X Bomber (1980–1982) User Reviews

Japanese madness !

[dsb-6 · 8/10 · 10 March 2007]

Lots of memories on this one! - from the perspective of someone who was a young kid at the time....

This show really appealed to me at the time as it was somehow more brutal than other series of it's ilk - thunderbirds, terrahawks etc. in this series people got blown up - done with, they didn't survive, the bad guys wore bandages as the series went forwards (!), main characters were killed off - this was not the usual! i also have strong memories of the evil guy's catfish shaped spaceship - the series built up it's showdown with the red robot in the same way a pro wrestling show would build up an upcoming match! - so when the showdown finally came.. what an adrenalin rush for a 10 year old boy!

i dare say if i were to view it today i'd be less forgiving of technical qualities - plus the undoubted fact that the series was re-cut and edited on it's journey from japan to england - but even so, great memories!

"Star Wars" meets "The Thunderbirds"...And it is awesome.

[Rectangular_businessman · 8/10 · 11 June 2011]

This has to be my favorite work of Go Nagai (The creator of "Mazinger Z", Cutey Honey" and "Devilman") I loved the storyline (That takes some of the best elements of great sci-fi franchises as "Star Wars" and "Star Trek", combining them with elements present in giant robot anime series (Like "Mazinger Z" and "Getter Robot")

"X Bomber"/ "StarFleet" it's fun, interesting and good for the whole family. The puppets,sceneries, and spaceships are incredibly well made, having the same visual effect of classic puppet shows as "The Thunderbirds".

If you like Star Trek, The Thunderbirds, Star Trek, but also, classic animated shows as "Ulysses 31" and "Mazinger Z", then you will like this too.

Personally I loved it and highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't saw this yet.

A puppet animation show that's dying to be made an epic trilogy

[lardinio · 7/10 · 7 December 2006]

It's amazing how many people don't remember this series ever existed but I watched every episode over and over again. I can still remember the characters voices, "by your divine guidance" rings in my ears. And the theme music for Dai-X, "dun dun, Dir Der, Der Dir, Der Dir, d d Di!". I have been waiting for 20 years for someone to make this into a film. CGI is so good these days and the original story line was very strong it is bound to be a winner with the right director and cast. Hell, they're doing 'Transformers' so why not star fleet. It would be a Matrix, come Star Wars flick for a new (and old - for the few who could remember) generation. I cannot believe that no-ones picked up on this yet!!

Comments from a relived viewing

[msknight · 14 February 2003]

Known as "Star Fleet" in the U.K., I watched it as a child and never missed an episode. Having recently watched the U.S. version (cut to 24 episodes) from start to finish, this is a great series. Unique in it's time (in my opinion) for having an overall plot, plus other sub-plots which made each week exciting and making me eager to see the final fight.

Talking with a good friend we recounted the years, and were soon trawling the net. A week or so later and we're watching the show again.

The dub from Japanese worked very, very well and the music breathed extra life in to this truly unique work. Puppets controled from below are forgivable when you consider the overall effect of the production, which was leading edge for it's time. Come on, Jin, it's been too long - let's see it released on DVD - you've got one customer here just waiting for all 9 hours worth.

A nostalgia trip to the max!

[fibreoptic · 10/10 · 2 August 2004]

Awesome! That's about is all i got to say on this matter but i'm gonna say other stuff anyways :P

I first watched this at 5 and instantly became hooked. Everything about it for a puppet show is excellent and way ahead of its time. It totally beats the s**t out of Thunderbirds, Sting Ray, Captain Scarlet, Joe 90 and all the other cacky British puppet shows. They were boring as heck! This is more than enough action, excitement and entertainment for anyone with an extremely vivid sci-fi imagination.

Excellent effects, voice acting and top notch puppeteering makes this easily on par with Transformers as my favourite 80's kids show but there are elements of Star Fleet that are for adults too. It is quite dark and when the Imperial Master orders the execution of Commander Makara near the end of the first series you know that it ain't just any typical kind of kids show even though when it was originally broadcast on British TV it was shown on a Saturday afternoon. There's death in this!

