Tekkaman Blade
| Tekkaman Blade | |
 DVD cover of Teknoman collection one | |
| 宇宙の騎士テッカマンブレード (Uchū no Kishi Tekkaman Burēdo) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Adventure, Drama, Science fiction |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Hiroshi Negishi |
| Written by |
Mayori Sekijima Satoru Akahori |
| Music by | Kaoru Wada |
| Studio |
Tatsunoko Production Sotsu Agency |
| Licensed by | |
| Network | TV Tokyo |
| English network | |
| Original run | February 18, 1992 – February 2, 1993 |
| Episodes | 50 + 3 |
| Game | |
| Uchū no Kishi: Tekkaman Blade | |
| Developer | Bec |
| Publisher | Bec |
| Genre | Scrolling shooter/Fighting game |
| Platform | Game Boy, Super Famicom, NEC PC-9801 |
| Released | July 30, 1993 |
| Original video animation | |
| Tekkaman Blade II | |
| Directed by | Hideki Tonokatsu |
| Produced by |
Kyoko Okazaki Shuji Uchiyama |
| Written by | Hiroyuki Kawasaki |
| Music by | Takashi Kudo |
| Studio | Tatsunoko |
| Licensed by | |
| Released | July 21, 1994 – April 21, 1995 |
| Episodes | 6 |
Tekkaman Blade (Japanese: 宇宙の騎士テッカマンブレード Hepburn: Uchū no Kishi Tekkaman Burēdo, lit. "Space Knight Tekkaman Blade") is a 1992 Japanese anime television series produced by Tatsunoko Production and Sotsu Agency. The series was directed by Hiroshi Negishi and written by Mayori Sekijima and Satoru Akahori. The story follows an organization called the Space Knights and their war against aliens known as Radam. The Space Knights are assisted by Takaya Aiba, who has the ability to transform into the armored warrior known as Tekkaman Blade.
The first series, of 49 episodes, aired in Japan from February 18, 1992 to February 2, 1993 on TV Tokyo. This was followed by three specials. A sequel series called Tekkaman Blade II, which is set ten years after the first series and follows the events of the second Radam invasion, was released as a series of six OVAs in Japan from July 21, 1994, to April 21, 1995. A video game based on the series, titled Uchū no Kishi: Tekkaman Blade, was released in Japan on July 30, 1993. The original series was released in Australia and the United States as Teknoman dubbed in English, although in the US the series was canceled before airing completely.
Plot
During the United Earth Year 192, the Earth is under attack from an alien race known as the Radam, whose forces are composed of bug-like monsters and by armored warriors known as Tekkamen. The Tekkamen are humans who transform themselves using a crystal that endows them with impenetrable armor, superhuman strength, flight, energy weapons, and a lance. The Radam's spaceship lies dormant on the dark side of the Moon where the Radam wait for it to be repaired. Unlike the other Tekkamen, Blade fights to defend the Earth and is free of the mind control which the Radam have imposed on the Tekkamen.
Before the start of the Radam invasion, a deep space exploration ship called the Argos, crewed by the Aibas and their friends, discover the Radam spaceship lying dormant in the outer rings of Saturn. While exploring the Radam ship, Radam pods capture the crew and turn them into Tekkamen while Argos is assimilated. Takaya's father, rejected by the Radam pods, frees Takaya before he is fully converted and puts him into an escape pod before activating the Argos' self-destruct. When the Argos explodes, the Radam spaceship crash lands on the dark side of the Moon. In his Tekkaman armor, Takaya spends six months drifting back to Earth in his escape pod. By the time he arrives, the Radam have begun their invasion. Takaya bursts free from his escape pod and attacks the Radam forces, which draws Tekkaman Dagger's attention and causes the two to fight. After his fight with Dagger, Blade crashes down to Earth where he is discovered by two of the Space Knights, Noal Vereuse and Aki Kisaragi, who take him back to their headquarters.
Fighting against the Radam and their Tekkamen are the Space Knights. Led by Commander Heinrich von Freeman, the Space Knights are a special defense force consisting of Noal, the pilot of the Space Knights' ship the Blue Earth; Aki, the Blue Earth's navigator; Milly, the communications operator; Levin, computer mechanic; and Honda, mechanic.
In the beginning, Takaya is hostile towards the Space Knights. However, as time progresses, he begins to respect the Space Knights for their dedication in even the toughest of situations and develops a romantic relationship with Aki. The Space Knights, with the help of Takaya, begin to repel the Radam forces until Blade's crystal is shattered during a battle with Dagger, rendering him unable to transform. Levin develops a battle robot named Pegas which contains the shards of Blade's crystal and allows him to transform again. Pegas and Blade become friends. In his first transformation using Pegas, Blade challenges Dagger and kills him.
