The series is set in a parallel world called Byston Well; this world resembles the countryside of medieval Europe. The lands are ruled by monarchs who live in castles, and there are cavalry on unicorns with swords and crossbows. Little winged creatures called Ferario are also here, and they can either help or hinder; it all depends on the mood they're in at the time. There are also powerful robots called Aura Battlers, which are powered by "aura" life energy (which is transmitted to the robot by the pilot). Some people are strong enough with the “aura” energy to be Aura Warriors to pilot the mecha.
The main character of the series is Show Zama, a boy from Tokyo who enjoys motocross racing. One night, as he rode his bike through the city, he was drawn into the world of Byston Well to serve as a mecha pilot. He is originally serving Drake Luft, the regional overlord.
Marvel Frozen, from Dallas, Texas, was also originally brought to Byston Well to serve as a mecha pilot for Drake Luft. However, she changed sides and is now working with Nie Given to overthrow Luft and to fight his military advances. At first, Marvel and Show fight each other as enemies. However, as the series progresses, Marvel gets Show to question his allegiance. Eventually, Show ends up switching sides. Todd Guinness, who was brought to Byston Well at the same time as Show, ends up becoming Show's nemesis.
Drake Luft is the main antagonist of the series. He believes that uniting the people of Byston Well under his banner is the right thing to do. Nie Given is a freedom fighter who leads a small faction in opposition to Drake Luft. Given commands an Aura ship called Zelana.
Aura Battler Dunbine has some decent animation, but it takes a while for the story to really get going. Due to the pacing and some of the language included in the English dub, this series really isn't meant for younger viewers. Personally, I would recommend Aura Battler Dunbine to anime viewers who are 15 or 16 years of age and older.
Aura Battler Dunbine | 49 | 1983-1984 | Yoshiyuki Tomino | Nippon Sunrise | ADV Films |
Aura Battler Dunbine: The Tale of Neo Byston Well | 3 | 1988 | Toshifumi Takizawa | Sunrise | N/A |