Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 1 ======================================================================= =========================================================================== = Electronic = = = = TTTTTT lll ffff = = TT ll ff ff = = TT aaaa ll eeeee ssssss ooooo ff = = TT aa ll ee ee ss oo oo fffff = = TT aaaaa ll eeeeeee sssss oo oo ff = = TT aa aa ll ee ss oo oo ff = = TT aaaa a llll eeeee ssssss ooooo ff = = = = AAA ii tt ii = = AA AA tt = = AA AA n nnnn iii mmm mm aaaa tttttt iii ooooo n nnnn = = AA AA nn nn ii mmmmmmm aa tt ii oo oo nn nn = = AAAAAAA nn nn ii mm m mm aaaaa tt ii oo oo nn nn = = AA AA nn nn ii mm mm aa aa tt ii oo oo nn nn = = AA AA nn nn iiii mm mm aaaa a tt iiii ooooo nn nn = = = = = =========================================================================== = An Anime Publications Bureau Publication === VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1 = = All contents Copyright (c) 1991 by === = = the APB and Randall Stukey. See Usage === January 1991 = = Notes for copyright restrictions. === = =========================================================================== Co-Editors: === CONTENTS PAGE Patricia Munson-Siter === FICTION Randall Stukey === Lensman Shira R'Starya.................. 4 === Mobiru Suit Confusion................... 36 Authors: === Hoboken no Ken.......................... 41 Robert Gibson === Cosmo Misadventure: Psychic Pair........ 71 Shainde Minuk === Who Framed Roger Rabbit: Patricia Munson-Siter === A Sequel of Sorts................... 88 Alvin Ronnfeldt === === NONFICTION === Animation Facts: Sonic Soldier Borgman.. 60 === === DEPARTMENTS === Editorial Reflections................... 2 === Reviews: Anime in English............... 91 === Anime Fandom Information................ 102 Distribution: === Usage Notes............................. 130 Nul (1:387/255.0) === === Publisher: === APB === 4122 Tallulah === San Antonio, TX === 78218-3452 === USA === Fidonet: 1:387/255.150 === === === === ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 2 ======================================================================= =========================== == == == EDITORIAL REFLECTIONS == == by Randall Stukey == == == =========================== While I have a strong feeling that ELECTRONIC TALES OF ANIMATION is not going to be nearly as popular with the average anime fan as any of our previous animation publications, I know that the editorial staff are going to enjoy working on it much more than we did SAFR, the C/FO-SAN ANTONIO NEWSLETTER, the NEW C/FO BULLETIN, or CELLULOID DIVERSIONS. I imagine we'll enjoy it more than ANIMATION VELOCITY as well. Why? Because this is the first time we are doing a "real" fanzine as opposed to a "magazine-sized newsletter"! Both Patricia Munson-Siter and myself grew up in fandom with zines oriented toward fan fiction and reviews as opposed to newsletters full of detailed fact articles, translations of detailed fact articles, and club business. When we stupidly got involved with the Collapsing Fan Organization back in 1985 and 1986, we foolishly decided to try to maintain the status quo in anime publications. As fan fiction was not too popular among the more vocal members of the C/FO, we begged, bitched, demanded, threatened, wrote, and otherwise obtained as many of the very hard to get (because so few people had the knowledge, skill, time, and desire to write them) factual articles as we could. We downplayed the fan fiction -- even through anime-related fan fiction is MUCH easier to locate than accurate factual articles (because no knowledge of Japanese, expensive anime magazines, or the like are required to write it -- just a basic love and knowledge of the series or features in question). What we should have done was publish a fanzine like this one and attracted an audience we would have been more comfortable with instead of trying to serve the needs and (to us) alien tastes of an audience we had little in common with. Sometimes trying to "be nice" and "go with the flow" cause more trouble than it is worth in the long run. ELECTRONIC TALES OF ANIMATION is patterned after the professional science fiction and fantasy fiction magazines (e.g. ANALOG, AMAZING STORIES, IASFM, etc.). Therefore, while main courses set on the ETA table are definitely going to be animation-related fan fiction, there are going to be regular side dishes of related material: reviews, culture articles, articles on writing fiction, articles on fandom, and yes, even a few of those detailed factual articles that so many anime fen seem to think are the only articles worth reading. Hopefully there will be a little something for everyone in each and every issue -- even if you believe that you loathe fan fiction. However, publishing animation-related fan fiction is the primary purpose of this publication. It will remain so no matter how many letters we get from those of you who do not like fan fiction. Speaking of letters, something else I miss from non-anime zines ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 3 ======================================================================= is an active letters column. Hopefully some of the readership of this publication will be moved to express their opinions of this publication, of the stories or articles we publish, or even of animation in general in a letter for publication in ETA. Letters of comment (LOCs in fanspeak) for publication can be sent by Fidonet netmail (with a Subject Line of "ETA LOC" if possible, please!) to Randall Stukey at 1:387/255.150, by usenet to Randall.Stukey@p150.f255.n387.z1.fidonet.org, or by US Snail Mail to APB ETA Letters, 4122 Tallulah, San Antonio, TX 78218-3452. Our humble apologies in advance, but due to limited time and resources, we may not be able to respond to letters other than those printed in this publication. Like all other publications of the Anime Publications Bureau, ELECTRONIC TALES OF ANIMATION is a strictly not-for-profit publication, neither the editors, the publishers, or the writers make a penny off of this publication. ETA is published as a service to animation fandom; or at least that portion of it that enjoys fan fiction. ETA and its contents are COPYRIGHTED, however, and are not in the public domain. Some of the contents may be reprinted in strict accordance with the terms of provided at the end of this publication in other strictly not-for-profit publications (see "Usage Notes"). ETA is interested in publishing your animation-related fan fiction! Follow the guidelines for submitting fan fiction to Animation Velocity printed in the fandom info section of this newsletter. The more good fan fiction we receive, the more we can print! Our first issue consists of reprints from older publications than have not seen the light of day in some time, but future issues will see more new material that we have not published before. Speaking of new issues.... If you are wondering about the publication schedule of ETA, there currently isn't one. It's frequency will depend on the response it gets, the number of submissions received, and the time the editors have available to devote to it. The editors have contact with numerous fan authors, but we admit that most of the authors we are in contact with write most of their fan fiction on series and features we personally like. This means, unless we get a lot of submissions from the readership, you will see a large number of GATCHAMAN, SAINT SEIYA, JUSTY, and SAMURAI TROOPERS stories. We will be happy to print quality fan fiction based on series and features that we do not personally like (e.g. BUBBLEGUM CRISIS, DOMINION, OUTLANDERS, URUSEI YATSURA, etc.) if authors will just send us their stories in IBM computer readable format! We hope you enjoy the first issue of ELECTRONIC TALES OF ANIMATION! And don't forget, electronic issues of this fanzine are FREE, please pass copies on to your friends and place them on other computer BBSs and online services! Our readers are our only real distributors.... Randall Stukey Co-Editor and Co-Publisher ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 4 ======================================================================= ============================== == == == LENSMAN SHIRA R'STARYA == == by Patricia Munson-Siter == == == ============================== [This story is set in the universe of the Japanese LENSMAN TV series, modified somewhat by material that appeared in E.E. "Doc" Smith's original LENSMAN books to fill in details that the TV series ignored. LENSMAN SHIRA R'STAYRA is an example of a common type of fan fiction story where the author creates a new character and tries to weave that creation into the flow of the pre-existing universe. It the hands of a poor writer, you often get what is commonly referred to in fandom as a "Mary-Sue" story where the new character is a nearly perfect idealized version of the author who is better than everyone else in the universe, solves all the "problems" in the story like the straw men they are, and usually ends up in bed with the author's favorite character in the series, feature, or novel. At its worst, a "Mary-Sue" story is unreadable drek. At the other end of the spectrum, a good bit of professional SF/F is nothing more than a well-written "Mary-Sue" story! Any story where the author introduces a new central character to the cast can be considered a "Mary Sue" story, but the term is generally refused for the "unreadable drek". This story has previously appeared in the original APA-HASHIN and in CELLULOID DIVERSIONS.--RSS] ================= == Chapter One == ================= Shira r'Starya was driven out of the darkness which had become her shelter by the searing agony of her wounds. By dint of sheer concentration she forced herself to ignore the pain, opened her eyes. Somewhere, she heard the evil chuckles of her captor. There he was...or his image, anyway, on a viewscreen across the room. A room bare of all other furniture, except for the ropes tying her legs to the hoop set in the center of the floor. The rope was banded with metal where it bound her leg and at the hoop, preventing her from untying it. The door was ajar, another sadistic touch. "Well, human, I see you have woken!" spoke the hated image on the screen, the great horned helmet concealing all but glowing eyes and obscene fangs. "It is well. You must be awake for the experiment to go on." Shira felt a lurch, recognized it as a ship being put under power. "I had thought to use some of my men to test Arisia's defenses -- but you make a far better choice. We will see what hallucinations you experience -- before your ship, under my control, crashes with its planet-buster bomb into that ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 5 ======================================================================= world." If he expect much of a reaction, he was disappointed. Shira was beyond anger or fear; she was surprised to still be alive -- and determined to keep fighting. Her right arm was useless, broken in at least two places. To immobilize it and keep it out of the way, Shira wedged the right hand to the wrist under the belt of her jumpsuit. There was no time for her to try and heal herself, as broken up as she was...in addition to the arm, she could feel broken ribs, her left leg was twisted at an odd angle, and her head ached. It would take hours for her regenerative powers to heal herself, hours she did not have. Instead, she grabbed a length of the rope in her left hand and began to concentrate. Sweat is acidic; by reaching into herself and concentrating her powers over her own body she increased the acidity. The rope began to react. It would take time -- but slowly the fibers began to disintegrate. Reaching into the rope itself as the process went on, she also affected the rate of its reaction to speed its dissolution. She continued to ignore her tormentor as she worked. Time passed. He had informed her she should soon begin to experience the hallucinogenic defenses of Arisia when the rope finally parted under her assault. She was the only one on board, so there would be none to try and stop her actions. The Boskonian chief controlled the ship remotely, fearing any crew could be persuaded by the hallucinations to turn it aside from its deadly path. The bomb had to go first, she decided. She didn't know if she could wrench control of this ship away from her captors. If she could disable the bomb, then only she and possibly a few others would die when this vessel crashed into its target -- rather than a whole world. Getting to elbow and knees -- her left leg was broken below the knee -- she almost gave up then and there as the movement brought agony not only to her leg and arm but also to her chest. She found it difficult to breath. A moment to collect herself, and then with the stubbornness that was an integral part of her personality she began to crawl toward the engine room, leaving a trail of blood behind her. An achingly long time later, she was looking at vast engines and instruments from floor-level. That bank over there HAD to be the bomb -- problem was, how to disarm it? Should she just go over there and start pulling wires? The floor seemed to give way underneath her. She found herself sliding down a long tunnel composed of stars and nebula toward a glowing ball of light. "This is an illusion or a hallucination, as the Boskonian predicted," she said to herself. For here, her bones were once more whole and the pain was gone. The light flared, began to assume the shape of a revolving, openwork sphere. Someone -- or something -- crouched above the rolling ball, watching her with ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 6 ======================================================================= wise, ancient eyes. "You have travelled far, daughter," the being said softly. "And you are sorely hurt. I do not think you will be able to complete your task without aid, Star Guide." "Perhaps so, Master," she said levelly, acknowledging him his obvious experience and power. "But I must try. If you are an inhabitant of the planet my captors are trying to destroy, be aware I MUST try to disarm the bomb I was working on -- or your planet, as well as myself, will soon die." "You do not fear death." "I do not welcome death, Master. But I do not fear it. It is simply another step." The strange being nodded. "Your abilities are in some ways far different from those I have already chosen to bear the load of the Lensman. You have talents Boskone cannot anticipate. Yes, a wild card entered into the equation." Brilliant light had been building up in the sphere, lashed out toward her, engulfed her. She felt it permeate her entire being, examine her down to the molecular level as well as every bit of her mind. Then it concentrated on the back of her left hand. A weight solidified there, resolved itself into a smooth blue gemstone imbedded in the back of her hand. "It will aid you in your mission," the Master continued. "The Lens will help focus your powers, will show you what you need to know -- use it well, Lensman." An instant of vast grayness, then she was once more in the engine room, facing the bomb. *Show me what I need to know?* she thought, looking at the device. She was startled as its surface swirled in response to her thought, glowed. What was that? Wiring diagrams -- for the bomb? She studied what the Lens revealed, then proceeded with more confidence than she felt to pull wires from the exposed control panel. Done. Arisia was safe, anyway. The control room next. She didn't know if there would be enough time, but she wouldn't give up. After another agonizing interval in which she had to push her increasingly reluctant body even harder to keep from collapsing, she arrived in the control room. No wonder the Boskone chief had stopped screaming at her some time ago, she thought as she looked at the screens. The larger vessel was under attack. He had no time for her now. That might make it easier to break his control over this scout ship. The seat was not built for humanoid frames. It was more like a oddly-shaped couch. She used it to lean up against as she reached for the controls with her left hand. The controls, at least, were fairly logical, and all were labelled...in HER home language? ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 7 ======================================================================= Then she realized she wasn't seeing the real writing. Again, the Lens was showing her what she needed to know by translating the alien symbols into her own terminology. Damn! She was too close to the planet to pull completely away. Perhaps a cometary orbit was possible? She turned on the maneuvering jets, reangled the blast of the main drive. It continued to fire its blast for minutes...then she swore out loud as the engines died. A quick glance told her the fuel tanks had emptied. One way or another, the Boskonian wanted her dead... As she watched the screens, hoping she'd applied sufficient thrust before she'd lost power for a sling-shot orbit, the grayness that had been gathering around the edges of her consciousness closed in, her body finally betraying her. Slowly she slid towards the floor. The cuff of her left sleeve caught on a switch, keeping her from sliding completely to the floor. On her left hand, kept aloft by the caught sleeve, the Lens blinked a steady warning that she was now incapable of heeding. Captain Adams frowned. They'd successfully beaten off the Boskone intruder. All that was left was this small scout craft the larger enemy vessel had been controlling. Sensors registered faint life signs on board. He didn't know what the Boskonian had been after, but was determined to find out. "Sir, someone's been bleeding all over the place here!" came a report from the leader of the boarding party. "Phillips, follow it to the left; we'll take the right." A minute later, Phillips' awed voice came. "Sir, there's a planet-buster in the engine room. It's been disarmed...and whoever did it left a pool of blood next to it." "I've found the source of the blood," Yamamoto, the team leader, announced. "We've found a humanoid in the control room. Looks like he's out cold. Holy Klono! It's a Lensman!" Adams straightened in his chair, finger stabbing at the comm button. "A LENSMAN on board that crate?" "Yeah. He's...excuse me, she...is pretty badly banged up, sir. Looks like she escaped from somewhere on board. She's still got a rope around one leg. Still alive, I've got a pulse! MEDIC!!!!" A minute later: "Good. You haven't moved her?" the medic asked as he arrived, a stretcher in tow. "I was afraid to," Yamamoto replied. "Just from looking at her I can tell that leg is broken, and from the way she's tied up her right arm I figure that's broken, too. She's not breathing any too well, either." The medic probed gently. "Bad. Broken ribs, maybe a punctured lung," he diagnosed. "Heavy blood loss. I hope we have some plasma I can match to hers. She's had these injuries for a while...some of them maybe over a day. Here, help me get her on ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 8 ======================================================================= the stretcher..." Shortly, the empty scout was taken in tow, and the stretcher-bound Lensman was transferred to the Galactic Patrol cruiser. "You need to call the Pasteur, sir," the chief medical officer told the captain shortly thereafter. "Luckily, despite her green skin, her blood's close enough to ours that I can use our stored plasma. She's lost an awful lot of blood, though, and I suspect she'd got some internal injuries I don't have the facilities to handle. She needs a surgeon's care, fast!" "Very well, Lyra," Adams replied. "Gus, put in an emergency call to the Pasteur. Tell them we've got a top-priority Lensman patient on the critical list for them. Doc, you'd better make sure all your data is ready to transmit as soon as you can -- they'll need the information before we transfer her." "Aye, sir." * * * * * * * * * * There was considerable excitement on board the hospital ship when it was learned that the badly injured patient the Northrup was transferring was an unknown Lensman. The excitement increased even more when it was learned that the BRITTANIA was also enroute with Lensmen Kinnison and Worsel on board, as well as Chief Surgeon Lacy. The surgeon assigned to initial care lost all his excitement once he got a look at the data Lyra had sent. He started cursing once they got her on his operating table. He did not use the term often, but this Lensman was a mess. An endless time later, he was reporting to Lacy as the two Galactic Patrol Lensmen looked on. "Brain, spine are in good shape," the surgeon told them. "Eyes seem OK. Right arm broken in three places. Left leg broken in two places; compound fracture of the ulna. Broken ribs -- luckily, they didn't penetrate the lungs, although she's got some bad internal bruising. Numerous incised wounds we had to clean out and seal with plastiflesh. I don't think we'll have to amputate unless something gets badly infected. We're using an alpha-wave generator to keep her asleep. Her body chemistry is just enough different from a normal human's that I didn't want to risk using any drugs on her. I just can't be sure how she'd react to any of them." Lacy nodded. "Let's take a look at your patient, then," he said. There really wasn't too much to actually see of her. Both the broken leg and arm were in traction as well as in casts. Her upper torso was also enclosed in a cast. The alpha-wave generator covered most of her head. However, the Lens glowed on the left hand, visible as it lay on top of the covers. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 9 ======================================================================= Her skin was a translucent, light mint green, mottled here and there with darker green bruises. Her hair, cut in a jaw-length bob, was silver-white. "She must have a streak of stubbornness a mile wide, to do everything she did with those injuries," the doctor said, a little awe in his voice. "Lensmen, while alive, never quit," Worsel said calmly. "She knew what she had to do -- and did it. When are you going to let her wake up?" "Well, as ground up as she was, if we can keep her under for at least another four weeks, it'll speed her healing," Lacy said. "And, by that time, we should know enough about her body chemistry to figure out which of our pain-killers are safe for her to use." "Let us know before you wake her. After what she's been through, it would be wise to have another Lensman present," Kinnison told the doctors. Lacy nodded. "Especially if she's never seen any Terro-humans before," he said. * * * * * * * * * * Four weeks later they were all gathered in the hospital wing of Grand Base, with the addition of Port Admiral Haynes. Carefully, the nurse turned off and removed the helmet of the generator. The Lensman sighed, a flicker of pain crossing her face. Then, her eyes opened. "You're among friends now, Lenswearer," Kinnison told her, both aloud and over his Lens. "I'm Kimball Kinnison, and this is Worsel. Dr. Lacy is beside you, and that's Port Admiral Haynes." Her breath caught for a moment as she swung her head around to look at him. Deep grey eyes searched his face, Worsel's, then the others. Kinnison could feel the brief Lensed probe she drove at them, did not shield against it. She visibly relaxed. "Shira r'Starya," she replied. "The Boskonian filth?" "Still loose," Worsel admitted. "Our cruiser could chase him off, but didn't have enough legs to catch him." "Damn," she said with feeling. "That one needs killing." "How did it happen -- how did you end up on that scout ship?" Haynes asked. "I was initially captured while doing star-mapping," she replied. "Their ship was faster than my scout. I think the captain had originally planned to simply kill me, but then I made him angry by escaping and stealing one of his speedsters. They shot it down. I'm not sure how many of my injuries were caused by the crash or how many happened after they recaptured me. Things sort of became confused. I know they were kicking me -- that's when my ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 10 ======================================================================= ribs got stove in. Then the blasted pirate decided to experiment a little, and loaded me on board a planet-buster headed for Arisia -- while he monitored my reactions to the illusions that defend that planet. I was able to get free -- and if you've got the ship they locked me in you probably have already put together the rest." "We know you disarmed the bomb and were able to turn the ship away from crash-landing on Arisia," Haynes nodded. "Our cruiser picked it up after the cometary orbit you established sling-shotted you away from the planet and its defenses." "Well, the last thing I remember was praying to the gods that I'd been able to develop enough side-thrust to get me into that cometary orbit before the engines quit," she said, laughing shakily. "I think that's it for now, gentlemen. The lady still needs her rest. Bring in a dose of that pain-killer..." Lacy said. "No, doctor. Drugs will interfere with my healing processes," the Lensman said firmly. She closed her eyes, relaxed even more. The Lens on her hand glowed softly...and the glow began to spread until her whole body was enveloped. Lacy reached over to take her pulse, jerked his hand away as an audible crackle like static electricity was heard. "Ouch!" Lacy shook his hand gingerly. "She's making sure you don't give her that hypo when she's not looking," Haynes half-kidded his friend. The doctor only glared at him in reply. Worsel leaned over the injured Lensman, careful not to touch the glowing field. "Hmm," he said thoughtfully. "A healing trance. She had enough control over her body that she can speed up her own healing processes. I've heard of the talent, but never before have I witnessed it being used." "If she's going to compress several weeks of normal healing into a few days, she's going to need a lot of food to replenish her system when she wakes," remarked the young surgeon from the Pasteur. Lacy nodded. "See if you can get some sensors in here -- maybe we can pick up and record some of this process," he said. Haynes got up. "I think that's all we'll get from your fellow Lensman until she wakes up again," he announced. Taking the hint, the other two Lensmen followed him out of the room, leaving it to the medical personnel. "What do you think of her story?" he asked once they were shielded in his office. "She's a Lensman, and she talked to us over her Lens," Kinnison replied. "I don't know of anyone who can lie on the Lens. Do ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 11 ======================================================================= you, Worsel?" "Mentor told me it was impossible, unless someone had tampered with the wearer's mind so he or she believed it was the truth. I doubt that is the case here...Boskone has not the skill, and I think this one would break before she could be bent by force." "Her will power must be extremely strong," Kinnison agreed. "I wonder how many other Lensmen are out there we don't know about?" Haynes mused. "Well, we've already found out there is more to Boskone than Helmuth," Kinnison replied. "Mentor may have more strings to his bow, too." "We should not have expected Boskone to roll over and die with Helmuth's defeat," Worsel said. "The Patrol would not disappear if you were eliminated, Admiral." "You're right," Haynes agreed. "We must continue to destroy every Boskone base, every ship we come across. Eventually we'll find their home planet -- or planets. Then we must bring our own forces to bear -- and try to capture their data-banks before we destroy them. Once we have their own records we may have a chance to root them out for good." He stood, went to look out the clearsteel window through which they could see the comings and goings of the fleet. "No use making recriminations now. We must go forward." "Aye, sir," the Lensmen acknowledged. * * * * * * * * * * Shira woke ravenous, stuffed herself, went back to sleep -- and ate a more normal meal when she woke again. Lacy examined her minutely four days after she'd woken for the first time, and declared her fit -- but weak. He prescribed an intensive physical therapy regime to build the Lensman's strength back up and to enable her to regain her former agility and speed. Neither Kinnison nor Worsel was there to see her progress. Both had missions of their own to attend to. Haynes and Lacy, though, watched her work and approved. She approached her therapy with the same tenacity with which she had earlier forced herself to survive. Finally, she was released as fully ready for duty. Lacy followed her up to the Port Admiral's office. "We cannot order you to work for us, of course," Haynes told her. "However, if you are willing to follow my general directions and suggestions, I will have the Patrol furnish you with a ship and whatever other aid you request. Our battle is against Boskone, too." "Willingly, sir," she replied. "I've seen enough of your Patrol in the past weeks to know I approve of you and your organization. You must understand, sir, I am accustomed to working undercover -- alone. Some of my abilities make me ideal for that type of ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 12 ======================================================================= work." "What abilities in particular do you speak of? The more we know, the better we can decide which missions you would do best on." Shira spread her hands. "First, you must be told that this is not my natural coloration or features," she said. "I am somewhat like your Terran chameleons, Admiral. I can, within a certain range, change hair and skin color. Although I cannot change my basic structure -- my skeleton does not alter easily -- I can rearrange to an extent my body fats, the size of my muscles and muscle tone. It takes several hours to make a change, but once I'm through I retain that shape and color until I change again." "Fascinating," Lacy breathed. "Of course, that sort of ability would follow, considering your healing talents." "And we can certainly use that talent," Haynes said. "What about the Lens? Cover it with a flesh-tone glove?" "Not necessary," she told him. "If one knows how--" she thrust out the left hand, concentrated. The Lens slowly faded into invisibility. "You can still feel it, of course," she said, stroking the unseen device. "But not even sensors will pick up its presence." "Wonderful," agreed Haynes. "I think we have a job made to order for you, Shira..." ================= == Chapter Two == ================= Months later, a scout ship identified itself to the BRITTANIA. "Lensman r'Starya requesting permission to come aboard!" Shira's voice came over the comm. Kinnison looked at the image which formed on the screen, and almost couldn't believe it was the same Lensman he'd seen in a hospital bed so long ago, despite Haynes' warning. Light blue skin this time, and long black hair tied back and braided. "Permission granted," he replied. "Henderson, open up the upper airlock; her ship's too big for our landing bay." "Aye, sir." And shortly Shira was standing on the bridge next to Kinnison's command chair. "You have good pictures of the woman you want me to disguise myself as?" she asked. "Better than that. A video tape," Kinnison told her. "Come, I'll show you." She watched the tape with interest. "Excellent. Her bone structure is not too different from mine," she commented after concentrated study. "Please leave that full-face picture on the ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 13 ======================================================================= screen. It'll take me a few hours to make the change. I'll let you know when I'm ready." "I'll be back then," Kinnison promised. After he left, Shira stared at the screen and sighed. That blonde-haired female was SO beautiful...it wasn't right for a few women to have such breathtaking beauty when so many others were plain. With another sigh, she went to work altering her own features and coloration. Finally she was satisfied with the result. She'd even been able to change her voice to match the bombshell's. She called Kinnison in. "Well? Close enough?" she asked in the woman's husky voice. "Klono, yes!" he breathed, looked at the screen and then back to Shira. "And it's all YOU? No wigs, no dyes, no makeup?" "Just me," she agreed. "That's why Haynes refers to me as his chameleon, you see..." "I wish I had some of that ability," Kinnison replied. "I've got about the same facial structure and coloration as Dermer, but..." "With any luck, they'll be paying more attention to me than to you," the woman replied. "Anyone else going along?" "Henderson, my chief pilot," Kinnison replied. "He'll be our bodyguard. He isn't very well- known, so he won't need much of a disguise." "Let's go to work, then," Shira suggested. * * * * * * * * * * Henderson did a double-take when he saw Shira. Surely this couldn't be the same woman...? But the peaches and cream honey blonde also wore a Lens on her left hand. The only other Lensman on the ship was Kimball himself. The woman smiled at him as she lead him into the briefing room, where Kim was looking in a mirror and swearing quietly. "Hi, Hen," the Tellurian Lensman said. "Wish I had the same ability to disguise myself as Shira, here! Think this'll pass?" "If we've got the lady here along, you could be a Zabraskan fontema and no one would notice," Henry replied. Shira was also studying him. So far she'd resisted sticking her oar in, but she couldn't resist any longer. "You haven't got the haircut quite right -- Dermer keeps his a bit more rakish. And we're going to have to do something about that walk of yours..." So saying, she sat down next to Kim and went to work. "That's got it," Henderson approved a little while later. "Now, are you going to teach him how to walk like the character whose place he's taking?" ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 14 ======================================================================= "Don't have time to do the job right, and half-right is worse than all wrong," the other Lensman replied. "Hmm...best thing to do is give you a little limp, enough so it's noticed and can be explained away as a result of a twisted ankle or something. Give me your boot!" Wordlessly, Kim did so. Shira looked over the table, picked up a piece of paper and wadded it up. Then she slid it to the toe of the boot and gave it back to Kim. "Get up and walk," she told him. "Let's see if that'll do the job." It did. While the paper did not hurt Kim's foot, it made it uncomfortable enough that he automatically favored it a little. "And that way you can't accidentally forget to limp, or which foot is supposed to be injured," she told him. "Now, for you...Henderson, you look entirely too straight to be teamed up with such a disreputable man as Dermer." "Your turn in the barrel, Hen!" Kim laughed as the master pilot sat down. A few dabs of something combed through his hair and something else applied to the high points of his face made him look greasy, almost grungy. Then she brought out clothes for him. Henderson winced. These at first glance looked fairly nice, but a second glance said there was something a little garish and tacky about them. Nothing remained of the impeccable Galactic Patrol officer when he was changed into the garb and Shira had finished adjusting it. "Henderson, you look like a real hood!" Kinnison said, looking at the BRITTANIA's pilot. He turned to Shira. "If your ability to change your appearance is due to physiological talent rather than make-up, how come you know so much about this stuff?" he asked. Shira grinned. "Physical coloration, facial construction, and even voice are only the first, most basic steps in an impersonation," she replied. "If I went in with just that, I'd have died long ago. Just as important is dress, speech patterns, mannerisms, the way a person moves -- I had to learn those things to do my job in addition to my chameleon act." "You're a shape-changer?" Henderson asked, startled. "No," she shook her head. "I can only change the surface, not my basic structure. I could not even change myself into a male of my own species, for example, although I could make my face appear somewhat masculine. Because I cannot change my bone structure, even then I'd look like a boy or young man --" she grinned conspiratorially at him -- "I couldn't even begin to copy that nice, square chin of yours, Henderson, nor could I produce the solid frame of your body nor readily produce the musculature you've built up." Henderson was oblivious to the half-compliment. "But within the limits of your bone structure and such, you can appear to be ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 15 ======================================================================= almost anyone, of any humanoid race," he said. "And you're experienced at undercover work. I can certainly understand why Haynes wanted you on this mission!" "And we'll be using her ship," Kinnison put in. "BRITTANIA, unfortunately, is much too obvious." He smiled slyly. "I understand the POLE STAR was custom-built to your own specifications, Shira. You'll have to show Hen and me how she works." "Certainly, although if I'm incapacitated Seth can handle most of the ship functions, including piloting and basic navigation. Come on, we might as well go and introduce you to him anyway." The two men followed her in bewilderment. Neither was aware of any crew on the scout ship other than her Lensman pilot. Nor, when they entered the main airlock, did they see any signs of other tenants. Shira grinned at their confusion as the airlock was closed and the walkway between the two ships withdrawn. She lead them to the control room. "Seth, we have company," she said to the room in general. "Please record their patterns; they are to be allowed full access to the ship and should I be injured or killed you will follow their instructions." "Understood, Shira," said a soft, cultured masculine voice. Henderson identified it as coming from a speaker; it was Kimball who noticed the flashing lights on a panel at the back of the room. "A computer!" he exclaimed. "Indeed. Something a little more advanced than those you of the Patrol use," she said. "Seth is somewhat self-aware and fully capable of making decisions on his own when necessary -- something which has come in handy more than once, I can tell you. In emergency situations the ship becomes part of him, like a body to his brain. He can't do everything, of course, but within his limits he is extremely efficient." She sighed. "He isn't anywhere near what the Shipmind on my last ship was like, but then Greta had been around for a good many years and was an experienced hand, so to speak." "The Patrol obviously can make such machines, or they couldn't have done this for you," Kim mused. "I wonder how come they haven't put them into the rest of our ships?" "Time, money, and the fact your people hate to loose any of their control to a mere machine," Shira returned steadily. "And a ship such as yours with a large crew something like Seth is really unnecessary. Human reactions tend to be swifter and surer, especially under stress -- Seth tends to get overloaded when he gets too many inputs at once. Seth is useful to someone like me who is out here in space normally by myself for long periods of time. He's great at standing watch during slack times, which frees me to do my other duties. In emergencies, he awaits my orders -- and if I'm out of it, his instructions are usually to pull me out if he can and escape." ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 16 ======================================================================= "Makes sense," Henderson agreed. He was far more interested in the controls in front of the pilot's chair than in the self-aware computer. "How do you operate this thing?" he demanded, arm sweeping in the direction of what looked to be a bank of keys like an organ keyboard. "Take your seats, strap in, and I'll show you," Shira replied. She herself slid easily into the pilot's chair, fastening shoulder and lap harnesses as she did so. Henderson, remembering some of the times he'd been thrown about in the BRITTANIA's pilot seat, followed her example. Kim did too, with some reluctance. "BRITTANIA, we're leaving you now," Shira said. An acknowledgement from Thorndyke, and Shira cut the power to the electromagnets holding the scout to the cruiser's hull. "Each key controls a different jet," she said to Henderson, gently touching one. The BRITTANIA dropped below them as a belly-jet responded to that command. "I also have redundant control for the main engines on the arms of this chair for use in high-gee maneuvering." Fingers played with lighting speed across the board now, and POLE STAR was rocketing away at full blast. "It takes a bit longer to learn than the system on your ships, but once learned you can react faster and more fully to the situation." "You don't even look at controls!" Kim burst out. "Of course not," Shira replied, puzzled. "No more than your science officer, Thorndyke, has to look at what buttons he's pushing on his board." Henderson nodded. "Hopefully we'll have time for you to show me at least the basics," he said. Kim looked at the pilot. Henderson was practically drooling at the thought of learning how to hurl this bucket of bolts about! "Sure. It'll take a fairly long jump to get to our destination, and while in warp the normal-space controls are disconnected," his fellow Lensman told Henderson. The jump went boringly well for Kinnison, who did not share Henderson's interest in learning a new system. He watched as Henderson sat in the command seat, Shira leaning over the back of the chair and instructing him. The viewscreen showed the chaotic nothingness of warpspace...at least until Shira had Seth produce visuals to match Henderson's efforts with the keyboard. He watched with some interest as Henderson slammed the ship into planets and asteroids with frightening regularity until the pilot's reflexes began to adjust to the new controls. Henderson might have been disappointed when Seth signaled they were getting ready to dewarp, but Kim was relieved. The action would start soon! Shira's forged credentials got POLE STAR down on Galladrax, their target planet, without incident. Kinnison took the comm screen to make his connections as the infamous Dermer, while noting with some discomfort how easily his female partner slipped into the ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 17 ======================================================================= role of beautiful, clinging air-head. How many other women he'd thought of as brainless were actually putting on an act? As for Henderson, he was just uncomfortable enough with his role as hired gun to achieve the air of trigger-happy alertness one might expect from a thug in such company as they were to be in shortly. Kinnison walked down the ramp to the tarmac, Shira on his arm. Henderson walked a pace or two behind his boss, eyes ever-watchful as they crossed toward the reception point. Again, the forged papers Shira had provided got them through without incident. Two thugs approached them. "Captain Dermer?" one asked. "That's my name," Kinnison acknowledged. "Who do you represent?" "Yasnor wants to speak with you; we are to escort you to him," the individual replied. "The password is "thionite"." "The reply is "Orange". Very well," Kim replied. "Let's go, then." Henderson had to admit that Kinnison certainly had the cockiness to go with the part he was playing. The youngster's brassy self-assurance was something the older Patrol officer wasn't sure he could have projected had roles been reversed. The calm disdain -- almost contempt -- with which he treated the weapons carried by their escorts made the pilot more nervous than the situation already had. It was Shira's artless, empty-headed questions that at the moment were really bringing in the answers they needed. If either Kinnison or Henderson had asked some of the things she had, their guards would have been bristling with suspicions. Even those questions they answered innocuously produced results, for the guards undoubtably thought about the real answers -- and both Lensmen were mind-readers. Finally they arrived at their destination. They all eyes it with a certain amount of trepidation. "It's so...big," Shira said. "Is that a castle?" "Well, it's built like a fortress!" laughed on guard, amused at her awe. Henderson's eyes were taking in the emplaced armaments and armored guards at the doors. Fortress indeed, this place was better defended than Grand Base! However, as they entered, his experienced eyes also noted that most of that weaponry was mounted against an outside attack. He saw little sign, other than armed guards, of precautions taken against a foe coming from inside. That might prove this place's downfall. Henderson barely noticed several small, dark-haired and skinned women scurrying about some of the corridors. He wouldn't have really seen them at all except for the fact Shira was obviously studying them. He decided they were janitorial personnel and ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 18 ======================================================================= ignored them. They were taken to an inner chamber that reminded him of nothing so much as a throne room. All that was missing was a crown on the head of the man seated at the far end of the gallery. "High Chief Yasnor, we have brought the man Dermer to you," one of the guards reported. Yasnor looked at them dispassionately, his black eyes and dark, patterned skin giving the alien a reptilian appearance. Henderson wondered if the patterns were natural or some type of tatoo. "Welcome to Galladrax, Captain Dermer," Yasnor said, voice speaking Standard with a syllibant accent. "You have come to join my organization." "I'm willing to discuss an alliance with you, if it appears such a deal would be advantageous," Kinnison retorted. "I will work with you if that's the case. I work for no one but myself." The air around them grew tense as Kinnison stared challengingly at the alien. Then Yasnor laughed. "Well said, cub," he replied. "We contract out work. Once you've seen my people in action, you may decide to change your mind. Wilson, see that the Captain's companions are taken care of while I take him on my grand tour." "Aye, sir," replied one of the guards. Henderson sent a frantic glance in Kinnison's direction. "Go on, Hen," Kinnison said, waving one hand negligently. "I'll be all right." He grinned. "Keep an eye of Isobell. Make sure she doesn't get into any trouble." "Very well, sir," Henderson replied stiffly. "What do you mean, get into trouble?" Shira whined. "I ain't never caused no trouble!" "Just stay with Hen, 'bell," Kinnison told her. Shira, staying in character, pouted but obeyed. =================== == Chapter Three == =================== They were led to a sumptuously appointed waiting room. Shira sat down on a corner of one of the couches and continued to pout. Henderson knew she was actually keeping in touch with Kinnison with her Lens, and probably scanning the minds of as many around them as she could. Henderson left her alone in the task, and the guards seemed inclined to ignore them if they didn't make trouble. **Henderson! Yasnor's just had Kim grabbed -- going to try and force "Dermer" into joining his organization,** Shira's clear ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 19 ======================================================================= mental voice spoke in his mind, although her face displayed not a twitch of conflicting emotion. **They'll find his Lens...we've got to act now!** *Which one shall I take out?* he thought carefully in return. **Take the one on the right, silently if you can,** she instructed. She got up from her seat, walked over to the small buffet of food in the room. **Now!** Hen was already fairly close to the man she indicated. Two short steps and he delivered a round-house kick to the guard's chin. He wasn't sure, but thought he heard the dull *snap* of the man's neck. He turned to face the other guard, but that one was also falling, one of the small dainty silver forks piercing his throat. Henderson took his DeLameter out of its holster as Shira picked up the guards' weapons. "Two more outside," she said. "One to the right, his back against this wall. The second is down the hall to the left, in the doorway." "If you'll get the one right outside, I'll take care of the one in the doorway." "Fine. Door's unlocked. Ready?" "Go!" The man on the right was already dead by Shira's quick hand as Henderson ducked and rolled into the corridor, two shots finishing the fourth guard. "This way!" Shira commented, pulling him down the right hand corridor. Henderson noted she'd dropped several more of the forks into one of her back pockets as he followed her. If she was that accurate with cutlery, he'd enjoy seeing what she could do with a weapon balanced for throwing! They paused before going through the next entrance way. "Three guards -- two above on the second level, one ahead," she said, concentrating to scan their path. "Catch as catch can?" Henderson grinned. "Hmm," she grunted, charging ahead. Their progress through the fortress was entirely stop and go, as Shira paused frequently to telepathically 'look' ahead for opponent. Henderson didn't complain. Alarms began to shriek. "Damnation," Shira muttered, shooting a soldier who walked around the corner. Then they were exchanging fire with surprised Boskone shock troops stationed in front of a solid door. Henderson frowned. It seemed likely Yasnor was in with the Boskone revival...the enemy went down under their combined fire. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 20 ======================================================================= "I don't think this puny little gun is powerful enough to cut through that door," Shira said as they examined it. "The DeLameter should do it," Henderson grunted. "I'll cover for you while you do it. They'll be warned we're coming anyway..." Shira fired at a guard who stuck his head around the corner. Henderson got to work, setting his weapon for narrow beam setting and cutting around the locks. Minutes later the last lock gave way. Shira went in first, taking a running dive and rolling. Henderson followed, his quick eyes having picked out the muzzle flashes as the enemy fired at the woman, and used that knowledge to pick his targets. As he charged in, he saw Yasnor slip into a passageway that closed behind the suspected Boskone chief. Henderson was too busy shooting enemy gunmen to do anything else but fume for the next few minutes. Then, once the enemy was incapacitated, he had to put off examining the closed passageway as Shira called him over to help with Kinnison. Kimball looked like he'd been through a meat-grinder; worse than when he'd tangled with the Boskone pirate chieftain Leu. The Lensman was barely conscious as they cut the ropes binding him to the table Yasnor had had him placed on while they tortured him. "Cavalry...arriving?" Kim whispered hoarsely. "You could say so. Now, Captain, I think we're going to put you to sleep for a while," Shira told him. She touched his forehead gently. "Relax and rest, my friend," she whispered. Kinnison's eyelids fluttered for a moment as she concentrated, then closed. Shira straightened. "Cut up those drapes, will you, Hen? He's got some broken ribs and a broken leg in addition to everything else," she said. "Yasnor..." Henderson began. "We'll go after him later," Shira said grimly. "Our boss comes first. But believe me --" she grinned wolfishly -- "Yasnor will learn it's not wise to mess around with Captain Dermer!" Minutes later Kinnison was draped around Henderson's broad shoulders, and they were standing in front of the passageway entrance as Shira jimmied the opening mechanism. Finally it clicked open, and they let it close behind them just as more of Yasnor's troops busted through the main door. The passageway was dark, and they were slowly feeling their way along it when the floor beneath them fell. They found themselves sliding down a chute of some sort towards some unknown destination. Then their flight ended as they plowed into sand. In the darkness, more sand and gravel shifted and grated as unseen creatures moved around them, coming closer. A light flared. Henderson realized it was Shira's Lens blazing ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 21 ======================================================================= on her hand. "Hen, don't shoot them," she said, reassuringly. He realized he'd drawn his DeLameter and had the safety off. Something huge swayed over Shira, only dimly lit by the Lens' light. He gout a whiff of spicy breath as another leaned over him and Kinnison. Large eyes reflected light greenishly in the darkness around them as Shira used her Lens to communicate with the snake-like creatures. Then the woman turned to him. "Hen, they're taking you and Kinnison someplace safe. I'll join you in a while. I've got work to do." "Lensman!" Henderson objected. "Hen,, these people can't keep an adequate eye on Kim, and you know as much first aid as I do. I'm experienced at going places unnoticed and committing mayhem. You're a top pilot, Hen -- but you've never snuck into an armed and alert enemy base to commit sabotage undetected." "And you have," Hen sighed. "Look at it this way, Henderson. If I get into trouble, you're my backup!" He couldn't see her grin but knew it was there. "I'd have a hard time coming to your aid," he replied. Then one of the creatures put its head down on the ground, and Henderson placed Kim on the broad, flat skull before climbing on himself...and they were speeding down a tunnel faster than he could've run. "Good luck, Shira," he muttered. **Thanks. I may need it!** her amused thought told him. Then it turned serious. **If I'm not back in six hours, our friends will take you to an airshaft which is close to the spaceport. Seth'll let you on board the POLE STAR and do his best to get you back to base.** She cut the mental link before Hen could object. "Bloody damn independent Lensmen!" he growled to himself. The tunnel snakes -- tunnel dragons? -- brought him to a fairly large chamber, dimly lit by an air shaft. Henderson could hear water nearby as he climbed off his 'mount' and settled Kinnison on the hard ground. Fleetingly he wondered why their hosts had agreed to help Shira and the humans. He dismissed such questions for the time being, finding the water by the expedient of stumbling into the ice-cold brook. He then found a hollow in the rocks the stream ran through, filled it with water, and with his weapon on dispersal pattern heated it to boiling. Hopefully that would kill anything living in the liquid. Then he sat down to wait until it cooled. He was working on the fourth or fifth change of water, bathing Kinnison's wounds, when he became aware of the snakes becoming agitated, swirling about fitfully. *Something's happened,* he thought. *The question is, what?* As he bit his lip in frustration, the cave seemed to grow darker -- and then he was floating in a star field, a nebulae glowing on ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 22 ======================================================================= one side. A ball of light shot toward him, resolving into a strange, squat being with an air of ancient wisdom. Below it, a lattice-work sphere rotated, glowing softly. "You're Mentor," Henderson whispered, remembering the descriptions the Lensmen had given of the Arisian. "Henry Henderson, master pilot of the Galactic Patrol," the being replied. Your skills are not enough for this mission, Henderson. Nor can Shira, capable though she is, do it alone. You are capable, your integrity is solid, and you are worthy of the responsibilities. Therefore..." light lanced from the sphere. Henderson felt like ants were crawling all over and inside him as the glow engulfed his body. Then the sensation was gone, and there was an unfamiliar weight on his left hand. He stared at the Lens which glowed there. The starfield faded, and once more he was kneeling on the rocky ground next to the unconscious Kinnison. The pilot swayed for a moment under the shock, then straightened. Standing, he went to one of the snakes, who was trembling ever so slightly as it lay curled on the rocky floor. **What's wrong?** he asked, carefully directing the thought to the creature. The snake froze. Then, words began forming in Henderson's mind, not as clearly as when Shira spoke to him over her Lens but intelligible. *Our smaller brothers report your companion is cornered by the dark-minded ones in the made-cave above.* Henderson reached out with his mind for Shira, but could only get an impression of vast concentration he couldn't break through. **Take the injured one to the airshaft you told my companion about,** he said. **And me to the made-cave above.** A brief conference between the snakes, then he found himself aboard a giant head once more, heading upward through tunnels that dipped, turned, and forked so much Hen wasn't sure he'd be able to find his way back without help. He wondered how many miles of tunnels existed under the planet's surface. The snake-thing deposited him on a ledge. The tunnels leading off from it were too small for his giant companion to traverse, but with his Lens he could feel a mind similar to the big one's. Reaching out, he found himself in touch with one of the "smaller brothers". A brief touch of smooth, satiny skin against his knees, and his new guide headed into the smaller tunnels. Henderson followed, DeLameter at ready. Light streamed through multiple holes ahead. He discovered he was behind a wall panel. The sounds of full-pitched battle waffled through the grating along with the light. The hidden door mechanism was simple. It swung open with a minimum of persuasion. Frowning, he bunched up a rug and thrust it under the panel to jam it open. It would be embarrassing and perhaps lethal to effect ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 23 ======================================================================= a rescue and then discover that his escape route had disappeared. He was on a balcony of some sort, above the level of the battle. Sneaking a peek over the edge, he saw a dark-haired woman below him, behind the cover of a pillar. She was firing at the enemy troops with a steady, accurate hand. It had to be Shira. "Shira! Up here!" he bellowed, using his weapon to pick off the enemy troops he could see from his vantage point. As if to further dispel any remaining doubts about Yasnor's connections, these, like the ones who had guarded the door to the 'torture chamber', were Boskone shock troops. They looked vaguely like fat matrons in long, stiff skirts and conical hats. Whether they wore special armor or if they grew their outer wear like an exoskeleton was something no one in the Patrol was sure of. Shira didn't need any further instructions in what to do as his suppressive fire kept the Boskonian guards from shooting. She ran to a spot under the balcony and leaped. Strong fingers grasped the decorative railing, and seconds later she's shinnied over it. They both plunged into the hidden passageway, Hen kicking the rug free so the panel could slide closed. Shira followed him down the passageways until they came upon his huge guide. Wordlessly, they sat, and the creature took off under full speed. **I thought you were experienced at sneaking in and out unnoticed!** Henderson teased semi- seriously. A hand abruptly closed over his Lens. He could feel her startlement through the link. **Congratulations, Lensman,** she thought at him warmly. **Thanks for the assist, too.** A second's hesitation, then: **If I'd stuck to plain sabotage I would've been all right. But I was presented a target I couldn't resist, and was spotted after I'd finished copying the information the Patrol needs.** **?** **Star charts showing the locations of fifteen new Boskone bases,** she replied smugly. **They're in the can right now. The camera is hidden in my belt-buckle. With any luck, they won't realize I got to the maps...** **So they won't try and relocate those bases,** Henderson nodded, impressed. She was right -- that was the sort of information the Patrol desperately needed. She'd had to risk discovery to get that map. Shortly, they were climbing out of a hole near the spaceport, Henderson with Kinnison once more in a fireman's carry. He started as he looked at Shira. He hadn't really looked at her in the seconds it had taken them to go from the balcony into the dark tunnel. The features she now wore hadn't changed a great deal from Isobell's, but now she sported mottled, purplish skin and dark blue hair. In addition, her over-all appearance was ragged, dirty, and greasy. The exact image of the cleaning women they'd seen in Yasnor's complex! No wonder Yasnor's people had ignored ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 24 ======================================================================= her until it was too late! "Let me scout around the tarmac a bit. I'll be back shortly," she said, and vanished. Henderson sighed and slid down to sit, putting Kinnison's still limp form beside him. Almost half an hour later she returned, face grim. "There are quite a few troops around my ship, and a Boskone battleship on the field," she reported. "I've arranged a distraction. We'd better get going; they'll go off in five minutes." Four minutes later they were hiding behind the corner of a warehouse, Shira's scout sitting on the ramp in front of them. To one side, a squad of skirted Boskone guards stood by. "Seth, begin covert power-up procedures," Shira whispered. Henderson glanced at her. As far as he knew she didn't have a radio to contact the ship's computer. "He's got his sensors on full -- including some rather sensitive microphones! He'll have heard my orders," Shira explained with a smile. "There! Let's go!" An explosion rocked the ground below them as the port operations tower exploded. A more distant rumble was also to be heard. Shira must've timed the spaceport bomb to coincide with the ones she's set in Yasnor's fortress. The guards ran towards the tower, and the Lensmen sprinted across the tarmac. The port in the POLE STAR's side irised open as they came. There were yells from the direction of the armed troops; a few shots lanced past them. Henderson increased his speed. He gasped in pain as the energy bolt's nimbus enveloped him. Then Shira's hand was on his arm, urging him forward. Somehow, he managed to keep Kinnison's limp body over his shoulders and not drop the young Lensman. **Almost there, Hen,** Shira's Lensed thought penetrated his exhaustion. **Come on, Lensman! SETH!!** She came close to dragging him into the ship. The entrance closed behind them, and Henderson heard the engines warming up. Then Shira was pulling the injured member of their party off his shoulders and placing him on a stretcher, which proceeded to whisk away under its own power. "Do you want one, Hen?" Shira asked gently. "No, I'll make it," he replied. "The bridge!" But he did not reject the arm she put around him as he staggered in that direction, nor her help in strapping into his seat. The acceleration of take-off nearly did him in. The woman wasn't sparing any g's as she blasted away from the planet. POLE STAR engaged in a series of bone-jolting evasive maneuvers as she rose skyward and entered space. The massive fire of the Boskone battleship giving chase rocked the small scout. Barely ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 25 ======================================================================= out of the atmosphere, Shira's Lensed hand reached for the warp drive control as the other controlled her ship's gyrations. There was a massive jolt, sending sparks flying, just as she depressed the switch. Henderson felt for a minute like his insides were being torn apart as the warp took hold...and passed out. ================== == Chapter Four == ================== Shira swore softly to herself as she looked at the status boards. No wonder that warp had been so rough! That last shot had holed the engine room, and damaged the warp generator. They were lucky they'd managed a warp at all, and until she could repair the damaged equipment POLE STAR would go nowhere. At least they'd come out in a relatively empty area of space. Hopefully the enemy wouldn't find them. Her crippled ship could not run, and she didn't have a beam hot enough to light a match without the engines giving power to the projectors. She looked back at Henderson. The man was slumped in his seat, held up only by the harness. She smiled tiredly. Henderson was some man! He'd lasted as long as he needed to to get the job done, despite his own injuries and exhaustion. *While alive, Lensmen do not quit,* she thought to herself, quoting Worsel. "Seth, another stretcher, please," she requested. "Yes, lady. On its way." Somehow she got the new Lensman out of his chair and onto the float. Seth took it away. She took one more look at the status board and all the red lights, and sighed. She was tired and worn out. Too exhausted to think straight under current conditions. There was no immediate danger and lots of hard work ahead. "Seth, take a complete inventory and prepare a report for me. Which stuff has to be fixed, its importance in order, and our supply situation for effecting those repairs. Also a report on the condition of Kim and Hen. Give it to me later, I'm going to go shower and then get some sleep." "Understood, Shira. I'll wake you if anything important happens." "I would hope so," the Lensman replied drily. She looked at herself critically in the mirror after the shower, and decided her current appearance had to go. Even clean, the hair was dry and stringy, and the lines in the prematurely aged face she'd put on to help further their escape were even more visible with the grease washed off. What to change to? Then a thought came unbidden. It had been ages since the last time she'd been herself...plain compared to the thionite dream of Dermer's girlfriend, but her and not someone else. And, somehow, for a reason she was afraid to put a name to, she wanted Henderson to see her true form. She composed herself, programmed her ability ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 26 ======================================================================= to do what she wanted...and went to sleep. This was one form she could change to without controlling the process every step of the way. * * * * * * * * * * Henderson woke up, feeling unusually refreshed. Then he realized that the stark walls around him and the narrow bed he rested in were not those of either his cabin on board ship, nor the hotel room they'd occupied on Galladrax. He turned his head, saw Kinnison on the bed next to his. The younger Lensman's form was mostly concealed by a medical cylinder. "Kim?" "He cannot respond," came a voice Henderson recognized as Seth's. "The patient is still being kept unconscious and will remain that way for some time, until most of his injuries are healed." "He'll be all right, then?" "Yes." "What about me? Can I get up? Where are my clothes?" "You were experiencing exhaustion and neural stimulation from a blaster bolt," the computer told him. "Simple sleep was the cure in your case. In addition, I strongly suggest you eat the meal that will be delivered to you shortly." "I AM hungry," Henderson acknowledged. Further, the food the computer prescribed was more than edible; it tasted GOOD. The new Lensman had no problems eating it all. Then Seth told him where his clothes were, and the human was up and around. "Where's Shira?" he asked when he was done. "Outside." "Outside? Are we on a planet, then?" "No. But it is easier to repair the equipment she is working on outside the ship rather than trying to do it in the engine room." "Still in space -- the engine room?" Hen was rapidly putting two and two together. "How badly was the POLE STAR damaged in the battle, Seth?" "We have no warp drive, and several other components, such as the subspace radio, were damaged." "She's repairing this ship by herself?" Henderson was a little surprised, but then acknowledged that he should expect that of the woman. **Shira,** he thought carefully into his Lens, **Is there anything I can do to help?** **Hen, I'm glad you're up and around!** Shira replied. For an instant he was in her mind, aware of her concentration on the weld ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 27 ======================================================================= she was making in a casing. **I can definitely use another hand. There're some GP space suits near the airlock. Seth can tell you where.** **I'll be there shortly,** he told her. * * * * * * * * * * "Well, it's going to be a long job, but not impossible," Shira was saying later as they came in after working a full day's worth outside. "We've got enough raw materials to make repairs on those pieces we don't have spares for. With two of us working..." "Maybe a month or two should do it," Henderson agreed, taking off the space suit. He turned, looked at her. "You've changed appearances again. It must be difficult finding yourself under that changing exterior at times." "Not really," she laughed. "What's inside is what's real -- and right now you ARE looking at the real me!" "That's your natural appearance? I wasn't sure you HAD..." Henderson let the sentence die. "I couldn't always change my appearance. That came much later in life," Shira grinned wickedly. "Rather plain, but..." "Well, not exactly plain," Henderson denied, looking at the woman. Her hair was auburn brown, in a long braid pinned to the crown of her head. The eyes which looked at him were deep grey, and her skin color was very close to his own. "Actually, women like Dermer's make me uncomfortable..." "You lie very nicely," Shira laughed. "But I thank you anyway. Now, let's get some dinner to rebuild these tired muscles before hitting the sack. We're in for a lot of days as long as this one." "How about trying to Lens someone for help?" Henderson asked. "I'm not strong enough to reach all the way to Grand Base and raise Haynes," Shira said. "And I've never met either Worsel or Tregonsee, so I can't even try to Lens them. You've met Worsel, Hen -- why don't you give it a try?" Henderson nodded, touched his Lens to his forehead and tried. No luck. "Let me help," Shira said, and her mind gently joined with his, meshing like they were made to fit together. Still nothing. Although he'd met Worsel, he didn't know the Velantian well enough to form an image strong enough to enable them to contact the alien Lensman. The two pulled their minds apart, looked at each other. "Guess it's back to the salt mines in the morning," Henderson said. "We don't have much choice. Kim might be able to reach Worsel, but Seth says he's not going to wake up for quite a while. We can't afford to wait that long, and then possibly discover Kim can't reach any of them either," Shira said. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 28 ======================================================================= "Agreed," Henderson nodded. He liked the way this woman thought. There was nothing loose or muddy in her reasoning! "If nothing else, we've got to get to base so I can try and persuade Haynes to let me eventually go back there and find out more about those tunnel dragons who helped us," Shira added softly. "I didn't have must time to speak with them..." "But a fascinating culture there," Henderson agreed. "But that's in the future." "Agreed. First things first, eh?" "Indeed." * * * * * * * * * * As time went by and they labored mightily at fixing her ship, Henderson found r'Starya easy to work with, and to talk to. The few times they had of ease, in between working and sleeping, she told him somewhat of her dreams of returning to the work she really loved -- space exploration -- if and when Boskone was finished. And if she survived to see that end, she added matter-of-factly. Hen agreed that the idea of exploring had its attractions, although her comment about the possibility of death was sobering -- obviously, she'd faced possible death in other incidents than this last one, and had come to grips with it. That was something he hadn't quite achieved yet. And as their minds touched more frequently in Lensed conversations, he discovered that they seemed to fit together like a well-oiled machine. They were becoming a team, taking comfort and strength from one another. Still, he was afraid to follow his occasional thoughts on their growing closeness to their possible conclusion. It was now several years since Ilona's death, yet the memory still hurt. While he denied the knowledge of his growing feelings for the woman consciously, his inner soul recognized what was happening, and Henderson began to find himself constantly tensed up for reasons he couldn't -- or wouldn't -- acknowledge. Still, he should have seen it coming, he thought later. Shira certainly had, although she had respected his self-containment until the day, almost a month after they had been stranded, when they met accidentally in the shower room following a rather satisfactory day of successful repairs. Actually, the 'occupied' symbol HAD been up, he'd discovered later. In his hurry to wash the sweat off he'd missed seeing it. He plunged into the room, stopped short when he saw its other occupant. Shira was wrapped in a towel, using a second one to blot her hair dry. She turned as he stopped in the doorway in some confusion, threw the second towel in the laundry. Her hair, still dark with moisture, hung to her waist. "Don't worry, Hen," she smiled. "I'm done with the shower. If you like, you can join me in the hot tub when you're through." "Sorry, Shira." He was glad he'd wrapped the towel around his ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 29 ======================================================================= waist, anchored it firmly with one hand. He wished he'd worn the robe he usually put on at such times. "No problem," she assured him. "You've nothing to be embarrassed about! After all, it takes a lot of work to build the sort of body you've got there." Gently, she stroked a biceps. "You should appreciate...oh, damn!" Suddenly it was her turn to be embarrassed. "Let me guess. You come from a culture where mixed-sex bathing is a no-no. I should be the one apologizing..." She turned away, ready to flee into the room where the hot tub was, but before she could get more than a step away Henderson had grabbed her arm. There had been an underlying thought there he'd picked up: *Oh, Lady, now I've really blown it. Dimwit!