Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs
Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs is an animated television space western, similar to the series The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers and BraveStarr. The series premiered in the United States in 1987 and had a run of 52 episodes.
The show was based on Bismark, a Japanese anime series created by Studio Pierrot that achieved moderate success in Japan. The English language rights to the series were purchased by World Events Productions, the same company behind the English-language version of Voltron, in 1986. WEP reorganized and rewrote the series, incorporating most of the original episodes and creating 6 new ones, before releasing it under the name Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs.''
Plot
The series is set in the distant future. Humans have spread beyond living on Earth and have colonized planets across the universe, creating a New Frontier of man. In order to protect these new settlers and maintain law and order in the New Frontier, Earth's Cavalry Command was created. Cavalry Command is a military organization that maintains an army and fleet of ships to protect the New Frontier and the residents of the planets within it known as Settlers. Within Cavalry Command is a unit of special operatives known as Star Sheriffs that function as the organization's field agents, investigating any crimes and plots that threaten the security of the New Frontier.The main foe of Cavalry Command and the Star Sheriffs is a race of non-human creatures known as Vapor Beings that have jumped into our dimension in order to conquer it. They attack the Settlers, destroy settlements, and kidnap humans in order to mine various metals or crystals from the soil of various planets.
Outriders are superior to humans in battle technology. They control a legion of gigantic robots with weapons greatly superior to the weapons and defenses of the space-going fleets of Cavalry Command. In response to the Outriders's threat, Cavalry Command develops a prototype spaceship known as the "Ramrod Equalizer Unit" that has the ability to transform from a spaceship into a powerful robot that can fight the Outriders's Renegade Units on equal terms.
Characters
Protagonists
; Saber Rider; Fireball Hikari
; Colt Willcox
; Commander Charles Eagle
; April Eagle
; Ramrod
Antagonists
The main antagonists are called the Outriders who are humanoids from the Vapor Zone, an alternate dimension. They do not require oxygen, but do require great quantities of water. They have the ability to disguise themselves as human beings, to the point where even a medical examination will not reveal their true identities.Their personal existence is bleak, as is their home dimension. They have squandered all the resources on their home planet, forcing them to move to an artificial planet. The Outriders' goal is to conquer mankind and control the universe unhindered—they think the human dimension has much more to offer than their own. When an Outrider is shot or wounded, they do not die, but rather dimension jump, a process where they vanish and return to their home dimension. After dimension jumping, a wisp of poisonous, green gas, and a smudge where the Outrider stood remain. A self-initiated dimension jump leaves no trace at all. Outriders who are shot or killed in the vapor dimension will turn to a human. Under unique circumstances an Outrider, while in the human dimension, is in a situation that prevents them from making a dimension jump may also turn them to a human.
; Nemesis
; Jesse Blue
; Gattler
; Vanquo
Music
The program's music score was composed by Dale Schacker, who was given complete artistic freedom in his composition of the whole score. The score features guitar based music in a fast, rhythmic, yet very fashionable Country Western style. Despite the fact that the music uses synthpop elements, its predominant instrument is the electric guitar rather than a synthesizer, creating a unique sound. Just like a Western movie score, the music is sometimes enriched by whip cracks, rattle snake, harmonica or similar Western sound effects. The music is also intentionally composed with a recurring musical theme, so that the show can be easily recognized, adding a sense of familiarity each time the show is viewed. Despite this aspect, the music does not sound repetitious, since only key elements of the composition are repeated. The opening and closing credits vocals were also sung by Schacker himself.Two soundtrack compilations are available, each containing 2 CDs.
- Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs – Soundtrack I
- Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs – Soundtrack II
Other media
Video game
Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs - The Game is an upcoming video game developed by a German group called "Team Saber Rider", under license from both World Events Productions and Studio Pierrot. The game is planned for multiple platforms, and is targeting for a release in Q3 2017 for the primary formats after a successful funding campaign on Kickstarter.Originally announced in 2010, the game's development faced several problems, including the shuttering of the original developer Firehazard Studio. The head of development, Chris Strauss, originally worked on an earlier video game adaptation project, a 2D side-scrolling shooter initially planned for the Game Boy Advance, and later the Nintendo DS. However, the original game was then scrapped due to notions that more "casual" games sold better on the Nintendo DS.
