Tek System Boxes, are fictional items within the series Tekkaman Blade and the OVA series Tekkaman Blade II. The ones used in the original series differ slightly to those used in the OVA. In the Teknoman adaptation, they are referred to as 'Tekno-Crystals.
A Tek System Box is a piece of crystal small enough to hold in one hand, but too large to conceal within a closed fist. It functions as a "transformation key." It allows a character who possesses Tekkaman powers to transform into his or her Tekkaman mode. To transform, the character holds the crystal and calls out the words "Tekk Setter!"("Tekno-Power!" in Teknoman) The process of transforming into Tekkaman mode is referred to as tekset.
A System Box can also allow a Tekkaman to achieve escape velocity and reach outer space. This was only demonstrated twice, and in both instances, the ability was invoked during a tekset.
It is possible for one Tekkaman to make use of another's System Box. Blade's primary goal during the second half of the series is to acquire a Radam Tekkaman's crystal in order to use its "space launch" function.
Tekkaman characters seem to store their System Boxes in a kind of pocket dimension from which it can be manifested it at will, although during the TV series, the animation was not clear on this point and it sometimes looked as if the crystal was being kept in a pocket. However, during the OAV series, there is a scene in which Blade's crystal can be seen materializing in his hand.
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Throughout the TV series, System Boxes appear somewhat like elaborately cut gemstones. They have many facets and are composed of straight lines and sharp angles. Each crystal is a uniform color. Most System Boxes are red, while Blade's was green, and Rapier's was pink. No explanation was provided for this variation in coloring. Generally, the greater a Tekkaman's power, the more complex the shape of his or her System Box will be.
It should be noted however that it is possible the coloring of the crystals mirrors the color of the individuals eyes, case in point Blades eyes were green and his crystal was green where as Evil and the others eyes were red and their crystals were red (Blades sisters eyes were pink). No explanation as to this connection is given though one theory is that the eye (and crystal) color denotes the precence of a radam parasite and thus is either a side effect or a method of idenifying which side the tekkaman is on. This theory however has no bearing on the tekkaman of Tekkaman Blade II.
Early in the series, one of the Radam Tekkamen, Dagger lured Blade to the Orbital Ring with a fake distress signal and a device called an Interference Spectrum which blocked Blade's ability to tekksett. Blade pushed his crystal harder in an attempt to force transformation, causing the crystal to crack and shatter.
Afterwards, the shattered parts of Blade's crystal (along with some synthesized parts to replace lost portions) were installed in Pegas, enabling Blade to use the robot in order to transform into a Tekkaman again. However, Blade could not revert to his human form on his own, and needed to use Pegas to reverse his transformation as well. Although the repaired crystal enabled him to tekset, it could not be used to achieve a space launch.
By the time of the Tekkaman Blade II OVA, Blade's crystal appears fully restored, although the means of that restoration are unknown. One possibility is that the same technology used to give Aki her Tekkaman powers was able to restore Blade's.
Evil's crystal was red, just like the rest of the evil Tekkamen. The crystal has two modes, Pre-Transform and Transform. The wings deploy prior to activation.
Miyuki's crystal is red and sharp looking, its asymmetric shape echoing her 'incomplete' nature and the way she wields her scimitar-like weapon. After Miyuki's death, one of the shattered fragments of her crystal was found by Blade who referred to it as a final gift from her.
Dagger's Crystal is roughly diamond like in shape and similar to Evil's (however lacking a transform mode).
Axe's crystal is very large, mirroring his Tekkaman armour. Axe has been aware that Blade was after his crystal; this was one of the factors resulting in his decision to self-destruct and destroy his crystal rather than die and leave his crystal for someone to take.
In the crossover game Super Robot Wars W, Axe hands D-Boy his crystal which was used as an amplifier/magnifier for GaoGaiGar's Gatling Driver attack to destroy the barrier of the Primeval that has nested itself on the moon. Though successful, the crystal was then expended and shattered.
Lance's crystal was never shown in the Japanese or English versions of the series.
Sword's crystal appears to be in the shape of what looks like a sword handle.
Omega's crystal is never revealed in the series. It is possible that because his was a tekka Warlord (the ultimate form of tekkaman) and was so radically different compared to the others (two sets of arms and a tail instead of legs as well as the ability to reveal his face) that he had evolved to the point that he could no longer revert back to a human form and hence did not need a crystal.
The System Boxes shown in Tekkaman Blade II differ in appearance from any of the crystals shown in the original series. This may be due to the fact that these crystals were upgraded from Primary Crystals using reverse-engineered Radam technology. In contrast to the solid monochromatic crystals of the first series, the new crystals comprise of two different colors with the original diamond-shaped primary crystal visible in the center.
Hiver's crystal features a green primary crystal centered in a baby blue and light pink crystal. The blue portion of the crystal is in the rough shape of a sunflower seed and the pink sections are a pair wings in a downward pointing delta shape.
Vesna's crystal colors are green, dark pink and yellow. The primary crystal is green and in the center, the lower portion is yellow and the top is pink. Vesna's crystal has a vague sword handle appearance with three of the four visible points in the crystal pointing downwards and the fourth pointing upwards.
Sommers crystal is dark blue, yellow and green. Like the other two his primary crystal is green and situated in the center of his crystal. His crystal resembles the point of a spear with two thin pieces of crystal on either side.
Dead's tek System is similar to Evil's in that it has a pre transform appearance and a transform appearance (though unlike evil's the crystal seems to grow the additional commponents rather than shifting into that form). In the pre transform appearance, his crystal appears to be the centerpiece of a large hunting knife which doubles as an actual weapon in a few instances. In the transform appearance the crystal takes on a sort of bird in profile appearance and seems to have an effect on the blade itself, turning it more into a dagger.
Assuming the crystal is indeed mounted in a knife the crystals colors are a light blue in its pre transform appearance and blue and white in its transform appearance. The shaft and hilt of the knife are black and gold respectively.