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Gear Fighter Dendoh

Gear Fighter Dendoh
GEAR戦士ファイター電童
(Gear Faitā Dendoh)
GenreMecha, Action, Drama
Created byHajime Yatate
Anime television series
Directed byMitsuo Fukuda
Produced byKazunori Takagi (Yomiko Advertising)
Naotake Furusato (Sunrise)
Naotake Goshima (TV Tokyo)
Written byChiaki Morosawa
Music byToshihiko Sahashi
StudioSunrise
Original networkTV Tokyo
Original run October 4, 2000 June 27, 2001
Episodes38 (List of episodes)

Gear Fighter Dendoh (GEAR戦士ファイター電童, Gia Faitā Dendō) is a Japanese robot anime television series produced by TV Tokyo, Yomiko Advertising and Sunrise. It was directed by Mitsuo Fukuda, with Chiaki Morosawa handling series scripts, Hirokazu Hisayuki designing the characters and monsters, Satoshi Shigeta serving as mechanical animation director and Toshihiko Sahashi composing the music. The series ran for 38 episodes, from October 4, 2000 to June 27, 2001, on the TV Tokyo network and its affiliates.

The series features many of the production staff and main cast members that worked on the Future GPX Cyber Formula series that concluded in 2000, including Fukuda, Hisayuki, Morosawa, and Shigeta, and many of them went on to participate in the later Mobile Suit Gundam SEED series as well. The production period of the anime was a transitional period in which the production environment for animated works was shifting from the traditional cel coloring and film compositing to coloring and editing on computers, and the percentage of computer production increased in the latter half of the series. Although 3D computer graphics with cel shading were used, they were limited to a small portion of stock shots due to the limited processing power of computers at the time, lack of technical expertise, and budgetary constraints.

Summary

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One day, a shiny object crashed from outer space and burst into flames, from where six colored lights flew away. On the opposite shore, a girl with blue hair staggered along the beach. She had run out of strength and collapsed, but there were two mobile terminals beside her, and a figure came to her aid.

17 years later, the giant fortress "Spiral Castle" of Galfa, a mechanical life form that plans to exterminate the human race, flies to the moon one day. From the fortress, the "mecha-beasts," robots under its command, begin their march toward the earth. Hokuto Kusanagi, a boy who has moved to Hoshimi Town, meets Ginga Izumo, a boy practicing kenpō in the schoolyard of his elementary school. Soon after that, a number of mecha-beasts, which have taken up interceptor satellites, fly in and begin attacking the town. Worried about their families, they hurry home, but on the way they find a lost little girl crying and try to save her. Just as a mecha-beast sets its sights on them and attacks, a giant blue robot breaks through the floor and appears, welcoming the startled pair into its chest cockpit. It is the "Gear Fighter Dendoh," the hope of mankind.

