Challenge of the GoBots

Challenge of the GoBots
Format	Animated series
Starring	Lou Richards Arthur Burghardt Frank Welker Bernard Erhard Bob Holt Marilyn Lightstone Sparky Marcus Leslie Speights Morgan Paull Phil Hartman B.J. Ward Brock Peters Peter Cullen
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	65
Production
Executive producer(s)	William Hanna Joseph Barbera
Running time	30 mins
Production company(s)	Hanna-Barbera Hasbro
Broadcast
Original channel	First-run syndication
Original airing	October 29, 1984 (miniseries) September 16, 1985 (regular series)

Challenge of the GoBots (also known as Mighty Machine Men) is an American animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera, based on the Gobots toy-line released from Tonka.^{[1] [2]} Most of the toys were imported from the Japanese Machine Robo toy line. The show originally debuted in animated form as a five-part miniseries, which aired in syndication from October 29 - November 2, 1984. A regular series followed the next year, premiering on September 16, 1985. The series was later rerun on the USA Cartoon Express.

Summary

GoBots dealt with two opposing forces of transforming robots from the planet Gobotron: the heroic Guardians and the evil Renegades. The Guardians were led by Leader-1 with others including Turbo and Scooter. The Renegades were led by Cy-Kill, with Crasher and Cop-Tur among their ranks. The characters rarely had guns, instead shooting energy blasts out of their fists. The female robots on the series were built like the males (only Crasher receiving any distinguishable female features). The GoBots' origin as organic beings accounted for the presence of genders among the robots.^[3]

The series generally focused on the "lead" three robots from each faction (Leader-1, Turbo and Scooter vs. Cy-Kill, Cop-Tur and Crasher), who were virtually ever-present, with other characters seeming to rotate in "guest-star" roles. GoBots had no clear divide between the two factions. The characters (as well as the toys) had no identifying insignias or markings to indicate their allegiance, although it was clearly indicated on the packaging. Likewise, there was no commonality of design within each faction. The only 'theme' to a side was that anything that turned into a 'monstrous'-looking robot or vehicle was a Renegade. Clips from the show were used in Errol Morris's Fast, Cheap and Out of Control.^[4]

Plot

In the series' backstory, set thousands of years ago on the planet GoBotron, there lived a race of human-like beings known as GoBings. Civil war erupted on the planet when the power-hungry terrorist group known as the Renegades arose, led by a madman dubbed the "Master Renegade", who waged war against the peaceful Guardians. When a Renegade sabotage operation inadvertently resulted in a gigantic asteroid colliding with GoBotron, the natural disasters that resulted from the asteroid's impact pushed the GoBings to the verge of extinction. However, the genius who became known as the "Last Engineer" saved his people, taking his experiments to replace parts of his own body with mechanical substitutes to the ultimate extent and transferring the GoBings brains into large robot bodies known as "GoBots". The GoBot forms possessed an additional ability; after being run through the device named the Modifier, the GoBots' bodies were able to transform into other vehicles. His work done, the Last Engineer intended to retreat to a pre-prepared workshop elsewhere in the galaxy, but the Master Renegade stole his ship and escaped in his stead. The Last Engineer placed himself into suspended animation beneath the surface of GoBotron, while above, the war continued to rage between the Guardians and the Renegades, now all encased in GoBot shells.

In the last quarter of the 20th Century, the planet Earth became involved in the conflict between Leader-1's Guardians and Cy-Kill's Renegades. During one of these battles, one of Leader-1's lieutenants, Turbo, became severely damaged. Unwilling to let his friend and teammate die, Leader-1 began his quest to find the legendary Last Engineer. Leader-1 found the person he believed to be the Last Engineer, but Leader-1 had unwittingly released the Master Renegade (though he did repair Turbo to gain the Guardians' trust). The Guardians later found the true Last Engineer, who was instrumental in frustrating the alliance between Cy-Kill's Renegades and the Master Renegade. The Master Renegade later escaped the custody of the Renegades, and plagued both factions, notably attacking the UniCom colony of New Earth.

Characters

Guardians

• Leader-1 - The leader of the Guardians. He is a brave leader who cares deeply about his people. He believes not one person should be in charge. He supports the democratic system of the Guardians. This led his former friend, Cy-Kill, to break away from the Guardians. He took command of the evil Renegades and became Leader-1's worst enemy. Turns into an F-15 fighter jet.
• Turbo
• Scooter
• Small Foot - One of Leader-1's most trusted soldiers. A tracker, what she lacks in size she more than makes up for in heart and determination. Small Foot can often be seen kicking around with Scooter but she idolizes Leader-1 and is often found fighting by his side. Trouble often finds her wherever she is. Sometimes with all of her determination Small Foot becomes impulsive and eager to please the older and more experienced Guardian soldiers. Turns into a pickup truck. Voiced by B. J. Ward.
• Van Guard
• Blaster
• Rest-Q
• Path Finder
• Sparky
• Heat Seeker
• Road Ranger
• Night Ranger
• Hans-Cuff
• Bolt
• Ace
• Mr. Moto
• Dive-Dive
• Flip Top
• Zeemon
• Treds
• Major-Mo
• Twister