* She faced him, mouth resolutely firm...but there was despair in her eyes. He never could explain afterward exactly why he did what he did next. Forgetting his towel, he wrapped both arms around her, and as she lifted her eyes questioningly, kissed her full on the lips. She responded enthusiastically. "Hen," she said huskily a moment later, after catching her breath. "I was afraid I'd blown it for good...I'm SO glad I didn't!" "I've been such an idiot about it, I'm surprised you're interested in me at all!" he replied, fingers entwined in her hair. "How can I ever rate you..." "Hen, if I didn't love you, I wouldn't have reacted the way I did a moment ago... nor would I be making such a bare-faced pass at you right now!" Shira smiled up at him, one arm around his neck and the other resting on his chest. Her towel had slipped, too. As he began to redden again, Shira laughed and pushed him away. "Go take your shower, love," she said. "Join me in the hot tub when you're ready to." Picking up her towel from the floor, she threw it over her shoulder and disappeared into the small alcove. Slowly, Henderson picked up his own towel and went to the shower stall. *Sunk...sunk without a trace,* he thought to himself as he turned on the water, cold as he could get it. He jumped involuntarily as the chill liquid struck bare skin. He spent longer under the water than normal, putting off the decision that waited. He knew that by joining Shira in the hot tub he would be making a commitment. Was he ready for it? The Lensman was not the beauty Ilona had been, but there was something about her which made Henderson forget that remembered pain when he was with her. As Kim was wont to say, the woman was pure metal clear through. A memory surfaced. Him telling Ilona that if he were killed -- as could happen to anyone serving in the Galactic Patrol -- she was to get on with life, and not feel guilty if she decided later to remarry. "I'll remember, Hank," Ilona had replied. "And the reverse is true, too. Becoming a recluse would not be a very good way to honor my memory." Henry Henderson turned off the shower. No guilt on either ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 30 ======================================================================= side...he was being given an opportunity to once more live life fully. He'd better not mess it up, or let that extraordinary woman waiting for him right now think she'd made a mistake, either. Now that he had found the courage to look inside his own head, he knew would never forgive himself if he turned down what she had offered to him. Shira r'Starya was almost totally immersed in the bubbling water, letting the heat soak into her weary muscles. She opened her eyes as Henderson joined her. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to accept my invitation," she said softly. He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She came readily into his arms, fitting snugly against his chest. "I was just a little afraid of facing the fact I love you, Shira," he replied. "My memories of my late wife are still fairly strong, despite the years since her death. But it would not be her wish that I stop living and growing. That would invalidate everything she lived for. I had to discover that just because I love you doesn't mean I've forgotten her." "I can sympathize, Hen," Shira said softly. "I once was married, many years ago. I can remember how long I hurt after his death, how each reminder of his absence brought me pain. With time, that hurt eventually dimmed. Now I can remember our time together with pleasure rather than agony. Eventually it will be the same for you." "With your help, love," Henderson replied. "Did you have any children?" "No, I'm afraid not. There was no time then, and no place, either. I barely survived that time -- and Stephen did not. I wouldn't have brought kids into the world we were living in at the time. You?" "I have a son, Henry junior. He's being raised by my parents." Hen was silent a moment. "This all is going to be a shock to him. I hope he'll adjust." "I imagine he'll be somewhat wary at first, but if we don't push him too hard he'll hopefully come around. Just don't insist that he call me "Mother." I'm not his mother, and he'll resent it." "He's a good kid, and I'm sure the two of you will hit it off all right. I just wish I could see him more often -- but you know as well as I do how difficult that can be when you're in the Patrol." "It'll be even worse now that you've received the call of the Lens," Shira remarked soberly. "With its authority come responsibilities. But you already know that." Her hands were busy massaging the muscles on his back. Under that treatment, Hen had begun to relax...for the first time in days. "I've seen how hard Kimball works, even when Haynes hasn't asked him to do something," Henderson agreed. "Perhaps we'd better enjoy our time together while we're working on repairing this ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 31 ======================================================================= crate? We may not get much of it after we return to Prime Base." "And just what did you have in mind, love?" "Keep that up for the moment," he told her with a sigh. "Klono, that feels good! What type of wedding ceremony do your people hold?" "Well, my parent culture is a lot like yours. The bigger the wedding, the better, with lots of witnesses and usually some sort of official to conduct the actual ceremony. But the Star Guides, whom I became a part of, are too spread out and too few for that to be the norm. Instead, simple vows between the two are made, with only the stars as witness. And we exchange bracelets as tokens of our commitment, not rings as your people do. Eventually, when they can, the bonding ceremony will be registered with our central computer. When there is an in-gathering of Guides many chose to have a second, witnessed ceremony before brethren." "But your people consider the unwitnessed ceremony as legal and binding as the witnessed one?" "We do. Hen, why--?" "You can certainly guess, can't you, Shira? Now that I've finally faced my own feelings, I'm ready to make that commitment. We can always have another ceremony later -- that one to satisfy official protocol and for Patrol records. Will you marry me?" She grinned. "I could guess -- I just wanted to hear you say it! Sure you won't settle for me seducing you? No? Then I guess I'll have to say yes." "Wonderful! Now where..." "Right here, if you like. After all, there ARE no viewports in this ship, only viewscreens. SETH! Project a star-field in here, please. And make up a set of bond bracelets for us." "Affirmative," came the voice of the ship's computer. "He can hear in here?" Henderson was a little disconcerted. "Anywhere in the ship. After all, things can go wrong with this room, too. If you're worried about privacy, Seth won't talk...except to me, of course, if he feels it's necessary." "And I thought I was going fast!" Hen remarked as the starfield flamed into being all around them. "Do you think I'm going to give you a chance for second thoughts? Not on your life! You might change your mind about getting married to such a weird person as me!" Shira laughed. "Never," he replied -- which is what she wanted to hear -- and kissed her. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 32 ======================================================================= * * * * * * * * * * A few days later, Hen woke up as Shira touched his shoulder. "Morning, love," he murmured. "Another long day..." "Not so long," she smiled back. "Seth says we can wake up Kim this morning. Want to wait for breakfast until we can eat it with him?" "I can hardly wait!" he grinned back. "Shall we tell him right away, or keep him guessing?" "Let him guess -- at least as long as you can keep a straight face!" "Me keep a straight face? How about you?" Henderson demanded. "You're still floating a good yard above the floor, without zero g!" "So are you, love," she replied gently. "Perhaps we'd better play it by ear? The man, after all, has been a Lensman longer than either of us, even if he does act like a snot-nosed teenager at times." "True," Henderson agreed. "Let me get dressed, and we'll go down to see the man." ================== == Chapter Five == ================== Kimball woke, instantly setting nerve blocks in memory of the pain, then realized there was none. They must have gotten back to the ship...he opened his eyes. "You're on the POLE STAR, Kinnison," Henderson's familiar voice said. The pilot sat to one side of his bed, a strange woman Kim didn't recognize on the other side. Then he saw the Lens she wore on her hand and realized it must be Shira, in yet another guise. "Grief. How long have I been out?" Kim demanded. "A little over a month," Shira told him. "Seth said it was best to keep you asleep while your body healed itself -- just about what Lacy did to me after your people rescued me from that Boskone ship." "A month -- and we're not at Grand Base yet? What happened?" "We got holed by a Boskone cruiser during the escape. The warp generator held together just long enough to get us out of the area before it died. We've been pretty busy trying to repair her," Henderson told him. "We hope to be done in another week or so." "Can't reach anyone?" ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 33 ======================================================================= "The subspace radio was destroyed. We're too far away from Grand Base for me to be able to Lens Haynes, and neither Henderson nor I know either Worsel or Tregonsee well enough to reach them," Shira told him. "And I'm too weak to drive a thought across the room!" Kinnison said in disgust. "But you said Henderson--" Suddenly the young man realized that there was a Lens on the pilot's hand. "When did that happen?" "After you got ambushed, while we were trying to rescue you," Henderson told him. "Mentor said I'd need it..." "Congratulations, then," Kim said, shaking the pilot's hand. "We need every Lensman we can get, as if I had to tell you!" "When you're stronger, Kim, we'll have to try a three-way link up and see if all of us together can drive a thought far enough to reach someone," Shira suggested. "Even a few days may be important." "We'll try," Kim agreed. "The sooner we get back the better." "Agreed," Henderson replied. "We've got information here Haynes has been itching for. Still, Kim, you had yourself a nice little vacation, even if you couldn't be awake to enjoy it! Now that you're well enough, we'll work you to your limit." Shira had gotten up and gone over to the table in the room. She came back to Kinnison's bed with two trays of food. "Eat," she commanded sternly. "It's the only way to regain your strength at this point of the treatment, Kim. We'll see how you feel this afternoon and then see if you're up to trying to telepath back to base." Despite his anxiety to contact Grand Base, Kim fell asleep almost as soon as they left him lay back down after the meal. "Well, at least it's a natural sleep this time," Shira said after checking. "He should feel a lot better when he wakes up." "Good," Henderson said soberly. "Maybe he'll be up to Lensing for help by then. Shall we go work on the engines?" "No, better not. We'll need our full strength to back up his call to Worsel or whoever's closer. With any luck someone'll be by to pick us up in a few days." "'Bout time we got a day off!" Henderson grinned, putting an arm around her shoulder. "Shall we go soak up some warmth in the hot tub while we wait?" Shira laughed. "I don't think what you have in mind is rest!" she said. "Seth, monitor Kinnison and let us know when he begins to wake up." ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 34 ======================================================================= "Understood." * * * * * * * * * * Kinnison woke up again later in the afternoon, this time feeling refreshed rather than drawn out. He smiled. This time he could "feel" the presence of Shira and Henderson in the next room as well as hear them. **Hey! I'm starving to death in here!** he spoke lightly over his Lens. **You're up to using your Lens! Good!" Shira's thought came back, the warmth in her mental voice evident. **We're bringing in your stew, boss,** Henderson's "tone" was also affectionate, although he hadn't been Lensman long enough to develop the "depth" to his sending that Shira had. Kinnison was suddenly aware that he could smell the stew through the pilot's senses, and felt his own mouth start to water in response. Of course, his body was so hungry for real food -- despite the broth he'd had earlier -- that even boiled shoe leather probably would have smelled good. And this stuff definitely wasn't shoe leather, he told himself as he forced himself to eat the stew slowly, taking time to savor every bite. "My compliments to the cook who programmed the food processor," he said. "Flavor is as important to the meal as nutrients," Shira said, smiling. "And cooking is a hobby of mine developed into a fine skill during many long months by myself on solo space missions." "Well, Hen, at least you married a woman who can cook a decent meal," Kim grinned. "No jokes about burned meatloaf..." He pushed aside the empty bowl. "Well?" "Deep subject," Henderson intoned. Shira sighed. "Hen....yes, Kim, we're ready to give it a try." "All right. Touch minds, then." Kinnison reached out, linked with the fusion Shira and Henderson had become. Strength radiated from them to him as he flung his mind outward, using Worsel's mental pattern as a goal. He drew a blank, but then his mind touched a familiar one -- Chris! **Clarrissa!** he spoke into her mind. **Kim! You're alive!** his wife replied instantly, relief overwhelming her for a few seconds. **Where are you?** Henderson replied to that, his mind supplying the navigational data needed to locate the battered ship. Then Shira threw in the information about the Boskonian map, and all three emphasized the urgency in getting that item back to Grand Base. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 35 ======================================================================= **The BRITTANIA will be there as fast as Thomas can boost her,** Chris reassured them. With that, the four-way meld faded. "Yahoo!" Kim hooted. "The BRITTANIA is on her way!" "Which means we'll have the repair work finished at Grand Base," Henderson said. "It should take 'em about 32 hours to get here, if Clarrissa had her coordinates right....which she undoubtably did," he added hastily as Kim's face began to cloud up. "Well, I won't say the work went to waste," Shira said practically. "Another few days -- and we'd've had the drive back on line." Kim has seen from their minds what shape the engine room had been in when they'd started, as well as how much work had since been accomplished. "You did a hell of a lot of work," he said soberly. "Well, let's relax while we can. After the BRITTANIA gets here we'll get no rest..." ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 36 ======================================================================= =========================== == == == MOBIRU SUIT CONFUSION == == By Robert Gibson == == == =========================== [Fan fiction can also be written to make a point in a humorous manner. Robert Gibson (who is currently writing the CAPTAIN HARLOCK comic for Eternity) does this type of fan fiction quite well. This short story was written after Robert had been in anime fandom for a while and had gotten just a bit tired of hearing various amateur translators arguing the "proper" way to transliterate Japanese names.... MOBILE SUIT CONFUSION has been published in the first (and only) issue of Mary Kennard's C/FO APA and in ANIME JANAI.--RSS] Char Azunable sat on the throne of Jion and yawned. After the last Federate War [see ZZZZZZ GUNDAM-RWG], there were only 100 Jions left and most of those were still in diapers. There were no more wars, no more expansion, no more colonization, no more rescue missions, no more spying missions,... "No more fun," he muttered aloud. Sure there were those strange members of that religious order on the other side of the side, but besides being pains in the backside, they stayed on their side, and never sided with the enemies of the side. "Besides, I've exiled their leaders to another side allied with my side," he sighed. This reflective silence was shattered when his second-in-command entered the room hurriedly (through a side door, naturally). Char looked up. "Sir, the zealots from the other side of the side have decided to overthrow the side's current rulership. Meaning you, sir." "So they're revolting, what's new?" "I think they're serious, this time. They're carrying weapons." "You mean..." "Yes sir; sidearms," [At this point, even I will admit I've gotten too many miles out of this joke, so I'll drop it....Plunk....Ouch --RWG] "Well," Char decided. "Get the remaining mobile suit powered up and I'll deal with it." "Sir, don't you remember?" ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 37 ======================================================================= "What?" "Haman Kahn wrecked it while repairing the damage her sister, Madelyn, did to it during the last war. [That's a story for another time--RWG] "Oh. So that's why I haven't been getting any practice recently." "Sir, if you don't mind me saying so, you should have gotten rid of Haman a long time ago. I know she's got a temper, but she's not worth the constant problems. If she keeps seducing all of the New Types, we won't have anyone left." Char sighed. [Ouch; Okay, okay, no more side jokes--RWG] "Maybe you're right, maybe I should finally face the wrath of...." Outside the royal palace, chanting was heard; many loud voices were voicing their displeasure over the state of affairs [or maybe at that last joke, I'm not sure myself--RWG]. "It sounds bad," the beleaguered monarch moaned. He turned to his aide. "Maybe you should get a ship ready and call AEUG and ask for assistance in getting us off of this _____." [HA HA--RWG] "AEUG?" "No, you go. I've got to pack." "No sir. do you want me to call AEUG? Are you sure?" "Yes, I'm sure. As much as it pains me to leave our _____, it's for the best, if it's what the people want." As if to answer him, chants of "Down with Char! Down with Char! Down with the tyrant!" thundered through the streets of the _____. Later, a defeated Char Azunable lay on his bed, awaiting the transport with would carry him away from his beloved Jion to another, friendlier, _____. He still could hear choruses of victory coming from the courtyard out_____. His trusty aide entered. "It's confirmed," the newcomer said. "You go via a AEUG transport to _____ 4, then you go on the AEUG Battleship ARGAMA 5 to asylum on _____ 6. In case your wondering, the zealot leader has just docked and is coming personally to the palace to see you off. He should arrive any minute now -- and it's rumored he's developed a new mobile suit which they plan to mass produce in order to spread their views to the rest of the _____s." Just then, something deep within Char Azunable awoke. An image affronted his "new type" senses. For a brief second, he saw his opponent, the man who caused all this; and Char Azunable felt like puking. Regaining his composure, he walked to the balcony window and opened it wide. Ignoring the cacophonous noises from the filled ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 38 ======================================================================= courtyard, he stepped onto the balcony, to face his once-loyal people. In the air above the palace hovered an awesome sight, a mobile suit twice the size of any used in any of the wars Char had ever been party to. Although bulky, its gracefulness was apparent in the way it turned two somersaults before landing gently in the courtyard, facing the balcony window which held the ruler of Jion. The crowd cheered (even as several people were crushed by the landing mobile suit) and burned dolls and toys of the once-loved Char Azunable. The hatch on the tremendous machine opened. The cheers were deafening, as the turbaned leader of the new colony of Jion was wheeled out onto the platform which extended from the front of the mobile suit to reach the balcony. His long grayish beard was unmoved by the strong wind and his weak eyes strained to meet those of the soon-to-be-exiled Azunable. He was wheelchair bound. "Hail to Itolo Komini, new ruler of Jion," was the prevalent cry. Char studied the man first, then moved on to the machine. So, he thought, this is the dreaded next step in the science of mobile suits, eh -- the Shiite Gundam. The old man spoke in a whisper, but somehow the crowd sensed it and all was quiet. "Now, for your crimes, I cannot allow you to leave. It is my duty to God to arrest you and hold you to your accounts. Hear me, Shah Azunable, you will not leave the _____ alive!" Azunable looked perplexed. "What'd you call me?" "Do not deny your crimes, Shah Azunable." "Char. C-H-A-R. CHAR Azunable." "Nani?" "C-H as in cheddar. A-R as in armor." "Do not try to confuse me, SHAH Azunable, the great book tells all that is in the mind of God." "What book?" The old man clapped his hands twice and a turbaned wise man carried out a HUGE book, which easily dwarfed any Azunable had ever seen. The old man made several gestures to it and mumbled some words (which sounded suspiciously like Japanese) and, with it still being held by the wise man, began gingerly leafing through its pages. Azunable bent over to another wise man who was standing nearby. "What's the book for?" ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 39 ======================================================================= The man looked at Azunable incredulously. "It is THE book. It is THE all. Everything in it is the ultimate truth, always correct. IT is our life." "AHA!" the old man exclaimed finally. "Here it is, the correct spelling is SHAA, which translates as pronounceable to SHAH." He turned back to Azunable. "Your goose is cooked!" And he ordered the book closed on the case of Shah Azunable. But the Jion was not so easily defeated. "Wait, I dispute your findings." He turned to his aide and whispered. The aide ran off into the palace. Shah turned to the crowd. "I proclaim my innocence!" he shouted. "I am not Shah Azunable. The whole thing is a big mistake!" His aide returned a moment later with a smallish red and white book, which Azunable opened to page 418 and began reading aloud. "'The letters AA can be pronounced with an AH sound or an AR sound depending on whether or not you're Iranian or American,'" Azunable smiled. "I declare that I'm American and therefore am SHAR Azunable!" The old man's eyes lit fire. "You cannot dispute the words from the book which came from GOD!!!!" "Well, so what, mine came from Waldenbooks!!!!" "Well, MINE has more pages!" "Well, MINE was written by the official translator of the Japanese delegation to the UN!" "Well, MINE lists all the kanji!" "Well, so does mine and you can find any word in less than an hour!" "Well, MINE has references going back to the beginning of time!" "Well, MINE was last updated last year!" "Well, MINE lists 20 different ways to excuse yourself!" "Really? I've been looking for a different one for quite a while now. 'Gomen Nasai' gets old after a while." "Yes, here it is on page 879...." And so began the hardest battle Char (Shar) (Shah) (Shaa) Azunable ever fought, the war of the correct translation. They might be arguing still.... The moral of this story is -- Well, I think everyone gets the general idea. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 40 ======================================================================= [Many thanks to Ed Connell of Denver for providing indirectly the idea for this in his comments in C/FOOD LEFTOVERS #1. You can throw all the tomatoes at him.--RWG] ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 41 ======================================================================= ======================== == == == HOBOKEN NO KEN == == By Alvin Ronnfeldt == == == ======================== [Alvin Ronnfeldt has written a very unusual story in HOBOKEN NO KEN. On the surface, it is a very funny parody of the Japanese TV series HOKOTO NO KEN. Alvin hasn't pulled any punches in exploiting all the myriad surface oddies and non-sequiturs of the original series. Even if you hate HOKOTEN NO KEN, you'll probably be laughing your way through this parody. Lurking below the surface, however, is one of the best explanations of the HOKUTO NO KEN series that I've seen. If you've seen any of the series and couldn't understand what was going on, I imagine you'll have a much better idea after you read Alvin's story. HOBOKEN NO KEN originally appeared in the old C/FO-SAN ANTONIO NEWSLETTER.--RSS] ================================== == Chapter 1: Is he Good? == == Or merely stupid? == ================================== At the base of the ever-present stone cliff (across the lot from the rock quarry), a band of mutants were enjoying themselves. The pitiful remains of the destroyed caravan were strewn all around. Three of the eight-foot mutants were playing mumbly-peg with their pocketknives while the rest jammed food into their mouths as fast as they could, dropping more on the ground than they swallowed. The mumbly-peg board stirred and groaned. She was not having a nice day. Her back was a web of fire and rivers of molten lead ran down her legs. The first mutant stood with one foot on the back of her head grinding her face into the dust. He let up on her head long enough to pull it up by the hair. "Look boys," he sneered, "she hasn't finished her dinner. Nice soft dirt and she won't eat it. Maybe we should make her eat a rock." The other mutants laughed hysterically. The mumbly-peg board noticed that mutants were a merry lot who always seemed to be laughing cruelly. "Yeah, hilarious," muttered the woman. "Where'd you pick up your sense of humor, Buchenwald?" The mutant leader blinked stupidly, thought it over, then decided he had been complimented. He laughed uproariously, as did the others. Joan (that was her name by the way, Joan) squinted into the sun shining in her face. (Sun? It had been noon three minutes ago.) Against the setting sun there suddenly appeared a lone distant figure striding upright and tall through the desert. "Looks like Clint Eastwood," she said to herself. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 42 ======================================================================= The mutants noticed the figure too. "Hey," the first one called, "who's that guy coming this way walking like David Carradine?" "Naw," said another. "Looks more like Billy Jack." "You idiot, he's a fictional character." "So what. So are we." "Oh, yeah. I forgot. Anyway, he looks like a real stud." "Who would go walking through the mutant-haunted-bandit-infested- desert-caused-by-the-great nuclear-war alone? wondered a third. "Kenspiro sometimes travels alone," said the first. The mutants all looked at each other for a moment. "Nah, couldn't be." Kenspiro surveyed the situation. He now stood before the merry mutants. The sun had moved back to the middle of the sky for they all now cast no shadows. His razor keen senses told him something had happened here. He surveyed the wrecked overturned vehicles, the bodies of helpless unarmed refugees scattered around the landscape. Nor did the girl sprawled bleeding in the dust escape his piercing gaze or the mutants gorging themselves on food and water, some of it stained with blood. He read the dire portent suggested by the grisly scene. "You robbed them," he stated flatly. His face turned down in sullen scowl. The mutants collapsed in laughter even though there was nothing funny about this (but they found an excuse to laugh whenever they could). Kenspiro stared at them a minute longer, then came to a second conclusion. "You are bandits." "Wow, he figured that out quick," muttered one mutant admiringly. "Yeah, so what!" challenged their leader. "You read this?" he said pointing to the forehead. "It says 'left' and 'right'," said Ken. "Not that!" howled the leader pointing to the letters J.P.S. branded into his forehead. "That!" A sparkle sparkled in Kenspiro's eye with a tiny 'ting' sound. He recognized this mark. This was the hated mark of his detested enemy John Phillips Souzer; the man he had walked three hundred miles through the desert to find. This, then, was one of his many hordes of mutant bandits. "I'm tired of talking," shouted one of the mutants. "Let's peel him like a grape and douse him with gasoline!" ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 43 ======================================================================= In seconds, a mob of mutants bore down on Kenspiro. "Hai Cha!" A foot embedded itself in a mutant's neck causing his tonsils to pop out of his mouth. "Ya!" Kenspiro neatly kicked a mutant's spine out of his back. "Hyoi Cha!" A mutant flew back twenty-five feet and splattered his brains across the rocky cliff. Four more attackers stood gaping at the smaller man, then each of their heads began to swell up with a gurgling sound. Suddenly they went into silhouette as their brains exited their heads through the skull. Three mutants remained staring at the gore. "This guy's pretty good," stated one. "Think we can handle him?" "Of course," shouted another, "even though he just killed most of our group fighting ten of us at the same time, I know the three of us can take him!" Guess what? They didn't. Another observed this display of Ken's skill. Joan watched the graceful ballet of destruction until Ken stood alone in victory. Her eyes widened in wonder as she gave silent homage as all did to Ken's art. She barfed her guts out. Hours later, Joan awoke. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was the face of another man. This man had milk white hair flowing long past his shoulders and a neatly trimmed beard. His face was sorrowful and tranquil and his eyes reflected age old wisdom. He was the spitting image of an albino Jesus Christ. The man seemed to radiate an aura of peace and tranquility. Just being near him gave one a feeling of hope and strength --- and a sudden urge to embrace his knees. "Are you awake?" he asked solemnly. "I think so. Am I dead?" "No, I don't think so. Although life and death really have no meaning being one part of the universal truth," he replied. He raised a small hand-rolled cigarette to his mouth and took a deep inhale, holding it in his lungs for half a minute before letting it out in a contented sigh. He rolled his eyes to look down at her. "My name is Toke. You want a J?" Joan raised herself to one elbow. "I'm Joan. Who is he?" she asked, indicating the brooding man by the fire. "That's my foster brother, Kenspiro. He was adopted by the master of Hok'um Sin-Can, an ancient Jersey martial arts style that uses ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 44 ======================================================================= a man's soul to kill," Toke explained. "He was taught this style along with his other adopted brothers, Yucchy and Cra-uel, who all must someday die --- except one. Because only one master of Hok'um Sin-Can can exist to bring the world out of chaos." Joan looked at him in awe. "How do you do that?" she asked. "I didn't see you breathe once." * * * * * * * * * * The next morning the travelers set out. Joan traveled with them for no particular reason. She found the traveling tedious --- mostly because her two new companions did not keep up any conversation. Ken strode along in silence scowling at rocks, lizards, dust, and cactus indiscriminately. Toke was always lost in a contemplative revery, occasionally swallowing small colored pills. When she tried to speak to him, he merely smiled wisely and offered her an "Existential Blue". Even stranger was the fact that even although Joan was a beautiful woman and knew it, neither of the two men had showed the slightest interest or treated her any differently than they would a man. "Maybe they're gay," she thought, looking at them sidelong. But the strangest part of all was that even though the night before she had been suffering terrible injuries, today she walked non-stop all day through the desert. In the early afternoon they sighted a settlement in the distance. When Joan glanced behind them, she noticed that again the sun had moved behind Ken. It soon became apparent that the town was under attack. Plumes of smoke rose into the sky and hordes of motorcycle riding mutants roared around the compound. Joan wondered briefly where they found the gasoline for their bikes these many years after the War had collapsed civilization. The town was defending itself fiercely. In the forefront of the fray two figures were wreaking havoc among the attackers. One was a handsome man with flowing blonde hair. He was making sweeping gestures at the mutants leaving strange white lines trailing through the air from his fingertips. When he did this, one's vision suddenly blacked out for a second, one saw only strange white slash marks, then the mutants went into silhouette and came apart bloodlessly. The other was a woman who had a yo-yo in each hand. She quickly threw these at mutants (who obligingly attacked two at a time while standing a convenient three feet apart). Joan saw little one inch blades pop out of the yo-yos in flight and gouge six inch deep gashes through mutant faces. Toke and Ken picked up speed as they moved to engage the mutant forces. A swarm of mutants bore down on Ken in the standard mutant battle formation, a double line. They were armed with knives and crossbows since gunpowder (unlike the higher tech gasoline) was rare this long after the War had destroyed civilization. Ken ran down the middle of the lines so quickly he ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 45 ======================================================================= was a blur. Joan saw red spots in front of her eyes. Then when she could see again, the mutants popped behind Ken like a string of firecrackers. Toke was mellowly warning the pack of mutants facing him. "Hey, man, like I don't want to have to hurt you." When they (naturally) ignored this he was also through them like a blur. Suddenly as one the mutants facing Toke all gazed skyward, expressions of rapture on their faces, while their bodies hideously contorted and joints popped out of their sockets. "Wonderful!" shouted one. "This must be heaven! Take it off, baby, take it ALL off!" Then they died. Within seconds the mutants were routed. "Hey Ken!" shouted the blonde man. "Thanks for the help, but I could have handled them. There were only three hundred." "Prey," greeted Ken facing the man. "Mommamia," he said to the woman. "I'm hungry," he stated to no one in particular. "Hey man, it's good to see you guys again," said Toke. "Any of you want to try these new mushrooms I found? "There's no time for that now," snapped Mommamia. "John Phillip Souzer's men have taken little Syn. Ken frowned at this. "He's dead," he stated flatly. A man stepped forward out of the crowd and threw himself at Ken's feet, embracing his knees. "Oh thankyouthank-youthankyou," he said. "You saved our lives. Is there anything we can do for you?" "I'm hungry," repeated Ken. "Yes, yes! Anything you want," the man groveled. "What do you want to eat?" Ken considered this. "Meat," he said at last. "Yes, but how do you want it prepared?" Ken mulled over this new complexity. "Cooked," he finally decided. * * * * * * * * * * Far away in the fortress of John Phillips Souzer, John Phillips Souzer chuckled evilly on his throne. "Am I not evil?" he boasted ecstatically to his men. "I have enslaved all the people in this state, forced them to work night and day until they drop building a huge monument to my analyst. I torture their women, eat their dogs, and spit on their flag. