| Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos | |
|---|---|
 Cover to the Western DVD release of the first five episodes | |
| マシンロボ クロノスの大逆襲 (Mashin Robo: Chronos no Dai Gyakushū) | |
| Genre | Adventure, Mecha |
| TV anime | |
| Director | Hiroshi Yoshida |
| Producer | Hyota Ezu, Minoru Ono, Masaru Umehara |
| Writer | Hideki Sonoda |
| Composer | Tachio Akano |
| Studio | Ashi Productions |
| Network | TV Tokyo |
| Original run | July 3 1986 – May 28 1987 |
| Episodes | 47 |
Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos (マシンロボ クロノスの大逆襲 Machine Robo: Chronos no Dai Gyakushū) is a Japanese anime television series produced by Ashi Productions. It ran on TV Tokyo from July 3 1986 through May 28 1987.
A large portion of the Machine Robo toy-line was exported and sold by Tonka in America as GoBots and Rock Lords. To date, only 15 episodes of the series have officially been released with English subtitles on three DVDs by Central Park Media.
Story
The story takes place on the mechanical world of Cronos. A band of villains called the Gyandlar have come to the planet in search of the mythical energy know as the Hyribead.
Characters
Heroes
- Rom Stol (played by Kazuhiko Inoue)
- Master of the martial art Tenkū Chūshin Ken (天空宙心拳 literally Sky Space Heart Fist). Using the Wolf Sword Kenro (剣狼), Rom can combine with Kenryū and Baikanfū for more power. Height: 186 cm, Weight: 880 kg.
- Kenryu (Blade Dragon)
- Larger robot body of Rom Stol. At the peak of light energy, Kenrō can cross the dimensional barrier and call forth Kenryū. When Rom combines with Kenryū, his power increases by tens. When the combination is complete, he says, "Wherever there is darkness, there is light. Wherever there is evil there is also good! The emissary from the heavens, Kenryū, is here!"
- Baikanfu (ViKung-fu)
- Largest robot body of Rom Stol and summoned at Rom's command of "Heaven, Earth, Fire and Water, grant me the power!". When Baikanfū synchronizes with the planet's energy, he can draw upon the power of nature itself.
- The deluxe Rom Stol/Kenryu/Vaikungfu toy was a remold of DX Bunshin Gattai Tōshi Gordian (aka Godaikin "Gardian").
- Kenryu (Blade Dragon)
- Leina Stol (played by Yuko Mizutani)
- Younger sister of Rom, she also can use Tenkū Chūshin Ken when necessary. She is very close to Rom and gets jealous when other women get too close to him.
- Blue Jet (played by Shinya Ōtaki)
- A swordsman of the Jet Tribe. He can turn into a jet. Fights with "Tenkū Shin Ken (天空真剣, Sky True Sword)" style. Based on the MR-03 Jet Robo toy that was also used as the Renegade Fitor in the GoBots series.
- Rod Drill (played by Kōichi Hashimoto)
- Happy-go-lucky member of the Battle tribe. Transforms into a drill-tank. Based on the Machine Robo MR-17 Drill Robo toy that was also used as the Renegade Screw Head in the GoBots series.
- Triple Jim (played by Toshiharu Sakurai)
- Transforms into a helicopter and a car. Acts as a fussy caretaker to Leina.
- Kirai Stol (played by Junichi Kagaya)
- Chief of the Cronos tribe and master of Tenkū Chūshin Ken martial art. He taught the art to his children Guardi, Rom, and Leina as well as Blue Jet, Rod Drill, and Bug Newman. He is killed in the first episode after refusing to tell the evil Gyandler about the Hyribead. He bequeaths the sword Kenrō to his son and tells him to fight the evil Gyandler to protect his planet.
- Rom's sentient jeep. Recolor of Galoob's Power Machines Flex monster truck toy.
- 32-wheeled transport/repair vehicle. Can separate into three vehicles: Leader 16, GripIron, and TurboJet. An import of Galoob's Power Machines Giant Command 32 vehicle.
- Tough Trailer (played by Hiroshi Yanaka)
- Remold of Titan Boy from Chōshinsei Flashman.
- Pro Truck Racer (played by Nobuaki Fukuda)
- Remold of Titan Boy from Chōshinsei Flashman.
- Double Machine Robo
- Dash Machine Robo
- Remolds of Bandai's Zenmai Kahen Winch Robo line. Released as "Secret Riders" GoBots in the U.S.
- Battle Gyror
- Battlancer
- Land Fighter
- Rock Lords
- Jewel Lords
- Fossil Lords
- Wheelmen
- Power Riser
- A mecha similar to the Power Loader from Aliens. Used in the latter episodes by Leina & Rom.
