Directed by Tetsuo Imazawa Original network TV Asahi | Studio Toei Animation | |
Licensed by Saban Brands
BBC Ragdoll Productions English network Fox Kids
Fox Kids, Jetix, ABC Family Original run February 5, 2000 – September 23, 2000 | ||
Shinzo, known as Mushrambo (マシュランボー, Mashuranbō) in Japan, is an anime television series produced by Toei Animation. In the series, genetically-altered creatures known as Enterrans take over Earth and rename it in their own image called Enterra. Now three Enterrans have to protect the last human in order to find the hidden sanctuary called Shinzo and restore the human race. The anime focuses primarily on the adventures they undergo while working to accomplish this task.
Contents
First Season (Episodes 1-21)
At some point on Earth, a DNA virus was killing the human population. However, the Enterrans fought the robots and the humans where the humans were placed in a near extinction state. Luckily, a scientist named Dr. Daigo Tatsuro placed his 4 year old daughter Yakumo in a sleep chamber in hopes that she would save the human race and find the human sanctuary Shinzo and bring peace back to Earth which was then renamed to Enterra.
Upon waking up 300 years later at the age of 17, Yakumo Tatsuro stumbled upon her soon to be companion Mushra while he is strung above a waterfall for impersonating a king. After Yakumo rescues Mushra, they soon run into their other companions Sago and Kutal.
Mushra, Sago. and Kutal are then shown to be Hyper-Enterrans, Enterrans who can transform into stronger powered-up versions of themselves, these forms allow them to fight the various creatures that come after them. Throughout the first season the main characters fight a collection of Enterrans known as the Seven Kings/Generals, and various independent Enterrans. Each of these Kings rules a region that the gang travels through, which have different types of Enterrans, such as King Daku's land having a majority insect based Enterrans. The defeated Enterrans become en-cards, which are card-like structures that can be used to increase power in both Enterrans and several machines such as Yakumo's vehicle Hakuba.
Second Season (22-32)
In the distant past, the Guardian of the Milky Way galaxy named Lanancuras began to harbor a desire for more power. Because of his connection to the galaxy, he was able to absorb parts of planets and add them to his strength. As a result, he began invading the worlds he was assigned to protect. In the wake of his destruction, a following of creatures from across the galaxy pledged allegiance to Lanancuras and became known as the Kadrians. Taking notice of his ever growing power and followers, the other Celestial Guardians confronted him; however, he had become too powerful, and they were defeated. Unable to subdue Lanancuras, the Celestial Guardians each gave up a part of their power and combined it into a single new Guardian, Mushra. In a final desperate attempt, they used Mushra's core by transforming it into a powerful card with which to seal Lanancuras in a prison. The prison was created from the remains of planets that had suffered under Lanancuras' tyranny. Because planets are themselves large beings, their combined strength- along with the power of the card- was able to restrain him. Thus Lanancuras was successfully sealed in a large meteorite.
The meteorite was sent off into the galaxy to be sealed forever. Meanwhile, the way Lanancuras had increased his strength had consequences on the planets of the Milky Way. On Earth, it was in the shape of a virus that merged with human DNA and destroyed the humans that way. In order to eliminate the virus, scientists worked on combining human DNA with the DNA of animals and other creatures immune to the effects. They succeeded and created a sentient race known as Enterrans (a race of engineered Earthlings) where the Enterrans are based on humans, insects, reptiles, birds, sea creatures, wild beasts, and phantom beasts. Eventually, a cure was found and the human race survived. This all took place around the 22nd century.
Meanwhile, the Kadrians had devised a plan to free their master: crashing the meteor into Earth would destroy the seal, thus allowing Lanancuras to escape. The Guardians eventually discovered this plan, but it was too late. With the meteorite already redirected and heading towards Earth, the Guardians held a vow that they would not directly intervene. They reasoned it was the duty of the planet and its inhabitants to defeat Lanancuras. In a stroke of luck, the Kadrians' plan was not a complete success. At impact, the seal holding Lanancuras merely ripped due to the impact; therefore, the Kadrian King was still trapped by the planetary pieces.
This also meant that in the second timeline, Lanancuras never used up a lot of energy to control the war and while he was completely dormant in the first timeline, he was about to break free from his imprisonment in the second.
Background
The series is an adaptation of the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en, transplanting the events to a far-future science fiction setting. Xuanzang becomes Yakumo, a girl tasked with reviving the human race rather than retrieving sacred scriptures. Sha Wujing becomes Sago, Zhu Bajie becomes Kutal (who transforms into a lion), and Sun Wukong becomes Mushra (retaining the character's golden headband and telescoping staff).