The appeal and reviews of "Rainbow Sentai Robin": A must-see series for special effects fans

Rainbow Squadron Robin: Warriors who protect peace in the universe

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

April 23, 1966 - March 24, 1967 Every Saturday from 8:00pm to 8:30pm Episodes 37-48 (final episode) every Friday from 7:30pm to 8:00pm

■Broadcasting station

NET

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 48

■Original Story

Studio Zero

■ Production

Toei Animation

■Works

©Toei Animation

■ Story

Emperor Parta, who rules the planet Parta in the reverse galaxy, begins an invasion of Earth in order to emigrate. To counter the overwhelming military power of Planet Parta, the Rainbow Squadron, consisting of six robots with various abilities and Robin the Captain, stands up. After a long battle, Robin and his friends defeat Emperor Parta, and the people of Planet Parta find a place to emigrate to, restoring peace. However, evil continues to appear one after another to disturb the peace of the universe, and Robin and his friends must face various incidents.

■Explanation

This sci-fi action anime was created by Studio Zero, a company founded by manga artists Shotaro Ishinomori, Jiro Tsunoda, and Fujiko Fujio. Episodes 1 to 26 focus on the battle with Planet Parta, while episodes 27 to 48 are mostly standalone stories that feature Robin and his friends in a variety of stories, including suspense, action, and comedy.

■Cast

Robin/Kyoko Satomi Lili/Noriko Shindo Bell/Keiko Nakamura Professor/Mitsuo Yagi Benkei/Setsuo Shinoda Wolf/Eiichi Sakurai Pegasus/Nobuaki Sekine Mac/Matsugoro Mita

■ Main staff

・Original concept/composition: Studio Zero ・Planning: Kei Iijima, Hiroshi Onozawa, Yu Saito, Katsuyuki Onuma ・Production: Tatsumi Umajima ・Music: Koichi Hattori ・Theme song
OP1
"Rainbow Squadron Robin"
Lyrics by Keiichi Ogawa Music by Koichi Hattori Performance by Rainbow Harmony

OP2
"Go ahead, Robin!"
Lyrics by Keiichi Ogawa, Music by Koichi Hattori, Vocals by Kamitakada Boys Choir

ED1
"Robin's Space Journey"
Lyrics by Keiichi Ogawa Music by Koichi Hattori Performance by Rainbow Harmony

ED2
"Lovely Lili"
Lyrics by Keiichi Ogawa Music by Koichi Hattori Vocals by Yoko Maekawa

■ Main Characters

Robin is the captain of the Rainbow Squadron. His father is a Partan and his mother is an Earthling. He was raised by the six robots his father left behind, and grew into a brave boy who loves justice. He leads the Rainbow Squadron and fights evil.

・A Lilinurse type robot. She helps injured people, friend or foe. She can repair not only living things but also machines with her restoration ray. She is also a mother figure to Robin.

A Bell Cat-type radar robot with sensory capabilities 3000 times greater than humans. It also has a X-ray device and memory playback device. It has a hasty and short-sighted personality.

Pegasus: Robin's rocket-type robot that can move freely on land, sea, and air. Although it has a laid-back personality, it is equipped with powerful weapons such as a ray gun and missiles.

A humanoid robot with the ability to transform into a wolf form at will. When Robin is in danger, it automatically goes into combat mode. As a combat robot, it is nihilistic because it lacks emotional circuits.

Professor A robot with the best electronic intelligence, he is also the brain and advisor of the Rainbow Squadron. He has the appearance of a small old man, and is a clumsy person.

Benkei: A robot with a large body and great power, but a kind heart. His abdomen serves as a hangar for weapons and other robots.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1: A mysterious alien appears!
Episode 2: Operation Big Eye Episode 3: The Black Statue Episode 4: SOS Route Episode 5: Operation Aurora Episode 6: A Rainbow in Space Episode 7: Escape from the Sahara Desert Episode 8: The Mysterious Man at the Underground Base Episode 9: The Spiral of Fear Episode 10: The Targeted Girl Episode 11: The Crisis of the Mammoth Aircraft Carrier Episode 12: Operation Diamond Episode 13: The Queen of Planet Grease Episode 14: Tokyo SOS
Episode 15/Mother's Calling Episode 16/Ace of Aces Parta's Falcon Episode 17/Operation Paris Fashion Episode 18/Invitation to Danger Episode 19/Operation Flood Episode 20/Destroy Parta's Trap Episode 21/Stella's Memory Episode 22/Assassination Order XYZ
Episode 23: The Whale Fleet Attacks Episode 24: Scars of War Episode 25: Eyes of Friendship Episode 26: The Last Day of Planet Parta Episode 27: Crazy Time Episode 28: Leave it to Lily Episode 29: The Vanished Luxury Ship Episode 30: The Cursed Vampire Episode 31: The Strange, Strange Teleport Machine Episode 32: Operation Cyborg Episode 33: Operation Chaos Episode 34: Haunted Hotel Episode 35: The Terror of the Black Mask Episode 3 Episode 6/Giant Monster Baron・Episode 37/Giant Insect Zemira vs. Super-Strength Gamala・Episode 38/Hustle Benkei・Episode 39/The Dinosaur Robot Appears・Episode 40/Beyond the Rose Nebula・Episode 41/Ghost Castle・Episode 42/Goliath's Eyes・Episode 43/Running Through the Blizzard・Episode 44/Confrontation in Uragan City・Episode 45/The Champion of Speed・Episode 46/The Out-of-focus Strategy・Episode 47/The Phantom General・Episode 48/Robin of the West

