Fang of the Sun Dougram: A review that looks into the appeal of the mecha design and story

Fang of the Sun Dougram: A grand drama where politics and the military intersect

■Overview of the work

Fang of the Sun Dougram is a robot anime series that aired on TV Tokyo from October 23, 1981 to March 25, 1983. It is a feature-length work with a total of 75 episodes, making it the longest-running original work by Sunrise. It was directed by Kanda Takeyuki and Takahashi Ryosuke, based on the original work by Takahashi Ryosuke and Hoshiyama Hiroyuki, and produced by Nippon Sunrise. The work features strong political themes and military elements, and is characterized by a story development that deeply moves viewers and provokes thought.

■ Story

The story begins when Donan Kassim, chairman of the Earth Federation Council, gets caught up in a political upheaval on the colony planet Deloire. His son Krin travels to Deloire to rescue his father. His father is safely released and the mastermind behind the upheaval is captured, but Krin learns the truth about Deloire and begins to question his father's policies. Dr. Samarin, the leader of the guerrillas, appoints Krin to pilot Dougram, the symbolic weapon of Deloire's liberation. Krin makes up his mind, recaptures Dougram, which has been seized by the federal forces, and escapes from the capital, Cardinal, with his comrades. They then launch guerrilla operations that appear and disappear out of nowhere to counter the tyranny of the federal forces. Meanwhile, newspaper reporter Raltarf continues to pursue them in search of the truth behind the turmoil.

■Explanation

Fang of the Sun Dougram is the first robot anime directed by both Takahashi Ryosuke and Kanda Takeyuki, and is a work with strong political and military themes. The story depicts the conflict between Donan, a politician who is devoting his life to maintaining the Federation, and his son Krin, who fights in the liberation war for equal independence for Deloya. Donan holds up lofty ideals, while Samarin appeals for the people's current happiness to be given top priority. Under their control, those who flock to vested interests and those poisoned by power act with various motives. This overwhelming drama has been very popular for its intense development and hard-edged depictions, and the broadcast period has been extended to six seasons, the longest for a standalone Sunrise original work.

■Cast

• Clean: Kazuhiko Inoue
• Rocky: Ryoichi Tanaka
• Chico: Takashi Tanaka (Banjō Ginga)
• Canary: Eiko Yamada
• Billy: Yukiko Nashiba
• Nanashi: Kenichi Ogata
• Festa: Kiyonobu Suzuki
• Georges: Shigeru Chiba
• Hackle: Kiyoshi Komiyama
• Summerlin: Kohei Miyauchi
• Lacock: Tatsuyuki Niuchi
• Von Stein: Eiji Kanie
• Zhartsev: Yusaku Yara
• Daisy: Masara Takashima
• Rita: Yoko Kawanami
• Narrator: Masato Yamauchi

■ Main staff

• Planning: Nippon Sunrise
• Original story: Hajime Yatate
• Original author: Ryosuke Takahashi, Hiroyuki Hoshiyama
• Character design: Soji Yoshikawa
• Mechanical design: Kunio Okawara
• Art director: Mitsutake Nakamura
• Art setting: Masahiro Sato (Mechaman) (episodes 43 and 75)
• Chief animation director: Norio Shioyama
• Edited by: Tsurubuchi Films
• Sound Director: Yasuo Urakami
• Music: Toru Fuyuki
• Director: Takeyuki Kanda, Ryosuke Takahashi (Episode 1, Episode 31)
• Producer: Masami Iwasaki (Sunrise Japan)

