When Voltron reigned supreme in the 1980s

It was the ultimate toy-related crisis for kids of the '80s: In the fall of 1986, the government came after Voltron.

The colossal Japanese-made robot, inspired by the popular animated series of the same name, had been an enormous hit since it first debuted in the U.S. in 1984. Voltron was made up of five smaller, lion-shaped spacecrafts that combined to form a humanoid fighter capable of defeating alien enemies with a giant sword. Marketers called it ‘toyetic’—a product so designed that kids couldn’t resist snatching up related merchandise, including a towering metal figure.

Then, in November of 1986, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) revealed that the pricey toy, costing between $60 and $90, was being recalled by its maker, Matchbox Toys. The robot’s paint contained dangerously high levels of lead, a toxin especially harmful to children. Over a million Voltrons were impacted, marking one of the largest recalls the CPSC had ever overseen up until that time. It was among 51 toys pulled from the shelves that year, including a Romper Room Animal Train set, which was considered a choking risk.

Aside from the risk of lead poisoning, Voltron held a unique spot in the ‘80s toy scene. It gained cultural prominence similar to Transformers and played a pivotal role in paving the way for future kid-centric phenomena like Pokémon and Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. The phrase ‘forming Voltron’ has even become a metaphor for getting in line or coming together. Remarkably, all of this unfolded almost by chance.

Forming Voltron

The individuals responsible for bringing Voltron to American audiences were Ted Koplar and Peter Keefe. Keefe, a movie critic and documentary filmmaker, had a distinctive appearance: black handlebar mustache, long blonde hair, and cowboy boots. Koplar was the president and CEO of World Events Productions (WEP), the company producing content for St. Louis’s KPLR TV station, where Keefe worked on various shows. KPLR’s connection to the Koplar family ran deep—Ted’s father, Harold, founded the station in 1959.

In a 2011 interview with the Kickin’ It Old School blog, Koplar recalled how WEP executives became captivated by the eye-catching animation in Japan. One standout show was Beast King GoLion, produced by Toei Animation and credited to the pseudonym Saburō Yatsude. The series followed five space academy students trying to survive in the aftermath of World War III. They met Princess Fala from the planet Altea and were drafted into the fight against the evil Galra Empire. Together, they piloted Golion, a gigantic robot, to battle mechanical and real-life beasts.

Beast King GoLion aired in the 1981-82 season and was part of Japan’s flood of giant robot shows. While it was fairly generic and not particularly popular in Japan, Koplar believed it had the potential to stand out in the American market.

‘GoLion’ instantly captivated me with its vibrant, eye-catching visuals and a storyline that was easy to follow even without understanding the Japanese dialogue,” Koplar recalled. “I couldn’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be a hit in the U.S.”

In a 2010 New York Times article, it’s Keefe who is credited with discovering Toei’s footage while attending an international licensing convention in 1983. But in a 2011 Riverfront Times article, it’s ‘Koplar and his colleagues’ (who remain unnamed). Regardless, Koplar designated Keefe as the producer for their new series, which would take an unconventional route: instead of creating a new show from scratch, WEP would adapt existing animation for an American audience.

But choosing Beast King GoLion was more of a fortunate coincidence. According to Koplar, WEP had asked Toei for three shows, all centered around giant robots. One of the shows featured a robot with a lion’s head. Since they didn’t know the title, they requested the series with ‘the lion in it.’ Toei sent over Beast King GoLion instead of the series they had originally wanted. And because it was far superior, they gladly accepted it.

To help Keefe create a cohesive storyline from these mismatched components, Koplar brought in writer Jameson Brewer, who had experience in animation dating back to Fantasia in 1940. In the reworked version of Beast King GoLion, Princess Allura faces an attack from King Zarkon. Her courageous pilots—Keith, Lance, Hunk, Sven, and Pidge—band together to control Voltron, a massive machine built to defeat monstrous enemies. Chaos follows.

‘We... restructured the pilot episode to match U.S. tastes, which included creating a brand-new music score in stereophonic sound... new scripts, editing out scenes deemed inappropriate for our audience, and fresh theme titles,’ Koplar said. ‘We had a full production team working nonstop in Los Angeles to essentially remake an entire 52-episode series. It was unlike anything we’d ever done, and we had no clue whether it would work.’

One of the main hurdles in adapting the show was ensuring it didn’t clash with programming censors. Beast King GoLion could be graphic in ways American TV wasn’t ready for. Scenes of enslaved women dancing in a harem, characters bleeding, and even dying were all off-limits for children’s programming.

Or, as Koplar put it, 'Clearly, beheadings weren’t going to fly for kids.'

The show also needed a new title. Klystron was one suggestion, named after a piece of television technology. Another option was Voltar. Allegedly, Koplar got the two confused, and thus Voltron was born.

Voltron: Defender of the Universe debuted on September 10, 1984, just days before Transformers made its U.S. television debut. In a cartoon landscape dominated by Masters of the Universe and Care Bears, Voltron was a space opera more in the vein of Star Wars, making it a risky move, especially considering production costs neared $20 million. But Koplar’s gamble paid off: In 1984 and 1985, it became the top-ranked children’s show in syndication.

Conquering the Universe

In some ways, Voltron had an unexpected advantage in the children’s market. As the show premiered, television productions were transitioning from monaural (single-channel) sound to stereo (dual-channel) sound. Voltron was one of the first shows to be broadcast in stereo, giving it a significant edge for both local affiliates and viewers, not to mention retailers. When salespeople wanted to demonstrate stereo sets, they queued up Voltron in stores. It was essentially free advertising.

A multimedia phenomenon followed in Voltron’s wake, from VHS tapes and action figures to pajamas and mall appearances by costumed characters. In fact, the Korean Olympic Committee even named Voltron the official defender against any potential space attacks during the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul. All of this was orchestrated by Keefe, who became the guardian of Voltron’s legacy.

After WEP completed the 52 episodes from Toei, they made the decision to create an additional 24 episodes specifically for American syndication, a process Koplar estimated was finished in just nine months. While the initial momentum of the show eventually tapered off—as is typical with animated programming—Voltron has hardly faded into obscurity.

Since the original series, Voltron has undergone numerous transformations. The animated show has seen three revivals: in 1998, 2011, and 2016. In addition to these, comics, video games, and (lead-free) toys continue to make appearances. The franchise has outlived both Keefe, who passed in 2010, and Koplar, who died in 2021.

Unfortunately, the two men ended their collaboration on bitter terms. According to The Riverfront Times, Keefe grew frustrated with Koplar and WEP while working on a series called Denver, the Last Dinosaur, feeling he wasn’t paid enough. In 1989, he sued the company for breach of contract, and in 1993, a jury awarded him $2.6 million, though the two eventually reached a settlement out of court. Despite not speaking for much of the 1990s, Keefe and Koplar reconciled before Keefe’s passing.

The final frontier for Voltron—a live-action movie—has been elusive. Several attempts have been made, including one by musician and fan Pharrell Williams, but none ever made it to production. This may change with writer-director Rawson Marshall Thurber (Red Notice), who pitched a new Voltron concept in the spring of 2022 alongside co-writer Ellen Shanman, igniting a bidding war among studios. No further updates have emerged, but the potential for a successful franchise remains. Peter Keefe and Ted Koplar proved it could happen.