Sym-Bionic Titan
Entry updated 14 August 2023. Tagged: TV.
US animated tv series (2010-2011). Orphanage Animation Studios, Cartoon Network Studios. Created by Bryan Andrews, Paul Rudish and Genndy Tartakovsky. Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky. Writers include Darrick Bachman, Mitch Larson and Genndy Tartakovsky. Voice cast includes John DiMaggio, Don Leslie, Brian Posehn, Tim Russ, Tara Strong and Kevin Thoms. Twenty 22-minute episodes. Colour.
The planet Galaluna has undergone Invasion by the Alien Mutraddi, led by the embittered ex-Galalunan general Modula (Leslie) – who believes he had once been left to die by the King (DiMaggio). Defeat imminent, the King sends his teenaged daughter, princess Ilana (Strong), to Earth – Sherman, Illinois, to be precise – accompanied by Corporal Lance (Thoms) and the bio-Cybernetic Robot Octus (Posehn). To blend in they become high-school students: Ilana and Lance are the Lunis siblings, whilst Octus uses holographic projections to appear as student Newton at school and the siblings' father, Mr Lunis, at home. As a living princess gives hope to the Galalunan freedom-fighters, Modula regularly sends Monsters to kill her; fortunately Ilana and Lance are equipped with Powered Armour, whilst – should the monster be difficult to defeat – they can combine with Octus to form a giant Mecha: the Sym-Bionic Titan. This proves necessary towards the end of most episodes.
Matters are further complicated by the interventions of two Earth groups: the US Army, led by the bellicose General Steel (DiMaggio), and the Galactic Guardian Group (or G3), a non-governmental security agency that protects the Earth from inter-galactic enemies, and are fronted – but not led – by Solomon. Whilst Steel wants to destroy the Titan, Solomon (Russ) – whose name and attire nod to Robert E Howard's Solomon Kane – is more interested in studying them, though at one point this involves torturing Lance. As G3 seem to use Modulan Technology and their actual leader is always partially obscured, it is possible he is Galaluna's greatest Scientist – and Lance's father – who had disappeared some years previously.
Episodes are usually built around a monster of the week sent by Modula, but intertwined with this are scenes involving the trio learning about themselves and Earth, plus appearances by one or more of Steel, Solomon and Modula. The monsters tend to be large and violent, though there is a Dream-Hacker who torments Lance and Ilana by playing on their fears; a cute creature that can release enough energy to destroy the Earth; and another which brings all living creatures on Earth to a halt (a sort of Stasis Field; see also End of Time) – fortunately this does not affect Octus. Towards the season's end the plot changes: the trio help G3 when one of their Space Stations is attacked by an energy creature and Solomon becomes an ally – but Octus is drained by the creature, so the Titan cannot be formed. Meantime, Steel – using the remnants of a Spaceship that brought one of the monsters – builds his own giant mecha: the "Homeland Mobile Emergency Robot" or HMER (nicknamed the Hammer), to defeat the creatures sent by Modula, but also to attack G3, Ilana and Lance ... but begrudgingly Steel has to work with them when a trio of seemingly indestructible monsters arrive – until G3's mysterious leader repairs Octus and the reformed Titan makes short work of them.
Though time is spent on the characterization of Ilana and Lance they are a little Clichéd: Ilana is your standard empathetic princess, naive but tough; whilst Lance is intense, over-protective and has a troubled past. The most interesting is Octus: as untried new technology he has Identity problems ("Am I just projecting feelings because they're appropriate to the situation – or am I actually feeling them?"). Modula is also a fine villain, if underused, who seems to have acquired Superpowers from an unknown source.
Sym-Bionic Titan is a tribute to Japanese Tokusatsu giant-robot mecha shows such as Voltron: Defender of the Universe (1984-1985) (see Voltron: Legendary Defender) and Robotech (1985) (see Super Dimensional Fortress Macross): many other Anime are referenced, for example, the Titan has some resemblance to the giant robot in Tetsujin 28 Go (1963-1966; vt Gigantor). Overall this was a good series, the later episodes being the strongest, and – as is to be expected from a Tartakovsky show – the animation is excellent; sadly the show was cancelled after the first season due to the lack of toys associated with it. [SP]
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