Psycho Armor Govarian (サイコアーマー ゴーバリアン, saiko āmā gōbarian, also romanized as Psycho Armor Gobarian and Psychoarmor Govarian) is a Japanese anime television series created by Go Nagai. It was produced by Knack Productions and TV Tokyo. The series was originally broadcast from July 6, 1983 (1983-07-06) to December 28, 1983 (1983-12-28) in Japan.[1][2] Besides Japan, it was also broadcast in South Korea in 1988 by MBC where it was known as 사이코아머 고바리안 or 싸이코 아머 고바리안. It is also known as 海王星戰士 in Taiwan and 超能裝甲哥巴里安 in Hong Kong. The anime is considered a mix of Genma Taisen, Mazinger and Gundam.[3]

Psycho Armor Govarian
Front cover of the EP Psycho Armor Govarian - Lonely Journey, King Records 1983
サイコアーマー ゴーバリアン
(saiko āmā gōbarian)
GenreMecha
Created byGo Nagai
Anime television series
Directed bySeiji Okuda
Written byYoshihisa Araki
Music byTatsumi Yano
StudioKnack Productions
Licensed by
Original networkMegaTON (TV Tokyo)
Original run July 6, 1983 December 28, 1983
Episodes26
Manga
Written byGo Nagai
Illustrated byTatsuo Yasuda
Published byShogakukan
MagazineYoiko
DemographicChildren
Original runAugust 1983February 1984

Premise

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The Garadain Empire has exhausted the primary resources of their native planet, so they send different space expeditions to find a new world where to live. One of their main objectives is planet Earth. However, Zeku Alba, an alien scientist, decides to rebel against the imperial rule and flees towards the Earth, where he gathers a group of children gifted with the power of "psychogenesis", an ability that consists of creating solid matter from psychic energy.

The most gifted of the squadron is Isamu, a young orphan whose family was killed in the first attack of the Garadain Empire. He is able to generate the powerful robot Govarian, an armor with which he can battle the alien monsters and is able to regenerate thanks to the psychic energy of the pilot. Helped by two other robots created by his teammates, Isamu, aboard the robot Govarian, defends the Earth in the long war against the alien invaders.

Episodes

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# Title Directed by Written by Original airdate
01"Warrior Born In Flames"
"honō no naka senshi tanjō" (炎の中戦士誕生)
Directed by : Seiji Okuda
Storyboarded by : Satoru Kumazaki
Yoshihisa ArakiJuly 6, 1983 (1983-07-06)
02"Psychic Power Warrior First File"
"chōnōryoku senshi fāsuto fairu" (超能力戦士ファーストファイル)
Directed by : Kazuya Miyazaki
Storyboarded by : Satoru Kumazaki
Yoshihisa ArakiJuly 13, 1983 (1983-07-13)
03"Warrior Woman Meria’s Passionate Hatred"
"josenshi meria no atsui nikushimi" (女戦士メリアの熱い憎しみ)
Directed by : Hiroshi Yoshida
Storyboarded by : Satoru Kumazaki
Yoshihisa ArakiJuly 20, 1983 (1983-07-20)
04"Battleground Merry-go-round"
"senjō no kaiten mokuba" (戦場の回転木馬)
Kazuya MiyazakiHideki SonodaJuly 27, 1983 (1983-07-27)
05"Mischievous Twins Melody"
"wanpaku sōko no merodī" (わんぱく双児のメロディー)
Tatsuya KasaharaKatsuhiko Taguchi
Yoshihisa Araki
August 3, 1983 (1983-08-03)
06"Rampaging Space Rider"
"uchū no bōsō raidā" (宇宙の暴走ライダー)
Makoto NagaoYuji WatanabeAugust 10, 1983 (1983-08-10)
07"Our Battle"
"ore tachi no tatakai" (俺たちの戦い)
Yasuo IshikawaYoshihisa ArakiAugust 17, 1983 (1983-08-17)
08"Buster, Vanished with the Rainbow"
"niji ni kie ta basutā" (虹に消えたバスター)
Kazuya MiyazakiHideki SonodaAugust 24, 1983 (1983-08-24)
09"Loving and Hating Family"
"ai to nikushimi no famirī" (愛と憎しみのファミリー)
Directed by : Yuji Asada
Storyboarded by : Satoru Kumazaki
Katsuhiko TaguchiAugust 31, 1983 (1983-08-31)
10"The Springtime of Atlas’s Youth"
"atorasu no seishun" (アトラスの青春)
Directed by : Yoshinori Nakamura
Storyboarded by : Makoto Nagao
Yuji WatanabeSeptember 7, 1983 (1983-09-07)
11"Front Line in Hyperspace"
"akūkan saizensen" (亜空間最前線)
Tatsuya KasaharaHideki SonodaSeptember 14, 1983 (1983-09-14)
12"Pursuit of Domson’s Army"
"tsuigeki domuson gundan" (追撃·ドムソン軍団)
Directed by : Hiroshi Negishi
Storyboarded by : Makoto Nagao
Yuji WatanabeSeptember 21, 1983 (1983-09-21)
13"Fierce Battle at the Space Colony"
"gekisen supēsu koronī" (激戦·スペースコロニー)
Directed by : Isao Harada
Storyboarded by : Mitsukazu Yamatani
Yoshihisa ArakiSeptember 28, 1983 (1983-09-28)
14"Demondos Blows Up"
"gaika demondosu dai bakuhatsu" (凱歌·デモンドス大爆発)
Directed by : Kazuya Miyazaki
Storyboarded by : Satoru Kumazaki
Sayumi MizunagaOctober 5, 1983 (1983-10-05)
15"Garadain’s Palace in the Mysterious Dimension"
"you jigen garadain shiro" (妖次元·ガラダイン城)
Directed by : Takao Motohashi
Storyboarded by : Kiyomu Fukuda
Hideki SonodaOctober 12, 1983 (1983-10-12)
16"Escape! Love Left Behind"
"dasshutsu! nokosa reta ai" (脱出!残された愛)
Toshio KinoshitaHideki SonodaOctober 19, 1983 (1983-10-19)
17"Giant Fortress Daingaram"
"kyodai yousai daingarāmu" (巨大要塞ダインガラーム)
Yasuo IshikawaYuji WatanabeOctober 26, 1983 (1983-10-26)
18"Beyond the Battlefield"
"aika senjō no kanata" (哀歌·戦場のかなた)
Kazuya MiyazakiYoshihisa ArakiNovember 2, 1983 (1983-11-02)
19"Hellfire on the Moon"
"tsuki jigoku no honō" (月·地獄の炎)
Directed by : Kazuya Miyazaki
Storyboarded by : Hiroshi Negishi
Masato NishioNovember 9, 1983 (1983-11-09)
20"Dark Death Match"
"ankoku desu macchi" (暗黒デス·マッチ)
Kazuyuki OkasakoYoshihisa ArakiNovember 16, 1983 (1983-11-16)
21"Explosion on the Moon’s Surface/Daingaram"
"getsumen bakuha daingarāmu" (月面爆破·ダインガラーム)
Directed by : Kazuya Miyazaki
Storyboarded by : Satoru Kumazaki
Tsukasa TakahashiNovember 23, 1983 (1983-11-23)
22"The Ghost Fortress, Glonn Deathroam"
"yōma no toride guron desurōmu" (妖魔の砦グロン·デスローム)
Directed by : Takao Motohashi
Storyboarded by : Satoru Kumazaki
Hideki SonodaNovember 30, 1983 (1983-11-30)
23"Dimensional Invasion Fort"
"jigen shinryaku yōsai" (次元侵略要塞)
Makoto NagaoYuji WatanabeDecember 7, 1983 (1983-12-07)
24"Mortal Combat South Pole Blizzard"
"shitō kyokuten no burizādo" (死闘極点のブリザード)
Directed by : Kazuya Miyazaki
Storyboarded by : Kazuyuki Okasako
Hideki SonodaDecember 14, 1983 (1983-12-14)
25"The Final Operation Begins/Meria Versus Christo"
"saishū sakusen kaishi meria tai kurisuto" (最終作戦開始-メリア対クリスト-)
Yasuo IshikawaYoshihisa ArakiDecember 21, 1983 (1983-12-21)
26"Annihilation? Earth’s Dimensional Teleportation"
"kaimetsu? chikyū jigen idō" (壊滅?地球次元移動)
Directed by : Ryo Mizushiro
Storyboarded by : Satoru Kumazaki
Yoshihisa ArakiDecember 28, 1983 (1983-12-28)

Source(s)[1][4][5]

Production

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The head of the main mecha of the series, Govarian, is similar to the head of Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger. This was done on purpose by Go Nagai and Dynamic Planning in accordance with the demand of production company Knack. In South Korea, it was presented as being part of the Mazinger series along with Groizer X.[3] Other than that, Psycho Armor Govarian has no real relationship to any of the Mazinger series.

