Melcarba is the debatable season finale of Season 1 of the Monster Rancher anime series. It aired in Japan on October 16, 1999.
Synopsis[]
While running from a squad of creatures called Jaggernauts, Genki and the others stumble across a factory. The Jaggernauts follow them into the factory, and they battle. However, an android, Melcarba, is still lying dormant in the factory for millions of years and kills all of the Jaggernauts. Then it turns on the Searchers, and they have to use the lightning storm to shut down the deranged cyborg.
Full Recap[]
The Searchers are trying to find shelter in the thunderstorm they are caught in, and seek refuge in a tree. The tree is struck by lightning, however, and they are forced to flee to the nearby forest.
A factory is in the forest, and it is decrepit, falling apart. Genki boots up one of the old computers, which tells of an instrumental factory robot, Melcarba, which is among the metal scrap pile behind them.
Just when they thought it was safe, a group of JaggerNauts sent by Gray Wolf invade the factory and attack. They are very strong, and just when it looks grim for the Searchers, the JaggerNauts' fire awakens Melcarba. It reactivates and sees the JaggerNauts as targets. Melcarba destroys them all with little effort, and then turns on the Searchers.
Tiger's Super Torpedo is repelled, and Golem's Twister is unable to penetrate Melcarba. The Searchers have no other options but to run, but Melcarba hunts them relentlessly. Golem tries to cave-in one of the factory's turret towers, but Melcarba still survives. Genki stabs a rod into Melcarba, and lightning strikes it directly. Melcarba shorts out and finally collapses. Holly and the other monsters are relieved, but Genki is depressed that it was a waste of technology, that it could have done so much good to society.
At the episode's epilogue, one of the purple Tigers (revealed to be Cabalos two episodes later) report to Gray Wolf what happened, and Gray Wolf is surprised by the group's ingenuity, and he is now to face them himself.