Battle Skipper
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese direct-to-video
animated series based on the small toy mecha action figures by Tomy
. The series was released in the US by Central Park Media
Three freshmen join the Etiquette club rather than the popular Debutante Club and soon discover its founding members are part of a secret task force called Exters (ExStars in the dubbed version). Fan service
is a predominated feature in the transformation sequence. The battles are not only for school hierarchy, but to save the world.
The story opens as Sayaka Kitaouji takes off from space and head towards Earth in her private shuttle where Todou briefs her on Uruyasu's stocks. On Earth, at St. Ignacio's School for Girls, two freshmen Saori Tachibana and Shihoko Sakaki head towards Orientation Day in the school's auditorium. Sayaka makes a powerful speech in order to receive more members for the already popular Debutante Club. Etiquette Club VP Rie Shibusawa tries her best to make a speech herself but ends up failing as president Reika Ayanokoji looks on in disbelief. The failed speech inspires Shihoko to join the Etiquette Club and brings Saori and their new found friend Kanami Ezaki to the clubhouse. Once inside, arrows came flying out. Saori ducks under one, Kanami chops another in midair, but Shihoko was hit with the arrow. Luckily, it was a prop arrow. Reika and Rie explain everything about the Etiquette Club in detail to the new girls in hopes of improving their skills. At the end of the day, Sayaka heads off campus and informs Todou to take some men and rob the Mitsuido Bank, a bank that finances most of Uruyasu. Later that night, Saori, Shihoko and Kanami each sneak into the Etiquette Clubhouse and try to uncover its secret. They soon discover an underground base with Battle Skippers. Each of the girls pilot the Battle Skippers to where Reika and Rie are: the Mitsuido Bank. To the shock of Reika and Rie and even Todou's men, the new girls arrived and stopped the robbery. Todou decided to cut his losses and run, but his associates were soon captured by Reika and Rie and handed them over to the authorities. Back at base, Rie scolded Kanami, Saori and Shihoko for their reckless and foolish act, but Reika calmed her down and decided to welcome the girls as official members of Exters.
With the Mitsuido Bank robbery a bust, Sayaka takes her anger out on Todou for his cowardice. In order to get back in her good graces, Todou hatches a plan to lure of the new members of Exters to deliver the AIES to Makuhari. Sayaka accepts his offer and warns him not to disappoint her again. Back at school in the Etiquette Club, Rie rides Saori, Shihoko and Kanami like a drill sergeant to make them stronger and powerful pilots. Nearby, the robbers from the Mitsuido heist are joined by another man and Todou steps out in a priest's outfit. The next day, Saori heads off to school alone and is confronted by Todo's gang who try to rape her until Todou assaults them and knocks them down. Saori is immediately awe-struck with Todo who introduces himself as "Brother Gilbert". At school, Todou becomes the substitute teacher and easily gains Saori's trust. She hoped to kiss him to repay him for saving her life, but instead Todou slips a drug into her mouth which has hypnotic effects. Soon, Saori was ordered under hypnosis to retrieve the AIES from her Battle Skipper and bring it to him and to make sure to dispose of anyone who interferes. However, the remaining Exters snap Saori out of her trance and explain Todou's deceit. Infuriated that she was used, Saori unleashes her anger on Todou, but not before his men destroy the base and rescue him. The Exters chase the Makuhari Battle Skippers all over Tokyo and Saori decides to use the AIES combat software to pay back Todou. However, Todou has tricks up his sleeve as well as his Battle Skipper and 3 other Makuhari Battle Skippers form a giant robot. Reika and Rie use their own Battle Skippers to form a powerful ring of energy to destroy the giant robot and force Todou and his men to retreat. Back at their ruined base, Reika reveals to the Exters the true base known as "Josephine Rose".
