Voltron Force is a 2011 animated series produced by Kickstart Productions that aired on Nicktoons. It served as a pseudo-sequel to the Lion Force-based subset of the original 1980s series.
The premise places it some years after the conclusion of the old series' first season, but certain events revealed in the new series grant any backstories significant differences from what was portrayed in the classic series.
Premise[]
After the defeat of newly-christened King Lotor the galaxy settled into peace with the seeming dissolution of the Drule Empire. However, during a victory celebration the Voltron Lions suddenly went haywire. Sky Marshall Wade, head of Galaxy Garrison, ordered the Lions decommissioned and the Voltron Force dispersed. Lance, Pidge and Hunk took positions within the Garrison while Princess Allura returned to Arus to eventually become its new Queen. Keith, however, has disappeared and been branded a wanted fugitive by Wade. Under the Sky Marshall's leadership the Garrison and ultimately the Galaxy Alliance as a whole has grown authoritarian and militant, with countless worlds chafing under his subtly oppressive rule. Meanwhile, former Drule King Zarkon's son Lotor, thought dead after his final battle with Voltron on his home turf of Planet Doom, has been revived by mad scientist Maahox with the dark essence of Haggar, the late Drule Witch and supervisor to both Zarkon and Lotor dubbed "Haggarium"; now the new King has (re)taken his late father's original mantle as the rightful king and heir apparent of Doom's old forces and once-mighty empire.
But the former members of the Voltron Force have not given up the fight! With the help of cadets Daniel, Vince and Allura's niece Larmina they will reunite to get the Lions back and Voltron will defend the universe once more.
Episodes[]
- Main article: List of Voltron Force episodes
Development[]
Original concept of "Panthera Force".
Originally, World Events Productions and Kickstart Productions were working on a new Voltron TV series set to air in 2005.[1] An animation test reel by Kickstart was shown to be heavily based on the Devil's Due incarnation of the series. During its development, WEP intended to pitch the idea of a new Voltron TV series at an annual trade show for a broadcast buy-in to further develop the series but never came into fruition.
The development that originally went into the proposed 2005 series is unknown, however as early as 2010 it was announced the Kickstart would be the producer of Voltron Panthera Force.[2] The original pitch of the series involved five new cadets opposed to only three in the finished product. The scrapped characters were a reformed Drule native and an anthropomorphic tiger.
Whereas Voltron Force maintains computer-generated graphics for various elements in the show like Voltron: The Third Dimension, the characters and other aspects would stay in traditional animation. This would create a blend of both on-screen 2D and 3D displays later adopted by Voltron: Legendary Defender.
Certain elements from the Devil's Due comic series remained intact in Voltron Force. The robotic mice that were shown in Kickstart's animation test reel would stay along with EJ Su, the main artist of Volume 2 developing also concepts for the show.
Other Media[]
A prototype of the Blue Lion by Mattel.
Before its cancellation the first issue of Voltron Force's tie-in comic books was published by VIZ Media. Originally the comics were intended to be published alongside the TV series airing on Nicktoons as it was in development before the series aired. However, the series was cancelled just after its first season.
Mattel, the main toy licensee of the time provided prototypes of Voltron Force toys which would contribute to the funding of the series. However, their partnership with WEP ended after the conclusion of their Matty Collector toyline. Additionally, the live-action movie was pushed further in development due to a number of legal issues concerning the production of the movie following WEP's lawsuit against Toei Animation over the rights of the franchise.
Brian Smith, the main author of the Voltron Force comics would work on Voltron: From Days of Long Ago: A Thirtieth Anniversary Celebration which would have a heavier focus on this cartoon in particular and also include another short comic.
Gallery[]
External links[]
- Nicktoons Page (archive)
References[]
| V • E Voltron Television Series | ||
|---|---|---|
| Television Series | ||
| Original Japanese Series | Mirai Robo Daltanious (1979) • Beast King GoLion (1981) (episodes) • Armored Fleet DaiRugger XV (1982) (episodes) • Lightspeed Electroid Albegas (1983) | |
| Voltron Series | Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984) (episodes) • Fleet of Doom (1986) • Voltron: The Third Dimension (1998) (episodes) • Voltron Force (2011) (episodes) • Voltron: Legendary Defender (2016) (episodes) | |
| Additional Voltron Content | Voltron Pilot (1983) • Voltron: Defender of the Unvierse (2007) • Voltron 84 (2017) | |
| Related Articles | ||
| Production Companies | DreamWorks Animation • Kickstart Productions • Studio Mir • Toei Animation • World Events Productions | |
| Other articles | Content edits • List of edits • Exceptions to Editing Character Deaths | |