Guest Characters
- Min (played by Yoshino Takamori and Yumi Takada)
- Daughter of the Hirai Village leader. First appears in episode 3.
- Sophia (played by Kyoko Hamura)
- A female Leo Clan warrior. Transforms into a lioness. Appears in episode 7.
- Rury (played by Yuko Kobayashi)
- Female martial artist that inherited her late father's dojo. Appears in episode 13.
- Solitaire Raymosette (played by Masako Katsuki)
- The princess of the Pamela Kingdom. Appears in episode 15.
- Canary (played by Miho Yoshida)
- The daughter of the Moai village leader Pylon. Appears in episode 17-18.
- Sara (played by Yoshino Takamori)
- A girl from Cleo City immune to Nerve's hypnotic waves. Transforms into a scooter. Appears in ep 21.
- Karma (played by Reiko Suzuki)
- A female Rock Lord. Appears in episode 32.
Villains
- Gadess (played by Shigezo Sasaoka)
- Leader of the Gyandlar.
- Grujios (played by Minoru Inaba)
- A giant pink slug that lives encased in a robot body.
- Diondra (played by Hiroko Takahashi)
- Female Gyandlar commander.
- Garudi (played by Yōsuke Akimoto [evil], Show Hayami [good])
- Gyandlar martial artist. Underneath his giant robot exterior is Rom's long-lost older brother, Guardi Stol, who has been brainwashed. Carries the sword Nagase (流星 Shooting Star).
- Devil Satan 6 (played by Kenichi Ono)
- Six monstrous robots that can combine into the giant Devil Satan 6 robot. In the anime they are referred to by number instead of name. Released in new colors as the Renegade combiner Monsterous in the GoBots toyline.
- Gillhead: The head.
- Barabat: Left arm.
- Death Claw: Right arm.
- Groguillon: Torso.
- Eyegos: Right Leg.
- Blugoda: Left Leg.
- Bi-Bi-Bi Mouse
- A small robot that works as a servant to Gadess, often shining his armor. He often receives the brunt of Gadess's fury.
- Devil Invaders
- Varigale X
- A type of spaceship used by the Gyandlar. The toy is a remold of Jaguar Vulcan from Taiyō Sentai Sun Vulcan.
- Evil Rock Lords
- Devil Rock
- Clay: Appears in episode 20. Powers include stone skin and the beta beam from his hands. Unlike other Devil Rocks, he is not evil.
- Geiger Rock
- Gelvar: Appears in episode 20. Powers include the alpha beam from his atomic death fork and the dark illusions of Ankoku Zōei Ken (暗黒増影拳).
- Double Rock
- Amazon Rock
- Bloody Rock
- Sand Rock
Gyandlar Commanders
Throughout the first half of the series Gadess uses various natives of Cronos to lead his forces.
- Zagam: Appears in episodes 5, 17, and 18. Polar specialist. He once fell in love with a Cronos girl named Elura that looked like Leina. Powers include a double sided scythe, invisibility, absolute-zero resistance, illusions, and dual foot skate blades.
- Mizuchi: Appears in episodes 6, 17, and 18. An evil dragon that was once sealed away by Kirai Stol. Master of Dragon King Fist (龍王拳 Ryūō Ken) and has powers including body electricity that can causes cave ins, kicking (水龍蹴り Sūiryu Geri), the Dragon King Sword, shoulder needle missiles (鱗斬剣 Rinzan Ken), launchable back spikes, and lightning summoning that causes fissures (憎殺陣 Zōsatsu Jin).
- Jingi: Appears in episodes 7, 17, and 18. Powers include dual buffalo horn boomerangs and size growth.
- Gillman: Appears in episode 8. Powers include swimming, hypnosis, three claws in the right wrist, a jawed left arm, an extendable neck with detachable heads, and drills hidden in the arms.
- King Girandor: Appears in episode 9. Powers include a disguise, flight, and burrowing.
- Bug Newman (played by Yoku Shioya)
- Appears in episode 10. Renegade Tenkū Chūshin Ken disciple. Mastered the forbidden poison fist "Doku Shutō".
- Iron Sand: Appears in episode 10. Powers include a sand based body, purple lightning strikes from the hands, and turning his hands into hooked swords.
- Brocco: Appears in episode 12. Powers include a sword that can emit green lightning, high jumping, and a drill-hammer hybrid weapon in the right arm.
- Glovine: Appears in episode 13. Master of Ankoku Sosatsu Ken (暗黒相殺剣). Powers include flight, twin katanas, and self duplication.