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 46 ======================================================================= I will not stop until I have been voted world's most hated man! Mom would be SO proud! There's no one eviler than I!" Leering down at little Syn who was chained at the foot of his throne, he continued, "And I have something especially evil in store for you! I think I'll force you to eat dinner....and watch you!" He paused a moment in thought. "Or was it the other way around? Cousin Soused was much better at this sort of thing." Little Syn looked up at him with angelically glowing eyes that dripped forgiveness even while they mirrored innocent incomprehension of the evil of this man. "If you keep me here Ken will come and kill you," she piped shrilly in her best little-girl voice. "I don't want you to get hurt." "I don't want you to get hurt!" mimicked J.P.S. in a high voice. "Of course I know that! Everyone knows that if anyone threatens you Kenspiro hunts them to the ends of the earth. I WANT him to find me for the final showdown. What do you think I am, stupid?" "Now that you mention it..." muttered one of Souzer's men. ======================================================== == Chapter 2: Pray to your God! == == Because my Name is Ken == == And I'm a Lean, Mean, Fighting Machine! == ======================================================== It was a normal type of day for the world after the holocaust. The sun was parching and the dust didn't help either. In the middle of a sandstorm several small figures could be seen struggling against the wind. Ken, Toke, and Prey walked unconcerned as if nothing was happening but the others had to struggle against the brutal wind and harsh sand. With them now was a young boy named Brato that Ken had found looting bodies. Apparently they were old friends. Joan walked with one arm around him helping him make headway against the wind. "It's not fair," Brato whined. "It's a rough world, a man has to be rough to survive, and clever. I'm the only practical one, I know how to get what's mine. But does anyone listen to me? Nooo, we have to go rushing off rescuing Syn for about the tenth time this month. That kid would find some way to get into trouble if you locked her in a bank vault buried in ten feet of concrete and sank it in the ocean." "Why don't you just shut up, you'll get sand in your mouth," suggested Joan helpfully. "And why don't you pull down those goggles to keep the sand out of your eyes?" "Goggles, what goggles?" Brato reached up and felt the aviator's lenses on the front of his head. "My God, I'm wearing goggles! How did they get there?" ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 47 ======================================================================= Joan squinted at the way ahead. "This is taking a long time," she commented. "I thought J.P. Souzer's camp was closer than this." "We can't go there yet, of course," replied Brato in a superior tone, "Ken's not mad enough yet." "What are you talking about? J.P. Souzer kidnapped a little girl. He's laid waste to the countryside!" "Yeah, but that's still not enough. Ken has to get really furious before he fights very good. Don't worry though, the villain always does enough things to make him mad enough before they fight. You'd think they would have figured it out by now, don't make him mad and you can kick his..." Brato ran into Prey's back. The three men had come to a halt. Joan hurried to see what they were looking at so intently. Crossing their trail was a line of hoofprints easily as large as a soup plate. ("Hoofprints? In a sandstorm?" she wondered.) The horse that had made them must easily be the size of a Clydesdale. At their feet, the trail of prints crossed a trail of dead mutants. When the prints reached the corpses they suddenly swelled to five times their normal size so that each step of the monstrous horse had pulverized a hapless mutant's torso and head with a single stomp. "Hmm," observed Ken, "Cra-uel has been here. Only the hooves of Kaka-ooh can swell to such size." He shaded his eyes to look at where they disappeared over the horizon. "He is travelling the same direction we are." Ken frowned. "This is bad, I think." He nudged Toke with one elbow. "Hmm?" Toke shook himself out of his meditation. "Sorry man, I didn't hear you. I was admiring the colors." "Hey, he's no problem. I can handle him with no sweat," said Prey. Ken and Toke only looked at each other and sighed. That night they found a rock cliff to set up camp beside. Ken sat staring moodily into the campfire while the others set up camp and prepared dinner. "How do you people do that?" Joan asked Toke. "Do what?" Toke asked absently while he heated a small tin of powder over the fire and readied his hypodermic. "You and Ken just touched those mutants and they all died." "Oh that. Ken and I are masters of Hok'um Sinken', an ancient Jersey martial arts style. Experts at Hok'um can use the power of their soul, their Key, to kill an enemy from within. The manner of death is a reflection of the master's soul. Ken, for example, is really a very neat and tidy man at heart, that's why he makes them explode while turning their blood into shiny white glowing stuff so's not to mess up the landscape and offend the viewers." ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 48 ======================================================================= He pulled a small bag of white powder and a straw out of his pocket while he continued to speak. "Aa-ooga is frigid, so his attacks take the form of intense cold. The star a man is born under, by the way, also helps determine a man's attack form and his personality. As for Mommamia, well, let's just say the weapon she uses is appropriate for her." "What about you? Why does your attack cause them to see beautiful visions even while it kills them in a slow and gruesome manner?" Toke sniffed a lung full of the white powder up his nose and sighed contentedly. "Search me, man. I haven't the foggiest. Really." "I don't see why we had to leave the town so soon," Brato was whining, "I keep telling you that with my brains and your brawn we could have gotten whatever we wanted." "Ah, shatuppa you face," scolded Mommamia. "I saw what-a you do, you loan-a the people money at thirty percent interest a day and a-tell them Ken is your collection man." "Nobody understands," whimpered Brato. "It's nothing personal, business is business. It's the American way, what's good for business is good for the community." "He has one good point," Joan commented to Toke. "It may be days before we hear news of where they've taken Syn. Wouldn't it have been more comfortable to stay in the city until then rather than camping in the desert?" "Ken never stays in one town too long out of kindness to the inhabitants," Toke answered. "He believes that anyone he meets is caught up in his destiny with him. His destiny is a particularly violent and dangerous one. Whatever the reason, any town he's in doesn't last long. One got looted by mutants, one was taken over by Soused's men, one burned down, fell over, and sank into the swamp." "Oh." Joan didn't sound believable. "And people too," continued Toke. "Everyone he meets, boom. They're the lucky ones. If he gets to LIKE someone, forget it. They can hang it up. And it won't be quick. The ones he LIKES are lucky if they just kill themselves." "Take Ken's old girlfriend for example, what's-her-name. She just jumped off a cliff to escape Shine. That's chicken feed compared to what's gonna happen to Prey. Too bad. What are you doing?" Joan was hastily stuffing all of her possessions into her backpack. "Gee, look at the time -- is it Spring already -- I was supposed to be at Aunt May's house by now -- sick aunt, you know - - have to visit her -- very sick -- it's been nice knowing you -- gotta run -- see you later." She walked nonchalantly but very, very quickly away from the campsite. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 49 ======================================================================= "Hey!" said Toke, running after her. "Don't worry. Either you're part of his destiny or you're not. Can't run away if you are. I think you are myself." "What do you mean?" "Well, little signs you learn to look for. Your name for one. Joan, like in Joan of Arc, right?" "Yeah, so what?" "And you look like a real nice person. And Pretty. Ugly people are safe around Ken unless you're a kid. The worst problem, however, is I kind of like you. You think what happens to the people Ken likes is bad..." "That's ridiculous." "Okay, one final thing. You see that star up there? Look just a little south of the Big Dipper, off to the left, that yellowy, twinkly one?" "Yeah, I see it," answered Joan. "Oh. Too bad." Toke turned and walked back towards the campsite. "Huh?" When Toke got back to the campsite, Brato said, "Took off, huh?" Toke nodded. "But too late. She's a goner." "Look at Ken staring into the flames," said Mommamia. "With all the pain he has lived through, he takes this with such stoical dignity. "Stoical," agreed Toke absently. "Do you think he is thinking of Her?" "Who?" "You know, Her." "Why doesn't anyone say the name of his old main squeeze?" asked Brato. "Couldn't get it past the censors," said Toke. "Yes," continued Mommamia, "that's the word for Ken, Stoical. Never complains, never cries, he just quietly endures his-a pain deep inside where it doesn't a-show. I wonder what he thinks about when he's so quiet?" Ken looked up. "You ever notice how the fire makes pretty pictures?" he asked. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 50 ======================================================================= Later that night Ken slept uneasily. Images of old foes plagued him, past pain that refused to lie dormant. A ghostly Yukki rose up before him. "Hello dear baby brother. Remember me? I was more interested in stereo systems than my studies, and for that you replaced me. Remember what you did to me? Look!" He ripped off his mask revealing the waffle iron embedded in his skull.... "You cannot defeat me," bellowed Soused. "Years of intense inebriation have deadened my nerves until your Kok'um Sinken' moves are useless against me!" Then Shoe stood before him holding aloft a huge stone no normal man could lift even without Soused's spear deep in his chest. As Shoe's eyes cleared for his last glimpse of life, he said, "Wait a second, there's some mistake. You aren't that kid who was so bright. Aw, shoot..." Next, red-haired Yuda sneered at him. "Away put your weapon, need it you will not." The doors to the fallout shelter opened to reveal Toke who was sitting in the lotus position covered by an inch of marijuana ash. His bleary eyes opened. "Horse and fallout, man, what a RUSH!" * * * * * * * * * * Joan wondered through the desert, alone except for the stars. "I wonder where that cliff went to?" she wondered looking around the empty desert. Suddenly she found herself staring into a large red eye that just appeared in front of her. "Ulp," she observed. She was looking into the eyes of a black stallion. Slowly her eyes traveled up past the horse's head until she saw who was riding it. A huge massively muscled man in a horned helmet scowled down at her. "Nuts," she said. * * * * * * * * * * Meanwhile, let us take a look at the fortress of John Phillips Souzer.... "No one understands me," moaned John Phillips Souzer. "I am a tragic villain with extenuating circumstances which demonstrate that I am a fallen hero, not just some common sadist." "Yes. Lord," said J.P. Souzer's army of mutants. "Listen," J.P. Souzer leaned over to glare down at little Syn chained cruelly at the base of his throne. "You think I like what I do? Well, maybe I DO like it a little, but mostly the star I was born under and cruel fate have made me what I am." "Once upon a time," he flashed back, "I wanted to be a musician. Ever since I was born I wanted to make music for I had been born under the star which destined me to be a sensitive artist. No, really." ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 51 ======================================================================= (Scene of a little boy in a band director's suit listening to the birds sing beside an idyllic stream.) "But then," he said as the background music grew menacing and the lighting became darker, "came the day I took my first music lesson." (Image of an eager little boy with big eyes eagerly fingering his trombone.) "The music teacher said that I sounded like a branded yak. I killed him with his own baton in rage, but alas it was true. No one ever liked my music, every time I played the audience died of internal bleeding. That's when I began to hate." (Image of a young man, his trombone dripping blood. His eyes have grown small.) "I vowed that if mankind would not listen to my music, I would remove them, remove them all! Soon I will stand alone on this earth and my music will waft mockingly to the stars in defiance of the gods themselves!" J.P. Souzer finished with a shriek, his eyes staring at something beyond the marble ceiling as he fiercely clutched his trombone. "Wotta fruitcake," muttered Cra-uel from the doorway, still seated on his horse. J.P. Souzer's head snapped down. "So," he said, "the great Cra- uel graces my presence. What can I do for you, mi Amigo? Come to return the Spanish-English dictionary I loaned you?" "Watch it," growled Cra-uel. "I just came to watch the battle between you and Ken and to make sure that it's a fair fight." "A fair fight? Of course it will be a fair fight," J.P. Souzer said looking innocent. "Yeah. Right. I also brought this." Cra-uel roughly dropped Joan, who had been draped over the saddle, to the floor. She lay there in a shivering heap. "What's this?" J.P. Souzer asked suspiciously. "Isn't that the girl who was with Kenspiro? Why did you bring her here?" Cra-uel shrugged. "I had to find some excuse, it was destiny." "Oh, that again." J.P. Souzer looked bored. "Well, I will think of some suitable torture later. Right now would you care to have dinner with me? Maybe with a little evening music?" "Not -- on -- your -- life. If you want me, we'll be in the stable." "Sometimes I wonder about him and that horse," muttered J.P. Souzer as Cra-uel departed. Then he snapped orders at his guards. "You, keep an eye on Cra-uel. You, go check the dynamite. And ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 52 ======================================================================= you, go get a shovel. A big one. It's no wonder they call him Kaka-oo." * * * * * * * * * * Ken and Toke stood atop a hill and surveyed J.P. Souzer's massive encampment below. They had left Prey to guard Mommamia and Brato. "See there," Toke was saying, "his palace is at the base of Mount Rushmore. With all these cliffs around, the only way down is through all that rubble at the base. And look there." He indicated a huge replica of the Golden Gate Bridge that spanned the desert from his palace to the base of a cliff. "That's the monument he had built. You have to cross the bridge to get into the castle." "Let's go," Ken said. Oh boy," muttered Toke, this is going to get gory. I can't face this without a snort." ================================================ == Chapter 3: The Deadly Omen Star Sparkles! == == Too Late to Beg for your Life!! == == Because the Fix is On!!! == ================================================ J.P. Souzer strode over to the figure on the floor where Cra-uel had dropped her. "So you were with Ken," he said. Taking a hold of her shirt, he lifted her into the air. "Well," he said, "I am going to have to find something special for you. Nothing personal, you see, it's just that it's traditional that the villain do something nasty to every friend of Ken's he can get his hands on." "I'm no friend of Ken's," Joan insisted. "I left him, we parted with bad feelings. I hate him. Really." "Why that's even better," said J.P. Souzer happily. "I can see it now. Girlfriend dumps Ken but he still comes to avenge her terrible death. The fans will eat it up." Joan began to shiver. * * * * * * * * * * Cra-uel relaxed in the saddle. "No matter who wins I will have one less rival," he told Kaka-oo. "The only thing left is to make sure that Ken gets angry enough to fight at his best. Giving the girl to Souzer should do the trick. I wonder how much longer I can get Ken to do all my dirty work for me? With his intelligence I imagine I can only pull this off for another ten years or so." He yawned and took off his helmet to scratch his head. The mutant attending him gaped at the sight. He had always thought the horns ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 53 ======================================================================= were part of the helmet. * * * * * * * * * * "Here, take this too," J.P. Souzer ordered his massive mutant lieutenant, handing him the bound and gagged Joan. "In order to reach my palace Ken must pass close to Mount Rushmore. Back after the election of '92 they added Ted Kennedy to the monument. The next day the other four heads fell off. Kennedy's head is still there, but the whole mountain is cracked and sagging. All it takes is one little push and the rest of it will come down. A little bit of dynamite, for example. "Take her up to the top of the head. When you see Ken coming, take off her gag, give her a chance to scream, and throw her off. When Ken goes to cradle her head in his arms and hear her obligatory final soliloquy, detonate the dynamite and bring Kennedy's head down on him!" He smacked his hand onto the table to illustrate. "Ha Ha Ha!" he laughed, "This can't miss. No one could survive that, no one!" So it came to be an hour later Joan found herself lying on top of a huge stone head. Next to her J.P. Souzer's man kept watch through an old pair of binoculars. "Duh, Yeah," the mutant muttered to himself, "the boss, he's smart! Ayeh, I'll squash Kenspiro flat... Kapow!" Joan pulled desperately at her ropes as she had been for the past half-hour. Suddenly she felt them loosening. Unbelievingly, she pulled her hands loose and removed her gag. Sitting behind her and looking smug was Brato. "Brato!" she hissed. "What are you doing here?" "Came to get you loose," he whispered back. "Figured you'd be around here someplace." "How did you get past the guards?" "Oh, they never notice us kids. We can usually sneak anywhere when we're rescuing someone. Watch." Brato strolled nonchalantly up to the mutant guard and kicked him solidly. The mutant brushed at his leg and muttered about flies. "See? They can't see me. Hey, where are you going?" Joan was crawling quickly and silently away. "Where do you think I'm going? I'm going outa here." "Um, aren't you going to do anything to save Ken or anything?" "Are you nuts? That could get me killed!" "Yeah." Brato did not look surprised. "Will you come on?" Joan hissed. "I plan to get out of here in one piece." ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 54 ======================================================================= "If you say so." Brato yawned and walked casually among the rocks. In a moment he was gone. Joan crawled a few feet further, then hesitated, crawled a few feet further, then looked back over her shoulder. The mutant guard stretched, yawned and walked out of sight, apparently to answer the call of nature. There on the sun-baked rocks Joan fought a war with her conscience. She lost. "Nuts," she muttered. It took several minutes to pry the dynamite loose from the crack it had been wedged in, and Joan lost a quart of moisture for every minute of it. Her heart almost stopped beating while she struggled. Suddenly it came loose in her hands and her heart started beating again. "Hey! What are you doing!" The mutant had returned. Her heart missed a beat, tried to get the rhythm back, failed, then seriously considered giving it up altogether. As quickly as she could, she scrambled up the head on the mountain, away from the mutant, clutching the dynamite to her chest. At the pinnacle she made to throw it off the cliff. Down at the foot of the cliff, however, she could see two small figures walking --- Ken and Toke. So much for that idea. She spun around. "One more step," she threatened, "And I'll blow the dynamite!" The mutant stopped, blinking stupidly. Joan looked as threatening as she could, praying that the mutant would be too stupid to realize that she had no way to set it off. The detonator sat down at the base of the head behind the mutant. Suddenly, a small boy's hand reached up out of a gaping crack and took hold of the detonator. "No!" she screamed. Ken and Toke heard an explosion up above them. They looked up in time to see a small figure thrown from the top of the monument and fall down into the valley. As one they rushed to the fallen figure. It was Joan. Despite being at ground zero of the blast and a four hundred foot fall, she looked unharmed except for some blood dribbling out of her mouth. "She's dying," said Toke. "I can do nothing. When the blood comes out of their mouth, they always die." Ken knelt down and cradled her head in his arms. "She must have set off some dynamite and sacrificed herself to save me," he said. Her eyes slowly opened. Her lips quivered, she tried to say something. Ken leaned closer and put his ear to her lips. Then she went limp. It was that kind of final way of going limp that always meant death and not just unconsciousness. Ken frowned down at her still face, a small crease formed on his brow. "What did she say?" Toke asked. Ken stood up. "Something about the pits," he said. He looked ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 55 ======================================================================= annoyed, frowning down at the body, he cracked his knuckles. "That's probably done it," Toke said to himself. Suddenly Joan found herself looking down at herself. She was floating in mid-air feeling much better. With a kind of detached interest she saw Ken and Toke standing over her body with heads bowed. A strange impulse made her look up, the gigantic ghoulish head was tottering about ready to topple down onto the Hok'um brothers. She shouted a warning as loudly as she could and to her surprise they looked up. Ken stared up at the teetering stone face above. Slowly the grinning head started to roll off the face of the mountain. Toke took a few steps back from Ken. A low sound came from the back of Ken's throat. Slowly it built, growing louder and louder and higher and higher. He began to weave his arms and stretch his muscles. Toke calmly stuck a pair of plugs in his ears. A strange blue aura grew around Ken, electric sparks shooting from it. His mouth opened wider as his scream built to a crescendo. "Hai CHA!" Ken thrust his palms violently towards the head. The stone suddenly exploded geysering upward in a fountain of crushed rock. There was silence for a minute broken only by the sound of boulders thudding to ground around them. "Yes," said Toke, "that's definitely done it. You're ready to face John Phillips Souzer." =========================================================== == Chapter 4: Final Battle! == == The Cruel Hand of Fate Hits in the Tummy!! == =========================================================== John Phillips Souzer stood brooding on the parapet of his palace. At his feet, the end of his massive bridge was anchored to the castle wall. All was silent except for the low whistling of the wind. "Ken is coming," Souzer intoned solemnly. "I can feel it. Soon he will find me and we will start our final battle. You are fortunate, my friends, you will soon witness the greatest clash this planet will probably ever see. "I am not worried about the coming conflict. No, not even though Ken has fought at least a dozen other masters and killed them all, I am still confident that I, a total unknown never appearing in the story until a month ago will prove the better. But still I am sorrowful. Kenspiro is a worthy enemy and I respect him. If only the cruel hand of fate had not thrust us thus into opposition." He sighed dramatically and turned away from the edge, his cape swirling, to notice that he was alone. Against the wall were piled oversized weapons and masks marked "Road Warrior Prop Dept" in faded letters. He heard a few voices drifting up from the ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 56 ======================================================================= courtyard and stormed to the other side of the wall to investigate. "What are you doing down there?!!" he screamed at the group of mutants milling about below. The guards looked guilty and crushed out half finished cigarettes. "You said we could take a break," one said in a quavering voice. "But I didn't mean it!" Souzer shouted. "Get back up here at once or it's my rendition of "Emotional Rescue" for the lot of you!" In three seconds the courtyard was clear. Scowling, J.P. Souzer watched the mutants scramble into the room and line up. He strode back out onto the balcony. "Ken is coming," he began again, "I can feel it...." * * * * * * * * * * In the meantime Joan saw that Ken and Toke had reached J.P. Souzer's bridge. Ken regarded the massive structure with a scowl. "You must wait here," he said to Toke. "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do and I have to do this alone." "Huh? Oh, yeah. Right. Have a good time." Toke replied good naturedly. Ken climbed up to the ramp that led onto the bridge. As soon as he was gone, Brato popped out from behind a rock. "Am I too late? Has he killed anyone yet?" he asked eagerly. Toke shrugged. "Is he mad?" Toke nodded. "Great!" "Joan's dead," Toke finally spoke. "Gee, that's too bad," said Brato, rolling his eyes up and grinning mysteriously. * * * * * * * * * * In the distance Ken could make out a lone figure waiting in the center of the bridge. John Phillips Souzer. Scowling, Ken marched toward the hated figure. "Stop!" commanded J.P. Souzer. Ken halted, scowling. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 57 ======================================================================= "This is the time when the foes must address each other for at least ten minutes," J.P. Souzer said. "If we're lucky maybe we can drag this into next week's episode before having to fight." Ken scowled. (He is very good at it, he practices a lot.) "You are evil," he stated. "you have killed, enslaved, kidnapped, stole, molested, tortured, starved, and insulted. But I do not want to kill you. Give me Syn and I will let you live." "How kind," Souzer sneered. "But you left one thing out. I also have my mutants." "So what." Ken looked puzzled. (When he looks puzzled he looks just like he does when he is angry. Or happy for that matter. Or sad. Or even... But never mind.) "Everyone has an army of mutants." "Not just AN army, THE army! It's only been, what, five or ten years since the wars? Where do you think all those mutants come from? Sure, there were some big people before the war but the really huge ones, how could they have already been born and matured?" "I never thought about it," Ken said with a bored scowl. "No one's thought about it! And how can those mutants do that stuff like burrow under the ground or talk with their tongues hanging down to their chins? You think that was an accident?" Ken didn't answer, but his bored scowl deepened. "Well, I designed and genetically bred them. For years my mutant generators have been turning them out by the dozens! You already see more of them than you do humans, soon there will be no humans left!! Only my mutants! "Did you ever notice how they don't eat? They just squash all the food in their mouths like big cookie monsters and then talk with their mouths full for a few minutes. I made them so they don't need to eat, but they go through the motions so people would never suspect. "That's why you never see a female mutant. They don't know what women are for. The closest they ever come is when they carry them screaming off the screen. They think that you're supposed to lick a woman's face." "I don't care. Give me Syn." Ken growled. "Aw, you're no fun," routed J.P. Souzer. "All right then, let the battle begin." With a flourish he whipped off his cape , holding it behind him dramatically for a moment before letting it drop. The cape flapped even though there was no wind, like all masters, J.P. Souzer could control the dramatic effect of his clothing. Suddenly he raised his trombone to his lips and blew a mighty blast straight at Ken. From the mouth of the instrument streamed ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 58 ======================================================================= eerie ribbons of glowing purple energy. Ken braced himself and covered his eyes with his crossed wrists. The energy struck Ken with a tremendous impact, he groaned with agony. He was pushed bodily back several feet, his toes gouged grooves in the concrete. J.P. Souzer laughed hysterically. "You haven't a chance!" he cackled. "besides being a master of Man'ten Shakin', I was taught Hok'um Sinken by your dear departed brother Yukki! And now we have stood long enough motionless with our mouths moving up and down, prepare to die!" Quick as lightning Ken charged. But J.P. Souzer blew a second, even harder, blast. Again Ken groaned in agony, again he was pushed away from his enemy, again the animators were able to milk half a minute out of one still scene. Cracks opened in the pavement, cables snapped and were sent whirling away. "And now," gloated J.P. Souzer, "you will pay for your lack of vision." A third blast struck home. Chunks of concrete were ripped loose and thrown clear. Girders groaned and bent. Blood burst from ruptures in Ken's shoulders and arms. "Impossible!" gasped J.P. Souzer. "That blast pulverized concrete! How can mere flesh survive it? I mean, look at the way you dug a trench in solid cement, that should have at least broken your feet!" Bent, bloodied, but still standing, Ken glared at his foe. "It's because I'm Ken, and you're dead. Hai YAH!" Ken thrust his palms towards J.P. Souzer just as he readied to loose another blast. Unseen energy rippled through the air at him, and with gratuitous violence, J.P. Souzer's trombone was jammed out through the back of his neck. Blood spurted down his chin. His eyes bulged cross- eyed to stare at the instrument sticking out of his mouth. He staggered back, tottered for just long enough to say, "Wagga Wagga gurgle honk blat," and then fell backwards off the bridge. At the same time Joan felt a strange sense of warmth pass over her, a strange light seemed to shine from somewhere behind her. Below her Ken, Toke, and Brato looked up. She realized that for some reason they could see her. "Well, might as well make it look good," she thought. "What the hey." Smiling, she waved goodbye to them, looking as benign and peaceful as she could. "Goodbye twerps," she thought as she was drawn up into the sky. "Thanks for nothing." In a few moments they could see her no more. Ken stared after the departed vision, reassured once more that the innocent had gone on to a better life. He was distracted by a strange gurgling sound from below. A hand came up over the edge of the bridge, J.P. Souzer slowly hauled himself over the edge despite wounds that would have killed any sane man. Spitting out pieces of his trusted horn, J.P. Souzer managed to croak out, "thought you were done with me? Not hardly. After all this build up do you think that the writers wouldn't drag it out ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 59 ======================================================================= for two episodes any way they can?" He pulled himself upright. "Now we stand here and move our mouths at each other for another five minutes, right?" "Not hardly," Ken said. Before J.P. Souzer could move, Ken punched him twenty feet across the bridge, saying, "I've had just about enough of you." J.P. Souzer scrambled to his feet with blood in his eye. Wiping the blood out of his eye, he charged with a mindless roar. Enraged, the two opponents came together. Each fought in the standard Hok'um Sinkem method, standing face to face shouting wordlessly while making the same moves with their arms over and over again. Small drops of blood splattered across the bridge. "C'mon Ken!" shouted Brato. "Make with the yiyiyiyi!" "Khi yiyiyiyiyi!" screamed Ken. "Whai CHA!" Suddenly all was silent. A mutated bird croaked a few times. J.P. Souzer looked down. Ken's arm was buried up to the elbow in his stomach. "Well," he said, "this is just dandy. Ooh that smarts." Then he exploded. Black silhouette pieces of J.P. Souzer rained across the bridge. * * * * * * * * * * The evil was over, for now. The enslaved peoples returned to their homes, the mutants dispersed out into the desert, a man and his horse rode off into the sunset. In the gathering twilight Ken walked for home with Syn's little hand in his. "I knew that Ken had won," Prey told Toke, "when I saw that red star fall out of the heavens and I heard the dying strains of "Lady of Spain" fade off into the sky." Toke nodded. "Look at-a them," Mommamia said. "they seem to share some kind of special bond. I wonder what the two have in common?" Syn looked up at Ken. "Bad man all gone?" she asked. "Bad man all gone," agreed Ken. Mommamia didn't have to ask again. They spoke the same language. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 60 ======================================================================= ============================== == == == Animation Facts: == == SONIC SOLDIER BORGMAN == == by Patricia Munson-Siter == == == ============================== [True to our word, we do have one of those meaty fact articles in this issue. This one originally appeared in CELLULOID DIVERSIONS.--RSS] AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, I did ALL the translations, transliterations, etc. on this article myself, so if there are mistakes I'm the one to blame! It was also done a bit faster than I'd like, so I'm sure that some errors have managed to creep into this! If nothing else, hopefully it will help some of you enjoy this series a little more than otherwise. As usual, a warning is in order: This article DOES contain spoilers! ======================== == BORGMAN BACKGROUND == ======================== In the year 199X, a meteor crashed on Earth, destroying a good bit of Tokyo (of course, where else?) in the process. Unknown to humanity at the time, this was not a stray astronomical occurrence. The meteor leaves in its wake three huge alien crystals, which were made by the Yoma -- an alien race whose own world is dying. They have decided that Earth will do nicely as a new home. The crystals act as a gateway/transporter for the Yoma, who begin to infiltrate the Earth. On Earth, an international effort has been underway to launch a manned deep-space probe. The astronauts manning it have to be made into cyborgs in order to withstand the rigors of the trip. Eight men have been selected. The project head is GILBERT MESA. His top assistant and the cybernetic expert is MEMORY GEEN. She in turn is aided by her colleague CHRIS. Two of the astronauts are named RYO HIBIKI and CHUCK SWEAGER (Yes, I'm sure SOMEONE on the show's production staff are fans of The Right Stuff!!). Memory Geen's little brother, LEMINIS, was her former assistant but was killed during a lab experiment with the cybernetic equipment. Gilbert is possessed by the leader of the Yoma, the Yoma actually entering his body like some intelligent parasite. The Yoma immediately perceives the cyborgs' value as warriors if properly equipped. While Memory is involved with finishing the process of turning the astronauts into cyborgs, Gilbert and two Yoma soldiers break into the chamber. He steals one of the chambers and destroys the others. Ryo and Chuck have not yet been placed into the conversion chambers and thus survive. After the mess is cleaned up, Memory decides that her best course is to turn her surviving cyborgs into soldiers dedicated to stopping the Yoma ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 61 ======================================================================= invasion. Chuck and Ryo agree, and Memory turns them into the Borgmen -- having changed, with Chris' help, their components somewhat to meet the demands of their new duties. This includes various and sundry items that the Borgmen can call to them as needed -- from their protective armor through various types of lethal weaponry. A little later, a school teacher named ANICE FARM is seriously hurt in an accident, and Memory turns her into a cyborg to save her life. Anice overhears a conversation between Memory and Chris about the Borgmen, and volunteers to join their number. The Borgman cybernetics are quite similar to those used in the American TV series The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman. The cyborgs aren't quite as strong as Steve Austin was, but they possess the enhanced vision (including into infra-red and ultra- violet, which enables them to detect their enemies' weak points), better hearing, and so on. Gilbert has consolidated his position with the Yoma and seen to the training of the warriors who will be used in conquering the Earth. It is time for the Yoma to begin to make their move, he decides. The opening battle is also the opening episode of the series... ========================================== == BORGMAN CHARACTERS: EARTH'S WARRIORS == ========================================== RYO HIBIKI ========== Ryo is the commander of the Borgman team. His armor is blue in color, and he rides a motorcycle named THUNDER. Ryo once was a racer before being selected to be a member of the deep space mission. As the series opens, he has become a teacher as a cover identity. (His armor, especially his helmet, reminds me a lot of that used for Peter Weller's character in Robocop.) He becomes rather *ahem* fond of Anice as the series progresses. He also has a rather quick temper. CHUCK SWAEGER ============= Chuck is the heavy artillery of the Borgman team. His armor is green in color. Chuck seems to be older than Ryo and is a bit more stable than the Borgman commander -- but lacks the aggression that makes Ryo a better leader. He becomes emotionally involved with MIKKI, leader of the "Phantom S.W.A.T.", later in the show. He becomes a physical education teacher at Anice's school as a cover identity. ANICE FARM ========== Anice is the sharp-shooter of the Borgman team. Her armor is red in color. She is not as strong as her companions, but her greater speed and the fact her hearing and eyesight is better than theirs equals out their strength. She was a school teacher prior to the accident that resulted in her being made a cyborg, and remains so. