Axel Almer
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Axel Almer (アクセル・アルマー) is a fictional character from the Super Robot Wars series. He has appeared as a playable character in Super Robot Wars Advance and as an enemy in Super Robot Wars: Original Generation 2. In Advance, Axel can pilot one of the four starting robots and does not receive any upgrades, except for an extra weapon which is unlocked when he reaches level 20. In Original Generation 2, which is considered canon, he pilots a Laz Angriff in one mission, but remains in the EG-X Soulgain for the remainder of the game.
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[edit] Personal Data
Name: Axel Almer
Voice Actor: Nobutoshi Kanna / Nobutoshi Hayashi (in the upcoming Super Robot Wars Original Generations for the PS2)
Affiliations: Shadow Mirror (Advance, OG 2), Londo Bell (Advance), Lemon Browning (lover/ex-lover)
Mecha: Soulgain, Vysaga, Ash Saver, Laz Angriff
BGM: Dark Knight
[edit] Personality and Traits
When chosen as the main character in A, Axel suffers from amnesia for the first twenty or so stages of the game. He quests for his memory, fighting alongside Londo Bell, yet fearful of the truths that will be revealed once it has been restored. He is easy-going and gets along with the Londo Bell crew rather well, trading jokes with the men and hitting on (and getting turned down by) the women. Also a bit of an idiot, earning him the nickname "Ahoseru" (アホセル) from fans of the game, particularly on 2 channeru's robot game board.
When not chosen as the main character, Axel becomes just another boss. His personality changes considerably; he becomes a cold-hearted soldier who puts his missions before aanything else.
In Original Generation 2, Axel's personality changes yet again. This time, he is a man driven by only one goal – the defeat of Beowulf. He cares little for others, except if they will serve his purposes. He will deviate from mission parameters for the chance to engage his archenemy. He also harbors a dislike for artificial lifeforms resembling humans, such as the W-series of androids, particularly W17 aka Lamia Loveless. Though he did show some contempt for Lamia in A, this is made even worse in OG2; in fact, even though many lines in OG2 are simply copied and pasted from older games, the staff actually took the time to rewrite some of Axel's old lines to make him seem more arrogant and even more disdainful of Lamia.
[edit] As A Hero
[edit] Real Robot Pilot in Advance (Ash Saver, Laz Angriff)
Axel wakes up in his unit, the remains of a robot battle around him. His machine is slightly damaged, has some of its ammunition and energy stores used up, and is alone amidst all the destruction. He wonders if there are any other survivors, and why he can’t remember anything, save his name. As he surveys the area, he is swiftly caught up in a battle between the three stolen Dragonar units and the Giganos team pursuing them. After being aided by the Londo Bell flagship, Argama, Axel and the Dragonar pilots were drafted into the force.
[edit] Super Robot Pilot (Soulgain, Vysaga)
Sayaka Yumi and Boss of Mazinger Z were out on patrol when they notice an object fall from the sky. Upon investigation, they discover that it is a humanoid robot, and that the pilot has amnesia. As they interrogate the pilot, who can only remember that his name is Axel, Ankoku Daishogun’s forces arrive and decide to capture the unknown robot. This leads into a battle, with Kouji Kabuto in the Mazinger-Z, Tetsuya Tsurugi in the Great Mazinger, and Jun Honoo in Diana-A arriving to help.
Axel wonders why he can pilot and fight effectively, and the Mazinger team suggests heading to the Photonic Labs to try and get some answers. Now an ‘adopted’ member of the Mazinger team, Axel goes with them when their might is needed to protect Earth.
[edit] Later Stages (Both Routes)
Axel is disconcerted after an encounter with a woman calling herself W17, who addressed him as a ranking officer. He still has no idea who he really is; all he knows is he’s fighting for what he believes is the side of good. After encountering Vindel Mauser and his Zweizergain, it all returns to him – he is a ranking officer of the Shadow Mirror, and volunteered to do a dimensional jump and scout this (SRW Advance) dimension’s defenders and rival factions, as a precursor to the Shadow Mirror invasion. His amnesia was due to a mishap during the jump – thus, he has been fighting alongside his ‘enemies’ all along, for which Vindel praises his ability to function as a sleeper agent.
Later on, when Vindel calls upon Axel to reveal his identity, Axel does so, informing Londo Bell of the Shadow Mirror's plans in the process. He then self-detonates his unit, severely damaging the Zweizergain and vanishes in the explosion. He is later revealed to have been retrieved by Lemon Browning, Vindel's second-in-command, who asks him who he is really fighting for, and who is right in this war.
