Starzinger

Sci-Fi West Saga Starzinger

Starzinger screenshot
SF西遊記 スタージンガー
(Esu Efu Saiyuki Sutājingā)
Genre Science fiction
Anime television series
Directed by Yugo Serikawa
Written by Leiji Matsumoto
Studio Toei Animation
Network Fuji TV
Original run April 2, 1978 – August 24, 1979
Episodes 73
Anime film
Directed by Yugo Serikawa
Written by Leiji Matsumoto
Studio Toei Animation
Released March 17, 1979
Manga
Written by Leiji Matsumoto
Published by Wonder Comix
Original run 1979 – 1980
Volumes 3

Sci-Fi West Saga Starzinger (SF西遊記スタージンガー Esu Efu Saiyūki Sutājingā) is an anime series that aired in Japan from 1978 to 1979. In the United States, it was referred to as Spaceketeers and was part of Jim Terry's Force Five series. In the United Kingdom, it was referred to as Sci-Bots on VHS releases. In Latin America, it was known as El Galáctico.

Story

The story revolves around the Princess of the Moon, Aurora and her three cyborg companions (Kugo, Djorgo, and Hakka) who must travel to the Great King planet and restore the Galaxy Energy in the year 2072. The universe was becoming more and more unbalanced as the Queen of the Great Planet grows older. Their adventure includes battling the starmen who are transformed from the unbalanced minerals and planets.

Concept

Starzinger was essentially a sci-fi space opera retelling of the shenmo fantasy novel Journey to the West, a Chinese literary classic written by the Ming dynasty novelist Wu Cheng'en. The sci-fi twists were designed by Leiji Matsumoto based on the Terebi Magazine manga [1] with art by Gosaku Ohta.[2]

Staff

Characters

Japanese Name English Name Italian Name Spanish Name French Name Swedish Name Voiced by Power Vehicle Description
Princess Aurora (オーロラ姫 Orora Hime)AuroraPrincipessa AuroraPrincesa AuroraPrincesse AuroraPrinsessan Aurora Kazuko Sugiyama Telepathy & psychic abilities and can channel Galaxy energy. The only human among the main four characters. She is the last of the Moon people. Based on Xuanzang.
Jan Kugo (ジャン・クーゴ)Jesse DartYan CoogGalácticoYann KougarJan Cogo Hiroya Ishimaru Wields an Astro-lance that changes size and shoots lasers; in the second season, he can become larger or smaller at will. Starcrow A red suited cyborg. Became a cyborg to benefit and help humanity: demoted to menial jobs, he gained a bad temper. Based on the monkey-demon, Sun Wukong, of which "Kugo" is an anagram.
Sir Djorgo (サー・ジョーゴ Sa Jogo) Arimos Sir GorgoGiorgio Sir Jorgo Kei Tomiyama Wields a Laser-trident with freeze abilities; occasionally shot missiles from his shoulders. Starcopper/Sea Wasp A blue suited cyborg. The most intelligent of the three. When in doubt, he asks his portable computer (which often displays a TOEI logo while elaborating a problem). Based on the water-demon, Sha Wujing, as Gojyo was the Japanese name of Wujing.
Don Hakka (ドン・ハッカ)Porkos Don Acca Glotín Don Hakka Kousei TomitaSwings a mace that turns into a flail and shoots rockets from his feet. Starbood/Space Hog A green suited cyborg, cheerful, hungry and the comedian. Based on the pig-demon, Zhu Bajie, as Hakkai is the Japanese name of Bajie and Porkos may refer to pork, as in pig.
Prof. Kitty Empress Dottoressa KittyDoctora Sandra Doktor Kitty Eiko Masuyama A scientist. She reared Aurora after the death of Aurora's parents. Based on Guanyin.
Assistant Prof. DodgeProf. Schnitzel Dottor DodgeProfessor Jorquel Professor Dodge Jouji Yanami An intelligent Professor; He made Kugo into the cyborg that he is.
Prince Gaima Keiichi Noda Based on the son of the Bull Demon King, Red Boy.
Gingin Man & Kinkin Man Kinkin e GinginGuinguiriano Kenichi Ogata Monster Brothers. Based on King of Gold Horn & King of Silver Horn.
Beramis BelamisCapitana Balamia Noriko Ohara Electronic sword A female cyborg. A captain of Queen Lacets, later became a friend and ally of Jan Kugo.
Captain Satomi Majima
King (キングギューマ kinku gyuma) Rey Guyima Takashi Tanaka Based on the Bull Demon King.
Queen Lacets Reina Zarcanda Yumi Nakatani, Nana Yamaguchi Based on the Princess Iron Fan.

Adaptations

In March 1979, a movie was aired reusing footage from the first segment of the series. The movie was more or less a summary.

