Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs | IBC - 80s , RPN - 90s

Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs was another Japanese animated series (anime) entitled Star Musketeer Bismarck (星銃士ビスマルク Seijūshi Bisumaruku) adapted and dubbed by World Events Productions for its US audience. The cartoon show was heavily censored that time the once was conservative USA, but still made the series one of the most popular cult classics to date. Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs was first picked up by IBC (Intercontinental Broadcasting Network) here in the Philippines.



Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs
Americanized Show's Premise

In the distant future humans have spread beyond Earth and colonized planets across the universe, creating a New Frontier of man. In order to protect these new settlers and maintain laws and regulations in the New Frontier, Earth's Cavalry Command was created. Cavalry Command is in essence a military organization, maintaining an army and fleet of ships to protect the New Frontier. Within Cavalry Command is a unit of special operatives known as Star Sheriffs that functioned as field agents, investigating crimes and plots against the security of the New Frontier.



The main foe of Cavalry Command and the Star Sheriffs is a race of non-human creatures known as Vapor Beings (or Outriders) that jumped into our dimension in order to conquer it. They attack the settlers, destroy settlements, and kidnap humans in order to mine various metals or crystals from the soil.

Outriders are superior to humans in battle technology, possessing a legion of gigantic robots with uncanny firepower against which the space-going fleets of Cavalry Command are no match. In order to have a chance against such supremacy, Cavalry Command develops a prototype ship known as the "Ramrod Equalizer Unit" (or just Ramrod) that has the ability to turn from a spaceship into a powerful robot that can fight the Outriders on equal terms.





Saber Rider occasionally referred to by the nickname of 'Top Sword' in the American version) is the leader of the group and often rides a robotic horse named Steed. Fireball was once a race car driver and the youngest champion of all time. He drives a race car he calls the Red Fury Racer/Turbo, which is armed with an extensive arsenal of weapons. He has a somewhat quick temper and at one time boasted of his perfect memory. Colt is introduced in the series as a bounty hunter on the trail of Vanquo, an Outrider spy. He holds an almost infallible accuracy with firearms and serves as the gunner on board Ramrod, controlling the six-iron while Fireball controls the chest cannons. For personal transportation and solo battles he uses a blue and white one-man spaceship he calls the Bronco Buster. April Eagle is the daughter of Commander Eagle, and the engineer who designed and was in charge of Project Ramrod. She was trained at Cavalry Command under General Whitehawk.

Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs Opening Theme
Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs Intro



"Saber Rider"
Composed by Dale Schacker
Artist: Dale Schacker



Like any other Americanized cartoons, Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs featured a catchy and memorable upbeat main theme. It is a tokusatsu series but in animation, so there are transformations and mechas. What about you guys, what's your fondest memory of the Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs? Share your thoughts in the comments section below: