In episode 16 of Time Bokan, tiny robot trumpeters signaled the Gaikottsu crews’ “highlight” attack of the week. They were the first gag robots, and two episodes later were refined as the Fanfare Skulls, also known as the Highlight Skeletons.

They continued this routine throughout the remainder of the show, although there were times where they deviated, such as doing the three wise monkeys pose or being absent altogether prompting Grocky to “perform” the fanfare.

They would briefly appear a few times in Yatterman, with a Dorombo red look, before being phased out with the Dochirake Skeleton. Amusingly, the concept of tiny robots playing a fanfare before a big attack was given to the heroes’ mechas from Yatterman onward. One does make a comeback in the live action Yatterman film.