Based on the 1997 RPG video game currently owned by Imagineer, ‘Medabots’ is an anime series from the Japanese animation studio Bee Train that ran for two seasons of fifty-two episodes in 1999 and 2000, respectively. A heavily edited version of the series aired in the United States on Fox Broadcasting as part of their Fox Kids programming block.
Discotek Media is bringing the complete uncut version of the series on home video release with the original Japanese audio with English subtitles under the title ‘Medabots First Series.’ While being a Blu-ray box set, the episodes will be in standard definition.
The DVDs have a planned release on June 27th, 2023 though it is available for pre-order on the Right Stuf Anime website.
They released the image of the Blu-ray set on their website:
Tensai Okamura directed ‘Medabots,’ known in Japan as ‘Medarot.’ It was written by Ryōta Yamaguchi with Osamu Tezuka composing the music for the series.
Discotek Media describes the synopsis as follows,
“In the near future, humans and robots coexist. “Robattles,” a competition in which Medabots are pitted against each other, is popular among kids. A Medabot’s consciousness, effectively its brains, is located in a Medal that can be inserted into and ejected from the robot body. By chance, nine-year-old Ikki finds a Rare Medal, and soon after has his own Medabot named Metabee. This is the story of their friendship and growth as they use wisdom and courage to fight countless opponents in robot battles.”
The anime was released in conjunction with a manga series from Kodansha between 1997 and 2000 in their ‘Comic BomBom’ magazine.
A sequel anime was released in 2000 and 2001 titled ‘Medarot Damashii’ produced by Trans Arts and Production I.G. It debuted in Japan on TV Tokyo and in the United States on ABC on the Jetix under the title ‘Medabots Spirits.’