Characters

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Ginga Izumo (出雲 銀河, Izumo Ginga)
Voiced by: Yōko Matsuoka[1]
A fifth grader at Hoshimi Elementary School, he is an active boy who prefers to act rather than think. When the Galfa attacked the earth, he and Hokuto were chosen as Dendoh pilots and he was entrusted with the blue Gear Commander. At first, he was proud of being chosen as a Dendoh pilot and underestimated the battle against Galfa. However, as he experienced defeats and setbacks, he matured and awakened to his mission to protect the earth. Although he and Hokuto often clashed, they gradually came to recognize each other.
Hokuto Kusanagi (草薙 北斗, Kusanagi Hokuto)
Voiced by: Naomi Shindō[1]
A fifth grader at Hoshimi Elementary School, he is an intelligent boy who is both thoughtful and decisive. On the day he moved to Hoshimi Town with his family, he encountered an attack by Galfa. He and Ginga are chosen as Dendoh pilots and he is entrusted with the black Gear Commander. Although he is perplexed at having to bear the fate of the earth on his shoulders, he becomes more and more aware of his role as a Dendoh pilot as he witnesses the crisis on the earth. Although he and Ginga, who have opposite personalities, sometimes disagree with each other, they gradually build a relationship of trust.
Vega / Orie Kusanagi (ベガ / 草薙 織絵, Bega / Kusanagi Orie)
Voiced by: Kotono Mitsuishi[1]
The second-in-command of GEAR, an earth defense organization, she was initially scheduled to be Dendoh's pilot. She was an advisor to combat command and supported Dendoh's battles by standing on the front lines herself. She is also an expert in combat, with a number of special weapons, and is skilled enough to go toe-to-toe with the black knight Arthea. One of the people deeply involved in the creation of GEAR, she has a wealth of knowledge about Dendoh, data weapons, and Galfa. Her costume is made of the latest technological materials.
Arthea (アルテア, Arutea)
Voiced by: Kazuhiro Nakata / Kenji Nojima (childhood)[1]
A Knight Ogre pilot with a white gear commander sent from the main planet of Galfa to capture data weapons. He is the elite guard of Emperor Galfa, who holds the title of Black Knight, and his rank is equal to that of Spiral Castle. He has an outstanding fighting sense, and has tormented Dendoh many times.
Elise Willamette (エリス・ウィラメット, Erisu Wirametto)
Voiced by: Tomoko Ishimura[1]
A prodigy girl who graduated from M.I.T. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) at the age of 10. With a PhD in electronics, she was recruited by GEAR as the youngest person ever. She was initially working on data weapon research at GEAR's U.S. branch, but was selected as the chief data weapon analyst and transferred to the Japan headquarters. After arriving in Japan, she transferred to Hoshimi Elementary School as a chaperone of Ginga and his friends.
Galfa Emperor (ガルファ皇帝, Garufa kōtei)
Voiced by: Show Hayami[1]
A mechanical life form that reigns at the top of the mechanical empire of Galfa. He seeks to eliminate mankind from all the stars and become the king of the universe itself, and sends Spiral Castle to Earth as his sentinel. He treats his subordinates as disposable pawns, and is ruthless and merciless in his treatment of those who fail him.
Subaru (スバル)
Voiced by: Kenichi Suzumura[1]
The son of Emperor Galfa, in the position of Prince of the Galfa Empire. Like Arthea, he is qualified to control the Ogre. After the failed invasion of Earth by the Spiral Castle, he was assigned to search for the 7th Data Weapon and visited Earth with Zero. He loves Galfa as his brother and hates Hokuto, the Ogre pilot who took him away from him. However, as he exchanged feelings with the brainwashed Hokuto, he began to realize that feelings of joy and loneliness had been born within him, and he began to be puzzled.

Gear Machines

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Gear Fighter Dendoh (Gear 戦士電童, Gia Faitaa Dendou)

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Knight Gear Oger (騎士 Gear 凰牙, Naito Gia Ouga)

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Unicorn Drill

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Viper Whip

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Leo Circle

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Bull Horn

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Dragon Flare

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Gatling Boar

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Chojuuoh Kiba

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Phoenix Alae

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Galfa Empire

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Seventeen years before the events of the series, Emperor Galfa was a biological manager program from planet Alktos that sought to destroy human life due to how they can and have easily destroyed nature. In an effort to save the environment from human intervention, he created a vast empire of machines to exterminate human life and named the empire after himself. In the final episode Galfa reveals his true form as a six headed mechanical dragon, possibly a reference to The Beast From The Sea or Orochi. After conquering the planet he created a large moon-sized satellite resembling the Death Star that emits an energy barrier that shields the entire planet and not only houses all of his forces, but also is armed with a gravitational cannon that can destroy planets.