Eventually, four more Tekkamen (Tekkaman Lance, Tekkaman Axe, and Tekkaman Sword, led by Blade's twin brother Tekkaman Evil) arrive on Earth to challenge Blade. Blade's sister Miyuki, Tekkaman Rapier, also arrives on Earth. However, like Blade, she is not under the control of the Radam. Miyuki arrives on Earth very ill and is given a blood transfusion from Takaya and Aki. Evil, Lance, Axe, and Sword attack the Space Knights' base and attempt to kill Miyuki. Although outnumbered, Miyuki fights the four Tekkamen and self-destructs in an attempt to destroy them. Blade, now left without a family, resolves to destroy the Radam and manages to kill Lance and Axe. He later gains the power to attain Blaster Tekkaman mode, although it is found that, in using this mode, Blade loses his memories. Evil is given the same ability, as well, in order to serve as last line of defense of Omega, the Radam leader.
At the end of the war, Blade and Evil meet for the last time. The two of them fight and Blade kills Evil. As he dies, Evil is freed from the Radam's mind control and hands his crystal to Blade, telling him that Blade will need its power to reach the Radam spaceship. Balzac kills Sword as they both burn up in the Earth's atmosphere.
Blade takes off on Pegas and arrives on the Moon, where he confronts the Radam leader Tekkaman Omega, who reveals that he is Blade's older brother Kengo. Omega begins to resurrect the Radam spaceship and takes off towards Earth. Blade attacks Omega, who proves too powerful and easily defeats Blade. Omega is about to kill Blade when Pegas steps in front of the killing blow and sacrifices itself. Pegas' destruction enrages Blade and causes him to transform into Blaster Tekkaman mode for the last time. Blade kills Omega and causes the Radam spaceship to explode. The remnants of the Radam spaceship fall to Earth along with Blade, now stripped of his armor.
The series ends with Blade and Aki watching the sunset and Noal recalling what a miracle it was that he and Blade survived the war. However, Blade is now bound to a wheelchair and completely amnesiac.
Episodes
Tekkaman Blade
Tekkaman Blade was broadcast in Japan on TV Tokyo and 49 episodes were aired between February 18, 1992 and February 2, 1993. It uses four pieces of theme music: two opening themes and two ending themes. The first opening theme is "Reason" by Yumiko Kosaka, which is used from the first through twenty-seventh episodes. The second opening theme is "Eternal Loneliness" (永遠の孤独) by Yumiko Kosaka, which is used from the twenty-eighth episode onwards. The first and second ending themes are "Energy of Love" and "Lonely Heart" respectively, both performed by Kosaka.[1]
The series was aired, dubbed in English, in the United States and Australia under the name Teknoman. The English broadcast version was heavily cut compared to the original Japanese version and shortened from 49 episodes to 43. The series was licensed by Media Blasters in 2006, with separate boxsets for Teknoman and Tekkaman Blade.[2]
| No. | English title Original Japanese title |
Original air date[3] |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | "Nagaki tatakai no jokyoku" (長き戦いの序曲) | February 18, 1992 |
| 1 | "The Sky-Soaring Super Man" "Ama kakeru no chō jin" (天駆ける超人) | February 25, 1992 |
| 2 | "The Lonely Warrior" "Kodoku no Senshi" (孤独の戦士) | March 3, 1992 |
| 3 | "The Defense Army's Ambition" "Bōeigun no yabō" (防衛軍の野望) | March 10, 1992 |
| 4 | "Senseless Desertion in the face of the enemy" "Riyūnaki tekizentōbō" (理由なき敵前逃亡) | March 17, 1992 |
| 5 | "Kill Me!" "Ore wo korose" (オレを殺せ) | March 24, 1992 |
| 6 | "Tekk-set Impossible" "Tekkusetto funō" (テックセット不能) | March 31, 1992 |
| 7 | "Launch of the Mobile Unit Pegas" "Kidōhei Pegasu Hasshin" (機動兵ペガス発進) | April 7, 1992 |
| 8 | "The Mysterious War Correspondent" "Nazo no Jūgunkisha" (謎の従軍記者) | April 14, 1992 |