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 62 ======================================================================= She is quite courageous, and quickly proves she can "kick ass" as well as either of her comrades. THUNDER ======= Yes, I know Thunder is a motorcycle -- but "he's" also an "AI" (artificial intelligence) device that quickly develops to have a personality of its own. Thunder is also a cybernetic device, and can be changed with a "sonic module" into "SUPER THUNDER", a specially- designed and armed weapon of destruction. I've gotten rather fond of Thunder as I watch the show... MEMORY GEEN =========== Yes, I KNOW most of the animation magazine articles spelled her name "GENE". But in episode #34, you get to see Memory in a lab coat in a flashback, and the studio spelled her name "GEEN" on the nameplate in that scene. So I've used the "GEEN" spelling... Memory is an expert in cybernetics, and was Gilbert Mesa's "second in command" for the deep space probe project. When the Yoma arrived and Gilbert became possessed, the project was abandoned. Memory became the leader of the new Borgman project, using the technology developed by the space probe scientists to fight the Yoma. I rather like Memory -- she is actually quite beautiful and dresses stylishly. As someone who wears glasses myself, I'm happy to see the studios design a character who not only wears glasses but who also is quite intelligent -- and who doesn't look like a frump or a nerd. CHRIS ===== One of Memory Geen's assistants (possibly a romantic interest as well), he designed the weapons/sonic systems used by the Borgmen in their battles against the Yoma. He is killed during a battle with Dust Gede. PHANTOM S.W.A.T. ================ They are five female police officers in "The World Criminal Police" (Well, that's what it says on the building they work out of!) and have been specially trained to fight the Yoma. Their battlesuits and weaponry are quite similar to that you'll see the "Knight Sabres" wearing in the Bubblegum Crisis videos. At first their relationship with the Borgmen is almost adversarial. The Phantom S.W.A.T. seem to resent the Borgmen's successes, while the Borgman tend to think the police team is rather trigger-happy. The commander of the Phantom S.W.A.T. is MIKKI, who as the series goes on becomes Chuck's girl friend. MARIMO ====== One of Anice's fellow teachers, she often steps in to substitute for the Borgmen when they are unavailable to teach class (which is more and more often as the series progresses). SINZI ===== ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 63 ======================================================================= A young boy, he's one of the most intelligent of the anime rug rats in this show -- which gets him more often into trouble than not. He's a good-hearted kid, and soon sees through the Borgmen's disguises. Often called "Sinzi-kun" by the rest of the cast members. He seems to be one of Anice's special charges. MOIRI ===== A young girl, she's Sinzi's best friend and often gets into trouble with him. Anice consistently keeps an eye on her, too. HONDO ===== Seemingly older than most of the other students, and a little denser -- perhaps he's been kept behind a grade or two? He also is something of a trouble maker, often getting into fights with other students. ================================== == BORGMAN CHARACTERS: THE YOMA == ================================== The Yoma are expert bioengineers who are capable of manipulating their slaves/subjects via brain power alone, though most need technological assistance of some kind when they make major revisions in the shape and functions of their warriors. The Yoma are also shape-changers. I am not at all sure that the forms we see them in throughout most of the show are their real ones; they may have taken somewhat humanoid forms in an attempt to gull their intended victims. GILBERT MESA ============ Once human, he has been possessed by the leader of the Yoma, and thus is the leader of the forces intending to conquer the Earth. He retained his human knowledge and abilities as well as those of the Yoma, making him a formidable foe indeed. DUST GEDE ========= Dust is actually Leminis Geen reborn through the combined skills of Gilbert Mesa and the Yoma who possessed him. While he is based on the same type of cybernetic technology used in making the Borgmen (and thus is himself a Borgman), there are numerous Yoma innovations added to his structure. Dust cannot do genetic manipulations with his mind, and needs technological devices to do the job. Because of his cyborg nature, however, he is the only one of the Yoma forces who can fully control the "Gil Field", a type of "pocket dimension" he can draw power from or use to entrap his opponents in. FELMINA ======= A Yoma warrior, she is the best they have at genetic manipulation -- she almost never needs to use technological aid in creating her monsters. Thus, in Yoma eyes, this makes her one of their ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 64 ======================================================================= strongest warriors. This belief, combined with her humiliating defeats at the hands of the Borgmen, eventually drives her insane. CERBERUS ======== A Yoma almost as skilled as Felmina in bioengineering. UONGOTUT ======== A Yoma warrior, he double-crosses Dust Gede while the cyborg is battling Ryo -- and is killed for his efforts. UEDA ==== More of a mage and scholar than a warrior, he is one of Gilbert's advisors -- but does get involved in the action on occasion. There are also various other Yoma of different ranks and types, but none of them stick around long enough to be worth mentioning... ======================== == BORGMAN COMMENTARY == ======================== There isn't a lot to say about the storyline; it's your basic "repel the alien invaders" plot. Gilbert keeps sending his warriors out to defeat the Borgmen, and the Borgmen keep on defeating all their plots. It's the character interaction and development which make this show interesting. It isn't until the later chapters -- when Ueda stages a coup against Gilbert and begins to mutate the human/yoma combination into a new weapon -- that the series diverts somewhat from what you expect, but even then the plot is still somewhat predictable. The work done on Dust Gede and his interactions with his fellow Yoma and the Borgmen -- and finally Memory Geen -- are fascinating. Ueda at times seems to be Dust's only ally among the Yoma, though later Ueda reveals to Memory that he sees Dust only as a tool, not a true ally. The Yoma don't seem to be quite sure how to treat Dust. He IS human at heart, after all, and thus he isn't really one of them. The fact that Gilbert has "hard wired" his brain into loyalty to the Yoma doesn't alter their mistrust. And the Borgmen are what he SHOULD have been if Gilbert hadn't interfered; they have the sort of companionship and friends that Dust, deep in his heart, yearns for. This is one reason for his unreasoning hatred of them. They, on the other hand, find his loyalty to the Yoma incomprehensible, and hate him for being a traitor to humanity. Dust really has no place to turn, so his end seems somewhat inevitable. What does he say so silently as he dies? Is it his sister's name -- the older sister he once worshipped, who has just shot him dead? Or is he unrepentant to the end, still insisting that he's Dust Gede, their enemy? Talk about pathos! Whoop! This takes place in episode #34, making it definitely one of the best episodes in the series. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 65 ======================================================================= It's nice to see that almost all the main female characters in this show are both intelligent AND very strong -- if not always physically, then emotionally. Memory Geen is a very capable leader, and her intelligence saves the Borgmen's butts on numerous occasions. Anice is a capable warrior who is not afraid to use her strength when it's needed -- and she's also been in the top of the "favorite anime character" polls for quite some time. Mikki is wonderful -- she may not be a cyborg, but even without her battlesuit she fights very well without showing her fear. Talk about strong female role models! The worst part of this show is definitely the cast of anime rug- rats. Having the main characters take jobs as school teachers unfortunately leads to overuse of the "let's get the kids in trouble so the main heroes can turn into cyborgs and save them" plotline. This fault destroys over half of the early episodes, until the studio got going on the main storyline and began to focus on the war instead of the kids. It can be very frustrating. For example, Episode #13 is one of the best of the series, concentrating on a battle between Dust and Ryo that makes a dramatic change in their relationship. What do they do with #14? Follow up on the excellent storyline in the previous episode? No, it becomes another "save the rug rat from the ugly robot" story. I felt ill... In contrast to the rug-rats, at least the main characters are all young adults in their late teens to early twenties instead of being 14 or 15 years old... While Ryo is definitely the main character of the show, the studio had the wisdom to not let him dominate the entire series and every episode. Each of the three Borgmen get numerous chances to shine and save their companions, and these three also know their teamwork as well -- often it takes the efforts of all three to defeat a particular foe. After SAINT SEIYA's insistence on individual fights, the teamwork in BORGMAN is something of a relief, as a matter of fact! Better yet, even minor characters get a chance to save the day -- several episodes saw Memory Geen being the individual most responsible for defeating the enemy! The music composed for this show is quite nice. It's another case where the music for the bad guys (particularly "Gil's Advance") tends to be better (well, in my opinion, anyway!) than that for the heroes. Needless to say, I've all three of the BGMs. If you're not sure about the music, I'd say get the second album -- it has the widest range of music as well as some of the better songs. (Surprise! Some of the songs have vocals that actually have something to do with the story!) The artwork can take some getting used to; it's rather more angular than I usually like. But I'll admit that the two things that kept me watching this show long enough to discover that it wasn't as bad as first impressions led me to believe (those damned rug-rats!) were the way Chuck Sweager and Dust Gede were drawn...I've had quite a few guys tell me that they could say the same about Anice, Memory, and Mikki...The transformation sequence is beautifully done. However, with four characters (Thunder as ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 66 ======================================================================= well!), each having their own sequence, you usually get at least two and sometimes three stock-footage scenes an episode. I suppose if you only see a show once a week it doesn't get so tiresome, but when you watch several in a row...well, you learn to fast-forward through them REAL quick! All in all, BORGMAN is a fairly decent series, particularly if you ignore a lot of the episodes prior to #15. The large amount of action and battles in the series makes it an excellent choice to show at conventions. I won't say it's great or is going to be on the top of my list of favorites, but it IS enjoyable, if you can ignore the holes in the plot -- just don't expect much other than lots of action! ============================== == BORGMAN EPISODE SYNOPSES == ============================== These are really short and sweet, as I'm not going into any detail. Hopefully it'll be enough to let you look at an episode and figure out which one you've got. No, I haven't translated episode titles yet... Episode #1 & 2 ============== Two-part intro episodes. Ryo gets waylaid by Yoma "pets", initially thinking it's part of a training exercise. A Yoma warrior invades the Justice Building (the one with the Winged Victory statue on top) and takes over the computers. The Borgman team must defeat her. Episode #3 ========== A Yoma vampire-like warrior calls up a crew of skeletons to menace the Borgmen. (He's got Aries Mu's voice actor) Episode #4 ========== Dust Gede's first battle against the Borgmen. Intending to capture Chris, who designed the Borgmen's weapon systems, he uses the Gil Field to entrap the Borgmen, Memory Geen, and Chris -- as well as all of Ryo's students. Chris is killed in the battle. Episode #5 ========== Dust Gede calls up the "Devil Tank" to fight Super Thunder as Chuck and Anice takes the kids on a field trip. Episode #6 ========== The Yoma manage to bring a bunch of motorcycles "to life" and use them against the Borgmen... Episode #7 ========== Felmina turns several humans, including an old man, into monsters ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 67 ======================================================================= that fight the Borgmen. Episode #8 ========== Felmina bio-engineers some flower seeds so the resulting flowers create a LSD-like effect in those that smell their pollen. When the Borgmen investigate, an elf-like Yoma warrior attacks them. Episode #9 ========== Ryo, Chuck, and the kids get involved in a boat race. They don't know that one of their fellow contestants is Ueda, one of the Yoma... Episode #10 =========== Moiri meets a young boy the Yoma are desperately hunting. It seems he has quite a bit of ESP, and the Yoma want to use him as a power source. Episode #11 =========== The anime brats are exploring a deserted subway system that the Yoma are using as a staging base for one of their monsters. The Borgmen must save the day... Episode #12 =========== Sinzi is painting one of the Yoma crystals when he sees it glow. Investigating, he is captured by a two-headed Yoma warrior. The Borgmen must try and free him. Episode #13 =========== Ryo finds himself battling Dust Gede in earnest this time, both opponents seriously damaging the other. Uongotut interferes with the battle, and almost wipes out Dust Gede. Dust uses the sword Ryo had wounded him with to kill his Yoma adversary. Ryo remembers the day Gilbert broke into the cyborg conversion area, killed most of the astronauts and stole the remaining occupied chamber. He saw the face of the man inside -- and it matches Dust Gede's! Problem is, he didn't recognize the man as one of the astronauts he'd been training with... Episode #14 =========== Felmina sends an ugly robot assassin after Ryo, who is having some control problems since Memory repaired the damage Dust did to him. The kids get in the way. NOT one of the better episodes... Episode #15 =========== Yoma are ambushing young women at night. Anice becomes a decoy. Chuck and Ryo are her backup, and are arrested by the Phantom S.W.A.T. -- who assume they're out to mug Anice. They must break out of their special prison when Anice runs into the Yoma and requests help. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 68 ======================================================================= Episode #16 =========== Chuck becomes a stuntman for a Borgman movie. No one realizes that several people working with the movie are in fact Yoma, and Chuck has become their target... Episode #17 =========== Chuck meets Mikki at a game arcade and becomes attracted to her. He takes her on a date to a gambling casino, where the Yoma interrupt their enjoyment with things like playing cards coming to life. Both Chuck and Mikki almost immediately figure out who/what the other is... Episode #18 =========== The Yoma send a giant horse-like creature to hold off Borgman and the Phantom S.W.A.T. while one of their warriors begins the process of establishing the fourth "point" of their transportation field. Memory has a flashback of when Gilbert became possessed by the Yoma, and how Chris saved her life. Episode #19 =========== Anice discovers a hidden elevator that leads to an underground duplicate of the Justice Building, manned by robot doubles of the people above ground. It is Felmina's current project to take over the forces resisting the Yoma. Episode #20 =========== Felmina and Dust Gede come to blows as both Dust and Ueda taunt her about her current failures. Ryo rescues a blind girl during one of their battles. He persuaded Memory to try and cure her; but the Borgmen must stand off Felmina and her monsters at the same time Memory operates. Episode #21 =========== Felmina uses her own blood to create a creature shaped like a starfish that then possesses all the kids in Ryo's class. Memory must figure out how to free the kids. Episode #22 =========== A class school trip is interrupted by Felmina. During the final battle she becomes part of her monster and is killed when it is destroyed by the Borgmen. Episode #23 =========== Ueda sends a monster that sheds pretty "scales" when destroyed. Sinzi brings one into Memory's HQ, where it later turns into a Yoma creature. Episode #24 ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 69 ======================================================================= =========== Dust uses a "flower" to possess Mikki and force her and the other police to try and stop the Borgmen. Episode #25 =========== Dust takes over the abandoned space port. When the Borgmen arrive they are transported to the Yoma world. Memory figures out how to send their weapons to them, but they've still a lot of Yoma to fight... Episode #26 =========== The Borgmen are still stuck on the Yoma homeworld. They and Memory finally figure out how to bring them back, but a heavy price must be paid. Episode #27 =========== Dust captures the Phantom S.W.A.T. as they try to invade the abandoned space port he's taken. Borgmen, still hurt from the last episode, arrive to save them. They succeed, but all three are badly hurt. Dust Gede succeeds in establishing the first "signal" needed to complete the "Gil Triangle" (It's actually a pentagram, but they CALL it a "triangle".) Episode #28 =========== Anice is worse hurt than her companions, who are at least up on their feet. Memory is analyzing Dust Gede's readings and realizes they are based on her own cybernetic designs. Then she sees a picture of his face. Taking out a "picture disk", she projects a photo of her late younger brother, Leminis, and realizes the two look much alike. All three Borgmen must fight Dust's next attack, but again he is successful in planting the second signalling device next to the Justice Building. Episode #29 =========== Ueda stages a "palace coup" against Gilbert. Taking part of his substance (and leaving behind a "shell"), Ueda uses the combined genetic material of Yoma and human to start bio- engineering a new Yoma weapon. Dust is sent after the Borgmen. The Borgmen try and destroy one of the signalling devices but fail -- two more crystals arrive from space, creating the "Gil Triangle" with the other three. Episode #30 =========== Gilbert is changing radically in Ueda's chamber as the new leader of the Yoma sends Dust after the Borgmen again. Memory picks up Dust's arrival, and the Borgmen respond. The kids take shelter in Memory Geen's building. Sinzi goes exploring. Dust confronts Memory, but she escapes. Then she and Sinzi are trapped by falling debris... Episode #31 ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 70 ======================================================================= =========== Lots of flashbacks this episode as Memory hallucinates/remembers the past. Sinzi collapses, and Memory calls for help. It's Dust Gede who finds her... Episode #32 =========== Memory and Sinzi are now prisoners. Outside the police (including Mikki) and the Borgmen confer as the Yoma influence spreads. They find Memory's "notes" and start deciphering them. They go to find Memory. Ryo fights Dust, and this time Dust must retreat. Episode #33 =========== Gilbert is being turned into something that no longer looks human. The Borgmen are fighting Yoma warriors with varying degrees of success. Dust examines the damage Ryo did to him and knows he is not going to be able to get repaired before his next battle. The Borgmen's battles against the Yoma continue. Episode #34 =========== The "gate" is complete, and the Yoma castle arrives on Earth. Memory is now Ueda's captive inside it. Gilbert's image appears to her and tells her that Dust Gede is actually her little brother Leminis. She thought he'd died in the lab accident, but Gilbert took the body and turned it into a cyborg -- which was then further modified to give the Yoma a cybernetic warrior, Dust Gede. Ueda shows up, dismisses Gilbert's image, and drags Memory and Sinzi after him to witness the "defeat of the Borgmen". He sends Sinzi into the combat area as bait, with Dust the spider in the web. Ryo arrives -- and one of the best battle sequences in the series takes place. Memory takes a ceremonial dagger and kills Ueda with it, then makes her way to the combat area. She tries to talk sense into Dust (who is currently doing his best to strangle Ryo with his bare hands) but ends up having to shoot him instead as he walks toward her, insisting that he's Dust Gede...He dies in her arms. Episode #35 =========== Both Dust Gede and Ueda are dead, but there's still Ueda's monster -- the one that used to be Gilbert Mesa -- to deal with. It is wakened from its slumber by a naval bombardment. Using Thunder's final, special transformation, the Borgmen attack. They are successful in destroying the monster, but the cost is the sacrifice of Memory Geen's life. The Borgmen survive...(they have to, there's a series of OAVs planned!) ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 71 ======================================================================= ====================================== == == == COSMO MISADVENTURE: PSYCHIC PAIR == == by Patricia Munson-Siter == == == ====================================== [In COSMO MISADVENTURE: PSYCHIC PAIR, we have another example of a very common type of fan fiction: the crossover story. If you have ever wondered how the Dirty Pair -- I mean the Lovely Angels -- would fare in another universe, this story provides an answer. At least an answer if the universe of COSMO POLICE JUSTY and DIRTY PAIR were one in the same. This story originally appeared in ANIMATION VELOCITY.--RSS] In the far future, powerful criminal psis have become a special problem for the worlds of the Commonwealth of Planets. The state of affairs the Lovely Angels investigated on Nolandia was just the tip of the iceberg, compared to the organized crime cartels various psychically endowed criminals set up to meet their own needs. This problem became too wide-spread and dangerous for any single planet to handle on its own, so the Commonwealth Overgovernment formed a special group of espers of their own -- lawmen to bring such psychic criminals to justice. These were the Cosmo Police Corps. One of the strongest at the time of our story -- and most feared by the criminal psis -- is Justy Kaizard, who holds the rank of "Hunter". It is his job to hunt down and bring to justice the most dangerous and powerful of the criminal espers, and he is currently on such a mission... The two Cosmo Police officers stared at the viewscreen toward the planet growing rapidly below them. The lights of cities stood out against the velvet darkness of the night side, while the day side appeared innocuous. Most of the greed, brown and blue of continents were obscured by heavy white cloud cover. The deceptively beautiful spirals of a hurricane twisted gracefully near the equator. "So that's Freehold," the woman spoke softly, her hair dyed a soft green. "You're sure Mi'chon is here, Ryoko? Doesn't seem much like the type of target he prefers," the man comments, his shoulder-length blue hair held away from his face by a silver band. "Yes, Hunter Kaizard," she replied. "The impressions I got from his previous quarters clearly indicated he bought passage to Freehold. Now, he may well have used this as a way station, and have already proceeded elsewhere. If so, hopefully we can locate the room where he stayed, and I'll try to pick up further clues as to his next destination." Justy glanced over at the woman. Ryoko was so different from his normal partner, Borba, and quieter than either their fellow officer, Jelna, or his foster sister, Asteris. Justy knew little about her, other than the fact she had the rare psionic ability ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 72 ======================================================================= of "postcognition" -- the ability to "see" past events by touching objects affected by those events -- as well as the normal telepathy and telekinesis most psis had. She also had remarkably hard shields, a good ability for an officer normally assigned to escorting diplomats rather than the undercover and full combat missions that were his normal duty as Hunter. While Justy knew better than to call diplomatic missions 'milk runs', such didn't tend to prepare a Cosmo Police officer for out and out psychic warfare. He hoped she was up to whatever Mi'chon had cooked up for them. The Commander had assured him she could handle herself as well as any other Cosmo Police officer, but Justy was unsure of this seemingly unaggressive officer. "We'll be within range of the port soon," Ryoko said, breaking into his train of thought. "Better assume our cover identities, neh?" He nodded, touched a stud on his wrist bracelet. Seconds later he appeared to be attired in the latest fashion of their supposed homeworld, Nefarine. His hair seemed longer, and was a frosted bronze-gold now. He wore tight, dark gray pants and knee-high black boots. A black best embroidered with red, orange and yellow threads was belted over a loose-fitting, long-sleeved white shirt. Ryoko was now a red-head. Her pants were black, and her boots forest green. Instead of a vest, she wore a short v-necked dark green jumper over a soft, pastel-yellow blouse. Moments later the comm blinked as Freehold's Port Authority requested identity. Justy sent back their forged flight plan and identities as Sara Michaels and James Talleagle, business partners in the pursuit of "perfect" locales for various entertainment projects. Nefarine was famed for the many historical and action- dramas it produced for the 3-D theaters and home screens, and members of its entertainment industry were always searching for locations suitable for background 'color' -- and were well known for their nosiness in relationship to this search! Shortly, their small ship set down and the two Cosmo Police officers began their own quiet search for a wanted criminal... * * * * * * * * * * Kei sighed as she toweled her hair dry. They'd had several boring months standing watchdog over an old hen of a woman, who was afraid of an unspecified "criminal" who was "out to get her". At first she and Yuri had enjoyed the relative quiet, but after a few weeks they were both going nuts from inactivity. Even being sent after a lost cat would be welcome right now...Kei frowned as she put the towel away; on second thought, forget lost cats! She remembered a certain pink Persian all too well... Then there was Marsha North, the woman they guarded. Intelligent, witty, and street-smart. Somehow, not the sort one would figure to become obsessed, paranoid even, about noises in the night. If it was paranoia. Yuri and Kei had seen no signs of this unknown enemy North was so afraid of, but the woman was so sane in all ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 73 ======================================================================= other respects that one couldn't help but believe at least a little in the implacable criminal mind the woman said was bent upon revenging himself on her for some long-ago deed, one which the older woman refused to talk about. Elsewhere in the apartment, a door opened. "Yuri?" she asked. "It's me," her partner confirmed, closing the door behind her. From his corner, Mooghi wuffled a welcome, then went back to his chess game with Namoo. "Marsha's in the kitchen. Dinner'll be ready in half and hour," she informed Kei. "Then we're going to the concert at Big Rock." "Well, at least her cookings' better'n ours," Kei replied practically. "Any sign of Mr. Mysterious?" "Not yet, but Marsha's getting antsy," Yuri replied, frowning. "She's really scared, Kei; and she's a tough old broad...it takes a lot to scare her. She keeps on saying she 'feels' him...suppose he's an ESPer of some type, our Mr. Mysterious?" "Lord, I hope not!" Kei shuddered. "I got my fill of ESPers on Nolandia. 'Sides, Marsha is smart enough to know that if it's an ESPer after her, she should call the Cosmo Police, not the WWWA." "Probably. I still wonder why the computer assigned us to this particular mission. It sure isn't much like the other ones we've had recently." Kei finished fastening her headband. "Maybe it decided we needed a rest and recreation assignment?" the red-head commented. "I dunno. I feel rather uneasy myself, trying to protect a client from an enemy I don't know anything about, assuming he's real," Yuri complained, seating herself on the sofa and picking up her brush. "Can't plan a decent defense this way," Kei agreed as Yuri started working the tangles out of her long black hair. "But if something doesn't break soon..." Yuri laughed. "You've been saying that for the last two weeks, Kei!" she replied.. "Relax and enjoy it!" "Ah, who can relax, when North's as keyed up as she is?" Kei replied, serious. "Wonder why we're going to that concert? If she is a target, that would be an ideal opportunity for an attacker." Yuri shrugged. "Maybe bravado, showing she isn't afraid? Or perhaps she wants to draw him out," she replied. "Don't worry so much, Kei -- let Marsha do it for us!" Kei only snorted in reply. * * * * * * * * * * ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 74 ======================================================================= Justy had to admit to himself that Ryoko certainly handled herself well as their search proceeded. They'd been at it for almost two days now, and the woman had successfully determined that their enemy was still planet-bound. Her search-probe was much subtler than his, and she seemed familiar with the 'mind scent' of this particular criminal. Apparently she'd crossed paths with Mi'chon in the past. Perhaps that was why the Commander had assigned her to this mission. As it was, Justy felt almost left out; here he was the experienced Hunter, but it was Ryoko who was finding all the clues! And their cover identities had the disadvantage of attracting attention here; it appeared that Freehold was hungry for the sort of credits they thought a Nefarine movie crew would bring them. Every time they turned around some official or business man was fawing all over them...it made Justy uncomfortable; he was used to moving about in relative anemone. For once, at this moment (as they stood quietly on a slide-walk) they were alone, but how long would that last? Ryoko tensed suddenly, face going mask-smooth as they watched a boulevard of skyscrapers go by. "He's heading for a concert," she said distantly, eyes unfocused. "Somewhere called "Big Rock", I think..." Justy nodded, tensing up himself at the thought they might be nearing their quarry. ""Big Rock" was mentioned in the intro package we were given at customs," he said. "It's a big open-air amphitheater out to the east of the city." "We'd better get moving, then," Ryoko said, looked at him as the trance faded. "He's hunting for someone, someone he wants to kill. She...used to be part of his gang, and quit..." "So he sees her as a traitor," Justy finished the sentence grimly. He pulled out the computer-slate he'd rented and called up a map of the city on it. "We're going in the right direction. We take the next branch to the left and continue on for three miles. Do we have time to maintain our cover, or should we 'port?" Ryoko snorted. "Show ourselves for what we are, and he'll be gone. I think we've enough time to not only keep under cover but get a good look around, find a decent observation point. From what I got, he's in no particular hurry himself. Mi'chon is the type who enjoys the anticipation, the growing terror of his victim as much as the actual kill." "You sound as if you've met him," Justy observed. "Yes. Before I was recruited by the Cosmo Police, I had opportunity to observe the bastard at work," she replied. "I see." One rule of the "CPs": NEVER ask a fellow officer what he or she had done prior to joining up, unless the information is volunteered. Many young psis did things when their powers first manifested that they later regretted as both they and their abilities matured. Even if such escapades were criminal in nature, the Cosmo Police would often forgive that, if the youngster truly repented of his or her actions -- and agreed to ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 75 ======================================================================= a mind-scan to verify the reality of that repentance. One of these days the Cosmo Police would have to discover ways to find young psis as they emerged; bring them up to use their powers correctly, in the service of their fellow creatures rather than for personal gain. It was simply too easy for young psis to turn to crime rather than use their abilities for "good" purposes. The slidewalk was becoming crowded, the closer they came to Big Rock. Justy almost bumped into two young women accompanying an older woman -- perhaps an aunt? As he briefly apologized he reprimanded himself for not paying attention; then became rather embarrassed at the speculative stares of the younger women -- one a tall, slender girl with short red hair, and the other somewhat shorter with long black hair. He could almost feel the blush rising in his cheeks and carefully shielded his mind from their inquisitive thoughts. He backed away as Ryoko tugged on his elbow. "Time to play games with the natives later, partner," she said. "Please pardon his manners, ladies..." "When he looks that nice, who cares about his manners?" the red-head leered as Justy followed Ryoko's lead. "Whew! Thanks for the save," Justy sighed moments later. "Save, nothing. You were so busy shielding from those two -- what will Asteris say to that, eh, Justy? -- that you never noticed the older woman they were guarding," Ryoko returned easily. "Older -- guarding? I thought perhaps she was a relative..." Justy was startled. "When both of the ones drooling over you had high-caliber laser guns? I doubt it. Especially as their 'relative' is a psi -- she's pretty well shielded, but I noticed...I wonder if she could be Mi'chon's target?" "Can't bank on it, even if you're right about those three. Too much of a chance that someone else might be the target instead," Justy decided. "Let's take the upper balcony toward the left; we can see all the seats from there as well as the stage..." Ryoko nodded, content to let her more experienced partner select the vantage point. Shortly they were in the first row of the balcony, a bit far from the stage to be considered optimum seats by most concert goers, but perfect for Justy's purposes. Despite Justy's warning, both had kept an eye on their earlier chance acquaintances. The three were seated below them, off toward the center beside the wall created by one of the entrances into the amphitheater. Justy had to revise his first opinion; the two young women, now that they weren't paying attention to him, did have the air of trained guards of some type. He knew Ryoko was on hair- trigger, waiting for the least sign that Mi'chon was getting ready to act, and prepared himself for his own response. * * * * * * * * * * ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 76 ======================================================================= Despite the fact that the band playing was one of Kei's favorites, she found herself unable to relax and enjoy the music. There was an undefinable sense of unease, of tension in the very air around them that kept her on the edge of her seat. Yuri was trying to hide a grimace; the loud rock music was far from being what she cared for. "Yuri, something's not right," Kei mumbled to her partner. "Do you feel it?" "Yeah. Ever since we ran into that cute young man with the gold hair...I don't like it, Kei." "There's a lot of psychic power here," Marsha spoke up suddenly. The Lovely Angels started, not aware their conversation had been overheard. "And that young man you two were talking to was an ESPer. He was shielding so hard against picking up your thoughts I couldn't help but feel it. I think his partner was probably a psi, too." Kei and Yuri looked at each other nervously. "Was he...?" Marsha smiled slightly. "No, he isn't my enemy. He may be here in response to my foe's actions, however. If those two were Cosmo Police, I hope Mi'chon hasn't noticed them yet." "Who...is this "Mi'chon", anyway? A criminal psi?" Yuri asked, almost afraid to hear the truth. Marsha sighed, then nodded. "He is. He was the mastermind behind the Bali-Trikos massacre a decade or so back." Kei and Yuri shuddered; that had been the robbery of a planet's treasures that had resulted in the deaths of over a thousand people, killed callously in the off chance they might have presented an obstacle to the thieves. "I pulled out of the group when I found out what he was planning. That was too cold-bloodily murderous for me. I was too frightened of what he might do to me if he found me to go to the authorities; and as I'd been part of the gang figured the Cosmo Police might listen politely and then mind-blank me because I'd used my abilities for criminal purposes. When the gang was hunted down a few months later he blamed me, deciding that the only way they could have been tracked down was if I'd given the CPs information. When I heard he'd successfully escaped the roundup, I knew he'd come back for me eventually. A few months ago my own contacts indicated he'd returned to the Commonwealth, and figured it'd be only a matter of time. I also knew the CPs would have someone on his tail. I asked the WWWA to give me some bodyguards in the hope that when he showed himself they -- you -- could help me hold him off until the CPs arrive..." "You mean...we're BAIT??!!" "That nice young man could be a CP??!?" Marsha only nodded at both shocked questions. "Well, it could have been worse. He could have been another sneak-thief like your last boyfriend," Yuri said to Kei. