Battle Athletes

Battle Athletes (バトルアスリーテス大運動会, Battle Athletes Daiundōkai) is a Japanese series produced by the AIC studio and released as an original video animation (OVA) and a manga by Yūki Nakano, and later aired as an anime television series on TV Tokyo in 1997.

Plot

Battle Athletes

Battle Athletes is a six-episode OVA set in the distant future where, after many years of war with an extraterrestrial race, a contest of physical strength between one representative from each race is agreed. Although the alien race is far superior to the humans, the human champion prevailed, marking an era of peace for humanity. A University Satellite is created where the greatest athletes of the age train with women competing for the title of Cosmic Beauty.

Akari Kanzaki, daughter of a former Cosmic Beauty, arrives at the University Satellite excited and ready to compete. After watching defending Cosmic Beauty Lahrri run faster than she ever has despite the artificial gravity being turned up, Akari realizes just how far she needs to go. Helping her are her fellow team members and roommates Kris Christopher, a soon-to-be priestess from the moon, and Anna Respighi, a shy girl with a secret so hidden even she is unaware of it. Kris is marked as a standout athlete and competes on a level near Lahrri drawing the wrath of another top competitor Mylandah onto the team as they prepare for the final competition.

Battle Athletes Victory

The television series is not a sequel to the OVA, but a complete retelling of the story. The basic premise of the series remain intact, as Akari still strives for the title of Cosmic Beauty, but the plot line and characterizations are often radically different. The characters and stories of this series tend to be more outrageous in tone than the first series.

The story begins with Akari Kanzaki at a school on Antarctica in the year 4999. There are a series of tests that she and her classmates must go through to determine who'll be the representatives to go to University Satellite, a satellite training facility. Living under the shadow of her mother, the legendary Cosmic Beauty Tomoe Midou, Akari, emotionally fragile in this version, struggles as the worst athlete at the training school. Eventually, with the help of her best friend Ichan, Akari succeeds in making it to the University Satellite where she competes for the title of Cosmic Beauty and trains for a mission that will decide the fate of the human race.

Battle Athletes Victory is listed on Animeondvd.com's recommended list.^[1]

Characters

Akari Kanzaki (神崎 あかり, Kanzaki Akari)

Voiced by: Rio Natsuki (Japanese), Bambi Darro (OVA), Lia Sargent (Victory) (English)

Born in Hokkaido, Japan on March 23, 4983. She is the daughter of Tomoe Midou, a former Cosmo Beauty. She's determined to follow in the footsteps of her mother in order to be Cosmo Beauty. However; she is usually ditzy, clumsy, and sometimes a crybaby. In the TV series, whenever she is embarrassed she hides in a cardboard box called "Akari House". Towards the end of the series, she becomes stronger and confident in herself. This is shown more in the OVA's after she cuts her hair short. Her hobby is to read.

Ichino Yanigida (柳田 一乃, Yanigida Ichino)

Voiced by: Aya Hisakawa (Japanese), Wendee Lee (English)

She was born on December 31, 4982, in Osaka, Japan. She is the best friend of Akari. Like her, she is also wanting to become Cosmo Beauty. But their ambitions almost destroyed their friendship and in the end, it caused her to fracture her right ankle. She later returns after Akari wins the competition to help her in defeating the Nerillians. Initially her feelings for Akari are ambiguous until near the end of the series where she confesses her feelings towards her. She likes playing Shougi (Japanese chess) and is a big fan of the Osaka Tigers. Her personality is more upbeat, positive than Akari. She does not appear in the OVAs.

Tanya Natdhipytadd (ターニャ・ナティピタッド, Tānya Natipitaddo)

Voiced by: Aya Sakuguchi (Japanese), Brianne Siddall (OVA), Julie Maddalena (Victory) (English)

She was born on May 5, 4984, in Africa. She is fourteen years old and enjoys hunting and fortune-telling; her personality is described as willful.

