Direk Mark Reyes with the 'Voltes V: Legacy' Team

After four years, the first-ever live-action adaptation of the phenomenal Japanese anime '70s "Voltes V" finally makes its highly anticipated premiere on GMA Telebabad this May 8.

Featuring some of the new and popular artists today, "Voltes V: Legacy" is considered to be one of the most costly series GMA has ever produced. So we can safely say that Director Mark Reyes left no crumbs during the shooting of the series.

(From left) Ysabel Ortega, Miguel Tanfelix, Neil Ryan Sese, Raphael Landicho, Matt Lozano, and Radson Flores

During a set visit in 2022, members of the media got a glimpse of the studio where Camp Big Falcon was shot. "Big Falcon" is the ground defense base for the Voltes V machine. Excitement and goosebumps were felt as they saw how magnificently the set was executed. From inside the ship to the chairs and buttons in the control zone, this was a spectacle worth waiting for.

But with all the realistic set-up of the studio, it also has its ups and downs before moving towards the real deal, which is to bring the show to life. 

"I actually designed this set through a Lego; that's how I design things, so ayun it was designed through a computer, then it was approved by Japan," said the director during an interview with the media.

Mark revealed that they have another setup for the show's Boazanian scenes, located in Subic, La Union, and Batangas.

(From left) Direk Mark Reyes, Liezel Lopez, Martin del Rosario, Carlo Gonzales, and Epy Quizon

Reyes on the set of 'Voltes V: Legacy'

Camp Big Falcon

'If you're pulling off a robot, you wanted them to believe that they have the technology to base for it, right? So we have this enormous set right here. This is just one component; we have another one in Illumination Studio, and this extends pa to other locations. We have one in Subic, La Union, and Batangas," he also said.

Aside from the breath-taking setup, Mark also revealed the cost of each flight suit worn by characters has the amount to P350,000. According to him, at first, he didn't care when Miguel's character Steve was falling on each scene while shooting.

"We were shooting the 'Butterfly Return' episode, and then, bagsak nang bagsak si Steve on the ground; I didn't care because it was called for."

(We were shooting the 'Butterfly Return' episode, and then Steve kept on falling on the ground, and I didn't care because it was called for)

But as Miguel's character, Steve, was tossing and turning, he noticed their executive producer Darling De Jesus-Bodegon was sending a worried signal.

Mark narrated how, after the shoot, he approached their EP to ask if she had any problem. She told him she was just worried about damaging the flight suits.

"I asked her, ‘magkano ba ‘yan?’ and she responded P350,000,' he said. 'That's how much the flight suits are," director Mark mentioned.

(I asked her, how much is that? and she responded three hundred fifty pesos, that's how much the fligth suits are.)

'Voltes V: Legacy' follows the story of three brothers – Steve, Big Bert, and Little Jon and their friends Jamie and Mark – as they fight together the evil Boazanian forces who plan to invade Earth and launch their beast fighters all over the world.

(From left) Radson Flores, Ysabel Ortega, Miguel Tanfelix, and Matt Lozano

Albert Martinez and Carla Abellana

Miguel highlighted why the spin-off will be special not only to the OG fans, but also to the new generation. "Gusto naming ma-experience ng Gen Z ang naramdaman noon ng mga magulang nila nung kabataan nila. ‘Yung feeling na uuwi ka galing school tapos mahu-hook ka sa kuwento ng magkakaibigan at pamilya. Gusto naming ipa-feel sa kanila ‘yung tuwa, lungkot, excitement, takot at lahat ng emosyon."

(We want the Gen Z to experience what their parents felt when they were young. That feeling when you come home from school and then you get hooked on the story of friends and family. We want to make them feel joy, sadness, excitement, fear and all emotions.)

GMA’s Assistant Vice President for Drama Helen Rose S. Sese highlighted how the show began its production at the height of the pandemic in 2020, “Nag-start kami mag-shoot noong simula ng pandemic, naka-lock in kami. Imagine ‘yung threat ng COVID-19 at that time and ‘yung gastos ng Network na lahat kami naka-lock in. Dagdag pa ‘yung mahigpit na protocols na kailangang sundin.”

Sese also revealed that the team had to make significant adjustments such as with the character of Little Jon, “Three years kaming magkakasama. Si Little Jon (Raphael) maliit pa noon. Tatlong beses kaming nagpagawa ng costume niya at isa ‘yun sa malaking challenge na pinagdaanan ng production kasi hindi pwedeng mag-shoot noon ang minor.”

'Voltes V: Legacy' production team

“We had to finish all the sequences without him. There were meetings pa kung papalitan ba si Little Jon, but no. Nanindigan kami. May hope kami na huhupa ang COVID-19 and thank God dahil natapos namin ang project na ito,” Sese added.

Moreover, the GMA executive reminisced the personal sacrifices of the production team just to put up a grand and phenomenal series like “Voltes V: Legacy.” But at the end, Sese reiterated that everything has paid off.

According to her, “We sacrificed a lot of our time. ‘Yung times na we’d be spending with our families, wala kami do’n. But I’m not complaining because this is such a legacy project and I’m really proud na sa amin ito napunta because tangay na namin ito forever. Credits to the team behind me na never sumuko sa lahat ng challenges.”

Furthermore, Sese expressed her gratitude for the trust of GMA Network, “We’re very thankful sa Network kasi ang dami naming pinagdaanan na additional taping days just to finish this. I’m very thankful for the support of the Network to come up with such a good project.”

The live action series is produced by GMA Network in partnership with Toei Company, Ltd. and Telesuccess Productions Inc.

Voltes V

Acclaimed local animators from GMA's Post Video Graphics and Audio team and Riot Inc. handled the program's heavy CGI and other visual effects.

“Voltes V: Legacy” is produced by the award-winning GMA Entertainment Group headed by Senior Vice President Lilybeth G. Rasonable; Vice President for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy; Assistant Vice President for Drama Helen Rose Sese; and Executive Producer Darling Pulido-Torres.

The highly-talented creative team behind this world-class live action adaptation is composed of Creative Director Aloy Adlawan; Content Development Consultant Ricky Lee; Senior Creative Consultant RJ Nuevas; Creative Consultant Denoy Navarro-Punio; Head Writer Suzette Doctolero; and Writers/Brainstormers Liberty Trinidad-Villaroman, Jake Somera, and Loi Argel Nova.

Starting this May 8, Kapuso viewers can finally join the five heroes and their machines in the highly-anticipated “Voltes V: Legacy,” – under the helm of esteemed director Mark Reyes – weeknights at 8:00 p.m. on GMA Telebabad and at 9:40 p.m. on GTV.