Staff

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  • Airtime: Wednesday, 19:30-20:00 hrs.
  • Network: TV Tokyo
  • Production: TV Tokyo, Knack
  • Original work: Go Nagai, Dynamic Planning
  • Planning: Seiichi Nishino (Knack)
  • Producer: Hyota Ezu (TV Tokyo), Hirofumi Toida (Knack)
  • Series organization: Yoshihisa Araki
  • Series director: Seiji Okuda
  • Animation director: Gen Fukuda, Yuki Kinoshita
  • Script: Hideki Sonoda, Katsuhiko Taguchi, Yuji Watanabe, Tomomi Minahaya, Masato Nishio, Tsukasa Takahashi
  • Original character: Go Nagai
  • Character design: Gen Fukuda
  • Mechanic design: Sawaki Tateba
  • Art director: Morishige Suzuki
  • Photography director: Yoichi Shimizu
  • Music: Tatsumi Yano
  • Theme song performance: Neverland

Source(s)[1][2]

Theme songs

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  • Opening theme: "Lonely journey" (孤独の旅路~LONELY JOURNEY~, kodoku no tabiji Lonely Journey), lyrics by Tomoaki Taka, composition by Shunji Inoe, arrangement by Neverland & Hiroki Harada (chorus), song by Tomoaki Taka.
  • Ending theme: "Lullaby" (ララバイ, rarabai), lyrics by Tomoaki Taka, composition by Shunji Inoe, arrangement by Neverland, song by Tomoaki Taka.
  • Insert song: "It's LOVE" (It's LOVE ~それは愛~, It's LOVE ~sore wa ai~), lyrics by Tomoaki Taka, composition by Shunji Inoe, arrangement by Tatsumi Yano, song by Tomoaki Taka. This theme is used in the last episode.
  • Insert song: "Yuhi no Omoi" (夕陽の想い, Yūhi no Omoi, translated as "Thought of the sunset"), lyrics by Tomoaki Taka, composition by Shunji Inoe, arrangement by Tatsumi Yano, song by Tomoaki Taka.

"Lonely Journey" and "Lullaby" have been used in several music collections in arranged versions sung by Hironobu Kageyama.

Media

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Home video

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The series was released in VHS format during the 1980s in 6 volumes by RCA Columbia Pictures Home Video Japan.[6] In 2006-03-25 a DVD-box set containing the whole series was released by the company Japanese company BM3 with the standard number OHK-27.[7][8] During Otakon 2018 on August 12, Discotek Media announced a 1-disc SD on BD release of the entire series for a future release.[9]

Picture books and manga

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Besides the main TV series, two series of picture books were released, one by Shogakukan and the other by Asahi Sonorama.[10] Also a short manga serialization, with the art of Tatsuo Yasuda (another pen name of Tatsuya Yasuda), was published in the children's manga magazine Yoiko published by Shogakukan from August 1983 (1983-08) to February 1984 (1984-02).[10][11]

Toys

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Some toys and action figures based in the robots of the series were released, including several South Korean bootleg versions.[12] The official figures were made by the company Poem.

Soundtracks

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Four vinyl records were released during 1983 by King Records. The first one, an EP called Psycho Armor Govarian - Lonely Journey, contains the opening and ending theme, both of them performed by the Japanese group Neverland.[13] The second EP, called Psycho Armor Govarian - It's LOVE, contains the themes "It's LOVE" and "Yuhi no Omoi". Also performed by Neverland, both themes have lyrics by Tomoaki Taka, composition by Shunji Inoe, arrangement by Tatsumi Yano and are sung by Tomoaki Taka.[14][15] The last two are full LP album containing the BGM of the series and the opening and ending themes.[16][17][18][19]

Title Type Artist Standard number Release date
Psycho Armor Govarian - Lonely journey EP record Neverland K07S-3052 July 1983 (1983-07)
Psycho Armor Govarian BGM Vol.1 LP album Tatsumi Yano K22G-7144 September 1983 (1983-09)
Psycho Armor Govarian - It's LOVE EP record Neverland K07S-3063 October 1983 (1983-10)
Psycho Armor Govarian BGM Vol.2 LP album Tatsumi Yano K22G-7173 December 1983 (1983-12)

The opening and ending songs of the series are included in several CD compilations of anime series.