Main Forces

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Machine Beasts

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Professional Machines

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Heavy Machines

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Episode list

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# Title Directed by Written by Storyboarded by Original air date
1"The First Day - Dendoh Launches -"
Transliteration: "Hajimari no hi ― Dendō shutsugeki ―" (Japanese: 始まりの日―電童出撃―)
Masakazu ObaraSukehiro TomitaMasakazu Obara4 October 2000 (2000-10-04)
2"It Appears! Unicorn Drill"
Transliteration: "Shutsugen! Yunikōndoriru" (Japanese: 出現!ユニコーンドリル)
Tetsuya WatanabeSukehiro TomitaMasamitsu Hidaka11 October 2000 (2000-10-11)
3"Knight Ogre Attacks!"
Transliteration: "Naito Ōga raishū!" (Japanese: 騎士凰牙 来襲!)
Masahiro HosodaMasaharu AmiyaKeisaku Asuka18 October 2000 (2000-10-18)
4"The Trembling Spiral Castle"
Transliteration: "Senritsu no rasen-jō" (Japanese: 戦慄の螺旋城)
Yasuhiro MinamiHiroyuki YoshinoYasuhiro Minami25 October 2000 (2000-10-25)
5"Explosion! Viper Whip"
Transliteration: "Sakuretsu! Baipā Wippu" (Japanese: 炸裂!バイパーウィップ)
Masakazu ObaraYasuko KobayashiMasakazu Obara1 November 2000 (2000-11-01)
6"Leo Circle's Courage"
Transliteration: "Reo Sākuru no yūki" (Japanese: レオサークルの勇気)
Masahiro HosodaYasuko KobayashiSusumu Yamaguchi8 November 2000 (2000-11-08)
7"Assault! Bull Horn"
Transliteration: "Totsugeki! Buruhōn" (Japanese: 突撃!ブルホーン)
Tetsuya WatanabeMasaharu AmiyaTetsuya Watanabe15 November 2000 (2000-11-15)
8"A New Companion"
Transliteration: "Atarashī nakama" (Japanese: 新しい仲間)
Yasuhiro MinamiHiroyuki YoshinoYasuhiro Minami22 November 2000 (2000-11-22)
9"The Missing Data Weapons"
Transliteration: "Kieta Dēta Wepon" (Japanese: 消えたデータウェポン)
Shigeki TakagiMasaharu AmiyaEiji Yamanaka29 November 2000 (2000-11-29)
10"Zero Seconds Before Dendoh's Destruction"
Transliteration: "Dendō hakai 0-byō mae" (Japanese: 電童破壊0秒前)
Manabu OnoHiroyuki YoshinoMasamitsu Hidaka6 December 2000 (2000-12-06)
11"Decisive Match! Dendoh vs. Ogre"
Transliteration: "Kessen! Dendō tai Ōga" (Japanese: 決戦!電童対凰牙)
Masakazu ObaraYasuko KobayashiSusumu Yamaguchi13 December 2000 (2000-12-13)
12"Omen of Crisis"
Transliteration: "Kiki no yokan" (Japanese: 危機の予感)
Masahiro HosodaChiaki MorosawaMasahiro Hosoda20 December 2000 (2000-12-20)
13"Ginga's Father Comes Home"
Transliteration: "Ginga no chichi, kaeru" (Japanese: 銀河の父、帰る)
Shigeki TakagiChiaki MorosawaMasamitsu Hidaka27 December 2000 (2000-12-27)
14"No Power!"
Transliteration: "Denki ga nai!" (Japanese: 電気がない!)
Yasuhiro MinamiHiroyuki YoshinoYasuhiro Minami10 January 2001 (2001-01-10)
15"Ghost Story! The Data Weapons in School"
Transliteration: "Kaidan! Gakkō no Dēta Wepon" (Japanese: 怪談!学校のデータウェポン)
Manabu OnoShōji TonoikeYū Kō17 January 2001 (2001-01-17)
16"The Demon from the Moon"
Transliteration: "Tsuki no akuma" (Japanese: 月の悪魔)
Naoki HishikawaYasuko KobayashiNaoki Hishikawa24 January 2001 (2001-01-24)
17"Lagou's Teeth"
Transliteration: "Ragō no kiba" (Japanese: ラゴウの牙)
Shigeki AwaiShōji TonoikeGorō Taniguchi31 January 2001 (2001-01-31)
18"8000 Meter Deep Battle"
Transliteration: "Shindo 8000 M no tatakai" (Japanese: 深度8000Mの戦い)
Yasuhiro MinamiHiroyuki YoshinoMitsuo Fukuda
Yasuhiro Minami
7 February 2001 (2001-02-07)
19"Resurrected Life"
Transliteration: "Yomigaeru inochi" (Japanese: よみがえる命)
Masakazu ObaraHiroyuki YoshinoMasakazu Obara14 February 2001 (2001-02-14)
20"Burn Up, Ginga!"
Transliteration: "Moero! Ginga!!" (Japanese: 燃えろ!銀河!!)
Shigeki TakagiMasaharu AmiyaYū Kō21 February 2001 (2001-02-21)
21"Revived Black Knight!"
Transliteration: "Kuro kishi fukkatsu!" (Japanese: 黒騎士復活!)
Naoki HishikawaYasuko KobayashiNaoki Hishikawa28 February 2001 (2001-02-28)