Lemon then lets him free, saying the next time they meet it will be as enemies, as there is no turning back. Axel rejoins Londo Bell, telling them that they’re welcome to shoot him in the back if they choose to, but he’d rather fight alongside them again. After defeating Vindel’s forces, he activates the dimension transposition bomb by using the Zweizergain, in an attempt to stop Axis from falling onto the Earth.
Some time later, there is much ado over a space-time disturbance in a region of space – it seems to be an event that the various Londo Bell-affiliated laboratories and agencies have been waiting to occur. In deep space, Axel reappears, his unit badly damaged and with only limited oxygen, musing how he survived only to die from lack of breathable air. Just as he resigns himself to joining Lemon, the members of Londo Bell converge on his location.
After being rebuked by his friends for not deciding to see the effects of his deeds, Axel decides to live and face what the future will bring.
[edit] As an Enemy in Original Generation 2
Axel appears in the prologue, conversing with Lemon as to how the transposition is proceeding, with Lemon replying that everything is proceeding as best as possible under the circumstances. It appears that the Shadow Mirror are on the move, yet a last ditch effort by a Federation elite Gespenst squad could throw things off. Axel orders all remaining soldiers, including Lemon, into the portal – not as an act of valor, but because he wants to have a deciding match with the squad leader, codenamed Beowulf, who pilots a blue Gespenst Mk-III. Lemon steps through the portal, and Axel launches his Soulgain at Beowulf’s machine and its squad of Mk-IIs.
If the events of Super Robot Wars Original Generation are taken into account, Axel then manages to jump dimensions, but arrives at a different time, earlier than his comrades who went first. His Soulgain was seen fighting against Aerogator forces, and upon rejoining his Shadow Mirror comrades with a battered Soulgain, he explained his delay as having to recover from various injuries sustained.
Later, the ATX Team encounters the Soulgain. Axel recognizes its team commander, Kyosuke Nanbu’s, Alt Eisen for what it really is, a Gespenst Mk-III, only in this dimension it is painted red. Seeing it renews Axel’s resolution to defeat his nemesis, which he had not been able to do in his home dimension. On the other hand, Kyosuke Nanbu has no idea who this new enemy is, something which Axel refuses to believe.
Axel carries on his vendetta against Beowulf, this time in the form of Kyosuke, and this serves as a catalyst for the story's events. During a crucial mission, Axel severely damages the Alteisen, ripping its limbs off and was about to destroy the torso (killing Kyosuke who was still trapped inside), but is foiled by the arrival of the Einst, led by Alfimi. A few stages later, the Alt Eisen Riese is rolled out for Kyosuke’s use.
Axel makes a last stand inside the Balmar White Star, ultimately falling under the combined might of Earth’s defenders. Excellen tries to convince him to join their side, but both Axel and Kyosuke refuse, for once agreeing on one thing - the loser of their 'bet' forfeits his life.
[edit] Reactions to OG2
One of the more popular Banpresto original characters, Axel's handling in OG2 was regarded by many fans as terrible.
The main reasons are because his personality was totally changed, with him turning from a cool, calm soldier to an unreasonable idiot who acts on little more than emotion, and because he never joins the player.
Some have expressed hopes of him returning with amnesia in a future game, but this is unlikely, as the White Star, where his Soulgain was destroyed, was taken over by the Einst immediately after, and then blown up when the Neue Regisseur fused with it to become the Stern Regisseur and fought the good guys.
Some also harbour hopes of him joining in Original Generations, a remake of the first two OG games, but this, too, is unlikely (his last stand on the White Star can be seen in trailers).
The general reaction to all of this by his fans is around the lines of "fuck Teradumbass" ("寺駄死ね"). [1]
[edit] Other
The voice actors for Kyosuke Nanbu (Toshiyuki Morikawa) and Axel (Nobutoshi Kanna) also play rivals/arch-enemies in Berserk.
There have been questions raised about the romanization of his surname. Since the characters associated with him have gun-related surnames (Lemon Browning, Vindel Mauser, Kyosuke Nanbu/Nambu), it has been put up that his last name is Arma, a play on ArmaLite, maker of the M4 and M16 assault rifles.
The names Almar, Almer, and Arma are written using the same katakana. The confusion stems from the "マー" part, which is traditionally romanized as "mar" or "mer."