Renegades

• Cy-Kill
• Crasher
• Cop-Tur
• Loco
• Fitor
• Tank
• Screw Head
• Destroyer
• Tux (Stretch)
• Fly Trap
• Vamp
• Scorp
• Pincher
• Bugsy
• Hornet
• Creepy
• Dr. Go
• Scales
• Zod
• Stallion
• Stinger
• Buggyman
• Geeper-Creeper
• Snoop
• Slicks
• Zero
• Bug Bite

Humans

• Matt Hunter
• Nick Burns
• Allison Janmoria, aka "A.J." Foster
• Dr. Anya Turgenova
• General Newcastle
• The Last Engineer
• Master Renegade
• Dr. Zebidiah Braxis

Episodes

1. Battle for Gobotron
2. Target Earth
3. Conquest of Earth
4. Earth Bound
5. The Final Conflict
6. It's the Thought that Counts
7. Renegade Alliance
8. Time Wars
9. Terror In Atlantis
10. Trident's Triple Threat
11. Lost on Gobotron
12. Cy-Kill's Shrinking Ray
13. The Quest for Rogue-Star
14. Ultra Zod
15. Sentinel
16. Speed Is of the Essence
17. Genius and Son
18. Dawn World
19. Pacific Overtures
20. Forced Alliance
21. Invasion from the 21st Level (Part 1)
22. Invasion from the 21st Level (Part 2)
23. Doppelganger
24. Scooter Enhanced
25. Tarnished Image
26. Cold Spell
27. Crime Wave
28. Auto-madic
29. Renegade Rampage (Part 1)
30. Renegade Rampage (Part 2)
31. Search for the Ancient Gobonauts
32. Gameworld
33. Wolf in the Fold
34. Depth Charge
35. Transfer Point
36. Steamer's Defection
37. The GoBot Who Cried Renegade
38. The Seer
39. Whiz Kid
40. Ring of Fire
41. Cy-Kills Escape (Part 1 of 5)
42. Quest for the Creator (Part 2 of 5)
43. The Fall Of Gobotron (Part 3 of 5)
44. Flight To Earth (Part 4 of 5)
45. Return To Gobotron (Part 5 of 5)
46. Destroy All Guardians
47. Escape from Elba
48. Fitor to the Finish
49. Clutch of Doom
50. The Third Column
51. A New Suit for Leader-1
52. Renegade Carnival
53. The Gift
54. Nova Beam
55. The Last Magic
56. Braxis Gone Bonkers
57. Inside Job
58. Element of Danger
59. Mission GoBotron
60. Et Tu Cy-Kill?
61. The GoBots that Time Forgot
62. The Secret of Halley's Comet
63. Guardian Academy
64. Quest for New Earth
65. Cy-Kill's Cataclysmic Trap

Cast

• Rene Auberjonois - Dr. Braxis
• Arthur Burghardt - Cop-Tur (1986), Talc, Turbo
• Ken Campbell - Van Guard
• Philip L. Clarke - Dr. Go, Tork
• Peter Cullen - Pincher, Spoiler, Tank
• Bernard Erhard - Cy-Kill
• Richard Gautier - Claws
• Bob Holt - Cop-Tur (1984–1986)
• Marilyn Lightstone - Crasher, Path Finder
• Sparky Marcus - Nick Burns
• Brock Peters - General Newcastle
• Lou Richards - Leader-1
• Leslie Speights - A.J.
• B.J. Ward - Small Foot
• Kelly Ward - Fitor
• Kirby Ward - Heat Seeker
• Frank Welker - Blaster, Rest-Q, Scooter, Zeemon