Rainbow Squadron Robin: Detailed Review and Recommendation

■ Background and history of the work

Rainbow Sentai Robin, which began airing in 1966, is a science fiction action anime based on an original idea by Studio Zero and produced by Toei Animation. This work had an original storyline, which was rare for anime at the time, and gave viewers a fresh surprise. It was aired from April 23, 1966 to March 24, 1967, with a total of 48 episodes. The first 36 episodes were aired every Saturday from 8:00 to 8:30 p.m., but the final 12 episodes were aired every Friday from 7:30 to 8:00 p.m. This change in air time was part of a strategy aimed at improving viewer ratings, and as a result, it was successful in expanding the viewer base.

■ The appeal of the story

The story of "Rainbow Squadron Robin" depicts the battle between Emperor Parta, who is trying to invade Earth from the planet Parta in the reverse galaxy, and the Rainbow Squadron who opposes him. The Rainbow Squadron is a team consisting of six robots with unique personalities led by Captain Robin, and the story revolves around their cooperation and friendship. The first 26 episodes focus on the battle with Planet Parta, and the story is full of tension, but from episode 27 onwards, each episode is self-contained and includes a variety of stories such as suspense, action and comedy, which keeps viewers from getting bored. This diversity of stories is one of the reasons why the show has been popular with a wide range of age groups.

■Charm of the characters

Each member of the Rainbow Squadron has different abilities and personalities, which leave a strong impression on viewers. The captain, Robin, is a mixed race child with a Partan father and an Earthling mother, and is a brave boy with a strong sense of justice. The robots that support him are also charming, with the nurse-type Lili combining kindness and strength, and the cat-type Bell being a humorous and lovable character. Pegasus, Wolf, the Professor, and Benkei each play different roles, and their unity as a team adds excitement to the story. The individuality and growth of these characters have resonated deeply with viewers.

■Music and theme songs

The music was written by Hattori Koichi, who also composed the theme songs. The opening themes, "Rainbow Sentai Robin" and "Go! Robin", have powerful melodies that inspire the viewers, with "Go! Robin" in particular being loved by children thanks to its performance by the Kamitakada Boys' Choir. The ending themes, "Robin's Space Travel" and "Wonderful Lili", are also important elements in livening up the atmosphere of the story, with "Wonderful Lili" in particular being deeply engraved in the hearts of viewers thanks to its performance by Maekawa Yoko. These pieces of music played a role in further enhancing the appeal of the work.

■ Achievements of the production staff

Many talented staff members were involved in the production of "Rainbow Sentai Robin." Studio Zero, which was responsible for the original concept and composition, was founded by such masters of the manga world as Shotaro Ishinomori, Jiro Tsunoda, and Fujiko Fujio, and their creativity is reflected in the work. The team in charge of planning, consisting of Kei Iijima, Hiroshi Onozawa, Yu Saito, and Katsuyuki Onuma, accurately grasped the needs of the viewers and determined the direction of the work. Tatsumi Umajima, in charge of production, oversaw the production site and worked hard to maintain the quality of the work. It can be said that the efforts and talents of these staff members led to the success of "Rainbow Sentai Robin."

■ Viewer reactions and impact

"Rainbow Sentai Robin" recorded high viewer ratings when it was first broadcast, and was extremely popular among children. In particular, the episodes depicting the friendship and cooperation between Robin and the robots touched viewers and created many fans. This work also had a major influence on later special effects and anime works, and can be said to be the prototype of Sentai heroes. The reaction from viewers was great, and even after the broadcast ended, fan events and merchandise sales were held, and the popularity of the work continued for a long time.

■ Recommendation points

"Rainbow Sentai Robin" is a monumental sci-fi action anime that delivers excitement and emotion to viewers. It is packed with many elements, such as the diversity of the story, the charm of the characters, and the power of the music, making it enjoyable for a wide range of ages. In particular, the episodes themed around justice and friendship will warm the hearts of viewers and give them courage. It is also an important work for learning about the history of Japanese animation in the 1960s, and you can experience the atmosphere of the good old days. Please watch it once and experience its charm for yourself.

■ Related works and recommendations

If you enjoyed "Rainbow Sentai Robin," we also recommend the following works:

• "Mazinger Z" - A robot anime also produced by Toei Animation that also contains elements of Sentai heroes.
• "Science Ninja Team Gatchaman" - A work that could be considered the prototype of the Sentai heroes, depicting teamwork and friendship.
• "Ultraman" - Although it is a special effects film, it has something in common with "Rainbow Sentai Robin" in that it depicts a hero of justice fighting monsters.

■ Summary

"Rainbow Sentai Robin" is a representative work of Japanese anime from the 1960s, and its story, characters, music, and everything else will move viewers. In particular, the episodes themed around justice and friendship will warm the hearts of viewers and give them courage. Please watch it once and experience its charm for yourself. Also, use this work as an opportunity to enjoy other Sentai heroes and robot anime. I'm sure new discoveries and impressions await you.