| Bismark | |
| Ja Kanji: | 星銃士ビスマルク |
| Ja Romaji: | Sei Jūshi Bisumaruku |
| Genre: | Space Western |
| Type: | tv series |
| Producer: | Yoshitaka Suzuki |
| Music: | Osamu Totsuka |
| Studio: | Studio Pierrot |
| Network: | NNS (NTV) |
| First: | October 7, 1984 |
| Last: | September 29, 1985 |
| Episodes: | 51 |
| Related works | |
| Content: | |
, also known as simply Bismark,[1] is a Japanese anime television series created by Studio Pierrot.
The series aired on Nippon TV and its affiliates from October 7, 1984 to September 25, 1985, totaling 51 episodes. In 1986, the rights to Bismark were sold to the United States company World Events Productions (WEP). WEP reorganized and rewrote the series, incorporating most of the original episodes and creating six new ones before releasing it under the name Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs.[2]
In the year 2069, humanity begins to terraform and colonize the Solar System. In order to protect the colonies and maintain law and order in the solar system, the Earth Federation Government (EFG) was created. Soon, many settlers started to resent the EFG and its sphere of influence, straining the relationship between the central government and the colonies.
While a strained peace was being forged between Earth and the colonies, a race of non-human creatures known as Deathcula invaded the System in 2084. Without provocation, they attacked the colonies and killed many of the colonists. The EFG quickly realized that the Deathcula were technologically superior and their forces were hopelessly outmatched. In order to have a chance at survival, Dr. Charles Louvre developed a transformable starship known as the Bismarck.
Knowing that an advanced team of specialists were required to operate the Bismarck, four individuals came together and were charged with keeping the outer colonies safe from further Deathcula attacks.
are aliens who, after destroying their own planet in an internal war, transferred onto the planet Metheus. Unfortunately, this planet was also dying, so the Deathcula chose to leave it and conquer the Solar System. Their technology is quite advanced, and their society is one of discipline and obedience. Physically Deathcula look and act like humans, except that they have pointed ears and canine teeth. Due to this similarity, Deathcula are easily able to infiltrate and imitate humans.
See main article: Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs.
When purchased by WEP in 1986, the studio reorganized and rewrote the series, and incorporated six newly written and animated episodes into the original Bismarck story before releasing it in 1987 under the name Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs. Saber Rider ran for 52 episodes between 1987 and 1988.
In Saber Rider, the majority of the action is moved out of the solar system and into the rest of the galaxy. As opposed to a private group of four, the characters were written to be a small portion of a major military enforcement group known as the Star Sheriffs. Scenes of the main characters relaxing at a night club or bar and drinking alcohol were explained as "visiting a soda shop". Also, since showing death on American cartoons was much less accepted at that time, the Outriders were shown to "jump" back to their own dimension when defeated. Shinji's name was changed to Fireball, a professional race car driver who had a crush on April Eagle (Marianne). Richard's name was changed to the titular Saber Rider, who was now the leader of the group. Bill became Colt and was part of a traveling rodeo until tragedy struck, after which he joined the Star Sheriffs. Marianne Louvre was renamed April Eagle, and became a former tennis pro whose three love interests were Saber Rider, Jesse Blue, and Fireball. Professor Charles Louvre was renamed Commander Eagle, and was the leader of Cavalry Command and the Star Sheriffs.
The Deathcula became The Outriders. In the new storyline, the Outriders were humanoids who come from another dimension called the Vapor Zone. They wanted to conquer mankind and control the universe unhindered, thinking the human dimension has much more to offer than their own. When an Outrider was shot or wounded, they did not die, but rather performed a "dimension jump", a process where they vanished and returned to their home dimension to reform.
Hyuza was given the name Nemesis, and his story was altered so that he was the evil genius in charge of the renegade Outriders and the mastermind behind their insidious schemes. Perios became Jesse Blue, a promising cadet at Cavalry Command until he fell in love with April Eagle during a training exercise. When April rejected his advances, he turned against the Star Sheriffs and cultivated a personal grudge against Saber Rider, ultimately becoming a fugitive, and joining forces with the Outriders. Zatola was known as Gattler.
