What do you get when you combine a foodie who is a gaming expert and knows nothing about handling an alien robot and his friend who also has no clue about what is happening but has the hots for a girl who has returned from the year 3037 to protect and take back Megas XLR? You get “MEGAS XLR”. This animated science fiction series created by Jody Schaeffer and George Krstic for Cartoon Network, aired 26 episodes from May 2004 to January 2005. It had a short run but it did leave an impact on those who like to watch Mecha anime with alien invasion plots.
The show features Coop, a lazy gamer and mechanic who accidentally finds a giant robot known as MEGAS. Coop modifies and repairs MEGAS to make it into a powerful fighting machine. Together with his friends Jamie and Kiva, they defend Earth against various intergalactic threats.
While “MEGAS XLR” is primarily an action-packed and humor-filled series, it carries that theme of empowerment through unconventional means. Coop, an ordinary and irresponsible individual, gains control of a massive robot and becomes a formidable force for good against the Glorft, a warmongering cyborg-cephalopodic race. This can be seen as a commentary on how unexpected or unconventional individuals can rise to the occasion and make a positive impact. The show also made a humorous take on the traditional mecha anime tropes and portrayed them in the American context. “MEGAS XLR” provided entertainment and a lighthearted exploration of themes that resonated with viewers on a social and cultural level.
Scifiers explores science fiction narratives that enliven our imagination and compel us to think about the “what-ifs” of creative world-building. It is on a mission to discuss ideas about sci-fi in its various forms that keep the genre in a state of continuous expansion.
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Image Source: Kardashev Scale Wiki