# Special Armored Battalion Dorvack

Special Armored Battalion Dorvack (Japanese: 特装機兵ドルバック, Hepburn: Tokusō Kihei Dorubakku) is a 36 episode anime series aired from 1983 to 1984 in Japan and also aired in Hong Kong at roughly the same time. The show is also known as Special Armored Trooper Dorvack and Powered Armor Dorvack.

## Story

The year is 1999. The Idelians, whose colony-ship has been wandering in space for tens of thousands of years, are nearing exhaustion. Their sole hope is to settle on the nearest habitable planet, Earth. Soon after their arrival in orbit, they launch an invasion, landing a large attack force in the Alps.
The Earth Defense Forces valiantly fight in their powered armor against the enemy, but with little success. Only one unit is able to inflict significant damage, the Special Armored Battalion Dorvack. Under the command of Colonel Takagi, Masato Mugen, Pierre Bonaparte and Louie Oberon fight to defeat the invaders. They are equipped with special variable mecha that are able to convert from rugged all-terrain vehicles to humanoid forms.

## Concept

The show was essentially a showcase for the toyline released by Takatoku. The mecha designs were created by Katsumi Itabashi and Nobuyoshi Habara, while the models were made by the model company Gunze Sangyo. The plot was kept simple, but filled with high levels of animation and action.

## Staff

* Planning, Production: Ashi Productions, Yomiuri
* Director: Masami Anno
* Story editor: Shigemitsu Taguchi
* Original creator: Takeshi Shudo
* Character Design: Osamu Kamijo
* Mecha design: Katsumi Itabashi, Nobuyoshi Habara

## Music

* Opening Theme: "Chikyuu Ni I Love You" by WELCOME
* Ending Theme: "Kimi Ni Okuru Lullaby" by WELCOME

## Voice cast

| Name | Japanese Name | Voiced by |
| Masato Mugen | 無限真人 | Tōru Furuya |
| Louie Oberon | ルイ・オベロン | Hiromi Tsuru |
| Pierre Bonaparte | ピエール・ボナパルト | Sukekiyo Kameyama |
| Stanley Hilton | スタンレー・ヒルトン | Hirotaka Suzuoki |
| Col. Yōichi Takagi | 高木洋一 | Kiyoshi Kobayashi |
| Bob Floyd | ボブ・フロイド | Yutaka Shimaka |
| Jackie Frank | ジャッキー・フランク | Asami Mukaidono |
| Peter | ピーター | Masako Katsuki |
| Henry | ヘンリー | Yūsaku Yara |
| Idel | イデル | Show Hayami |
| Amov | アモフ | Osamu Saka |
| Aroma | アロマ | Keiko Toda |
| Zelar | ゼラー | Eiji Kanie |

## Merchandise

The series featured some solid mechanical designs, but the slow-moving storyline failed to move fans. The line of 1/24, 1/72 and 1/100 scale toys and models sat on Japanese toy store shelves. Toymaker Takatoku Toys, already suffering from the poor performances of the merchandise lines from the previous Super Dimension Century Orguss and Galactic Whirlwind Sasuraiger series, went under as a result.
American toy company Hasbro acquired the molds for two of the deluxe toys, the Mugen Calibur and the Ovelon Gazette. They were re-released in North America as part of the Transformers line as "Deluxe Autobots", under the names "Roadbuster" and "Whirl", respectively. While both Roadbuster and Whirl featured heavily in British-written stories for Marvel UK's Transformers comics (even though, ironically, their toys were never released in the UK) neither character appeared in the American animated series or in U.S. Marvel stories. Due to their fame in the English stories, Dreamwave Productions made use of them in their Transformers comics, produced some 16–17 years later. They also had prominent roles in Transformers (IDW Publishing). Bonaparte Tulcas would later appear in a cameo role in the 'Fun Publication' run, getting the name "Headcannon".
The American firm Select also repackaged two color variations each of the smaller Variable Machine Collection toys under the name "Convertors". Mugen Calibur became "Wheels", Oberon Gazette became "Chopper", and Bonaparte Tulcas became "Tanker".

