Ronin Warriors

Ronin Warriors, Legendary Armor Samurai Troopers in Japan, is a Japanese anime series created by Hajime Yatate. The anime was produced and animated by Sunrise, and aired in Japan on Nagoya Television from April 30, 1988 to March 4, 1989. The series was licensed in North America by Graz Entertainment, which contracted the Ocean Group to produce an English dub, and first aired on American television during the summer of 1995 in syndication.

Ronin Warriors premiered on Cartoon Network's Toonami programming block on September 27, 1999. After appearing in every Toonami block that existed at the time (Toonami, Midnight Run, Rising Sun) Ronin Warriors ended its run on Toonami on March 9, 2001.

Plot
A millennium ago, a demon named Talpa conquered The Mortal World. His reign of terror went unopposed until the appearance of a warrior mage and his loyal white tiger. This warrior defeated Talpa and saved The Mortal World from doom. But the mage knew that an evil power like Talpa's could not truly be destroyed, thus he split the remains of Talpa's evil armor into nine separate armors. Imbuing each with a special virtue, the mage gave them to nine families for safekeeping. Six hundred years later, the defeated and exiled Talpa returned and began to search for the armors. He tracked down four with their current owners, weak men with weak hearts and a lust for power that made them perfect for Talpa to manipulate. He recruited these young men into his army, transforming them into his Dark Warlords of the Netherworld. In the 20th century, Talpa gains more and more power and enters The Mortal World to conquer it once more. But all is not lost. The owners of the five remaining armors have returned with their powers and are ready to unite against Talpa and his minions. The only problem is they can't remember how to use all of their powers. Can the Ronin Warriors master their skills in time to free humanity from the evil Emperor Talpa?

Ronin Warriors
Ryo Sanada — Ryo is the leader of the Ronin Warriors. His armor's power of Wildfire is linked to his spirit of virtue. Ryo fights with a giant Himalayan white tiger named White Blaze, who was also a companion of the Ancient. Young and impetuous, Ryo is still learning to utilize his powers. He is also kind-hearted, friendly and compassionate. As a result of his big heart, he's often hurt by the terrible events surrounding him. The Armor of Wildfire draws its strength from elemental fire, making its wearer impervious to all forms of heat. It also has the power to absorb the elemental powers of the other Ronin and Warlord armors and manifest the White Armor of the Inferno, which was worn by the ancient warrior Hariel, who was both Ronin Warrior and Warlord. The Inferno armor's command over fire is exponentially greater than the Wildfire armor and at the peak of its power, it can easily destroy whole worlds. When Ryo summons the White Armor, White Blaze is transformed into Black Blaze and carries the Soul Swords of Fervor. These are the only weapons that can channel the power of the "Rage of Inferno," the white armor's most powerful attack. It is Ryo who gathers the warriors together and unites them with his strength.

Sage Date — Sage is a master swordsman and perhaps the noblest of the Ronin. He is a disciplined and heroic warrior, linked to the power of the Halo through the virtue of Chi, or Wisdom. Drawing on the element of life, Sage can use his powers to heal wounds and create lightning; his special attack consists of a deadly thunderbolt. Although he is a great fighter, Sage is in touch with nature and respects all life. Intense and handsome, Sage is often considered the most alluring of the Ronin Warriors. But Sage is most passionate as a fighter, his analytical mind dedicated only to his cause.

Cye Mouri — Like the surface of a tranquil ocean, Cye is the calmest of the Ronin. A quiet warrior, Cye likes to spend time near the water and loves the sea. He is trusting of his fellow Ronin and stands by them at all costs. It is no surprise that Cye's Torrent armor is linked to him through the virtue of Trust. Despite his peaceful nature, Cye wields a powerful Trident; his special attack is the Super Wave Smasher.

Kento Rei Fang — Kento is the strongest of the Ronin Warriors. He is also a bit hotheaded and tends to rush into battle. Fortunately, Kento's great strength usually keeps him out of trouble. Kento enjoys a good laugh and a hot meal to feed his tremendous appetite. Through the virtue of justice, Kento is linked to the element of Earth. He draws upon the power of the Hardrock armor to execute his special attack, the Iron Rock Crusher. His weapon is a combination of a three section staff and a naginata, known as a sansetsukon and he sometimes wields the sansetsukon like a pair of nunchakus in close combat.

