Video Warrior Laserion
Video Warrior Laserion (Japanese: ビデオ戦士レザリオン, Hepburn: Bideo Senshi Rezarion) is a Japanese anime television series animated by Toei Animation. It aired on TBS from March 4, 1984, to February 3, 1985. It is also referred to as Rezarion, Laserion and its literal translation Video Senshi Laserion. It was broadcast in Latin America as El Super Lasser. In South Korea, a pirated version was made based on the Japanese footage and aired under the title Video Ranger 007.
| Video Warrior Laserion | |
 Screenshot from the TV series ending sequence Olivia and Takashi playing with a tin can telephone | |
| ビデオ戦士レザリオン (Bideo Senshi Rezarion) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Action, adventure, mecha, science fiction |
| Created by | Saburō Yatsude |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Kozo Morishita |
| Music by | Michiaki Watanabe |
| Studio | Toei Animation |
| Original network | TBS |
| Original run | March 4, 1984 – February 3, 1985 |
| Episodes | 45 |
Overview
Story
The anime is set in the future where the Earth is unified under a world government called the Earth Federation; and is centered on young middle school student Takashi Katori and his classmate/best friend/love interest, Olivia Lawrence. Takashi, who began as a mere online game fan, developed a small virtual world with his friend David from New York City, in which they played their robot combat game. They would play by sending data to each other using satellite technology. One day while they were playing, a scientific experiment using the same satellite was being conducted involving teleporting an American plane from New York to Japan. In a freak accident caused by an explosion during a rebellion by people of the moon who attacked Earth, the plane that was converted into digital information was sent to the virtual world while Takashi's robot information was rematerialized into a real robot.
Takashi was arrested, but later the Earth Government discovered that Dr. Godheim, an evil, broken-hearted genius scientist from the Moon (now a sort of abandoned colony with restricted access) was behind the revolt. The government forces Takashi to pilot the virtual robot Laserion and protect the Earth alongside robot pilots Sarah and Charles and their G1 and G2 robots.
Soon things change, due to the entry of an extraterrestrial named Erefan. He's been captured by the Earth forces ,and been brought in to answear their questions about who he really is, what kind of mission he was carrying. But Erefan proves he is benevolent, somehow refusing to talk about his past. But Olivia with her kindness and intellect helps him to express his suppressed recollections, the way was her encouragement to him to draw on a notebook.
It's the arrival of the extraterrestrial Jack Empire makes all things very complicated (episode 26), Erefan reveals he knows them, and a lot about their evil thinking, tactics and goals. Plus he was dragged to the pits, he witnessed their cruelty, and the Jack prime minister in the Hall of Throne. The specific notebook (containing his drawings) where the Jacks are illustrated about their appearances, mecha, and behavior. Everyone sees these images: Blueheim, General Sylvester, Takashi, Olivia, Charles Danner, and Sarah see what he had experienced, thus they realizing the dire danger the Jacks bring. So he enters the Earth mecha forces (particularly on the good side of Takashi, Charles, and Sarah) to help out the people of Earth against the Jacks as the pilot of the newly made G5 robot.
For Takashi as well, the war against the Jacks becomes personal as he and Olivia have fallen in love, only for her father Steve (who has been brainwashed through torture into becoming a Jack minion) to take her away and effectively let her be kidnapped by the Jacks. From Episodes 34 to 42 Takashi and Olivia are thus separated. Takashi follows the Jacks and the Lawrences to Kyoto, then to Africa (the jungles of East Africa and then the Sahara Desert, where Sahara's sister Sofia attempts to help them by blowing up the Jacks' base, only for them to move toward the Moon, as well as an attempt by Olivia to escape with her father, only to be thwarted by Gario, pulled in by her brainwashed father and locked up in a cell in the Jacks' fortress, separating them again). In Episode 42, seeing how Takashi's fury is making Laserion destroy their base and lose a lot of robots, Gario lets her go over Jack grunts' orders and they are reunited.
After several skirmishes and intense fights between Earth and Jack forces (including an ultimate duel between Takashi and Gario on their robots) the Earthlings win the war on the moon and finally rescue all the hostages remaining, including Steve, who is last seen recovering with his daughter's help. Erefan with his space craft in full capacity, thanks to the efforts of the scientists, bids farewell to his Earth friends, and departs for his home world in episode 45.
Laserion
Height: 35 meters; Weight: 200 metric tons.
Being a robot originating in virtual reality, Laserion incorporates various abilities and techniques out of the ordinary for giant robots, including the ability to teleport at will to avoid attacks, and conjure weapons out of nowhere. All weapons are summoned to materialize.
- Fists: Laserion's hands can both physically and electrically (shock) punch foes and things.
- Beam Bazooka/Rifle: Laserion's main firearm.
- Laser Sword: Laserion's means of splitting foes in two. It incorporates Takashi's own Kendo abilities. The handle can also summon a Rod and a Whip.
- Laser Cutters: Shuriken/throwing stars.
- Laser Battle Gear: Additional armor gained after Episode 28 to fight against Gario Sabang, a robot from the Jaku Empire built to be a counter to Laserion. Resembling an American football helmet and padding, it increases the power of the existing weapons and adds new ones.
Laserion can also transform into two modes: a jet fighter plane capable of space flight, and a tank. However, the "transformation" is done by disassembling and reassembling Laserion's parts in virtual reality, as opposed to simply folding and locking, as in Transformers and many other such anime robots of the era.
Staff
- Original creator: Saburo Yatsude
- Character Design: Hideyuki Motohashi
- Mechanical design: Akira Hio, Koichi Ohata
- Theme Song Writer: Chuumei Watanabe
- Theme Song Performance Opening "Video Senshi Laserion": Takayuki Miyauchi
- Theme Song Performance Ending "Heartful Hotline": Kumiko Kaori
Characters
Main protagonists
| Japanese Name | English Name | Voices by |
|---|---|---|
| Takashi Katori (香取敬, Katori Takashi) | Takashi Katori | Tōru Furuya |
| Olivia Lawrence (オリビア・ローレンス, Oribia Rōrensu) | Olivia Lawrence | Keiko Han |
Earth Federation and other allies
| Japanese Name | English Name | Voices by |
|---|---|---|
| Sahara (サハラ, Sahara) | Sarah | Eiko Hisamura |
| Sylvester (シルベスタ, Sirubesutaa) | General Sylvester | Keiichi Noda |
| Blueheim (ブルーハイム, Burūhaimu) | Dr. Blueheim | Masaya Taki |
| Kensuke Katori (香取研介, Katori Kensuke) | Kensuke Katori | Eiji Kanie |
| Yoko Katori (香取容子, Katori Yōko) | Yoko Katori | Eiko Hisamura |
| Monroe (モンロー, Monrō) | Monroe | Yoko Kawanami |
| Charles Danner (チャールズ・ダナー, Chāruzu Danā) | Charles Danner | Norio Wakamoto |
| David (デビット, Debitto) | David | Yoku Shioya |
| Steve Lawrence (スチーブ・ローレンス, Suchību Rōrensu) | Steve Lawrence | Kōji Yada |
| Elefan (エレファン, Erefan) | Elephan | Michitaka Kobayashi |
Rebel Army
| Japanese Name | English Name | Voices by |
|---|---|---|
| Godheid (ゴッドハイド, Goddo Haido) | Professor Godheid | Eiji Kanie |
| Inspire (インスパイア, Insupaia) | Inspire | Katsuji Mori |
| Eric Sid (エリック・シッド, Erikku Shiddo) | Eric Sid | Michitaka Kobayashi |
| Katie (ケティ, Keti) | Katie Sid | Masako Katsuki |
| Rudolf (ルドルフ, Rudorufu) | Rudolf | Banjō Ginga |
Jack Empire (ジャーク帝国, Jāku Teikoku)
| Japanese Name | English Name | Voices by |
|---|---|---|
| Leader[lower-alpha 1] Prominence (プロミネンス総統, Purominensu Sōtō) | Prominence | Masaya Taki |
| Gario (ギャリオ, Gyario) | Gario | Katsuji Mori |
| Geppler (ゲプラー参謀, Gepurā Sanbō) | Officer Geppler | Kōji Yada |
| Ganymede (ガニメデ, Ganimede) | Ganymede | Norio Wakamoto |
| Io (イオ, Io) | Io | Mika Ishizawa |
| Callisto (カリスト, Karisto) | Callisto | Kōzō Shioya |
| Jack Emperor (ジャーク大帝, Jāku Taitei) | Emperor of the Jack | Eiji Kanie |
Episodes
| Names |
|---|
| 1. My Dream Robot Game |
| 2. Fleeing David |
| 3. Don't Cry, Mother |
| 4. Don't Let The Death Flower Blossom |
| 5. Letter From The Moon |
| 6. Foe? Friend? UFO?? |
| 7. Friendship Melody |
| 8. Powerful Enemy! Eric Sid! |
| 9. Input To Victory |
| 10. The Fragrance whose Peace is Sweet |
| 11. Demon's Birthday |
| 12. So Long, Friend of Thermal Sand |
| 13. Holiday War |
| 14. Running Olivia |
| 15. Fleeing Victory |
| 16. The Nervous Reunion |
| 17. Mystery of Sid's Disappearance |
| 18. Hello, Transfer Student |
| 19. Harapeko War |
| 20. Black Cloud Of Stealth |
| 21. Special Training For Cover!! |
| 22. Laserion Seizure Plan |
| 23. When Mars Is Bitten |
| 24. At That Time, Father's Voice... |
| 25. Rebels On The Spacecraft |
| 26. The Approaching Jack Empire |
| 27. Death Match Of 12 Hours |
| 28. Song Of Love For Victory |
| 29. The Twin Brothers Of Illusion |
| 30. Day Of Hawaii Battle |
| 31. A Solitary Attack |
| 32. Desperate Defense |
| 33. Great Empire Appears |
| 34. Father Who Returns From The Moon |
| 35. Dream Of The Illusive Monk |
| 36. Fortress In Savanna |
| 37. The Friendship Which Burns In The Desert |
| 38. Golden Pyramid |
| 39. Emperor Jack, Move!! |
| 40. Olivia Rescue Mission |
| 41. The Desperate 380,000 Kilometres |
| 42. Life Or Death Escape |
| 43. The Emperor, Arrival At The Moon |
| 44. Rebellion |
| 45. Final Countdown |
Notes
- The term sōtō (総統) is equivalent to Führer in Nazi Germany or Duce in Fascist Italy
External links
- Video Warrior Laserion (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- ST Laserion Toy Review at CollectionDX
- ST Laserion Toy Review at CounterX.net
- Laserion Unofficial Memorial Fan Page (defunct)
