Armored Fleet Dairugger XV facts for kids

Armored Fleet Dairugger XV
Box art from the Bandai Dairugger XV model kit
Quick facts for kids 機甲艦隊ダイラガーXV (Kikō Kantai Dairagā Fifutīn)
Genre	Mecha
Anime television series
Directed by	Kozo Morishita
Produced by	Masahisa Saeki
Written by	Keisuke Fujikawa Shigemitsu Taguchi
Music by	Seiji Yokoyama
Studio	Toei Animation Daiwon Animation
Licensed by	US Media Blasters
Network	TV Tokyo
Original run	March 3, 1982 – March 23, 1983
Episodes	56 (List of episodes)

Armored Fleet Dairugger XV (機甲艦隊ダイラガーXV (フィフティーン), Kikō Kantai Dairagā Fifutīn, "XV" read "Fifteen") is a cool robot anime series from Japan. It aired from 1982 to 1983 and had 56 episodes.

You might know it better as "Vehicle Voltron" in the United States. Parts of Dairugger were used to create the Voltron show. This means some of the robot action you saw in Voltron actually came from Dairugger XV!

What is Armored Fleet Dairugger XV About?

The story follows the Rugger Team, a special group from Earth. Their job is to explore the galaxy and create a map of the stars. Earth is doing great, so the Galaxy Garrison president sends them on this big mission.

But soon, the Rugger Team and their spaceship, the Rugger Guard, are attacked by the Galveston Empire. This empire is looking for new planets because their home world is dying. The super-robot Dairugger must protect the Rugger Guard and its fleet.

When the Galveston Empire refuses to make peace, the Rugger Team's mission changes. Now, they must find the Galveston home world. Their goal is to help the Galveston people find a new planet before their own collapses.

Meet the Dairugger Pilots

The Dairugger team has 15 members, split into three smaller groups of five. Each group is named after its leader: "Aki Team" (Air), "Keets Team" (Sea), and "Walter Team" (Land).

Each of the 15 parts of Dairugger is called a "Rugger." These parts can combine into three larger machines: Kurugger (Air), Kairugger (Sea), and Rickrugger (Land). All 15 Rugger units can combine to form the giant super-robot, Dairugger! The number 15 comes from the sport of rugby, which has 15 players on a team.

Aki Team (Air Division)

The Aki Team (安芸チーム, Aki Chīmu) controls the air vehicles. Their vehicles combine to form the Kurugger (クウラガー, Kuuragā).

• Manabu Aki (安芸マナブ, Aki Manabu): He is the leader of the Aki Team. Manabu pilots Rugger #1, which forms Dairugger's head. His teammates call him "Chief."
• Shinobu Kai (甲斐シノブ, Kai Shinobu): Pilot of Rugger #2, which forms Dairugger's upper body.
• Shota Kreutz (ショーター・クロイツ, Shōtā Kuroitsu): Pilot of Rugger #3, forming Dairugger's right arm. Shota is from the planet Sala.
• Yasuo Mutsu (陸奥ヤスオ, Mutsu Yasuo): Pilot of Rugger #4, forming Dairugger's left arm. Yasuo is the youngest on the Dairugger team.
• Patty Ellington (パティ・エリントン, Pati Erinton): The female pilot of Rugger #5, which forms Dairugger's chest.

Keets Team (Sea Division)

The Keets Team (キーツチーム, Kītsu Chīmu) handles the sea vehicles. Their vehicles combine to form the Kairugger (カイラガー, Kairagā).

• Miranda Keets (ミランダ・キーツ, Miranda Kītsu): Leader of the Keets Team. He pilots Rugger #6, which forms Dairugger's middle body. Keets is from the planet Mira and can sometimes sense future dangers.
• Haruka Kaga (加賀ハルカ, Kaga Haruka): Female pilot of Rugger #7, forming Dairugger's right thigh. She is good friends with Aki and Mutsu.
• Saruta Katz (サルタ・カッツ, Saruta Kattsu): Pilot of Rugger #8, forming Dairugger's left thigh. Saruta is also from the planet Sala.
• Tatsuo Izumo (出雲タツオ, Izumo Tatsuo): Pilot of Rugger #9, forming Dairugger's right lower leg.
• Barros Karateya (バーロス・カラテヤ, Bārosu Karateya): Pilot of Rugger #10, forming Dairugger's left lower leg.

Walter Team (Land Division)

The Walter Team (ワルターチーム, Warutā Chīmu) operates the land vehicles. Their vehicles combine to form the Rickrugger (リックラガー, Rikkuragā).