- Kina and Koron: Appears in episode 14. The children of Jingi. They can combine to form Jingi Mark 2. Its only known power is dual buffalo horn boomerangs that can emit electricity.
- Gilder Brothers: Appears in episode 15. Powers include forming a tornado, flight, the silver one can extend his arms, the red one is armed with a scythe, the black one can fire a bladed boomerang from his abdomen, the combination to form Giant Gilder.
- Giant Guilder: Powers include a scythe, abdomen boomerangs, and a constricting whip tail.
- Preacher: Appears in episode 16. Powers include the Anger Fear which spawns illusions based on fear, throwing knives, a gold broadsword that can be encased in fire.
- Black Bass: Appears in episode 19. Powers include summoning flying electric jellyfish and emitting electromagnetic shocks.
- Wiseman/Nerve: Appears in episode 21. Powers include hypnotic sound waves from the mouth, head tentacles, and levitation.
- Magmanian: Appears in episode 23. Powers include a drill-like right arm trident spear and magma manipulation.
- Asura: Appears in episode 38. Powers include paralysis goo bullets from the abdomen and wired claw hands.
- Phenomena: Appears in episodes 39 and 41. Powers include levitation and heat bolts from its front spikes.
Staff
- Executive Producers: Toshihiko Sato, Kazuo Shimamura, Hiroshi Kato
- Producers: Hyota Ezu, Minoru Ono, Masaru Umehara
- Director: Hiroshi Yoshida
- Head Writer: Hideki Sonoda
- Character designs: Nobuyoshi Habara
- Mechanical Design: Sawakiyo Haraguchi, Takahiro Yamada
- Color Coordinator: Kumiko Nakayama
- Art Director: Toshihisa Tojo, Yoshihito Watanabe
- Director of Photography: Takeshi Fukuda
- Sound Director: Katsunori Shimizu
- Music: Tachio Akano
- Narration: Show Hayami
- Produced by: TV Tokyo, Yomiko Advertising, Ashi Productions
Theme songs
- "
Machine Robo Fire (help·info)" (マシンロボ・炎 by Martin (1st opening) - "Victorious Machine Robo" (勝利のマシンロボ) by Masato Shimon (2nd opening)
- "Young Hearted Stranger" (青いハートのストレンジャー) by Ema Watanabe (ending)
- " Fight, Baikanfu! (help·info)" (戦え! バイカンフー) by Masato Shimon
- "Endless" (エンドレス) by Martin
- "Stellar Dream" (星のＤｒｅａｍ) by Ema Watanabe
OVAs
Memories of the Battlefield
Leina Stol in Wolf Sword Legend
When Revenge of Cronos left off, Rom and Leina had crossed a dimensional barrier. Their physical forms changed from robot to human and they were separated with blurred memories. Leina Stol is incarnated as Reina Haruka, a Japanese schoolgirl. As the story progresses, she meets up with Rod Drill, Blue Jet, Triple Jim, and Rom; all of whom are now human.
Lightning Trap: Leina & Laika
Taking place in the middle of the Wolf Sword Legend feature, this story centers on Leina Haruka, whose plane has been hijacked by a group of thugs led by the supernatural wizard Zarik. At this point, the series has no resemblance whatsoever to the Machine Robo toyline that spawned it. The story was conceived to be a crossover between the characters of Leina Stol and Anice Farm of Sonic Soldier Borgman, but the legalities couldn't be worked out, so Anice was rewritten as "Laika Strange" but with Anice's actress still playing her.
Video games
Machine Robo was featured in three of Banpresto's Super Robot Wars series, beginning with Super Robot Wars Compact 2: Part 2 & 3 in 2000 on the Wonderswan. All three parts of SRW Compact 2 were remade in 2002 as SRW Impact on the Playstation 2. In 2004, the series was included in the PS2's Super Robot Wars MX's line-up, as well as the PSP port of the same.
Trivia
- In France, where the imported Robo Machine/Gobots toyline was still a success, the show was dubbed and broadcast as La Revanche des Gobots (Revenge of the Gobots) The show was dubbed as a sequel to the American series Challenge of the GoBots
- In episode 23 of the series, the titular mecha Z Gundam makes it's appearance in one of the battle scenes. It is colored orange in Waverider mode but when it got captured and thrown in the ground, it's colors were the same as it's Z Gundam counterpart. Although it's not shown but Sunrise is involved in the production of that episode before Machine Robo Rescue was created.
Related Links
External links
- Machine Robo: Revenge of Chronos (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
- Ashi Production Revenge of Cronos page
- Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos at the Internet Movie Database