Blue Comet SPT Layzner - The 1985 anime series

December 2 2020

Blue Comet SPT Layzner (in the Japanese original: 蒼き流星 SPT レイズナー Aoki Ryūsei Esu Pī Tī Reizunā) sometimes also translated as Blue Meteor SPT Layzner is a Japanese science fiction animated series (anime) produced by Sunrise between 1985 and 1986. It was originally written by Tsunehisa Itō and Ryōsuke Takahashi; the latter served as director.

The series depicted the story, focusing on an alien invasion on the subsequent totalitarian occupation of the world and resistance in a timeline where the Cold War continues.

History

The story took place in the year 1996, when it was speculated that humanity could become advanced enough to develop long-range space travel, as well as bases on both the Moon and Mars. However, the tensions of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union have not ended; rather, they have escalated as both sides build military structures in space and the shadow of nuclear conflict hangs over humanity, both on Earth and beyond.

Meanwhile, on Mars, an exchange program conceived by the United Nations to promote peace and understanding is about to start; the “Cosmic Culture Club” - made up of 16 members, in addition to their instructor Elizabeth - arrives at the United Nations base on Mars and is welcomed by the staff. Among the passengers is Anna, a 14-year-old girl who serves as the storyteller.

Suddenly, four unidentified humanoid robots classified as Super-Powered Tracers are detected, engaging in fierce fighting with each other. The UN base is caught in the crossfire and quickly destroyed, eliminating all but six members of the "Cosmic Culture Club" - Elizabeth, Arthur, Roan, David, Simone and Anna, leaving them stranded on the barren planet that has suddenly become a field of battle. At the end of the battle, the lone SPT lands next to the terrified group and opens to reveal a pilot, who simply announces to them: "The Earth has been targeted."

The robots that destroyed the UN base were the creation of the Grados, an alien race, of the Udoria system, who came to the Sol system to conquer, seeing an easy victory as the two superpowers raged against each other to exhaustion. , however, this could also be described as an act of preventive self-defense; Grados' supercomputers have determined that humanity will eventually cease its internal fighting and become powerful enough to spread across the galaxy, feigning a deadly threat to even distant Grados.

However, there were two Grado against the plan: human astronaut Ken Asuka, believed lost on a mission in deep space but discovered by the Grado, and his son Null Albatro (his "human" name was Eiji). While the Grado prepared their invasion fleet, Eiji hides aboard one of the ships and steals their most powerful and advanced weapon, the SPT-LZ-00X Layzner before fleeing, trying to threaten humanity with its imminent. invasion. This is where he was attacked. Aside from the Layzners, the surviving humans have become very important to the Grades; as the only human passers-by for the aliens and their power, the six are the only ones who can persuade each warring power to stop destroying each other and focus on the greater threat.

Characters

Albatross Null Eiji Asuka (Kazuhiko Inoue)

Eiji is a hybrid with a human astronaut for father and a noblewoman of Grados for mother. He grew up as a low-ranking Gradosian SPT pilot on the Empire's homeworld. A pacifist by nature, he still decides to take a more direct hand when he learns of the invasion of Earth. Unfortunately, he is torn between his beliefs and his loyalty to his comrades on his home planet, many of whom he regards as his relatives. This forces Eiji to go to great lengths not to kill his opponents - an ideal made enormously difficult by the amoral AI aboard the Layzner.

Anna Stephanie (Hiroko Emori): The youngest member of the Cosmic Culture Club at the age of 14, she is a quiet and reserved girl, highly intuitive and empathetic, which allows her to see good nature within all people. This allows her to be the first to make friends and trust Eiji despite her Gradosian heritage.

David Rutherford (Hideyuki Umezu): American CCC member David is reckless, emotional and stubborn - which makes him a hot-blooded 02-year-old. However, this also makes him unable to cope with loss and fear. At first, he harbored an intense hatred and distrust of Eiji resulting from the fact that he blamed the rebel for the death of his best friend Juno during Grados' initial raid against the CCC. Eventually he warms up with Eiji through many trials and trusts him enough to become his wingman with the SPT-BB-XNUMXU Babel.

Roanne Demitrich (Katsumi Toriumi): 15 years old and a native of Switzerland, Roanne is a genius and is by far the most mature member of the group: she often displays calm, careful poise usually attributed to people well beyond her years. Usually the CCC strategist found himself constantly evaluating the situations in which they found themselves in determining the best possible solutions from whatever option he had. Arthur Cummings Jr.'s best friend, his intelligent maturity quickly endeared him to Eiji as well. He also eventually acted as Eiji's second wingman with the SPT-BD-03U Baldy.

Simone Reflann (Fumi Hirano): At 16, Simone is the daughter of an aristocracy born of wealthy French and English parents. Initially appearing stubborn, cynical and selfish, she initially opposed the guerrilla warfare against the Gradosian Empire. However, she eventually developed romantic feelings for Eiji and these allowed her to help the rest of the CCC against Grados.

Arthur Cummings Jr. (Yuji Shikamata): Tied with David at 17 for being the oldest surviving member of the CCC, Arthur was well-liked among the CCC and a main confidant of Roanne despite his tendencies of weakness, cowardice and a weak will that made him prone to emotional outbursts and digressions. Since she has a deep crush on Simone, she uses this to her advantage to get him to do what he wants, taking advantage of her "eager to please" nature.

