September 18, 2004 (2004-09-18) – December 16, 2006 (2006-12-16)
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go![a] (commonly known by its acronym, SRMTHFG, or simply, Super Robot Monkey Team)(Japanese:スーパーロボットモンキーチーム ハイパーフォースGO!) is an American-Japanese anime-influenced television series created by Ciro Nieli, one of the directors of Teen Titans, and the Showrunner & Executive Producer of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,[3] and produced by Walt Disney Television Animation with animation being done by The Answer Studio in Japan (who would later work on the Cartoon Network series Transformers: Animated).[2] It was the first original show produced for the Jetix block and for the Jetix and Disney channels worldwide, where the show premiered on September 18, 2004.[1] Some may consider this to be anime as it not only animated in Japan, but also air on their Jetix block in Japan.
Set mainly on the fictional planet of Shuggazoom, the series follows the adventures of five cyborg monkeys and a human boy named Chiro as they struggle to protect their planet – and the rest of the universe – from the forces of evil.
The Super Robot Monkey Team is set in Shuggazoom City, a city that takes up a good portion of its planet, named Shuggazoom. The rest of the planet is divided into sparsely or entirely uninhabited zones. The largest of these making up the majority of the visible surface outside of Shuggazoom city is "The Zone of Wasted Years" which is a barren wasteland.
The main character is a boy named Chiro. When he was exploring the outskirts of the city, he stumbled upon a giant abandoned robot partially overgrown with plants but still accessible. Once inside, his curiosity got the better of him and he pulls an old power switch among a series of stasis tanks. In doing so, he awakened the five robotic monkeys that form the Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce. In the process Chiro also fused himself with the mysterious supernatural energy of the Power Primate, allowing him to transform into a stronger, braver fighter and the leader of the team. With the aid of the five Robot Monkeys: Sparx, Antauri, Gibson, Otto and Nova, their mission is to save Shuggazoom City from the evil Skeleton King, the main villain of the series, as well as any other evil forces that may threaten it.
Since Chiro was not born a superhero, or with any enhanced abilities, the five Robot Monkeys take up training him to hone his abilities which results in him leading the team. With each member possessing a different set of skills Chiro acts as a unifying force keeping them on point where they otherwise might fall to differing opinions, in addition to being familiar with the current culture of Shuggazoom. With the monkeys continuing to train Chiro he grows into the leader they need with the potential to fulfill his greater destiny as protector of the universe.
When fighting with larger enemies the Hyperforce uses the Super Robot, which can operate as a single entity or split into six separate vehicles for versatility. Its main attack, when combined as the whole robot, is Lasertron Fury. This powerful energy beam that is fired from its chest is capable of destroying large objects or hostile entities while an array of smaller weaponry is used to handle other lesser threats. The Super Robot also serves as Chiro and the Monkeys' headquarters and home while parked on its landing pad in Shuggazoom City.
Over the course of the series the history of both Shuggazoom and the Robot Monkeys is expanded upon revealing they were created long ago specifically to combat the evil Skeleton King by a brilliant inventor known only as the Alchemist. Having unintentionally released a great evil into the world with his experiments the Hyperforce was his attempt to prepare for an uncertain future where defenses would be needed. The Hyperforce itself also expanded as the series ran to include various allies and a rogues gallery of enemies as recurring characters.
The only city on the planet, Shuggazoom, Shuggazoom city is the home of the Hyperforce. Containing an array of business along with housing, parks, and open spaces the cityscape was sufficient to hide an entire robot from view or interest until it had become overgrown with plant life. The city is also built effectively on stilts above a large reservoir that extends miles downward giving it a steady supply of clean drinking water.
Zone of Wasted Years
A rocky desert located on the outskirts of Shuggazoom City that landscapes the rest of the planet Shuggazoom. The Pit of Doom is located here, as well as the deep gorge where the Hyperforce found Captain Shuggazoom.
Savage Lands
A tropicaljungle hidden within a series of caves located beneath Shuggazoom's surface. The jungle contains large deposits of the black ooze that is used to create the Formless, and thus the environment is inhabited by various Formless creatures. It is likely that the Savage Lands were once occupied by some sort of ancient civilization, as it houses a great deal of seemingly ancient temples and tombs. One of these temples was used as Valeena's base of operations, which she ruled over the area from after receiving her powers from Skeleton King. The Alchemist's laboratory is also located here.