Title Label Standard number Release date
Nagai Go Hero Densetsu: Kotetsu Majin Hen First Smile Entertainment FSCA-10204 January 17, 2002 (2002-01-17)
Nagai Go Hero Densetsu: Kijin Sugosen Hen First Smile Entertainment FSCA-10210 February 20, 2002 (2002-02-20)
Super Robot Tamashii The Best Vol.1: Super Robot Hen Be! Smile BSCH-30001/2 October 22, 2003 (2003-10-22)
Super Robot Tamashii The Best Vol.2: Super Robot Hen 2 Be! Smile BSCH-30003/4 November 19, 2003 (2003-11-19)
Getter Densetsu + 10: The Legends of GETTER Be! Smile BSCH-30013 March 10, 2004 (2004-03-10)
Kageyama Hironobu Best & Live Be! Smile BSCH-30014 April 7, 2004 (2004-04-07)
Super Robot Tamashii The Instrumental: Super Robot & Real Robot Hen Vol.1 Be! Smile BSCH-30030 December 1, 2004 (2004-12-01)
Super Robot Spirits Shudaika Best Collection Be! Smile BSCH-30037 July 6, 2005 (2005-07-06)
Nagai Go Dynamic!! The chronicle Be! Smile BSCH-30040 December 21, 2005 (2005-12-21)
The Best!! Super Robot Spirits: Super Robot Studio Recordings Be! Smile BSCH-30063/6 July 11, 2007 (2007-07-11)
Super Robot Spirits: Non stop mix Vol.3 Be! Smile BSCH-30086 July 9, 2008 (2008-07-09)
The Best!! Super Robot Spirits: The Best Karaoke songs Be! Smile BSCH-30094/7 December 10, 2008 (2008-12-10)

Appearances in other media

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Besides its series related media, Govarian has appeared in other media. The most prominent is its appearance in the Dynamic Super Robots Soshingeki!! (ダイナミックスーパーロボット総進撃!!, dainamikku sūpā robotto sōshingeki) clips that were included at the end of the DVDs of Shin Getter Robot tai Neo Getter Robot. Govarian appears alongside Great Mazinger, Venus A, Getter Robot G, Kotetsu Jeeg, God Mazinger and Groizer X to rescue Mazinger Z and Aphrodite A, but are defeated and in turn saved by Shin Getter Robot and Grendizer just before the arrival of Mazinkaiser.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "TV Hoei List" (in Japanese). Japan: The World of Go Nagai. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  2. ^ a b "Psycho Armor Govarian - allcinema" (in Japanese). Japan: allcinema. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  3. ^ a b "BaronBlog - It's Psycho Armor Govarian DVD Box!!" (in Japanese). Japan: BaronBlog. 2006-03-26. Archived from the original on 2012-02-14. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  4. ^ "TV televising list" (in Japanese). www.geocities.co.jp. Archived from the original on May 6, 2009. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
  5. ^ "Psycho Armor Govarian". RetroCrush. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  6. ^ "Video recording contents" (in Japanese). www.geocities.co.jp. Archived from the original on October 24, 2008. Retrieved 2015-11-15.
  7. ^ "Psycho Armor Govarian DVD-Box product description" (in Japanese). Japan: Seven and Y Corp. Archived from the original on 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  8. ^ "Psycho Armor Govarian DVD-Box product description" (in Japanese). Japan: Amazon.com, Inc. Archived from the original on 2012-11-04. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  9. ^ "Psycho Armor Govarian is coming to SD-BD! It's from Knack Productions… the Chargeman Ken people! Which means you're in for a great time! This series is one of two super robot TV series that Go Nagai created after leaving Toei". Twitter. August 12, 2018. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Picture book". Psycho Armor Govarian (in Japanese). Japan. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  11. ^ "Kokusai Kodomo Toshokan e". Go Hon Tankyu Nisshi (in Japanese). Japan: Go book quest. 2003-08-19. Archived from the original on 2012-09-29. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  12. ^ "Psycho Armor Govarian / CollectionDX". CollectionDX.com. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  13. ^ "Psycho Armor Govarian - Anison Generation" (in Japanese). Japan: Anison Generation. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  14. ^ "Psycho Armor Govarian - It's LOVE" (in Japanese). Japan: Anison House. Archived from the original on 2012-02-24. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  15. ^ "Psycho Armor Govarian (It's love) - Anison Generation" (in Japanese). Japan: Anison Generation. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
  16. ^ "Psycho Armor Govarian BGM" (in Japanese). Japan: Anison House. Archived from the original on 2012-02-24. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  17. ^ "Psycho Armor Govarian". Yano Tatsumi - Ongaku e no Tabidachi (in Japanese). Japan. Archived from the original on 2012-11-30. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  18. ^ "Psycho Armor Govarian BGM Vol.1 - Anison Generation" (in Japanese). Japan: Anison Generation. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
  19. ^ "Psycho Armor Govarian BGM Vol.2 - Anison Generation" (in Japanese). Japan: Anison Generation. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
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