RollBots facts for kids

RollBots is a Canadian animated TV show. It was created by Michael Milligan, also known as "MCM". Amberwood Entertainment produced the series.

The show first aired in Canada on YTV on February 7, 2009. Later, it came to the United States on The CW4Kids on September 19, 2009. The series finished its run on December 1, 2009.

Discover Flip City's Story

The story of RollBots takes place in a cool place called Flip City. This city is home to eleven different RollBot tribes. The show follows a brave RollBot named Spin. He works with the Flip City Police Department (FCPD) to fight crime and keep everyone safe.

Meet the RollBots Characters

Good Bots Protecting Flip City

Spin (Sam Vincent): Spin is the main hero of the show. He is the very last member of the Zushin tribe. Spin is the fastest RollBot in all of Flip City! He has special gear like Skyv boots and a boomstick. He can also move super fast. Spin joined the Kei'zatsu tribe, but he sometimes feels like he doesn't quite fit in. He's a bit of a daredevil and often bends the rules.

Spin gets fired from his police job after an event with Vertex. He is even called a criminal when he tries to stop a robbery. This happens because the police arrive at the wrong time and think Spin is the robber. It's hinted that Spin and Vertex might be related. Spin is the only one who thinks Vertex is a Spiderbot. Everyone else makes fun of him because they believe Spiderbots don't exist.

Spin has a special power: he can take in radiation. He uses this power to shoot energy blasts and move things with his mind. In "Paradigm Shift Part 2," Spin learns he is the last Zushin. This tribe is the only one that can talk to the Hub, which is like the city's main computer. He can tell the Hub what to do, like resetting the safety net. He also gets emergency alerts before other police bots. Spin knows many bots in the city, both friends and enemies. He even knows the famous botball player, Roboto.

Captain Pounder (Garry Chalk): He leads the Kei'zatsu tribe and is the captain of the FCPD. His gear includes a shield charger and throwing armor. He also has a powerful thunder punch. Captain Pounder is tough and strong as the FCPD leader. But he also has a secret soft side. He seems to know Vertex very well but avoids talking about it. He considers Vertex a top target but doesn't believe Vertex is a Spiderbot.

Captain Pounder secretly watches Spin. He talks to someone involved with Spin through his computer. The Mayor makes Captain Pounder fire Spin after Spin says Vertex is a Spiderbot. When Spin is arrested, Pounder calls him a dangerous criminal. He wants Spin behind bars, but this is a trick. He wants to keep Spin close to protect him from something, probably Vertex.

In "Paradigm Shift Part 2," it's shown that Pounder did know Vertex. Vertex even called him 'General.' Pounder can also speak the Spiderbot language well. At the end of "Paradigm Shift Part 2," Captain Pounder and Vertex fall through a hole in the safety net. Before falling, Pounder tells Spin he is a Zushin. Spin's memories show that Pounder lost his left eye after Vertex attacked him.

Penny (Cathy Weseluck): Penny is a doctor from the Kuzuri tribe. She is on loan to the FCPD. She was kicked out of her tribe for getting involved in a surgery on Mayor Aria's assistant. Penny has a healing glove. She is Spin's best friend and, like him, sometimes breaks rules. Captain Pounder chose her to lead the FCPD if anything happened to him.

When Spin is called a fugitive and escapes, Penny helps him hide. She is seen working in the field early in the season. But she spends most of her time running the control board at the police station. She has been an officer longer than Spin, so she is his boss. There have been hints that Penny and Spin like each other, but nothing clear has happened. She also has a small crush on Roboto, but it's more admiration for a famous player.

Lance (Scott McNeil): Lance works in the FCPD office and is from the Kei'zatsu tribe. He isn't very strong or fast, and he gets scared easily. His only special gear is a force bubble for protection. He doesn't like Spin because Spin doesn't follow his rules. He often calls Spin a "rookie" and gives him boring jobs. He says Spin will never truly belong to the Kei'zatsu tribe.

When Spin is fired, Lance arrests him after Spin tries to stop a robbery. Lance makes it look like Spin was the robber. Lance loves eating lug nuts, which are like donuts for RollBots. Spin has used this weakness to distract him and even escape prison. Lance usually eats so many that he gets tired and sick.