Production credits

• Executive Producers: Joseph Barbera and William Hanna
• Co-Executive Producer: Joe Taritero
• Producer: Kay Wright
• Associate Producer: Lew Saw
• Creative Supervisor and Story Editor: Jeff Segal
• Associate Story Editor: Kelly Ward
• Supervising Director: Ray Patterson
• Directors: Art Davis, Oscar Dufau, Volus Jones, Don Lusk, Rudy Zamora, Alan Zaslove
• Assistant Directors: Robert Goe, Bill Hutton, Rick Leon, Tony Love, Don Patterson, Tim Walker
• For the Tonka Corporation
  • Executive Producer: Patrick S. Feely
  • Producer: Lois Hanrahan
  • Co-Producer: Ray McDonald
• Story Direction: Robert Taylor, Kent Butterworth, Roy Wilson, Rhoydon Shishido, Michael Swainigan, Peter Von Sholly, Rich Chidlaw, Larry Latham, Marijah Dial, Dale Barnhart, Tom Sito, George Scribner, Bill Kroyer
• Recording Director: Gordon Hunt
• Assistant Casting Director: Andrea Romano
• Voices: Adrienne Alexander, Lewis Arquette, Rene Auberjonois, Bever-Leigh Banfield, Jared Barclay, Eddie Barth, Steve Bulen, Arthur Burghardt, Howard Caine, Bill Callaway, Ken Campbell, Philip Lewis Clarke, Selette Cole, Henry Corden, Regis Cordic, Peter Cullen, Jennifer Darling, Jerry Dexter, George DiCenzo, Richard Dysart, Paul Eiding, Richard Gautier, Phillip Hartmann, Darryl Hickman, Bob Holt, Erv Immeman, David Jolliffe, Zale Kessler, Peter Leeds, Marilyn Lightstone, Norma MacMillan, Tress MacNeille, Sparky Marcus, Ken Mars, Gail Matthius, Bill Martin, Walter Matthews, Amanda McBroom, Joe Medalis, Allan Melvin, Scott Menville, Sidney Miller, Noelle North, Soon-Teck Oh, Alan Oppenheimer, Laurel Page, Morgan Paull, Rob Paulson, Brock Peters, Peter Renaday, Lou Richards, Bob Ridgely, Josh Rodine, Shavar Ross, Marilyn Schrefler, Michael Sheehan, Leslie Speights, Andre Stojka, Steve Susskind, Mark Taylor, Brian Tochi, Les Tremayne, Manu Tupou, B.J. Ward, Kelly Ward, Kirby Ward, Jimmy Weldon, Frank Welker, Eric Williams, Keone Young, Ted Zeigler
• Title: Bill Perez
• Graphics: Iraj Peran, Tom Wogatzke
• Music Arranged and Conducted By: Hoyt Curtin
• Music Supervisor: Paul DeKorte
• Design Supervisor: Davis Doi
• Character Design: Michael McHugh & Tony Sgroi
• Background Color Key: Eric Heschrong
• Background Supervisor: Al Gmuer
• Background Artists: Eric Heschrong, Mike Humphries, James Hegdus
• Produced and Associated with Cuckoos Nest, Wang Film Productions Co., LTD
• Production Supervisor: Lynn Hoag
• Technical Advisor: Bob Marples
• Animation Supervisors: Richard Bowman, Gary Hurst, William Kitchen, Mark Simon
• Sound Directors: Alvy Dorman, Phil Flad
• Supervising Film Editor: Larry C. Cowman
• Dubbing Supervisor: Pat Foley
• Supervising Music Editor: Joe Sandusky
• Supervising Effects Editors: Michael Bradley, Kerry Williams
• Music and Effects: Vitello and Associates
• Show Editor: Gil Iverson
• Negative Consultant: William E. DeBoer
• Post-Production Supervisor: Joed Eaton
• Executives in Charge of Production: Jayne Barbera and Jean MacCurdy
• A Hanna-Barbera Production
• This Picture Made Under the Juridiction of IATSE-IA Affiliated with A.F.L.-C.I.O.
• (c)1984 Hanna Barbera Productions and Tonka Corporation
• Go-Bots are a trademark of Hasbro Inc.

DVD Release

On February 3, 2011, Warner Archive Collection announced on their twitter account, that the series will be getting released on DVD. The release is just for the series and not the movie at this time. On May 17, 2011, the remastered, five part mini-series was released by the Warner Archive Collection.

Trivia

• The show was based on the Machine Robo franchise in Japan.
• They were called "Machine Men" in Australia.
• The Japan-made cartoon Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos was released in France as a sequel to the American series. The show was dubbed to take place in the future and Cy-Kill has reformed.
• A big-screen version of the series Gobots: Battle of the Rock Lords was released in 1986, one month before Transformers: The Movie.

See also

• GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords (1986)
• The Transformers

References

1. ^ "3 Animated Films: Good, Bad, Ugly". LA Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1986-03-21/entertainment/ca-5385_1_animated-films/2. Retrieved 2010-09-06. 
2. ^ Robots take control of boys' market; manufacturers, retailers look for ways to keep category on right track. Playthings; November 1, 1985; by Gilligan, Eugene
3. ^ "Living: Hot Toys with a Special Twist". Time. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,954424,00.html. Retrieved 2010-09-06. 
4. ^ Bellomo, Mark (2010). Totally Tubular '80s. Krause Publications. p. 90=93. ISBN 1440212821. 

External links

• Challenge of the Gobots Episode Guide
• New Gobotron discussion board
• Challenge of the GoBots at the Internet Movie Database
• Challenge of the GoBots at TV.com
• Challenge of the GoBots fan page^{[dead link]}
• Overlord CyKill's Renegade Headquarters