Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!

Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!
(Japanese:スーパーロボットモンキーチーム ハイパーフォースGO!) (also known as SRMTHFG or simply Super Robot Monkey Team) is an American-Japanese anime-influenced television series created by Ciro Nieli, one of the directors of Teen Titans, and the Showrunner and Executive Producer of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It is produced by Walt Disney Television Animation, with animation being done by The Answer Studio in Japan. The series was the first original show produced for the Jetix block and for the Jetix and Disney channels worldwide, where the show premiered on September 18, 2004. It ran for four seasons composed of 52 episodes, each 22 minutes long.
Set on the fictional planet of Shuggazoom, the series follows the adventures of five cyborg monkeys and a human boy named Chiro as they work to protect their planet – and the rest of the universe – from the forces of evil.
Plot
The Super Robot Monkey Team is set in Shuggazoom City, a city that takes up a good portion of its planet, named Shuggazoom. The rest of the planet is divided into sparsely or entirely uninhabited zones. The largest of these making up the majority of the visible surface outside of Shuggazoom city is "The Zone of Wasted Years" which is a barren wasteland.
The main character is a boy named Chiro. When he was exploring the outskirts of the city, he stumbled upon a giant abandoned robot partially overgrown with plants but still accessible. Once inside, his curiosity got the better of him and he pulls an old power switch among a series of stasis tanks. In doing so, he awakened the five robotic monkeys that form the Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce. In the process Chiro also fused himself with the mysterious supernatural energy of the Power Primate, allowing him to transform into a stronger, braver fighter and the leader of the team. With the aid of the five Robot Monkeys: Sparx, Antauri, Gibson, Otto and Nova, their mission is to save Shuggazoom City from the evil Skeleton King, the main villain of the series, as well as any other evil forces that may threaten it.
Since Chiro was not born a superhero, or with any enhanced abilities, the five Robot Monkeys take up training him to hone his abilities which results in him leading the team. With each member possessing a different set of skills Chiro acts as a unifying force keeping them on point where they otherwise might fall to differing opinions, in addition to being familiar with the current culture of Shuggazoom. With the monkeys continuing to train Chiro he grows into the leader they need with the potential to fulfill his greater destiny as protector of the universe.
When fighting with larger enemies the Hyperforce uses the Super Robot, which can operate as a single entity or split into six separate vehicles for versatility. Its main attack, when combined as the whole robot, is Lasertron Fury. This powerful energy beam that is fired from its chest is capable of destroying large objects or hostile entities while an array of smaller weaponry is used to handle other lesser threats. The Super Robot also serves as Chiro and the Monkeys' headquarters and home while parked on its landing pad in Shuggazoom City.
Over the course of the series the history of both Shuggazoom and the Robot Monkeys is expanded upon revealing they were created long ago specifically to combat the evil Skeleton King by a brilliant inventor known only as the Alchemist. Having unintentionally released a great evil into the world with his experiments the Hyperforce was his attempt to prepare for an uncertain future where defenses would be needed. The Hyperforce itself also expanded as the series ran to include various allies and a rogues gallery of enemies as recurring characters.
Voice cast
Main
Greg Cipes as Chiro
Kevin Michael Richardson as Antauri
Tom Kenny as Gibson
Kari Wahlgren as Nova
Clancy Brown as Otto
Corey Feldman as Sparx
Mark Hamill as Skeleton King
Ashley Johnson as Jinmay
James Hong as Mandarin
Recurring
Hynden Walch as Sorceress Valeena
Jeff Bennett and Eric Idle as Lord Scrapperton
Jeffrey Combs as Gyrus Krinkle
Mark Hamill as Skeleton King Droid
Arthur Burghardt as Commodore Game Master
Tara Strong as Alliana
Episodes
Production
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! was created by director and producer Ciro Nieli. The series was first pitched to Nickelodeon in 2001, but was turned down after 9/11 occurred, as Ciro Nieli could not create a show about monsters destroying a city. Nieli also pitched it to Cartoon Network in 2002, who also passed on the project due to similarities to the Powerpuff Girls. In 2003, an executive from Disney accepted the project.