Rowen Hashiba — Rowen, the smartest of the Ronin Warriors, is spiritually linked to the armor of the Strata through his Jin of Life. Rowen is easily the smartest person in his school as well, and for this gift, his fellow students sometimes despise him. Spending most of his time studying or reading, Rowen can think the team's way out of almost any situation. Rowen benefits from his strong armor, which will protect him under all circumstances, including creating energy bubbles around him for protection in space. His weapon is a collapsible bow which can be attached to the back of his armor, when not in use, along with a small metallic quiver, from which a seemingly unlimited amount of arrows can be drawn.

Dark Warlords
Talpa — Talpa, the Emperor of the Dynasty, is the central antagonist of the series. He was defeated by the Ancient One during his first attempt to conquer Earth a thousand years before the start of the series. Talpa's spirit was banished to the Nether Realm while his armor remained on Earth. Since the armor could not be destroyed, the Ancient One split it apart into nine separate armors with their own powers and virtues. Talpa re-acquired four of them, Cruelty, Corruption, Illusion, and Venom, and gave them to four humans who became his Dark Warlords. When Talpa returns in the modern era, he takes over the city of Tokyo and captures its citizens. Initially appearing as a giant ghostly helmet, Talpa sent the Dark Warlords to do his bidding. Talpa's weapons are six double-edged swords formed in a circle on his back.

Anubis — Anubis, the Dark Warlord of Cruelty, is the leader of Talpa's Dark Warlords. Egomaniacal and very dangerous, he gradually comes to respect the Ronin Warriors and simultaneously begins to doubt the wisdom of Talpa's plans for humanity. The other Dark Warlords of the Netherworld, who fear Anubis' great power, do not trust him. Eventually this mutual distrust leads to a schism, and Anubis defects from the Dark Warlords. Anubis receives the power of the ancient, shedding his armor and reappearing in The Mortal World. He then wanders the globe in a quest to help the Ronin Warriors defeat Talpa, who he feels has tricked him. His weapon is a kusarigama which he uses to perform his special attack, "Quake With Fear", in which he sends his chain into the ground, which then bursts out into the form of several chains.

Cale — Cale, the Dark Warlord of Corruption, is one of Talpa's Dark Warlords who harnesses the power of darkness. He primarily fights Sage of the Halo, who controls light. His weapons are a Nodachi and claw-like armor spikes. His special attack is "Black Lightning Slash", through which he fires a number of black lasers.

Dais — Dais, the Dark Warlord of Illusion, is the oldest of the four Dark Warlords. His main opponent is Kento Rei Faun. His armor has six Kamas on its back resembling spider legs, which he can extend to any length he sees fit. The Kamas are connected to a single handle attached to his back, which he can remove at any time. He also has a flail on his right gauntlet and a nunchaku on his left. His armor allows him to spin webs and create illusions. His special attack is "Web of Deception", through which he throws his Kamas.

Sekhmet — Sekhmet, the Dark Warlord of Venom, has pale skin, purple eyelids, and beady black eyes. He is Cye Mouri's main opponent. Sekhmet fights with six katanas, which exude a deadly poison that can also cause blindness. He can also move his arms at speeds that allow him to seemingly grow four extra arms. His special attack is "Snake Fang Strike", where he connects his swords together into a whip-like weapon and swings it around before attacking.

Supporting Characters
The Ancient One — The Ancient One is a powerful mystic and warrior who defeated Talpa during the Warring States period and banished him to the Nether Realm. He created the nine mystical armors from Talpa's discarded armor. He acts as the Ronin Warriors' mentor during their battle with Talpa. He also helped Anubis defect from Talpa by showing him how Talpa regarded him as a tool. He wears a straw hat which hides his face and usually carries a shakujo, a staff with ring-shaped chimes set atop it.

Mia Koji — Mia aids the Warriors during their quest against the forces of evil. Not much is known about her past, except that she was born in Canada to a French mother and a Japanese father, and was visiting her grandfather in Japan when Talpa's invasion began. Unlike her friends, Mia has no super powers or weapons. However, she is extremely knowledgeable about the mystical armors and various ancient artifacts. She provides vital information to the Warriors and acts as a caretaker for Yuli.