Tinny (Tabitha St. Germain): Tinny is a young RollBot, called a BotTot, from the Kei'zatsu tribe. He goes to school but spends a lot of time with Spin. Spin lets him try exciting things. In "Paradigm Shift Part 2," Tinny fights Vett. He discovers he can create force fields and shoot energy blasts. He often acts like he could be an officer, even though he's young. He has shown he can run the FCPD board and work as an officer in the field.

Bunto (Colin Murdock): Bunto is a Kei'zatsu tribe member and works for the FCPD. He is a higher-ranking officer and often leads groups of FCPD bots. His armor is blue and red, unlike the white of most officers. When Spin is called a fugitive, Bunto tries to catch him many times. But Spin always speeds away or outsmarts him.

Villain Bots Causing Trouble

Vertex (Colin Murdock): Vertex is a famous villain and Flip City's most wanted bot. He is the main bad guy in the show. Many think he is a Spiderbot. He plans to take over Flip City by turning off the Hub and the safety net. He uses a "dymex key" combined with eleven hidden items to do this. Turning off the safety net would let Spiderbots invade Flip City and destroy all RollBots. His tribe is unknown.

Vertex can change into a RollBot to hide. He can speak both his Spiderbot language and the Rollbot language. In "Paradigm Shift Part 2," he is last seen falling through a hole in the safety net with Captain Pounder. Before he falls, he says that even without him, the invasion will still happen.

Manx (Nicole Oliver): Manx is a Kei'zatsu who went rogue. She is now Vertex's top helper. She used to work for the FCPD, but no one knows why she left to join Vertex. Manx has pulse flares and is very quick. Unlike other villains, Manx has a good side. She knows Botch is reckless. In "Paradigm Shift Part 2," Manx leaves Vertex's group to help the FCPD. She does this after hearing Vertex's real plans for the RollBots. Vertex tries to destroy her for knowing his secrets. She has faded, scratched Kei'zatsu symbols on her legs, showing she no longer belongs to the tribe.

Botch (Brian Drummond): Botch is a Zurasho who went rogue. He is one of Vertex's helpers. He has an energy grappler and power shields. He used to work for the Triads, Flip City's most dangerous gang. He wants to take Manx and Vertex's places. Manx arrested him when she was still with the FCPD, right before he joined Vertex. Even though he hates Manx, they work well together on missions. He even calls her 'Manxy' sometimes. Once, he seemed truly worried about her safety. Botch has dented Zurasho symbols on his head, showing he's no longer part of his tribe.

Macro (Colin Murdock): Macro is a Hai'bu who chose to be a villain and work for Vertex. He has a mace on his left arm, but sometimes uses other gear. Macro is strong but not very smart or truly evil. He is a Hai'bu Wrecking Ball model. He is the only one of Vertex's helpers who is completely loyal to Vertex. Like Lance, Macro likes to eat lugnuts, but not as many as Lance. He used to be on the Hai'bu Hammers botball team.

Phaze (Paul Dobson): Phaze was in jail until Vertex helped him escape. He is a former Zurasho tribe member who joined the Triads, but he didn't like them either. He was the Triad member who let Botch join before leaving to be on his own. Spin later arrests him, and he goes back to jail. He is very wild, loves destruction, and likes magnetic bot mods because of the damage they can do. Phaze is why Manx is no longer with the FCPD, and Manx really dislikes him for it. He seems to have a crush on Manx.

Reboot (Cathy Weseluck): Reboot is a Tensai who went rogue. People thought she was kidnapped, but she actually chose to help Vertex turn off the Hub. She learned everything from Zilla and Bug. She is also known for her 'holographic cake' trick at Tensai birthday parties. She and Vertex's helpers stole a special bot-mod called a "crontab." They wanted to use it at the Hub to turn back time, so no one would remember what happened.

But when they used the crontab at the Hub, it almost destroyed Flip City. Spin was the only one who noticed time changing because the crontab was used repeatedly. He finally stopped Reboot and Vertex's helpers before they could turn back time again. The helpers escaped, leaving Reboot to be caught by the FCPD. It's rumored that Reboot found a way to beat Vertex, but she hasn't told anyone.

Tamaki (Shirley Millner): Tamaki leads a group of pirate bots. She used to live in Anakata Tower in Flip City. She was once partners with Anakata, a Fuzata tribe member. They worked on a bot-mod that turns anything into gold. But Anakata tricked her and took all the credit. Tamaki wants revenge on him and her share of the money from the bot-mod. The bot-mod was destroyed after she got it back. Her ship is called the "Black Dot."

