The FAILURE of MIGHTY ORBOTS & the 1984 Robot Craze
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For a very brief period of time in 1984 a cartoon called MIGHTY ORBOTS aired on Saturday mornings.
It was a Japanese/US collaboration and ABC’s gambit to cash in on the robot craze but nothing went to plan including low ratings and a lawsuit from THE GOBOTS. MIGHTY ORBOTS didn’t stand a chance!
SOURCES:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mighty_Orbots
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Trivia/MightyOrbots
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TMS_Entertainment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osamu_Dezaki
https://www.toonopedia.com/orbots.htm
https://www.saturdaymorningsforever.com/2020/03/saturday-morning-masters-fred-silverman.html?m=0
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge_of_the_GoBots
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GoBots
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Mars
https://www.facebook.com/mightyorbots/photos
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/the-mike-toole-show/2018-04-29/.130992
https://joeguide.com/interviews/buzzdixon_ci.shtml
https://character.fandom.com/wiki/United_States_network_television_schedule_(Saturday_morning)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/764694525/?match=1&terms=%22orbots%22%20%22silverman%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/189648852/?match=1&terms=%22orbots%20%22gobots%22
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/638/386/1489828/
https://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pno=91073444
https://www.subito.it/hobbycollezionismo/unrivaled-obot-mighty-orbots-korean-knockoff-actio-padova-579099894.htm
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@CasualBoss71
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
"Limited Animation" as a technique has nothing to do with re-use, it has to do with animation where each frame isn't its own drawing. When you update a new, unique drawing for each frame that's called "Full Animation". Disney re-used animation that was still full animation and that didn't make it limited animation. It's ironic you'd choose to mention Disney as the alternative to limited animation, which is mostly true, but your inclusion of "reuse" as part of the definition is subverted by using one of the dancing scenes from a film, which were notorious for being essentially the same animation across multiple features, just with different characters swapped in.
Also, your use of air quotes is a bit misleading. This is a standard industry term that any animation 101 student would learn. It's not controversial or judgemental, it's factual. If the character isn't re-drawn whole on every frame of cels, regardless of 1's or 2's or 4's, that's limited animation. Fair to say panning and zooming on held cels is too, since most of the "animation" is a movement overlay, not something conveyed through new, whole drawings.
Most anime, like 90+ percent of it, is limited animation. Not just TV. OVA and features too. But your higher budget, higher quality works will often feature a mix of both limited and full animation, depending on the scene. Unlike Disney, most anime studios, including something as lauded as the Akira production, most won't suffer the cost of full animation for simple talking head shots. So that film is a mix of the cheapest TV quality work and techniques with some of the best feature animation work ever. The gamut of both limited and full animation techniques.
Ironically, by pushing for full animation on a TV budget, which meant more constant rotation and angle changes that required constant full-body drawings, the show overall, technically speaking, has less quality per-frame than a well executed limited animation production. It takes much better animators to do proper full animation, keep a character "on model" and keep their forms consistent and lines less…wiggly.
@rickyclover9393
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
I vaguely remember The Mighty Orbits. The was. It had decent animation but the silly comic relief characters undermined the serious action elements. Too many tones in one cartoon. The Tranformers and Gi Joe didn't have that. Those two were simply action cartoons for kids.
@johndunn7502
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
Didn't think much of it. Voltron was on around the same time & way better. The characters weren't great.
@Tsubahi
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
I personally think Mighty Orbots is one of…no, maybe THE most beautiful and stunning Saturday morning cartoon ever created!
@codenamecatatonic8894
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
I remember the episode where Crunch was forced to eat too much 😂
@TheACcam
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
A Kickstarter is running right now for a prototype based toy.
@cneterer
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
There’s a Kickstarter up to make the toys that never hit the shelves, using the 1984 prototypes. For $300, you get the entire team including Ohno and the beam car (which can dock inside MO’s chest door.) These two items were not part of Mattel’s original planned offering. 12 inches tall in combined mode. Die-cast metal in the construction. Ratchets in the shoulder joints. The fists are spring-loaded to be shot off the wrists. If you can pledge around $550, you’ll also get Tobor, the MO imposter robot made by Shadow. 38% funded, 22 days to go as of this posting. Go, Mighty Orbots!
@beverins
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
Seeing this on Saturday morning that first time following all the barely animated Hanna Barbera stuff was like when I first saw a 3D Graphics video game 😮
@adreamalways14
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
I will always love that show and the theme song it would brought me to Voltron so I love both of the shows
@nathanieljackson5554
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
The Gary Owen narration of the show almost gave it a weird but good atmosphere. The animation was fantastic.
@ronniemation
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
one of my favorites
@markkelso2583
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
For me, the animation in this show outshined everything else at the time. And that intro song had me as wound up as Judas Priest singing Metal Gods. Like Joss Whedon's Firefly, another of tv's red-headed step-children that came decades later, Orbots was a gem of a show that deserved FAR better than it got.
@Cazal48-z9q
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
Me gustaba mucho El Poderoso Orbots!😺🧐😎💪💪💪💪💪💪👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👌👌👌👌👌👌
@jimbetts3064
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
I watched every episode as a kid. Was it ever explained how each Orbot quintupled in size when they combined? That part always bugged me
@brianng8350
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
I did not realize there were only 13 episodes. I remember loving the Japanese animation on ABC Saturday morning cartoon.
@djjasonmorris
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
Orbots was a far superior show. Gobots was clunky and lame.
@DragonsBaneMaster
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
OH S&^%T Godsigma!! I Still have mine in the box with all the parts!!
