Voltron - Defender of the Universe - Collection One: Blue Lion
LikeRobotech,Voltronis an anomaly: an anime series that never aired in Japan in this form. The program Americans know under that title is comprised of recut footage fromHyakujuo Go-Lion("Hundred-Beast King Go-Lion") andKikou Kantai Dairugger XV("Armored Fleet Dairugger XV").Voltrondebuted in syndication in the US in September, 1984, with a completely new storyline. Five young pilots from the Galaxy Alliance, Keith, Lance, Sven, Hunk, and Pidge, crash on the planet Arus when they're attacked by the minions of the evil King Zarkon. In the ruins of an ancient castle, they learn the secret of recreating Voltron, the ancient robot "loved by the good and hated by the evil." Each of them must pilot one of five lion-mechathat link to form Voltron. They also befriend Princess Allura, who pilots of one of the lions after Sven is wounded in battle. Together, they fight Zarkon's robots and "ro-beasts," the witch Haggar and Zarkon's son Lotor. Obviously pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle,Voltronreuses some footage over and over, but leaves out big chunks of the narrative. When the five pilots initially crash on Arus, they stand at the edge of vast desert; after the commercial break, they're wandering through a fog-shrouded forest.  These problems won't phase Gen-X'ers who grew up withVoltronand want to revisit this relic of their childhoods. The extras include a rather stilted documentary on the restoration of the series. (Rated 7 and older: violence)--Charles Solomon