Yoroiden Samurai Troopers: Rediscovering the charm of legendary warriors and the excitement of combat

Yoroiden Samurai Troopers - Yoroiden Samurai Troopers

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

April 30, 1988 - March 4, 1989 Every Saturday 17:30 - 18:00

■Broadcasting station

Nagoya TV

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 39

■Original Story

Original author: Hajime Yatate

■ Director

Director: Sei Ikeda (episodes 1-19), Mamoru Hamazu (episodes 20-39)

■ Production

Nagoya TV, Tokyu Agency, Sunrise

■Works

©Sunrise

■ Story

The evil emperor Arago's army of demons has begun to rule the human world. Standing in their way are five boys, the Samurai Troopers, who have been chosen as "Yoroi Gear". After a fierce battle, they enter Arago's castle under the guidance of their master, Chaos, who risks his life to guide them, and it seems that they have defeated Arago by joining forces. However, the demons appear again. While pursuing the secrets of Arago, the five learn that the only way to defeat Arago is to purify the "Yoja World" itself, which is driven by human "karma". They join forces with the pure hearts of the people and challenge the Yoja World to a fight.

■Explanation

It is a life-sized hero action story in which the main characters fight in protective gear, but it also incorporates a Japanese taste into the worldview, aiming to differentiate it from previous works. The story is also sprinkled with mysteries surrounding "Yorigia" throughout, and the setting for the battles moves around Japan, creating ups and downs in the tale. Although it was originally a work aimed at boys, the naively portrayed main characters were popular with many women, and the voice actors who played each character also became extremely popular. It became such a hot topic that it was featured in news programs, and an OVA series began in 1989.

■Cast

・Ryo of the Blazing Flame/Tsuyoshi Kusao・Touma of the Sky/Taku Takemura・Seiji of the Halo/Daiki Nakamura・Shin of the Water Margin/Nozomu Sasaki・Shu of Kongo/Tomohiro Nishimura・Jun Yamano/Kumiko Watanabe・Nasty・Yagyu/Kaori Kusakabe・Arago, the Demon Emperor/Shigezo Sasaoka・Demon General Shuten/Kiyoyuki Yanada・Poison General Naaza/Kazunari Futamata・Dark Demon General Anubis/Yasuno Matsumoto・Phantom Demon General Rajura/Jurota Kosugi

■ Main staff

・Planning/Sunrise ・Original story/Hajime Yatate
・Series Composition: Ryosuke Takahashi (Episodes 1-19)
Scenario cooperation: Jinzo Chokai, Otori Koubou
・Character design and chief animation director: Norio Shioyama ・Character design assistance: Akihiro Kanayama
・Armor design: Hideo Okamoto
・Art/Design Office Mechaman, Ariaki Okada
・Color setting: Naoko Sasaki ・Cinematography: Atsushi Okui ・Editing: Tomoaki Tsurubuchi ・Music: Osamu Totsuka ・Director: Sei Ikeda (episodes 1-19), Mamoru Hamazu (episodes 20-39)
Producers: Makoto Imai (Nagoya TV), Yoichi Honma (Tokyu Agency), Hironori Nakagawa (Sunrise)

