History YMMV / Raideen

** The Mu Empire civilization heavily resembles UsefulNotes/AncientRome and India. James Churchward proposed that the mythical continent was where those civilizations started.

* FridgeLogic: Why did Raideen's designers put his sword and shield on the same arm, so that he can't use both at once?

* DracoInLeatherPants: Or, rather, Draco without pants. Prince Sharkin, [[TheDragon Emperor Barao's second in command,]] was the first in a long line of blond bishonen villains, and a large part of his appeal was the [[FanService VERY short tunic he wore]]. Two of [[Anime/CombattlerV his]] [[{{Anime/Daimos}} successors]] in the Romantic Robot Trilogy were dressed in the same fashion, while [[Anime/VoltesV one]] is clad in [[SensualSpandex conspicuously tight leggings]] underneath his [[PrettyInMink fur cape]].

* UnintentionallySympathetic: Berserker is this in the first episode. While he was a henchman on a mission where he was supposed to get a {{MacGuffin}}, he did little actual damage (and no ''deliberate'' damage) in the process. He tended up sidetracked by a "cute" idol (who just happened to be carrying the {{MacGuffin}}), then, when the {{MacGuffin}} turned out to be fake, he dropped the mission. When a boy went to the idol's rescue, Berserker explicitly said that Berserker would not harm the girl. Indeed, while he did pursue her, cornered her, and acted creepy[[note]]He did a creepy tongue motion in front of her, plus his use of [[UsefulNotes/JapanesePronouns "Washi"]] may have been meant to imply that he was a DirtyOldMan.[[/note]] even after the idol said "no", Berserker never actually ''harmed'' her, even when trying to get the {{MacGuffin}}. The only real harm he caused was when he accidentally made her fall off a building. Besrserker ended up [[HalfTheManHeUSedToBe dying a gruesome death.]]
* WhatAnIdiot: Mentioned above, Berserker pursued an idol that caught his infatuation. Berserker eventually corners her, who accidentally falls off a building.\\
'''You'd expect:''' that Berserker, a ''flying'' monster, would catch the idol. Indeed, a minute before this, Berserker outright said that he would not harm the idol.\\
'''Instead:''' Berserker just stays there.\\
'''The result:''' A nearby boy got the motivation he needed that led him to accept being a Raideen. With his new powers, he [[CruelAndUnusualDeath killed Berserker.]]

* DracoInLeatherPants: Or, rather, Draco without pants. Prince Sharkin, [[TheDragon Emperor Barao's second in command,]] was the first in a long line of blond bishonen villains, and a large part of his appeal was the [[FanService VERY short tunic he wore]].
** Two of [[Anime/CombattlerV his]] [[{{Anime/Daimos}} successors]] in the Romantic Robot Trilogy were dressed in the same fashion, while [[Anime/VoltesV one]] is clad in [[SensualSpandex conspicuously tight leggings]] underneath his [[PrettyInMink fur cape]].
* FashionVictimVillain: Admiral Darudan, who seems to think that [[RealMenWearPink pink is an intimidating color]].

* {{Macekre}}: The show was heavily edited for American television. Most if not all the religious overtones of the show were altered. The villains were changed from demonic forces to an alien presence. And characters that were victims of demonic possession were aliens in disguise. Even Raideen's attacks were altered to more resemble science as opposed to mystical.
** Even stranger, this Macekre was ''subtitles only'', so anyone who was even slightly educated in Japanese and just needed subs to "fill the gaps" could spot the edits immediately. Due to this, and the fact that it only aired in the US [[ShortRunInPeru on Japanese local community channels in a few cities]], the fact that it ever aired at all was quickly forgotten by just about everyone.
** Actually, the show left that ambiguous. Certainly churches and religious symbols didn't bother these demons, and conventional weapons did. Both interpretations are possible, and in fact are probably not mutually exclusive.
* {{Squick}}: Barostan, [[TheIgor the withered, goggle-eyed high priest of the demons]], had flashes of protectiveness toward Sharkin. He expressed these by grabbing the prince's bare thigh.