• Walter Jack (ワルター・ジャック, Warutā Jakku): Leader of the Walter Team. He pilots Rugger #11, which forms Dairugger's waist.
• Moya Kirigas (モーヤ・キリガッス, Mōya Kirigassu): Female pilot of Rugger #12, forming Dairugger's right forearm. Like Keets, Moya is from the planet Mira.
• Mack Chakker (マック・チャッカー, Makku Chakkā): Pilot of Rugger #13, forming Dairugger's left forearm.
• Tasuku Izu (伊豆タスク, Izu Tasuku): Pilot of Rugger #14, forming Dairugger's right foot.
• Kazuto Nagato (長門カズト, Nagato Kazuto): Pilot of Rugger #15, forming Dairugger's left foot.

Other Key Characters

Galaxy Garrison Members

The Galaxy Garrison (銀河警備軍, Ginga Keibi-gun) is a group of planets, including Earth, Sala, and Mira, working together.

• Shinji Ise (伊勢シンジ, Ise Shinji): He is second-in-command of the Rugger Guard. He later becomes the captain of the ship.
• Dick Asimov (ティック・アシモフ, Dikku Ashimofu): The original captain of the Rugger Guard. He later becomes an adviser and leads important missions.
• Supreme Commander Dewa (出羽総司令, Dewa Sō Shirei): The main commander of the Galaxy Garrison's space fortress.
• Doctor Search (ドクター・サーチ, Dokutā Sāchi): The Rugger Guard's doctor and head of research.

Galveston Empire Leaders

The Galveston Empire (ガルベストン帝国, Garubesuton Teikoku) is an advanced alien group. Their home planet is dying, so they are looking for new worlds to live on. They have a huge fleet of spaceships and powerful Battle Machines.

• Commander Socrat Teles (ソクラット・テレス司令, Sokratto Teresu Shirei): A commander who believes in peace. He tries to make agreements with the Galaxy Garrison.
• Sirk (サーク, Sāku): A female member of the Galveston Royal Guard who helps Teles.
• General Caponello (カポネーロ総司令, Kaponēro Sō Shirei): The main general of the Galveston Empire. He wants Galveston to rule the galaxy.
• Socrat Tes (ソクラット・テス, Sokuratto Tesu): Teles' father and an important government official. He eventually supports his son's efforts for peace.
• Emperor Corsair (コルセール帝, Korusēru Tei): The ruler of the Galveston Empire. He refuses to leave his dying planet.

Dairugger Robot Details

Dairugger is a massive robot, standing 60 meters (200 ft) tall! To combine the Rugger Machines, the command is: "Dairugger Fighting Formation On!" (ダイラガーファイティングフォーメーション オン!, Dairagā Faitingu Fōmēshon On!).

Dairugger Weapons

Dairugger has many cool weapons to fight its enemies:

• Dairugger Sword (ダイラガー・スウォード, Dairagā Suwōdo)
• Dairugger Lancer (ダイラガーランサー, Dairagā Lansā)
• Shot Arrow (ショットアロー, Shotto Arō)
• Dairugger Kilders (ダイラガーキルダー, Dairagā Kirudā) (which include Spin Cutters (スピンカッター, Supin Kattā) and Dairugger Typhoon (ダイラガータイフーン, Dairagā Taifūn))
• Electromagnetic Whip (電磁ビュート, Denji Byūto)
• Beam Attacks:
  • Rugger Beam (ラガービーム, Ragā Bīmu)
  • Wing Beam (ウィングビーム, Uingu Bīmu)
  • Dairugger Miracle Power (ダイラガーミラクルパワー, Dairagā Mirakuru Pawā)

Behind the Scenes: Staff

Here are some of the talented people who helped create Armored Fleet Dairugger XV:

• Chief Director: Kozo Morishita
• Series Composition: Keisuke Fujikawa
• Music: Seiji Yokoyama
• Studio: Toei Animation and Daiwon Animation

Dairugger Toys and Merchandise

Many toys were made for Dairugger XV!

• In 1982, the first DX Dairugger XV toys were released in Japan by Popy Pleasure. These were high-quality metal toys that could separate into the three larger vehicles.
• Later, a cheaper version was released, and a larger plastic version.
• When Voltron came out in the U.S., the smaller Dairugger toys were sold there by Matchbox in 1984. They were called "Voltron" toys.
• Because Dairugger had 15 pieces and was so fun to play with, many unofficial copies were made.
• New Dairugger toys have been released more recently, including one by Toynami in 2011 and another by Bandai Spirits in 2019. Bandai even put the original series on their YouTube channel to promote the new toy!

Watching Dairugger XV at Home

The entire series was released on DVD in North America in three sets between 2010 and 2011. These DVDs are now out of print, meaning they are no longer being made.

Other Appearances

• A South Korean animated film from 1982, Super Titan 15, featured a robot that looked like Dairugger XV.
• The show was also made fun of in an episode of Robot Chicken. In that spoof, Dairugger's Voltron version takes too long to combine, and by the time it arrives, it's too late!