MANILA, Philippines — This week, it is revealed that actor-comedian Michael V is the voice behind the animated octopus character Octo1 in the nightly sci-fi fantasy, live-action adaptation "Voltes V: Legacy."
The self-confessed huge fan of the original '70s Japanese anime shared his voice acting stint as an "achievement unlocked" on his Instagram account.
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Octo1 is a red octopus robot created by Little Jon Armstrong, the child genius member of the Voltes V team, played by Raphael Landicho.
Fans regard Octo1 as the sixth member of the pilots who man the robot Voltes.
There are five pilots who man the parts that make the gigantic robot. The Armstrong brothers, Steve (Miguel Tanfelix), Big Bert (Matt Lozano) and Little Jon, man the Volt Crewzer, Volt Panzer and Volt Frigate, respectively. Their childhood friend Jamie Robinson (Ysabel Ortega) mans the Volt Lander, while the group's loner, Mark Gordon (Radson Flores), captains the Volt Bomber.
This week, it is the child actor's time to shine as last Friday's episode sees him fighting the serpentine beastfighter Negg.
Little Jon realizes he made a mistake after taking out the Volt Frigate without permission so he could join the remote-controlled mini-boat competition with his own invention, the Mikasa.
The Boazanians realize this gaffe and decide to release Negg and another beastfighter, the humanoid Daiga. Negg attacks the mainland where Little Jon escaped to, while Daiga was sent to destroy Voltes V's headquarters, Camp Big Falcon.
The cliffhanger episode last night promises an action-packed Monday with two beastfighters wreaking havoc on Earth anew while the Voltes V team are dealing with conflict and internal issues.
The continued patronage of GMA-7's ambitious live-action adaptation caught the attention of viewers not just here in the Philipines, but also those from other countries who had also watched the anime during its original broadcast in the 1970s and succeeding years through TV replays and streaming services.
According to the World Information Tracking or TheWit.com, "Voltes V: Legacy" has entered the list of Top 10 most-followed new shows on Instagram last May.
According to its Social Wit List, the show was able to land the 10th spot with an estimated 10,000 followers last month.
The Wit provides information to producers, broadcasters, distributors and advertisers worldwide about the best TV and digital content, programs running, and projects in development.
In addition, "Voltes V: Legacy" is the sole Filipino TV series that entered the list alongside various shows from the United States, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Malta, Spain and South Korea.
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