Video Backlog: "Super Robot Red Baron"

Publisher: BCI Eclipse (USA)
Format: Region 1 DVD, NTSC, Japanese Dialogue and English Subtitles
Length: 39 Episodes x 25 minutes
Production Date: 1973 - 1974
Currently in Print (as of writing): Yes (Mill Creek Entertainment DVD reissue)

Story Outline: Supposedly set in the year 2005 (though this is no mention of this in the show itself), an evil organisation named the Iron Alliance steals hundreds of giant robots from a world robot expo in Tokyo. However the Secret Science Investigation (SSI) are on the case and set about beating the heck out of the Iron Alliance’s minions. Robot scientist Kurenai Kenichiro foresees his own kidnapping by the Iron Alliance and turns over to his brother, Ken, a giant robot he has been building in secret; Red Baron. Luckily Ken is a member of the SSI and with his other teammates they take out evil robots every week, with Inspector Kumono, the “bicycle inspector”, who has a umbrella with a gun in it as well as the umbrella itself being a bulletproof shield.

Mini Review: This show was a follow up to “Iron King” I watched a week or so back. This show is a lot more competently made and scripted and far less insane than Iron King, which is a bit of a disappointment. However there’s some really weird stuff such as the SSI commander’s grand piano in the SSI’s ready room which doubles as a communications device when you play the keyboard. The bicycle inspector is a bit annoying at times, as well as the three kids who irregularly appear. There’s also weirdness in some really obvious product placement with Mobil service stations and logos plastered just about everywhere including the garage which is a cover for the SSI and the team’s vehicles. With the loss of two cast at the end of the first season (at episode 26), the last 13 episodes change the tone of the series a little bit and I thought it was a bit weak towards the end. However, the ending was fantastic. Bob Sakuma who did the music for Gatchaman did the music for this series and it sounds a little like outtakes from that show. Even real a piece BGM from Gatchaman appears in the first moments in the first episode, remixed slightly. So a little uneven, but the good stuff outweighs the bad. 7 out of 10.

Remaining Backlog: 21 months (it's much easier this way than listing the number of discs).