Investigates the reason for its national popularity in the Philippines! ”Voltes V: Legacy”, in which Mitsuko Horie and Megumi Nakajima also participate in Japanese dubbing, opens in theaters on Saturday, October 18!
”Super-Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V” is one of the milestones of Japanese robot animation.
When “”Super-Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V” began broadcasting in 1977, it captivated the children of the time, and its popularity was not limited to Japan, but it became a national animation in other countries, especially in the Philippines.
However, it has already been 47 years since its start of broadcast. Since there are many people who do not know about it, we have once again looked into what kind of work it is, why it is so popular in the Philippines, and the circumstances leading up to the release of the live-action version.
I will also focus on the dubbed voice actors for both the original work and the live-action version. We will also pay attention to the casting of people with connections to the Philippines!
What is “VOLTES V”? Synopsis of the work
Amazon.co.jp: Watch ”Super-Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V” | Prime Video
”Super-Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V” is the story of five young men who fight against an earth invasion force led by Prince Heinel, who comes from the planet “Boazan” in the far reaches of space.
The National Defense Force has been devastated, and it seems as if there is no longer any way for the Earth to defend itself, but Dr. Tsuyoshi and his team, foreseeing the invasion, have secretly developed a countermeasure.
Five pilots, including Dr. Tsuyoshi’s sons (the three Tsuyoshi brothers ), each board five exclusive machines and combine to form the giant robot “VORTES V” to confront the beastmen of the planet Boazan.
When they combine, they call out “Let’s Bolt in!“
Here are the voice actors for ”Super-Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V” !
| Character Name | Voice Actor Name |
| Kenichi Gô | Yukinaga Shiraishi |
| Ippei Mine | Kazuyuki Sogabe |
| Daijirô Gô | Tessho Genda |
| Hiyoshi Gô | Noriko Ohara |
| Megumi Oka | Miyuki Ueda |
| Professor Hamaguchi/Doyle | Seizo Kato |
| Prince Heinel | Osamu Ichikawa |
You have Tessho Genda, who is also known for dubbing Arnold Schwarzenegger!
In anime, he has played roles as he is imagined, such as Kaidou, the Four Emperors and Hundred Beasts in “One Piece” and Isao Shinomiya in “Kaiju No. 8”, as well as comical roles such as Action Mask in “Kureyon Shinchan”.
He had been on a leave of absence due to health problems since July, but in the October 8 broadcast of “Matsuko no Shiranai Sekai” (The World Matsuko Doesn’t Know), ” he said, “I, Genda, am back!” He just reported his return as a narrator for the first time in about two months in his own voice.
All the fans were waiting for his return, and it became a hot topic of conversation on X as well.
Tessho Genda
Office Profile (with voice samples)
1978 – The highest ratings in the Philippines were as high as 58%! Why did it become a national favorite?
(Citation source) [Japanese Subculture x Philippines] Why “Voltes V” became a national anime | Navimanila (navimanilaph.com)
In the Philippines, TV anime broadcasts began in the late 1970s, when TV became popular in households. The media company Questar bought the broadcasting rights to five Japanese robot animation works from the 1970s, including “Mazinger Z” and “Tôshô Daimosu,” and “Voltes V” was among them.
Why is “Voltes V” so popular than “Mazinger Z,” etc.?
It’s because…
Because the sponsors preferred only “Voltes V” among the five works and advertised it extensively!
And at that time, anime was broadcast on weekdays from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m., a time slot that families could watch, and the broadcast date of “Voltes V” was a Friday, when viewership was the highest among those times, and thanks to that, the highest viewership rating was recorded at 58%.
However, with only four episodes left, the Marcos government ordered the broadcast to be canceled.
There are various theories as to why, including that the content was inconvenient for the government and that it was a restriction on violent expressions.
It’s hard to stop the broadcast with 4 episodes left…I must have been dying to see it.
1998 – The Voltes V boom resurfaces in the Philippines
It seems that it was popular under the surface for about 20 years, but some fans watched pirated copies, etc., and it was never officially broadcast.
Then, in 1998, a TV program broadcast the “Song of Voltes V,” and it was a huge sensation.
This led to the production of a Filipino dubbed version in 1999, and the boom was rekindled.
Numerous dubbed versions have been produced since then, and the fifth dubbed version was broadcast in 2017.
Thus, Voltes V has become a national anime that transcends generations.
👉Anime is available on AmazonPrimeVideo!
In 2024, the live-action version of “Voltes V: Legacy” will finally be released in Japan!
(Reference) Story | “Voltes V: Legacy” Official Portal Site (voltes-v-legacy.jp)
Almost half a century has passed since the TV animation ”Super-Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V” was broadcast in 1977.
In the Philippines, where it has received even more enthusiastic support than in Japan, it was adapted into a live-action movie and 90 episodes of the TV series!
It has finally made a triumphant return to its birthplace, Japan, and will be released in theaters as “Voltes V: Legacy “ on Saturday, October 18, 2024.
The movie “Voltes V: Legacy” has been re-edited for the Japanese theatrical release, including the addition of scenes that were not included in the Philippine version of the movie, and the quality of the images has been greatly improved.