Jessie Gurtland (ジェシー・ガートランド, Jeshī Gātorando)

Voiced by: Miki Itō (Japanese), Lia Sargent (OVA), Marie Downing (Victory) (English)

She was born on July 10, 4981, in New York, United States. Her parents died when she was young leaving herself and her younger siblings. She grew up in the hardship of living in poverty, and trying to take care of her ill younger sister. She was then taken in by a priest and, with the encouragement of Tomoe Midou, she resolves to become Cosmo Beauty. Because of this, she holds resentment towards Akari, whom she views as weak and unworthy to be called Tomoe's daughter. In the original manga story, however, she is a friendly rival with Akari and does not resent her; rather she views Akari as one of her best friends. She also views Ayla as a rival. Jessie enjoys dancing, motorsports and playing piano.

Ayla V Roznovsky (アイラ・ヴェフェラスカ・ロスノフスキ, Aira Veferasuka Rosunofusuki)

Voiced by: Yoko Soumi^[2] (Japanese), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (English)

She was born on May 8, 4981, in Russia. She has a cold personality, but becomes friends with Akari, Ichino and Tanya. She views Jessie as a rival. She joined the school of Antarctica in order to bring honor to her country. However, after finding out that her country was conquered, she decides to quit. She later marries her swimming instructor, Sergei and they have a child together, named Jessie, in honor of her former rival. Swimming is her favorite sport. She does not appear in the OVAs.

Wong Ling Pha (王 鈴花)

Voiced by: Takeo Kawata (Japanese), Bridget Hoffman (English)

She was born on August 12, 4982, in Hong Kong, China. She uses various cheating methods in order to win, which always turn out bad for her and loses. However, she sneaks in to the Satellite University, wearing a pink wing and going by the name "Marshall". She serves as the comic relief of the show. She enjoys riding. She doesn't appear in the OVAs.

Kris Christopher (クリス・クリストファ, Kurisu Kurisutofa)

Voiced by: Tomoko Kawakami (Japanese), Dorothy Elias-Fahn (English)

An agrarian priestess from the Moon and member of Akari's team, born January 1, 4982. She is roommates with Akari and Anna at the University Satellite. She has strange habits such as walking around the dorm naked. She has a pet cow called Gyubei, whose milk Kris cannot live without. She falls in love with Akari at first sight. She becomes love rivals with Ichino.

Anna Respighi (アンナ・レスピーギ, Anna Resupīgi)

Voiced by: Akiko Yajima (Japanese), Bridget Hoffman (English)

A member of Akari's team from Satellite Colony 7, born August 7, 4982. In the OVA, she is enrolled in the university satellite by her mother. Eventually, it is revealed that Anna is a boy and was raised to be a girl. Because of this, Anna transfers out of the Girls' satellite and moves into the Boy's satellite. In the TV series, she is a cute girl who enjoys cooking. In the past, she and her twin sister Elaine fought for the attention of their mother. This led to Anna injuring Elaine in an act of jealousy during a game. By the end, the two later make up and become sisters again.

Mylandah Alkar Walker (ミランダ・アーカー・ヴァルター, Miranda Ākā Varudā)

Voiced by: Akemi Okamura (Japanese), Debra Jean Rogers (English)

A senior student from Satellite Colony 3, born February 10, 4980. She was once friends with Lahrri up until the final rounds which resulted in losing the Cosmo Beauty to her. This caused her to become obsessed with defeating Lahrri. She is defeated in the semifinals by Kris and Akari. In the OVAs, she gets expelled from the satellite.

Lahrri Feldnunt (ラーリ・フェルドナント, Rāri Ferudonanto)

Voiced by: Yuriko Yamaguchi (Japanese), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (OVA), Mimi Woods (Victory) (English)

A senior Mongolian student, born June 30, 4980. She was the winner of Cosmo Beauty for two years in a row. She is devoid of emotion and focuses on victory. However, this led to breaking her friendship with Mylandah. She is defeated in the semifinals by Kris and Akari.

Grant Oldman (グラン・オールドマン, Guran Ōrudoman)

Voiced by: Kouji Nakata (Japanese), Steven Blum (English)

The headmaster of University Satellite. He was once a top athlete that brought Earth to victory against the aliens. He possesses super strength. He is supportive of Akari in her goal to become Cosmo Beauty. In the OVA, he is a pervert who sneaks in to the Women's dorm and bath.

