— Identity —
Full Name
未来ロボ ダルタニアス (Mirai Robo Darutaniasu) — Future Robot Daltanious
Type
Super Robot / Combining Robot (three-component combination)
Creator
Saburo Yatsude (Toei collective pseudonym) · Art direction by Tadao Nagahama
Debut
1979
Country of Origin
Japan
Original Medium
Anime (original production)
Production Studio
Toei Company (production) · Nippon Sunrise (animation)
Genre
Super Robot / Science Fiction
Name Origin
Named after D'Artagnan, hero of Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers
Also Known As
Daltanias · Dartanias · Daltanias el robot del futuro (Spanish markets)
— Development History —
Art Director
Tadao Nagahama — his final work before his death; Daltanious was produced concurrently with the closing months of the Robot Romance Trilogy
Series Relationship
Not part of the Robot Romance Trilogy, despite Nagahama's involvement. Its visual style closely resembles Combattler V and Voltes V due to his artistic direction
Toy Sponsor
Popy (diecast toy produced during the series' run)
Historical Significance
The first combining super robot in anime history to incorporate an animal as one of its components — and the first to feature a lion's head on its chest. This design innovation directly inspired the lion motif that became central to GoLion (1981), which was adapted in the West as Voltron: Defender of the Universe. The lion's head chest design also influenced multiple robots in the 1990s Brave Series, most notably GaoGaiGar (1997)
Voltron Connection
World Events Productions originally intended to adapt Daltanious as part of their Voltron franchise alongside Dairugger XV and Albegas. Due to a miscommunication, they received GoLion instead — which became the iconic "Lion Voltron"
Planned Episodes
47 episodes (full run completed)
Daltanious occupies a unique position in mecha history: it is the series that invented the lion robot combination concept, yet remains largely unknown in the West precisely because that invention was carried forward by GoLion — the series that became Voltron. Without Daltanious, there is no Voltron.
— Control System —
Primary Pilot
Kento Tate — war orphan and secret descendant of the Helian royal family, pilot of Atlaus
Secondary Pilot
Danji Hiiragi — Kento's companion, pilot of Gunper
Beralios
Sentient mechanical lion — autonomous, responds to Kento's call regardless of distance. Not piloted; acts on its own intelligence
Control Method
Direct piloting of Atlaus and Gunper; Beralios operates autonomously and combines on command
Combination Command
"Daltaaaanious!" — transformation name announcement triggers the three-unit combination sequence
Base of Operations
Secret underground base of Dr. Earl, discovered by Kento and his companions in a cave outside ruined Tokyo
Daltanious — Atlaus + Beralios + Gunper · The first lion robot in anime history
— Physical Characteristics —
Height
56 meters
Weight
678 tons
Component 1
Atlaus — the primary humanoid super robot; forms the body and arms of Daltanious
Component 2
Beralios — the sentient mechanical lion; forms the chest and lion head of Daltanious
Component 3
Gunper — the Helian fighter spacecraft; forms the legs and lower body of Daltanious
Defining Visual Feature
Lion's head prominently mounted on the chest — the first instance of this design motif in the history of combining mecha anime
Technology Origin
Helian technology — developed on the planet Helios before its conquest by the Zaar Empire, brought to Earth by Dr. Earl
— Combat Characteristics —
Tran Saber
Single-handed sword summoned from the disk on Daltanious' right hip — primary close-combat weapon
Tran Shield
Metal shield summoned from the disk on Daltanious' left hip — defensive counterpart to the Tran Saber
Double Knuckle
Rocket-launched punches — Daltanious' variant of the genre-standard Rocket Punch attack
Gyro Spinner
Metal blades emerging from the golden rings on Daltanious' forearms; can be launched independently or combined with the Double Knuckle for a spinning drill punch
Lysander
Crossbow mounted on Daltanious' right forearm, firing metal arrows — one of the few archery-type weapons in 1970s super robot anime
Sigma Beam
Four purple beams fired simultaneously from the crosses on Daltanious' shoulders and knees, converging into a single cross-shaped laser
Cannon Cubic
Double pair of cannons deployed from Daltanious' arms, firing repeated bursts
Chain Slicer
Chain with hook and sickle launched from the hip disk — used to grab, immobilize, or slice opponents
Kaenken: Cross Slash
Flaming sword summoned from Beralios' mouth or eyes — Daltanious' signature finishing attack, delivering a cross-shaped slash
Kaenken: Full Power
Maximum output version of the Flaming Sword — Daltanious glows as a larger, more powerful blade is drawn from the standard Kaenken
Super Electromagnetic Eraser
Fireball launched from Beralios' mouth — energy attack derived from the lion component's independent combat capability
Daltanious introduced a combat philosophy that distinguished it from its predecessors: the lion component Beralios is not merely a structural piece of the combination — it is an active, intelligent weapon system with its own attacks. The Kaenken (Flaming Sword) emerges directly from Beralios' mouth, making the lion's head on the chest a functional weapon rather than a decorative motif. This concept of the animal component as an active combat participant was central to everything that followed in the lion robot lineage.