The series is influenced by Japanese animation. It is also inspired by Star Trek, Super Sentai, Power Rangers, Voltron, and Star Wars. Animator and designer Lynne Naylor, who worked on Samurai Jack and Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, served as the art director. Her husband, Chris Reccardi, writer for Samurai Jack and The Powerpuff Girls was the assistant director. The art style was a tribute to classic anime, such as Speed Racer, Astro Boy, and Cyborg 009, and was influenced by the works of Ken Ishikawa, Go Nagai, Sanpei Shirato, Shotaro Ishinomori, and Osamu Tezuka. Chris Battle worked as the series' prop designer. He also designed characters for shows like Dexter's Laboratory, the Powerpuff Girls, and Aaahh!!! Real Monsters. Other crew members include Tad Stones, who also worked on Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Greg Weisman, creator of Gargoyles, Eric Trueheart, a writer for Invader Zim, Rich Fogel, a writer for Justice League and Pinky and the Brain, Chris Mitchell, who worked on SpongeBob SquarePants, and Kevin Hopps, who also worked on Animaniacs. Sebastian Evans composed the score of the show. The theme song of Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! is performed by Japanese synthpop/new wave band Polysics.
Release
Broadcast
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! premiered on ABC Family's Jetix programming block on September 18, 2004. It also aired on Toon Disney's Jetix block, until the Jetix programming block was taken off of ABC Family in August 2006, and the series began to air exclusively on Toon Disney. It was shown on Jetix UK from January 1, 2005 until July 22, 2006. In 2005, Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! aired on Champ TV in South Korea. The entire series was broadcast in the United Kingdom on GMTV's Toonattik. In Ireland, it was released on RTÉ Two as part of "The Den" children's programming block. In 2007, the series was released on Mio TV in Singapore.
The series was produced for widescreen, but originally shown cropped due to network restrictions.
Home media
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! was later made available to stream on Disney+.
It never got the season sets, but it did had 3 DVD discs with 1 episode that comes with the action figures, they got episodes “Flytor”, “Lords of Soturix 7” and “Planetoid Q”.
Reception
Critical response
Shreya Suresh Kumar of ComingSoon.net said, "This series has a perfect blend of humor, action, and sci-fi elements, making it an exciting experience. It features a stellar voice cast with Greg Cipes, Kevin Michael Richardson, Tom Kenny, and Kari Wahlgren. It is a series that appeals to everyone, from children to adults." Charlotte Gorrell of MovieWeb stated, "It is a great series for the entire family, and a great introduction to science fiction for a young audience. At the same time, the humor in the one-liners appeals to a more adult audience. It uses the same personalities and eccentric imagery that are popular in anime. The futuristic world, mixed with a bright colors and a relatable protagonist, combines into a great family-friendly series."
Accolades
The series was nominated for Best Sound Editing in Television Animated at the 2006 Golden Reel Awards. It was nominated for Best Sound Editing in Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue, ADR and Music for Television Animation at the 2007 Golden Reel Awards.
Possible revival
In December 2014, across an interview with AnimeSuperhero.com, Ciro Nieli stated, "There’s a finale planned for that and I don’t know how I’m gonna do it but I swear that I’m gonna do it someday. I can do it as one movie or I can do it as a whole season, it just depends on how much breadth I want to give it. Look at the last episode. You can either pick it up from there or you can go ‘Five years later: it’s the war of the undead vs the robot chimps.’ It’s this crazy battlefield where all forces have kinda teamed up against the ultimate evil. It’d be awesome. It’s all figured out pretty much. Everyone bugs me about it all the time and I really wanna sit down and tell everybody what happens but I’d rather just make it someday and give it to them. Worst case scenario: before I die I’ll do a perfect graphic novel of it and then Disney can sue me posthumously ‘cause they now completely own it and that’s how it goes. I guess I could make a comic and change the names and hairdos…" In June 2018, Greg Cipes shared one of Ciro Nieli’s concept art on Twitter, as it could be either a reboot or continuation for a fifth season, while showing off two new characters set to appear. As of October 2023, there has been no updates about the shows revival.
In other media
Miscellaneous
In 2005, Majesco published the Game Boy Advance Video Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! - Volume 1.
In 2006, Hasbro released several action figures inspired by Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!.
In 2012, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles episode “The Weird World of Wyrm“ rehashed the same plot to episode “Meet the Wigglenog” and Wigglenog makes a cameo.
References
External links
2004 American television series debuts
2006 American television series endings
2000s American animated television series
2000s American science fiction television series
American children's animated action television series
American children's animated space adventure television series
American children's animated science fantasy television series
American children's animated superhero television series
Animated television series about monkeys
Animated television series about robots
Anime-influenced Western animated television series
Television series by Disney Television Animation
Disney Channel original programming
Disney XD original programming
English-language television shows
Jetix original programming
Super robot anime and manga
Teen animated television series
Teen superhero television series
Television series by Disney
Television series set on fictional planets
Television series created by Ciro Nieli