Written by El Puerquito Magnifico
Shout! Factory has released the latest entry in the seemingly endless line of cartoons imported from Japan featuring children who do battle with each other using tiny robots, strange animals, or tiny, strange robot animals. This one is called Medabots, and with four discs featuring a total of 26 episodes at the low retail price of $34.95, it’s not a bad deal, if you like that sort of thing.
In this series, most children own Medabots, adorable little robots that are usually about two- to three- feet tall and covered with a variety of weapons. Disagreements between children are not solved with fisticuffs, but rather through “Robattles” between their Medabots, with the winner receiving a Medapart (such as an arm, leg or weapon) from the defeated Medabot. The soul of these subservient little robots lies within a small metal artifact usually located in its back. Most of the Robattles are accompanied by a title screen stating the Medabot’s owner and various statistics. It’s sort of like if Pokémon and Mega Man got together and had a baby.
Now that I’ve got that out of the way, on with the story. The show revolves around Ikki, a young boy who dreams of being a Medabot champion, and his group of friends. Due to a recent string of Medabot thefts, Ikki’s parents won’t buy him one, so he’s forced to save up the cash and do it on his own, but all he can afford is an outdated model. Luckily, he finds a medal in a river, and he’s in business. The only problem is the medal he’s found was recently stolen and subsequently lost by The Phantom Renegade, who seems to be some sort of criminal that looks a lot like a clown version of the guy from V for Vendetta. Ikki ends up with his very own Medabot, who turns out to be one heck of a good fighter, and unlike other Medabots, has a mind of his own and a very sassy attitude. Hijinks and adventure ensue.
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