Thunderbirds 2086

Lore & Background

The series is set in 2086 and follows the Thunderbirds rescue team, part of the International Rescue Organization (IRO). Unlike the original Thunderbirds, the IRO is a vast organization with numerous branches controlled by the Federation, and the Tracy family is not mentioned. The team's headquarters is an island in the Pacific called Arcology, a huge pyramid containing an entire city, and they maintain a space station, Thunderbird 6, to monitor mayday calls. The series features an ongoing story arc about the Shadow Axis, a breakaway independence group led by the mysterious Star Crusher, who may be an alien.

Reader's Guide

Thunderbirds 2086 holds significance as a Japanese anime adaptation of a British Supermarionation series, produced by the original rights holder ITC Entertainment but without involvement from Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. Its use of music and sound effects from multiple Anderson series created a unique audio landscape. The series was cancelled after 18 of 24 episodes aired in Japan, but later completed broadcasts in the US, Australia, and Malaysia. Its legacy includes a detailed vehicle roster of 17 craft, each designated 'TB', and a shift from the original's family-run rescue to a large, Federation-controlled organization. The show also introduced a serialized antagonist, Star Crusher, adding a narrative layer absent from the original Thunderbirds.

Did You Know?

• Only 18 of the 24 episodes were originally broadcast on Fuji TV in 1982; the remaining six aired during a 2008 rerun on the Home Drama Channel.
• The English dub was produced by a successor or rights holder, not the original ITC Entertainment, which had ceased operations by that time. Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson were not involved.
• The series includes music and sound effects from Thunderbirds, Stingray, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Joe 90, UFO, and Space: 1999.
• In the English version, 'Thunderbirds' refers to the team, while in the original series it refers to their vehicles.