Exosquad is an American animated television series created by
Universal Cartoon Studios for MCA TV's Universal Family Network
syndicated programming block as a response to Japanese anime. The show
is set in the beginning of the 22nd century and covers the
interplanetary war between humanity and Neosapiens, a fictional race
artificially created as workers/slaves for the Terrans. The narrative
generally follows Able Squad, an elite Terran unit of mecha pilots, on
their missions all over the Solar System, although other storylines
are also abundant. The series ran for two complete seasons in
syndication from 1993 to 1994, and was cancelled after one
third-season episode had been produced. Reruns later aired on USA
Network.The series is set in the years 2119â€"2121 AD, several decades
after humanity ("Terrans") has expanded its presence beyond Earth,
terraforming and colonizing Venus and Mars. These three planets are
"the Homeworlds", the core first of the Terran interplanetary state
and later of Neosapien Commonwealth. Not all Terrans are affiliated
with the Homeworlds, however: the Pirate Clans, descendants of Terran
criminals exiled to the Outer Planets who live off looted Homeworlds'
space freighters, are a major independent faction in the show. The
first episode opens with the Earth Congress dispatching the entire
Exofleet, humanity's space-based military, to counter the Pirate
threat.With war with the Pirate Clans looming, an uprising begins
among the Neosapiens, an artificial humanoid race coexisting with
Terrans. In the back-story, the Neosapiens were used primarily as
slaves during the colonization of Mars and Venus and therefore have
been engineered to be physically stronger and better adapted to
hostile environments than humans. Their mistreatment by Terrans led to
the First Neosapien Revolt fifty years before the series' begin, which
was mercilessly crushed but had brought some positive changes into
their lives. Still not content with his fate, the Neosapien Governor
of Mars, Phaeton, sets a new insurrection, codenamed "Operation
[Neosapien] Destiny", in motion as soon as the Exofleet leaves to
chase after the Pirate Clans. The absence of the Exofleet is also a
part of Phaeton's plan as it enables the Neosapiens' capture of the
Homeworlds without much effort.The two seasons that the series was on
the air follow the progress of the Neosapien War, as seen through the
eyes of Able Squad, an elite E-frame unit, composed of J.T. Marsh,
Nara Burns, Maggie Weston, Kaz Takagi, Alec DeLeon, Rita Torres, Wolf
Bronsky, and Marsala. Their exploits unfold against the backdrop of
the ongoing war, as the squad participates in events often crucial to
turning its tide. The show features a realistic outlook on war: many
characters die in combat, military operations are carefully planned
and reconnoitered in advance, and psychological effects of warfare are
explored. For example, separate episodes detail Exofleet's
reconnaissance of Venus prior to its recapture, the actual liberation,
and the repulse of the first Neosapien reconquest attempt. Moreover,
even after Venus is retaken by Terrans, several episodes deal with the
remaining Venusian resistance and Neosapien forces who hid across
Venus, refusing to surrender and awaiting reinforcements.
Universal Cartoon Studios for MCA TV's Universal Family Network
syndicated programming block as a response to Japanese anime. The show
is set in the beginning of the 22nd century and covers the
interplanetary war between humanity and Neosapiens, a fictional race
artificially created as workers/slaves for the Terrans. The narrative
generally follows Able Squad, an elite Terran unit of mecha pilots, on
their missions all over the Solar System, although other storylines
are also abundant. The series ran for two complete seasons in
syndication from 1993 to 1994, and was cancelled after one
third-season episode had been produced. Reruns later aired on USA
Network.The series is set in the years 2119â€"2121 AD, several decades
after humanity ("Terrans") has expanded its presence beyond Earth,
terraforming and colonizing Venus and Mars. These three planets are
"the Homeworlds", the core first of the Terran interplanetary state
and later of Neosapien Commonwealth. Not all Terrans are affiliated
with the Homeworlds, however: the Pirate Clans, descendants of Terran
criminals exiled to the Outer Planets who live off looted Homeworlds'
space freighters, are a major independent faction in the show. The
first episode opens with the Earth Congress dispatching the entire
Exofleet, humanity's space-based military, to counter the Pirate
threat.With war with the Pirate Clans looming, an uprising begins
among the Neosapiens, an artificial humanoid race coexisting with
Terrans. In the back-story, the Neosapiens were used primarily as
slaves during the colonization of Mars and Venus and therefore have
been engineered to be physically stronger and better adapted to
hostile environments than humans. Their mistreatment by Terrans led to
the First Neosapien Revolt fifty years before the series' begin, which
was mercilessly crushed but had brought some positive changes into
their lives. Still not content with his fate, the Neosapien Governor
of Mars, Phaeton, sets a new insurrection, codenamed "Operation
[Neosapien] Destiny", in motion as soon as the Exofleet leaves to
chase after the Pirate Clans. The absence of the Exofleet is also a
part of Phaeton's plan as it enables the Neosapiens' capture of the
Homeworlds without much effort.The two seasons that the series was on
the air follow the progress of the Neosapien War, as seen through the
eyes of Able Squad, an elite E-frame unit, composed of J.T. Marsh,
Nara Burns, Maggie Weston, Kaz Takagi, Alec DeLeon, Rita Torres, Wolf
Bronsky, and Marsala. Their exploits unfold against the backdrop of
the ongoing war, as the squad participates in events often crucial to
turning its tide. The show features a realistic outlook on war: many
characters die in combat, military operations are carefully planned
and reconnoitered in advance, and psychological effects of warfare are
explored. For example, separate episodes detail Exofleet's
reconnaissance of Venus prior to its recapture, the actual liberation,
and the repulse of the first Neosapien reconquest attempt. Moreover,
even after Venus is retaken by Terrans, several episodes deal with the
remaining Venusian resistance and Neosapien forces who hid across
Venus, refusing to surrender and awaiting reinforcements.
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