Kibi (Richard Newman): Kibi is a Tensai who became a pirate. He is Captain Tamaki's main helper.

Vett (Scott McNeil): Vett is an old friend of Vertex. Like Vertex, he is a Spiderbot. Vett suddenly appears in Flip City in his ship to help Vertex finish his big plan. Unlike Vertex, Vett doesn't try to be sneaky. He just attacks everyone in his way. Before Vett arrived, he and Vertex secretly talked when Vertex was alone. Vett wears a mask over his head. When he speaks, he mostly screeches in a strange language, which Vertex understands. But he can speak normally sometimes. This might be because he doesn't speak English very well. Vertex is his boss, but Vett doesn't think Vertex can finish the plan. He makes it clear he doesn't like Vertex much.

Other Important Bots

Mayor Aria (Cathy Weseluck): Mayor Aria leads the Nisen tribe and is the mayor of Flip City. She tries her best to improve Flip City. But she is mostly worried about looking good to the citizens. Vertex tricks her into thinking he's a good citizen by faking an event where he seems to help her. She doesn't like Spin's actions because they often go against her plans. She eventually tells Captain Pounder to fire Spin.

She often works with the Tensai tribe to find new ways to make Flip City better. Some bots don't like her. She has a famous "12 in 12" plan to build 12 new suburbs in her 12 terms as mayor. Aria is also a long-time friend of Pounder's. She helped him become the head of the FCPD. She is also famous for having more statues of herself than any other mayor in Flip City's history. She can never remember names without her assistant reminding her. She can't even remember her assistant's name.

Chief Surgeon Koto (Brian Drummond): Koto is the leader and head doctor of the Kuzuri tribe. He is very serious about his job but sometimes makes sarcastic jokes. He banned Penny from the tribe because she interfered during an operation on Mayor Aria's assistant. But when he sees Penny working with the FCPD, he says she can come back if she leaves the FCPD. He repairs Spin almost every day when Spin gets damaged in fights. He's not happy about it. He thinks someone purposely damaged Spin's circuits. Koto seems to protect Penny, maybe because she used to be in his tribe. Once, he took a hit from Vett that was meant for Penny.

Gates (Brian Drummond): Gates leads the Tensai tribe. He designed the city's anti-gravity jets. He once built a device that let bots travel to other dimensions. But he spilled oil on it and hasn't fixed it since. He gets scared easily by loud noises and bots bigger than him. He might be cheating in the Tensai leader elections every year to keep his job. He first appeared asking Captain Pounder to find Reboot, a rogue Tensai with a special bot-mod. He later appeared testing his new robot, R.O.S.E. After Spin destroyed R.O.S.E., Gates demanded that Mayor Aria fire Spin and Captain Pounder from the FCPD.

Commander Octo (Paul Dobson): Octo leads the Zurasho tribe. He first met Spin when building new houses for Mayor Aria. When Vertex booby-trapped the houses, he and Spin went in to turn off the traps. He gave Spin his boomstick bot mod because Spin couldn't use it right. He doesn't like Mayor Aria's ideas for Flip City. Octo appears often after that. He showed up when revealing the new Nobrek Acres. He also helped Pounder fight Captain Tamaki. His last appearance was complaining about welding new plaques onto the FCPD. He helped fight Vett and uses a big metal hammer.

Fire Chief Cables (Ellen Kennedy): Cables leads the Zobo'shi tribe. She and Captain Pounder have a rivalry and often argue about their tribes' jobs. She keeps trying to get the FCPD to work with the Zobo'shi tribe, or rather, for them. She even offered to move them into the Zobo'shi headquarters, which made Pounder angry. When she first met Spin, she wasn't impressed and made fun of Pounder for hiring a non-Kei'zatsu. She was also mad at Spin for getting in her way during a mission. After Spin saved Flip City, she realized she was wrong about him. She told Pounder that Spin could work for the Zobo'shi if he wanted a "real tribe."

