Firestorm (TV series)
A Japanese anime series by Gerry Anderson and John Needham.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Firestorm (ファイアーストーム) is a Japanese anime series created by Gerry Anderson and John Needham. It blends CGI animation for mecha with traditional 2D animation for characters. The series received a lukewarm response and never achieved a broad release.
Set in 2104, Earth has reached global peace, but a terrorist group called Black Orchid threatens it. The United Nations forms Storm Force, a military peacekeeping force with eight independent units, each operating from a large twin-hulled submarine. The series begins with a new elite unit, Storm Force 9, assigned a special mission codenamed "Firestorm." Early on, the team discovers Black Orchid is a front for an alien invasion; the aliens can disguise as humans and have developed a drug to enslave humanity, planning to introduce it into the water supply.
Episodes focus heavily on futuristic mecha. Storm Force 9 operates from the Ocean Storm, a twin-hulled submarine with a detachable jet aircraft called the Tornado—similar to the SkyDiver from Gerry Anderson's UFO. The Tornado visually resembles Thunderbird 2 from Thunderbirds but carries multiple smaller vehicles at all times, including two jet fighters, a tank, and several boats.
Key characters include Nagisa Kisaragi, a Japanese nano-engineering expert and Olympic marathon and free-fall parachuting record holder; Sam Scott, an American; Wesley Grant, an African-American; Laura Hope, an Australian bomb specialist and former navy commander; James Brady, a British officer; and Drew McAllister, the older captain of Storm Force 9. Other Storm Force members include Chuck Morgan, Geena, Lucy, Julia, Jack, Yuri, Sophia, Hiroko, and Tatsu, a mechanic. The unit also has a popcorn-dispensing robot named POP. Storm Force 2's captain, Inuma, is killed in episode 26. Storm Force 5 includes Mai Teranishi, a nuclear furnace expert. Black Orchid members include Carlo Morelli, Ruth Miller, and Petros Salo.
Vehicles include the Ocean Storm submarine; Thunderbolt fighter aircraft; the Tornado carrier; Seashark, a marine vehicle that also serves as a submarine; Combatcruiser, an armored van; Mountain Motorbike; Space Thunderbolt, a modified Thunderbolt; Gargantua, a hydrogen carrier destroyed by SF9; and Stargazer, a stealth telescope.
In 2014, Anderson Entertainment announced a crowdfunding campaign for a pilot episode of a new Firestorm series using practical effects and pupp
- type
- Anime television series
- creators
- Gerry Anderson, John Needham
- animation_style
- CGI for mecha, traditional 2D for characters
- setting
- Year 2104
- primary_organization
- Storm Force
- antagonist
- Black Orchid (alien front)
Lore & Background
Set in the year 2104, the series depicts a world at peace threatened by the terrorist organization Black Orchid. The United Nations creates Storm Force, a military peacekeeping force operating from twin-hulled submarines. The elite unit Storm Force 9 is assigned a special mission code-named 'Firestorm.' Early in the series, the team discovers Black Orchid is a front for shape-shifting aliens who plan to enslave humanity via a mind-control drug in the water supply.
Storm Force 9 members include Nagisa Kisaragi, an expert on nano-engineering and Olympic record holder; Sam Scott, an American; Wesley Grant; Laura Hope, a bomb specialist; James Brady; and Captain Drew McAllister. The team operates from the submarine Ocean Storm, which carries a detachable jet aircraft called the Tornado. The Tornado resembles Thunderbird 2 from Anderson's earlier series and carries smaller vehicles including jet fighters, a tank, and boats.
In 2014, Anderson Entertainment announced a crowdfunded reboot pilot using practical effects and puppetry, with veteran miniature effects crew. Filming began on 29 February 2016, and the pilot was released via YouTube on 27 October 2018.
Reader's Guide
Firestorm represents a cross-cultural collaboration between British creator Gerry Anderson and Japanese anime production, blending Anderson's signature vehicle designs with anime aesthetics. The series failed to gain a wider release and was not warmly received, limiting its immediate impact. However, its 2014 reboot attempt via crowdfunding demonstrates enduring interest in Anderson's concepts. The reboot used practical filmmaking techniques, including puppetry and miniature effects, by veterans of Anderson's earlier works and modern productions. The series is notable for its detailed vehicle roster and character designs, though it remains obscure. Its legacy is primarily as a footnote in Anderson's career and an example of international co-production in anime.
Did You Know?
- The Tornado aircraft resembles Thunderbird 2 from Gerry Anderson's 1965–66 series Thunderbirds.
- Nagisa Kisaragi set world records in the marathon and free-fall parachuting at the 2096 Tokyo Olympics.
- The reboot pilot was released via YouTube on 27 October 2018.
- The series was created by Gerry Anderson and John Needham.
More in Television series set in the 22nd century 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record