Having figured out the identities of the Exters, Sayaka hopes to be rid of them once and for all. She had the principal of St. Ignacio's force the Etiquette Club to disband within 24 hours or face expulsion. Reika knows this is all a Makuhari plot and heads towards their main building. Upon arrival, she is held captive. At night, the remaining Exters hold off Sayaka's Four Divas (leaders of the sports clubs who do Sayaka's dirty work). Kanami easily disposes of the Four Divas and join Rie, Saori and Shihoko in Josephine Rose to rescue Reika. Suddenly, a large fortress appears with Sayaka and Todou at the helm hoping to bring down the Exters forever, but Josephine Rose held its own and unleashes its own power to knock out the flying fortress. As if things weren't bad for Sayaka, her mother overheard everything happening at school. She informs Sayaka that she's reinstated the Etiquette Club in order to teach her humility and modesty, and should a cowardly act be repeated, there would be consequences. Sayaka swallows her pride and accepts her loss and calls a retreat. The show ends with the Exters proud of defending their club, their honor and the rest of the world.
expert system connected to enhance the pilot's movement.
The manufacturers names are Makuhari Heavy Industries , Uruyasu Heavy Industries , Toyomoto Construction and Grand Rover . The Battle Skippers piloted by the Exters are Uruyasu while those piloted by the Debutante Club are Makuhari. Saori's Battle Skipper has a Kansai
accent while Rie's has more of an Osaka
dialect ("country" dialect in the dub).
The Battle Skippers of Uruyasu
The Battle Skippers of Makuhari
Other Battle Skippers
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese direct-to-video
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
animated series based on the small toy mecha action figures by Tomy
TOMY
is a Japanese toy, children's merchandise and entertainment company created from the March 2006 merger of two companies: Tomy and long-time rival, Takara...
. The series was released in the US by Central Park Media
Central Park Media
Central Park Media was an American multimedia entertainment company based in New York City, New York, that was active in the distribution of East Asian cinema, television series, anime, manga and manhwa titles in North America prior to its bankruptcy in 2009...
Plot
The OVA focuses mostly on the girls of St Ignacio's School for girls than the mecha itself. There are two clubs to join: The Debutante Club , where admission is said to lead to ultimate success; or The Etiquette Club , which is said to teach the values of common courtesy in the world.Three freshmen join the Etiquette club rather than the popular Debutante Club and soon discover its founding members are part of a secret task force called Exters (ExStars in the dubbed version). Fan service
Fan service
, fanservice, or , is a term originating from anime and manga fandom for material in a series which is intentionally added to please the audience. It is about "servicing" the fan - giving the fans "exactly what they want"...
is a predominated feature in the transformation sequence. The battles are not only for school hierarchy, but to save the world.
Story
- Episode 1: The Lightning is Mine to Command!
The story opens as Sayaka Kitaouji takes off from space and head towards Earth in her private shuttle where Todou briefs her on Uruyasu's stocks. On Earth, at St. Ignacio's School for Girls, two freshmen Saori Tachibana and Shihoko Sakaki head towards Orientation Day in the school's auditorium. Sayaka makes a powerful speech in order to receive more members for the already popular Debutante Club. Etiquette Club VP Rie Shibusawa tries her best to make a speech herself but ends up failing as president Reika Ayanokoji looks on in disbelief. The failed speech inspires Shihoko to join the Etiquette Club and brings Saori and their new found friend Kanami Ezaki to the clubhouse. Once inside, arrows came flying out. Saori ducks under one, Kanami chops another in midair, but Shihoko was hit with the arrow. Luckily, it was a prop arrow. Reika and Rie explain everything about the Etiquette Club in detail to the new girls in hopes of improving their skills. At the end of the day, Sayaka heads off campus and informs Todou to take some men and rob the Mitsuido Bank, a bank that finances most of Uruyasu. Later that night, Saori, Shihoko and Kanami each sneak into the Etiquette Clubhouse and try to uncover its secret. They soon discover an underground base with Battle Skippers. Each of the girls pilot the Battle Skippers to where Reika and Rie are: the Mitsuido Bank. To the shock of Reika and Rie and even Todou's men, the new girls arrived and stopped the robbery. Todou decided to cut his losses and run, but his associates were soon captured by Reika and Rie and handed them over to the authorities. Back at base, Rie scolded Kanami, Saori and Shihoko for their reckless and foolish act, but Reika calmed her down and decided to welcome the girls as official members of Exters.