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 77 ======================================================================= "Or a terrorist, like YOUR last one!" Kei retorted angrily. "Terrorist? He's a freedom fighter!" Yuri replied with equal heat. "And shall I mention the boyfriend of yours we had to rescue from jail--?" Marsha shrieked, as did dozens of people around them as a searing bolt of yellow energy lanced toward them. North threw up an arm; the bolt was deflected a full yard above them. From above and to their left, another bolt seared the air into ionization, this one directed at the source of the first bolt. The audience scattered, running over one another as they made for the exits, deadly fireworks erupting around them. The music from the band died with a clatter of fallen instruments as the musicians took cover in the vacant orchestra pit. "Stay where you are, it's safer," Marsha grabbed the elbows of both younger women as they attempted to follow suit. "But, Marsha, we nearly got fried! Thank the fates that you got that shield up in time!" "Oh, minnesan, it wasn't me!" Marsha smiled back. "I never could have held back that powerful a bolt. Mi'chon wanted to be spectacular about it, probably as a warning to anyone else daring to oppose him. Someone else reinforced my shield." "You are a psi. I thought so," said a calm voice above their heads. All three recognized the white and black garb of a Cosmo Police officer as the green-haired woman hovered in the air above them. "You were Mi'chon's target?" Behind her, part of the balcony fell earthward as a strong 'shot' hit it; more psychic power bolts criss-crossed eruptively. "I was," Marsha admitted. "Shouldn't you be helping your partner?" She winced as another burst of power shattered seats near them. The CP grinned as debris bounced of the shield she held so easily. "At this point, he'd be rather pissed off if I did. Normally Hunter Kaizard is the most peaceable man you could ever ask for, but give him a crack at someone like Mi'chon...believe it or not, he's enjoying himself. My job is to make sure no one else gets hurt by the fireworks." "Hot damn! Here comes the other one!" Kei yelled, pulling her gun as a dark shape whizzed past. She fired, but the laser bolt was deflected by the man, who then wobbled as another shot from Justy hit him from behind. Kei's deflected bolt slammed into one of the huge arrays of arc lights held overhead by an anti- gravity unit. As a result, a good dozen of the heavy lamps came plummeting groundward, sparking furiously. Besieged from the ground as well as the air, Mi'chon decided the better part of valor would be to put distance between himself and this unexpectedly strong opposition. The air fairly sizzled as he rocketed away in the direction of the starport. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 78 ======================================================================= "And there goes my young partner right after him," the CP sighed as Justy streaked after his prey. "I'd best go join him. I think you'll be all right for the moment. You know," she looked sternly at Marsha, "If you'd come to us earlier, you wouldn't have had to live in fear of Mi'chon for so long...I'll make sure someone comes around to see after your safety until we've settled the bastard's case." Gracefully, she arced skyward and joined the pursuit. "ALL RIGHT! Let's go after 'em! If we all keep the heat on his tail, he won't be back to bother you, Marsha!" Yuri was grinning. "Go on home. Mooghi and Nanoo'll be there...we've got to make sure these CPs don't fluff the job like they did last time!" Before Marsha could even open her mouth to object, the two Lovely Angels were gone. "Baka!" North snorted to herself. "You're asking to get dead quick, dealing with a monster like Mi'chon. Baka-may!" Despite herself, the woman had come to like the Dirty Pair in the months they'd been her bodyguards. She'd hate to see them killed... Ryoko saw the path of destruction caused by the two battling psis and thought to herself that matters were getting out of hand. Kei and Yuri saw the same smoking debris and were both impressed and glad that this time they wouldn't be blamed for the chaos! The starport looked like a giant tornado had passed through it; starships of one sort or another were scattered about the field like so many squashed toys. So intent were all parties on the battle between the Cosmo Police Hunter and Mi'chon that no one noticed the pink-colored spacecraft...one of the few left undamaged on the tarmac...rising upward under Mi'chon's telekinetic power. Then a particularly powerful blast hurtled Justy out of the sky and through several buildings, his force field protecting him against serious injury. The dark-garbed form entered the LOVELY ANGEL, and the ship did the impossible -- performed a space warp less than a mile above the surface of the planet! There was a deafening clap of thunder as air rushed into the vacuum left by the departing ship, and the resulting shock wave finished the destruction caused by the battle. "OUR SHIP!!!" Kei wailed from behind a sheltering wall. "The damned bastard stole the LOVELY ANGEL!" The two WWWA agents found Ryoko at the CP's ship, diligently doing her best to repair the damage it'd taken during her partner's battle with Mi'chon. She was using her telekinesis to not only hold parts in place but to meld the broken edges together. As they approached, Justy rocketed back down from the sky. "WE WANT OUR SHIP BACK!!" Kei yelled. Justy ignored them. "I can't pick up a strong enough trail to follow," he said matter of factly. "Got a line on him?" "Yes. He's heading for Miritha," the woman replied, touching his mind with her own to show him the trace she had located. "It's outside of Commonwealth space, and too far for either of us to ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 79 ======================================================================= follow him under our own power. That's why he took THEIR spacecraft, in addition to the fact it seems to have been the only one left in working order after your little fracas." "Only one left..." Yuri said in a small voice. Then her voice hardened. "Then WE'RE going with you, after the LOVELY ANGEL!! We're not letting that -- that -- crook steal our ship and get away with it!" "No, you're not. It's far too dangerous," Justy returned, frowning. "My partner and I are trained for this sort of work. You aren't..." "The HELL we ain't!" Kei interrupted, furious. "Just 'cause you're CP doesn't mean you're the only ones who've ever battled ESPers! WE were on Nolandia..." "We've been trouble-shooters and agents for the WWWA since we were sixteen," Yuri put in, hands on hips as she frowned at the young Hunter. "We've been in tougher situations than this, fought against worst criminals..." "We were HIRED to keep Marsha North safe -- and the only way to do that is to make sure you bozos don't let that crook get away again!" Kei continued. "Ladies, you obviously don't understand the situation..." Justy was getting just a bit flustered by the infamous Dirty Pair as they both leaned in toward him, eyes blazing angrily. Somewhere behind him, as she finished her repair work, Ryoko smiled to herself as she listened to the heated argument continue. Setting the last bond in place over a deep score in the ship's skin, she turned back to the three. "Forget it, Justy," she said, tapping him on the shoulder. He looked at her, obviously disappointed that she'd 'deserted' him. "If they want to risk death, that's their choice. It's not like they're a pair of tyros who've never faced any real danger before. Don't you recognize them?" "Huh?" Justy was startled. "Tshk! Not listening to the briefings, have you? Of course, you don't get into this sector very often...If I'm not mistaken, these are Kei and Yuri of the World Welfare Work Association. You may have heard them referred to as "the Dirty Pair"." "Lovely Angels!" Kei and Yuri spoke as one as Justy continued to look blank. "That may be your official code-name, but let's face it -- most people know you by the other," Ryoko told them, but noting her partner was still confused. Introductions seemed called for. "I am Officer Ryoko, and this is Hunter Kaizard." "Fine. So, Hunter Kaizard, we're requisitioning space on your ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 80 ======================================================================= ship while you go hunting this asshole!" Kei said. "Sure you are," Justy muttered under his breath, glaring at Ryoko. "How do I get myself into these things?" "Now, Justy. After all, it was THEIR ship Mi'chon stole. They may be able to help us; I'm sure the LOVELY ANGEL is full of all sorts of special equipment and such that neither Mi'chon nor we are aware of. The sort of knowledge a simple mind scan won't pick up." "WHOSE side are you on, Ryoko?" "On the side of getting that bastard," Ryoko said quietly. "Anything that might help us realize that goal...." "All right, all right. I know when I've been outnumbered and outmaneuvered," he said, giving in. "Let's get going. Though how all four of us are going to fit inside our spacer..." "Very closely," Kei leered at him, grabbing one arm. "Who says you can't combine romance and adventure in real life?" giggled Yuri as she took the other, and they walking into the ship behind Ryoko, a furiously blushing Justy between them. "If Jelna or Asteris ever find out..." he moaned. Ryoko hid another grin; Justy was turning all shades of red in embarrassment. He was usually so serious...the poor youngster obviously had never learned the fine art of teasing, and had no idea how to handle it. His embarrassment was only egging on the WWWA agents to more merriment at his expense. Still, while she had decided that Justy needed to learn to relax more, their current needling wasn't helping any. "If you two will strap in," she said, breaking into their conversation, "Perhaps we can get started." With a look of relief Justy headed up front as his partner supervised getting the 'Dirty Pair' settled into some jump seats. The engines came on as she joined him in the co-pilot's seat, and within minutes, using their special clearances (and the fact the shattered Port Authority building still wasn't sure what had gone on...) the small Cosmo Police ship was space-borne. By this time Justy had himself a good, solid "line" on Mi'chon and was following it unerringly, using the brief "touch" Ryoko had initially given him. "What is he -- some sort of space-going blood hound?" Kei demanded as Ryoko cautioned them against disturbing her partner's concentration. "They DO call him "Hunter", don't they?" Yuri giggled back. "Kinda good looking for a bloodhound, don't you think, Kei? You got a claim on him?" This last was directed at Ryoko. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 81 ======================================================================= "Lady of Light, no! I leave the Justy-hunting to all the single young women back at the base," Ryoko grinned. "I've already got me a steady, thank you." "Then he's free game!" Yuri exclaimed, eyes gleaming. "You approach him with THOSE sort of thoughts in your mind -- and if I can tell what you're thinking, he sure can! -- he'll run like hell in the other direction," Kei replied practically. "And if we distract him at the wrong time, Mi'chon could fry us all." "Nah...Ryoko here'll protect us!" "If I can. Hunter Kaizard has had far more experience at this kind of mission than I have," Ryoko returned easily. "Mi'chon is quite powerful." "You shielded us from his energy bolts at the concert!" Yuri protested. "Those were far from his most powerful, minnesan. Powerful enough to overcome your client's shields, yes, but otherwise designed more for spectacular fireworks than true penetrating power. After that first bolt, he was too busy fending off Justy's attacks to concentrate on killing you three," Ryoko responded, smiling at their discomfort as it began to penetrate just how close they'd come to dying this time. "Who was it who was saying something about doing something drastic if this case didn't break soon?" Yuri asked Kei. "Yeah, but this isn't quite what I had in mind!" Kei retorted. "Do you really think we'll be useful, Ryoko?" The woman nodded. "I wouldn't have said so to Justy if I hadn't meant it," she said with assurance. "For one thing, I'm sure Mi'chon has friends wherever he's going, and not all of 'em will be ESPers. Powerful as Justy is, he can't be everywhere at the same time, not when he's fighting a major battle with several opponents at once. And while I expect Mi'chon and some of his top people will be administered justice on the spot, we will need to collect evidence to convict others later on...He MUST have contacts in the Commonwealth, for example." "And those contacts may know of even more such criminal ESPer groups...I see," Yuri said. "You want us to help collect your evidence?" Ryoko nodded. "I can find the proper computers and such, but getting information from them at the same time I'm fighting off the enemy gets hairy at times," she said. "Fine. The WWWA will send you a bill for our services," Kei said. "Going to be a long trip?" "Several hours at least." ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 82 ======================================================================= "Fine. I'm getting me some shuteye. Wake us when we're getting close, eh, Ryoko?" "Sure," Ryoko agreed, watching a little enviously as the two WWWA agents dozed off easily. While she had no problems sleeping in bed at home, she was the type who could never get comfortable enough sitting in a seat to nod off. She turned back to the main viewscreen, allowing her thoughts to drift ahead of them and fan out to the sides. Her mind could not reach as far as Justy's, particularly when he was driving such a hard line straight ahead, but she hoped that her investigations to the side would help protect them from ambush of any type...She dropped into the light trance state that to an outside observer would closely resemble sleep, despite the fact her mind was actually working harder than it would when fully awake. * * * * * * * * * * Miritha, their target, was a dark and dismal planetoid circling a tiny white dwarf star, its skys unlit even by starlight due to the blocking black nebula surrounding it. As they looked down at it, Justy wondered with one part of his mind why criminal psis tended to be drawn to such inhospitable places to establish their bases. Why not sunny, airy, pleasant worlds once in a while? "I can't find the exact location of the LOVELY ANGEL," he said. "Mi'chon's got his shields up. I don't suppose you have a transponder of some sort on board?" "Of course, silly!" Kei snorted. "Lots of time we've had to hide our ship in oceans and such. Can't afford to not be able to find it immediately when we need it! Yuri, you want to set in the code to turn it on?" "Sure thing. One side." Yuri made her way past her partner, almost rubbing shoulders with Justy as she leaned over the control panel and started punching buttons on the communications console. A minute later a blip appeared on the board. "That's where he set her down," Yuri said smugly. "Ryoko, anything on our normal instruments?" "He's jamming those pretty good, too, Hunter. But I get indications of a structure of some sort in that area. He must have a base there. We'll have to destroy that if we can." "Fine. We'll set down over here on the other side of the ridge and work our way in. We have jet packs for these two?" "Yes. Plans?" "I'll keep Mi'chon and his cohorts busy, distract them while you three take care of the base and get the information the Commander wants. I'll yell if I need help." Justy looked grim. While in the heat of battle he could enjoy himself, looking at the prospect of such conflict cold was not an appealing thought. It was ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 83 ======================================================================= something he had to do...there were times he wished fervently that he was still living on that small agricultural planet where Jelna had found him seemingly so many years ago now... They were met by considerable opposition as they came in, attacks by both anti-space missiles and unseen but not unfelt psychic assaults. Justy grimly held on, while Ryoko shielded them from the worst of the melee. At least one missile got through, or perhaps it was a psychic bolt; Justy felt the ship lurch and sway drunkenly as his controls went dead. Glancing at each other, the two psis brought the small craft in by the dint of their own minds. Kei and Yuri held on to each other desperately as the ship jerked about alarmingly, beginning to wonder if they were going to live long enough to touch down. Then they WERE down, the rough landing further damaging their transportation. All four quickly exited the cockpit, knowing that it would take far more than their own ability at making repairs to make her space worthy again. The attacks had slacked off for a few minutes, and the assault force took the opportunity to regroup and continue their mission. It was far too late to reconsider...They separated. Justy went openly, prepared for battle, while Ryoko did her best to camouflage her screens, in the hopes that she and the Lovely Angels wouldn't be noticed in the excitement sure to result once Justy's challenge was met. They found the base with relative ease. Its inhabitants seemed to have decided that there was no point in doing a lot to conceal it, when psychic senses could ferret out such a large installation easily. "Not a lot of psis, but quite a few people down there," she muttered. "Good. Those we can handle," Kei said grimly, checking the charge level on her blaster. "Kaizard started his offensive yet?" "About five minutes ago. He started out cool and collected, but he's starting to get mad now," Ryoko remarked. "Time to get going, then." Yuri said. "Quite. The guards are mostly located in those three towers; with a roving patrol on the top of the wall. Some inside as well, but I can't pick them up well yet," Ryoko said. "I'll take out the controls..." With unspoken agreement, the three women flitted toward the fortress. Both WWWA agents had agreed to allow Ryoko light mind touches; with that connection she could let them know exactly where their opponents were, and leave all the surprise on THEIR side. The Dirty Pair went about what they did best -- creating mayhem among the foe. They were somewhat startled when one of the towers exploded, then realized that Ryoko had indeed taken out the controls. They surged forward into the building, adding to their personal inventory of weapons by the simple expedient of picking up the weapons dropped by their terminated opponents. Even Ryoko had picked up a pistol; she'd need her psychic energy later for more important things than taking out cannon fodder. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 84 ======================================================================= It also didn't take much work to locate the central computer. Yuri went to work trying to find the information the Cosmo Police needed while Kei and Ryoko kept away the guards. "Got it," Yuri eventually said, turning and starting as she saw the massive pile of bodies her partner and their ally had accumulated between them. "But he's got a tractor field on the LOVELY ANGEL. We can't lift off in our ship until we turn it off!" "Well, there's a simple answer to THAT!" Kei grinned. She took one of the laser cannons she'd appropriated, pointed it at the complex computer banks, and pulled the trigger even as both Ryoko and Yuri yelled: "DON'T!!!" Seconds later, both of the Dirty Pair were hanging on for dear life to Ryoko as the Cosmo Police officer struggled to hold her shields tight against the resulting explosion. The force of the blast threw them physically through several walls, then they were outside, falling groundward -- until Ryoko caught herself and telekinetically "lifted" them away from the rapidly approaching pavement. "Kei, would you please THINK next time before you blast something like that?!?" Yuri was screaming at her, the base erupting into beautiful pyrotechnics behind them. Unnoticed, the fire and explosions began to spread to the fuel tanks stored far underground on the small planetoid. Then Kei herself was screaming, as a bolt of lightning slashed past them. Ryoko halted in mid-flight, facing an antagonist clad in bright red and gold. Kei and Yuri looked at their ally and shuddered; tried to scrunch into as small a space as possible. Ryoko's eyes were now glowing silver, and her hair was beginning to lift away from her head with the discharge of the power she was raising within herself. "So, Yallen, you wish to cross swords with me?" the Cosmo Police officer asked, her voice somehow changed -- filled with the surety of confidence in oneself. The only answer was another bolt, then: "Die, you Police bitch!" Yuri noted with some interest that the fireworks weren't nearly as impressive from up close as Ryoko let loose. On the other hand, Yallen seemed to feel they were quite adequate, considering the way he started yelling, and fell rapidly groundward. Ryoko followed him down, setting the two Lovely Angels on their feet before she went to check on him. The two followed warily. The man was badly burned, but could still see, if the way his eyes widened in astonishment as he obviously recognized Ryoko was any indication. "Fire...Firechild!" he whispered. "You had your chance, Yallen, as did Mi'chon, and the rest of us. You all chose to continue the evil of the Overlords," Ryoko said quietly. Her hand reached out, pointed toward the man. "Now you must pay for the ill you have chosen to perpetuate against others." The hand tightened, and Yallen shuddered, then fell ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 85 ======================================================================= silent. Ryoko seemed about to weep for a minute, then straightened her shoulders. "Go get the LOVELY ANGEL ready!" she told them. "Justy could use some help..." * * * * * * * * * * Elsewhere, Justy was having troubles of his own. Mi'chon and five of his cohorts were doing their damnedest to kill him, and the Hunter had discovered that he was far more tired than he'd thought. Plus, unlike most of the criminal ESPers he usually fought, these worked as a well-oiled team rather than individually. He sent out a brief "call" for help, "heard" Ryoko's faint reply, and dug in, lashing out with the same bulldogged determination that had kept him going through so many other battles. Then searing fire lit the sky, and one of his opponents was gone. The others split up to take on this new threat, which gave the experienced Hunter the edge he needed. Against six, coordinating their attacks, he could barely hold his own. Against three, whose concentration was fragmented by the loss of one of their number, his attacks were far more telling. He mind-blasted the two subordinates, then turned his attention to Mi'chon himself. Justy's confidence soared; he already knew he could take on this one. Mi'chon knew it too; so the battle was, in a very real sense, over before it had begun. A short time later Justy let the weight of the dead man drop to the ground, turned to see Ryoko watching him with detached interest. Justy made a quick body count; between the two of them they'd accounted for all of Mi'chon's psychic warriors. "I HATE this work," he said with a sigh. "Damn it, why do people with the sort of power these people had use it for something other than amassing illegal fortunes?" "Justy, they had their chance, perhaps more than once, to change the direction of their lives. Don't mourn these bastards too much," his partner advised. "Now, come on, our friends should have gotten to their ship by now." Justy nodded, and followed her, not about to argue. The woman had more than proven herself...Justy wouldn't underestimate her again. She'd handled the three psis she'd taken on with skill enough that he hadn't even noticed what she'd done. Perhaps with too much ease...but Justy was too tired to follow that momentary suspicion, and dismissed it from his mind. * * * * * * * * * * * Back at the LOVELY ANGEL, the Dirty Pair was bewailing the damage Mi'chon had done to their ship, and were in no friendly mood when the two Cosmo Police officers arrived. "Your people WILL pay for fixing the damage to our ship, won't they?" Kei demanded as soon as they came on board. "Don' ask me," Justy yawned, collapsing into a chair. "That you'll ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 86 ======================================================================= have to discuss back at base with our legal people...Y' want to give them the coordinates to Helva Station, Ryoko? That's probably closest." Justy closed his eyes and almost immediately was asleep. "Yeah, sure," Ryoko groaned, looking at him. Then the ground surged under their feet. "Shimatta! You'd better get this thing spaceborn -- like five minutes ago!" the CP officer yelped, grabbing onto a stantion for support. "Kei...!!!" "We're going!!!!" Kei shoved the throttle forward and the LOVELY ANGEL lurched drunkenly forward, then lifted upward as her pilot coaxed her into life. Another trembler rocked the planetoid below them, and fire began gouging out of crevasses that had suddenly opened in its surface. "Gleep. Another frickin' planet..." Yuri moaned. "Well, it's out of Commonwealth space, so at least we won't have to do nearly as much paperwork as last time!" Kei told gleefully. "Now, let's go see how much money we can drag out of the Cosmo Police for compensation..." * * * * * * * * * * "I'm sorry, ladies, but that's all the credits we can legally authorize you for your troubles," the small man was telling them as they walked down the corridor. "You DID go with our officers of your own initiative, and once you agreed to leave Freehold with them, you were essentially volunteering your services rather than contracting them out. It will take the Overgovernment's Office of the Budget to authorize more credits for the repair of your ship. It isn't OUR fault the criminal hijacked it, you know..." "Argh! What was that about less paperwork this time?" Yuri asked Kei. "So sue me!" Kei growled. "Uh...on second thought...Oh, there's Justy!" Someone else had seen him at the same time, as behind them they heard a feminine voice call his name. "Justy!" the youngster, bright red hair streaming behind her, leaped past them and threw her arms around the Cosmo Police officer. Then another woman, dressed in Cosmo Police uniform as well, and with red-gold hair, joined Justy and the younger woman. Laughing, he put an arm around both of them and the three went off in another direction. "Blast," Kei muttered discontentedly. "Ah, but that one's not bad," Yuri whispered, nudging her. Kei looked and barely controlled the wolf-whistle that threatened to emerge from her lips. "Manna from heaven," she breathed as she looked at the Cosmo Police officer walking down the corridor toward them. He was perhaps six foot tall, with slightly angular eyes and long black hair. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 87 ======================================================================= "Silvan!" Ryoko's voice came from the other direction, and the man smiled. "You're back from your mission," she continued, and was giving him a warm embrace that was willingly returned. "Oh, rats!" Yuri said as that pair disappeared, too. "Are there ANY unattached men around here?" "Hello, ladies," said a voice behind them. They turned to see a dark-haired man with a somewhat homely face, pointy ears and a predatory smile on his face. "I'm Officer Borba, Hunter Kaizard's normal partner. Justy asked me to show you around -- is there anything I can do to help you right now?" The Dirty Pair looked at each other and both gave out a long, heartfelt sigh. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 88 ======================================================================= ================================================ == == == WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT: A Sequel of Sorts == == by Shainde Minuk == == == ================================================ [This is another example of how a very short story can make a very loud point. This story originally appeared in the March 1989 issue of CELLULOID DIVERSIONS. Unfortunately, its point is just as poignant in early 1991.--RSS] How many times had he driven this freeway, alone in his '67 Buick? Countless times. And as he drove, he thought about who had lived where the freeway now stood. Toontown. Thousands of lovable Toons, convinced that their existence was safe. How wrong they were. A private eye like himself had helped keep L.A. free of a freeway way back in '47 or '48, but it didn't do much good in the long run. No, eventually the Toons began to lose their mass appeal, not to mention that they were becoming way too high-priced and difficult to work with for the movie studios to afford. By the late fifties, the movie moguls had begun to figure out that it was more lucrative to have people out in the lobby buying popcorn before the main feature began than sitting down watching cartoons. The Golden Age of Toons was when the people merely asked "Who framed Roger Rabbit?" Their crazy antics faded in popularity when the audiences asked more pressing questions, such as "Who shot President Kennedy?" and "Who bombed Pan Am flight 103?" But in this new day, he reflected, even now, the Toons never really died. Oh sure, some of them did, most of them retired, all of them were forced to vacant Toontown of course, but they were still around. Their bacon became TV, although their hijinks were never so wilds as in the old days. At first, the TV Toons were much like their predecessors, except that due to a strange muscular disorder they were unable to move freely, their movements limited to the extent that many of them never moved their chins when they spoke; and most of them didn't even have necks, a fact they tried to disguise by wearing colorful bow ties. But a new race of Toons had begun to crop up, across the ocean in the Land of the Rising Sun. There, under a Neon sunrise of techno-economic miracles came serious-minded Toons with the same muscular disabilities as their American cousins but with considerably more vulnerable lives. These Toons died right and left, although, admittedly, they did occasionally come back from the dead (another trait they shared with western Toons). In any case, the Jap Toons inevitably moved to work with the Yanks. A lot of Yank Toons hated their Japanese counterparts and racial strife was rampant. That was where he came in. He specialized in crowd control since P>I> jobs were scarce and riots ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 89 ======================================================================= were plentiful. Terrorists from Sandy Frank productions and Harmony Gold were beating the crap out of some Jap Toons, but many eastern Toons were becoming famous nonetheless. Moreover, some of the Jap Toons were playing dirty pool in their wheeling and dealing, causing more tension between the races. Pulling off the freeway, he quickly reached the destination, where the riot was going in full force. Willowy, doe-eyed Japs were piloting giant Toon robots and squashing Yanks like crazy. For their part, the Yanks were hurling dynamite sticks and large black balls with lit fuses and the word "BOMB" painted on them with big white letters. He shook his head in dismay. I just dunno, he thought grimly, they all look alike to me. Why they're fighting is beyond me --- a Toon is a Toon is a.... His thoughts were cut off when a baby bunny Yank Toon and shouted, "Look, a cop!" He cursed himself for making himself so conspicuous --- of course the only human who'd be hanging around a Toon riot would be a cop, or in his case, a riot snoop. The next thing he knew he was surrounded by angry, heavily-armed Toons. But there was something coming over the horizon. Slowly chugging up the hill, behind the unknowing Toons, was a SWAT team, riding in steam rollers and armed with.... He couldn't tell, but they looked like Molotov cocktails. A voice screamed at him over a loudspeaker from one of the steamrollers, "Get back in your car and leave!!!" The Toons were easily distracted, and he took the chance to jump in his car and take off, tires screaming as they pulled a curve and took off down the street. He had no qualms about retreating; he was no fool. However, he did want to see the battle. Parking his car on the top of a hill overlooking the scene, he saw the riot police tossing the bottles. They weren't Molotov cocktails, he discovered as he watched the Toons melt and evaporate onto the pavement. They were filled with the Dip! God, he thought, all those Toons, gone! But many of them were still there, hurling rocks at the cops, and the giant robots were too big to kill with little bottles of Dip. It never occurred to him that the riot police would want to kill all the Toons. True, they were largely becoming troublesome, what with their riots and drive-by shootings; the fact that there wasn't much of a job market for Toons in L.A. that year had increased tensions even more than usual...but he didn't think the human authorities would go for the "Final Solution." So he was surprised when the cops pulled out a huge gun turret --- seemingly out of nowhere (it was a Toon turret) --- and fired away, blasting the Dip throughout the remaining crowd of Toons. He was, in fact, shocked, and as the explosions roared over the city, he watched in morbid fascination. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 90 ======================================================================= In the middle of L.A., a festively-colored mushroom cloud took away the last of the Toons in the western hemisphere. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 91 ======================================================================= ======================================== == == == REVIEWS: JAPANESE ANIME IN ENGLISH == == by Patricia Munson-Siter == == == ======================================== AUTHOR'S NOTE: As will become obvious from my reviews, I am not one of the purists who insist that the only "good" translation is one that does no editing at all to the original material. I do not mind editing so long as the plot is left intact. I try to view the translated stories as would someone not at all familiar with the originals. Is the story understandable? Are there obvious "holes" in the plot? And so on. Please keep this in mind as you read my reviews. If you're a "purist," you'll probably disagree with some of my assessments. [This review originally appeared in CELLULOID DIVERSIONS.