The Bots Master

The Bots Master
Also known as "Le maître des bots" (France)
"The Botz Master" (USA)
"ZZ Bots
Genre Action
Animation
Written by Jean Chalopin
Jack Olesker
Directed by Shigeo Koshi
Xavier Picard
Voices of Mark Hildreth
Crystaleen O'Bray
Ian James Corlett
Richard Ian Cox
Michael Donovan
Stefano Giulianetti
Janyse Jaud
Dale Wilson
Country of origin France
United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 40 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Avi Arad
Jean Chalopin
Producer(s) Xavier Picard
Mark Taylor
Running time 23 minutes
Production company(s) AB Productions
Distributor Saban Entertainment
Disney-ABC Domestic Television
Release
Original network Syndicated (US)
YTV (Canada)
CBBC and TCC (UK)
TF1 and Mangas (France)
Italia 1 and Fox Kids (Italy)
Seven Network (Australia)
Original release 1 September 1993 – 1 May 1994

The Bots Master is a 1993 cartoon series, produced by Jean Chalopin through his company "Créativité et Développement" in France (where the show was known as Le Maître des Bots) and Saban International. The show is currently owned by Disney since 2001. In total 40 episodes were made, each one having a special 3D segment and titles. The series was co-produced by Avi Arad and Associates. The show also had a toyline based on it.

Summary

In the year 2025 A.D., robots have become commonplace, performing menial tasks and working in industry. For that, the world can thank the young genius robotic engineer Ziv "ZZ" Zulander and the Robotic Megafact Corporation (aka RM Corp) he works for. Ziv's creation of the "3A robot series" revolutionized the world and its application of robotics. However, Sir Lewis Leon Paradim (aka "LLP", president of RM Corp) isn't satisfied being one of the wealthiest men in the world; he desires world domination. With his assistants Lady Frenzy and Dr. Hiss, LLP plans to take control of the planet through a coup, using the very same 3A bots that ZZ had invented to benefit humanity. Dr. Hiss creates a new chip, called the "Krang Chip", which can be used to override any 3A series robot to take orders exclusively from RM Corp. ZZ learns of LLP's evil plan and decides to defect from the company, intending to stop the continued manufacture and distribution of the Krang Chips.

LLP and his cohorts originally seek to capture ZZ and convince him to switch sides, but ZZ refuses. Utilizing his A.I. robotic creations, the B.O.Y.Z.Z. (Brain Operated Young Zygoetopic Zoids), Zulander stages a robotic guerrilla war against RM Corps' military bots. Shortly after escaping RM Corp, ZZ rescues his sister, Blitzy Zulander, and takes his operation literally underground to avoid enemy detection. After securing his base of operations, ZZ and his BOYZZ begin their private campaign against RM Corp.

ZZ had secretly installed a special system, called "mirrors", which allows him to monitor RM Corp from within Lady Frenzy's office PC, using this information to sabotage RM Corp plans. During attempts to foil Krang Chip delivery and production, ZZ and his BOYZZ are incriminated in a series of false media reports on his rogue activities to turn public sympathy against him, and discrediting his heroic efforts as terrorism activity.

Characters

Humans

The Zulanders

RM Corp

Other human characters

The Boyzz Brigade

Short for "Brain Operated Young Zygoetopic Zoids," these robots are ZZ's allies against RM Corp.

The Boyzz Brigade also have a number of other vehicles, including a "mole" digger, a stealth submarine (invisible to radar/sonar, but visually identifiable), and the Splitvan (a van that can divide into multiple smaller vehicles). Blitzy is especially fond of her VAF, a sort of attack jet with GERWALK-capable 'legs'.

There are also other bots under ZZ's command, known only as "Battle Bots".

RM Corp Bots (3A type)

Although the RM Corp's bots are devoid of personality (and universally speak in the same monotone synthesized voice), there are a few common types.

Episodes

  1. "Adios ZZ"
  2. "Enter the Ninjzz"
  3. "Blitzy's Battle Bots Brigade"
  4. "Stop That Bot"
  5. "Block 93"
  6. "Flowers For ZZ"
  7. "Rock the Corp"
  8. "This Land Is My Land"
  9. "You Can Bank On It"
  10. "ZZ, Come Back"
  11. "Lost"
  12. "Bring The Boyzz Down"
  13. "Spybot"
  14. "Climb The Mountain"
  15. "Assault On Bunker 435"
  16. "Blind Date"
  17. "Grasp For Power"
  18. "Bobby And His Bots"
  19. "The Weapon"
  20. "A Few Good Boyzzs"
  21. "A Tale of Two Paradims"
  22. "General Blitzy"
  23. "The Zulander Scanner"
  24. "Mind Gamez"
  25. "Island Ploy"
  26. "Photo Finish"
  27. "A Gift For Frenzy"
  28. "ZZ and The Law"
  29. "The Appointment"
  30. "The Duel"
  31. "The Bad Boyzzs Are Among Us"
  32. "Friendly Enemy"
  33. "The Gift"
  34. "The Bots In The Booth"
  35. "Building Eight"
  36. "The Tome of Doom"
  37. "Friendly Frenzy"
  38. "Momzz"
  39. "Fly Me To The Moon"
  40. "The Setting Sun"

Cast

Lazer Time

In addition to the credits, every episode of the show had a short segment in 3D. Using a method called the Pulfrich effect, the segment was acceptable for viewers with or without the special glasses packaged with action figures based on the series. To inform viewers to wear their glasses, a character - usually Zulander - would shout, "Lazer Time, boyzz!" followed by an image of the 3-D glasses on the screen. Once the 3-D sequence was over, ZZ would call "Game Over!" and an image of the 3-D glasses appear once more on the screen, this time with a no symbol superimposed over it. For the Bots Master series the effect was produced by Nuoptix 3-D.

Merchandise

In conjunction with the series, a short-lived toyline was produced under license by C&D. The line included action figures of Ziv Zulander, Doctor Hiss, and Jungle Fiver before being discontinued.

Home Video

Six out-of-print VHS tapes were released in the 1990s, each with a single episode and the title of that episode.[1]

See also

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/30/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.