The American animation used for the extra six episodes of Saber Rider was visibly different from the Japanese animation. Though the basic character designs remained the same, the style was vastly different from the original character art by Shigeru Kato. These new episodes were made to help enforce the changes made to the series, such as enforcing the "Western" theme with Cowboys and Indians, expanding on the Cavalry Command military structure, as well as showing visual evidence of Outriders reforming in their home dimension.
| Star Musketeer Bismark | Written by | Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Space Adventurers" (宇宙の冒険野郎) | Mitsuru Majima | 1 | "Star Sheriff Round Up" | |
| 2 | "Me, Him and That Varmint" (俺とあいつとあの野郎) | Mitsuru Majima | 4 | "Iguana Get To Know You" | |
| 3 | "The Little Sheriff" (小さな名保安官) | Mitsuo Aimono | 7 | "Little Pardner" | |
| 4 | "Shoot the Deathcula Spy!" (デスキュラ・スパイを撃て！) | Kazuhito Hisajima | 8 | "Brawling Is My Calling" | |
| 5 | "Clash! | Desert Showdown" (激突！！ 荒野の決戦) | Mitsuru Majima | 16 | "Show Down At Cimarron Pass" |
| 6 | "The Secret of Beautiful Ellis" (美少女エリスの秘密) | Mitsuru Majima Toshie Sasano | 19 | "Sole Survivor" | |
| 7 | "A Small Love Story" (小さな愛の物語) | Mitsuo Aimono | 20 | "Legend Of The Santa Fe Express" | |
| 8 | "The Mysterious Space Horses" (謎のスペース・ホース) | Mitsuo Aimono | 9 | "Wild Horses Couldn't Drag Me Away" | |
| 9 | "Fight to Tomorrow" (明日への戦い) | Mitsuo Aimono | 27 | "The Hole In The Wall Gang" | |
| 10 | "The Lion-Hearted General of Ganymede" (ガニメデの鬼将軍) | Mitsuru Majima | 22 | "Famous Last Words" | |
| 11 | "The Aging Phoenix" (老いたる不死鳥) | Mitsuru Majima | 23 | "Sharpshooter" | |
| 12 | "Christmas Carol Under the Stars" (星空のクリスマスカロル) | Mitsuru Majima | 24 | "The Monarch Supreme" | |
| 13 | "Shinigami Kid" (死神キッド) | Mitsuo Aimono | 21 | "Snake Eyes" | |
| 14 | "Duel in the Snow" (白銀の決闘) | Mitsuru Majima Toshie Sasano | 29 | "Snow-Blind" | |
| 15 | "Last Shooting" (ラスト・シューティング) | Mitsuru Majima | 5 | "Little Hombre" | |
| 16 | "Chivalry Lives Again" (よみがえる騎士道) | Mitsuo Aimono | 10 | "The Castle Of The Mountain Haze" | |
| 17 | "Defend Your Own Village" (君の手で村を守れ) | Tsunehisa Ito | 30 | "Tranquility" | |
| 18 | "A Saint from Hell" (地獄から来た聖者) | Mitsuru Majima | 41 | "The Amazing Lazardo" | |
| 19 | "Uncover the Secret Assassination Plot" (秘密暗殺計画を暴け) | Mitsuo Aimono | 42 | "I Forgot" | |
| 20 | "A Dangerous Visitor" (危険な来訪者) | Mitsuru Majima Toshie Sasano | X | — | |
| 21 | "The Robot Show of Terror" (恐怖のロボット・ショー) | Tsunehisa Ito | 6 | "Greatest Show On The New Frontier" | |
| 22 | "Explosive Death Race" (爆発！！ 死のレース) | Mitsuo Aimono | 28 | "The All Galaxy Grand Prix" | |
| 23 | "Captain Holliday" (キャプテン・ホリデー) | Mitsuo Aimono | X | — | |