The En (Teryl Rothery): The En leads the Zogen'sha tribe and holds the optic. The En captured Spin and Botch when Botch broke into the cathedral to steal the optic. She chained them to the wall and used the optic to learn about them. She took Spin to another room and told him he was the bot who would stand alone and save the city. She later said he didn't look, smell, or taste like a Kei'zatsu after Spin said he was one. She thanked Spin for saving the cathedral by draining the energy overload. She seems to know all about Spin's purpose and his tribe.

Daso (Scott McNeil): Daso is a Zogen'sha tribe member who learns Spin's true identity. He has a special amulet that connects him to the cathedral.

Oddball (Garry Chalk): Oddball is a Hai'bu tribe member. He's called "Oddball" because he's different from other Hai'bu. He's smart but sometimes forgets things, which makes it hard for him to socialize. When he first met Spin, Vertex's helpers stole his right leg. It was replaced with another left leg. Spin found his leg and returned it. Oddball is an older Hai'bu model, and his parts are no longer made.

Ringo (Scott McNeil): Ringo is a Hai'bu tribe member. Like Oddball, one of his limbs was stolen (his right arm). He thinks Oddball is strange and not smart. Ringo cleans the FCPD building and is good friends with the Kei'zatsu working there.

Roboto (Trevor Devall): Roboto is a Zurasho tribe member and the leader of the Zurasho Slashers botball team. He is considered the best botball player ever and is very popular. He is good friends with Spin, Penny, and Tinny (who is a huge fan). During a game, he was kidnapped, causing a city-wide riot. His kidnappers were botballs from the Kenchi-ku tribe. They kidnapped him because they hated being used as botballs and wanted revenge. But they soon let him go and accepted their job as botballs. When Vett attacked the stadium to steal the botball cup, Roboto helped the FCPD keep the cup safe. Roboto is a very fast and skilled bot.

Bug & Zilla (Richard Ian Cox) & (Colin Murdock): Bug and Zilla are two Tensai tribe members who always work together. They are always creating new and improved bot mods and get very excited about them. However, their excitement sometimes makes them forget how their mods could harm Flip City. Their actions have caused problems for the FCPD a few times. Bug dreams of becoming Tensai chief someday. He secretly builds an anti-matter force field system in his free time. Zilla secretly reads about how to be a Zobo'shi and tries to figure out what Bug does in his free time.

Rigaroo (Scott McNeil): Rigaroo is a bot who competes in the Flip City Grand Prix. He thinks he's the fastest bot in Flip City. He is very arrogant and always talks about himself in the third person. He and Spin have a rivalry. Since Spin wasn't allowed in the FCGP, Rigaroo made fun of him and called him a coward. After Spin saved the Grand Prix from one of Vertex's traps, Rigaroo realized he was wrong and respected Spin. Rigaroo's tribe is unknown, but he looks like a Kei'zatsu, even though Kei'zatsu members can't be in the FCGP.

Anakata (Paul Dobson): Anakata is a Fuzata tribe member with a tower named after him. He is very greedy and cowardly. He used to be partners with Captain Tamaki. They created a bot-mod that turned things into gold. But Anakata wanted it all for himself, so he had Tamaki sent away from Flip City and kept the bot-mod. Tamaki returned for revenge and to get her bot-mod back. Spin rescued Anakata, but his bot-mod was destroyed, and he was not happy.

Ms Appy (Nicole Oliver): Ms Appy is a Kazoku tribe member. She suggested Spin join the FCPD. She was Spin's teacher and is now Tinny's teacher. She has taught at Wozville Elementary School for ten cycles and rarely leaves the school. She takes her students on a field trip to each tribe's headquarters once a cycle. When Spin wants to know about his past, he asks Ms Appy. She says she doesn't remember because she's taught so many bots, and she even calls Spin "Spoon."

When her RollBot dog, Pikea, goes missing after eating an invisibility bot mod, Ms Appy asks Spin to save him. While talking to Tinny, she accidentally says Pikea is the last Fangbot of his kind. When Vertex catches Pikea, he says the Fangbot looks familiar. After Spin saves Pikea and gives him back to Ms Appy, it seems she knows more about Spin than she lets on. It also seems she trained Pikea to protect Spin. In "Paradigm Shift Part 2," it's revealed that Captain Pounder brought Spin to her class as a young bot after saving him from Vertex, who destroyed the other Zushin tribe members. Spin's memories also show Pikea fought in that battle.

Explore the RollBots Tribes

Flip City is home to many different RollBot tribes, each with a special job.

