B't X
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| B't X | |
|---|---|
| ビト・エックス (Beat X) |
|
| Genre | Mecha |
| Manga | |
| Authored by | Masami Kurumada |
| Publisher |  Kadokawa Shoten
Other publishers:
|
| Serialized in | Shōnen Ace |
| Original run | – |
| No. of volumes | 16 |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Mamoru Hamatsu |
| Studio | TMS |
| Network |
Other networks:
|
| Original run | 6 April 1996 – 21 September 1996 |
| No. of episodes | 25 |
| OVA: B't X Neo | |
| Directed by | |
| Studio | TMS |
| No. of episodes | 14 |
| Released | 21 August 1997 |
| Runtime | |
B't X (ビト・エックス), pronounced "beat X", is a science fiction manga and anime series created by Masami Kurumada, the author of Saint Seiya. It ran for 16 volumes of manga and became an 25 TV episode anime, concluded with an 14 episode OVA (called B'T X Neo).
[edit] Plot
Teppei ("Tepp") Takamiya is the caretaker of a farm located in Kamui Island, north of Japan. His older brother, Kotarou Takamiya, leaves to study robotics in Germany and becomes one of the most brillant scientists in the world.
Five years later, the two brothers reunite at a robotics convention in Mechatopia, China, where Kotarou is to announce his latest breakthrough in artificial intelligence. The convention goes awry when Kotarou is captured by the malevolent Machine Empire and taken to "The Area", a mecha base hidden within the sandstorms of the Gobi Desert.
By the means of a mysterious weapon called Messiah Fist, Teppei manages to pursue the kidnappers by grappling onto their "transport", a giant insectoid mecha that is later revealed to be one of the Machine Empire's prized AI machines (known as a B't). Upon reaching the Area, Teppei is attacked by Metalface, one of the Empire's soldiers. Unable to win, Teppei is thrown, bleeding, in the Empire's junkyard. His blood reaches the trashed body of X, who was once considered the strongest B't of the Empire, and the disgruntled B't awakens. Faced with unanswered questions and imminent destruction, X reluctantly saves Teppei, and the pair flee the Area with soldiers of the Empire in hot pursuit.
Meanwhile, inside the Area, Kotarou discovers that he has been summoned by another of the Empire's soldiers, Major Aramis, to find a way to stop the ultimate B't - a creation known as Raffaello (ラファエロ) that has begun a terrifying and uncontrollable evolution.
As the series unfolds, the headstrong X and equally brash Teppei develop a brotherly bond, squabbling as much as they look after each other. They slowly uncover the Machine Empire's diabolical plan as they travel through strange lands and battle other B'ts loyal to the Empire, all the while trying to save Kotarou and to resolve the mysteries of their intertwined past.
[edit] What is a B't?
A B't (pronounced "beat") is the ultimate form of artificial intelligence robotics designed for fighting - the B stands for Brain, Blood, Bravery and Battler. They have different forms and powers, usually based on mythological creatures. The B't's source of power is a device called BreakHeart, which is fuelled by human blood. Once the BreakHeart is inserted into the B't's body, it creates a link between the blood donor and the B't.
[edit] Characters
| Main Characters | |||
| Name | B't and B't species | Description | Voice Actor (Japanese) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teppei ("Tepp") Takamiya | X, Qilin/Byakko | Main character | Nobuyuki Hiyama |
| Kotaro Takamiya | n/a | Brother to Teppei | Nozomu Sasaki |
| Karen | X, Shadow X (Twin to X, both are Qilins) | One of the four knights | Megumi Ogata |
| Fou Lafine | Je T'aime, Phoenix/Suzaku | One of the four knights | Ichijou Kazuya |
| Ron | Raido, Dragon/Seiryuu | One of the four knights | |
| Hokuto | Max, Turtle/Genbu | One of the four knights | Osamu Sakuta |
| Metal Face | Madonna, griffin? | A lieutenant to the Machine Empire and an almost persistent annoyance in Teppei's way | Kenyû Horiuchi |
| Secondary Characters | |||
| Captain Hook | Groupie, worm | First point soldier that Teppei encounters | |
| Kamia | Mirage, butterfly | Third point soldier, grows medicinal flowers for Naasha | Maya Okamoto |
| Kaos | Lamus, rhinoceros beetle | 4th point soldier, an old veteran and was once one of the four knights. | |
| Death | unknown, bat | Fifth point soldier | |
| unknown | Cancer, crab | 6th point soldier, was easily crushed | |
| Rai | Falcon, falcon | Member of the dark knights | |
| Kai | Falcon, falcon | Member of the dark knights | |
| Mira | Falcon, falcon | Leader of the dark knights | |
| Balzak | Savannah, ant/lion chimera? | 7th point soldier | |
| Ryukan Troops | Ryukan class B'ts, tiger-like creatures with wings | Generic army troops of the Machine Empire | |
| Imperial Spies | Spy class B'ts, black crows | Imperial spies and executes traitors | |
| Myslin | Lalaynya, hydra | Leader of the 7 evil knights | |
| Murie | Halloween, baku | Uses nightmare manipulation as a weapon, member of the 7 evil knights | |
| Quatro | Roselo, griffin | An old friend and Acquaintance of fou, who he blames for killing his sister. Also a member of the 7 evil knights | Toshihiko Seki |
| Juggler | Vanilla fudge, gargoyle | Took over the role of Commander Aramis when it was clear that she was a traitor to the Macine Empire | |
| Aramis | Rosemary, wasp | Commander of the Area. disguised herslef as a man and was later revealed that she was the legendary warrior who never lost a battle before the time of the Four Knights, the Rose Knight | Atsuko Yuya |
| Naasha | Sita/Zeta, dogs | Representative of the Emperor | Kyôko Hikami |
| Miisha | Sita/Zeta, dogs | Representative of the Emperor, appears to be the second in command | Ai Orikasa |
| Marchelo | n/a | Underhell warden | |
| Amigo | n/a | Assistant underhell warden | |
| Raffaello | n/a | Ultimate B't | |
| Lisa Marie | n/a | A fellow scientist prisoner that helped kotaro katamiya solve the forumla on how to defeat Raphael | |
| Karin | A Ryukan class B't | A soldier of the Machine empire. Karen's sister, very close to Fou. | |