| 24 | "The Four Leaf Clover" (四つ葉のクローバー) | Mitsuru Majima Toshie Sasano | 12 | "Four Leaf Clover" | |
| 25 | "Fierce Attack! Blaster Pulse" (猛撃！ ブラスター・パルス) | Mitsuru Majima | 37 | "Born on the Bayou" | |
| 26 | "The Final Showdown on Ganymede" (ガニメデ最後の決戦) | Mitsuru Majima | 25 | "Gattler's Last Stand" | |
| 27 | "Renewed Determination, Act 1" (新たなる決意 ACT-1) | Kazuhito Hisajima | 35 | "The Challenge (1)" | |
| 28 | "Renewed Determination, Act 2" (新たなる決意 ACT-2) | Kazuhito Hisajima | 36 | "The Challenge (2)" | |
| 29 | "Reunion and Takeoff" (再会、そして旅立ち) | Mitsuru Majima | 14 | "What Did You Do On Your Summer Vacation?" | |
| 30 | "Fight for Peace!" (戦え！ 平和のために) | Mitsuru Majima Toshie Sasano | X | — | |
| 31 | "The Man from Andromeda" (アンドロメダから来た男) | Mitsuo Aimono Mitsuru Majima | 15 | "Jesse Blue" | |
| 32 | "The Deathcula Hunter" (デスキュラ・ハンター) | Minoru Shinbayashi | 26 | "Dooley" | |
| 33 | "Attack the Ghost Squadron!" (幽霊戦隊を叩け！) | Tsunehisa Ito | 31 | "Bad Day At Dry Gulch" | |
| 34 | "Wish Upon a Rainbow!" (虹に願いを | ) | Mitsuo Aimono | 43 | "Lend Me Your Ears" |
| 35 | "Soldier Girl Chiruka" (女戦士チルカ) | Toshie Sasano | 40 | "Jesse's Girl" | |
| 36 | "The Juno Evacuation Operation" (ジュノー星救出作戦) | Mitsuru Majima | X | — | |
| 37 | "A 50 Percent Chance" (50%の賭け) | Mitsuo Aimono | 38 | "April Rides" | |
| 38 | "Naughty Wars!" (わんぱくWARS！) | Tsunehisa Ito | 39 | "The Walls Of Red Wing" | |
| 39 | "The Evil Field of the Planet Leto" (魔のレト星フィールド) | Toshie Sasano | 33 | "Sneaky Spies" | |
| 40 | "The Time I Faced Sincerity" (真心が見えた時) | Mitsuo Aimono | 32 | "Snowcone" | |
| 41 | "Planet of Dinosaurs" (恐竜の星) | Tsunehisa Ito | 11 | "Oh Boy! Dinosaurs | " |
| 42 | "Giant Fortress Dead Ahead!" (大要塞接近！) | Mitsuo Aimono | X | — | |
| 43 | "Deathcula's Secret" (デスキュラの秘密) | Mitsuru Majima | 44 | "Born To Run" | |
| 44 | "Legend of a Planet" (星の神話) | Mitsuo Aimono | 45 | "The Legend Of The Lost World" | |
| 45 | "The Rescue of Dr. Louvelle" (奪回！ ルヴェール博士) | Toshie Sasano | 46 | "The Rescue" | |
| 46 | "Bismark Disassembled!" (ビスマルク解体！) | Mitsuru Majima Toshie Sasano | 47 | "Eagle Has Landed" | |
| 47 | "Soldiers Resurrected" (戦士の復活) | Mitsuo Aimono | 48 | "Cease Fire" | |
| 48 | "Hyper-Photon Cannon, Fire!" (ハイパーフォトン砲発射！) | Tsunehisa Ito | 49 | "Alamo Moon" | |
| 49 | "Destroy Helperides!" (ヘルペリデスを撃破せよ！) | Mitsuru Majima Toshie Sasano | 50 | "The Nth Degree" | |
| 50 | "Escape from Helperides" (ヘルペリデス脱出.) | Kazuhito Hisajima | 51 | "Who is Nemesis?" | |
| 51 | "Galaxy Dream" (夢銀河) | Kazuhito Hisajima | 52 | "Happy Trails" | |
| X | — | 2 | "Cavalry Command" | ||
| X | — | 3 | "Jesse's Revenge" | ||
| X | — | 13 | "The Highlanders" | ||
| X | — | 17 | "The Saber And The Tomahawk" | ||
| X | — | 18 | "All That Glitters" | ||
| X | — | 34 | "Stampede" | ||