The merchandising for Merowlink isn’t as extensive as we might all like it to be. The series presented us with at least as many A.T. variants as any Votoms story that followed in its wake, but not a single one got turned into a standard model kit or even a...

Back to the catalog

By Moriyasu Taniguchi Back to the catalog

Introduction from the DVD box set (released by VAP in 2006) Explanation Armor Hunter Merowlink is an OVA series that was released in 6 volumes (12 episodes) from November 1988 to April of the following year. As the title indicates, it was planned as a side story to Armored Trooper...

By the time Armored Trooper Votoms finished its first broadcast in Spring 1984, the momentum already existed to expand it beyond its initial framework. The setting was a huge, sprawling galaxy with any number of stories to be told. The first animated spinoff appeared in 1985 to take full advantage...

The “main man” of Votoms music was Hiroki Inui. Born in 1949, he graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, and was an arranger and keyboard player since the 1970s. He was also active in the field of broadcast music for television and radio dramas. Votoms was...

Back to music catalog

Both of these interviews were recorded during a Votoms event held at Sunrise Studio on November 14, 1997 Character Designer Norio Shioyama It was a difficult character whose subtle nuances varied depending on my physical condition that day Interviewer: What kind of orders did the director give you? Shioyama: At...

Continue to penciled pages Back to main article

Continue to finished pages Back to main article

The intro page below was created for an online version of Chaser Platoon distributed on Clickwheel.net in 2008 Back to main article

Continue to penciled pages Back to main article

Continue to finished pages Back to main article

The intro page below was created for an online version of Chaser Platoon distributed on Clickwheel.net in 2008 Back to main article

Conceptual sketches for cover art This one made it to the “finalist” category for the first issue’s cover, so I built it up. Penciled version, July 1990 Steve Krueger’s painted version, 1990. I’m pretty sure it was rejected because the color style didn’t match the publishing standards. “Finalist” for the...

The publications in this set represent a lot of dedicated digging, a lot of lucky discoveries, and a lot of patience. Some took years to track down while others just fell into my lap when I took the right turn on the right day. For each one, I have to...

Unless otherwise credited, all art is by Rokuro Shiratori Masanori Onoue Masanori Onoue Shin Ueda Masanori Onoue Shin Ueda Shin Ueda, 1997 Shin Ueda, 1997 Artist unknown Artist unknown Bonus By Rokuro Shiratori for Dual Magazine Masanori Onoue Garage kit released by Lark Back to the Hub

An amazing book was published in 1985 by the makers of the fan-run anime magazine OUT. It was titled Votoms Odyssey, and it dramatically expanded the world beyond the scope of anime. It coincided with the release of The Last Red Shoulder, which was the first OAV to expand on...

Continue to part 2 Return to main article

Back up to part 1 Continue to part 3 Return to main article