
Playmates Toys is a Costa Mesa, California toy manufacturer and a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Playmates Holdings Ltd , which was founded in 1966.-Proprietary brands:*Amazing Dolls*Amazing Pets*Kinder-Garden Babies*R.E.V.s*Waterbabies*WOW Pals...
produced a line of action figure
Action figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
s and model kits of E-frames and spaceships featured in the television series. The descriptions of the toys are a major source of Exosquad universe lore. The toys were often compared to the popular Robotech franchise, and Playmates acquired the license to Robotech to produce both toy lines under the same label, spawning rumors of a possible crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
. This possibility was considered by the authors but later abandoned.
A Sega Genesis video game under the same title was developed by Appaloosa Interactive
Appaloosa Interactive
Appaloosa Interactive is a corporation, founded in 1983 in Hungary, that produced numerous console games, computer programs and Hungarian TV-commercials during the 1980s and 90's. The company's headquarters are currently in Palo Alto, California, and it is the parent company and owner of two...
and published by Playmates. A comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
adaptation was published by Topps Comics
Topps Comics
Topps Comics is a division of the American trading card publisher and gum/candy distributor the Topps Company, Inc. that published comic books from 1993–1998, beginning its existence during a short comics-industry boom that attracted many investors and new companies...
in 1994. Additionally, an interactive movie
Interactive movie
An interactive movie is a video game that features highly cinematic presentation and heavy use of scripting, often through the use of full-motion video of either animated or live-action footage.-Philosophy:...
book and a board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
based on the series were released.
Reception
The critical reception of Exosquad was generally positive, as it was described as "no ordinary cartoon", "truly a superb piece of work", "a kind show that [one]’ll never forget", and "one of the greatest anime epics ever made". Phil Summers of Shamoozal.com commented that while "the early 90s wasn't exactly the best time for cartoons", Exosquad was "one of the most underrated cartoon series of all time". Summers spoke highly of its "serious, ongoing storyline", complimenting the maturity of raised themes, and denoted the decision to cancel it despite the rising popularity as "weird". Likewise, Thomas Wheeler of MasterCollector.com described the abrupt ending as "a VERY frustrating cliff-hanger". Both Summers and Wheeler praised the quality of the toy line that accompanied the series. TG Moses of Evabeast.com pointed out that the two main strengths of Exosquad are its "phenomenal" story and its characters. Like Phil Summers, he complimented the mature themes (such as racismRacism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, and politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
), calling the show "thought provoking and inspiring" with "an incredible amount of depth" in it. Moses specifically praised the characterization of the Neosapien characters, which avoided "absolute good and evil" designations, and voice acting
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
in the show, wherein he perceived it "better than everyone else". Both Will Meugniot and Michael Edens commented that Exosquad was the best show they have worked on.
Gord Lacey of TVShowsOnDVD.com
TVShowsOnDVD.com
TVShowsOnDVD.com is a website dedicated to cataloging, campaigning for, and reporting news about Region 1 television series releases on DVD. The site's slogan asks "Is YOUR Favorite Show On DVD?"...
reviewed the first season upon its DVD release and likewise praised the maturity and complexity of the show, which subverted his expectations. He criticized the occasionally blurry visuals and too quiet audio of the release, rating them both 7/10. Lacey named the absence of DVD extras as a possible source of disappointment for the fans of the show.
See also
- List of Exosquad episodes
- List of Exosquad characters
- Exosquad planetsExosquad planetsThe 1993-1995 sci-fi animated television series Exosquad featured a number of planets, most of them being terraformed or alternate versions of real planets of the Solar System, although some were definitively fictional...
External links
- The ExoSquad Universe, a encyclopedic fan site