| 9 | "Rescue! The Jupiter Crew" "Kyūshutsu! Mokusei Kurū" (救出! 木星クルー) | April 21, 1992 |
| 10 | "A Lullaby Echoing in War" "Senka ni hibiku komori uta" (戦火に響く子守歌) | April 28, 1992 |
| 11 | "The D-Boy File" "Dboui Fairu" (Dボウイファイル) | May 5, 1992 |
| 12 | "The Red Horror, Evil" "Akai Senritsu Ebiru" (赤い戦慄エビル) | May 12, 1992 |
| 13 | "Brothers of Destiny" "Shukumei no Kyōdai" (宿命の兄弟) | May 19, 1992 |
| 14 | "Demon Tied by Blood" "Chi wo waketa akuma" (血をわけた悪魔) | May 26, 1992 |
| 15 | "The Evil Spirit Revives" "Majin yomikaeru" (魔神蘇る) | June 2, 1992 |
| 16 | "Portrait of Betrayal" "Uragiri no shōzō" (裏切りの肖像) | June 9, 1992 |
| 17 | "Savior of Steel" "Kōtetsu no Kyūseishu" (鋼鉄の救世主) | June 16, 1992 |
| 18 | "The Price of Glory" "Eikōhe no daishō" (栄光への代償) | June 23, 1992 |
| 19 | "Warrior With a Closed Heart" "Kokoro tozashita Senshi" (心閉ざした戦士) | June 30, 1992 |
| 20 | "Resurrected! Transformation of Rage" "Fukkatsu! Ikari no Henshin" (復活! 怒りの変身) | July 7, 1992 |
| 21 | "Premonition of Love and Death" "Ai to Shi no Yokan" (愛と死の予感) | July 14, 1992 |
| 22 | "Miyuki's Decision" "Miyuki no Ketsui" (ミユキの決意) | July 21, 1992 |
| 23 | "The Scarred Reunion" "Kizu darake no saikai" (傷だらけの再会) | July 28, 1992 |
| 24 | "The Torn-Open Past" "Hiki sakareta kako" (引き裂かれた過去) | August 4, 1992 |
| 25 | "New Demons" "Aratanaru Akuma" (新たなる悪魔) | August 11, 1992 |
| 26 | "Battle to the Death" "Shi wo kaketa tatakai" (死をかけた戦い) | August 18, 1992 |
| 27 | "Legacy for the Survivors" "Nokorishi monohe no Isan" (残りし者への遺産) | August 25, 1992 |
| 28 | "The White Majin" "Shiroi Majin" (白い魔人) | September 1, 1992 |
| 29 | "A Boquet of Followers on the Battlefield" "Tatakai no noni Hanataba" (戦いの野に花束を) | September 8, 1992 |
| 30 | "Traces of Father" "Chichi no Omokage" (父の面影) | September 15, 1992 |
| 31 | "Town of Vengeance" "Fukushū no Machi" (復讐の街) | September 22, 1992 |
| 32 | "The Girl Who Waits Impatiently" "Machiwabita Shōjo" (待ちわびた少女) | September 29, 1992 |
| 33 | "Reunion in the Wilderness" "Kōya no Saikai" (荒野の再会) | October 6, 1992 |
| 34 | "Brothers of Light and Shadow" "Hikari to Kage no Kyōdai" (光と影の兄弟) | October 13, 1992 |
| 35 | "Enemy in the Fog" "Kiri no Naka no Teki" (霧の中の敵) | October 20, 1992 |
| 36 | "A Decisive Battle!! Axe" "Kessen!! Akkusu" (決戦!! アックス) | October 27, 1992 |
| 37 | "The Decayed Body" "Mushibamareta nikudai" (蝕まれた肉体) | November 3, 1992 |
| 38 | "Labyrinth of Death" "Shihe no meikyū" (死への迷宮) | November 10, 1992 |
| 39 | "Super Warrior Blaster" "Chō Senshi Burasutā" (超戦士ブラスター) | November 17, 1992 |
| 40 | "The Love and Struggle of Two People" "Ai to Tatakai no Ninin" (愛と戦いの二人) | November 24, 1992 |
| 41 | "Evil, The Resurrected Devil" "Ebiru Yomikaeru Akuma" (エビル·蘇る悪魔) | December 1, 1992 |
| 42 | "Clash! The Old Red Enemy" "Gekitotsu! Akai Jukuteki" (激突! 赤い宿敵) | December 8, 1992 |
| 43 | "Bullet of Parting" "Ketsubetsu no jūdan" (訣別の銃弾) | December 15, 1992 |
| 44 | "The Approaching Darkness" "Semari kuru Yami" (迫り来る闇) | December 22, 1992 |
| 45 | "The Truth of the Invaders" "Shinjitsu no shinryakusha" (真実の侵略者) | January 5, 1993 |
| 46 | "The House Where Time Stood Still" "Toki no tomatta ie" (時の止まった家) | January 12, 1993 |
| 47 | "The Fate of Darkness and Death" "Yami to Shi no Unmei" (闇と死の運命) | January 19, 1993 |
| 48 | "Heroic! Evil Dies" "Sōretsu! Ebiru Shisu" (壮烈! エビル死す) | January 26, 1993 |
| 49 | "Life Burns Out" "Moetsukiru inochi" (燃えつきる命) | February 2, 1993 |
Specials
| No. | English title Original Japanese title |
Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Burning Clock" "Moeta Tokei" (燃えた時計) | |
| Burning Clock shows Shinya's life in a series of flashbacks, focusing on Shinya and Takaya's rivalry, how Shinya felt how his family viewed him, and how his mother died. | ||
| 2 | "Twin Blood" | |
