GMA-7’s upcoming adaptation of the 1977 series “Voltes V” had misgivings from the fans online.
The broadcast giant, which was also popular for local remakes of popular Korean dramas, released teasers of its new project on social media this week.
Director Mark Reyes shared a short video teaser of this project on Instagram on December 23. It hinted that an official countdown will be launched on Dec. 31, 2019.
Reyes also captioned that it was his dream project. No other information has been bared so far.
Reyes was known for his works “Moments of Love” and “Encantadia.”
On December 24, the Kapuso network also shared an article about this announcement on its Facebook account.
Some fans, however, were not pleased with the concept of a live-action remake of a well-loved yet controversial Japanese series.
One Reddit user questioned the motive for it, citing it was once banned during the Marcos regime because of its anti-dictatorship theme.
ALSO READ: The role Voltes V played in toppling Martial Law
“This is such a bad coincidence,” the user said.
President Rodrigo Duterte previously expressed his admiration for the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, calling him his “idol.” He has also praised Marcos’ declaration of Martial Law, which committed thousands of humans rights violations, as “good.”
Others expressed concern that quality of the production might be similar to that of Marvel’s “Thor” ripoff “Victor Magtanggol,” which earned its own share of criticisms.
“Victor Magtanggol,” which was aired in 2018, largely drew backlash because of its uncanny similarities to Marvel’s “Thor” from the lead characters’ costume designs to the depiction of Thor’s divine realm, Asgard.
GMA’s heyday came in the airing of well-loved fantasy television shows called “fantaserye” based on local myths and fictional characters such as “Encantadia,” “Mulawin,” “Darna” and “Dyesebel.”
Voltes V and Martial Law
There were three anime series banned during the height of martial law—”Voltes V,” “Mazinger Z” and “Daimos“, now classics of the anime genre.
The reasons for banning the other two were not certain. The airing of Voltes V, in particular, was shut down purportedly due to “excessive violence,” according to Marcos’ order.
Many believed, however, that the show’s theme around an uprising against a dictatorship was the reason for blocking its airing on local TV.
The story follows five human pilots of a titular giant robot, which was humanity’s last defense against the alien race known as Boazanians and their army of colossal robot monstrosities. The Boazanians have already defeated majority of world’s armed forces in the story’s timeline.
It was first aired on Japanese television in 1977, and then spread to other countries such as the Philippines, the United States, Cuba and Indonesia.
In 1979, Marcos shut it down shortly before the show ended.
GMA re-aired dubbed editions of “Voltes V” and “Daimos” in 1999, thus starting the era of anime craze in the Philippines.