* UnintentionallySympathetic: Berserker is this in the first episode in ''Raideen the Superior''. While he was a henchman on a mission where he was supposed to get a {{MacGuffin}}, he did little actual damage (and no ''deliberate'' damage) in the process. He tended up sidetracked by a "cute" idol (who just happened to be carrying the {{MacGuffin}}), then, when the {{MacGuffin}} turned out to be fake, he dropped the mission. When a boy went to the idol's rescue, Berserker explicitly said that Berserker would not harm the girl. Indeed, while he did pursue her, cornered her, and acted creepy[[note]]He did a creepy tongue motion in front of her, plus his use of [[UsefulNotes/JapanesePronouns "Washi"]] may have been meant to imply that he was a DirtyOldMan.[[/note]] even after the idol said "no", Berserker never actually ''harmed'' her, even when trying to get the {{MacGuffin}}. The only real harm he caused was when he accidentally made her fall off a building. Besrserker ended up [[HalfTheManHeUSedToBe dying a gruesome death.]]

* UnintentionallySympathetic: Berserker is this in the first episode in ''Raideen the Superior''. While he was a henchman on a mission where he was supposed to get a {{MacGuffin}}, he did little actual damage (and no ''deliberate'' damage) in the process. He tended up sidetracked by a "cute" idol (who just happened to be carrying the {{MacGuffin}}), then, when the {{MacGuffin}} turned out to be fake, he dropped the mission. When a boy went to the idol's rescue, Berserker explicitly said that Berserker would not harm the girl. Indeed, while he did pursue her, cornered her, and acted creepy[[note]]He did a creepy tongue motion in front of her, plus his use of [[JapanesePronouns "Washi"]] may have been meant to imply that he was a DirtyOldMan.[[/note]] even after the idol said "no", Berserker never actually ''harmed'' her, even when trying to get the {{MacGuffin}}. The only real harm he caused was when he accidentally made her fall off a building. Besrserker ended up [[HalfTheManHeUSedToBe dying a gruesome death.]]

* TheissTitillationTheory: Sharkin's Roman-soldier-style miniskirt always made him look one stiff breeze away from indecent exposure.

** Two of [[Anime/CombattlerV his]] [[{{Anime/Daimos}} successors]] in the Romantic Robot Trilogy were dressed in the same fashion, while [[VoltesV one]] is clad in [[SensualSpandex conspicuously tight leggings]] underneath his [[PrettyInMink fur cape]].

** Even stranger, this Macekre was ''[[TheyJustDidntCare subtitles only]]'', so anyone who was even slightly educated in Japanese and just needed subs to "fill the gaps" could spot the edits immediately. Due to this, and the fact that it only aired in the US [[ShortRunInPeru on Japanese local community channels in a few cities]], the fact that it ever aired at all was quickly forgotten by just about everyone.

** Two of [[Anime/CombattlerV his]] [[{{Daimos}} successors]] in the Romantic Robot Trilogy were dressed in the same fashion, while [[VoltesV one]] is clad in [[SensualSpandex conspicuously tight leggings]] underneath his [[PrettyInMink fur cape]].

** Two of [[CombattlerV his]] [[{{Daimos}} successors]] in the Romantic Robot Trilogy were dressed in the same fashion, while [[VoltesV one]] is clad in [[SensualSpandex conspicuously tight leggings]] underneath his [[PrettyInMink fur cape]].

* AlasPoorVillain: Prince Sharkin who after failing to defeat Raideen in his [[OneWingedAngel giant monster form]], commits suicide by {{Seppuku}} while shouting glory to his empire to the end. Even Akira was sadded by his death and realized what a WorthyOpponent the guy was. Even Raideen looks grief stricken.
** Sharkin's death sheds the [[BloodlessCarnage first visible blood]] in the series.

* AlasPoorVillain: Prince Sharkin who after failing to defeat Raideen in his [[OneWingedAngel giant monster form]], commits suicide by {{Seppuku}} while shouting glory to his empire to the end. Even Akira was sadded by his death and realized what a WorthyOpponent the guy was.

* AlasPoorVillain: Prince Sharkin who after failing to defeat Raidden in his [[OneWingedAngel giant monster form]], commits suicide by {{Seppuku}} while shouting glory to his empire to the end. Even Akira was sadded by his death and realized what a WorthyOpponent the guy was.