Here's the information you've been looking for, people. Every Ronin Warriors fact I could dig up while
surfing the web is right here at your fingertips. Feel free to print this if you want to. I'm sure I've done this
at one point or another.
The series we know as Ronin Warriors debuted in Japan in 1988. However, the Japanese version is known
as Yoroiden Samuri Troopers; somewhat different from the English version. YST ran until April of 1989, when
Japanese TV kicked it off the air.
YST didn't have an audience anymore to cheer the five boys and their three sidekicks on, but the fans remained
loyal. Young fans bought YST lunchboxes, shirts and action figures. The series and it's three OAV series
were released on laser disks (super-huge CDs that look like Mom and Dad's old Beach Boys' and Beatles' records). While
it remained hugely popular, people who had sat in front of the TV every week to watch the series were slowly drawing away
from the Troopers.
In 1995, the FOX Kids Network took notice of the series. Bandai Entertainment, the people who brought us Mighty
Morphin Power Rangers in 1992 from Japan, brought YST across the Pacific into America. In January (maybe
even April) of 1995, the newly-titled Ronin Warriors awed American and Canadain kids of all ages. Though the
series is mostly for teens, younger children enjoyed the series (I would know; my brother was one of these kids).
The people who translated YST into RW did a poor job on it; the original script was cast aside and
a new one was written. But the changes were made and no one could stop it. Kids in North America would be shocked
to know that the other four heroes, Sage, Cye, Kento and Rowen were known by Japanese fans as Seiji, Shin, Shuu and Touma.
Ryo kept his name when the translating had been done. The bad guys weren't Anubis, Dais, Cale and Sekhmet either.
Anubis was the name of the Warlord of Corruption in Japan, not the young, red-haired leader of the Warlords. Talpa
was Arago, and Sage (Seiji) was one heck of a flirt, not seen on the English version.
After the first half of the series had run, FOX cancelled RW. There hadn't been much of an audience, thus
there was no reason to keep it on the air. Ryo, Sage, Cye, Kento and Rowen were locked away in Bandai's film vault for
four years.
September 27, 1999 was a new beginning for the boys. Cartoon Network's Toonami block needed another Anime TV show
to go along with the immensely popular Dragonball Z and Sailor Moon, as well as the computer-animated Reboot.
Bandai gave them Ronin Warriors and this time, the show had an audience.
This is where I came into the picture. I was in 2nd grade when FOX aired the series, and I never had shown much
interest in my brother's cartoons. But a week after Cartoon Network gave RW the 5:30 spot, my brother got me
hooked. I enjoyed the animation (I found it better than the American animation I used to love) and teh action.
It was different from DBZ and certainly better than Sailor Moon (so I thought at the time).
March 6, 2000 marked the American debut of Gundam Wing, something I got myself hooked on. When I heard
that the Ronins would lose their position on Toonami's lineup, I panicked. That fateful Monday came and I parked myself
in front of the TV at four to watch Serena and the Sailor Scouts fight the baddies. 4:30 came and so did Ryo and his
friends. I was happy, but not for long.
The following Monday I didn't see the Ronins on TV. RW had been cancelled again. My brother, friends
and I began sending email and snail mail to people at Cartoon Network, trying to get the Ronins back on the air. Nine
months later we won our battle; the show came back on November 13, 2000. It only ran once and it was cancelled again.
Thanks to the efforts of loyal fans like yourselves and I, Bandai will release Ronin Warriors on 13 (I think)
DVDs with 3 episodes to each DVD. Great job, team!