I'm not sure how to spell it but that giant robot (Dye-X or Die-X?) is just awesome and is so much better looking than the stupid crap you get in Power Rangers which was made 13 or 14 years after Star Fleet. This show is so so so ahead of its time it's unreal.

There are so many cool weapons and space crafts in this. Man, this has everything for even the most wildest imagination of any child. The story is so polished and great. I can't praise this show enough. It's the only puppet show that i really like. Terrahawks was OK but nothing will ever touch this beast. Poor Commander Makara's favourite word in this was retreat but at heart she's a right softy and not the evil bitch queen she pretends to be. F Zero One was just never meant to be hers or her masters.

I think a live action remake or animation of Star Fleet would rock but only if it's done by the Japanese. The Americans would muck it up especially seeing as the way over-commercialised Hollywood is these days.

I never usually rate TV series on IMDb but i've giving this beauty 10/10. Star Fleet forever.

P.S. Sad but true fact i have to admit is that at the tender age of 5 i had my first ever crush....it was for Commander Makara and her voice (voiced by Denise Bryer). I assure you that i'm quite normal but at 5 i was thick.

Available on DVD later in 2008

[robertstarks · 10/10 · 4 March 2008]

Fans of this show might like to know that Fabulous Films is planning to release the first ever official English language DVD of this cult classic TV series "Star Fleet" (X-Bomber). The series was created by the legendary Manga author Gô Nagai. Drawing heavily on diverse influences such as Star Wars, Japanese Anime and Gerry Anderson's various "Supermarionation" series, this stellar series ran for twenty-four half hour episodes on UK TV, beaming to our screens every Saturday morning starting back in October 1982. The English version's theme song was famously covered by Queen member Brian May and Eddie Van Halen. This will be the first time this brilliant series has been available on DVD!

Seriously Underrated Japanese Sci-Fi

[matt-830-437733 · 9/10 · 28 August 2010]

In the early eighties, Go Nagai's engaging and beautifully crafted space puppet opera X-Bomber (as it was known in Japan) was the East's answer to Star Wars: featuring the exploits of a young naive space pilot and his band of trusty heroes in their fight to collapse an Evil Imperial Alliance.

Though the series wears its love for all things Lucas on its sleeve its is much more than a simple rehash of Star Wars' set pieces and characters. Its own Japanese cultural origins offer originality where most Star Wars clones have failed. Expect men in large mech suits laying waste to model cities, monster movie style. Slick anime styled puppets and sets. A host of suped up space craft and weaponry with the ability to transform at the touch of a button. A planet populated by the cutest little furballs and the most evil pairing of dictators this side of Vader and Palpatine.

This is no 'no brainer' either. The series is brilliantly scripted and paced, developing its plot episodically to an incredible climax, rather than favouring unassociated stories which was more akin to the usual eighties kids shows fayre. Tight character development (including some key members meeting their demise), an intriguing mystery and wonderfully crafted cliff hangers also raise this way above the average kids show standard.

What more do you want me to say? ...Oh did I mention the bionic poison clawed assassin mantis? In Short...EXCELLENT and great to see it back on DVD in the UK.

Amazing!!!!

[s7r4nger-1 · 16 October 2005]

I loved this show! I hope to find this on DVD anytime soon. When I was a kid, I enjoyed this series very much. I can't remember much about it, except for a couple of scenes. I would like to see it again. Many years later, many shows are made that are way worst than this piece of art. This is not only a classic, but it would be a great show by today's standards. To the ones who own the rights of Star Fleet: Make it happen again, please. IT has everything from a great plot, interesting characters, human drama. Even a movie could be made from this series. With all the garbage and stupid remakes being done nowadays, how come no one wants to redo X-Bomber???? Do it now. Use CGI, if you want, but do it. NOW!