Why Did the Sci-Fi Series Goldorak Spark Controversy 48 Years Ago? Uncover the Drama!

When the Japanese series Goldorak premiered in France in the summer of 1978, no one could have predicted its explosive impact. First aired during the Récré A2 show, hosted by Dorothée, it quickly became a cultural tsunami. Schoolyards were filled with children emulating Actarus, the hero, and belting out the cartoon’s theme songs.

The series’ musical success was immediate. Singer Enriqué Fort was chosen to perform the French adaptations. Under the guidance of producer Eddie Barclay, three songs quickly became anthems: Accours Vers Nous, Prince de L’Espace (opening theme), and Va Combattre Ton Ennemi (ending theme), all becoming inseparable classics of the series.

However, behind the massive enthusiasm, a controversy erupted just weeks after the launch.

The Line That Stirred Trouble

While the opening theme was an immediate hit, the ending theme prompted a strong reaction within the broadcaster two months after its debut. The French lyrics, penned by Pierre Delanoë from the original versions sung in Japan by Isao Sasaki, included a passage that raised eyebrows:

Va combattre ton ennemi

Il est moins vaillant que toi

Goldorak pour notre vie

Je suis sûr que tu vaincras

Toi, le prince de l’espace

Le champion de la Terre

Tu vas sauver notre race

Nous redonner la lumière

The phrase “Tu vas sauver notre race” (“You will save our race”) created tension. The management at Antenne 2 felt that these words could be interpreted as having a racist connotation. Jacqueline Joubert, then head of the youth unit, was involved in the decision to pull the theme song.

Producer Jacques Canestrier, who had collaborated with Bruno-René Huchez to bring the series to France, recalled the magnitude of the reaction: “It generated an uproar within the channel. Everyone was saying that Antenne 2 was broadcasting a racist cartoon for children,” Jacques Canestrier explained in an interview with VL Média.

Among the younger audience, however, the interpretation was quite different: many simply saw it as a reference to the human race in a sci-fi context. But by the late ’70s, Japanese cartoons were already controversial, often criticized for their violence. Any controversy was enough to fuel criticism.

A Misstep and a Triumph

Ironically, Jacqueline Joubert was initially against airing the series. Since the contract had been signed before her tenure, she chose to schedule Goldorak during the summer, expecting lower viewership as children were on vacation.

The plan backfired. The summer of 1978 was rainy, keeping young viewers indoors and glued to their screens, and the series shattered viewership records. The channel was inundated with enthusiastic letters. The phenomenon could no longer be ignored.

Over time, the controversy naturally died down, especially as other theme songs took over. Among them, Goldorak le grand, performed by Noam, offered a more poetic and less martial tone. The single sold 3.5 million copies, a clear testament to the series’ enduring appeal to the French public.

Forty-eight years later, the affair of the censored theme song is seen as indicative of a time wary of Japanese animation. Yet, it did nothing to hinder the meteoric rise of Goldorak, which has since become a legendary television phenomenon.

For nostalgia buffs, Goldorak is currently airing on the Mangas channel and is also available on DVD.

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