Dinozaurs, known in Japan as , is a Japanese toyline created by toy company Bandai in 1998. Alongside the toys, two media adaptations were created by Sunrise: a 5-episode 3D CGI OVA series that ran from November 27, 1998, to January 2000 and a 26-episode animated television series that aired on Fox Kids from July 28 to November 30, 2000.
Production Dinozone was created by Bandai in cooperation with anime studio Sunrise. The toys were presented as clear dinosaurlike robots that can change form into a robot mode called Progress Mode, with the main gimmick of the toys having clear colored plastic alongside die cast metal parts, to represent a reconstructed fossilized dinosaur. Each toy has an individual weapon as its accessory, though certain toys in the toyline can act as weapons to be equipped such as Dino Pachy or Dino Arch.
The OVA series was released by Sunrise as a pack-in to the toys. Four episodes were released as the fifth and final episode was an exclusive for Televi Magazine and Comic BomBom subscribers. In 2000, Bandai partnered with Saban Entertainment to bring the series to America, changing the name to Dinozaurs, and Sunrise produced an animated series to promote the toys alongside new character designs that were not present in the original Dinozone toyline.
Plot 65,000,000 years ago, aliens known as the Dragozaurs came from space to Earth in order to absorb the planet's life force. The planet responded by converting a select number of prehistoric animals, including dinosaurs, into the Dino Knights in order to defend it. The Dragozaurs resurface in the present day to collect the planet's life force, and the Dino Knights re-awaken from their long slumber in order to stop them.
Characters Dino Knights When the Dragozaurs first attack Earth, the planet converts a select number of prehistoric animals into the in order to fight them. Normally fossilized, a Dino Knight assumes a more metallic form when re-animated. The command to power up the Dino Knights with the Dino Daggers is "Dino Power, Energize!". The Dino Knights' fossil forms reside in the Dinotarium. The Dino Knights are:
Dino Tyranno is the leader of the Dino Knights. He wields the Silver Sword (Grand Slasher). He has a rivalry with Gigano Dragon since prehistoric times. He is knocked into an erupting volcano by Dark Dragon, but becomes an Ultimate Dino Knight when Dino Rhamph's energy boost revitalizes him and grants him the Mega Blade Broad Sword, with which he uses the "Fire Flame Strike" attack. His dinosaur form is a Tyrannosaurus. Only a toy version of his regular form was made.
Second-in-command, Dino Brachio serves as Tyranno's advisor and is the biggest, oldest, and wisest of the Dino Knights. Brachio would prefer to settling the Dragozaur problem peacefully. He wields the Axe of Valor (Grand Axe). His dinosaur form is a Brachiosaurus.
Dino Tricera wields the Tricera Spears of Jade (Bone Daggers). He becomes an Ultimate Dino Knight when Dino Rhamph's energy boost revitalizes him and grants him the Triple-Threat Halberd, with which he uses the "Lightning Bolt Strike" attack. Like Stego, his favorite pastime is fighting the Dragozaurs. His dinosaur form is a Triceratops. Only a toy version of his regular form was made.
Dino Stego is the "tough guy" of the Dino Knights. He likes nothing better than fighting the Dragozaurs. His weapon is the Stego Skeletal Revolution (Spinal Bone) where his chest rotates, spinning any enemy around and around. His dinosaur form is a Stegosaurus. It was revealed that he had a girlfriend named Daisy where part of her fossil is in the possession of Dr. Gale.
Dino Sabre is one of the youngest of the Dino Knights and does not mind having fun with the Dragozaurs as well. He wields the Saber Wailing Whip (Tiger Whip). His prehistoric mammal form is a Smilodon.
One of the few female Dino Knights, Dino Ptera serves as an aerial recon for the Dino Knights and is often the one who fights Drago Wing in aerial battles. She attacks with the Ptera Bristle Boomerang (Wing Boomerang). Her pterosaur form is a Pteranodon.
A very sane and competent member of the Dino Knights, Dino Mammoth wields the Mammoth Tusks of Vigor (Big Tusk Spear). His prehistoric mammal form is a Mammoth.
Cerazaur Brothers The Cerazaur Brothers are three Dino Knights that were found by Rick. By the command "Triblade Fusion! Integrate!", they can combine to form who wields the Triple Fossil Star Sword and is the largest of the Dino Knights.
Dino Centro is a Centrosaurus who wields the Fossil Sun Sword. He forms the left arm of Dino Triblades.
Dino Toro is a Torosaurus and the brother of Dino Centro who wields the Fossil Moon Sword. He forms the right arm of Dino Triblades. In the Japanese version, Dino Toro was a Chasmosaurus.
Dino Styraco is a Styracosaurus and is Centro and Toro's older brother. Styraco wields the Styraco Sword of Stealth. He forms the head, main torso, and legs of Dino Triblades.
Dino Weapons The are Dino Knights that can become weapons outside of their dinosaur and warrior forms and can attach to any Dino Knight. They are found on an island and were nearly abducted by Gomez. Once Dino Tyranno and Dino Brachio get the three Dino Weapons to regain their memories, they help Dino Tyranno and Dino Brachio fend off the Drago Clones and the Dragozaurs.
Dino Pachy's dinosaur form is a Pachycephalosaurus and his Dino Weapon mode is the Pachy Spike Sword. His sword form is first used by Tyranno and later by Brachio after Dino Tyranno's upgrade. He is the only one trapped by Gomez, but is freed when he regains his memory and his change into his warrior form breaks the cage he is in.
Dino Kenty's dinosaur form is a Kentrosaurus and his Dino Weapon mode is the Kenty Skeletal Drill. His drill form is first used by Dino Brachio and later by Dino Stego.
