Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01


Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01 is a 1987 original video animation. It was directed and written by Shinji Aramaki. It has been licensed in the United States by AnimEigo The plot centers on a mechanic who comes across the MADOX-01, a heavy powered armor suit designed to fight enemy tanks. After getting trapped in the suit before reading the user's manual, the military attempts to reclaim it, leaving him with no choice but to defend himself.

MADOX Units

The MADOX-00 is armed with a rifle that fires large caliber rounds, a spear in the left hand, and a grapple claw located in the pelvis.
The MADOX-01 is equipped with built in chainsaw located in the left & right shoulder binder, a claw hand on the right arm, and by default a laser guided mini-gun mounted on the right arm. During the demo against remote tanks the MADOX-01's mini gun is removed and armed with a twin anti-tank rocket system and wing mounted mini missile launchers. The MADOX-01 has a large array of addition weapons and is deployable from a Blackhawk Helicopter.
A MADOX-02 was referred to by Ellie, although it was said to be in maintenance and is never shown, except for a brief glimpse beforehand of it on static display at the test grounds during the demonstration in the opening scene of the OVA.

Characters

Kōji Sugimoto
Voiced by Yasunori Matsumoto, Michael Mcghee
The main protagonist of Full Skin Panic MADOX-01 is a poor mechanic who works part-time majoring in engineering. His friend Onose Haruo finds a top secret cargo in his truck and alerts his friend Koji to check it out due to his engineering background. After wondering what to do Koji takes the initiative to bring back the unknown cargo back to his apartment. Once they've dropped the cargo to his apartment his friend Onose Haruo before leaving passes down a message from his girlfriend Nagura Shiori that she'll be waiting at the NSR building tonight., Koji begins to inspect the cargo while reading the manual that came along with it. While doing so he manages to open up the cargo revealing the MADOX-01. Koji successfully gets inside it but suddenly the MADOX-01 shuts Koji inside causing it to alert the military of its whereabouts. Koji now needs to figure out how to get out of the suit while being hunted by the military.
Eriko Kusumoto
Voiced by Yoko Asagami, Nadia DeLemeny
"Ellie" Kusumoto is a female test ace pilot and lead software development of the MADOX project. As the military was notified about the missing MADOX, they managed to pick up the signal of its whereabouts and begins to open a recovery operation to retrieve the MADOX. However, as she finds out about Lt. Kilgore's evil intentions when independently joining the recovery operation she then proceeds to participate as well. She pilots the MADOX-0 in order to intercept the missing MADOX-01 and trying to prevent 1st Lt. Kilgore from wreaking havoc from his vengeful obsession with the MADOX-01. She later becomes a supporting character.
1st Lt Kilgore
Voiced by Kazuyuki Sogabe, Peter Woodward
1st Lt Kilgore is an elite tank driver who was involved in a VR Simulation battle with the MADOX-01. Within 3 minutes the MADOX-01 decimated Kilgore and the other simulation drivers. While fueled by revenge, hate and his obsession towards the MADOX, the MADOX-01 sends out a signal that the military suddenly picked up. Hearing about this, Lt Kilgore independently participates the recovery operation sending himself off with his tank to hunt down the MADOX.
Haruo Onose
Voiced by Arihiro Hase, John Stefaniuk
Delivery truck driver and friend of the main protagonist Koji Sugimoto. Onose happens to find an unknown cargo inside the back of his truck. Realizing that his friend who is a mechanic, he brings Koji to come and check out what was inside his truck. He and Koji then begins to bring the unknown cargo back to Koji's apartment. Onose also passes a message to Koji that was from Nagura Shiori to meet her at a building in Nishi-Shinjuku. Onose leaves his apartment and let's him handle the ominous cargo. He is never seen again.
Shiori Nagura
Voiced by Yukiko Ishida, Connie Nelson
Kouji Sugimoto's girlfriend. Shown usually in flash backs of her, she tells him that she is being sent to study abroad by her father in England for 3 years in about 4 days. She later sends out a message to his workplace to meet her at an Observation Floor of the NSR building in Nishi-Shinjuku. She is usually shown on very short brief flashback scenes or witnessing from long distant events.

Staff

StaffRole
Shinji AramakiDirector, Story Board and Mechanical Design
Ken YajimaMusic
Hideki TamuraCharacter Design
Yoichi NangoArt Director
Kimitoshi YamaneMechanical Design
Yasunori HondaSound Director
Masahide OkinoDirector of Photography

Release

The anime was licensed by AnimeEigo and its first release for Western audiences in 1989 and was distributed by Manga Entertainment along with different English dub versions from the UK version and the AnimeEigo version.

Featurette

A VHS featurette was released showcasing a live action documentary demo of weapons and vehicles being demonstrated that was used in the anime film. The title of the featurette was called The World of the Weapons of Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01. It showcased a lot of military vehicles shown from the Japan Self-Defense Forces such as helicopters and tanks.