Dr. Elizabeth Clabery (Keiko Toda): 24-year-old adult instructor and mentor of the Cosmic Culture Club, her controlled balance allowed her to calm down scared children during the Super-Powered Tracers' first attack. His main goal was to help Eiji and the surviving members of the CCC escape to Earth in an attempt to warn his major superpowers of the impending invasion of Grados.
Julia Asuka / Albatro Mill (Mari Yokoo): Eiji's older sister, she was engaged to her best friend Gale, and the two would be married within a few months. Julia refused to listen to her parents' pleas to help Earth and ran away from her family's home to live with Gale.

Ru Kain (Kaneto Shiozawa): son of Admiral Gresco, introduced in the second story arc, Eiji's rival and main villain of the series. Appointed Supreme Commander of the Earth, he is ruthless and arrogant, believing in the ethnic superiority of the Gradosians. Although he attempts to execute Julia for treason, he finds himself unable as he is strangely drawn to her spiritual strength. He is determined to rule the Earth and crush all resistance, but he refuses to fight unfairly as he considers himself noble.

'Rei' (Eriko Hara): The AI aboard the SPT-LZ-00X Layzner, her intelligence was so advanced that she developed her own personality that she was nicknamed "Rei" by Eiji. Despite having feminine characteristics and the nature of a sweet little girl, Rei had no notion of morality and usually advised destroying the cockpit of an enemy SPT, instantly killing her pilot, rather than disabling his limbs as he believes this to be the most effective way to defeat an enemy. Often, she would take control of the Layzner herself to protect Eiji and SPT from harm.

Gosterro (Masashi Hirose): A senior officer and ace pilot of the Grados militia who considered himself a rival to both Eiji and Gale. Once he had romantic interests in Julia, she immediately rejected him. Sadistic psychopath, Gosterro delights in killing to the extent that his lust for blood overwhelms all needs and reason, forcing him to take the life of his own followers. Deeply desiring to kill Eiji, he personally takes it upon himself to stop the rebel with his SPT-BG-91U Bullgrenn.

'Fouron' (Eriko Hara): A hidden and recessive program deep within the SPT-LZ-00X Layzner capable of overriding Rei, this AI had the persona of an adult male but still retained the amorality of its predecessor. Programmed by Ken Asuka as a way to relay information about Grados to Grounders, it would emerge whenever the Layzner was badly damaged, or Eiji was in serious danger of death; his signature purple eyes mark his complete control over the SPT, even his V-MAX system.

Admiral Gresco (Takeshi Watabe): Leader of the Gradosian fleet invading Earth.
Second Lieutenant Karla Egiel (Run Sasaki): A Grados pilot ace who flew Gale's squadron with his SPT-DM-20C Dimarge, he secretly harbored feelings for his leader despite his feelings for Julia.

Manjuro (Kozo Shioya):

Getey (Masaharu Sato):

Bohn (Koichi Hashimoto):

Lieutenant Ahmos Gale (Hideyuki Hori): Gale is not only Eiji's friend, but also his future brother-in-law after getting engaged to Julia. A 25-year-old senior gradosian militia officer is tasked with tracking down and stopping the "traitor" Eiji after he turns against his own squadron and tries to warn Earth of his impending invasion. Pilot the SPT-GK-10U Greimkaiser.

Commander Gueler (Yūji Mitsuya):

Mash (Kazue Ikura):

Videogioco

This series was included in Super Robot Wars J for Game Boy Advance and Super Robot Wars GC for GameCube. He was also featured in Shin Super Robot Wars (his debut) and Super Robot Wars 64 with a lead role in the storyline of every Super Robot Wars he has appeared in. In its recent appearances, the unused Layzner Mk-II design that appears briefly in the credits sequences of the “1999” arc was an unlockable Unit. Characters like Gale and Julia were also able to join you after convincing trials. Ru Kain and his Demon Death Platoon are frequent adversaries, as are most mass-produced SPTs.

The series also appears in Another Century's Episode games, with Layzner and Zakarl playable in the first game, and Greimkaiser and Bloodykaiser also making appearances as CPU-only units. The sequel, Another Century's Episode 2, follows the basic storyline of the series but adapts it to the setting produced by the combined storylines of the anime involved. For example, Eiji's first appearance is soon after the resolution of the Martian successor Nadesico, and the SDF-1 Macross fold removes the heroes from Earth long enough for Grados to establish control over Manhattan. The heroes return in time to help the resistance, and Eiji finally joins the team officially alongside Domon Kasshu after they (and the player's current character) battled the Demon Death Platoon and several Gundam Heads.

The series also appears in Harobots, as they hail from Sunrise. Their units can act as “savage” units or player units.

Technical data

Author Tsunehisa Itō
Regia Ryousuke Takahashi
Film script Michiko Yokote
Char. design Moriyasu Taniguchi
Mechanical design Kunio Ōkawara
Music Hiroki Inui
Studio Sunrise
1st TV 3 October 1985 - 26 June 1986
Episodes 38 (complete)
Episode duration 30 min.