■Subtitle

• Episode 1: "Warrior of Light"
• Episode 2: "The First Gunshot"
• Episode 3: The Deloyer Uprising
• Episode 4: "First Battle"
• Episode 5: "Wartime Special Measures Act No. 205"
• Episode 6: "Akatsuki's Rescue Mission"
• Episode 7: "Guerrilla Hunt"
• Episode 8: "The Betrayal of Deloyer"
• Episode 9: "Recapture of Dougram"
• Episode 10: Garcia's Team Joins the Battle
• Episode 11: "My Father Who Was Too Far Away"
• Episode 12: "Aiming for Hesitation"
• Episode 13: "Steal from the Enemy Supply Carriage"
• Episode 14: "A Troublesome Prisoner"
• Episode 15: "Dagram Sinks into the Sand"
• Episode 16: "Burning Hot in the Desert"
• Episode 17: "Death's Obsession"
• Episode 18: "Mirage City"
• Episode 19: Break the Siege
• Episode 20: "The False Grand Prix"
• Episode 21: "Calculated Surprise Attack"
• Episode 22: "Attacking Two Birds with One Stone"
• Episode 23: The Targeted Guerrilla Conference
• Episode 24: "Samarin Rescue Mission"
• Episode 25: "Infiltrating the Barafu Military Prison"
• Episode 26: "Looking Back, It's Far Away"
• Episode 27: "Daisy Comes to the Battlefield"
• Episode 28: "The Calculations Behind the Results"
• Episode 29: "Lacoque's Scheme"
• Episode 30: "The Day We Crossed into Palmina"
• Episode 31: "The Hot Wind of Palmina"
• Episode 32: "A Hot-Blooded March"
• Episode 33: "War in the Villages"
• Episode 34: "For Whom Are the Weapons?"
• Episode 35: "Reunion at the Field Hospital"
• Episode 36: "A Blocked Way"
• Episode 37: "Choice of the River Crossing"
• Episode 38: "Andy Mine Blockade"
• Episode 39: "Cross the Blockading Mountains"
• Episode 40: "Warrior's Rest (Part 1)"
• Episode 41: "Warrior's Rest (Part 2)"
• Episode 42: "Wake of Turmoil"
• Episode 43: "A Planned Betrayal"
• Episode 44: "The Suspected Double Agent"
• Episode 45: "A Gunshot That Shatters Dreams"
• Episode 46: "Tactics and Strategies"
• Episode 47: "Runaway Sadness"
• Episode 48: "The Name is the Liberation Army Guerrilla Unit"
• Episode 49: "The friction of joint operations"
• Episode 50: "The Law of the Warriors"
• Episode 51: "The Cracks Begin to Appear"
• Episode 52: "Andy's Mine Attack Order"
• Episode 53: "The Fuse of Counterattack"
• Episode 54: "Back to Degas"
• Episode 55: Seize the Strategic Plateau
• Episode 56: The Battle of Stanley Plateau
• Episode 57: The Fluttering Flag of Liberation
• Episode 58: "Unleashed Ambition"
• Episode 59: A Naval Battle of Prestige
• Episode 60: "The Light and Shadow of Deloyer"
• Episode 61: "Towards the North Pole Port"
• Episode 62: "The Shining Path"
• Episode 63: "The Fallen Black Drop"
• Episode 64: The Muddy Water Trap
• Episode 65: "Conquering the Silver Fortress"
• Episode 66: The Fierce Battle Beyond Karnak
• Episode 67: "A Decision Scattered in the Arctic"
• Episode 68: "Those Who Attended the Table"
• Episode 69: "Donan Kassim Dies"
• Episode 70: "Disarmament"
• Episode 71: "The Windowdressing Triumphant Parade"
• Episode 72: "Recapturing the Hero"
• Episode 73: "The Silent Leader"
• Episode 74: "The Great Persuasion"
• Episode 75: "After the Burnout"

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

The greatest appeal of Fang of the Sun Dougram is its story development, which intertwines political themes with military elements. In particular, the gap between ideals and reality depicted through the conflict between father and son deeply moves viewers and provokes thought. Also noteworthy is the fact that the robot Dougram is not just a fighting machine, but is depicted as a symbol of liberation. This work is unique among Sunrise's robot anime, and its rigid depictions and hard-hitting plot left a strong impression on viewers.

The characters are also portrayed very realistically, with their individual thoughts and conflicts carefully drawn. The story progresses from multiple perspectives, such as the relationship between Klin and Samarin, and the truth of the turmoil seen from the perspective of newspaper reporter Raltarf, allowing viewers to become even more immersed in the work.

Furthermore, the design of Dougram by mechanical designer Kunio Okawara can be said to be a pioneer of real robot anime, and its detailed settings and movements have been highly praised by fans. The powerful sound of the music by Toru Fuyuki also livened up the story and captured the hearts of viewers.

■ Recommendation points

I highly recommend "Fang of the Sun Dougram" to anyone who wants to enjoy a grand drama where politics and the military intersect. It is especially a must-watch for fans of realistic robot anime and those looking for a work with deep themes. It is also an important work in understanding the history of Sunrise, so I would recommend it to anyone interested in the background and behind-the-scenes stories of the production.

Furthermore, even though this work is a long series of 75 episodes, each episode has a different perspective and development, so you can enjoy it for a long time. In particular, the depiction of the ideological conflict between Klin and Samarin and the guerrilla activities against the tyranny of the federal army give the viewer many suggestions.

Lastly, this work is the longest-running original work by Sunrise, and its quality and storytelling are still loved by many fans. Please watch it and experience its charm for yourself.