Westerns were more about life on a harsh frontier than about one particular setting--say the Old West--so when a fresh crop of westerns sprung up set in outer space, nobody was really surprised. A few may have wondered what would replace tumbleweeds. Asteroids? Cosmic dust?

A few animated space westerns appeared on TV in the 80s, among them BraveStarr, Galaxy Rangers, and a few years later, Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs. Saber Rider started out as a Japanese cartoon titled Star Musketeer Bismarck and then moved on to Europe before being revamped and brought to America. The show was renamed and dubbed but the premise stayed the same.

In the late 21st century, humans had expanded beyond Earth and colonized other planets, opening up a New Frontier. The vast space needed brave law enforcers who wouldn't flinch from danger, be it human or alien. Earth's Cavalry Command was established to provide military protection on the New Frontier and within that organization operated the Star Sheriffs, an elite crimefighting team. Saber Rider was the leader of the Star Sheriffs, an expert horse-rider and swordsman. Of course, there were horses--robot horses, like Saber Rider's Steed. Fireball, a former racecar driver, piloted of the team's spacecraft/giant robot, Ramrod. Colt was a bounty hunter and firearms specialist and April Eagle was the pretty blond Sheriff with mad engineering skills. Cavalry Command's director was Commander Eagle, April's father, a real friend to the Star Sheriffs.

The Star Sheriffs' powerful foes were the Outriders, ghostly humanoids from another dimension who had used up their planet's resources and looked to colonize human space. They were led by the mysterious Nemesis, wearing a dark cloak to conceal his huge body and a mask over his face. Nemesis' underlings included Gattler, a heartless villain also wearing a mask, Vanquo, the fastest gun in two dimensions who eventually became human, and Jesse Blue, a former Cavalry cadet who turned against the humans after his romantic advances were spurned by April Eagle. Sheesh, buddy, get over it.

The series ran for 52 episodes in many countries outside Japan and the U.S. It drew in fans of anime, sci-fi and westerns in equal numbers, making Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs a very successful crossover show.