Fuzata: This tribe handles all the money and the economy of Flip City. They are known for being good at business and making sure everyone has a chance to do well.

Hai'bu: The Hai'bu tribe is in charge of keeping Flip City clean. They handle cleaning and waste management. Members of this tribe are big and strong. They specialize in moving and getting rid of the city's trash. The Kenchi-ku are a smaller group that came from this tribe.

Kazoku: The Kazoku tribe is responsible for teaching the young RollBots, called BotTots. They prepare all new BotTots for their future roles in their tribes. The educators of the Kazoku tribe make sure every bot is ready for the big world of Flip City.

Kenchi-ku: This is a smaller tribe that came from the Hai'bu. The Hai'bu used to kick them to help clean small spaces because of their size. But later, they were kicked just for fun and sport. This led to the invention of Bot-Ball, which is like soccer for RollBots.

Kei'zatsu: The Kei'zatsu tribe's job is "to protect and serve." The FCPD (Flip City Police Department) is made up of members from this tribe, though not all FCPD members are Kei'zatsus. They are involved in law enforcement. Because their job is to protect Flip City, they are not allowed to join certain activities, like the Flip City Grand Prix. Captain Pounder is the leader of this tribe. They are the police officers of Flip City, making sure all bots follow the law.

Kuzuri: Members of the Kuzuri tribe are responsible for healthcare. Chief Surgeon Koto is the head of this tribe. The Kuzuri tribe gives medical help to any bot who needs it. Whether it's a simple recharge or a complex repair, the Kuzuri tribe will get you back on the trax quickly.

Nisen: Members of the Nisen tribe form the government of Flip City. They live in the higher parts of the city. Mayor Aria is the head of this tribe and the Mayor of Flip City. They are the politicians of the RollBot world, making sure all tribes and services run smoothly.

Tensai: This is the scientific tribe. They are the most intelligent RollBots in Flip City. Members of this tribe are in charge of maintaining and building technological things. They create new bot mods. Gates is the head of this tribe.

Zeishi: A quiet and mysterious tribe. They live in remote boot sector homes and don't interact much with other tribes. The Zeishi tribe is the most hidden. Bots from this tribe are very quiet and strange, and they tend to keep to themselves.

Zobo'shi: Members of this tribe work in emergency services. They are firefighters but also help in any disaster. They have a strong rivalry with the FCPD. Fire Chief Cables is the head of this tribe.

Zogen'sha: This tribe lives in the Cathedral. Its members offer spiritual guidance and act like an oracle. Their rules forbid the Kei'zatsu from entering their cathedral. They seem to know what Spin truly is and his future. The En is the leader of this tribe. They share insights into the past, present, and future of RollBot life and always seem a bit stressed.

Zurasho: The construction workers of Flip City. Commander Octo is the head of this Tribe. The Zurasho tribe builds and maintains Flip City. These builders are proud of their work and always aim to keep Flip City growing.

Zushin: This is the lost tribe. It's the only tribe that can talk to the Hub and control the city's system. The Hub warns the Zushin directly if there's a problem in Flip City. They can also ask for warnings only for true emergencies. They also protect the other tribes, including Kei'zatsu. Spin is the only surviving member. When Spin was a young bot, the entire tribe was wiped out by the Spiderbots, led by Vertex. This was part of their plan to destroy all Rollbots.

There are actually twelve tribes, but most Rollbots think there are only eleven. The Kenchi-ku is a smaller tribe that is part of the Hai'bu.

RollBots Episodes Guide

RollBots Online World

The official website for the show is run by Xenophile Media. It has three main interactive parts:

• FCPD Database: This is a collection of files about the characters from the show. It also has "classified information."
• HoloGrid: This is a map of Flip City. In the show, Penny uses it to find problems. Online, it has links to games called "missions." The current missions are Tribe Challenge, Rush Hour Racing, Kei'zatsu Academy, and Spinball.
• FCPD Mainframe: This shows details like the leaderboard. It also displays individual points and money, called Flip Chips.

There is also an app where visitors (who are members of YTV.com) can create and customize their own RollBot.

Another cool feature of the website is the Danuga translator. Danuga is the language of the RollBots. The translator lets visitors turn English words and phrases into Danuga and helps with pronunciation.

• RollBots at iTunes Canada

See also

In Spanish: RollBots para niños