Armored Trooper Votoms
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| Armored Trooper VOTOMS | |
|---|---|
 Logo from show opening |
|
| Sōkō Kihei Botomuzu (Armored Trooper VOTOMS) |
|
| Genre | Action, Military, Mecha, Science Fiction |
| TV anime | |
| Director | Ryosuke Takahashi |
| Studio | Sunrise |
| Network |  TV Tokyo, Animax |
| Original run | April 1, 1983 – March 23, 1984 |
| Episodes | 52 |
| OVA: Armored Trooper VOTOMS: The Last Red Shoulder | |
| Director | Ryosuke Takahashi |
| Studio | Sunrise |
| Episodes | 1 |
| Released | August 21, 1985 |
| OVA: Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Big Battle | |
| Director | Ryosuke Takahashi |
| Studio | Sunrise |
| Episodes | 1 |
| Released | July 5, 1986 |
| OVA: Armored Trooper VOTOMS: The Red Shoulder Document: Roots of Ambition | |
| Director | Ryosuke Takahashi |
| Studio | Sunrise |
| Episodes | 1 |
| Released | March 19, 1988 |
| OVA: Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Shining Heresy | |
| Director | Ryosuke Takahashi |
| Studio | Sunrise |
| Episodes | 5 |
| Released | March 21, 1994-November 21, 1994 |
| OVA: Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Pailsen Files | |
| Director | Ryosuke Takahashi |
| Studio | Sunrise |
| Episodes | 12 |
| Released | October 26, 2007 - ongoing |
| Games | |
Armored Trooper VOTOMS (装甲騎兵ボトムズ Sōkō Kihei Botomuzu?) is a 52-episode anime television series, created by Ryosuke Takahashi and Sunrise, aired in Japan from April 1, 1983 to March 23, 1984 on TV Tokyo. Several VOTOM OVAs have been created as well, for more details see the storyline chronology.
VOTOMS was the successor (though the universes are different and the stories are not linked) to Ryosuke Takahashi's previous hit series Fang of Sun Dougram, which established hard science military anime as a viable genre.[citation needed]
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The series followed a main character named Chirico Cuvie (Kiriko Kyuubi), a former special forces Armored Trooper pilot and former member of the Red Shoulder Battalion, an elite mecha force used by the Gilgamesh Confederation in its war against the Balarant Union—both interstellar nations within the distant Astragius Galaxy. Gilgamesh and Balarant had until recently been locked in a century-old galactic war whose cause was long ago forgotten. Now, the war is ending and an uneasy truce has settled.
Chirico Cuvie is suddenly transferred to a unit engaged in a suspicious mission, unaware that he is aiding to steal secrets from what appears to be his own side. Chirico is betrayed and left behind to die, but he survives, is arrested by the Gilgamesh military as a traitor, and tortured for information on their homeworld. He escapes—triggering a pursuit extending across the entire series, with Chirico hunted by the army and criminals alike as he seeks the truth behind the operation. He is driven to discover the truth of one of the objects he was assigned to retrieve in that operation: a mysterious and beautiful woman who would become his sole clue to unraveling a galactic conspiracy.
Also the main characters of the series take their names from Greek alphabet letter. Chirico (Kiriko a direct literal translation of name in Japanese) is from Greek letter Χ (Chi like in the original Christ), Fyanna (Fuiana) is the Greek letter Φ Phi , and Ypsilon ( Ipushilon again direct katakana (Japanese alphabet) translation). Ypsilon could be translated with (according to the wiki Greek alphabet page) a Y or a U but the letter is Υ.
[edit] Characters
- Chirico Cuvie: Voiced by: Hozumi Gōda
- Bouleuse Gotho: Voiced by: Kōsei Tomita
- Vanila Varta: Voiced by: Shigeru Chiba
- Coconna: Voiced by: Yōko Kawanami
[edit] Secret Society
- Albert Killy: Voiced by: Saburō Kamei
- Serge Borough: Voiced by: Kenichi Ogata
- Fyana: Voiced by: Kazuko Yanaga
- Gimual Iskui: Voiced by: Yūsaku Yara
- Aaron Schmittel: Voiced by: Akio Nojima
- Gurran Schmittel: Voiced by: Issei Futamata
- Ypsilon: Voiced by: Kyōnosuke Kami
- Yoran Pailsen: Voiced by: Chikao Ōtsuka
- Shimkas Futtor: Voiced by: Shunsuke Shima
[edit] Gilgamesh
- Jean Paul Rochina: Voiced by: Banjō Ginga
- Detel Royl Battentain: Voiced by: Kōji Totani
[edit] Red Shoulders
- Gregore Garosh: Voiced by: Kiyoshi Kobayashi
- Byman Hagard: Voiced by: Kaneto Shiozawa
- Murza Melym: Voiced by: Ryūsei Nakao
[edit] Kummen
- Gon Nuu: Voiced by: Tesshō Genda
- Kan Yu: Voiced by: Masashi Hirose
- Pol Potaria: Voiced by: Show Hayami
- Bully Kidera: Voiced by: Daisuke Gōri
[edit] Veela
- Heloram Kanjelman: Voiced by: Mugihito
- Monica Marcus: Voiced by: Rumiko Ukai
[edit] Balarant
- Musa Zanjeny: Voiced by: Hiroaki Tanabe
- Pailuras Brewer: Voiced by: Jun Hazumi
- Radaa Niva: Voiced by: Masashi Hirose
[edit] Quent
- Ru Shako: Voiced by: Issei Masamune