Sea of Ice
A frozen plain located on Shuggazoom's North Pole that is occupied only by Morlath and his snow monsters. The Ice Crystal of Vengeance was located here.
Blasted Lands
A long forgotten realm located south of the Zone of Wasted Years. Centuries ago, a massive war struck here until everyone involved was destroyed. Unrelenting hatred rose. Since then, the Blasted Lands became a burning and unstable landscape. The Fire of Hate was located here.
Arcane Isle
A small island housing a large monolith that serves as a portal to the Netherworld, the home dimension of the Dark Ones.
Ranger 7
The near uninhabited moon of Shuggazoom. This is where the supermax space prison is and where the fuzzy ball known as Thingy was found.
SRMTHG premiered on ABC Family's Jetix programming block on September 18, 2004.[1] It also aired on Toon Disney's Jetix block until the Jetix programming block was taken off of ABC Family in August 2006, and the series began to air exclusively on Toon Disney. The show was planned to air on ABC Kids on September 17, 2005, but it was pulled.
It was also shown on Jetix UK from January 1, 2005, but was taken off the air on July 22, 2006, for unknown reasons. The entire series was, however, broadcast in the UK on GMTV'sToonattik.
In Ireland it was shown on RTÉ Two as part of "The Den" children's programming block.
The series was produced for widescreen, but originally shown cropped due to network restrictions.
Each episode runs for 30 minutes, with commercials.
Its theme song is performed by Japanese synthpop/new wave band Polysics.
Disney did not renew the show for a fifth season possibly due to low merchandise sales, leaving it with a Cliffhanger ending.
On July 17, 2020, the series began streaming on Disney+.[4]
Production
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! was created by Ciro Nieli, who previously began his career at Fox Television Animation, where he worked as a storyboard revisionist for Family Guy, before he moved to Warner Bros. Animation, and worked on Teen Titans and ¡Mucha Lucha!. As is obvious from the visual appearance of the show, there is a significant anime influence present, despite being produced for American television. It was also influenced by Star Trek, Super Sentai (most recognizably exemplified in the West by Power Rangers), Voltron, and Star Wars. The show also contains various references to pop culture, a notable example being the episode "Season of the Skull", which is an obvious parody of the 1970s thriller The Wicker Man. Henry Gilroy serves as the show's head writer; he also worked on Star Wars: The Clone Wars a few years later.
The series was first pitched to Nickelodeon in 2001, but they turned it down after 9/11 went down, and Ciro Nieli couldn’t do a show about monsters destroying a city. Nieli also pitched it to Cartoon Network in 2002, who also passed on the project due to similarities to the Powerpuff Girls. By 2003, an executive at Disney loved it, and decided that it needed to become a series.
Legacy
in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles episode “The Weird World of Wyrm“ was referenced to episode “Meet the Wigglenog” as the Wigglenog himself makes a cameo.
Reception
Reviews were mixed upon its release, but has quickly developed a critical acclaim as time went on, and to this day has a strong cult following. Praise for the show comes from its heavy anime influence, intense action, deep stories, character development, as well as elements of genuine drama, science fiction, fantasy, and true horror.
Possible revival
On December 5, 2014, Anime Superhero interviewed with Ciro Nieli about if there will be a chance for him to continue the series, as he said, "Oh, yeah. There's a finale planned for that, and I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but I swear that I'm gonna do it someday. I can do it as one movie or I can do it as a whole season, it just depends on how much breadth I want to give it. Look at the last episode. You can either pick it up from there or you can go 'Five years later: it's the war of the undead vs the robot chimps.' It's this crazy battlefield where all forces have kinda teamed up against the ultimate evil. It'd be awesome. It's all figured out pretty much. Everyone bugs me about it all the time and I really wanna sit down and tell everybody what happens, but I'd rather just make it someday and give it to them. Worst case scenario: before I die I'll do a perfect graphic novel of it and then Disney can sue me posthumously 'cause they now completely own it and that's how it goes [laughs]. I guess I could make a comic and change the names and hairdos..."[5]
On June 28, 2018, Greg Cipes shared one of Ciro Nieli’s concept art on twitter as it could be either a reboot or continuation for a 5th season while showing off 2 new characters set to appear.[6]
As of August 2023, there have been no updates about the show's revival.
