is an anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

 series aired from 1976 to 1977 in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. There are 38 episodes aired at 25 minutes each. It is also known as "Blocker Army IV Machine Blaster", "Blocker Corps IV", "Blocker Army IV", "Blocker Corps", "Machine Blaster" and in Italian version as "Astrorobot Contatto Ypsilon".

Original Story

Earth is being attacked by the Mogul civilization, a super advanced people that live beneath the ocean. Professor Yuri, having studied the ancient super-technology in Astro base, anticipated such an invasion would take place. Using what he had learned of their technology, he created a team of four super robot

Super Robot

is a term used in manga and anime to describe a giant robot or mecha, with an arsenal of fantastic super-powered weapons, extreme resistance to damage unless the plot calls for it, sometimes transformable or combined from two or more robots and/or vehicles usually piloted by young, daring heroes,...

s, piloted by four youth pilots, to help repel the Mogul invasion, and they are known as the Machine Blaster Corps. Led by the pilot Ishida, the Blocker Corps stands firm against the attack of the Mogul rulers, Hellqueen V and Kaibuddha.

Concept

The number 4 comes from the team of 4 robots. The robots individually have their own weapon, but they can also be combined to form a fire ring which cuts through the enemies. It was not the most popular show since anime powerhouses Gaiking and Combattler V, which featured more creative combinations and designs, were ruling the airwaves.

Episodes List (Italian series)

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1. Tempesta Fatale	13. La ballata del tradimento	25. Gloria alla Regina degli Inferi
2. Il dolore di Yanosh	14. Picot	26. E spuntò l'arcobaleno
3. Al di là dell'odio	15. Conchiglie nel mare del Giappone	27. Melodia di vita e di morte
4. Un mammut a Hokkaido	16. L'uranio rubato	28. Il ritorno degli Astrorobot
5. La crisi di Ylly	17. C'è una spia fra noi	29. Oltre la gloria
6. Ypsilon, avanti!	18. Fiamme nel deserto	30. Danze al crepuscolo
7. La pistola a raggi solari	19. Tempesta Arctica	31. Il vecchio e la nave da guerra
8. Picot alla riscossa	20. Oltre l'amicizia	32. Il lamento della foresta
9. Scivolo infernale	21. I Moguru attaccano ancora	33. Una principessa all'attacco
10. Yanosh contro il destino	22. La medicina degli Incas	34. Un segreto spaziale
11. Una madre mai vista	23. Ninna nanna in un campo di battaglia	35. La rosa infernale
12. Un tormento per Yanosh	24. Vivi fino a domani	36. La valle della morte

plus two last episodes:
37. Scherzo fatale and 38. Battaglia mortale

Staff

Director: Masami Anno

Original Creator: Toshihiko Sato

Screenwriter: Akira Hatta, Susumu Takahisa

Designer: Tomosuke Takahashi, Kunio Okawara

Kunio Okawara

is a mechanical designer in the Japanese anime industry. A mechanical designer is similar to a character designer, but the design is for robots, ships, and other mechanical items found in a particular show. Okawara was the first in the industry to be specifically credited as a mechanical designer...

Animator: Mamoru Tanaka, Takashi Nakamura

Takashi Nakamura

, is an accomplished Japanese animator and anime director. It was his work on Ōgon Senshi Gold Lightan that helped inspire fellow animator Koji Morimoto.His 2001 film A Tree of Palme was an official selection of the Berlin Film Festival....

Music: Hiroshi Tsutsui

Robots

Pilot Tag Number	Pilot (Japanese)	Pilot (Italian)	Japanese 'Mashin Burastar'	Italian 'Astrorobot'	Italian Voices by
Gundan I	Gensui Ishida	Yshida	Sandaioh	Terremoto Stellare	Diego Regente
Gundan II	Billy Kenshiro	Ylly	Bullcaesar	Sfondamento Galattico	Vittorio Guerrireri
Gundan III	Jintaro Hayami	Yinta	Robocles	Turbine Solare	Fabrizio Mazzotta
Gundan IV	Tenpei Asuka	Yanosh	Bosspalder	Tempesta Spaziale	Claudio Trionfi

Song

Lyric: Blocker Gundan Machine Blaster (Opening Theme)

• Todoroku raimei arashi wo tsuite
• Yuke (yuke!) yuke yuke (yuke!) BLOCKER FOUR
• Kitazo MOGURU jigoku no taigun
• Mamore bokura no machi to umi wo
• Moeru seigi no EREPAS komete
• Ima da ATTACK engetsu kaiten
• Kudaite miseruze aku no kiba
• BLOCKER Gundan MACHINE BLASTER!!!