Development

At first, the creation of the franchise was set for a public radio drama at start of 1996 on "Orikasa Ai's Moonlight Cafe".^[3] When the end of 1996 approached, a video game of the same name was released for the Sega Saturn system. It was followed up by the OAV series (the first video adaptation) and, some months later, by the TV version. Two more games were released eventually ("Alternative" in 1998, also for the Saturn, and "GTO" in 1999, for the PlayStation). There was also a comic adaptation, subtitled "A.D. 4999".

Manga

A manga adaptation also exists. The story is very different from the anime series which involves Akari being a new candidate in the Antarctica Academy. There she meets her male instructor aa he helps her improve her skills. Akari meets some of the athletes as some become her good friends and some as her sworn rivals. There is a few differences with most of the characters:

Akari: In the anime series, she is hardly an athlete who believes she shouldn't be an athlete like her mother Tomoe Midou and believes she should quit. In the manga, she wanted to improve herself to see if she is worthy of being a true athlete like her mom.

Ichino: In the anime series, Ichino and Akari have been friends since they were twelve years old and Ichino is helping Akari to keep going of being a worthy athlete. In the manga, Ichino first met Akari when Akari enrolled to the academy and become friends right away. Ichino still acts hot-headed sometimes.

Jessie: In the anime series, Jessie acts kind to everyone except to Akari because Akari is the daughter of Tomoe Midou, for Jessie's goal is to become the next Cosmo Beauty Queen and surpass Tomoe Midou. She wants to be the best to everyone including Akari. In the manga, Jessie is a lot more cheerful and is nice to all the athletes which she doesn't see Akari as a rival but a friend. She sees all sports as her favorite hobby to do and have fun.

Tanya: In the anime series, Tanya has darker skin and acts all funny. She looks like a cat and acts all childish. In the manga, Tanya is close to resemble her OVA appearance has less childlike personality and likes to do fun stuff.

Ling Pha: In the anime series, Ling Pha is a princess of China and has a selfish personality that she would do anyway of becoming the new Cosmo Beauty Queen even if it means by cheating. In the manga, Ling Pha is much kind to her friends, has a ponytail, and doesn't cheat. Her father is a very rich merchant who sells special medicine which Ling Pha gives some of her medicine to her friends to help them out, in which case the medicine backfires of that cause side effects for which Ling Pha doesn't know much about the medicines she gives out. She is close friends with Tanya.

Ayla: In the anime series, Ayla's hair style is a wrap of pigtails and has calm personality. Ayla likes to remain calm and never losses her cool. In the manga, Ayla's hairstyle is a well groom pouf fashion and has a dark personality. She watches on all the athletes to learn of their skills and to know of their weakness as she gathers information (data) on them and take them out.

Episodes

Battle Athletes

• 1. Mission 1: Chronicle Beginning
• 2. Mission 2: Oath Entrant
• 3. Mission 3: Screaming Advance
• 4. Mission 4: Match Unexpected
• 5. Mission 5: Objective Tension
• 6. Mission 6: Stage Yonder

Battle Athletes Victory

• 1. Ready Go!
• 2. Kwoolon's Attack!
• 3. The Night of Woong-A-Ji
• 4. My Rival
• 5. Arrogance
• 6. The Return Home
• 7. Lamentation
• 8. The Sinking Talent
• 9. The Thing on the Other Side
• 10. The Promise Resurrected
• 11. Girl Meets Girls
• 12. There Go the Three!
• 13. There Go the Three Again!
• 14. There Go the New Three!
• 15. Light
• 16. Shadow
• 17. I'm Sorry
• 18. Reason to Fight
• 19. From Heart to Heart
• 20. Friend
• 21. Save the Last Dance for Me
• 22. Farewell & Introductions
• 23. Day of Resurrection
• 24. Cultural Catastrophe
• 25. Oh God! The Evil Trap of the Nerillians.
• 26. Goal!

References

External links

• Battle Athletes at the Internet Movie Database