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
; SupersaurusHumans
; Kaito Tatsuno; Rena
; Rick
; Taki
; Dr. Naomi Abram
; Dr. Abbott
; Professor Takuda
; Ronnie Tatsuno
; Emily
; Dr. Gale
; Gomez
; Princess Helen
Episodes
- 1. Dino Knights Revived: The Dragozaurs have come to Earth to feed on its life force. Meanwhile, on Earth, a teenager named Kaito visits a dinosaur exhibit and discovers that the fossils in the museum are really the Dino Knights. They come to life and prepare to battle the Dragozaurs to save Earth.
- 2. The Dino Daggers of Friendship: Gigano Dragon returns to challenge Dino Tyranno, his old enemy. On Earth, Kaito is saved from the school bully by his friend Rena and reveals to her the Dino Knights. In the Dinotarium, fossilized daggers are found, which are really the power source to the Dino Knights. The Dragozaurs wish to control them, and the Dino Knights must battle to get them back.
- 3. Everything's Relative: Dino Sabre and Dino Tricera travel to Africa with Kaito and Rena to find traces of relatives. However, the Dragozaurs are also there, draining the water springs, and Dino Sabre and Dino Tricera must fight them.
- 4. Save Dino Ptera: Drago Wing plants a device to drain all the Earth's life force and Dino Ptera is drained while investigating. The Dino Knights must recharge her and defeat the Dragozaurs.
- 5. The Battle of the Aurora: Rena spots an aurora in town, and Dino Mammoth goes to the Arctic to find its source. Rena and Dino Brachio go after him, but both Knights are shrunk by Drago Wing. The only way to restore them is to locate the shrinking device and destroy the Dragozaurs' life-force extractor hidden in the Arctic.
- 6. A New Friend: Dino Tyranno, Kaito, and Rena go to New Mexico to find other Dino Knights. There they find the fossils of Toro and Centro, two of the Cerazaur Brothers. Only the Cerazaurs' Dino Dagger is able to awaken them which is in possession of a boy named Rick. They must revive the Cerazaurs without letting Gigano Dragon find out.
- 7. The Master Swordsman Triblades: Drago Wing is commanded to destroy Toro and Centro before they find their third brother, Styraco. Rick is helping them, but Drago Wing attacks Toro and Centro. Rick must find Styraco's fossil, and if he does, the three of them will combine into Triblades, a mighty and divine Dino Knight.
- 8. Battle of the Drago Clones: Diamond Ryugu makes the Drago Clones, evil versions of the Dino Knights to make up for the Dragozaurs' constant failure. They are ordered to attack the Dino Knights, and they defeat Tyranno, Brachio, Stego and Mammoth. To make matters worse, the Drago Clones use a fear-inducing ray to make Tricera, Sabre and Ptera too afraid to fight. Will they be able to charge themselves up and face their fears?.
- 9. Long Lost Love: A Stegosaurus plate is on display in New York, which is Dino Stego's old girlfriend Daisy. Kaito and Rena get Rick to help them recover it for Stego, but the Drago Clones arrive to drain a geyser of life force, forcing Dino Stego to join his comrades.
- 10. Rick's Big Adventure: The Cerazaur brothers are practicing when they and Rick hear an explosion. Thieves have blasted open a mine shaft and find what they think are gems, but they are actually rocks full of life force. Gigano Dragon goes to steal the rocks for the Dragozaurs and Styraco, Toro, and Centro must stop him.
- 11. Their Name is Dino Weapons: Kaito, Rena, Naomi, Dr. Abbott, and Professor Takuda travel to a volcanic island filled with life force. There are three mini-Dinozaurs on the island, which are rogue. A man named Gomez catches them to sell as specimens as the Dino Knights realize that these are the Dino Weapons. Unfortunately, the Drago Clones arrive, and the Dino Knights must face them if they are to get the weapons.
- 12. The Legend of Dino Ramph Part 1: Kaito dreams of seeing a phoenix, and soon finds out that it is a creature known as Dino Ramph. Dino Tyranno knows him, and they and Rena go to Central America to investigate tremors. Gigano Dragon attacks, and Dino Tyranno must fight him while Kaito and Rena find Ramph. Meanwhile, the other knights are fighting the Drago Clones at the South Pole, but Diamond Ryugu herself is coming. Are the Dino Knights doomed?.
- 13. The Legend of Dino Ramph Part 2: The Dino Knights try to hold off the Dragozaurs in the Antarctic. Diamond Ryugu depowers them and starts to suck up all of the Earth's life force. Rick, Rena, and Kaito must awaken Dino Ramph to defeat her.
- 14. A New Shadow: Diamond Ryugu wants Dino Ramph's power, but only after the Dino Knights are slain. She summons a powerful Dragozaur named Dark Dragon and sends him to destroy the Dino Knights. Kaito and Rena are trying to find Dino Ramph before Ryugu does, and Rick tells them that a birdlike creature has been sighted, but it is a trap by Dark Dragon. Will the Dino Knights overcome Dark Dragon?.
