BattleTech: The Animated Series

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BattleTech: The Animated Series
BattletechTitleCard.jpg
Title card
Also known asBattleTech
Based on
BattleTech
by
Starring Sean Bushe
Richard Dean
Roxxy Dakota
Keith Chihara
Mark McAffrey
Bernard Bear
Guy de Mouchenique
Steve Kramer
Christina Forrest
Patricia Ja Lee
Brian Tochi
David Lodge
Composers Shuki Levy
Haim Saban
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes13, plus one special
Production
Executive producersJoel Andryc
Eric S. Rollman
Sam Lewis
Jordan Weismann
ProducerKurt Weldon
Running time23 minutes
Production companies Saban Entertainment
Worldwide Sports and Entertainment
FASA Corporation
Animation servicesPhilippine Animation Studio Inc.
Original release
Network First-run syndication
ReleaseSeptember 10 (1994-09-10) 
December 10, 1994 (1994-12-10)

BattleTech is an animated television series based on the BattleTech fictional universe, produced for syndication by Saban Entertainment in 1994. [1] Written by Robert N. Skir and Marty Isenberg, the series ran for 13 episodes and focused on the character of Adam Steiner, a military officer in the distant future who struggles to liberate his home planet from an attacking faction.

Contents

The series was noteworthy for its blending of animation techniques, with computer animation used to depict most battle sequences and traditional animation used for most other scenes. [2]

Ownership of the series passed to Disney in 2001 when Disney acquired Fox Kids Worldwide which included Saban Entertainment. [3] [4] [5]

Story

The series takes place in the year 3050 as the Inner Sphere, the central region of settled interstellar space, is suddenly invaded by a powerful human faction identifying itself as the Clans. One of the many planets that falls to the Clan onslaught is a small, mostly unimportant world in the Federated Commonwealth called Somerset.

Far away on the planet Tharkad, Major Adam Steiner, a teacher at the Nagelring Military Academy and native of Somerset, receives word of the attack on his homeworld and the loss of all communication with the forces there, including his brother Andrew. Using his relationship to one of the Federated Commonwealth's ruling family, he gains permission to assemble a force to gather intelligence on the Clans and, if possible, liberate Somerset.

Unfortunately for Steiner, the only available JumpShip is the Katana, a Draconis Combine spacecraft recently seized for smuggling. The early episodes focus on Steiner recruiting and developing his team and reconciling differences between them, particularly between the Draconis JumpShip crew and the Federated Commonwealth soldiers, while gathering information about the Clans and their technology.

After several successes, Steiner's unit is given BattleMechs enhanced with stolen Clan technology and begin offensive missions against the Clans, culminating in a Trial of Possession for the planet Somerset. Steiner wins the duel, but the Clan commander, honouring the letter of the deal, gives Steiner the planet but keeps the planet's population as prisoners. The series ends with Steiner vowing to rescue the people of Somerset.

Characters

1st Somerset Strikers

Clan Jade Falcon

Clan Wolf

Clan Wolf only appear in the "Road to Camelot" episode, where they act as a rival to Clan Jade Falcon's claims to the Camelot base. They do not appear in any other episode.

Episodes

  1. The Gathering Storm (September 10, 1994)
  2. Well Bargained and Done
  3. Warriors of Light and Steel
  4. Retribution
  5. Trade Secrets
  6. No Guts, No Galaxy (note: clip show)
  7. Protect and Survive
  8. In the Belly of the Beast
  9. Bound by Honor
  10. Road to Camelot
  11. Enemy of My Enemy
  12. Shadow Heir
  13. Homecoming
  14. Trial of Possession

Intro

Every episode begins with a voice over and intro sequence narrated by Adam Steiner:

"This is the Inner Sphere - thousands of planets colonized by humankind. Once it was united under the Star League, but for the last three hundred years, it has been consumed by savage wars. Until a new enemy appeared - mysterious invaders known as "The Clans". Powerful and ruthless, they struck like lightning, attacking every sector at once! But they made one big mistake - they attacked my home planet! Now, in the spirit of the Star League, ancient enemies have reunited! And we're gonna take back our galaxy!"

Sourcebook

In 1995, FASA published 1st Somerset Strikers, a sourcebook companion for the animated series. The book provided background information on the BattleTech universe for viewers of the series, as well as stats and scenarios for use in the franchise's wargaming products, including BattleTech , MechWarrior , AeroTech and BattleSpace . The book also provided synopses for all 13 episodes and attempted to address the contradictions of the series with the established BattleTech canon.

Comics

A 5 issue limited comicbook series called BattleTech: Fallout (based on the hit animated series) was created by Malibu Comics and released in 1994. It took place at the same time as the Clan Jade Falcon invasion, with 1st Somerset Striker's Rachel Spectors sister, heavily evolved within the storyline.

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 69. ISBN   978-1538103739.
  2. Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 124. ISBN   978-1476665993.
  3. "U.S. Copyright Public Records System".
  4. "Disney+ and Missing Saban Entertainment & Fox Kids-Jetix Worldwide Library - StreamClues". 14 September 2022. Archived from the original on 26 December 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  5. "Liste - BVS Entertainment | Séries".