Dinozaurs


DinoZone is a Japanese toyline created by toy company Bandai in 1998. Alongside the toys, two media adaptations were created by Sunrise: a 5-episode 3D CGI OVA series that ran from November 27, 1998 to January 2000 and a 26-episode animated television series that aired on Fox Kids from July 28, 2000 to November 30, 2000.

Production

Dinozone was created by Bandai in cooperation with anime studio Sunrise. The toys were presented as clear dinosaurlike robots that can change form into a robot mode called Progress Mode, with the main gimmick of the toys having clear colored plastic alongside die cast metal parts, to represent a reconstructed fossilized dinosaur. Each toy has an individual weapon as its accessory, though certain toys in the toyline can act as weapons to be equipped such as Dino Pachy or Dino Arch.
The OVA series was released by Sunrise as a pack-in to the toys. Four episodes were released as the fifth and final episode was an exclusive for Televi Magazine and Comic Bom Bom subscribers. In 2000, Bandai partnered with Saban Entertainment to bring the series to America, changing the name to Dinozaurs, and Sunrise produced an animated series to promote the toys alongside new character designs that were not present in the original Dinozone toyline.

Plot

65,000,000 years ago, aliens known as the Dragozaurs came from space to Earth in order to absorb the planet's life force. The planet responded by converting a select number of prehistoric animals, including dinosaurs, into the Dino Knights in order to defend it. The Dragozaurs resurface in the present day to collect the planet's life force, and the Dino Knights re-awaken from their long slumber in order to stop them.

Characters

Dino Knights

When the Dragozaurs first attack Earth, the planet converts a select number of prehistoric animals into the '''

Cerazaur Brothers

The Cerazaur Brothers are three Dino Knights that were found by Rick. By the command "Triblade fusion! Integrate!", they can combine to form Dino Triblades who wields the Triple Fossil Star Sword and is the largest of the Dino Knights.
; Dino Centrosaurus
; Dino Torosaurus
; Dino Styracosaurus

Dino Weapons

The Dino Weapons are Dino Knights that can become weapons outside of their dinosaur and warrior forms and can attach to any Dino Knight. They are found on an island and were nearly abducted by Gomez. Once Dino Tyranno and Dino Brachio get the three to regain their memories, they help Dino Tyranno and Dino Brachio fend off the Drago Clones and the Dragozaurs.
; Dino Pachycephalosaurus
; Dino Kentrosaurus
; Dino Archelon

Others

; Dino Ichthyosaurus
; Dino Rhamphorhynchus

Dragozaurs

The '''Dragon are an alien race who are the antagonists of the series. They feed off of a planet's life force, causing the planet to be lifeless and in ruins. The Dragozaurs are:
; Diamond Ryugu
; Chinese dragon
; Drago Wing
; Dark Dragon
; Dragozaur Army Forces

Drago Clones

Created by Diamond Ryugu using the power of the Dark Crystal, the Drago Clones are clones of the Dino Knights. The Drago Clones are:
; Drago Tyran
; Drago Ceratops
; Drago Brachio
; Drago Stegus
; Drago Pterodactylus
; Drago Tigra
; Drago Elephas

Others

; Supersaurus

Humans

; Kaito Tatsuno
; Rena
; Rick
; Taki
; Dr. Naomi Abram
; Dr. Abbott
; Professor Takuda
; Ronnie Tatsuno
; Emily
; Dr. Gale
; Gomez
; Princess Helen

Episodes

OVA

The original toyline spawned a five-episode OVA series, the first four which were released on VHS alongside the initial release of the toys, while the final fifth OVA was given only to subscribers of Televi Magazine and Comic Bom Bom. It was directed and written by Tetsuro Amino.

Anime

An anime series based on the American version of the toyline, titled DinoZaurs: The Series, was produced by Sunrise, OLM Digital and Saban Entertainment. It aired on North America in both Fox Kids in the US and YTV in Canada from July 7 to December 1, 2000. It was directed by Kiyoshi Fukumoto and written by Yasuko Kobayashi while the music was composed by Shirou Hamaguchi, Akifumi Tada, Ron Kenan, Shuki Levy, and Kusa March.
The rights to the English-dubbed version of DinoZaurs: The Series were formerly licensed by Saban Entertainment in North America in 2000, and are now owned by Disney Enterprises after Disney bought Fox Family/Fox Kids Worldwide in 2001. However, there were no plans to release the English-dubbed version of Dinozaurs on Region 1 DVD.