- Episode 2: A Heartache Tonight
With the Mitsuido Bank robbery a bust, Sayaka takes her anger out on Todou for his cowardice. In order to get back in her good graces, Todou hatches a plan to lure of the new members of Exters to deliver the AIES to Makuhari. Sayaka accepts his offer and warns him not to disappoint her again. Back at school in the Etiquette Club, Rie rides Saori, Shihoko and Kanami like a drill sergeant to make them stronger and powerful pilots. Nearby, the robbers from the Mitsuido heist are joined by another man and Todou steps out in a priest's outfit. The next day, Saori heads off to school alone and is confronted by Todo's gang who try to rape her until Todou assaults them and knocks them down. Saori is immediately awe-struck with Todo who introduces himself as "Brother Gilbert". At school, Todou becomes the substitute teacher and easily gains Saori's trust. She hoped to kiss him to repay him for saving her life, but instead Todou slips a drug into her mouth which has hypnotic effects. Soon, Saori was ordered under hypnosis to retrieve the AIES from her Battle Skipper and bring it to him and to make sure to dispose of anyone who interferes. However, the remaining Exters snap Saori out of her trance and explain Todou's deceit. Infuriated that she was used, Saori unleashes her anger on Todou, but not before his men destroy the base and rescue him. The Exters chase the Makuhari Battle Skippers all over Tokyo and Saori decides to use the AIES combat software to pay back Todou. However, Todou has tricks up his sleeve as well as his Battle Skipper and 3 other Makuhari Battle Skippers form a giant robot. Reika and Rie use their own Battle Skippers to form a powerful ring of energy to destroy the giant robot and force Todou and his men to retreat. Back at their ruined base, Reika reveals to the Exters the true base known as "Josephine Rose".
- Episode 3: The Super-Radical One-Night Show
Having figured out the identities of the Exters, Sayaka hopes to be rid of them once and for all. She had the principal of St. Ignacio's force the Etiquette Club to disband within 24 hours or face expulsion. Reika knows this is all a Makuhari plot and heads towards their main building. Upon arrival, she is held captive. At night, the remaining Exters hold off Sayaka's Four Divas (leaders of the sports clubs who do Sayaka's dirty work). Kanami easily disposes of the Four Divas and join Rie, Saori and Shihoko in Josephine Rose to rescue Reika. Suddenly, a large fortress appears with Sayaka and Todou at the helm hoping to bring down the Exters forever, but Josephine Rose held its own and unleashes its own power to knock out the flying fortress. As if things weren't bad for Sayaka, her mother overheard everything happening at school. She informs Sayaka that she's reinstated the Etiquette Club in order to teach her humility and modesty, and should a cowardly act be repeated, there would be consequences. Sayaka swallows her pride and accepts her loss and calls a retreat. The show ends with the Exters proud of defending their club, their honor and the rest of the world.
Main characters
- Reika Ayanokouji
- Reika Ayanokoji is the President of the Etiquette Club and heiress of Uruyasu Heavy Industries. Reika is soft-spoken and always protective of the secrets of the Battle Skippers, fearing they might fall into evil hands. Reika is a blood relative of her spoiled rival Sayaka Kitaouji.
- Rie Shibusawa (mispronounced as "Rye" in the English dub)
- Rie Shibusawa is the Vice-president of the Etiquette Club. Rie is usually brash, hot-headed and unpredictable, a foil for Reika's cool head. Rie is equally strong on the battlefield as Reika and is ever loyal to her and her family. Rie has an extreme hatred for the Debutante Club and is a struggling student at St. Ignacio's.
- Saori Tachibana
- Saori Tachibana is a freshman at St. Ignacio's who originally wanted to join the Debutante Club, but was coaxed by Shihoko to join the Etiquette Club instead. Saori was made to mimic Sailor MoonSailor MoonSailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...
