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American viewers know Genesis Climber Mospeada (1983) as one of the three unrelated series combined to form Robotech, but it's been unavailable in its original form. The program bombed when it aired in Japan (the toys didn't even sell), but Robotech fans have kept its memory alive. In the original story, Stig Bernard is a dedicated officer in the force sent by the human colony on Mars to free Earth from the alien Inbit, who conquered the planet 33 years earlier. Stig survives the destruction of the space fleet and forges a group of freedom fighters out of the unlikely individuals he encounters: irrepressible Ray, tough-as-nails Houquet, whiny Mint, Jim the mechanic, and transvestite singer Yellow. They bond as they destroy a seemingly endless succession of Inbit mecha. The Refles, the ruler of Inbit, morphs three warriors into human form. The females fall in love with Stig and Yellow; the male becomes a fanatic warrior, whom Stig dispatches in a climactic duel. Mospeada ends on a weak note: after 24 episodes of warfare, the Refles suddenly decides to lead her people to another planet where they can realize a higher destiny. Unlike their previous rereleases of Robotech, ADV did the needed restoration work for Mospeada: the colors are true, with no fading to pink. Although it's interesting to compare the original series with the familiar Robotech version, Genesis Climber Mospeada reveals just how far Japanese animation has developed in the intervening decades. (Unrated: suitable for ages 10 and older: nudity, violence, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon
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