| Twin Blood is a retelling of Blade and Evil's first battle with different character designs than the series. | ||
| 3 | "Missing Link" | |
| Missing Link is the prequel to Tekkaman Blade II, showing events such as the beginning of the second Radam war, Aki's transformation into the Red Tekkaman, the Tekkaman Rebellion of Prague, and the restoration of Blade's crystal. | ||
Tekkaman Blade II
Tekkaman Blade II (宇宙の騎士テッカマンブレードII Uchu no Kishi Tekkaman Burēdo Tsū, lit. Space Knight Tekkaman Blade II) is a six-episode original video animation that was released in 1994 by Tatsunoko and serves as the sequel to the Tekkaman Blade anime series. The series was licensed by Discotek Media in 2012 for an uncut home media release on DVD format, with English dubbing and subtitles as options.[4]
| No. | English title Original Japanese title |
Original air date[5] |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Stage 1: The New Generation - Part 1" (Virgin Flush) (「VIRGIN-FLUSH」) | July 21, 1994 |
| Three Space Knights are chosen to become Tekkamen. In space, the United Earth Fleet fights off another invasion by Radam. The Radam Tekkamen wipe out the fleet, sending missiles to Earth. This causes a problem during the Tekkaman evolution process for the three new cadets, and a computer error results in Yumi, instead of Natasha, receiving the Reactor Voltekka. The Space Knights attack the Radam, but are overpowered. When attempting to help them, Yumi uses the Reactor Voltekka and is unable to control its power, which leads to a disaster. | ||
| 2 | "Stage 1: The New Generation - Part 2" (Virgin Blood) (「VIRGIN-BLOOD」) | August 24, 1994 |
| Yumi goes through training in order to control the Reactor Voltekka. Radam hit the Space Knights' HQ. The Space Knights hold back out of mercy for the enemy. Aki joins the fight and kills the Radam Tekkamen. | ||
| 3 | "Stage 2: The Alien Intruder - Part 1" (Virgin Dream) (「VIRGIN-DREAM」) | September 21, 1994 |
| Blade reappears and destroys a group of Radam. Yumi contends with Aki for D-Boy's love. | ||
| 4 | "Stage 2: The Alien Intruder - Part 2" (Dead-Boy) (「DEAD-BOY」) | February 22, 1995 |
| Dead End makes his first appearance and defeats Blade in space. David tries to prevent this by attacking, but Dead End escapes. | ||
| 5 | "Stage 3: Final Encounter - Part 1" (Dirty Night) (「DIRTY-NIGHT」) | March 24, 1995 |
| David befriends Dead and remembers the events of Black September. Noal is revealed to have been apprehended by the military police supporting the General. His ultimate fate is unknown. | ||
| 6 | "Stage 3: Final Encounter - Part 2" (Dangerous Boys) (「DANGEROUS-BOYS」) | April 21, 1995 |
| Blade battles Dead in a final showdown. | ||
Related media
Video games
A video game based on the anime series titled Uchū no Kishi: Tekkaman Blade was released for the Super Famicom on July 30, 1993. The majority of the game is a scrolling shooter where the player takes control of Tekkaman Blade, whose battles have elements of the fighting-game genre. There is also a two player versus mode.
Tekkaman Blade is also a playable character in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars.[6]
See also
References
- ↑ "Yumiko Kosaka - Reason / Energy of Love". anime-music.info. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
- ↑ "More on Tekkaman Blade - News". Anime News Network. 2006-02-08. Retrieved 2015-07-19.
- ↑ 宇宙の騎士テッカマンブレード. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
- ↑ "Discotek Licenses Tekkaman Blade II Anime - News". Anime News Network. 2012-08-13. Retrieved 2015-07-19.
- ↑ 宇宙の騎士テッカマンブレードⅡ. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
- ↑ "The 28 characters of Tatsunoko vs Capcom". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
External links
- Space Knight: Tekkaman Blade
- http://www.tekkamanblade.com
- Tekkaman Blade (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
