Being in North America, I only got 26 episodes of the whole series as a kid. The only reason I remember it is because of the "movie" we rented so often, where Jim Terry Productions had taken scenes from several eps and cut them together, with some fresh voiceovers.
I just got hold of the entire series in Japanese with English subs this year. I had NO idea it had so many underlying themes, like belonging, protecting the environment, learning to rely on others, PTSD, and more. And Hikaru/Brenda's story arc was awesome.
My only gripes are the 70s-style comic relief. Danbi/Panhandle is annoying as hell, whether in English or Japanese. Boss is annoying, and Banta/Carlos usually is, too. It is also very plot-driven, e.g., Koji/Lance lights sticks of dynamite to free Hikaru from a seaweed trap...underwater. And sometimes Duke Fleed/Orion Quest uses the spazer to tag-team against a foe, and sometimes he doesn't. That sort of thing.
But was also the predominant way of writing cartoons back then. That they tackled such heavy themes as the after-effects of war on a person really surprised me.
Oh! One other thing that was so beautiful: almost every episode ends with a view of the sun, either direct or as a background. It was a lovely touch to show that this show is Japanese.
The American version that I watched as a kid erased almost all signs of the show's actual location. Given the American-style ranch, it was easy to do. And although I haven't watched the full French series yet, I've noticed the erasure, too, where possible. Heck, even the subtitles of the Japanese original that I have sometimes erase "Japan" or "Japanese" for English speakers.
But to demonstrate with actual dialogue from the scene in ep 1 where Koji lands his TFO at the ranch:
1. Japanese original: Koji confirms he's Japanese (he says, "Nihonjin"), not an alien.
2. American dub: "I'm more human than you are!"
3. French dub: "I'm a friend."
So, all in all, a beautiful series that's tons of fun, and you can hear the voice actors having fun while they're at it.
"Grendizer, go!"
