A cheesy but fun anime series dating back to 1987, which was presented in three seperate OAV episodes. Dangaio didn't really bring much to the table so to speak, although it did spearhead the "giant robots combining to make a bigger robot" à la Voltron (which eventually was refined into the power rangers' mega-zord). The plot was weak but that doesn't really matter as Dangaio didn't play heavily on plot at all. Three young women and one young man form the Dangaio team. They were brainwashed and trained by Professor Tahsan to have psychic and/or superhuman powers, so they could be sold to Gaimos the Space Pirate King as ultimate weapons. When they start recovering their memory the original plan goes out the window and the youthful superheroes go about discovering their past and saving people. In the meanwhile, Gaimos, disapointed by his lack of some promised ultimate weapons, employs Gil-Burg (Tahsan's former employee, a killer cyborg mutant with incredible strength) to capture or destroy the Dangaio team.
Dangaio's main appeals are its killer giant robots and incredibly corny dialogue, both of which are unparalleled even among today's anime. There are two parts which I remember vividly. The first is when Gil-Burg shows his loyalty to Gaimos by tearing out his eyeball, then crushing it with his hand. Why you would need to tear out your eyeball is beyond me, but Dangaio never really made sense to begin with. Secondly is the theme song, which defies both reason and good taste:
Cross fight, cross fight!
Fight for love. Fight with all your might!
Dangaio!
You have joined your undefeated spirits.
The four warriors keep shining to the end.
You
wonder who you really are.
But keep
shining to the end.
Your four
warrior spirits, have become
one soul.
Your
soar across the universe.
Turning it the
color of fire.
Break trough this mysterious sadness
Cross fight, cross fight (
CROSS FIGHT!)
Fight for love.
That
shining light is
Dangaio!
Cross fight, cross fight!
Be true to your
dreams!!
Live for your
love!
Fight with all your might!
Dangaio!
Most of my friends who aren't in the know still wonder why I sometimes exclaim
CROSS FIGHT! for no apparent reason.