The film will be released in a “super-electromagnetic edited version” with increased power.
Incidentally, the three Gô brothers will return as the three Armstrong brothers!
Japanese dubbed cast voice actors
Here are the Japanese dubbed voice actors for “Voltes V Legacy”!
(Reference) Voltes V: Legacy : Movies – eiga.com (eiga.com)
Staff | Official portal site of “Voltes V: Legacy ” (voltes-v-legacy.jp)
▼VOLTES TEAM
| Character Name | Actor’s name | Characteristics of the role | Japanese dubbed voice actor |
| Steve Armstrong | Miguel Tanfelix | Pilot of Volt Machine No. 1 “Volt Crewzer” and “Voltes V”. Leader of the Voltes Team. The eldest son of the Armstrong family. | Chiaki Kobayashi |
| Mark Gordon | Radson Flores | Pilot of Volt Machine No. 2 “Volt Bomber”. He assists the leader. | Yamato Kinjo |
| Robert “Big Burt” Armstrong | Matt Lozano | Pilot of Volt Machine No. 3 “Volt Panzer “. He is in charge of weapons management. Second son of the Armstrong family. | Kitsune Kagura |
| Little Jon Armstrong | Raphael Landicho | Pilot of Volt Machine No. 4 “Volt Frigate “. He is in charge of managing the robot. Third son of the Armstrong family. | Makoto Koichi |
| Jamie Robinson | Ysabel Ortega | Pilot of Volt Machine No. 5 “Volt Lander”. She is in charge of managing the condition of all the team’s pilots. Daughter of a high-ranking official of the Earth Defense Forces. | Megumi Nakajima |
| Mary Ann Collins Armstrong | Carla Abellana | A doctor of the Big Falcon. Mother of the three Armstrong brothers. | Mitsuko Horie |
| Oscar Robinson | Gabby Eigenmann | A high-ranking official of the Earth Defense Forces. Jamie’s father. | Shintaro Sagara |
| Dr. Richard Smith | Albert Martinez | Dr. Albert Martinez is a member of Big Falcon. Commander of the Voltes team. | Seiya Yamanaka |
| Hrothgar (Ned Armstrong) | Dennis Trillo | ????? | Satoshi Mikami |
▼ Boazan Alien (Alien)
| Character Name | Actor’s Name | Characteristics of Role | Japanese dubbed voice actor |
| Prince Zardoz | Martin Del Rosario | Prince of the Boazan Empire. Commander of the Boazan Empire’s Earth Conquest Army. | Junichi Suwabe |
| Zandra | Liezel Lopez | A member of Zardoz’s entourage. A scientist. | Riho Iida |
| Draco | Carlo Gonzalez | A member of Zardoz’s entourage. He is a warrior. | Yusaku Hiyama |
| Zuhl | Jeffrey Quizon | A member of Zardoz’s entourage. Scientist | Kosuke Echigoya |
The voice actors of particular interest for the Japanese dubbing are Megumi Nakajima and Miyuko Horie.
Megumi Nakajima
Megumi Nakajima is well known for her role as Ranka Lee in “Macross Frontier”. “Macross Frontier”. was also a big hit with anime songs such as “Seikan Hikō” and “Lion”. She is also famous in the anime song world. She also has roots in the Philippines, as her mother is from there.
Mitsuko Horie
Office Profile (with voice samples)
Ms. Mitsuko Horie is truly the driving force behind the rekindling of the Vortez V boom. She is the one who sings the theme song of ”Super-Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V” . She also sang the theme song for “Candy ♡ Candy” which was also broadcast in the Philippines during the same period. She is a legend, known as the “Queen of Anime Songs” and “Princess of the Anime Song World. As a voice talents, she is also famous for her role as Akko in “Himitsu no Akko-chan”.
”Not so much as a state guest… Some level of VIP treatment, and an all-free pass to the airport.”
She receives special treatment when she visits the Philippines.
I believe that the casting of these two voice actors with deep ties to the Philippines will resonate with Filipino ani-song lovers as well, given the song “Voltes V” and the renewed boom from ani-songs.
students at a Japanese voice-talents school dubbed the film!
NSG Group’s comprehensive entertainment vocational school for voice actors, actors, sound, lighting, and video in Niigata, “International Technical College of Media and Visual Arts” three current students of the voice acting department passed the audition and participated in the dubbing cast! When ”Super-Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V” began in 1977, their parents’ generation may not have been born.
The content is loved and passed on, and new voice actors are born again… I feel that VOLTES V is leaving behind a wonderful legacy.
The Legacy of Voltes V Beyond the Nation
Voltes V is a cultural phenomenon that transcends mere robot animation.
Perhaps many Japanese will see Filipino films for the first time with this film.
What a wonderful and peaceful cultural exchange! A world where people learn about and brush up on the beloved content of other countries, it’s very progressive and creates a good cycle.
I am sure that VOLTES V will continue to be talked about as a work that expanded the possibilities of the anime genre and served as a bridge for cultural exchange across borders.
