Aura Battler Dunbine first aired on Japanese TV during the mid-1980s and ran for a successful 49 episodes. Written by Yoshiyuki Tomino, Dunbine is set in the medival-like world of Byston Well. Dunbine was one of the first Japanimation series to combine fantasy and science fiction. The main draw to the series were the insect-like Aura Battlers used by the population of Byston Well to fight their wars.
The series followed a main character named Sho Zama, the pilot of the lavender colored Dunbine, as he suddenly finds himself in the world of Byston Well after a motocross accident. Byston Well is located in another dimension located between the sea and the land, and is populated with dragons, castles, knights, and powerful robots known as Aura Battlers. Once Sho is discovered to posess a powerful energy called Aura, he is drafted into the Byston Well conflict as an Arua Battler pilot.
Dunbine was a huge success and spawned several model and toys lines. While the animation prevents it from returning to the mainstream, the Aura Battler designs have kept the series timeless.
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