The last nine episodes of the actual series was re-branded as "SF Saiyuki Starzinger II", though when shown outside Japan it was treated as one continuous series. It was never intended to be anything more than re-marketing of the last few episodes, since it was aired immediately after the first sixty-four episodes were shown in June 1979. The 65th episode began instantly in July 1979 with all the galactic energy restored in the storyline.

Internationalization

Starzinger was aired in the early 1980s in Latin America under the name of "El Galáctico" (The Galactic), as part of the four-series show "Festival de Robots", which translates to "Festival of Robots". The other shows were "Steel Jeeg", "Gaiking", and "Magne Robo Gakeen". Only 47 episodes of the original 73 were dubbed and aired. This version of the series never reached their conclusion. The Spanish theme song of "El Galáctico" was composed and sung by Chilean singer Memo Aguirre (Capitán Memo). In 2008 the Chilean company SeriesTV edit a set of 24 DVD with Festival de los Robots episodes. This set includes 24 episodes of "El Galactico" with the original Spanish dubbing.

VHS cover of the U.S. version of the show.

In North America, it was aired as "Spaceketeers" as part of the package show Force Five. As the "Journey to the West story" is not well known in the region, the characters were renamed to reference the Three Musketeers. To also fit into the Force Five time slot, the show had to be edit-squeezed into 26 episodes. The U.S. version puts them on a mission to the Dekos Star System, which contained evil powers changing peaceful creatures to evil mutants. The Force Five version not only just produced 26 episodes, but this English language version of the series never reached their conclusion.

Twenty-four episodes of the original 73 also aired in Scandinavia (mainly in Sweden) under the original name Starzinger. A listing of what episodes were cut out can be found at: Warfists Starzinger site in the episode section.

Home Media

VHS

UK

Release name
 Release date
 Classifaction
 Publisher
Format
Language Subtitles Notes
 REF
SCI-BOTS 1 Conflict July 7, 1987 U Krypton Force Ltd. PAL English None Run time: 56 min. 5 sec. [3]
SCI-BOTS 2 Strike Back July 16, 1987 U Krypton Force Ltd. PAL English None Run time: 46 min. [4]
SCI-BOTS 3 Battle of the Flame Dragon April 28, 1988 U Krypton Force Ltd. PAL English None Run time: 43 min. [5]
SCI-BOTS 4 Betrayal 1988 U Krypton Force Ltd. PAL English None Run time: 43 min. [6]
SCI-BOTS 5 Death Valley April 28, 1988 U Krypton Force Ltd. PAL English None Run time: 43 min.
SCI-BOTS 6 Love and Treasure April 18, 1988 U Krypton Force Ltd. PAL English None Run time: 43 min.
SCI-BOTS 7 Zalo April 28, 1988 U Krypton Force Ltd. PAL English None Run time: 43 min.
SCI-BOTS 8 Evil Catyla April 18, 1988 U Krypton Force Ltd. PAL English None Run time: 43 min.
SCI-BOTS 9 Surrender by Force April 18, 1988 U Krypton Force Ltd. PAL English None Run time: 43 min.
SCI-BOTS 10 Snark and the Diamond April 18, 1988 U Krypton Force Ltd. PAL English None Run time: 43 min.
SCI-BOTS 11 Star Point Tantar April 29, 1988 U Krypton Force Ltd. PAL English None Run time: 43 min.
SCI-BOTS 12 Crystal and the Space Bees July 14, 1988 U Krypton Force Ltd. PAL English None Run time: 43 min.
SCI-BOTS 13 Dector the Betrayer July 14, 1988 U Krypton Force Ltd. PAL English None

DVD

US

On 20 August 2013 Shout! Factory released "Starzinger: The Movie Collection" onto DVD.[7]

LatinAmerican

On 28 July 2008 SeriesTv released "El Festival de los Robots" onto DVD.

Trivia

References

  1. ↑ Clements, Jonathan. McCarthy Helen. [2006] (2006). The Anime Encyclopedia: Revised & Expanded Edition. Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 978-1-933330-10-5
  2. ↑ Scan of a page from the Starzinger manga, with Matsumoto and Ohta in the credits (Japanese).
  3. ↑ "Sci-Bots 1 - The mutants lighting strike - conflict". retrotrader.com. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  4. ↑ "SCI BOTS 2 - Krypton Force - Sci Bots Fight Back - Strike Back - UK VHS PAL VIDEO". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  5. ↑ "KRYPTON FORCE -SCI-BOTS 3-BATTLE OF THE FLAME DRAGON". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  6. ↑ "KRYPTON FORCE- SCI-BOTS 4-BETRAYAL". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  7. ↑ "Starzinger: The Movie Collection". Shout! Factory. Retrieved 10 June 2015.

External links

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