Star Blazers - Season 1, Episode 21: Challenge of the Rainbow Galaxy

After the disaster at planet Balan, General Lysis is summoned to Gamilon to stand trial for his failed operations. General Krypt, presiding over the hearing, delivers a unanimous verdict: a death sentence. But when he delivers the paperwork to Leader Desslok, Desslok refuses to sign them, and issues a pardon along with new orders. He knows that Lysis, reckless or not, is the only general capable of stopping the Star Force before it enters the Magellanic Cloud -- the galaxy where Iscandar lies. Lysis assembles a special task force of three triple-deck fighter carriers, one battleship/carrier combo, and a command ship. Each carrier sports a specialised kind of plane: fighters, precision-bombers, torpedo planes, and one heavy bomber bearing a special drill missile designed to be fired into the Argo's Wave Motion Gun muzzle. Lysis's command ship has a device called 'SMITE' (Space/Matter Instant Transforming Equipment), capable of causing fighter planes to undergo a space warp for a surprise attack. On the Argo, the Star Force receives an audio message from General Lysis proposing that they meet for a decisive battle at a nebula called the Rainbow Galaxy, just outside the Magellanic Cloud. This nebula contains several stars, each of which shine with a different colour, as well as a black gas cloud which is impenetrable to radar. After much deliberation, the Star Force decides to take up the challenge. Captain Avatar delivers a rousing speech, as the entire Star Force crew drinks a toast to the occasion using bottled spring water. Preparations for the battle begin. Earth has 215 days left.