## Episodes

| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 1 | "1999: A Prelude to War" "1999-nen: Tatakai no Jokyoku" (Japanese: 1999年戦いの序曲) | Directed by : Jutaro Oba Storyboarded by : Rei Hidaka | Shigemitsu Taguchi | October 7, 1983 (1983-10-07) |
| 2 | "General Offensive - Stand By!" "Sōkōgeki: Stand By!" (Japanese: 総攻撃・スタンバイ!) | Directed by : Hiroyuki Yokoyama Storyboarded by : Hiroshi Yoshida | Shigemitsu Taguchi | October 14, 1983 (1983-10-14) |
| 3 | "The Day the Birds Died" "Shima ga Shinda Hi" (Japanese: 鳥が死んだ日) | Directed by : Kazuhiko Ikegami Storyboarded by : Masayuki Ozeki | Shigemitsu Taguchi | October 21, 1983 (1983-10-21) |
| 4 | "Louie Disappears in the Fog!" "Kiri ni Kieta Louie" (Japanese: 霧に消えたルイ) | Directed by : Jutaro Oba Storyboarded by : Mitsuo Kusakabe | Shigemitsu Taguchi | October 28, 1983 (1983-10-28) |
| 5 | "An Unjustified Fall" "Ryū na ki Shikkyaku" (Japanese: 理由なき失脚) | Directed by : Hiroyuki Yokoyama Storyboarded by : Kozo Takagaki | Shigemitsu Taguchi | November 4, 1983 (1983-11-04) |
| 6 | "Jungle Warrior Miranda" "Mitsurin no Senshi Miranda" (Japanese: 密林の戦士ミランダ) | Hiroshi Yoshida | Kenji Terada | November 11, 1983 (1983-11-11) |
| 7 | "Run, Jackie!" "Hashire! Jackie" (Japanese: 走れ!ジャッキー) | Mitsuo Kusakabe | Kazumi Koide | November 18, 1983 (1983-11-18) |
| 8 | "Infiltrate the Idelian Base" "Sennyū! Idelia Kichi" (Japanese: 潜入!イデリア基地) | Directed by : Kazuhiko Ikegami Storyboarded by : Saki Noda | Saki Noda | December 2, 1983 (1983-12-02) |
| 9 | "The Underground Melody" "Chikadou no Melody" (Japanese: 地下道のメロディー) | Directed by : Jutaro Oba Storyboarded by : Mitsuo Kusakabe | Shigemitsu Taguchi | December 9, 1983 (1983-12-09) |
| 10 | "Bob Takes Aim" "Bob no Muketa Jūkō" (Japanese: ボブの向けた銃口) | Directed by : Hiroyuki Yokoyama Storyboarded by : Mitsuo Kusakabe | Kenji Terada | December 16, 1983 (1983-12-16) |
| 11 | "The Demonic Red Flowers" "Akuma no Akai Hana" (Japanese: 悪魔の赤い花) | Directed by : Hiroshi Yoshida Storyboarded by : Mitsuo Kusakabe | Kazumi Koide | December 23, 1983 (1983-12-23) |
| 12 | "Easter Island in Flames" "Rekka no Easter Shima" (Japanese: 烈火のイースター島) | Directed by : Kazuhiko Ikegami Storyboarded by : Masayuki Ozeki | Shigemitsu Taguchi | January 13, 1984 (1984-01-13) |
| 13 | "The Champ Who Fell to Hell" "Jigoku ni Ochita Champ" (Japanese: 地獄におちたチャンプ) | Hiroyuki Yokoyama | Kenji Terada | January 20, 1984 (1984-01-20) |
| 14 | "Let Wild Voices Ring Out!" "Hibike! Yasei no Sakebi" (Japanese: 響け!野性の叫び) | Hiroshi Yoshida | Shigemitsu Taguchi | January 27, 1984 (1984-01-27) |
| 15 | "A Love Extinguished by War" "Senka ni Chitta Koi" (Japanese: 戦火に散った恋) | Mitsuo Kusakabe | Kenji Terada | February 3, 1984 (1984-02-03) |
| 16 | "A Hidden Warning" "Himerareta Keikoku" (Japanese: 秘められた警告) | Directed by : Kazuhiko Ikegami Storyboarded by : Masayuki Ozeki | Shigemitsu Taguchi | February 10, 1984 (1984-02-10) |
| 17 | "The Mystery of the Rainier Temple" "Rainier Shinden no Nazo" (Japanese: レーニア神殿の謎) | Directed by : Hiroyuki Yokoyama Storyboarded by : Mitsuo Kusakabe | Kenji Terada | February 17, 1984 (1984-02-17) |