Dino Arch's dinosaur form is an Archelon and his Dino Weapon mode is the Arch Bone Shield. His shield form is first used by Dino Tyranno and later by Dino Brachio and Dino Icthyo after Dino Tyranno's upgrade. Dino Arch later falls in love with Dino Icthyo.
Other Dino Knights
Also called "Theo", Dino Icthyo is another female Dino Knight and is the last to be discovered. Her prehistoric animal form is an Ichthyosaurus. Dino Ichthyo wields the Trident of the Tides, uses a bubble-themed attack on her enemies which she calls "Bubble Blast", and can also do a "Flipper Storm". Her legs can fold into a flipper to enable her to fight underwater. Dino Icthyo becomes the love interest of Dino Arch. Her fossil was worshiped by the people of Atlantis. She is the only one of the current Dino Knights not to have known a toy made of her.
A legendary Dino Knight known as the Phoenix in some cultures, Dino Rhamph is the most powerful Dino Knight but does not talk much. He cannot be destroyed and is a creature who rises to protect the Earth in her hour of need. According to Dino Brachio, Dino Rhamph can exert control over life force itself. At one point, Diamond Ryugu harnessed his power for a weapon. His pterosaur form is a Rhamphorhynchus. Like Dino Icthyo, he did not receive a toy in the toyline.
Dragozaurs The are an alien race who are the antagonists of the series. They feed off of a planet's life force, causing the planet to be lifeless and in ruins. The Dragozaurs are:
The primary antagonist of the series, Diamond Ryugu is the leader of the Dragozaurs. Only her eyes are seen and her voice heard, usually leaving Drago Wing, Gigano Dragon, and Dark Dragon to do her bidding. Her dinosaur form is a gigantic Ankylosaurus with her warrior form coming out of its back. Diamond Ryugu devours the life force of planets to become stronger. After being defeated by Dino Tyranno, she is shrunken down and taken away by Drago Wing in return for not harming Earth. Along with the generic Dragozaurs, she did not receive a toy.
Gigano Dragon is Dino Tyranno's rival, armed with a blade on his left arm called the Gigano Sword in the Japanese version. His creature form is a Chinese dragon, he is a vicious fighter who is indifferent to Diamond Ryugu's plans and would rather focus on getting his revenge against Tyranno, which leads to his death. Gigano Dragon is then resurrected by Dark Dragon from a Chinese dragon fossil with a power link up with Drago Wing which grants his warrior form flight. He is destroyed during his last duel with Tyranno when both rivals clash their swords for the last time. Upon his death, Gigano Dragon parts on good terms with Tyranno as Gigano Dragon silently acknowledges Tyranno's victory in his last moments.
Field commander to the Dragozaur Armies, Drago Wing can drain any opponent of their life force as seen in one episode where he ambushed Dino Ptera and drained her life force enough to reduce her back to her fossilized form. His animal form is a giant vampire bat. Sneaky and underhanded, Drago Wing tends to be insulted by both Gigano Dragon and Dark Dragon when his plans fail. One of his weapons is "Night Blade". Later episodes had Drago Wing getting a power link up where he can combine with Gigano Dragon to grant him flight. He survives the end of the series and escorts a tiny Diamond Ryugu away from Earth. Dark Dragon (14-24)
A Dragozaur wizard who once betrayed the Dragozaurs, Dark Dragon is an old enemy of the Dino Knights. His normal form is a humanoid one. When fighting, Dark Dragon changes into a European dragon with a blade on its right wrist. He also has the ability to manipulate and produce bats as well as other powers. Dark Dragon is very intelligent and relies on subtle manipulation for his plans. Though he is extremely powerful, the only villain surpassing Dark Dragon is Diamond Ryugu herself. He is then destroyed by Dino Tyranno near the finale. He is known as "Draco Draconus" in the toyline. Dragozaur Army Forces
The Dragozaur Army Forces are foot soldiers modeled after the forms of Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, and Pteranodon and cannot change into warrior forms. Dark Dragon also calls forth bats from thin air to form his version of the Dragozaur Army Forces.
Drago Clones Created by Diamond Ryugu using the power of the Dark Crystal, the are clones of the Dinotarium Dino Knights. The Drago Clones are:
The Dragozaur version of Dino Tyranno and leader of the Drago Clones, he is armed with the Slasher Sword (Dark Slasher). He is accidentally destroyed by Drago Ceratops.
The Dragozaur version of Dino Tricera and armed with the Dark Daggers, he took command after the death of Drago Tyran. Due to animation errors, his brow horns in Triceratops mode are sometimes missing.
The Dragozaur version of Dino Brachio and armed with the Axe of Venom (Dark Axe), he was destroyed when Dino Brachio used Dino Kenty's Skeletal Drill to impale him.
The Dragozaur version of Dino Stego, armed with the Dark Bone.
The Dragozaur version of Dino Ptera, armed with the Dark Boomerang.
The Dragozaur version of Dino Sabre, armed with the Wicked Whip (Dark Whip).
The Dragozaur version of Dino Mammoth, armed with the Dark Tusk Spear.
Others
A complete skeleton discovered in Colorado that is delivered to the Dinotarium, Dark Dragon uses his powers on Supersaurus to create havoc in the city streets. Dark Dragon gives the Supersaurus skeleton the ability to absorb the Dino Knights' life force and turn them back into fossils which forces the Dino Knights to find a way to stop the Supersaurus skeleton without touching it. Dr. Naomi Abrams was the one who found that one of its neck bones was not like the other neck bones.
Humans