■Subtitle

Episode 1: Tokyo is TargetedEpisode 2: Demon General! Shuten's Fierce AttackEpisode 3: Yorigia, the Secret of Fiery FlamesEpisode 4: The Trap of the Poisonous Demon General NaazaEpisode 5: Resurrection! Warrior of LightEpisode 6: Counterattack: The Raging Super FlowEpisode 7: Awakening! The Deadly Lightning SlashEpisode 8: The Tactic of the Demon General, RajuraEpisode 9: Fiery Flames Save the SkyEpisode 10: Assemble! The Five WarriorsEpisode 11: Destroy the Demon GateEpisode 12: Sage! Deadly Battle in the Dark・Episode 13 / The True Identity of Armor Gear・Episode 14 / Shunten, a Heartless Battle・Episode 15 / Chaos, a Fated Showdown・Episode 16 / Charge into Castle Arago・Episode 17 / The Legend of the Armor Revealed・Episode 18 / The Fearsome Demon Emperor・Episode 19 / The Final Battle! Rekka vs. Arago・Episode 20 / A New Battle・Episode 21 / Shine White Armor!
・Episode 22/The Sword Dancer's Challenge・Episode 23/The Battle for White Flame's Life・Episode 24/The Envoy of the Demon Emperor・Episode 25/Confrontation! Two Suikoden・Episode 26/O Halo, Take Back the Light・Episode 27/Anger Kongo, Destroy the Sand Demon・Episode 28/The Mysterious Female Demon Kayula Appears・Episode 29/Go! Two Warriors...
・Episode 30/Is this the world of demons?
・Episode 31 / The Legendary Armor, the Shining Emperor ・Episode 32 / The Earth Spirits, the Terrorist Strategy ・Episode 33 / In Search of the Mysterious Treasure ・Episode 34 / The Battle of the Sky, Covered in Scars ・Episode 35 / Revive, Armored Warriors...
Episode 36: Battle! Kayura vs. the Shining Emperor Episode 37: Resurrection of the Crimson Lightning Flash Episode 38: Kayura! The Sacred Awakening Episode 39: Shine! The Five Warriors

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

"Samurai Troopers" is a TV anime series produced by Sunrise that aired from 1988 to 1989. Although it started out as an action series for boys, its unique worldview and appealing characters have earned it wide support from a wide audience. The series depicts the battles of the Samurai Troopers, five boys chosen to fight against the evil emperor Arago and his army of demons. They wear special armor called "Yorogi-a" and fight to protect the human world.

The story begins with the first battle with Arago, but the threat of the demons continues, and the story progresses towards the grand goal of purifying the "demon world" itself. This story development is one of the elements that draws viewers in, and each episode presents new mysteries and challenges, keeping the viewers interested. The story is also set in various parts of Japan, providing visual diversity.

The portrayal of the characters is also one of the charms of this work. The five samurai troopers, including the protagonist Ryo, each have different personalities and backgrounds, and their growth, friendship, and the conflicts they face in battle are carefully portrayed. In particular, the unique characteristics of each character, such as Ryo's leadership, Touma's intelligence, Seiji's calmness, Shin's passion, and Shu's strength, enrich the story. In addition, the female characters Jun and Kayura also play important roles, adding depth to the story.

The performances of the voice actors also contributed greatly to the success of this work. The voice actors of each character, such as Takeshi Kusao as Ryo and Taku Takemura as Touma, bring out the best in their characters. Additionally, the voice actors who play the characters on the side of the evil demons also show a strong presence as villains, heightening the tension of the story as a whole.

The game also excels in terms of visuals, with very sophisticated character and armor designs. The armor designs in particular were created by Hideo Okamoto, and their beauty and functionality make them a visual treat. The art and color settings are also of a high standard, with a Japanese taste being effectively incorporated.

Music is also an important element that enhances the appeal of this work. The music by Osamu Totsuka is not only used to liven up the battle scenes, but is also used effectively in scenes that portray the emotions of the characters. In particular, the theme songs of each character symbolize the individuality of the character, making them memorable to viewers.

This work also gained popularity through the production of an OVA series. The OVAs added new stories and characters, giving it a different appeal from the TV series. It has also been highly praised overseas, and especially in North America, where it was broadcast under the title "Ronin Warriors," gaining many fans.

"Samurai Troopers" is a work that is loved by many fans even after more than 30 years, thanks to its unique world view, charming characters, and high-quality production. In particular, for anime fans from the late 80s to early 90s, it is a work that is spoken of along with memories of their youth, and its value is immeasurable. It can be said to be an eternal masterpiece that new viewers should definitely watch at least once.

The recommended points are as follows:

• A world view that effectively incorporates Japanese tastes
• A unique character and its growth story
• High quality character and armor designs
• Great performances from the voice actors
• High quality music
• A wealth of episodes, including the OVA series
• Highly acclaimed overseas

As mentioned above, "Armored Troopers" is an excellent work in every respect, and is a masterpiece that can be recommended to a wide range of people. Please give it a watch.