History Anime / UFOWarriorDaiApolon

''UFO Warrior Dai Apolon'' [[note]]alternately known as ''UFO Senshi Dai-Apolon, UFO Soldier Dai-Apolon, UFO Robo Dai-Apolon, Daiapolon,'' and ''Shadow World''[[/note]] was a [[SuperRobotGenre Super Robot]] anime series co-produced by Eiken [[note]] formerly Television Corporation of Japan Co.,Ltd. (TCJ) of ''Anime/Tetsujin28'' and ''Anime/SazaeSan'' fame [[/note]] and Creator/StudioLive [[note]] the studio's founder, the late Toyo'o Ashida was the character designer for this show [[/note]]. It debuted on April 1976 with Creator/TBSTelevision airing the first 26 episodes before [[ChannelHop moving to]] Creator/TVTokyo for the final 21 episodes.

* StockSoundEffects: [[Creator/SoundRing E&M Planning Center]] handled the sound effects, so expect to hear sound effects from other series like, ''Anime/MazingerZ'', ''Anime/BraveRaideen'' and ''Anime/KotetsuJeeg''.

''UFO Warrior Dai Apolon'' [[note]]alternately known as ''UFO Senshi Dai-Apolon, UFO Soldier Dai-Apolon, UFO Robo Dai-Apolon, Daiapolon,'' and ''Shadow World''[[/note]] was a [[SuperRobotGenre Super Robot]] anime series co-produced by Eiken [[note]] formerly Television Corporation of Japan Co.,Ltd. (TCJ) of ''Anime/Tetsujin28'' and ''Anime/SazaeSan'' fame [[/note]] and Creator/StudioLive [[note]] the studio's founder, the late Toyo'o Ashida being the character designer for this show [[/note]]. It debuted on April 1976 with Creator/TBSTelevision airing the first 26 episodes before [[ChannelHop moving to]] Creator/TVTokyo for the final 21 episodes.

''UFO Warrior Dai Apolon'' [[note]]alternately known as ''UFO Senshi Dai-Apolon, UFO Soldier Dai-Apolon, UFO Robo Dai-Apolon, Daiapolon,'' and ''Shadow World''[[/note]] was a [[SuperRobotGenre Super Robot]] anime series by Eiken [[note]] formerly Television Corporation of Japan Co.,Ltd. (TCJ) of ''Anime/Tetsujin28'' and ''Anime/SazaeSan'' fame [[/note]] Creator/StudioLive. It debuted on April 1976 with Creator/TBSTelevision airing the first 26 episodes before [[ChannelHop moving to]] Creator/TVTokyo for the final 21 episodes.

''UFO Warrior Dai Apolon'' [[note]]alternately known as ''UFO Senshi Dai-Apolon, UFO Soldier Dai-Apolon, UFO Robo Dai-Apolon, Daiapolon,'' and ''Shadow World''[[/note]] was a [[SuperRobotGenre Super Robot]] anime series by Creator/StudioLive. It debuted on April 1976 with Creator/TBSTelevision airing the first 26 episodes before [[ChannelHop moving to]] Creator/TVTokyo for the final 21 episodes.

''UFO Warrior Dai Apolon'' [[note]]alternately known as ''UFO Senshi Dai-Apolon, UFO Soldier Dai-Apolon, UFO Robo Dai-Apolon, Daiapolon,'' and ''Shadow World''[[/note]] was a [[SuperRobotGenre Super Robot]] anime series by Creator/StudioLive. It debuted in April 1976 on [[Creator/TokyoBroadcastingSystem TBS]] and ran for 47 episodes.

* AliensAndMonsters: Many of Dazaan's forces take on demonic forms.

* ColorCodedCharacters / FiveManBand: Takeshi and his friends wear football jerseys with distinct colors.
** TheLeader: Takeshi, in red.
** TheChick: Miki, in pink.
** TheKid: Matsuo, in yellow.
** TheBigGuy: Goro, in blue.
** TheSmartGuy: Hideki, in white.

* TransformationSequence: Seen each time Dai Apolon is formed.

* CulturalRebel: ''Dai Apolon's'' use of American football as a motif is seen as this, given that the sport was barely recognized as an amateur sport in Japan in the mid 1970s, and may have been done to add variety to the show. In-story, Takeshi and his friends frequently play football, while Dai Apolon has a football-helmet-shaped head and uses the "Apolon Ball," a football-shaped double-bladed knife.

* ForeignCultureFetish: ''Dai Apolon's'' use of American football as a recurring motif is seen as this, given that the sport was barely recognized as an amateur sport in Japan in the mid 1970s, and may have been done to add variety to the show. In story, Takeshi and his friends frequently play football, while Dai Apolon has a football-helmet-shaped head and uses the "Apolon Ball," a football-shaped double-bladed knife.