- Wiseman: Voiced by: Hidekatsu Shibata
[edit] Others
- Cherokee: Voiced by: Kōichi Kitamura
- Rador: Voiced by: Kiyonobu Suzuki
- McKay: Voiced by: Aruno Tahara
- Nehalco: Voiced by: Takeshi Watabe
[edit] Storyline chronology
- OVA Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Red Shoulder Document: The Roots of Ambition (レッドショルダードキュメント 野望のルーツ)
- OVA Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Pailsen Files (ペールゼン・ファイルズ)
- TV Anime Armored Trooper VOTOMS episodes 1-13, Uoodo storyline
- OVA Armored Trooper VOTOMS: The Last Red Shoulder (ザ・ラストレッドショルダー)
- TV Anime Armored Trooper VOTOMS episodes 14-27, Kummen storyline
- TV Anime Armored Trooper VOTOMS episodes 28-39, Sunsa storyline
- TV Anime Armored Trooper VOTOMS episodes 40-52, Quent storyline
- OVA Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Battle Of The Heterogeneous Species (ビッグバトル Big Battle)
- TV Anime Armored Trooper VOTOMS episode 52, epilogue
- OVA Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Heretic Saint (赫奕たる異端 Shining Heresy?) (set 32 years after the television series)
[edit] Technology
Except for its starships and medical technology, the VOTOMS universe is fairly low-tech (and is often described as hard science fiction). Soldiers and combat vehicles alike are equipped with missiles and projectile weapons; only large spaceships have energy weapons, and then only in small numbers. The main weapon of the conflict is the common Armored Trooper (also known as AT, described in a derogatory term as a 'tin can with a machine gun'), a mass-produced humanoid combat vehicle piloted by a single soldier. They are also known alternately as VOTOMS (Vertical One-man Tank for Offense & ManeuverS).
ATs are rugged, simple machines equipped with one or two weapon systems, usually a light automatic cannon and a rocket or missile pod. They stand between three to four meters tall, with the pilot occupying most of the chest area and the head. Batteries are used to energize a special liquid called Polymer Ringers Solution in the limbs' "muscle cylinders" to emulate a range of human-like motion. Polymer Ringers Solution is highly flammable and breaks down over time, requiring regular replenishment for ATs that do not have Polymer Ringers Solution Purifier systems (typically housed in armored backpacks). ATs can be readily maintained in the field and can even be put together from spare parts using little more than a simple workshop. Unlike other mechas in other series at the time Votoms came out, the Votoms are more or less walking tanks as they can not fly or transform.
ATs have simple internal computer systems that allow them to operate in a semi-autonomous or "rabbit" mode without a pilot. Pilots may also prepare a "mission disk" in advance of deployment which is then inserted into the cockpit computer. The mission disk is used to store information relating to maneuvers that the pilot anticipates will be necessary, such as using the evaluation of an opponent's tactics to prepare against him. The pilot activates the mission disk at the approprite time and the AT's execution of pre-programmed maneuvers then becomes faster when the pilot needs them. This allows the pilot to pay more attention to the battle and react faster as a result.
[edit] Games
[edit] Video games
VOTOMS has had several outings on many different video-game platforms. All these games were only released in Japan.
- X68000: Dead Ash
- PC8801: Black Unicorn
- PC-9801: Votoms: The Real Battle
- Super Famicom: Votoms - The Battling Road
- PlayStation: Blue Sabre Knights
- PlayStation: Armored Trooper Votoms - Uoodo and Kummen
- PlayStation: Brave Saga
- PlayStation: Armored Trooper Votoms Lightning Slash
- PlayStation: Armored Trooper Votoms Steel Force
- PlayStation: Brave Saga 2
- Dreamcast: Sunrise Eiyuutan
- PlayStation 2: Sunrise Eiyuutan 2
- WonderSwan: Harobots
- Game Boy Color: GB Harobots
- Game Boy Color: Brave Saga Shinsou Astaria
- PlayStation 2: Soukou Kihei Votoms / Armored Trooper Votoms
For a limited time the Armored Trooper Votoms - Uoodo and Kummen game included a Red Shoulder Custom model. Chirico also figures in the Sunrise Eiyuutan (Sunrise Heroes) game for the PlayStation 2
[edit] Role-playing
VOTOMS was a direct inspiration for the Heavy Gear role-playing game. VOTOMS also has its own official role-playing game, developed by R. Talsorian Games and using the Fuzion system.
[edit] Spin-offs
- Armor Hunter Mellowlink, a 12-episode OVA series set in the same universe, but with a different story and characters. Loosely ties in with events that lead to the start of the main TV series.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official site (Japanese)
- Episode Synopsis
- Official Roleplaying Game
- Armored Trooper Votoms (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