's hairstyle, but all similarity ends there. Most fan serviceFan service, fanservice, or , is a term originating from anime and manga fandom for material in a series which is intentionally added to please the audience. It is about "servicing" the fan - giving the fans "exactly what they want"...
is towards Saori on occasion.- Kanami Ezaki
- Kanami Ezaki is a meganekkoMeganekkois a Japanese word which translates to "glasses girl"....
and freshman at St. Ignacio's who joined the Etiquette Club for her detestment of Sayaka Kitaouji and the Debutante Club. Kanami is one of the smartest girls in Japan and secretly one of the strongest, in which Reika and Rie already know. Kanami quickly became close friends with Saori and Shihoko on her first day.- Shihoko Sakaki
- Shihoko Sakaki is a freshman at St. Ignacio's and Saori's childhood friend. After seeing Rie's failed speech of asking people to join the Etiquette Club, Shihoko decides to join. Shihoko may be shy and frail, but she never gives up. Shihoko looks to Rie like an older sister.
- Sayaka Kitaouji
- Sayaka Kitaouji is the President of the Debutante Club, heiress of Makuhari Heavy Industries and the main antagonistAntagonistAn antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
of the series. Sayaka wants a JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ruled by women as powerful as her to dominate the world. Most of the income for St. Ignacio's is funded by Makuhari Industries and because of this, Sayaka and the Debutante Club feel like they can get away with everything at school. However, Sayaka's plans to eliminate the Etiquette Club backfire on her as her mother funded the Etiqutte Club in order to teach Sayaka respect and courtesy towards others.- Todou
- Todou is Sayaka's personal assistant and whipping boy. He is a bishōnenBishonenis a Japanese term literally meaning "beautiful youth ". The equivalent English concept is a "pretty boy".The term describes an aesthetic that can be found in disparate areas in East Asia: a young man whose beauty transcends the boundary of gender or sexual orientation...
who would do anything for Sayaka, since he has a crush on her. On the battlefield, Todou is equally cunning and ruthless in his goals to crush the Exters and securing Makuhari as the only sole survivor of the mechanical industry war.
The Battle Skippers
The Battle Skippers are tank like robots each with an AIESArtificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
expert system connected to enhance the pilot's movement.
The manufacturers names are Makuhari Heavy Industries , Uruyasu Heavy Industries , Toyomoto Construction and Grand Rover . The Battle Skippers piloted by the Exters are Uruyasu while those piloted by the Debutante Club are Makuhari. Saori's Battle Skipper has a Kansai
Kansai
The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo, and Shiga. Depending on who makes the distinction, Fukui, Tokushima and even Tottori Prefecture are also included...
accent while Rie's has more of an Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
dialect ("country" dialect in the dub).
The Battle Skippers of Uruyasu
- BSX-01 Testa Road Reika's red Battle Skipper. It can form a Bifractal Circle with Sky Cats. Testa Road is adapted for high-speed chases and pursuits, which is why it was named for the look and feel of the FerrariFerrariFerrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
Testarossa. - BSX-02 Sky Cats Rie's white Battle Skipper which has an OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
n dialect ("country" dialect in the English dub). It can form a Bifractal Circle with Testa Road. Like its name suggests, Sky Cats is an aerial tactics Battle Skipper. - BSX-03 Mega Diver Saori's blue Battle Skipper with the obnoxious KansaiKansaiThe or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo, and Shiga. Depending on who makes the distinction, Fukui, Tokushima and even Tottori Prefecture are also included...
accent. When Saori understood the combat software within the AIES, she unleashed it on Todou and his men. Mega Diver is adapted for deep sea excavations and underwater reconnaissance. - BSX-04 Night Walker Kanami's purple Battle Skipper. Night Walker has built-in hovercraft parts and is mostly used for stealth missions and espionage.
- BSX-05 Grand Buster Shihoko's green Battle Skipper. In the Japanese CD drama, the AIES of Grand Buster is said to have a childish personality, something almost fitting for Shihoko. As it's aptly named, Grand Buster is the Battle Skipper has a fully stocked arsenal of hybrid weapons.
The Battle Skippers of Makuhari
- Death Head The combination of 4 Battle Skippers including Todou's to form a giant robot (named "Unity" in the Engish dub). Its size was gigantic but its movement was sluggish, and eventually it was destroyed by the Exters and the Bifractal Circle (a ring of electromagnetic energy).
Other Battle Skippers
- Galmet The Galmet was shown in the Japanese commercial feature on the Battle Skipper video. In the anime series itself, the Galmet are the standard issue Battle Skippers for the police customized in black and white for police use only.