Daigunder
Daigunder is a Japanese anime television series about humans using robots in tournaments. Created by Aeon and Takara and animated by Brain's Base, the studio’s first television production, the series aired on TV Tokyo from April to December 2002. A series of Daigunder toys were produced that could interact with TV screens.
Plot
Set in a futuristic time where talking robots are common, there is a tournament where robot teams pit off against each other in. The Battle Robots look like humans and transforming animals.A boy named Akira Akebono plans to win the Titan Belt with his robots Bulion, Eaglearrow, Drimog, Bonerex, Despector, Trihorn, Ryugu and also Daigu who form the mighty Daigunder. The Daigunder unit was a creation of Akira's grandfather, Professor Hajime Akebono. Managed by a girl named Haruka Hoshi, Team Akira enters many tournaments for Akira to reach his goal. However, there are many occasions when a Battle Robot named Ginsan is out to destroy Daigunder. Ginsan does this under the orders of the evil and mysterious Professor Maelstrom and he is later joined by Tigamaru & Logamaru. Akira and his friends soon find a new ally in DragonBurst, and new comrades in his assistants, DragonFlame & DragonFreezer.
Characters
Team Akira
Akira and his robots' base of operations is Dailand and they get around in their plane called the Daishuttle. Team Akira's Battle Robots consist of the Daigunder Unit, the Animal Unit, and the Dino Unit. When damaged, Sabuto gives them upgrades whenever they need it.; Akira Akebono
; Haruka Hoshi/Heruka
; Hajime Akebono
; Beebot
Daigunder Unit
RyuguDaigu/Daigunder
A creation of Professor Hajime, Battle King Daigunder is the Metamorphic Fusion of Ryugu and Daigu. Nicknamed the "King of the Battle Robots", he was equipped with special system called the Cluster System. Daigunder can attack his enemies with his Dragon Cannon and Dragon Sword. With Despector as his left arm he can perform the Echo Blast. When Both DragonFlame and DragonFreeze weapon use with Daigunder, it can use its most powerful attack, the Dragon Buster. He can also combine with DragoBurst.
; Flaming Robot Warrior Ryugu
; Daigu
; Magma-Born Hot-blooded warrior DragonFlame
; Blizzard-Born Cold-blooded Sage DragonFreezer
Bulion
Blue Thrasher Bulion is the Leader of Team Akira's Animal Unit and attacks with his Thunder Claw attack. His animal form is a lion. He can Metamorphic Fuse with Daigu to become Battle King Daigulion who attacks with his "Thunder Fang Battle Claw". With Eaglearrow and Drimog on his arms he can perform the Daigulion Blaster, and his finisher is "Thunder Fang Battle Claw". Bulion could also Armor Fuse with DragonBurst to become Black Lightning Burstlion.Bonerex
Jurassic Soldier Bonerex is the leader of the Dino Unit who attacked the mayor's town when the mayor was placing an amusement park in the Dino Units area. He and the Dino Unit later joined Akira and attacks with his Bone Blade attack. His animal form is a Tyrannosaurus. He can Metamorphic Fuse with Daigu to become the Swordplay King Daigarex, with attacks such as the Air-Slicing Beast Sword and Daigurex Fire, which he performs with Despector and Trihorn on his arms. Bonerex can also Armor Fuse with DragoBurst to form Jurassic Darkness Burstrex.Megarex
Incredible Quadruple Robot Megarex is the Power Fusion of Eaglearrow, Drimog, Despector, and Trihorn. This combination is seldom used, as it sometimes takes a lot of power out of them. Eaglearrow forms the chest armor. Drimog forms the lower torso and legs. Despector forms the back and wings. Trihorn forms the head, upper torso, arms and feet. Megarex is powerful enough to withstand Ginzan's Power Blast attack.; Descending Disaster Eaglearrow
; Underground Fighter Drimog
; Dark Reaper Despecter
; Gate Keeper Trihorn
Allies
; Commissioner Spinklestarber; Mysterious Unallied Gunman Ginzan
; Dark Beast of Legend DragoBurst
Villains
; Professor Maelstrom; Maneuvering Pirate Tigamaru
; Maneuvering Ninja Scroll Logamaru
Episodes
- The Dream Begins
- Step One
- Training Battle
- Hybrid Match
- Enter Ginzan
- Robot Round Up
- Bots Will Be Bots
- There Is No "I" In Team
- Been There, Done That
- Friend or Foe
- Battling with Style
- Loose as a Caboose
- The Mystery of Team X
- The Enemy Within
- Too Many Robots Spoil The Broth
- A Royal Pain
- Brits, Bots and Betty
- A New Friend
- Two Bots or Not Two Bots?
- Goon With The Wind
- Fight or Get Off The Bot
- A Battle Down Memory Lane
- Fire and Ice
- The Stand in the Sand
- Maelstrom's Madness
- Daigunder My Thumb
- The Battle for Ryugu
- Maybe the Grass Ain't Greener
- Dazed and Kamfused
- Teamwork
- A Lesson Earned is a Lesson Learned
- Doctor Bridget Explains it All
- Desperate Trap for Daigunder
- Maelstrom vs. Dragon Burst
- History of the Title Grosser
- Charge! Fight for the Hard Foughted
Cast
Japanese Cast
- Fujiko Takimoto as Akira
- Juri Ihata as Haruka
- Yuki Kaida as Ryugu
- Kiyoyuki Yanada as Daigu/Daigunder
- Isshin Chiba as Eaglearrow & Trihorn
- Kazuhiro Nakata as Boss
- Keiichi Sonobe as Announcer
- Kōichi Tōchika as Despector
- Masaya Onosaka as Drimog
- Nobutoshi Canna as Taigamaru
- Nobuyuki Hiyama as Rougamaru
- Norio Wakamoto as Dragonburst
- Ryotaro Okiayu as Bone Rex/Daigurex
- Susumu Chiba as Ginzan
- Tetsu Inada as Bulion/Daigulion
- Tomohisa Asou as Dr. Hajime
English Cast
- Steven Blum - Professor Hajime Akebono
- Joey D'Auria - Commissioner Spinklestarber
- Richard Epcar - Eaglearrow
- Barbara Goodson - Akira Akebono
- Steve Kramer - Drimog
- Lex Lang - Despector, Tri-Horn
- Brad MacDonald - Rogamaru/Wolf Fang
- Dave Mallow - Track Announcer
- Michael McConnohie - Tigamaru/Tiger Fang
- Lara Jill Miller - Haruka Hoshi
- Bob Papenbrook - Bulion/Daigulion
- Paul Schrier - Bone Rex/Daigurex
- Joshua Seth - Ryugu
- Michael Sorich - Daigu/Daigunder
- Tom Wyner - Ginzan
Additional voices
- Mona Marshall - Makoto
- Jason C. Miller -
- Philece Sampler - Dr. Bridget
- Brianne Siddall - Jimmy
- Kari Wahlgren -
Crew
English Crew
- Tony Oliver - Producer
- Scott Page-Pagter - Voice Director
Theme Songs
- "Bakuto Sengen! Daigunder" by Masaaki Endoh
- "We Are the Heroes" by Hiroshi Kitadani
Trivia
- The original opening and ending songs weren't used in the English dubbed version, instead the opening song was replaced with Akira voice narrating his mission as a leader and the ending song was replaced with an instrumental track.
- A different English dub was provided by Animax.