Armored Fleet DaiRugger XV

Armored Fleet DaiRugger XV
(機甲 艦隊 ダイラガーXV)
Director	Kozo Morishita
Studio	Toei Animation
Network	TV Tokyo
First episode	3 March 1982
Last	23 March 1983
Episodes	52

Armored Fleet DaiRugger XV (機甲 艦隊 ダイラガーXV, Kikō Kantai DaiRagā Fifutīn/DaiRagā XV) is an anime series aired in Japan from 1982. It is also referred to as "DaiRugger 15" (Based upon the roman numeral for 15), "DaiRugger XV", "Armored Armada DaiRugger XV", "Armored Squadron DaiRugger XV", or "Machine Platoon DaiRugger".

In the United States, it was heavily edited to become part of the Voltron series.

Story

DaiRugger XV is an exploration robot, as well as an intended peacekeeping force. The Earth is in a time of prosperity. The president of the Terran League launches a mission to explore beyond the galaxy. After commencing its mission of exploration, the starship Rugger-Guard is attacked by a ship of the Galveston Empire. DaiRugger, the super robot, is deployed in order to defend the Earth. It is somewhat by fate that they must help the people of Galveston find a new planet before it explodes, and liberate it from its despotic Emperor.

Concept

There are 3 assault team units of 5 members: Land, Air, and Sea. There are a total of 15 parts referred to as "Rugger", which can combine together to form the titular DaiRugger. The design of the 15 separate Rugger units came from the sport of rugby, since 15 players are required to form a rugby union team. Furthermore, the name "DaiRugger" is also derived from the sport.

Production

• Planning
  Susumu Yoshikawa
  Yasuo Nobe
  Yu Saito
• Original Concept
  Saburo Yatsude
• Chief Direction
  Kozo Morishita
• Series Composition
  Keisuke Fujikawa
• Script
  Keisuke Fujikawa
• Character Design
  Shigetaka Aoyama
• Music
  Seiji Yokoyama
• Production
  Toei
  Toei Agency

Characters

DaiRugger Characters

The Air Team wore Blue and White uniforms, the Sea Team Black and Blue, and the Land Team Red and White.

Function	Pilot	Voice	Vehicle	DaiRugger Body	Voltron Counterpart
Rugger #1/Air-1	Manabu Aki (安芸 マナブ, Aki Manabu)	Toshio Furukawa	A.C.E. (Aerial Command Exploration) Jet	head	Jeff
Rugger #2/Air-2	Shinobu Kai (甲斐 シノブ, Kai Shinobu)	Ryōma Yamamoto	Mobile Strato Weapons Module	upper torso	Rocky
Rugger #3/Air-3	Shota Kreuz (ショーター・クロイツ, Shōtā Kuroitsu)	Kōzō Shioya	A.R.C. (Advanced Reconnaissance Chopper)	right upper arm	Wolo
Rugger #4/Air-4	Yasuo Mutsu (陸奥 ヤスオ, Mutsu Yasuo)	Satomi Majima	A.R.C. (Advanced Reconnaissance Chopper)	left upper arm	Chip
Rugger #5/Air-5	Patty Ellington (パティ・エリントン, Pati Erinton)	Keiko Han	Falcon VT Star Fighter	chest plate	Ginger
Rugger #6/Sea-1	Miranda Keats (ミランダ・キーツ, Miranda Kītsu)	Hideyuki Hori	Mobile Aquatic Communications Module	torso midriff	Krik
Rugger #7/Sea-2	Haruka Kaga (加賀ハルカ, Kaga Haruka)	Harumi Iizuka	Aquatic Space Explorations Prober	right thigh	Lisa
Rugger #8/Sea-3	Saruta Katz (サルタ・カッツ, Saruta Kattsu)	Masaharu Satō	Aquatic Space Explorations Prober	left thigh	Tagor
Rugger #9/Sea-4	Tatsuo Izumo (出雲タツオ, Izumo Tatsuo)	Shō Hayami	Multi-Wheeled Exploration Unit	right lower leg	Shannon
Rugger #10/Sea-5	Baros Karateya (バーロス・カラテヤ, Bārosu Karateya)	Ken Yamaguchi	Multi-Wheeled Exploration Unit	left lower leg	Zandee
Rugger #11/Land-1	Walter Jack (ワルター・ジャック, Warutā Jakku)	Katsuji Mori	Mobile Jet Radar Station	hips	Cliff
Rugger #12/Land-2	Moya Kirigas (モーヤ・キリガッス, Mōya Kirigassu)	Nana Yamaguchi	Rotating Personnel Carrier	right forearm	Cinda
Rugger #13/Land-3	Mack Chakker (マック・チャッカー, Makku Chakkā)	Banjō Ginga	Armored Equipment Carrier	left forearm	Modoc
Rugger #14/Land-4	Tasuku Izu (伊豆 タスク, Izu Tasuku)	Shingo Hiromori	All-Terrain Space Exploration Cruiser	right foot	Marvin
Rugger #15/Land-5	Kazuto Nagato (長門 カズト, Nagato Kazuto)	Hiroshi Ōtake	All-Terrain Space Exploration Cruiser	left foot	Hutch

