The 1990s anime boom was a major moment for popular culture in general, but it helped supplement thePokémoncraze sweeping the world, leading to impressive and comparable franchises following suit, includingMedabots, a real forgotten gem. The term Pokemania is recognizable for anybody spending their youth from the late 90s through the early 2000s. The Game Freak adaptation wasn’t the only anime to capitalize on a Japanese video game franchise, withMedabotsbeing a fond memory for many 90s kids as an action-packed introduction to anime.
Medabots’anime adaptation comes from Bee Train, a studio later known for excellent series such asBlade of the Immortal, .hack,andIGPX: Immortal Grand Prix. The anime is based on the ImagineerMedarotportable RPG series, which first launched on the Game Boy and WonderSwan systems in 1997 and 1999, featuring one-meter tall robots powered by Medals competing with other robots for parts. WhileMedabotsnever receivedthe lasting international popularity thatPokémonreceived, it deserves an appraisal for its delightful characters, fascinating robot designs, impressive English dub, and enticing battles.
A Quality Not Guaranteed in the 1990s
The art style behindMedabots,originally namedMedarotin Japan, was conceived by Rin Horuma. It features expressive and sprightly animation for its fighting robot and human characters.Medabotssets a strong example in its earliest episodes, like most popular anime. A commonly cited moment shows the series' mascot, Metabee, creaking to life upon the pleas and frustration of his owner, Ikki Tenryou, before shredding his opponents with his robot arsenal.Within several episodes, Metabee is shown creating smoking wrecks of slag out of his opponents, and for kids, it’s a thrilling and bloodless alternative to typical cartoon violence.
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But beyond the action, the characters are loaded with personality, expressive faces, surprisingly varied movement patterns, and stylish posing.Examples include Metabee’s boiling-hot attitude and willingness to lash out even at Ikki regularly in comedic fashion, Rokusho’s stoic and reserved body language, and the boundless energy of the near-omnipresent Mr. Referee. While the sequel,Medabots Spirits, changes studio hands to Trans Arts, the original anime is often forgotten by anyone other than the children who grew up with the series. Despite this,Medabotshas a strong appeal to nostalgic fans for a simple reason.
Metabee Was the Highlight of a Strong Medabots English Dub
“I Resemble That Remark!”
With many1990s would-bePokémoncontenders, the main male lead often has an especially memorable companion; forMonster Rancher, this is Suezo, or Agumon forDigimon.These would stand in as additional faces of the franchise, either to draw in players or pick up their merchandise, similar to Pikachu or Eevee inPokémon,and withMedabots, this is Metabee. Metabee was easily the strongest selling point forMedabots, with his English dub actor, Joseph Motiki, playing him perfectly. Metabee is a headstrong bot whose outdated chassis matches his “past-his-prime athlete with one more game in him” energy.
Metabee is a Kabutomushi (rhinoceros beetle) or KBT Medabot whose Medal evolves over the series instead of his body. As the series progresses, the Medal is revealed to be rare and capable of the destructive Medaforce.
Metabee’s personality benefits particularly fromMedabots’animation, with weight to his movement, an expressive set of eyes, and defensive body language despite lacking a traditionally expressive face. Thanks to Motiki’s performance, Metabee is chock-full of attitude, secretly loves soap operas, and is quick to anger.Metabee is a more prickly Pikachu who can talk, and it would take a lot longer to warm up to his version of Ash, in this case, Ikki. Unsurprisingly, Motiki continues to find voiceover work afterMedabots, lately working in various kids' shows.
Medabots Is One of Many Video Game Adaptation Anime Like Pokémon
The 1990s Were a Truly Magical Time for Young Gamer Children
Medabotsis technically based on theMedarot 2video game, a series that’s only released its sixth entry and two spinoffs in North America. The game’s customization mechanics, building on the player’s starting robot and the ability to customize using parts won from battles with other characters, were brought into theMedabotsanime, alongside a selection of the 151 robots from the first two games. ButMedabotsis not the only series to capitalize on its popular video game franchise, with Imagineer joining Game Freak’sPokémontrend among other major publishers like Capcom, Intelligent Systems, Bandai, and Tecmo.
WhileMedabotsdidn’t reach North America until 2001, it was released in 1999, the year ofPokemon-like and other anime debuting to promote their respective toy and gaming franchises.Monster Rancherwas Tecmo’s promotion of the PlayStation video game franchise.Digimonemerged to promote Bandai’s line of virtual pet toys, with the latter establishing a niche yet popular multimedia franchise. Even Capcom joined the fray, with Studio Pierrot animating thePower Stoneanime based on the arcade and Dreamcast game franchise, andFire Emblemeven had an anime as far back as 1996.
Medabotsis a nostalgic favorite among kids of the 90s because it was an action-packed crowd-pleaser with great animation compared to other tie-ins. For many viewers, the discovery of a video game franchise was organic. Still, the anime remains a lasting memory, a remnant of the era asMedabotstried to capturePokémon’slightning in a bottle.Medabotsis a special series for many, not because of the “mystery” of Space Medafighter X’s identity, but because it had thrilling, fluid battles and a cast of wonderfully animated characters helmed by a lovable, cranky mascot.
