Star Blazers

Now in my thirties, I feel fully justified by grumbling that things aren't what they used to be, and that it was much better back in my day. I say that about a lot of things, including television, but in the case of kids' television I feel quite justified. Kids today just don't have the same great cartoons we used to have, and although the memory cheats, when I got Star Blazers for Christmas, I discovered that it is not always the case.

Earth is being devastated by the planet bombs of the Gamilons, lead by their ruthless leader Deslok. Quite why we don't know, but that question is answered towards the end of the series. Regardless, as the radiation from the bombs is causing people to retreat to underground cities, Earth really only has one year to survive. But the arrival on Mars of a beautiful woman named Astra reveals that on the planet Iscandar, Queen Starsha has something called the Cosmo DNA which will heal the Earth and dispel the radiation.

Enter the Star Force, Earth's last hope. A group of dedicated soldiers who will pilot a spaceship called the Argo - actually the rebuilt Yamato sea ship - to Iscandar using a new engine type which also powers the amazing wave motion gun. Star Force has that one year to get there and back.

The series is a funny old beast really, because at times it is quite slow and introspective, whilst other episodes are just nothing but space action. The programme pauses to see the Star Force bury their dead, and relationships are formed and destroyed. The saddest thing, though, is Captain Avatar's gradual deterioration throughout the series, getting sicker and sicker and being unable to perform his duties in the final few episodes.

It's only 26 episodes long, which makes for quite easy television watching. While other Japanese programmes like Planet Of The Planets hacked the original Japanese to bits, Star Blazers really only removes some of the deaths of characters, and some inappropriate sex (in the Japanese version, the robot IQ-9 isn't just in love with Nova, he spends a lot of time molesting her). As a result, Star Blazers is quite close to its original in themes as well as storylines.

I remembered this programme with fondness, and I can see why now, as the series is quite high concept for children, with a long arcing story that makes kids pay attention and learn from what is happening.