— Narrative Classification —
Setting
Earth, 1995 — a conquered planet where survivors live in shanty towns among the ruins of major cities
Alignment
Heroic
Affiliation
Earth resistance forces / Dr. Earl's secret base
Primary Antagonist
Zaar Empire — alien conquerors from the planet Akron in the Zaar star system
Central Conflict
Earth, conquered and devastated by the Zaar Empire in 1995, is defended by a war orphan who discovers he is the secret heir to the throne of Helios — the alien planet whose technology created Daltanious
Narrative Theme
Identity and hidden destiny — Kento fights without knowing his true origins; the revelation of his royal Helian lineage is the series' central dramatic arc
— Original TV Series Information —
Title
未来ロボ ダルタニアス (Mirai Robo Darutaniasu)
Broadcast Network
Tokyo Channel 12 (now TV Tokyo)
Broadcast Period
March 21, 1979 – March 5, 1980
Episodes
47
Runtime
~24 minutes per episode
Production Company
Toei Company (production) · Nippon Sunrise (animation)
International Release
- Spain — broadcast as Daltanias, el robot del futuro; achieved significant popularity
- Italy — broadcast during the early 1980s
- Philippines, Latin America — limited broadcast in select markets
- North America — Discotek Media home video release (2021) with English subtitles
Voltron Note
World Events Productions originally planned to include Daltanious in the Voltron franchise. Due to a miscommunication with Toei, they received GoLion instead — which became the "Lion Voltron" known worldwide
— Main Characters —
Kento Tate
Primary pilot of Atlaus and hero of the series; a 16-year-old war orphan who lost his family during the Zaar invasion. Cheerful and impulsive despite his circumstances, he is revealed to be the secret descendant of the Helian royal family — which is why Dr. Earl entrusts Daltanious to him. Voice: Toshio Furukawa
Danji Hiiragi
Kento's closest friend and pilot of Gunper; a war orphan like Kento, pragmatic and grounded where Kento is impulsive. His piloting of the spacecraft component makes him an essential half of the Daltanious combination
Beralios
The sentient mechanical lion — not a pilot but a character in its own right. Loyal exclusively to Kento, Beralios responds to his call from any distance. Its autonomous intelligence and combat capability make it one of the most distinctive animal robots in the genre
Dr. Earl
Scientist from the conquered planet Helios who fled to Earth with Daltanious; the series' mentor figure and the creator of the technology that makes Daltanious possible. Entrusts Earth's defense to Kento upon recognizing his Helian royal lineage
General Kloppen
Primary Zaar antagonist — a Black Knight cyborg who serves as The Dragon to Emperor Palmillion. Revealed to be a clone of Prince Harin of Helios, with a direct genetic connection to Kento himself
— Legacy —
Genre Classification
Super Robot / Combining Mecha
Historical Position
The first combining super robot in anime history to incorporate an animal component, and the inventor of the lion's head chest design that defined an entire lineage of mecha
Known As
- The robot that invented the lion combination
- The forgotten ancestor of Voltron
- The series that inspired GaoGaiGar's lion motif
Direct Influence
- GoLion (1981) — adopted the lion combination concept; adapted in the West as Voltron: Defender of the Universe
- GaoGaiGar (1997) — lion's head chest design directly referenced Daltanious and the Brave Series lineage it inspired
- Multiple Brave Series robots (1990–1997) — incorporated the animal component concept
Industry Impact
Daltanious established the template for animal-component combining robots that would dominate the genre through the 1980s and 1990s. Its lion combination concept, though largely uncredited in Western markets, is one of the most consequential design innovations in mecha history
— OPENING —
— COLLECTIBLES —
Bandai Spirits
Future Robot Daltanious — Shokugan Modeling Project
SMP Model Kit Set
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