Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers: The Collection Volume 1 (review)

Anime fans seem to think this 1980s TV series is a classic, and they’re welcome to it. Newcomers not wearing the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia will find it as tedious as, well, most cartoons shows not first approached in childhood. Produced in the U.S. in the Japanese style, this kids’ show follows the exploits of a band of interstellar do-gooders who keep space safe for humanity (and friends of humanity) on the galactic frontier, and while the science end of the fiction is perhaps more plausible than you’d expect, the simplistic characters -- the square-jawed, all-American captain; the brilliant, beautiful, and sensitive lady scientist -- and plots will leave adult fans of SF bored. The potentially interesting wild-West ambiance may remind some viewers of the later live-action (and adult-minded) series Firefly, but this suffers badly in any comparison. These four discs contain the first 32 episodes of series in their proper chronological order -- misordered episodes are apparently a thorn in the sides of fans -- and they’ve been digitally remastered, but they still look kinda crappy... though that could just be the bad animated ’80s FX shining through. Extras include a demo reel, an interview with creator Robert Mandell, commentary on two episodes from Mandell and other behind-the-scenes names, a music video, a 32-page guide to characters, and more.