#exo-squad

While this is primarily a Warhammer blog, I loved Exo-Squad as a kid and I unironically adore this printable Aerial Attack E-Frame.

Exo-Squad (1993-1994) is another show I haven't had the opportunity to see in years.  It remains among my favorite shows because it did some amazing storytelling. Given that it technically was considered a children’s cartoon, it surprisingly did not shy from serious subjects.  Which definitely works in its favor.

Set in the years 2119-2131 AD, against the backdrop of a war between Terrans (Humans) and Neosapians (An artificially created race), Exo-Squad is a very character-driven story that managed to both be somewhat episodic and carry a story arc that definitely had a beginning, middle, and (sort-of) end. (We'll get to the sort-of later.)

The series doesn't actually start with the Neosapian War. It starts with the idea of there being Space Pirates marauding from a base on Saturn’s moons, and the decision by the leaders of the Homeworlds (Earth, Venus, and Mars) to send most of their defense force (The Exo-Fleet) to get rid of the pirates once and for all.  Partly at the encouragement of Phaeton, the Neosapian Governor of Mars.

We spend the first few episodes of the series on the battles against the pirates, introducing the main set of characters - the members of Able Squad, an E-frame unit belonging to the Exo-Fleet, including; J.T. Marsh, Nara Burns, Maggie Weston, Kaz Takagi, Alec DeLeon, Rita Torres, Wolf Bronsky, and Marsala.  

Phaeton, meanwhile, is revealed to have secretly funded the creation of a fleet and weapons of his own - allowing him to seize control of the Homeworlds while the Terran’s own forces are busy with the Pirates.  When what is happening on the Homeworlds is discovered, the Exo-Fleet ceases its attack on the pirates and heads back to stop the Neosapian fleet. However, due in large part to a tactical error by Captain Marcus, temporarily in charge of the fleet because the actual leader Admiral Winfield was injured during the battle with the Pirates, the Exo-Fleet is forced to retreat - leaving the Homeworlds in Phaeton’s hands.

Does that sound like I might be hating on Marcus?  Wait, let me fix that.

Due to Marcus being an absolute imbecile who couldn't figure out how to direct his forces to fight their way out of a paper bag and opting to split his forces in half while facing a force of unknown numbers and power, the Exo-Fleet is handed their asses and forced to retreat.

There, now you know I am definitely hating on Marcus. Trust me, if you watch the series, you will share my feelings on the windbag.

After doing the previous post, I want to note that there were a few things that I’m STILL debating whether or not they should be included.

Shin Getter Robo/Getter Robo/Getter Robo G - It feels wrong to have a Super Robot entry without a Getter. But I couldn’t think of a way to fit it in.

Tekkaman Blade - I forgot about this one’s release in the US and would include it again. 

Neon Genesis Evangelion - Another one I wasn’t sure to include or not, because I still haven’t seen 3.0, and choosing between the series or the movies is hard!

Martian Successor Nadesico - stretching things to Mars and Jupiter with the conflict when the Innovades are around just doesn’t seem feasible to work with.

Gigantor/The New Adventures of Gigantor/Tetsujin-28/Tetsujin-28 Go - The Granddaddy of Giant Robots is set hard in the 50s, so only the 80s series can be worked with.  Another of the  “I wish I remembered this one.”

Exo-Squad - The size of the mechs, and the Mars conflict makes it hard to work in, but I still sort of want to.

Iron Man: Armored Adventures/The Avengers - C’mon.  How much fun would an “Avengers Assemble” attack be?  But I couldn't work it.