| 18 | "The Secrets of Idelia, Revealed" "Abakareta Idelia no Himitsu" (Japanese: あばかれたイデリアの秘密) | Hiroshi Yoshida | Shigemitsu Taguchi | February 24, 1984 (1984-02-24) |
| 19 | "Escape from the Alpine Base!" "Dasshutsu! Alps Kyoten" (Japanese: 脱出!アルプスの拠点) | Directed by : Kazuhiko Ikegami Storyboarded by : Rei Hidaka | Kenji Terada | March 2, 1984 (1984-03-02) |
| 20 | "A New Order - Crush the North Sea Fortress" "Kinkyū Shirei! Hokkai no Yōsai wo Tsubuse" (Japanese: 緊急指令!北海の要塞をつぶせ) | Mitsuo Kusakabe | Shigemitsu Taguchi | March 9, 1984 (1984-03-09) |
| 21 | "Farewell, Friend! When a Warrior Dies" "Saraba Tomo yo! Senshi ga Shinu Shūnkan" (Japanese: さらば友よ!戦士が死ぬ瞬間) | Hiroshi Yoshida | Kenji Terada | March 16, 1984 (1984-03-16) |
| 22 | "When the Moai Shine" "Moai no Hikari-tsu Toki" (Japanese: モアイの光放つ時) | Osamu Kamijo | Shigemitsu Taguchi | March 23, 1984 (1984-03-23) |
| 23 | "Earth Dies in 1999" "1999-nen: Chikyū Saigo no Hi" (Japanese: 1999年地球最後の日) | Directed by : Hiroyuki Yokoyama Storyboarded by : Mitsuo Kusakabe | Shigemitsu Taguchi | April 6, 1984 (1984-04-06) |
| 24 | "A Prelude to Darkness" "Ankoku heno Joshō" (Japanese: 暗黒への序章) | Hiroshi Yoshida | Shigemitsu Taguchi | April 13, 1984 (1984-04-13) |
| 25 | "Terror! A New Enemy" "Kyōfu! Arata Naru Teki" (Japanese: 恐怖!新たなる敵) | Directed by : Kazuhiko Ikegami Storyboarded by : Mitsuo Kusakabe | Shigemitsu Taguchi | April 20, 1984 (1984-04-20) |
| 26 | "Aroma Alone" "Hitori-bacchi no Aloma" (Japanese: ひとりぼっちのアロマ) | Hiroshi Yoshida | Kenji Terada | April 27, 1984 (1984-04-27) |
| 27 | "The Gravestone Holds a Past" "Bohyō ni Kakusareta Kako" (Japanese: 墓標に隠された過去) | Mamoru Hamatsu | Satoshi Namiki | May 4, 1984 (1984-05-04) |
| 28 | "Distant Emotions" "Haruka naru Omoi" (Japanese: はるかなる想い) | Directed by : Hiroyuki Yokoyama Storyboarded by : Mitsuo Kusakabe | Yoshihisa Araki | May 11, 1984 (1984-05-11) |
| 29 | "The Valley of Love and Hate" "Ai to Nikushimi no Tani" (Japanese: 愛と憎しみの谷) | Hiroshi Yoshida | Keiji Kubota | May 18, 1984 (1984-05-18) |
| 30 | "The Jeanne of the Portrait" "Shōzōga no Jeanne" (Japanese: 肖像画のジャンヌ) | Directed by : Jutaro Oba Storyboarded by : Rei Hidaka | Kenji Terada | May 25, 1984 (1984-05-25) |
| 31 | "Terror! The Shadow in the Flash" "Kyōfu! Senkou ni Ukabu Kage" (Japanese: 恐怖!閃光に浮かぶ影) | Kazuhiko Ikegami | Shigemitsu Taguchi | June 1, 1984 (1984-06-01) |
| 32 | "Escape From the Screaming Abyss" "Zekkyō no Fuchi kara no Dasshutsu" (Japanese: 絶叫の淵からの脱出) | Hiroshi Yoshida | Satoshi Namiki | June 8, 1984 (1984-06-08) |
| 33 | "The Men Possessed by Devils" "Akuma ni Toritsukareta Otoko-tachi" (Japanese: 悪魔につかれた男達) | Directed by : Jutaro Oba Storyboarded by : Mitsuo Kusakabe | Yoshihisa Araki | June 15, 1984 (1984-06-15) |
| 34 | "Illusions of the Apocalypse" "Shūmatsu heno Illusion" (Japanese: 終末へのイリュージョン) | Hiroyuki Yokoyama | Keiji Kubota | June 22, 1984 (1984-06-22) |
| 35 | "Decision! The Final Landfall Operation" "Ketsudan! Saigo no Jōriku Sakusen" (Japanese: 決断!最後の上陸作戦) | Hiroshi Yoshida | Yoshihisa Araki | June 29, 1984 (1984-06-29) |
| 36 | "A Miraculous Rebirth" "Fukkatsu heno Kiseki" (Japanese: 復活への奇跡) | Directed by : Jutaro Oba Storyboarded by : Rei Hidaka | Shigemitsu Taguchi | July 6, 1984 (1984-07-06) |