Armored Trooper Votoms

About Armored Trooper Votoms

Meet Armored Trooper Votoms (装甲騎兵ボトムズ), an action, drama and mecha anime by Sunrise and Nippon Animation (1983). Here is the premise in a nutshell. What the story covers: A century of bloodshed between warring star systems has plunged nearly 200 worlds into the flames of war. Now, an uneasy truce has settled across the Astragius Galaxy...

More of the story: Chirico Cuvie, a special forces powered-armor pilot is all at once transferred into a unit engaged in a concealed and highly illegal mission to steal military secrets - from their own military! Now he's on the run...from his own army! Unsure of his loyalties and to cover their own tracks, Chirico is left behind to die in space.

In an action series like this, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Voice work is led by Hozumi Gouda as Chirico Cuvie and Kyounosuke Kami as Ypsilon. This one is best suited to viewers who like fast, high-impact fights. With 52 episodes in total, there is enough room for the story to develop.

Production & Appeal

Production sits with Sunrise and Nippon Animation, which means the visual identity of Armored Trooper Votoms follows that studio's craft. The action focus matters here: fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. At 7.6/10 it earns a solid reception, a safe pick for fans of the genre. On the casting side, Hozumi Gouda voicing Chirico Cuvie gives the lead role a recognizable voice. It aired in 1983, which makes it easy to place in the wider anime calendar.