Video Warrior Laserion

Video Warrior Laserion (ビデオ戦士レザリオン) was an anime series aired in 1984 to 1985 in Japan and Hong Kong. There were 45 episodes aired at 30 minutes each. It was the first Japanese anime series to feature the idea of virtual reality. It is also referred to as "Rezarion", "Laserion"", "Video Senshi Laserion". It was broadcast in Spanish as "El Super Laser".

Original story
The story is about Takashi Katori and his best friend Sarah, who began as mere online game fans and created a small virtual world to develop their games. They would play by sending data using satellite technology. One day while they were playing, a scientific experiment involving teleporting a plane from Japan to New York using the same satellite was being conducted. In a freak accident, the plane that was converted into digital information was sent to Sarah's computer while Takashi Katori's robot information was rematerialized into a real robot.

Takashi is caught and captured, but later the Earth Government discovers that Dr. Godheim, an evil scientist from the Moon (now a sort of abandoned colony with restricted access) is hacking into virtual worlds and security. The government forces Takashi to pilot the virtual robot Laserion and protect the Earth with Sarah's help. In the end, the whereabouts of Takashi's love, Olivia, becomes a matter of concern.

Concept
Takashi sits down behind a computer which has a program written in advanced BASIC. He then merges with virtual reality to become a pilot, controlling a hexagon-shaped chrome plane. The plane is the Laserion robot's head detached. In the virtual reality, the plane combines with the robot body to form the video warrior Laserion, which carries a bazooka beam, energy laser sword, laser gun and missiles.

Staff
Original creator: Saburo Yatsude Character Design: Hideyuki Motohashi Mechanical design: Akira Hio, Koichi Ohata Theme Song Writer: Chuumei Watanabe Theme Song Performance Opening: Takayuki Miyauchi Theme Song Performance Ending: Kumiko Kaori

Characters
{|class="wikitable" ! Japanese Name ! English Name ! Voices by
 * Takashi Katori (香取敬) || Takashi Katori || Tōru Furuya
 * Olivia Lawrence (オリビア・ローレンス) || Olivia Lawrence || Keiko Han
 * Sahara (サハラ) || Sarah || Eiko Hisamura
 * Sylvester (シルベスタ) || General Sylvester || Keiichi Noda
 * Blueheim (ブルーハイム) || Blue home || Masaya Taki
 * Godheid (ゴッドハイド) || Professor Godheim || Eiji Kanie
 * Kensuke Katori (香取研介) || || Eiji Kanie
 * Inspire (インスパイア) || Inspire || Mori Isao
 * Monroe (モンロー) || || River Youko
 * Charles Danner (チャールズ・ダナー) || Charles || Norio Wakamoto
 * Debit (デビット) || Debit || Yoku Shioya
 * Eric Sid (エリック・シッド) || Eric Sid ||
 * Kensuke Katori (香取研介) || || Eiji Kanie
 * Inspire (インスパイア) || Inspire || Mori Isao
 * Monroe (モンロー) || || River Youko
 * Charles Danner (チャールズ・ダナー) || Charles || Norio Wakamoto
 * Debit (デビット) || Debit || Yoku Shioya
 * Eric Sid (エリック・シッド) || Eric Sid ||
 * Charles Danner (チャールズ・ダナー) || Charles || Norio Wakamoto
 * Debit (デビット) || Debit || Yoku Shioya
 * Eric Sid (エリック・シッド) || Eric Sid ||
 * Debit (デビット) || Debit || Yoku Shioya
 * Eric Sid (エリック・シッド) || Eric Sid ||
 * Eric Sid (エリック・シッド) || Eric Sid ||