@EddieKyteABCDEFG12345678910
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
If Mighty Orbots had aired on Cartoon Network, it likely would have been a popular series, potentially fitting well within the network's programming block. While the show's original run was limited, its themes of teamwork, giant robots, and space adventures would resonate with Cartoon Network's audience. It might have been positioned similarly to other action-oriented series on the network, such as Ben 10 or Generator Rex.
Here's a more detailed look at how it might have fared:
Target Audience:
Mighty Orbots, with its focus on giant robots and space battles, would likely appeal to a similar demographic as other action-oriented Cartoon Network shows. This includes younger viewers who enjoy superhero narratives and those interested in science fiction and mecha-style anime.
Potential for Success:
Given the popularity of giant robot shows and the success of similar action series on Cartoon Network, Mighty Orbots would have a good chance of gaining a following. The show's themes of teamwork and heroism would also likely resonate with viewers.
Placement within the Schedule:
Cartoon Network often has dedicated programming blocks for different genres. Mighty Orbots could have found a home alongside other action series or perhaps even in a block focused on science fiction.
Long-Term Potential:
If successful, Mighty Orbots could have spawned merchandise, video games, and potentially even a revival or reboot in the future, similar to what has happened with other Cartoon Network shows.
Possible Influences:
The show could have been influenced by other Cartoon Network series, incorporating elements of their storytelling and visual styles. Conversely, Mighty Orbots could have influenced the direction of other shows on the network, inspiring new takes on giant robot narratives.
In conclusion, while the original Mighty Orbots series was short-lived, its potential to thrive on Cartoon Network is significant. The show's themes and action-oriented nature would likely have found a receptive audience, and it could have become a lasting part of the network's legacy.
@Powherkrangunch
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
I’m a 90s kid and I truly missed out on this show but I can easily see that Mighty Orbots helped inspire things like Power Rangers and Voltron so I definitely have to give them credit and respect! Thank you for sharing all this knowledge and your thoughts on the series! I will definitely look it up in the future!
@FMVupscales
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
The music in the promo at 13:35 is from the Super Dimensional Century Orguss soundtrack. I wonder if they got permission or just hoped no one would notice.
@nobro1975
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
Not even close to that GARBAGE Gobot line
@tomowens7499
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
mighty orbots and galaxy high school were the two best saturday morning cartoons ever… they were (for saturday morning standards) very well animated! they also hold up really well, my kids liked them when i introduced them to these shows (and gummi bears, another really well animated show) edit to add: also, it's so silly how the orbots are 'human sized' but they grow in volume many orders of magnitude so that rob can FLY HIS CAR into tor's chest…
@sebastiancrenshaw851
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
I don't like the subject, but the quality of animation is amazing.
@monkeyking4997
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
DC Metal Men + Getta Robot
@daxbashir6232
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
WhoreBot? 😀 😛
@andrewkaye2108
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
Interesting. I did not know that they had a final episode that resolved the story. I will have to watch that one.
@andrewkaye2108
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
I watched and enjoyed this show.
@KelAda44
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
That Ewoks and Droids clip needed to be followed up with the host staring at the camera for 15 seconds, LOL
@bobwundaye
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
It was a good show but while the animation quality itself was great, we'd have better animation styles at the time.
@Energyone
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
14:55 The reference to the singer Warren Stanyer for the theme song for this show is in this video because of a gracious man named Steve Rucker who worked on this show (also referenced.) The reason I know this is because I contacted him back in 2018. Due to this many years ago I added these credits to both IMDB and Wikipedia and since then the information has spread everywhere else. The theme song is much longer than what is shown during the intro and you can hear some of the other lyrics in some episodes (albeit with sound fx and dialogue over the top.) Sadly even though Steve has a lot of his work on his website, he does not have and does not know who might have the original recordings on tape of this theme (because I asked if he thought Tom Chase might have it.) No doubt this video from Secret Galaxy obtained this info due to my emails to these guys roughly 8 years ago. I am old enough to remember this show and jumped at the chance to get it on DVD back when it first released from Warner Archive. I was shocked it ever got a release due to the lawsuit.
@subraxas
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
Zybots from Remco were the BEST of them all anyway!!!! 😀 😛
@BitcoinMotorist
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
Mighty Orbots was visually different from Transformers and GoBots. It was darker. That's what I remember from the show. I considered GoBots to be the better Transformers knock-off
@nathanphillips7787
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
I loved this show, and until the internet hit s certain threshold of content it almost seemed like a fever dream.
@joeljohnson5728
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
I enjoyed Mighty Orbots back in the day. I hate it that The Go Bots did them in. They were not remotely the same thing.
@EsperRanger
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
Loved Mighty Orbots. It was one of the few shows that had that quality of animation that made here to Kentucky. Other similar quality shows such as Galaxy Rangers and Bionic Six I had to get on VHS from a friend in Washington DC (never saw them on air here myself at any rate).
@knarf247
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
I loved Orbots
@perfectsplit5515
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
“Chow down!”
“Stored energy”
@perfectsplit5515
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
“Today, we will no longer have to worry about the threat of Umbra ever again…because today…is the day Umbra takes over!”
@EricMontreal22
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
Still amazing that one of the best anime directors of all time, Osamu Dezaki, did this (as well as a few other mid 80s made for US series like Bionic Six)
@IsiahTomas
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
Tonka Waah, the end.
@dicegeeks
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
I loved this show.
@snowairland
May 8, 2026 at 9:00 pm
16:01 should’ve went with transbots.
Comments are closed.