Chorobo (alternatively C-Robot or Chorobot, Tonk in Time Fighters) is a clockwork robot with an insect motif that serves as a sidekick to Tanpei and Junko in the original Time Bokan. Initially conceptualized as a little boy akin to Kurio / Spritle from Mach GoGoGo / Speed Racer, he was redesigned as a robot to match the themes of the show and to serve as a marketable character. Traces of his original role are still evident in his personality and being the "caretaker" of the parrot Parrosuke.
Created by Tanpei, Chorobo resembles a a big windup toy, with legs that let him dash across the ground instead of running, a drill-like nose, and antennae that blink when he talks, though he does have a mouth. Personality-wise, he is quite cheeky and childish, and he can either be insightful or insensitive depending on the situation because of it.
In the first half of the show, Chorobo was usually the one actively looking for leads for the era Dr. Kieta was stranded in, and he'd find and deal with any eavesdropping attempts by Marjo's gang, often by accident. He has a strong dislike for Parrosuke, constantly berating the parrot for getting the crew into trouble and wasting their time. They do get along more as the series progressed, but his dislike of the parrot does linger on to a degree.
When put into action, he's capable of stretching any part of his body, conducting electricity through his body, and shooting out flames from his nose. In addition, he'll sometimes pilot one of the Time Bokans' sub-mechas and has been the one to foil Marjo's gang on a few occasions. After a given period of time Chorobo will power down and rendered immobile yet still active, and needs to be wound up with the key on his back in order to move again.
While Chorobo was mostly a tag-along to Tanpei and Junko for the majority of the series, Episode 30, "Take Care, Little Red Riding Hood, Pecha!", was an episode largely dedicated to him.
As the episode begins, Chorobo greets the morning and even exercises for a bit before deciding to see what Tanpei, Junko, and Dr. Kieta are up to. He overhears the crew talk about something being defective and needed to be junked and comes to the conclusion that it's him.
Upset and furious, he runs away in the Time Dotabattan to the past. The crew was actually talking about Dr. Kieta's computer, and after Parrosuke alerts them to Chorobo's actions they hop in the Time Mechabuton to find him before he gets into trouble. Having put tracking devices on both Time Bokan machines, Marjo's gang take notice and proceed to follow them.
However, Chorobo has no experience controlling the Time Dotabattan and he crashlands into a flowery field. Shortly afterwards, Chorobo meets and befriends Little Red Riding Hood, and helps guide her to her grandmother's house.
When he heads back to find more flowers for her, Tanpei and Junko show up (while Dr. Kieta was repairing the Time Dotabattan) and he starts to panic. After a short-lived chase that ends with Chorobo unable to move due to being wound out, they're able to explain the misunderstanding and everybody has a good laugh about it.
During those events, Little Red Riding Hood encounters Marjo's gang (disguised as wolves and with Marjo posing as her grandmother too, obviously) and is tricked into revealing the location of a sparkling lake, which they think supposedly contains Dynamonds. Upon noticing wolf tracks leading to the grandmother's house, Chorobo urges Tanpei and Junko to follow him and help his new friend. Both Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother are safe, but Marjo's gang has already left for the lake.
Anticipating the Time Bokan crew to follow them, the trio use the Gaikottsu Tapir's ray to make the crew imagine monsters and fighting the nonexistent creatures. Chorobo is unaffected due since he's a robot, but he's unable to stop them from crashing the Time Mechabuton into boulders, nearly attacking Dr. Kieta, and falling to the bottom of the lake.
When the crew comes to, Chorobo informs them about the ray and they quickly retaliate when Marjo's gang drops a bomb into the lake. They're able to bend the Gaikottsu Tapir's nose and turn the ray against Marjo's gang, resulting in them seeing their bomb as a Dynamond and picking it up, exploding shortly afterwards.
Despite the trouble he inadvertently caused, they all thank Chorobo for saving their lives and helping them stop Marjo's gang, and they bid Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother farewell.
