Rangers of the galaxies - The 1986 animated series

Rangers of the galaxies - The 1986 animated series

The rangers of the galaxies (original title: The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers) is an American animated series of Space Western, created by Robert Mandell and Gaylord Entertainment Company. The cartoons ran on syndication between 1986 and 1989.

The series combines science fiction stories with traditional wild west themes. It is one of the first anime-style shows produced mainly in the United States, although the animation was made by the Japanese studio Tokyo Movie Shinsha.

At the time it aired, The rangers of the galaxies it was considered a revolutionary children's show of that period.

History

The story of the Galaxy Rangers is set in the future, sometime after the year 2086. Two aliens from the planets Andor and Kirwin travel to Earth to seek allies against the expansionist Crown Empire led by the Crown Queen.

In exchange for their help, the two aliens provide humanity with construction plans for a hyperdrive device. After this key event in human history, interstellar travel flourished and huge numbers of colonies emerged in distant star systems.

Alongside the growth of human activities in space, criminal activities also grew. For this reason, the new colonies required defense against various threats, including the Crown Empire.

The BETA group

A group known as "BETA" (Bureau of Extraterrestrial Affairs) was established to cope with these tasks, including a "Ranger" division. BETA proves to be the main military and exploratory arm of the Earth.

The organization's headquarters are on Earth. BETA supports several bases on and around Earth, such as the Longshot Research Facility in the Grand Canyon and the BETA space station in Earth's orbit.

Most of the colonies portrayed in the show were specialized in agriculture or in the extraction of "star stones". Many of the planets on the show have names that evoke ideas of Western setting, Nebraska, Mesa, Ozark, and Prairie are a few.

In the first episode titled "Phoenix", Zachary Foxx loses his wife to the Queen of the Crown. So he puts together a group called the galaxy rangers.

The Galaxy Rangers are tasked with enforcing law and order across the new frontier. The Rangers' job is primarily to get rid of the Crown Empire.

Each ranger is equipped with an experimental technology called Series-5 to enhance natural abilities.

The Series-5, or S5, brain implant is implied to be the closest that humanity will ever merge with cybernetics.

The S5 plant allows for a dramatic increase in innate capabilities due to its unique conversion of bioelectric energy. This is generated by the alpha radiation stored inside the badges worn by The rangers of the galaxies.

The Crown Empire, also known as the "Crown", is ruled by the Queen of the Crown, whose intentions and motives are described as evil. He controls a large number of planets across a large section of the galaxy, over which he rules as a cruel tyrant.

The Queen controls her empire using creatures called Slaver Lords with whom she has a psychic bond. Slave Lords draw their power from the psychic energy of other beings.

After the Empire encountered humans, the Queen discovered that they were better suited for energy extraction than any other species encountered previously.

Characters

Zachary Foxx

Zachary Foxx is the captain of the Rangers Series-5. He was badly wounded in a battle with a space pirate named Captain Kidd and his entire left side was replaced with bionic devices. This allowed him to fire blasts of energy with his left arm and giving him extraordinary strength. Inside Captain Zachary Foxx, the function of the implant is simply to act as an energy conduit: the activation of the badge activates a sequence of events that overloads his left-sided bionics and allows either a strengthening of the muscles and of myomere tendons, or a channeling of bioelectricity through bionic amplifiers to produce an energy blast of up to 16 standard carbine rounds, making it capable of blowing up a wall, soldering circuits or possibly pierce the hull of a ship. He is married and the father of two children. His wife's mind has been kidnapped by the Queen of the Crown and is contained in a "psycho-crystal".

Shane Gooseman

Shane "Goose" Gooseman was genetically produced in a test tube as part of a government genetic experiment to create a group of enhanced mutant soldiers known as "Supertroopers". A civil councilor gave the Supertroopers a gas intended to accelerate their mutation and make them more powerful, but it had the side effect of making the Supertroopers more aggressive and mentally unstable. Goose was at the shooting range at the time, and thus avoided the gas, making him the only soldier left unaffected. The other soldiers had to be cryogenically imprisoned, but some managed to escape. Goose was given the option to avoid cryogenic freezing as long as he joined the rangers of the galaxies and hunt down the escaped Supertroopers. His Series-5 bionic implants allow him limited control over the molecules in his body giving him the ability to heal, absorb energy and adapt to various environmental conditions by temporarily changing the shape of his body to adapt to his situation or environment. Goose's implant boosts their genetic biodefences, allowing them to react almost instantly, instead of minutes or hours as they normally would. This brings him closer to the level of rogue supertroopers and makes him the only one capable of taking on them one-on-one in personal fights. Its characterization is strongly inspired by Clint Eastwood. It is also noted during the show's credits that he is the only Supertrooper with compassion.

Niki Stone

Niki is an archaeologist specializing in ancient cultures and has innate psychic abilities. He carries a big gun and knows martial arts. His Series-5 implant increases his psychic abilities and can create shields, lift objects and have clairvoyance. Niki's implant acts as a psychic amplifier, enhancing her innate psychic abilities by adding the power of radiation converted into a psionic enhancement that can increase her range from simple tactile to light years away. He can also generate an environmental energy shield that will drastically drain his plant, but can be increased by touching other rangers and drawing power from them. This shield can defend itself against all forms of attack, but it cannot be held for long. Throughout the series, there is a romantic tension between her and Goose.

Born in the world of the failed colony of Alspeth, she was found after the destruction of her colony by Ariel from the safe haven world of Xanadu. Having been moved to her new refuge, Niko has grown and her psychic abilities have been cultivated. At the age of 19, he left Xanadu to return to his people and joined the rangers of the galaxies. After the academy, she was accepted into the Series-5 experimental program. She was later assigned to Series 5 Rangers as their mystical and archaeological expert, due to the number of missions they undertook involving new cultures and various belief systems.

Walter Hartford

Walter “Doc” Hartford is a swashbuckling character who fights with a sword, a gun and his fists. He is a computer genius who, together with the scientist BETA 'Q-Ball', is responsible for most of the automated systems that The rangers of the galaxies use daily. Its Series-5 implants allow it to communicate and control special programs called “tweakers,” which appear as computer-animated flying holographic geometric shapes. The Hartford Ranger plant produces the strangest effects - and they still can't be explained correctly. Commander Walsh puts it at its best: "Doc Hartford, your system makes you a computer wizard, capable of creating fantastic programs."

Doc carries a computer diagnostic unit; a compact computer that has advanced diagnostic and maintenance functions, as well as sensory and computer linking capabilities. The CDU serves as a hub for Doc's power plant and also as a repository for its "tweakers" (Pathfinder, Tripwire, Firefly, Searchlight, Lifeline and Pixel). His "tweaker" computer programs are part of his personality and offer capabilities far beyond any normal computer program, virus or worm. His implant gives him control over his "tweakers" through simple verbal communication, and his "tweakers" give Doc control over any computer system.

Hartford, from the island of Jamaica, was born to wealthy parents, and so was raised in a private school, peppered with Mrs. Abercrombies Charm and Finishing School. He left there to join the Ranger Corps after joining some biochemical companies to help them make better computer programs, but found his abilities were not being questioned.

Technical data

Original title The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers
Language original English
Country United States
Author Robert Mandell
Producerand Robert Mandell, Bob Chrestani
Studio Gaylord Entertainment Company
Network syndication
1st TV 14 September - 11 December 1986
Episodes 65 (complete)
Episode duration 30 min
Italian network Italia 7
1st Italian TV 1988
Double studio it. STUDIO PV

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/