* DubNameChange: ''Shadow World'' changed the setting to California and renamed the protagonists.

* HumongousMecha: Dai Apolon is basically three humongous mecha that combine into a ''very'' humongous mech.

The story begins with Takeshi, a teen ward of the Blue Sky orphanage who recently started an American football team with his friends. On the day before his sixteenth birthday, the caretaker produces a letter that was with Takeshi when he arrived. It tells Takeshi that the author would be returning for him when he turned sixteen, and Takeshi the news sends him running away in fear.

Takeshi arrives at the football field pursued by his friends, when a giant green crystal falls from the sky and stabs him in the chest. It emits a blinding light that knocks everyone out, whereupon a UFO appears and beams them aboard. When he wakes up, Takeshi is greeted by Rabi, a royal advisor from the planet Apolon. Rabi reveals to Takeshi that he is the last prince of Apolon, spirited away to Earth to avoid death at the hands of General Dazaan. As a member of the royal family, Takeshi can use the "Key Energy" crystal in his chest to control Dai Apolon, the world's guardian robot.

''UFO Warrior Dai Apolon'' [[note]]alternately known as ''UFO Senshi Dai-Apolon, UFO Soldier Dai-Apolon, UFO Robo Dai-Apolon, Daiapolon,'' and ''Shadow World''[[/note]] was a [[SuperRobotGenre Super Robot]] anime series by Creator/StudioLive. It debuted in April 1976 on TBS and ran for 47 episodes.

[[caption-width-right:314: AintNoRule that says aliens can't play football!]]

* ForeignCultureFetish: ''Dai Apolon's'' use of American football as a recurring motif is seen as this, given that the sport was barely recognized as an amateur sport in Japan in the mid 1970s, and may have been done to add variety to the show. In story, Takeshi and his friends frequently play football, while Dai Apolon has a football-helmet-shaped head and welds a football-shaped double-bladed saber.

Takeshi arrives at the football field, pursued by his friends, when a giant green crystal falls from the sky and stabs him in the chest. It emits a blinding light that knocks everyone out, whereupon a UFO appears and beams them aboard. When he wakes up, Takeshi is greeted by Rabi, a royal advisor from the planet Apolon. Rabi reveals to Takeshi that he is the last prince of Apolon, spirited away to Earth to avoid death at the hands of General Dazaan. As a member of the royal family, Takeshi can use the "Key Energy" crystal in his chest to control Dai Apolon, the world's guardian robot.

[[caption-width-right:314:Are aliens allowed to play in the NFL?]]

The series proceeds from there, following Takeshi and his friends as they use the robots to defend Earth against the Dazaan army, retrieve the stolen Energy Heart, and avenge the death of his father. Takeshi controls Dai Apolon, which is formed by [[CombiningMecha combining three separate super robots,]] while his friends operate various UFOs to provide support and cover fire. As Dai Apolon, Takeshi can use his Key Energy powers to grow and merge with the mecha, "wearing" it like cybernetic armor.

Takeshi arrives at the football field, pursued by his friends, when a giant green crystal falls from the sky and stabs him in the chest. It emits a blinding light that knocks everyone out, whereupon a UFO appears and beams them aboard. When he wakes up, Takeshi is greeted by Rabi, a royal advisor from the planet Apolon. Rabi reveals to Takeshi that he is the last prince of Apolon, spirited away to Earth to avoid death at the hands of General Dazaan. As a member of the royal family, Takeshi has special energy powers, which he can use to control Dai Apolon, the world's guardian robot.

The series proceeds from there, following Takeshi and his friends as they use the robots to defend Earth against the Dazaan army, retrieve the stolen Energy Heart, and avenge the death of his father. Takeshi controls Dai Apolon, which is formed by [[CombiningMecha combining three separate super robots,]] while his friends operate various UFOs to provide support and cover fire. As Dai Apolon, Takeshi can activate the "Key Energy" device in his chest and merge with the mecha, "wearing" Dai Apolon like cybernetic armor.

Dubbed versions were broadcast in parts of Europe. Five episodes were combined and dubbed in English to create an edited movie called ''Shadow World,'' with the setting changed to California and the protagonists renamed.

The series proceeds from there, following Takeshi and his friends as they use the robots to defend Earth against the Dazaan army, retrieve the stolen Energy Heart, and avenge the death of his father. Takeshi controls Dai Apolon, which is formed by [[CombiningMecha combining three separate super robots,]] while his friends operate various UFO support craft to provide support and cover fire. As Dai Apolon, Takeshi can activate the "Key Energy" device in his chest and merge with the mecha, "wearing" Dai Apolon like cybernetic armor.

* TransformationIsAFreeAction: Averted in one episode, when the MonsterOfTheWeek brings miniature flying robotic bugs to block the combination ports of the individual robots. When they try to combine, the bugs explode, interrupting the combination sequence.