(From left) Raphael Landicho, Radson Flores, Miguel Tanfelix, Matt Lozano, Ysabel Ortega. Image: Twitter/@VoltesVLegacy
A passionate Mark Reyes, director of “Voltes V: Legacy,” said that he takes pride in the series’ being “100% Filipino made,” including the cast, production staff and videographics team.
Reyes could not contain his excitement for the upcoming project during a media conference last Tuesday, April 18, as he noted that the show is an opportunity to showcase Filipino talent.
“The videographics team alone has 250 members. When you see the graphics of Marvel and Star Wars, you would see that [they have a huge graphics team], ganoon po ang ‘Voltes V: Legacy.’ Then we had 200 people on the set with the staff and crew. That’s how big [it is], and it is proudly 100% Filipino made,” he said.
“Voltes V: Legacy” is a Filipino adaptation of the hit Japanese anime “Chodenji Machine Voltes V,” where the members of “Voltes V” emerged as the Earth’s final hope against the Boazanians. Even so, the filmmaker said the original series remained in the hearts of Filipinos due to its familial storyline.
“Since 1978 to 2023, ‘Voltes V’ has always been in the hearts of the Filipinos. Aminin natin ‘yan, hindi ‘yan nawawala. Kahit sa karaoke, makikita mong may kumakanta ng Voltes theme song. Even sa mga political ads and commercials, ‘Voltes V’ has always been around. There’s a certain magic with Voltes V that has endured all these years and all these decades,” he added.
LET’s VOLT IN! ⚡️
LOOK: The cast of GMA’s “Voltes V: Legacy” face the media ahead of the show’s limited theatrical release which covers its first three weeks at a movie house in Quezon City. | @HMallorcaINQ pic.twitter.com/BD2jSuUx5V
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) April 18, 2023
Despite its otherworldly theme, Reyes pointed out that Japanese anime can also be considered as a “space soap opera” since it touches on the topic of pain among families.
“‘Voltes V’ is a story about family. When you know the whole story, the betrayal of the brothers, the loss of the mother and father, it’s all soap opera. It’s a space soap opera. It may have come from Japan but it remained in the hearts of the Filipinos,” he said.
The filmmaker also revealed that while “Voltes V: Legacy” had been pitched to GMA’s executives in 2014, the production kicked off in 2020.
“We added so much shooting and taping days. We will give it the best because the project deserves that. Calling it a legacy project, it has to be revered and emulated. That is what we’re really proud of, from costume, visual effects, to everything,” he said.
The Filipino adaptation, set to premiere on May 8, revolves around Steve Armstrong (Miguel Tanfelix), Jamie Robinson (Ysabel Ortega), Mark Gordon (Radson Flores), Little Jon Armstrong (Raphael Landicho) and Big Bert Armstrong’s (Matt Lozano) adventures as they defend the Earth.
Its much-awaited highlights include the formation of the super-electromagnetic robot Voltes V by the chosen five defenders following a grueling training regimen at Camp Big Falcon. /ra