UFO Warrior Dai Apolon

UFO Warrior Dai Apolon (UFO戦士ダイアポロン) is a mecha anime that began airing on April 6, 1976 and finished airing on February 24, 1977. A total of 47 episodes were broadcast at 25 minutes each.

Plot
The story stars a boy named Takeshi and his friends who live at the Blue Sky orphanage. One day before his 16th birthday, it is revealed by the caretaker of the orphanage that an old letter that was left with Takeshi said they would be returning for him when he turned 16. Takeshi is distraught at this and runs away.

Takeshi arrives with his friends at the football field they always play at, but it begins to rain. Takeshi's friends try to encourage him to leave if it makes him happy, but he runs away in anger. While running, a giant green crystal falls from the sky and stabs Takeshi in the chest.

The crystal absorbs into his chest, and emits and blinding light, knocking out his friends. Then, a UFO appears in the sky and brings them aboard. After waking up, a man name Rabi appears and reveals to Takeshi that he is actually the prince of the planet Apolon, and Rabi is one of the King, Takeshi's father, servants.

Rabi reveals that the evil Dazaan Army murdered his father and attacked planet Apolon, and that he must retrieve the stolen Energy Heart and defend Earth using Dai Apolon, Planet Apolon's robot, and the fighter jets he provides. After waking up on the ground, Takeshi and his friends vow to defend Earth.

Trivia

 * Several aspects of the show were taken from Tetsu Kariya and Shigeru Tsuchiyama's manga Ginga Senshi Apolon, such as the main character being an orphan named Akira.
 * Five episodes were edited together and dubbed into an english movie known as Shadow World. It was released on video in 1986.