22"Mother's Secret"
Transliteration: "Haha no himitsu" (Japanese: 母の秘密)
Manabu OnoShōji TonoikeManabu Ono7 March 2001 (2001-03-07)
23"Locked Memories"
Transliteration: "Tozasareta kioku" (Japanese: 閉ざされた記憶)
Yasuhiro MinamiChiaki MorosawaMitsuo Fukuda
Shigeki Takagi
Yasuhiro Minami
14 March 2001 (2001-03-14)
24"Long Night"
Transliteration: "Nagai yoru" (Japanese: 長い夜)
Hiroshi KawashimaShōji TonoikeShigeki Takagi
Masakazu Obara
21 March 2001 (2001-03-21)
25"In Midst of Flames"
Transliteration: "Honō no naka de" (Japanese: 炎の中で)
Masakazu ObaraMasaharu AmiyaSusumu Yamaguchi28 March 2001 (2001-03-28)
26"The Day Spiral Castle Falls"
Transliteration: "Rasen-jō no ochiru hi" (Japanese: 螺旋城の落ちる日)
Shigeki TakagiHiroyuki YoshinoMasamitsu Hidaka4 April 2001 (2001-04-04)
27"Stealthy Shadow"
Transliteration: "Shinobi yoru kage" (Japanese: 忍びよる影)
Naoki Hishikawa
Masahiro Takada
Yasuko KobayashiHiroshi Kawashima11 April 2001 (2001-04-11)
28"Subaru's Challenge"
Transliteration: "Subaru no chōsen" (Japanese: スバルの挑戦)
Manabu OnoMasaharu AmiyaManabu Ono
Mitsuo Fukuda
18 April 2001 (2001-04-18)
29"Hokuto in Danger!"
Transliteration: "Hokuto no kiki!" (Japanese: 北斗の危機!)
Yasuhiro MinamiShōji TonoikeNaoki Hishikawa
Yasuhiro Minami
25 April 2001 (2001-04-25)
30"The Greatest Rival!"
Transliteration: "Saidai no teki!" (Japanese: 最大の敵!)
Shigeki TakagiHiroyuki YoshinoMitsuo Fukuda
Masamitsu Hidaka
2 May 2001 (2001-05-02)
31"Hokuto's Cries, Ginga's Tears"
Transliteration: "Hokuto no sakebi, ginga no namida" (Japanese: 北斗の叫び、銀河の涙)
Masakazu ObaraHiroyuki YoshinoMasakazu Obara
Susumu Yamaguchi
9 May 2001 (2001-05-09)
32"Fly, Subaru!"
Transliteration: "Tobe! Subaru!" (Japanese: 飛べ!スバル!)
Naoki Hishikawa
Masahiro Takada
Tomoya AsanoNaoki Hishikawa16 May 2001 (2001-05-16)
33"GEAR's Destruction!"
Transliteration: "GEAR kaimetsu!" (Japanese: GEAR壊滅!)
Manabu OnoShōji TonoikeManabu Ono
Mitsuo Fukuda
23 May 2001 (2001-05-23)
34"Zero Attack!"
Transliteration: "Zero atakku!!" (Japanese: ゼロ・アタック!!)
Yasuhiro MinamiNoboru KimuraManabu Ono
Shigeki Takagi
30 May 2001 (2001-05-30)
35"Takeoff to Space!"
Transliteration: "Hasshin! Sora e" (Japanese: 発進!宇宙へ)
Shigeki TakagiTomoya AsanoYasuhiro Minami
Naoki Hishikawa
Mitsuo Fukuda
6 June 2001 (2001-06-06)
36"Sea of Storms"
Transliteration: "Arashi no umi" (Japanese: 嵐の海)
Masakazu ObaraNoboru KimuraMasakazu Obara
Mitsuo Fukuda
Yasuhiro Minami
13 June 2001 (2001-06-13)
37"The Truth About Arktos"
Transliteration: "Arukutosu no shinjitsu" (Japanese: アルクトスの真実)
Naoki Hishikawa
Masahiro Takada
Hiroyuki YoshinoNaoki Hishikawa
Susumu Yamaguchi
20 June 2001 (2001-06-20)
38"The Legend of the Stars - And the Day of Beginnings -"
Transliteration: "Hoshi no densetsu ― Soshite, hajimari no hi ―" (Japanese: 星の伝説―そして、始まりの日―)
Mitsuo Fukuda
Manabu Ono
Chiaki MorosawaYasuhiro Minami
Manabu Ono
Mitsuo Fukuda
27 June 2001 (2001-06-27)

Video Game

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Gear Fighter Dendoh has spawned one platform title for the PlayStation. It was released in 2001.

Dendoh was also featured in the Super Robot Wars series of Japanese simulation games. It has appeared in 2002's Super Robot Wars R for the Game Boy Advance and Super Robot Wars MX for the PlayStation 2 and its PSP version.

Homage Weapons

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In episode 24 of the series Dendoh is forced to fight without the aid of data weapons, forcing it to use an arsenal of weapons that are homages to various early mecha anime. This incarnation has been dubbed as Full Armor Dendoh.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "GEAR戦士電童 [ CHARACTER:キャラクター紹介 ]". Gear Fighter Dendoh official website. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
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