Thunderbirds 2086


Thunderbirds 2086, is the English dubbed version of the Japanese anime series Scientific Rescue Team Techno Voyager, a Japanese anime series loosely inspired by the original Gerry Anderson Supermarionation series Thunderbirds. The series was dubbed in English by ITC Entertainment, the original company who produced Thunderbirds, but is not officially recognised as part of Thunderbirds canon, due to the non-involvement of either Gerry or Sylvia Anderson.
In addition to the English dub, the series contains music and sound effects from Anderson's series Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Joe 90, UFO and . A total of 24 episodes were produced, but only 18 were shown on Fuji TV in 1982.

Background

The series takes place in 2086 and chronicles the adventures of TechnoBoyager a rescue team portrayed in the dub as the "Thunderbirds" working for the International Rescue Organisation.
Unlike the original International Rescue, which was small-scale and family-run, TechnoBoyager is a vast organisation comprising numerous branches and overseen by the Federation, this series' equivalent of the United Nations. Although the dub is called Thunderbirds 2086, the Tracy family, who ran IR in the original series, is not mentioned. In the dub, the Thunderbirds name is used to refer to the team, while in the original series the name merely referred to their vehicles. The animated series otherwise has notable similarities to the original, with most episodes revolving around a natural or man-made disaster which the TechnoBoyager/Thunderbirds team must investigate and help resolve.
Unlike the original series, Thunderbirds 2086 also has an ongoing story arc, like many Japanese anime series. This one revolves around a breakaway independence group known as the Shadow Axis, led by the mysterious Star Crusher. There is a heavy intimation in the series that Star Crusher is not human and may be some kind of alien entity.

Voice cast

Japanese voice cast

End Credits

Executive In Charge of Production Robert Mandell
Executive Producers Banjiro Uemura, Shinji Nakamura
Dialogue Recording Supervision PETER FERNARDEZ
Production Co-ordinator Eleanor Kearney
Sound Engineer John Quinn
Made in Association with ITC ENTERTAINMENT LTD.
Animation Produced by GREEN BOX, ANIME INTERNATIONAL COMPANY

Base

Similar to the original show, the team's headquarters is an island in the Pacific. Its main building is a huge pyramid containing an entire city inside. It is known as the Arcology. Like the original International Rescue, a space station in orbit is maintained to monitor mayday calls. TB-6 is the space station in this series, similar in concept to Thunderbird 5. Both the Arcology and TB6 are home to many thousands of people.

Vehicles and characters

There are 17 vehicles, each with a different purpose and specialty. The craft are referred to using abbreviated designations containing "TB", such as TB-1, TB-2, etc. Oddly, the introductory dialogue in the dub describes the characters as cadets, while all of the episodes give their rank as Captain, although Grant Hanson is the senior captain in charge of the group.
The vehicles are described to a party of school children visiting Arcology in the episode "Child's Play" and the remaining vehicles are shown in the 1983 Annual.
Commander Jared Simpson is the commanding officer of the team and gives the heroes their missions. He is the "Jeff Tracy" figure of the animated series. He has a nephew, Skipper Simpson, a young boy who idolizes the Thunderbirds and hopes to one day join their ranks.

Episodes