Special Armored Trooper Dorvack
Special Armored Battalion Dorvack (特装機兵ドルバック Tokusō Kihei Dorubakku, also Powered Armor Dorvack) was a mecha franchise spanning 1983–1984, supporting a toyline by Takatoku Toys. Its media centerpiece was a 36-episode anime produced by Ashi Productions.
As part of their need for more toys in their burgeoning and very successful Transformers toyline, Hasbro licensed two of the toyline's three mecha molds—producing the Deluxe Vehicle assortment that included Roadbuster and Whirl.
Story
In 1999, the alien Idelians (イデリア人) in their colony-ship have arrived in Earth orbit and have staged an invasion. Many forces on Earth attempt to fight the aliens with their "powered armor", but the only unit with success is the Dorvack battalion led by Colonel Yoichi Takagi (高城 洋一). Their mecha are able to transform between vehicular and humanoid modes as the situation requires in the battle against the Idelians.
Mecha
- VV-54AR Mugen Caliber[1] (ムゲンキャリバー), off-road vehicle piloted by Japanese Masato Mugen (無限 真人)
- Was used for Roadbuster
- VH-64MR Oberon Gazzette (オベロンガゼット), helicopter piloted by American Louis Oberon (ルイ・オベロン)
- Was used for Whirl
- VT-61LC Bonaparte Tulcas (ボナパルトタルカス), tank piloted by French Pierre Bonaparte (ピエール・ボナパルト) and later British Stanley Hilton (スタンレー・ヒルトン)
- Unused for Transformers likely due to its barely humanoid robot mode, later inspired Headcannon
Dorvack in Transformers
In 1984, Takatoku collapsed as a company, halting any further plans for another franchise, Beetras. Their assets would soon be bought out by Bandai, who then subsequently loaned the Dorvack molds to Hasbro, who was desperately needing molds to fill out the 1985 product line of the unexpectedly popular Transformers. Two molds were selected out of the set and were given new color schemes as the "Deluxe Vehicles". As Bandai at the time was only concerned about business in Japan, Hasbro was free to sell the molds as Transformers figures in non-Japan markets, but couldn't use the Deluxe Insecticons in the accompanying cartoon, as to not step on the toes of Bandai with the cartoon also airing in Japan. They were also not included in the contemporary comic in the United States but made prominent appearances as Wreckers in the UK version of the comic.
In later times, the Deluxe Vehicles have made more appearances, eventually even getting modern toys in the Generations toyline. References to Dorvack itself in Transformers are scant.
Fiction
Legends World
After being transformed by the Legends World's spirit energy into a cool robot, Rhinox intensified his obsession with the '80s by using his Bonapar Island facilities to build Roadbuster and Whirl based on an '80s anime that he could never get the name out without being interrupted. In accordance, Roadbuster would usually end his names with "dor" and Whirl did the same with "vack". LG04 Roadbuster
External links
- Special Armored Battalion Dorvack at Wikipedia
- ↑ This is usually spelled as "Mugen Calibur", but the likely intention is the English word "caliber". Mugen (無限) means "infinite".
