Voltron: Defender of the Universe

Original Air Date: 1984-1985

Network: Syndicated

Giant lion-shaped robots that combine to form an even bigger humanoid robot that fights huge monsters with a sword and rocket fists.

That pretty much sums up the show. Simple, but highly effective.

Though there were two original Voltron seasons cobbled together from two separate Japanese anime, most of us fell in love with the Lion Force Voltron (though Vehicle Voltron had his moments). The show scored big with the male audience because you just can't go wrong with big robots that fight. The whole lion thing was just icing on the cake.

Ask most fans what the show was actually about and they'll probably draw a blank, mainly because there wasn't much plot. Most episodes of season one featured Prince Lotor or his witch gal-pal Haggar conjuring some butt ugly monster. Then the forces of good would assemble to form the baddest metal man in the galaxy, and much pwnage would ensue. Voltron was mainly about Voltron opening cans of whoop-ass.

The first run of Voltron had a big hand in ushering in the age of giant robots in American culture, and it inspired a number of imitators (we're lookin' in your direction,Power Rangers).