80's Trivia Questions

Your source for weekly 80's trivia questions. You will find 80s trivia questions ranging from clothing and hair to TV and movies and, of course, 80's music. If you think you have the answer, post it in the comments section.

80's Japanese Anime Trivia Questions

For kids who grew up in the 80's, the Japanese style of animation known as "Anime" might have seemed like a new genre. Of course, it was only new to us. Animation had been integral to the Japanese film industry for most of the preceding century, and crept into the American scene as a sort of best kept secret.

The Japanese were creating animated films as far back as 1917, and the first feature length film of the genre came out in 1944. Disney films of the late 30's, notably "Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs," inspired the development of animation techniques in Japan, and by the end of the 20th Century, American animators were adopting the Japanese Anime style. Back in the 80's, the younger crowd was watching Japanese animated shows like "Speed Racer" on TV, while the adult crowd could check out more underground Anime films at video clubs (especially if the legendary DJ "Mohawk" Adam was spinning.)

One of the shows that turned up toon television back in the 80's was a repackaged space drama that followed the efforts of the Star Force to save the Earth from the blue skinned Gamelons. Much of the show was heavily modified as it was transformed for the American audience, but basically the Star Force must journey to the planet Iscandar to retrieve a device that will cleanse the earth of the radiation the Gamelons have been using to destroy the human race.

Their space ship is called the Argo, and it looks very much like an ocean going battleship (right down to the keel), because it has been built from the salvaged remains of the Battleship Yamoto. So what was the name of (the Americanized version) of this Japanese animated series?

Bonus Question: If you were a kid in France, Belgium, or Quebec back in the late 70's/early 80's, you may have been exposed to another animated series that was quite popular in those places. It featured a staple of the Anime genre: huge battling robots! The show was brought over to France and overdubbed in French, which helped it become popular in French speaking Quebec.

The robot in question had golden colored horns sticking out of his head that shot lightning, arms that turned into rockets, a bladed lasso of sorts, and a circular spacecraft that he fit into the front of for long trips. What was the name of the show?

Labels: ,

3 Comments:

At April 29, 2009, Blogger Bill Cook said...

The answer to the Trivia Question for April 24th (What was the name of the Japanese animated series in which Star Force must save the Earth from the blue skinned Gamelons?) was "Star Blazers."

The answer to the Bonus Question (What was the name of the Japanese animated series, popular in French speaking places during the early 80's, that featured a giant robot with golden colored horns sticking out of his head?) was "Golderak."

 
At June 10, 2009, Anonymous xPIERPOx said...

Was GOLDORAK, real name UFO ROBO GRENDIZER.

 
At July 10, 2009, Anonymous Woody Manahl said...

What was the name of the early 80's tv show called where you had a robot family and when they were called upon, they would transform into rockets to battle whatever came their way?

 

Post a Comment

<< Home