| Battle Skipper | |
Battle Skipper DVD cover |
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| 美少女遊撃隊バトルスキッパー (''Lovely-Girl Play Squadron) |
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|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy, Mecha |
| Original video animation | |
| Directed by | Takashi Watanabe |
| Music by | Takeo Miratsu |
| Studio | ARTMIC Victor Entertainment |
| Licensed by | Central Park Media |
| Released | August 23, 1995 |
| Episodes | 3 |
Battle Skipper (美少女遊撃隊バトルスキッパー Bishōjo Yuugekitai, Lovely-Girl Play Squadron Battle Skipper) is a Japanese 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
Contents |
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 (華麗部 Kareibu, "Glamour Club"), where admission is said to lead to ultimate success; or The Etiquette Club (礼法部 Reihōbu, "Manners 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 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.
The Battle Skippers are tank like robots each with an AIES expert system connected to enhance the pilot's movement. The manufacturers names are Makuhari Heavy Industries (幕張重工 Makuhari Jūkō), Uruyasu Heavy Industries (浦安重工 Uruyasu Jūkō), Toyomoto Construction (豊本技建 Toyomoto Giken) and Grand Rover (グランローバー Guran Rōbā). 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