Episodes
{|class="wikitable" ! Names
 * 1. My Dream Robot Game
 * 2. Fleeing David
 * 3. Don't Cry, Mother
 * 4. Don't Let The Death Flower Blossom
 * 5. Letter From The Moon
 * 6. Foe? Friend? UFO??
 * 7. Friendship Melody
 * 8. Powerful Enemy! Eric Sid!
 * 9. Input To Victory
 * 10. The Fragrance whose Peace is Sweet
 * 11. Demon's Birthday
 * 12. So Long, Friend of Thermal Sand
 * 13. Holiday War
 * 14. Running Olivia
 * 15. Fleeing Victory
 * 16. The Nervous Reunion
 * 17. Mystery of Sid's Disappearance
 * 18. Hello, Transfer Student
 * 19. Harapeko War
 * 20. Black Cloud Of Stealth
 * 21. Special Training For Cover!!
 * 22. Laserion Seizure Plan
 * 23. When Mars Is Bitten
 * 24. At That Time, Father's Voice...
 * 25. Rebels On The Spacecraft
 * 26. The Approaching Jack Empire
 * 27. Death Match Of 12 Hours
 * 28. Song Of Love For Victory
 * 29. The Twin Brothers Of Illusion
 * 30. Day Of Hawaii Battle
 * 31. A Solitary Attack
 * 32. Desperate Defense
 * 33. Great Empire Appears
 * 34. Father Who Returns From The Moon
 * 35. Dream Of The Illusive Monk
 * 36. Fortress In Savanna
 * 37. The Friendship Which Burns In The Desert
 * 38. Golden Pyramid
 * 39. Emperor Jack, Move!!
 * 40. Olivia Rescue Mission
 * 41. The Desperate 380,000 Kilometres
 * 42. Life Or Death Escape
 * 43. The Emperor, Arrival At The Moon
 * 44. Rebellion
 * 45. Final Countdown
 * 23. When Mars Is Bitten
 * 24. At That Time, Father's Voice...
 * 25. Rebels On The Spacecraft
 * 26. The Approaching Jack Empire
 * 27. Death Match Of 12 Hours
 * 28. Song Of Love For Victory
 * 29. The Twin Brothers Of Illusion
 * 30. Day Of Hawaii Battle
 * 31. A Solitary Attack
 * 32. Desperate Defense
 * 33. Great Empire Appears
 * 34. Father Who Returns From The Moon
 * 35. Dream Of The Illusive Monk
 * 36. Fortress In Savanna
 * 37. The Friendship Which Burns In The Desert
 * 38. Golden Pyramid
 * 39. Emperor Jack, Move!!
 * 40. Olivia Rescue Mission
 * 41. The Desperate 380,000 Kilometres
 * 42. Life Or Death Escape
 * 43. The Emperor, Arrival At The Moon
 * 44. Rebellion
 * 45. Final Countdown
 * 35. Dream Of The Illusive Monk
 * 36. Fortress In Savanna
 * 37. The Friendship Which Burns In The Desert
 * 38. Golden Pyramid
 * 39. Emperor Jack, Move!!
 * 40. Olivia Rescue Mission
 * 41. The Desperate 380,000 Kilometres
 * 42. Life Or Death Escape
 * 43. The Emperor, Arrival At The Moon
 * 44. Rebellion
 * 45. Final Countdown
 * 40. Olivia Rescue Mission
 * 41. The Desperate 380,000 Kilometres
 * 42. Life Or Death Escape
 * 43. The Emperor, Arrival At The Moon
 * 44. Rebellion
 * 45. Final Countdown
 * 43. The Emperor, Arrival At The Moon
 * 44. Rebellion
 * 45. Final Countdown
 * 45. Final Countdown
 * 45. Final Countdown

Reaction
The show was the first Japanese anime show or series to feature a plot taking place in virtual reality as a setting. Future anime like Serial Experiments Lain expanded on the idea, though it can be said that Tron explored the idea in western media first. Super Robots were entering something of a dip in popularity at the time of Laserion's release, and despite its innovative nature the series was something of a flop.

This was perhaps not helped by the nature of the figures released to promote the series. Designed by Bandai and released under the Chogokin label, both the DX and ST versions of Laserion lacked extensive features compared to many other toys of the period. The fun factor was considered limited, and the show carried the popularity of the toy.

Trivia

 * The Laserion robot is 35 meters tall.
 * The two different Laserion toys were widely released in America as part of Bandai's Godaikin line.
 * laserion was first aired on ABS-CBN 2 in 1987