Comic book
A comic miniseries based on the show was released on March 16, 2016. The four-issue miniseries is a reboot of the show's premise in order to appeal for a new generation. The miniseries is written by Mairghread Scott, and illustrated by Sendol Arts.VHS UK history
- Video Gems
| VHS video title | VHS Studios | Year of release | Episodes |
| Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs – It's How the West Will Be Won | Video Gems | 1987 | Cavalry Command, Jesse's Revenge, Greatest Show On The New Frontier, Little Pardner |
Cast list
- Rob Paulsen – Saber Rider, Jesse Blue
- Pat Fraley – Fireball
- Pat Musick – April Eagle
- Townsend Coleman – Colt
- Peter Cullen – Narrator, Commander Eagle, Nemesis, Ramrod
- B.J. Ward – Emily Wyeth, Sincia
- Cam Clarke – Philip
- Lennie Weinrib – Colonel Wyatt
- Neil Ross – Buck, Grimmer
- Tress MacNeille – Robin
- Michael Bell – Snake Eyes
Episodes
| # | Star Musketeer Bismark | # | Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs |
| 1 | 宇宙の冒険野郎 | 1 | Star Sheriff Round Up |
| 2 | 俺とあいつとあの野郎 | 4 | Iguana Get To Know You |
| 3 | 小さな名保安官 | 7 | Little Pardner |
| 4 | デスキュラ・スパイを撃て！ | 8 | Brawling Is My Calling |
| 5 | 激突！！ 荒野の決戦 | 16 | Show Down at Cimarron Pass |
| 6 | 美少女エリスの秘密 | 19 | Sole Survivor |
| 7 | 小さな愛の物語 | 20 | Legend of the Santa Fe Express |
| 8 | 謎のスペース・ホース | 9 | Wild Horses Couldn't Drag Me Away |
| 9 | 明日への戦い | 27 | The Hole in the Wall Gang |
| 10 | ガニメデの鬼将軍 | 22 | Famous Last Words |
| 11 | 老いたる不死鳥 | 23 | Sharpshooter |
| 12 | 星空のクリスマスカロル | 24 | The Monarch Supreme |
| 13 | 死神キッド | 21 | Snake Eyes |
| 14 | 白銀の決闘 | 29 | Snow-Blind |
| 15 | ラスト・シューティング | 5 | Little Hombre |
| 16 | よみがえる騎士道 | 10 | The Castle of the Mountain Haze |
| 17 | 君の手で村を守れ | 30 | Tranquility |
| 18 | 地獄から来た聖者 | 41 | The Amazing Lazardo |
| 19 | 秘密暗殺計画を暴け | 42 | I Forgot |
| 20 | 危険な来訪者 | X | |
| 21 | 恐怖のロボット・ショー | 6 | Greatest Show on the New Frontier |
| 22 | 爆発！！ 死のレース | 28 | The All Galaxy Grand Prix |
| 23 | キャプテン・ホリデー | X | |
| 24 | 四つ葉のクローバー | 12 | Four Leaf Clover |
| 25 | 猛撃！ ブラスター・パルス | 37 | Born on the Bayou |
| 26 | ガニメデ最後の決戦 | 25 | Gattler's Last Stand |
| 27 | 新たなる決意 ACT-1 | 35 | The Challenge |
| 28 | 新たなる決意 ACT-2 | 36 | The Challenge |
| 29 | 再会、そして旅立ち | 14 | What Did You Do on Your Summer Vacation? |
| 30 | 戦え！ 平和のために | X | |
| 31 | アンドロメダから来た男 | 15 | Jesse Blue |
| 32 | デスキュラ・ハンター | 26 | Dooley |
| 33 | 幽霊戦隊を叩け！ | 31 | Bad Day at Dry Gulch |
| 34 | 虹に願いを! | 43 | Lend Me Your Ears |
| 35 | 女戦士チルカ | 40 | Jesse's Girl |
| 36 | ジュノー星救出作戦 | X | |
| 37 | 50%の賭け | 38 | April Rides |
| 38 | わんぱくWARS！ | 39 | The Walls of Red Wing |
| 39 | 魔のレト星フィールド | 33 | Sneaky Spies |
| 40 | 真心が見えた時 | 32 | Snowcone |
| 41 | 恐竜の星 | 11 | Oh Boy! Dinosaurs! |
| 42 | 大要塞接近！ | X | |
| 43 | デスキュラの秘密 | 44 | Born To Run |
| 44 | 星の神話 | 45 | The Legend of the Lost World |
| 45 | 奪回！ ルヴェール博士 | 46 | The Rescue |
| 46 | ビスマルク解体！ | 47 | Eagle Has Landed |
| 47 | 戦士の復活 | 48 | Cease Fire |
| 48 | ハイパーフォトン砲発射！ | 49 | Alamo Moon |
| 49 | ヘルペリデスを撃破せよ！ | 50 | The Nth Degree |
| 50 | ヘルペリデス脱出. | 51 | Who is Nemesis? |
| 51 | 夢銀河 | 52 | Happy Trails |
| X | — | 2 | Cavalry Command |
| X | — | 3 | Jesse's Revenge |
| X | — | 13 | The Highlanders |
| X | — | 17 | The Saber and the Tomahawk |
| X | — | 18 | All That Glitters |
| X | — | 34 | Stampede |
Release
Ten episodes of Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs were released in America on DVD by the U.S. rights-holders, World Events Productions. Several episodes were also released on VHS. At Otakon 2008, WEP announced that the entire series would be released on DVD through VCI Entertainment. The first of three DVD sets was released on November 18, 2008. The second DVD set was released on August 25, 2009. The complete Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs DVD boxset was released on October 20, 2009.In the UK, one DVD, titled Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs – Volume 1, has been released by Anchor Bay Entertainment. Two additional DVDs have been released under their Kids Entertainment label. The entire series has been released in German by Anime House on 10 DVDs. Special Editions of Volumes 5 and 10 featured a slipcase to hold 5 DVDs each. A limited-edition box featuring the complete series as well as three tin figures was also released. The entire Series is also available on Blu-ray. The First Volume was released on July 25, 2014 and the second on September 26, 2014.
On July 11, 2016, the anime-focused television channel Toku began airing the series, and months later, it was added to its Amazon Prime channel.