Hey, do you remember ROBOTECH? How about VOLTRON? Certainly you've heard of the TRANSFORMERS? Well, if you're a fan of that mid-1980's anime robot craze have we got the DVD for you - Machine Robo. This disc brings you the first five episodes of the adventures of humanoid robot Rom and his avenging team of mechanized friends pitted against the vile Gandorians.

Episode 1 - Rising Storm
The planet Cronos is a peaceful world inhabited by clans of robotic life forms. Most can transform into specialized robot forms like a jet or car, but some, like leader Master Kirai, do not change, but are still very powerful. Then the evil Gades sends his invasion force of robo goons to steal the Hyribred, which he believes will give him unlimited energy to conquer the universe! To that end, he sends his top men - the Devil Satan Six - to destroy the Cronosi people and find the Hyribred. The invaders make short work of the peaceful robos, but are seen by Master Kirai's daughter Reina. The horde leader allows her to escape, knowing she'll lead them to Kirai (whom the Gandorians believe knows where the Hyribred is.) Meanwhile, Master Kirai trains his son Rom and his friends heroic Jet and dim-witted Drill. Sensing evil to be afoot, Kirai sends the boys to rescue Reina. The Devil Satan Six have captured her and her companion Jim and plan to use them to force Kirai to reveal the secrets of the Hyribred. When Rom and the boys arrive, a big fight ensues. Will Rom be able to stop the invading Andorrans sinister plans? Or is the worst yet to happen?

Episode 2 - Wolf Sword
Rom, Reina and their friends dedicate themselves to stopping the Gandorians at Kirai's grave. Meanwhile, Gades is told the secret of the Hyribred has something to do with Rom's family crest - the sign of the wolf. Rom, Jet and Drill defeat a gang of Gandorian goons at a nearby village, but they wound Rom in the process. As he recovers, the Devil Satan Six find Reina alone and take her captive. Threatening his sister's life, the Devil Satan Six force Rom and the boys to surrender, and hang the team on crosses. They torture the village leader Davy for information on the Hyribred. His sons Rock and Ziggy concoct a plan to help Rom and their dad. As Rock distract the Gandorians, Ziggy frees Jet. But before he can release Rom, the young hero is hurled over a cliff by the Devil Satan Six. Can Kirai's spirit inspire his son to find the strength to continue the fight? Or have our heroes lost already?

Episode 3 - Metal Laster
Gades hears of a mythic liquid called Metal Laster, whose properties will prevent rust (which doesn't do any good to a robot.) While looking for needed energy, Drill falls into an acid water swamp and begins to rust. When Roma and the team arrive at a local village, the people there are hostile, for they believe Rom is out to steal the Metal Laster. The Devil Satan Six arrive - they do want to steal the cure - and take the village elder's daughter Min hostage. They beat down Rom and Jet until the elder offers them the Metal Laster to stop. The Devil Satan Six go with him to the potion's secret hiding place. Min agrees to help Rom get revenge; her prism necklace is a map to the Metal Laster! Can Rom defeat the Devil Satan Six again and save Drill? Or will Gades gain the anti-rust liquid and become invulnerable?

Episdoe 4 - Devil Trap
Rom's Wolf Sword points the team to a new destination - a village where the Gandorians have forced the people to mine Romtron, the energy source for all robots. Rom finds the villagers are mostly collaborating with the Gandorians, since they've been told they will be spared if they co-operate (where have we heard that before?). Confronting the Devil Satan Six, Rom is forced to surrender when n innocent bystander is threatened. Tossed in to the village jail, Rom tries to convince the town leader to do the right thing and fight the invaders. Jet saves Reina from a crowd of villagers, and the leader realizes his error of trusting the Gandorians. Rom is freed and the fight is on! But the Devil Satan Six have a cunning plan still up their vile sleeves...

Episode 5 - Hot Fight
The team arrives at Cronos' North Pole, following the Wolf Sword to the invader's latest hide out. Gades sends his lackey Zagam - the ice warrior - to assist fellow lackey Diondora in the search for the Hyribred. Rom and the guys must be careful because under the frozen tundra is the 'graveyard' - where robots freeze to death at absolute zero. In a pitched battle, Zagam cleans Drill's clock and takes Reina hostage in the graveyard, for he can function at absolute zero. Will Rom be able to save his sister in the frozen wasteland? Or have the Gandorians put the rebels on ice?

I must admit that when I watched Machine Robo, I kept having flashbacks to high school when the original "mecha" anime series hit the American shores. Much like others at the time, Machine Robo has an extremely formulaic story - episodes two, three and four have almost the same plot. The animation is very angular and stark - there is very little in the way of detailing on the screen. And of course, there is a great amount of cost-cutting repetition; every transformation of the robots is exactly the same. Once we have the set-up, the story line becomes predictable and bland. There isn't the human angle of ROBOTECH or the variety of TRANSFORMERS. I needed an extra cup of coffee to get through the DVD, sad to say. If you're an "old-school" anime fanatic, Machine Robo is right up your alley. Everyone else can just watch old episodes of VOLTRON again.

For a series almost twenty years old, the picture has held up well - images are clean and defined. The sound is only Dolby mono, but clear. This disc is only available in Japanese with English subtitle, which are yellow and easily read. The DVD includes art and character sketchbooks, a trailer, and a sing-along with he title music (with English and Japanese subtitles.)

I found Machine Robo to have an interesting twist in its premises, but the series is too redundant and predictable. There are much better choices available for the casual anime fan. For you hardcore mecha guys, though, Machine Robo is a typical series form the earliest days of giant robot anime. Let the Wolf Sword be your guide.

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