Voltes V

Voltes V has almost everything you could want in an anime. Cool mecha battles, sword fighting, outer space travel, likable characters, an engaging story and plenty of drama. I'm pretty new to super robot anime and I did not expect that the genre would have something this good to offer. If you ask me, the best thing about this series is Prince Heinel and the story surrounding him. I can't say too much without spoiling the whole thing, but he's one of those villains that you can respect and even like. If you've seen a lot of anime, the "sympatheticvillain" thing might seem a little cliche, but keep in mind that this was 30 years ago. Prince Heinel was one of the earlier examples of this kind of character. Despite having a quick temper, he is loyal and forgiving to those who are loyal to him, and grants them many second chances. He is not treacherous or two-faced like many villains are, and has no tolerance for deceit or treachery. Surprisingly, he's a real patriot, and is ready to die for his home planet if need be. Oh, and he's far from painful to look at. Let's just say that he has a very nice character design. ^_~ Anyway, though this series was made in the 70s, the animation is not poor and is actually quite consistent, unlike a lot of other shows where the animation is really, really good at certain moments and poor the rest of the time. It shows its age only because of the art style (which I happen to be fond of anyway). I found it interesting that there's one thing that this series does NOT have a lot of: romance. Frankly, even though I like romance, I found it refreshing that there wasn't any in Voltes V. It could have easily derailed the whole thing and I'm glad the writers decided to keep it at a minimum. I haven't said much about the music of this series. I really only have one thing to say: the closing song could not be more appropriate or touching. It's become one of my favorite anime songs. In closing, if you only see one 70s super robot series, make it Voltes V!

Voltes V is the second of Tadao Nagahama's "Romance Trilogy" mecha anime, coming between Combattler and Daimos. Like Combattler, the story focuses on a team of five pilots fighting against an invasion of Earth, and they're powered by extreme science and the power of friendship. Every week, the villainous Prince Heinel and his lackeys roll out a new monster for the team to fight, and with sheer determination and willpower, our heroes are able to carry the day. So from the sound of it... just another 70s toy commercial. What makes Voltes interesting, though, is that this isn't just a simple battle against an alienempire. There are strong undertones of racism and revolution that guide the action of the show. Most of the exposition doesn't arrive until the final third of the series, but when it does, it suddenly adds a whole new dimension to the action. Boazan is a planet where horned people enslave the hornless, and a handful of slaves led by a deposed prince are fighting for their freedom. Three of the Voltes pilots are brothers, and their father, Professor Go, is at the center of everything. He was the one who designed the Voltes and prepared a handful of trusted comrades for the impending invasion. He turns out to be a key member of the Boazan rebellion, so Voltes' mission is not just about protecting the Earth. The Voltes pilots must come to grips with the fact that not all Boazanians are evil and that they have a duty to protect the slaves just as much as they have a duty to protect the Earth. The aforementioned Heinel is also an interesting villain. He is the son of a traitor and seeks to restore his good name by serving the emperor, but his position is anywhere but safe. He must deal with the difficulties of fighting Voltes while also staving off subterfuge by his own generals, who have their own separate agenda. The art and sound are about what you'd expect from a show from the 70s: hasn't aged well, but it's passable. The robot combines with the theme song blaring triumphantly in the background, and all is right with the world. For me, the last five or so episodes pull the whole show together and make it worthwhile. The cruelest twist is saved for the end, when we learn the last outstanding piece of Professor Go's backstory...

Make way!!!! Childhood anime coming through... I am a fan of mecha when I was a kid. I collect robot toys, videos with robots in it and I draw robots. This is the cause of all this. MY FIRST ANIME!!!! To all staffs who created this, thumbs up from the Philippines!!! My father watches this so I tried to watch and it was awesome. Amazing story, characters and battle scenes. One of the best mecha anime genre of all time. Everything is great. The plot is somewhat repetitive but it is still enjoyable and watchable. The opening song is catchy even the background music. Thebackground music is the highlight of the anime. Love the memories of this. I even watch it during weekdays in TV when it was aired. And it was still amazing. By the way, my rating is based on my memories the first time I've seen this as a kid. You might not enjoy this if you watch it right now. The plot would be childish for you.