Yuli Yamano — Yuli is a young friend of the Ronin Warriors. He is first introduced shopping with his parents in the Shinjuku ward of Tokyo. When Talpa's invasion begins, Yuli is separated from his parents, who are captured by the Dynasty. He later stumbles upon a confrontation between Ryo, White Blaze, and a Dynasty Soldier. He is nearly killed but Mia saves him, the first of many rescues he would endure. Thereafter, he helps the Warriors with his bravery and cheerful optimism.

White Blaze — White Blaze is a large white tiger and Ryo Sanada's faithful companion. Ryo claims that he comes from the Himalayas. White Blaze generally travels with Yuli and Mia Koji. He often tries to help the Warriors in battle, but he almost always gets swatted aside. Nevertheless, he doesn't hesitate to charge into battle. He is mortally wounded protecting Ryo from Lord Saberstryke. After his defeat, Lord Saberstryke asked his own companion tiger, Black Blaze, to revive White Blaze by merging with him. Afterwards, White Blaze would transform into Black Blaze whenever Ryo summons the Armor of Inferno.

Lady Kayura — Kayura is several centuries old despite her young appearance. She is the last known member of the Ancient One's clan. For this reason, she was abducted from her home by the Dynasty at a young age. Talpa kept Kayura under his control with a magical amulet worn around her neck and raised her to be his ultimate weapon against the Ronin Warriors. When Ryo inadvertently destroyed Kayura's amulet, she remembered her past and ultimately rejected Talpa's control. However, at Talpa's behest, Badamon, the leader of the Nether Spirits, possessed Kayura's body to keep her evil. She possesses near-infinite supernatural powers, due to her ancestry as a member of the Clan of the Ancients. She wields the twin sai she calls Starlight Swords. Her special attack is "Star Sword Scream", which summons a massive barrage of stellar energy from the sky.

Dr. Koji — Dr. Koji is the grandfather of Mia, who was a professor of literature at Sengoku University. As a scholar, he collected much data on the evil Dynasty, the five elemental armors, and the White Armor of Inferno, which explains Mia's knowledge on these subjects. The Ronin Warriors try to enlist the doctor to help them in their quest but he refuses shortly before he is killed by the Dynasty.

Ronin Warriors=

Episodes
All episodes of Ronin Warriors have been released on DVD in the U.S., including a box set titled: Ronin Warriors: Complete Collection. In 2014, Discotek Media announced that they have licensed Samurai Troopers, the original japanese version of Ronin Warriors and will release the complete series on DVD in February 2015 with English subtitles. They currently can't rerelease the English dubbed version for unknown reasons.

Broadcast History
Ronin Warriors aired across Japan on Nagoya Television from April 30, 1988 to March 4, 1989. The series first appeared in the United States in 1995, airing in syndication, including a run on the USA network's Cartoon Express. In 1996, the series aired briefly on the Sci-Fi channel. From 1999 to 2001, the series aired on Cartoon Network.
 * Japan (Nagoya TV) — April 30, 1988 - March 4, 1989
 * United States (Syndication) — 1995 - 1996
 * United States (Sci-Fi Channel) — September 30, 1996 - December 27, 1996
 * United States (Cartoon Network) — September 27, 1999 - March 9, 2001

Toonami Broadcast History
Ronin Warriors premiered on Cartoon Network's Toonami block on September 27, 1999, ending the run of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, which had been on the block since its inception. It was removed from the block after May 5, 2000 and replaced in the lineup by ReBoot. The series then returned for a second run on November 13, 2000, replacing ReBoot. Ronin Warriors completed its second run on March 9, 2001 and was replaced in the lineup by reruns of Gundam Wing. The series also aired on Toonami's Midnight Run from October 2, 1999 to March 4, 2000 and the Rising Sun from April 15, 2000 to May 13, 2000.


 * Toonami (United States) — September 27, 1999 - May 5, 2000; November 13, 2000 - March 9, 2001
 * Midnight Run — October 2, 1999 - March 4, 2000
 * Rising Sun — April 15, 2000 - May 13, 2000

Toonami Marathons
Ronin Warriors only had one marathon appearance during its run on Toonami, Toonami: Full Cycle from April 8-9, 2000.