Other Characters

Japanese Name	Voice	Voltron Counterpart
Shinji Ise (伊勢 シンジ, Ise Shinji)	Hideyuki Tanaka	Hawkins
High Commander Wakasa	Masaharu Satō	Space Marshal Graham
Dick Asimov	Kōji Yada	Newley
Doctor Search	Koji Totani	Professor Page
Socrat Teles (テレス司令)	Kōji Totani	Commander Hazar
Drake	Ryōma Yamamoto	Captain Mongo
Internal Commissioner Socrat Tes	Kanie, Eiji	Mozak
Sirk	Satomi Majima	Dorma
Luciano	Masaharu Satō	Marshall Keezor
Commander Caponello	Banjō Ginga	Viceroy Throk
Emperor Corsair	Kazuhiko Kishino	Emperor Zeppo

DaiRugger Specifications

Dairugger is made up of 15 vehicle parts and is 60 meters tall.

Weapons

• Laser Sword
• Spinning Laser Blades
• Electromagnetic Whip
• Electromagnetic Beam
• Laser Blasts
• Laser Lance
• Electromagnetic Cross
• DaiRugger Sword

Episode List

Main article: List of Armored Fleet Dairugger XV episodes

Merchandise

In the early 1980s, the original ST DaiRugger toys were released by Popy Pleasure under the toy release number of GB-72, as part of the Chogokin label, and constructed of high-quality die-cast materials. A GB-73 would follow, with a transforming DX DaiRugger, which could separate only into the three larger combined vehicles. A larger version of DaiRugger XV was also released, which did not contain die-cast materials, as the metal content was too heavy for the design and for the friction motors installed in many of the vehicles. The smallest non-transforming ST DaiRugger and the fully-transforming plastic DaiRugger XV would be resold in the US as part of the Voltron series by Matchbox, entirely under the Voltron name. However, the Popy version came with a sword, missiles, and stickers that the Matchbox version did not; the sword and missiles were omitted by default for Voltron's Matchbox line due to toy safety standards during that time.

Because DaiRugger had 15 pieces, and was a highly playable figure compared to many of the other fixed-state super robots of the early '80s, there were countless imitations and bootlegs of Dairugger. Some are cheap plastics, some do not assemble well, some have neon-glowing colors that are completely misaligned with the show. Even approved brands such as "Big Bear" were spawned to rejuvenate the toyline. No version, however, is identical in quality, packaging, and comes with all the pieces like the Japanese original.

Home Video Releases

• The Armored Fleet DaiRugger XV Collection - The collection was released in 2010

Need to move the info below to the above link

• Collection 1 was released on February 23.

• Collection 2 was released on May 25.

• Collection 3 was released on September 28.

Adaptation

• DaiRugger XV and GoLion are not related in any way, in contrast to the U.S. version. (The coincidental similarities in design, most notably in the face, are due to having the same mechanical designer and a significant portion of the same animation staff.)
• The Galaxy Alliance in any form whatsoever only exists in Dairugger XV in the Japanese, since Earth in GoLion is destroyed in a thermonuclear war.
• Many of the allied and enemy force members die in Dairugger, as opposed to disappearing without any explanation in the U.S. Voltron series. The finale of Dairugger XV s different in its Voltron form — the U.S. footage has no depiction of Emperor Zeppo's true fate, which leaves a lot of questions for U.S. viewers (although one shot of Zeppo dead on the throne remains intact). The scene of Emperor Zeppo's death is cut out due to violence, perishing in an assassination attempt by Hazar and the Drules, who want freedom for their people. His death is similar to the bloody nature of Emperor Zanbazir's in Voltes V.
• In the Japanese version, Telesu (Hazar) dies a martyr, and there is a sad scene where his body is left to die on Galveston at his request. He does not become the new leader of the new Drule people after all, but rather, his sister Dorma; the series ending where the Drules are finally at peace. This is highly referential to the ending in Daimos, where Erika, not Richter, becomes the new leader. The flames that engulf him are similar to Prince Heinel's redeemed death in Voltes V.
• Aki (Jeff) and Haruka (Lisa) have a serious relationship in the show. The lucky charm that Haruka gives to Aki dies with Telesu (Hazar).
• Asimov (Captain Newley) is Shinji Ise's (Commander Hawkins) superior officer in the original series. The dialogue is rewritten in Voltron to suggest that Hawkins s Newley's superior. There are inconsistencies, however that reveal the original ranks of the two officers.

Korean version

There is a South Korean knockoff anime of DaiRugger XV called Super Titan 15 (슈퍼타이탄15). It also cribs characters and vehicles from Galaxy Express 999.

External links

• Dairugger XV Uncut Scenes and Comparison