- 15. Keep the Faith: Dino Tyranno and Dino Tricera have been incinerated in the volcano, and the others try to protect their remains. Only Dino Ramph can resurrect them. Kaito, Rick, Rena, and Ptera search for him and find him at Drago Mountain. The group must pass the mountain warriors' test to survive. Dark Dragon is about to confront the remaining Dino Knights, the Cerazaurs and the Dino Weapons. While they hold him off, the kids try to restore Tyranno and Tricera. Will they succeed and defeat Dark Dragon?.
- 16. The Stolen Dino Dagger: Dark Dragon protests his defeat to Diamond Ryugu that the Dino Daggers were the only reason he was defeated, so he creates a girl named Kira to steal them. Kaito and Rena must get their daggers back or it's all over.
- 17. Welcome Back Theo: Kaito, Taki, and Rena are swept away by a whirlpool and end up in an underwater city full of life force. The city inhabitants attack them and confiscate Kaito's Dino Dagger. A girl named Helen rescues them and tells them they are in Atlantis. Diamond Ryugu sends the Drago Clones to the city to get the life force. Kaito and Rena must stop the Drago Clones by reviving Atlantis' guardian, Dino Icthyo.
- 18. Dino Icthyo in a Pinch: Dino Arch falls in love with Dino Icthyo. Theo tells the kids that she will be impressed if Arch brings her a ruby from a certain island. While searching for the ruby to give Theo, Kaito, Rena, Arch and the other Dino Weapons have a skirmish with Drago Wing who is trying to improve the Dragozaurs' water-fighting skills.
- 19. Baby Come Back: A group of Dragozaurs sneak to Earth to eat life force. Meanwhile, Kaito and Rena babysit his parents' friends' baby, Zach. Tyranno fights the isolated Dragozaurs and Zach is accidentally abducted when they retreat. Drago Wing finds out that the Dragozaurs have brought a human to the base and orders them to eat him, but one Dragozaur grows attached to Zach.
- 20. Remember Your True Self: Drago Wing offers to properly motivate the Dragozaurs with a stirring speech in order to please Diamond Ryugu. On Earth, the newly-motivated Dragozaurs fight the Dino Knights, but with the same result as always: defeat. During their retreat, Drago Wing is knocked to the ground and loses his memory. When summoned back to Diamond Ryugu, she orders the Dragozaurs to restore his memory by showing him clips of their previous battles with the Dino Knights.
- 21. The Ninja Castle in the Sky: The remaining Drago Clones make themselves look like humans and build a ninja castle which they use to trap Rick. Dino Styraco is their target, and Rick must stop the Drago Clones, who are led by Dark Dragon.
- 22. Supersaurus' Great Strength: Skeletal remains of a supersaurus are found. Rena and Kaito go with Naomi to look at it. Dark Dragon promises Diamond Ryugu that he'll defeat the Dino Knights by taking control of the supersaurus skeleton. The supersaurus drains Dino Tricera, Stego and Mammoth's life force just by touching them. Tyranno must find a way to fight the beast without touching it.
- 23. Gigano Strikes Back: A dragon fossil is discovered by Dr. Gale, and Kaito and Rena go to the excavation site to see it uncovered. As soon as they see it, they recognize it as Gigano Dragon and quickly report the discovery to the Dino Knights. As the fossilized form of Gigano is driven away by Dr. Gale, his truck is attacked by Gomez. He steals Gigano's fossil, but it is soon stolen again by Dark Dragon so he can revive Gigano to fight Dino Tyranno.
- 24. The Demonic Solar Eclipse: NASA is going to launch a new weather observation satellite immediately after the day's solar eclipse, and Kaito agrees to watch the event with Rena. As the eclipse begins, Kaito is feeling the effects of food poisoning in the Dinotarium and misses it. As everyone else observes the eclipse, they notice a strange glow around the Moon, and Dark Dragon casts a spell to control everyone's mind, telling them to go to the Dinotarium and destroy the Dino Knights. Kaito and the Knights must avoid the mob and defeat Dark Dragon once and for all.
- 25. Invasion of the Bite Lice: The Dragozaurs' base begins to crumble without a supply of life force, and Diamond Ryugu sends Drago Wing to Earth to command an army of bite lice to invade and cover it with dark energy. The Dino Knights are disabled, and so Kaito, Rena and Rick venture out to stop the lice. However, they and the Dino Knights are unaware that the lice are just to distract them from Diamond Ryugu's true plan.
- 26. For the Earth: Diamond Ryugu plans to drain all of Earth's life force with an enormous extractor powered by a captured Dino Ramph. Kaito, Rena and Rick enter the machine to free him while the Dino Knights fight the Dragozaurs in a final battle for the fate of the Earth.
Media
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.