--RSS] BATTLE FOR MOON STATION DALLOS (84 min) ======================================= In tone and general storyline, this Peregrine release reminded me of Heinlein's THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS, in which the lunar colony -- most of whose inhabitants are either convicts or descendants of convicts -- rebel against a corrupt, hard-handed Earth administration. A similar situation exists in DALLOS. Convicts have been shipped to the moon, where they have become slave-labor for the mines. (It isn't clear exactly what they ARE mining...) Once their sentence is up, the released convict must pay his (or her) own passage back to Earth. Most cannot afford the cost and thus they have, for the most part, remained on the Luna colony, working as before -- but now they must pay for everything they use instead of getting it "free" and become more and more indebted to the Earth authority/company. ("I owe my soul to the company store...") Those sent to run the colony from Earth treat convict, ex-convict, and the children/spouses of their prisoner slaves with equal contempt. The new police commander is especially heavy-handed, and the colonists are near rebellion. Several convicts and political prisoners have already escaped, taking refuge in the miles of maze-like tunnels that exist beneath the Moon's surface. While DALLOS has no "Mycroft," the sentient computer that aided the colonists in TMIAHM, there exists a half-excavated alien ship/base that seems to have a live of its own. This alien artifact has been named "Dallos." When the rebellion takes place, the rebels eventually fall back to Dallos, which is regarded by the older, more superstitious colonists as a god. When the Earth Authority attacks, whatever still "lives" within Dallos reacts to the murderous barrage, revealing that its builders gave it ample weapons with which to defend itself. Stalemated, an uneasy truce is worked out, but it is obvious that the peace is very fragile. I rather liked the fact that rather than rewrite this feature to give in the normal "happy ending" requisite for most US animation, Peregrine left DALLOS with its rather open-ended "to be continued" ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 92 ======================================================================= finish. This one has "sequel" written all over it. This can be frustrating as I doubt Peregrine will ever release the sequels! The mystery of Dallos is left intact -- just what the alien artifact really was, what its purpose was/is, is left unexplained. Again this can be very frustrating if you really want to know EXACTLY what is going on! The animation and artwork is not bad, if not great. The voice acting is fair -- quite good actually by U.S. standards, but somewhat flat for those of us who've been spoiled by the splendid voice acting the Japanese insist on. The translators managed to hold the dippy scenes to a minimum for a change; and the names are livable. The print itself is quite good, clear and well- focused. I've only seen the original(s) once, at a convention, so I can't say anything specific about what, if anything, was cut or changed when it was edited for the American audience. However, it definitely is NOT a "kiddy film" and the marketing emphasizes that fact. REVENGE OF THE NINJA WARRIOR (96 min) (Original Title: DAGGER OF KAMUI) ===================================== One of Peregrine's best efforts to date, as far as I'm concerned. The story follows the adventures of young Jiro as he is orphaned, trained as a ninja, and dispatched on a mission that will effectually lead to his disaffection from his master as well as teach him more than he ever wanted to know about his mysterious past. The trail leads to northern Japan, to an American sailing vessel, and the young, violent American west before Jiro will see home again. Back in Japan, Jiro becomes even more heavily involved in plot and counter-plot as a civil war threatens Japan. The plot has as many twists and turns as a Gordian knot, but at least in English the viewer can follow what's going on -- if one does not let one's attention slip for even a moment! The voice acting for the most part is excellent, well above American average. The print quality is also above par. There have been only a few scenes cut -- mostly a few of the ones of the white "Indian" girl skinny-dipping. If others went on the cutting room floor I didn't miss them. This is an excellent feature to show at conventions. It is one of the best translation jobs I've seen. The story is very well written for the American audience, and there are no noticeable gaps in the storyline. Highly recommended! VENGEANCE OF THE SPACE PIRATE (101 min) (Original Title: MY YOUTH IN ARCADIA) ======================================= This is the story of how Captain Harlock became a space pirate. I won't go into the details of the plot as most Japanime fans are already familiar with it -- plus there is a subtitled version circulating in fandom as well as several scripts. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 93 ======================================================================= From the standpoint of someone who has never seen the original, VENGEANCE stands up fairly well. However, there are a few things that I find audiences have questions about when viewing this translation. For example, why as the Immedias destroying their slave worlds if the slaves from that planet have served them as well as they seem to have? Why did the soldiers jumping into the "Stanley Witch of Space" save the Arcadia? A little more explanation than that given -- and less editing of certain scenes which gave the background necessary to understand such points -- would have been nice. And, of course, the fact that one of the scenes cut was the opening flashback of Phantom T. Harlock trying to fly over the Owen Stanley Mountains on Earth doesn't help explain why the sacrifice of the soldiers was necessary. (This, by the way, goes back to a true story during World War II of a plane flying supplies over "The Hump" -- they almost crashed on the Owen Stanley mountain and only the members of the crew -- except for the pilot -- jumping out of the plane lightened its load enough for it to clear the peaks.) The print is excellent, but the editing is choppy. In general, the voice acting is decent (at least Harlock doesn't have a John Wayne-style accent!) though at places...*Sigh* This feature goes over well at conventions, but the execution in translating it into English is flawed. It may leave a bad taste in the mouths of those who like Arcadia just the way it was. TECHNOPOLICE (80 min) ===================== This film is not one of Peregrine's better efforts. TECHNOPOLICE is about a young police officer reassigned to a mysterious new unit in the big city, where crime has expanded and uses technology to the point where the normal mundane police force cannot cope with it any more. The youngster finds himself with a robot partner, along with two other human police officers as well as the requisite cute dog robot. Thankfully, the dog robot doesn't appear very often! The bad guys steal a tank, and our intrepid trio (well, six if you count the robot partners) are in hot pursuit. Yep, that's it. There isn't a whole lot to the plot of this thing. It is full of silly, slap-stick style humor -- fine if you enjoy "physical" comedy, but as I don't it somewhat ruins the feature for me. The original is just as silly, so this can't be blamed on the translators. I don't think they had a lot to work with here.... Several other things that contributed to ruining my enjoyment of TECHNOPOLICE can be laid at Peregrine's feet, however. The voice acting is quite poor -- worse, they use the actors for several different roles and the voice actors don't change their voices enough. It SOUNDS like the same voice coming out of several different peoples' mouths. Whoever did the print transfer did a piss-poor job...I bought a pre-record of this one, but the colors still run (especially reds and oranges, of which there are a lot in this film, of course!) over and fade in places. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 94 ======================================================================= Do NOT buy this video sight unseen; watch someone else's copy before you put your money down. I was NOT pleased by this effort. LOCKE THE SUPERPOWER (92 min) (Original Title: LOCKE THE SUPERMAN) ==================================== I suppose DC Comics prevented them from using the original title as they have the trademark on the word "Superman" used in such a context. Again, I am not going to cover the plot; like MY YOUTH IN ARCADIA, most anime fans are probably somewhat familiar with it and I'd only be rehashing something that's been covered in considerable depth elsewhere. The translation is fairly true to the original. Basically the story can be described as a guerrilla war conduced by ESPers, lead by "Lady Khan," with the intention of taking over a government led by "mundanes" (i.e., mostly non- ESPers). The non-psis have Locke, a very powerful psi, on their side. Battles between the two sides are sneaky, nasty affairs, and it proves out that Lady Khan is not at all what she seems. Translation appears to be true to the original in most places; where it isn't, it's due to the heavy-handed editing. The editing in places is VERY bad -- in one place Cornealia, one of the "bad" ESPers, tells her troops not to attack Locke. Cut scene (yes, they cut one of the battle sequences that is one of my favorites in the original) and you see Locke walking away with a badly burned body in the foreground. VERY frustrating, and it's something several people have caught when we showed the film at conventions. The voice acting is fair to middling -- above the American standard but not great. For someone not familiar with the original the translation is quite enjoyable. This has been well- received by most audiences at conventions we've shown it at. The print quality is nice and clear, and the colors come through nicely. I really don't understand why they cut my favorite fight scene; they left in quite a few others that were just as bloody.... GEMINI PROPHECIES (85 min) (Original title: THE ANDROMEDA STORIES) ======================================= This feature was translated and dubbed by Touchstone (a division of Disney) from what I hear, and the tape itself is distributed by Sony Home Video. On the world of Geminix in the Andromeda Galaxy, King Arador is getting married to Queen Eldolin of Greyhelm, unifying the two largest kingdoms on the planet. In the capitol city Ingroth, a cloaked figure wanders through the rejoicing crowds, worried about the implications of the Prophecy the royals are in the process of confirming. The woman warrior humiliates the drunken soldier Valga before departing. All seems to be going well, and soon Eldolin is pregnant. Their children will eventually rule the world, Arador tells her with pride. Then a meteor shatters their peace. The woman warrior senses its evil, and realizes that the ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 95 ======================================================================= evil, mindless minions of the Mother Machine (talk about alliterative descriptions!) have discovered Geminix. She tries to destroy the meteor -- actually a space ship -- before the machines can start their invasion, but fails. The machines invade Ingroth and begin to take over the inhabitants, including King Arador. Eldolin and her handmaiden are saved by unseen powerwaves from her unborn child, which destroys the spider-like mind controllers before they can possess the two women. As Arador calls a conference of the leaders of his world, each is also possessed by the Machine, their souls, their minds killed -- machines now running their bodies. The woman warrior is rescued and repaired by an old man named Wasifa, who is considered a great wizard. It seems that she is Abassina, the Protectress -- and the sole survivor of Rhodarian, which was destroyed by the Mother Machine. She is a cyborg, a human being who has been turned into a machine in order to fight the Mother Machine. She does not know Wasifa and refuses to work with him, but is finally persuaded to help look after the "child of the prophecy" -- the child about to be born to Eldolin. No-one foresees that the child will be twins -- a boy and a girl. Eldolin's handmaiden gives the Queen her son, and takes the daughter away. Abassina saves the life of the young son, Kalif, and Elidor, and sends them off into the wasteland where Kalif grows up strong and straight. Eventually Wasifa finds them and recruits Kalif to lead his cause -- to drive off the Mother Machine. Kalif is understandably reluctant to believe that Wasifa's ragtag army can do much about the Mother Machine's hordes. Eventually he breaks with Wasifa because he has realized that the old man doesn't want him as a true leader -- what the old wizard wants is a figurehead leader who will let Wasifa make all the real decisions! Then Wasifa discovers that Kalif has a twin, and they go looking for the girl. It seems Abassina has been looking after the girl, Maya, for all these years. Kalif and Maya meet, and discover their power -- the power to harness the energy of the sun. But the power does not work when each is alone -- it takes both of them to use it at its fullest extent. Even the power of the sun is not enough to destroy the Mother Machine, and Wasifa -- who is himself revealed to be a cyborg -- goes to destroy the Mother Machine, and in doing so destroys Geminix as well. Kalif and Maya have escaped in a space ship, and are put into deep sleep/stasis for a long journey. They end up on an uninhabited Earth, and become "Adam and Eve" in a most unconventional fashion! ANDROMEDA STORIES is one of my all-time favorite Japanime features anyway, and this translation is a real pleasure to watch. Some of the names make me wince, but other than that this is one of the best jobs of making an English-language version of a Japanese feature that I've seen. It is completely true to the original, with only a few minor scenes cut. (The one I noticed most involves the death of Arador when he's "possessed" by the Mother Machine -- in the original, you get to see his soul leave his body, regress back into an infant, and return to the arms of the "Mother of the Universe." I suppose they cut this to avoid repercussions from those who would object to the (non-Western) religious nature of that scene.) The voice acting is quite good in this, and the print quality is ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 96 ======================================================================= excellent! This videotape is well worth the price. Highly recommended! WARRIORS OF THE WIND (95 min) (Original title: NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WINDS) ====================================================== I won't go into the details of the plot of this one. I'm sure most of you are familiar with the story, if only because the manga that it is based on is currently being released in English! Needless to say, when you cut a feature that was originally a little over 2 hours long into 95 minutes, you're going to lose a lot of the original story. Supposedly it was cut because it was originally slated to be released in theaters in this country. As it was, I understand it only had about a week in the theaters. Since then it's been on HBO (where a lot of folks saw it and came into Japanime because they were impressed by the quality of the artwork and animation) and released on videotape. Unfortunately, when they cut over 20 minutes of it the stuff that went on the cutting room floor in general was information bits -- the scenes that told you more about what was really going on. Things like what the Toxic Jungle was doing, why the insects acted the way they did, and why "Zandra" is so important -- and why the Om (Excuse me, Gorgons) are willing to communicate with her. Worse, audiences at conventions catch on to these plot holes and always have questions. Still, that isn't all bad. When the audience is interested enough to ask questions afterwards, it means they've liked the film enough to want to know more about it. When you start telling them what happened in the original that was cut out, many of them want to see the original, even if it IS in a language they can't understand! And the plot of WARRIORS OF THE WIND is close enough to the original that they'll be able to follow the plot of NAUSICAA a lot better than if they hit it "cold." Also, all is not bad about WARRIORS. The voice acting is decent, and the print quality is excellent. Further, even the butchered plotline can't conceal the gorgeous artwork and fantastic animation of the original. People who see it for the first time tend to gape at how well it's animated. Just watch the movement of every segment of the Gorgon/Om in the initial chase sequence some time.... While WARRIORS OF THE WIND is a badly flawed production, it is still quite useful for bringing new fans into this fandom, especially those who originally refuse to watch anything that's in a language they don't understand. It does go over quite well at conventions, especially with the manga now being available in English. Give it a try, anyway! DEFENDERS OF THE VORTEX (90 min) (Original title: THE 009 MOVIE) ================================ This is a Peregrine release done for "Celebrity's for Kids" line ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 97 ======================================================================= of video releases. It starts out with Drs. Cosmo and Gilmore being warned by the "infant" cyborg 001 that an enemy is approaching from space. Gilmore and Cosmo eventually agree that they will have to call back Gilmore's other 8 cyborgs -- the Galaxy Legion -- back from retirement to meet the menace. A spaceship lands on Earth right next to the "Cosmo Institute of Science" and the cyborgs, by now at the Institute, prepare for battle. But the psychic 001 tells them that this is no enemy. It is Saba, an alien boy. He tells them that he escaped his home planet with his mother and several warriors, but that he is the only survivor. The others were killed in a battle with Zowa, the leader of their enemies, who also kidnapped his father. Saba's father had discovered the existence of a "super energy" in space that they call the Vortex. Zowa wants to use this energy to further his own aim to rule the universe. Zowa is also the name of the enemy 001 has told them they will be facing, so they decide they must try to fight him. Saba asks them to rescue his father. Then the holographic projection of Garo, one of Zowa's commanders, appears before them and warns them not to oppose Zowa's plans. Then he kidnaps 001 and Dr. Gilmore, the creator of the cyborgs. Of course this only persuades the Galaxy Legion that they must fight Zowa. Saba offers them the use of his spacecraft -- and his own service as pilot. They accept, and go to find Zowa's space station base where they believe he's taken 001 and Dr. Gilmore. They are attacked several times along the way, have to save at least one "space princess" (who of course falls in love immediately with 009, the main character), and eventually find Zowa's space station, "Planet Gannett." Entering the station, they rescue their friends and discover that Saba's father is already dead. 004 (Heinrich) gives up his life to destroy the space station, but Zowa already had gotten the information on the Vortex from Saba's father and is enroute there. 009 (Joe) goes after him, leaving his girlfriend 003 (Frances) in charge of the ship. The remaining cyborgs watch the eerie lights of the Vortex with trepidation. Then 009's form, glowing brightly, reappears on the bridge and tells them Zowa has been destroyed. Further, the Vortex is a living, intelligent being and cannot be "used" by outsiders. The light disappears, and 009 collapses. 001 realizes that they are now back in orbit around Earth. 009 absorbed enough power from the Vortex to transport them back home. They are mourning 004 when Heinrich walks up to them. It seems that 009 also brought him back to life while he was in the vortex, and now he's no longer a cyborg. He asks Gilmore to return him to his former state -- much as he hated being a cyborg, he now realizes that he would not have been able to do the things he had to do (such as destroy Zowa's space station) if he had not been a cyborg. As the feature ends, 003 (Frances) and 009 (Joe) declare their love for each other.... I haven't seen the original of this, so can't comment on how much it differed from the Japanese version. My main complaint with this feature is that the ending was too quick, with too much "deus ex machina" involved in solving their problems. The plot is somewhat jerky in places -- the pacing is rough, not smooth. Also, there isn't enough done to establish who's who among the cyborgs -- I got confused as to who was who, who was which number, and so on. With a cast that large they NEEDED some sort of ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 98 ======================================================================= "introduction scene" where a narrator or perhaps one of the doctors involved in creating the cyborgs would have told the audience about each member of the Galaxy Legion and what their background was. The voice acting is average -- not bad, but not great, either. The artwork and animation is all right -- I'll admit not being fond of the "Cyborg 009" art style, but that's just personal taste. The print quality is good, the colors are crisp and clear. The "science" is a bit fictional in places, but what else do you expect? All in all, this would be a fairly good addition to your "Japanese animation in English" library, especially if you're already a CYBORG 009 fan.... WORLD OF THE TALISMAN (80 min) (Original title: BIRTH) =============================== This feature has been dubbed and released by Harmony Gold ("Harmony Mold") of ROBOTECH. It is not available on videotape. Instead it is available in syndication -- my copy is from a friend in Dallas who taped it off a TV station! The feature starts out focusing on a bounty hunter ship manned by Mo and "Commander" Keen. They are chasing a fantastic energy sword which they believe will lead them to the missing Prince and Princess of the Galactic Empire. (WHY must they always make at least a few of the people in a feature out to be royalty, even if they weren't in the original?) The sword leads them to Pandora, where Prince Talan and Princess Rozza are having problems of their own with a bunch of robots who insist on chasing them with intent to commit mayhem. A "spirit woman" appears to them through the sword and tells them that Pandora is a "testing ground" for potential leaders of the Galactic Empire. There is a treasure -- a "talisman" -- buried somewhere on Pandora; if they can find it the talisman will help Talan become King in the place of his father, who is dying. The maniacal robots keep chasing them, too, and Rozza believes they are doing so because of the sword, now in Talan's position. They are chased into a huge, ruined underground city, where Talan finds a weapon Keen describes as a "planet-buster." The violence continues to escalate until, predictably, they manage to blow up the planet and kill themselves. All five (including Rozza's "pet," Obba) can be seen in the sword, which survives the blast. Then Rozza's form fades away. We see the "spirit lady" once more, telling her child that the true talisman was within each of them, not a physical treasure. Further, while four of them will "advance" in the next life because they've learned something, Rozza will be sentenced to return to "that sphere of life" because she managed to learn nothing. I was not very impressed with this feature. BIRTH itself is enjoyable even without any knowledge of Japanese because it's basically a huge "chase" movie with lots of visual sight gags. Frankly, it made MORE sense in Japanese when you could make up your own plot than it does in this translation! Harmony Gold would have been better off, I think, if they'd eliminated all the serious and/or "preachy" elements that they put into this (about ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 99 ======================================================================= the "Quest of the Sword" and "Spiritual Learning/Awakening") and concentrated solely on the goofy, sometimes corny humor. The voice acting would have been better if Harmony Gold hadn't of had the voice actors use some rather obviously affected accents; and the "stutter" of the robot biker gang's "boss" (in the original, the "baby organic") is very annoying. And, as a trademark of Harmony Gold, the constant stream of "Huh?," "Uh huh," "MMmm" and other such space-filling comments gets to be a real pain. It also doesn't help that most of the voice actors are recognizable from Robotech and other Harmony Gold productions. One would thing they'd eventually hire other voice actors to add to their "stable".... There are also lots of plot holes, such as no real explanation as to WHY the royal brats are on Pandora (Rozza at one point mumbles something about "I KNEW walkabouts would be fun!" but there aren't any other details), why the heck the robots are chasing them, and so on. I also get exceptionally tired of all the "rear end" shots of Rozza -- but then, those were in the original, too. The royal brats treat the whole episode almost like it was some sort of game, and Mo's obsession with females in general gets on the nerves, too. *Sigh* It's a good thing I didn't have to buy this one, or I would have been disappointed. As far as I can tell they didn't edit out much of anything out of the original, but the dubbing/translation could have been improved quite a bit! ONCE UPON A TIME: WINDARIA (90 min) (Original title: LEGENDARY BATTLE: WINDARIA) ============================================= This is another Harmony Gold presentation available only through syndication. The feature opens to narration from "Alan," who is the main character throughout the series. He is now an old man, preparing to join his late wife, Marie. He says that he's now treated like he'd been a hero in the great battle, but that he was no hero -- in fact, he was responsible for one of the greatest crimes committed during the war. He will tell his listeners the true story of the Great Battle and his role in it. Alan and Marie are farmers in the Valley, an area located between the two great powers of their world, Lunaria -- on the coast of a vast fresh- water lake -- and the Shadowlands, located in the inland wastelands. Both the Valley and the Shadowlands get their water from Lunaria, who recently has raised the prices for their water as well as cut back on supplies. The people in the Valley worry that these actions could encourage the Shadowlanders to declare war. Alan and Marie travel to Lunaria to sell some of their produce. While they are there, a Shadowlander opens the flood gates to the lake and nearly floods Lunaria. Alan manages to close the gates before damage is done, and Princess Veronica captures the Shadowlander who tried the sabotage. The Empress of Lunaria sends an ultimatum to Draco, the King of the Shadowlands -- double the price for water as price for the sabotage, or face war. Veronica, who is in love with Roland, Prince of the ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 100 ======================================================================= Shadowlands, is distressed by the thought of war. Roland is just as much in love with her, and the two discuss how they can stop the impending violence. Alan tries to convince the Valley people that they must do something, or the Valley will be destroyed by the war. He is laughed at. A disguised noble, claiming to be from Lunaria, stops him and offers him a job. The Empress of Lunaria and the King of the Shadowlands need a neutral envoy they can trust, he is told. Perhaps by acting in that role Alan can help prevent the war. He agrees. In the Shadowlands, Roland refuses to lead the army in battle against Lunaria. His father tries to kill him, and in the ensuing struggle Roland kills him. Roland is crowned and finds he is obligated to follow his father's last wish -- to lead an attack on Lunaria. Veronica has sent a message to him via carrier pigeon, but the bird is killed enroute and never arrives. In the initial battle, the Lunarians lose dramatically (the fact they're armed with crossbows while the Shadowlanders have rifles and tanks have a lot to do with it!), and the Empress -- already sick -- collapses and dies at the news. She makes Veronica promise to never desert her people and lead their troops into the battle to come before she dies. Alan, realizing full-out war is now inevitable, offers to the Shadowland queen mother (Roland is in the field) to open the Lunarian floodgates, insuring victory for the Shadowlands -- if they will spare the Valley. They agree -- and offer him money and power as well as to spare his homeland. Enroute to Lunaria, Alan doesn't realize that the battle has already moved into the Valley, where things are rapidly going from bad to worse. Veronica and Roland face each other on the battlefield, and realize that despite their oaths to respective parents they both still love each other and don't want this war. But there is now only one way they can be together. Veronica shoots Roland and then herself; and the river turns red with the blood of the two rulers. Alan has opened the floodgates, and Lunaria dies. The Shadowlands declare victory, their Queen the only surviving ruler. Alan is feted as one of those who made the victory possible, but one of the Queen's advisers decides he is inconvenient and orders him killed. He escapes, and returns to the Valley -- only to discover the massive destruction. Lunaria is underwater, and he begins to realize the enormity -- and pointlessness -- of his crime. He returns home and thinks Marie has survived, only to discover that he's been talking to a ghost. She turns into a "spirit bird" and goes to the "Ghost Ship." Another spirit -- Juliett, who still awaits her long-lost loved one -- tells him he must earn enlightenment in this world before he can join Marie. As he walks back across the Valley, Alan realizes that he must help rebuild what he helped tear down. A hard task awaits him... not only to rebuild what was before, but to see that there would be peace in the future, without the war which destroyed his world. After watching WORLD OF THE TALISMAN, and having heard that Harmony Gold had given WINDARIA a "happy ending," I was entirely fearful of what I would see when I watched this translation. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that they'd actually done a decent job of it! The translation job is very good, and the voice acting excellent by US standards. They have not changed the original plot much at all, and the new names are quite bearable ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 101 ======================================================================= -- most of them are even based on the original names. Even better, they kept the original background music! I do wish they'd done a bit more in explaining about the "Ghost Ship" and the "Spirit Birds," when I've shown this feature to people not familiar with the original that's what I get the most questions on. If they brought this one out on prerecord videotape, I'd probably be willing to buy it (if the price were reasonable, anyway!). Highly recommended -- a shock considering it was Harmony Gold that put it together, right? NOTE: I've had some folks ask where I've bought the prerecords for those "Japanime in English" features I've reviewed here that are available on tape. Most of the ones I've bought, including GEMINI PROPHECIES and WARRIORS OF THE WIND as well as the Peregrine products, were special-ordered at a book store through Ingram's distributors. Ingram's has a whole section that deals with nothing but videotapes. Give them a try! ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 102 ======================================================================= =============================== == == == Anime Fandom Information == == by Randall Stukey == == == == Last Updated September 90 == == == =============================== [None of the organizations or publications mentioned in this article are associated with the Anime Publications Bureau (except for the APB Special Branch Groups, of course) in any way, so you are on your own in dealing with them. However, those listed as "APB Approved" meet the following conditions to the best knowledge of the APB staff at the time this was written: * Strongly oppose the dubbing and sale of videos "for material profit of any kind" by those who are not licensed to do so by the copyright holder. * Are non-profit organizations run by unpaid fen for fen. * Are active clubs with approximately equal benefits to all members -- even those who live too far away to attend meetings. * Are generally ran in a democratic manner. * Produce their publications and other benefits more or less "on schedule" (for fandom, this means "give or take 3 or 4 months"). * At least one APB member has had regular contacts with the club for at least one year. Please note, however, that neither the author nor the APB accept any liability if you find things to be different (or the addresses to be wrong, for that matter). Clubs can change their stripes overnight. Nor should failure to be listed as an "APB Approved" club be taken as a sign that the organization is corrupt and no good -- it often simply means that either the club in question is more of a local group that really does not know what to do with members who cannot attend its meetings or that the APB staff know nothing about the operation of the club at all! Clubs known to be associated with "for profit" organizations (such as Books Nippan's discount club) are not listed. If your club is not listed and you think it should be (or if the information we currently list is old and outdated), please send a letter with all the particulars to the Anime Publications Bureau. If your club is truly national or international in its activities and you think it qualifies as an "APB Approved" club, please get in touch with us ASAP, we would love to be able to list more "APB Approved" clubs! When writing any of these organizations, be sure to enclose a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope if you want any chance of a reply!] ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 103 ======================================================================= "APB Approved" Anime Fan Organizations ====================================== APB SPECIAL BRANCH (APBSB) The APB Special Branch is club sponsored by the Anime Publications Bureau. All subscribers to the printed version of Animation Velocity are automatically members of thereof. It sponsors apas, special interest groups, and chapters. The APB Special Branch has a fair sized video library and a huge library of synopses, scripts, and articles on anime. While the APBSB is sponsored by the Anime Publications Bureau and its basic rules and procedures must be approved by the APB, it is a seperate organization and the APB is not responsible for the day-to-day operation of the organization. Check the APBSB area of this fan interests section for information on joining or on forming an APB Special Branch group in your area. Like FAST, this group has a strict "No dealing with video pirates" policy. You can contact the APB Special Branch at the following address: APB Special Branch President Ray Barker 1008 Parkland Rd. Memphis, TN 38111-4008 (901) 458-3856 before 9pm Central Time ONLY ARGON OF CANTEE Argon of Cantee is a fan club for fans of Anne McCaffery's PERN novels. It is mentioned here not because APB staffer Patricia Munson- Siter runs this club, but because its quarterly newsletter, DRAGONWINGS, often includes articles on anime as "filler." The club has a small friendly membership from all over the country and sponsors a social apa to encourage communication among its members. Argon of Cantee is NOT associated with "organized" PERN fandom, it is completely independent. You can contact Argon of Cantee at the following address: Argon of Cantee 3256 Hall St Rapid City, SD 57702 EDC ANIMATION SOCIETY (EDC) The demise of the old general C/FO in the summer of 1988 left the EDC -- founded in 1982 -- as the oldest continually active non-profit, fan-run national animation fan club in the US. The EDC publishes NOVA, a huge fanzine full of fan fiction and articles (much more fanfic than articles), twice a year -- in theory, about once a year in practice, although they are really trying to stay on schedule. The EDC provides free dubbing and access to (at cost) photocopies of synopses and scripts. The EDC has over ten very loosely affiliated (in most cases) local groups around the country (which are not "APB Approved" do to lack of direct contact by the APB Staff). Membership in the EDC is currently $8.00 ($10.00 foreign) for two issues of NOVA -- even if that takes longer than a year. You can contact the EDC at the following address: EDC Animation Society P.O. Box 515942 Dallas, TX 75251-5942 FANS OF ANIMATION IN SOUTH TEXAS (FAST) When C/FO-San Antonio and C/FO-Austin pulled out of the general C/FO ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 104 ======================================================================= in 1989, they combined to form this new national group. FAST now publishes a small monthly newsletter that is to regularly feature Ben Dunn artwork. For a while it did not look like FAST was going to survive (at least as a major national club) the retirement of all its founding officers (who had done most of the work for the past five years) at the end of July 1990. But it now appears that it will survive as a national organization of some importance. In Texas, FAST has meetings in San Antonio and Austin and FAST has an active chapter in Buffalo, NY. FAST is famous/infamous (depending on your point of view) for its very strict "No dealing with video pirates" policy. For information on FAST, write: FAST Information c/o M. Scott McKee 6213 Haney Drive Austin, TX 78723 SDF-FORT WORTH The SDF-Fort Worth is yet another non-profit, fan run national animation fan club based in Texas -- this time in Fort Worth. SDF-Fort Worth publishes a bi-monthly newsletter called SDF-FILES. This zine averages 24 pages and is full of news, humor, translated manga reviews, fan fiction -- and occasionally serious articles. This zine is so silly that it cares a warning from the "Chief Protector Against Silliness" -- "Warning: The CPAS has determined that SDF-FILES is silly. Reading issues may be hazardous to your finally developed sense of seriousness. Read at your own risk." If you like humor, this may be the club for you! Full membership is currently $8.00 a year. You can contact SDF-Forth Worth at: SDF-Forth Worth Animation Society c/o Mike Harris 4928 El Campo #215 Fort Worth, TX 76107 ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 105 ======================================================================= Other Anime Fan Organizations ============================= Animated Fantasy Group, The Indiana Animation Club George Rock Robert Earl Spencer 12300 Sherman Way #A4 5339 Winterberry North Hollywood, CA 91605 Indianapolis, IN 46254 Animation/Fantasy Association, The Inland Empire Anime 695 West Inman Ave David Bliss Rahway, NJ 07065 1575 Lillian Lane Highland, CA 92346 Animation San Antonio [APBSB Base] 4122 Tallulah JASFA San Antonio, TX 78218-3452 William Brehn Jr 1640 French's Ave Anime Circle of Enthusiasts Baltimore, MD 21221 Mark Keller 25805 Calaroga Ave Japanese Animation Fan Alliance Hayward, CA 94545 Jevelyan P.O. Box 2015 Anime Club, The Hermet, CA 92343-0300 John Chen 400 E. 30th #201 Japanese Animation Fan Club Austin, TX 78705 William Chow 6067 Battison Str Anime Club of Michigan [EDC] Vancouver, BC V5S 3M7 52630 Butternut CANADA Rochester, MI 48064 Japanese Animation Network [EDC] Anime Connections c/o Creigh Tompkins Jo Amie 9056 W. Broad Str #308 4613 S.E. Rex Dr Turkernook Shopping Center Portland, OR 97286 Richmond, VA 23229 Anime Fandom Organization Japanese Animation Society James Staley Jon C. Hughes P.O. Box 268 7160 Arcade Str Jones, OK 73049 St Paul, MN 55109 Anime Hasshin Japanimation USA Lorraine Savage Todd Allis P.O. Box 132 2816 Sontiago Rd B Warren, RI 02885 Fullerton, CA 92635-2744 Anime Keiken Manasota Anime Group [EDC] 1816 Third Ave Mark Dmuchowski Arnold, PA 15068 848 Ponderosa Pine Lane Sarasota, FL 34243 Anime Sacramento Laurine White Michiana 5422 Colusa Way Jason Saylor Sacramento, CA 95841 4933 York Road South Bend, IN 46614 Anime San Fernando Valley Piece College Student Services Michigan Japanese Animation 6201 Winnetka Ave Fan Club ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 106 ======================================================================= Woodland Hills, CA 91371 Bill Hupe 6273 Balfour Anime Vampires [EDC] Lansing, MI 48911 Stephen Lin 1741 Cloister Dr Neo-Dallas [EDC] Richmond, VA 23233 Donovan Floyd c/o EDC Headquarters Anime-X [EDC] P.O. Box 515942 David Merrill Dallas, TX 75251-5942 3314 Ann Rd Smyrna, GA 30080 North Bay Anime Todd McCullock Animated Film Association 1058 Eleanor Ave Jim Reddy Rohnert Park, CA 94928 4970 Isle Royal Ct Stone Mountain, GA 30088 Northwest Anime Society P.O. Box 68572 Animerodo Seattle, WA 98168 Jay Kubota 1112 Mohawk Str Phoenix Japanimation Society Topanga, CA 90290 Tom Perry 3241 E. Alatadena Animezanai Phoenix, AZ 85028 Brian Henderson 809 E. 19th Str Prince Planet Foundation [EDC] Santa Ana, CA 92706 David Merrill 3314 Ann Road Ann Anbor Anime Organization Smyrna, GA 30080 Time Eldred 31340 Tamarack #6313 Rocky Mountain Fanimation Wixom, MI 48096 2256 Silent Rain Dr Colorado Springs, CO 80919 Austin FAST [FAST] c/o M. Scott McKee Saint Louis Animation Fandom 6213 Haney Drive Mike Eastman Austin, TX 78723 1681 Sherwood Forest Dr Florissant, MO 63031-1556 Banzai Dave Doering San Antonio FAST [FAST] 37 East 600 Ray Elliott North Provo, UT 84606 2618 Nacogdoches #B226 San Antonio, TX 78217 Bay City Animation Group Mitch Glasner Santa Barbara Animation 3259 Malcom Ave Appreciation Association Los Angeles, CA 90034 P.O. Box 91729 Santa Barbara, CA 93190 Cartoon/Fantasy Organization Fred Patten Southern California Animation 11863 West Jefferson Blvd Network Culver City, CA 90230 Lee Oeth 4395 70th Str #21 C/FO Cleveland La Mesa, CA 92041 Michael Sherman 1200 Seneca Blvd #201 Southern Cross [EDC] Broadview Height, OH 44147 c/o Chad 3300 W. Park #1170 ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 107 ======================================================================= C/FO Orange Plano, TX 75075 Richard Reichman 5141 Hampshire Ave Southern Star Westminster, CA 92683 Alex Orrock 24950 Via Florecer #35 Carolina Anime Theatre Mission Viejo, CA 92692 Ted & Debbie Delorme 1721 Ashley Hall Rd #6-S Space Battleship Artemis [EDC] Charleston, SC 29407 Mike C. Zalot 506 Locust Ave Cleveland Consulate [APBSB] Burlington, NJ 08016 Erik Noble 11904 Carlton Road Space Battleship Iscandar [EDC] Room 510B Logan Wayfinder Clevland, OH 44106 6271 Hill Str Ravenna, OH 44266 Club Anime Melvin Jew Space Battleship Musashi II [EDC] 2914 Triway Joe Brubaker Houston, TX 77043 195 The Alameda San Anselmo, CA 94960 Dayton Animation Club Rick Martin Space Destroyer Nightshadow [EDC] 1120 W. Fairview Ave Lance Harlock Dayton, OH 45406 1005 Mississippi South Houston, TX 77587 Denver Anime International Randy Diamond Space Passenger Liner Titanic [EDC] 822 S. Oneida #f-211 Michael Birchfield Denver, CO 80224 6501 North Woodlynne Ave Tampa, FL 33614 East Coast Gaming and Animation Society [EDC] Syracuse Consulate [APBSB] James Altenburg Stephan Brink 585 Fountain Dr Shaw Toms River, NJ 08753 775 Comstock Syracuse, NY 13210 FAST: Buffalo (FAST) Ray Barker Valley Japanese Animation Society 227 Woodward Ave Lee Dunning Buffalo, NY 14214-2313 15457 N. 38th Way Phoenix, AZ 85032 Greater Chicago Megazone, The D.B. Killings Virgina Tech Animation Society P.O. Box 59167 L-3 Drapers Meadow Chicago, IL 60659-0167 Blacksburg, VA 24060 ==================================== Affiliated with: = West Coast Anime Pasadena [EDC] [APBSB] Anime Publications Bureau = James G. Lomax Special Branch = 615 Las Lomas Road = Duarte, CA 91010 [EDC] EDC Animation Society = = 3-WA [EDC] [FAST] Fans of Animation in = c/o Thomas Van Hook South Texas = 2900 Las Vegas Tr #2-120 = Fort Worth, TX 76115 All other groups are independent, = ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 108 ======================================================================= despite any similiarity of names = ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 109 ======================================================================= Anime APAs ========== ANIME JINAI?! Anime Jinai?! is probably the best of the anime apas. It is bi- monthly and it averages 300 to 400 pages an issue. AJ?! is a very pleasant apa to be on and the interests of its members (most are older anime fen) cover everything from Jem to Transformers to shojo manga. Unfortunately, the wait list is long and people seldom drop out. Your author started out number 3 on the wait list and it took about 18 months to get on the apa! For information on Anime Janai?!, write Anime House 505-25 St. Dennis Dr. Don Mills, Ont M3C 1E6 CANADA ANIME-KYO (Anime-Today) An APA dedicated to the fandom of Japanese Anime, Manga and general Science fiction. It's been around for about 2 years now, and our member ship has dropped slightly, and our coallator is look for new members. Anyone interested mail to the address below. John Sullivan 3609 Chase Terrace Baltimore, Md. 20705 ANIME RUMI Anime Rumi is devoted to Lum/Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2, Project A-ko, Orange Road, Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball, and other comedy manga/anime features. This apa is looking for new members. For information on Anime Rumi, write Aaron Reed 23 Mystic St Brockton, MA 02402-2825 APA-HO! Believe it or not, this ia a small apa devoted to Thundercats (and other less popular anime). It is published bi-monthly and is much more interesting than some of you anti-American anime bigots might think. If your interests include animation that isn't Japanese, check this one out. For more information, write: Liz Kopetz P.O. Box 111 East Quoque, NY 11942 BIRD SCRAMBLE This is an apa devoted to Gatchaman and Battle of the Planets. If you are a fan of these shows then this quarterly apa is something you might want to check into! This is another thick apa, although not usually as fat as Anime Janai?! For more information, contact: Carol Hoeke 1818 Teasley Lane #803 Denton, TX 76205-7780 ENDLESS WARRIORS This quarterly apa is devoted to series like Saint Seiya, Samxrai Troopers, and Shurato. This is a good-sized apa and fans of these series would probably enjoy it. You can obtain more information from: Carol Hoeke ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 110 ======================================================================= 1818 Teasley Lane #803 Denton, TX 76205-7780 SLASH: THE APA This semi-annual apa is devoted to slash fiction (mainly anime and manga, but not really restricted to that). "Shash" refers to stories or manga in which the sexual preferences of the characters are altered -- the term originated in Star Trek fandom with Kirk/Spock (say "Kirk- slash-Spock") stories. This apa is NOT for everyone -- it contains somewhat graphic descriptions and illos of homosexual activities. However, I saw a copy of the first issue and was highly impressed -- despite what you might expect this apa is not "sleazy" at all. For more information: BAST 2513 N.W. 34th Oklahoma City, OK 73112 WELL OF SOULS [APBSB] This is a quarterly general SF/general anime/general manga apa. It is small and very friendly. As discussions of just about anything remotely relating to anime, manga or SF/F are welcome, it might be a good apa to get your feet wet with! Adult material is allowed. If interested, you can write: Randall Stukey 4122 Tallulah San Antonio, TX 78218-3452 ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 111 ======================================================================= APB Special Branch ================== The APB Special Branch is a new fan organization sponsored by the Anime Publications Bureau. It is designed to provide needed services to animation fandom around the world while providing fun and activities for its members. All Animation Velocity subscribers are automatically members, others may join and receive voting rights in APBSB's subordinate groups for a low annual fee (currently $5.00). Membership is required only if you wish to organize a subordinate group or be an officer or voting member of such a group. The APBSB has been deliberately organized by the APB as a quasi- independent organization. The APB establishes the organization's general rules, appoints its president, and retains final approval rights over subordinate groups. The APBSB is free to run its own internal affairs within these parameters -- however, only those APBSB members who are actively involved in running organization or are in charge of running one of the APBSB's subordinate groups will have voting/debating rights in the operation of the APBSB itself. The purpose of this odd organization structure is to help prevent the petty politics which has ruined other national organizations of this type over the years. The rules governing the APB Special Branch follow, if you are interested in starting a APBSB Consulate, Embassy, Base, or Ship, please contact Ray Barker (1008 Parkland Rd, Memphis, TN 38111-4008) directly with your proposals. Do not send them to the APB -- the APBSB is an independent organization -- the day-to-day operations thereof are not controlled by the APB (in fact, we do not even want to hear about them)! Anime Publications Bureau Special Branch: Rules and Policies ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Special Branch Membership ========================= Anyone can become a Regular (non-voting) member of the APB Special Branch by paying the organization's annual dues or by subscribing to Animation Velocity for one year. Full Membership will be reserved for those members who are actively helping to run the organization or are in charge of one of its sub-groups and who are willing to participate actively (and at their own expense) in the decision-making of the general group by being a part of the Special Branch Council. Full memberships may only be granted by the Anime Publications Bureau (APB) staff. Society membership shall be required for all officers and voting members of any and all sub-groups of the society. Any person who, in the opinion of the APB staff, harms the good name of the organization, causes undo trouble for the organization leadership or the APB, or acts in a manner contrary to the best interests of the other members of the organization or anime fandom in general may have their membership terminated by a pro-rata refund of their current membership dues or Animation Velocity subscription. No person shall be a member of this organization or any of its sub-groups who cannot or will not sign the APB membership statement. Special Branch Government ========================= The basic rules and policies of the APB Special Branch (what you are ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 112 ======================================================================= reading) shall be set by joint decisions of the staff of the Anime Publications Bureau (Patricia Munson-Siter and Randall Stukey) and are not subject to modification by the membership. However, the day-to-day operations of the APB Special Branch shall be delegated to a President appointed by the APB staff and the Special Branch Council (composed of the Full members of the organization). The Special Branch Council may organize as it wishes and shall be charged with the enforcement of these basic rules and policies, the approval of new sub-groups of this organization, and the approval such minor rules as may be needed for the day-to-day operation of the organization. The actions of the Special Branch Council may be overturned by the APB Staff if the APB Staff feels that the Council's actions are in violation of the letter and spirit of these basic rules and policies or that the council's actions are not in the best interests of the APB itself. No person who is not both a current member of this organization and active in the work of running this organization shall have any say in the operation of the APB Special Branch or any of its sub-groups. Special Branch Sub-Groups ========================= Members of the APB Special Branch shall be encouraged to form apas, round robins, local chapters, special interest groups, writers' and/or artists' circles and the like based on animation and manga. The following types of APB Special Branch sub-groups shall be recognized: APBSB Consulates -- an anime/manga contact person (normally a single member) for a city or other small area who can help people in his/her area get started in the hobby by answering questions and/or dubbing tapes. APBSB Embassies -- a member who, in addition to performing the duties of a APBSB Consulate, will put on an open to the general public local anime screening at least once a month (again, normally a single member). APBSB Bases -- an organized local animation/manga club that performs all of the duties of an APBSB Embassy as well as providing social activities, a local group newsletter/fanzine, etc. APBSB Ships -- Special Interest Groups (non-local groups interested in a particular series, artist, activity, etc.), apas, round robins, writers' circles, artists' circles, translators' circles, computer BBSs, fanzine publishers, or anything else that requires active member involvement and promotes animation and manga at the fan level. The following rules pertain to membership in APB Special Branch sub- groups: 1) All officers and all voting members of Special Branch sub-groups must be current members of the APB Special Branch in good standing. 2) Fen who are not members of the APB Special Branch may be members of a Special Branch sub-group provided that they have no say whatsoever in any of the sub-group business or decisions, no matter ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 113 ======================================================================= how local or trivial the business or decision may seem to be. Fen who are not members of the APB Special Branch who are members of a Special Branch sub-group must obey all the rules of the APB Special Branch while participating in any way in the activities of the organization and its sub-groups. For example, a non-member of the organization who is a member of a Special Branch apa would be agreeing to allow the APB to publish such of her efforts that appear in that apa simply by participating in the apa. 3) Any current member of the APB Special Branch shall be eligible to become active in any sub-group of the organization and shall receive priority over all non-members of the organization in organization sub- groups (such as apas and round robins) which only have a limited number of membership slots available. (In rare cases, exceptions to this rule may be granted by three-quarters vote of the Special Branch Council or granted by the APB.) The following rules pertain to the operation of APB Special Branch sub-groups: 1) The leader of each sub-group of the organization must be a Full member of the APB Special Branch. 2) A free copy of each of the sub-group's publications (including round robins, apas, and the like) must be sent to the APB promptly upon publication and the APB shall be free to reprint any material therein in any form in any of its non-profit publications. 3) No sub-group of this organization shall allow its meetings, publications, or other activities to be used for illegal purposes or to promote illegal activities (e.g. no selling pot or bootleg videotapes at sub-group activities or announcing their availability from a certain member or non-member in an apa). A sub-group could hold rallies or publish editorials calling for the legalization of currently illegal activities so long as they are careful not to promote the activity itself while it is illegal. 4) The leadership of each of the organization's sub-groups shall file a complete written report of the sub-group's activities (along with a complete membership roster) with the Special Branch President in June and in December of each year. 5) The sub-group's rules (if any) shall be subordinate to the rules and policies of the APB Special Branch in all things. 6) Special Branch sub-groups must operate as non-profit organizations and may not be associated with any business without the approval of the APB staff. 7) No group shall claim to be a Special Branch sub-group or use the names and marks of the Special Branch unless currently approved as a Special Branch sub-group in good standing by the Special Branch Council and the APB. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 114 ======================================================================= How to Obtain a Japanese Pen Pal ================================ If you did not already know, many of the tapes and much of the information the APB obtains and passes along comes from Japanese anime fans who many of our readers and authors have as pen pals. One of the first questions new anime fans seem to have is "How can I get a Japanese pen pal?" Obtaining a Japanese pen pal or two is not nearly as hard as you might think. The Japanese actually make it very easy. They have numerous "pen friend clubs" which are members of the Association of Pen Friend Clubs of Japan. If you send this organization a letter requesting information on how to obtain a pen pal, they will send you a brochue about the organization and an application (both are in English). The application asks such basic questions as your name, address, interests, age, peferred age-range of your pen-pals, and the like. Of course, there is no no guarantee that you will get a pen-pal who is interested in anime (although most Jappanese of high school and college are at least somewhat interested in anime). However, this is a great way to make friends in Japan and to learn more about Japan itself. The address of the association is: Association of Pen Friend Clubs of Japan Hongo P.O. Box No. 100 Bunkyoku, Tokyo 113-91 JAPAN You need not worry about being able to communicate with a Japanese pen pal. Most of the younger Japanese have studied English for many years and their written English is generally very good to excellent. To be honest, I have never had any real trouble understanding what a Japanese pen pal was trying to say in a letter, while I have had trouble trying to figure out what some Americans (native English speakers yet) were trying to say in their letters. Oh, by the way, postage to Japan (Airmail) is only 50 cents per half ounce (as of 1991). ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 115 ======================================================================= ANIME SCRIPTS ============= Sue Shambaugh has translated many scripts over the years and will be happy to sell you a copy at a price that looks like it just covers the cost of photocopying and mailing. The following list of scripts available from Sue has been provided by Donna Rule, co-moderator of the Anime Echo on Fidonet (see the Anime by BBS section for more info on the Anime Echo). Your author must be honest, while Sue is prolific, her translations are too literal and sometimes too rushed in the opinion of many other translators -- she translates more or less "word for word" instead of "meaning for meaning." However, these scripts are great for helping you understand what is going on in given film or OVA -- just don't place any bets on exactly what is being said based on these scripts. As the scripts vary in length, you will need to write Sue at the following address (don't forget the self-addressed, stamped envelope) to find out the price of those you are interested in: C. Sue Shambaugh 7713 Lafayette Forest Dr. #13 Annandale, VA 22003 Adieu Galaxy Express 999 Akira Arni Again (Cream Lemon) Andromeda Stories Arion Arrivderci Yamato Beautiful Dreamer (Urusei Yatsura) Be Forever Yamato Black Magic M-66 Bubblegum Crisis Scenarios Castle Cagliostro Crusher Joe Dagger of Kamui Dirty Pair Episode #26 (Beauties' Cannon is the Escape Keyword) Dragon's Heaven Escalation 1 (Cream Lemon) Escalation 2 (Cream Lemon) Etranger Farewell, Lovely Lupin (Lupin III Special) Final Yamato Fire Tripper Gal Force 2: Destruction Gal Force 3: Star Dust Wars Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #1 - In the Eternal Night Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #2 - Astarte Encounter Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #5 - Kastrop Riot Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #6 - Der Rosenritters Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #7 - Iserlohn Captured! Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #8 - Clear, Cold Cybernetic Eyes Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #9 - The Klopstock Incident Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #10 - Jessica's War Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #11 - The Actress Exits Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #12 - Imperial Territory Invasion ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 116 ======================================================================= Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #13 - When the Rain of Grief Comes Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #14 - Emancipation of the Frontier Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #15 - Arnlitzer Star-Zone Encounter Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #16 - New Currents Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #17 - Before the Storm Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #18 - The Lippschtadt Conspiracy Galactic Heroes Legend OAV #19-#22 (Titles unavailable) Galaxy Express Movie Galaxy Express TV Special: Eternal Traveler Emeraldus Gatchaman 1 Granzort #40 Granzort #41 Harmageddon Iczer 1, Act 1 Iczer 1, Act 2 Iczer 1, Act 3 JA TV & Movie credits song lyrics (27 complete lyrics) Laputa, Castle in the Sky Lensman Locke the Superman Lum the Forever (Urusei Yatsura Movie #4) Lyon Legend Flare Macross: Love, Do You Remember? Maison Ikkoku TV Episodes Synopses (1-32, as a set) Mako 2 (Cream Lemon) Megazone 23 Part 1 Megazone 23 Part 2 - Please Keep it Secret Minky Momo - La Ronde in My Dream My Youth in Arcadia Nausicaa, Valley of the Wind Norlandia Affair (Dirty Pair) Nu Gundam: Counterattacking Char Odin: Photon Sail Ship Starlight Only You (Urusei Yatsura Movie #1) Outlanders Phoenix 2772: Cosmozone of Love Pop Chaser (Cream Lemon) Remember, My Love (Urusei Yatsura Movie #3) Star Trap (Cream Lemon) Tonari no Totoro Urusei Yatsura TV Ep. #1 - I'm Lum, the Notorius! Urusei Yatsura TV Ep. #5 - Shape-Changing Pretty Boy Rei has Arrived Urusei Yatsura TV Ep. #9 - Mysterious, Beautiful Sexy Sakura Urusei Yatsura TV Ep. #13 - I Hate Electric Shocks Urusei Yatsura TV Ep. #27 - Mendo, with Trouble Urusei Yatsura TV Ep. #63 - Farewell, Bye Bye, Summer Days Urusei Yatsura TV Ep. #128 - Ataru vs. Mendo's Army Part 1 Urusei Yatsura TV Ep. #129 - Ataru vs. Mendo's Army Part 2 Venus War Chronicles Wata no Kuni Hoshi (Un Blanc Jour d'un Chaton - A Kitten's Holiday) What's Michael? White Shadow (New Cream Lemon) Wings of Death: Albatross! (Lupin III Special) Wings of Honneamise: Royal Space Force Witch's Delivery Service (Little Witch Kiki) [If you know anyone else who produces scripts for anime fen at cost, ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 117 ======================================================================= please have them get in touch with the APB so we can list them as well. Special thanks to Donna Rule, co-moderator of the Fidonet Anime Echo, for providing this list!] ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 118 ======================================================================= ANIME BY BBS ============ If you have a computer and a modem, you have access to anime fen around the country. While all the major telecommunications services (e.g. Compuserve, Genie, etc.) have areas devoted to the discussion of animation, this article is going to discuss the non-profit information sources around the country: hobbyist BBSs that carter to the interests of the anime fan. Two BBSs are outstanding in their fields and get large write-ups herein. Why are they outstanding in their fields? Because their operators bothered to take the time to respond to my pleas for information. (If you run a free BBS that is either anime-oriented or has a major section that is anime-oriented, send me some information and I'll add a fuller description of your board to this list!) Outstanding BBSs (They provided info, so they must be outstanding!) BBS Name: NUL Phone: (512) 692-0730 Fidonet: 1:387/255.0 Hours: 24 hrs/day except ZMH BBS Software: RBBS Baud Supported: 300 to 14,400 HST Location: San Antonio, TX Sysop: Jan Maaskant Anime Sigop: Randall Stukey What we offer: NUL is a large BBS (by the time this goes to print it should have 500 megabytes of hard drive space) devoted mainly to Fidonet echos and files. It does not have a lot of local (to the board) message areas, instead opting for numerous message areas linked to other boards around the world. Among these it carries the ANIME echo (see below) as well as the COMICS echo, the SF echo, the SFFAN echo (SF fandom), and both TREK echos. NUL will be adding other SF/F related echos (such as the FILK echo) as they become available on the backbone. As soon as the bugs are worked out of the San Antonio BBS community's link to USENET, NUL will again provide access to rec.arts.anime and rec.arts.animation (and perhaps other fannish newsgroups as well). The sysop has promised about 32 megabytes of hard drive space for anime-related files and we are making a good effort to get what is out there and to provide new GIFs and files generated in San Antonio. NUL is, of course, the home base for Electronic Animation Velocity. All files will be available for Fido File Request (although we reserve the right to prohibit anime boards that do not themselves allow File Requests from obtaining material from us by File Request -- all part of the normal program of encouraging the free spread of information about anime). First time callers have access to the anime areas! [Fido Netmail can be send to your editor on this board, address it to Randall Stukey at 1:387/255.0. In theory, I can be reached through Internet at this address Randall.Stukey@f255.n387.z1.fidonet.org on this board as well, but the internet address has never been tried!] BBS Name: TARDIS Phone: (703) 951-WHO1 [9461] Fidonet: 264/711 ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 119 ======================================================================= Hours: 24hrs/day except ZMH BBS Software: QuickBBS v2.64 Baud Supported: 300-14,400 HST Location: Blacksburg, VA SysOp: Patrick Foley What we offer: The TARDIS is striving to be the Science Fiction fan's one-stop call for information on all aspect of fandom. Anime is a relatively recent addition to our area, but we do have some enthusiastic local fans. Carrying the FidoNet ANIME Conference is part of our "Master Plan" to be a complete SF BBS. Anime/Animation-related BBS List Late September 1990 ================================ ======================================================================= Fidonet Name Phone Number Baud Node # Notes ================== ============== ===== ======= =================== Anime Archive (602) 995-8946 114/181 Anime Lane (818) 762-3695 3-24 102/833 Anime Online (619) 272-8752 3-24 Data Shack (714) 962-8254 103/160 [Unknown] Dragon's Lair (415) 876-0299 24-96 125/169 Electric Holt (215) 387-4326 Fantasy World BBS (513) 878-8404 3-12 Heart of Gold (714) 980-5808 JapAn BBS (708) 437-5582 3-24 Chicago Megazone BBS ()Lensman() SciFi (303) 979-8953 3-12 Musubi BBS (808) 521-1355 Nul (512) 692-0730 3-144 387/255 APB/FAST BBS [Freq][A] One Step Beyond (408) 927-9756 Outlaw Tech Zone (815) 654-9729 12-96 2210/654 [Unknown] Paradise IV (203) 743-4044 141/950 [Unknown] PC-Paradise (914) 255-8154 3-24 Phoenix BBS (414) 233-5644 3-24 Red October (512) 834-2548 SDF-1 (214) 352-8029 3-12 Starbase Boston 101/165 Tardis BBS (703) 951-9461 3-144 264/711 Terry's Place (714) 842-4277 ?-24 103/145 [Unknown] theWeb (203) 790-6612 141/735 [Unknown] Tomcat BBS (609) 877-0703 ?-96 266/27 [Freq] 2032 (305) 384-9566 3-192 369/5 [Freq][A] Valley of the Wind (415) 341-5986 3-24 204/3 Animag BBS Vortex BBS (516) 538-2731 12-96 ====================================================================== Name: The BBS Name Phone Number: The phone number Baud: The minimum and maximum baud rates are listed 3 - 300 baud 12 - 1200 baud 24 - 2400 baud 48 - 4800 baud ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 120 ======================================================================= 96 - 9600 baud 144 - 14,400 baud 192 - 19,200 baud Fidonet Node #: All boards with Fidonet numbers have been seen on the Anime Echo or the Comics Echo. Those boards without Fidonet number are boards which have an anime orientation or an anime sub-srction but are not tied to Fidonet. Notes: Those boards known to be associated in some way with a particular non-profit fan group are noted here as are the following special comments: [Unknown] - Messages from this BBS have been seen on the Fidonet anime echo -- whether or not they have anime files and other info is not known. [Freq] - System normally allows Fidonet File Requests. [A] - System additionally carries some of the following echoes which may be of interest to anime fans: Viz Comics Echo, Protoculture Addicts Echo, Eclipse Comics Echo, Dark Horse Comics Echo. This list is maintained on NUL by Randall Stukey and Jan Maaskant. Do to the nature of the BBS hobby, the information listed on this list may be inaccurate or out-of-date, therefore we accept no responsibility or liability for any use of this BBS list. This BBS list is released to the public domain. Spread it around! Please send corrections, updates, or information on new anime-related BBSs to Randall Stukey either by leaving a message to Randall Stukey on NUL or by sending him Fido netmail (at 1:387/255.150). Thank you. ANIME Echo ========== An echomail area (a conference that any fidonet BBS can carry and any user of such a BBS can participate in with others from many other BBSs) devoting to Japanese animation is currently on the Fidonet backbone. This means that any BBS linked into Fidonet in North America should be able to obtain the ANIME echo by requesting it from his Net Coordinator (who may have to request it from "on high"). The tag name to request is ANIME. All the boards listed with Fidonet node numbers are currently tied into the ANIME echo. Message traffic already averages about 200 messages a week (and with less than 15 BBSs active on the echo). The ANIME echo is new to the fidonet backbone, so it is up to you to help it grow by asking your favorite Fidonet sysop to pick up the echo. The echo is generally a friendly place, with two moderators who keep things from getting out of hand without being heavy-handed. It is much friender than USENET's rec.arts.anime! If you are an anime fan, have a computer and a modem, and regularly call a fidonet BBS that carries echos, it would definitely be worth your while to ask that sysop to carry the ANIME echo for you. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 121 ======================================================================= TOONS Echo ========== This is a new Fidonet echo devoted to animation of all types (Japanese, American, other), manga, animation fandom, and related topics. TOONS is envisioned as being the "SFFAN" echo for animation, whereas the moderators of ANIME want to try to keep the topic of the echo generally limited to Japanese Anime (as the SF echo is strictly for literature, not media), the moderators of the TOONS echo intend that anything that can related to animation in general should be on topic, whether it is Tiny Toons, Dirty Pair, Scooby-Doo, or fannish discussions, even fan politics is tolerated (provided that it does not get out of hand). Ads are still banned, however. The TOONS echo is carried on Southern Star (and is therefore available to those nets that get their echoes from Southern Star) and can be obtained directly from NUL (1:387/255 300-14,400 HST). At this writing, the echo has been up for less than a month and traffic is about 30 messages a week. If you are interested in both Japanese and non-Japanese animation, you will probably want to get your sysop to try to get both the ANIME and the TOONS echoes. However, unless your mail feed comes through Southern Star, your sysop may not be able to get the TOONS echo until it is finally picked up by the backbone. NOTE: The COMICS echo allows discussion of anime so long as the discussion related to manga and does not go on too long. The SFFAN echo also allows discussion of anime. ANIMENET (Anime File Distribution System) ========================================= In order to help spread anime files around from BBS to BBS around the country, ANIMENET has been started. It works somewhat like SDS, SDN, and the other file nets. As this is being written, three boards are on ANIMENET (and several more are in the process of hooking in). The boards currently on ANIMENET are NUL, Tomcat BBS, and 2032. If your BBS would like information on hooking into ANIMENET, have your sysop send netmail to Jan Maaskant at 1:387/255 ot Donna Rule at 1:266/27. NOTE: ANIMENET can be an expensive happen as each board has to call another in the net to obtain the files. All three of the boards currently hosting the net do have high-speed modems, however. NUL Anime Files =============== The following anime files are available for download or File Request as of January 5th, 1991. NUL allows first time callers to download. MOST, if not ALL, of these files are also available from other Anime BBSs on the above BBS list that have an anime file area! So call the board nearest you before making that expensive long distance call to NUL. Your pocketbook with thank you! ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 122 ======================================================================= ÚÄÄÄ¿ Ú Ú Ú ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ Where Users Are Lost ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ ÄÙ ÀÄÄÄÙ ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ Anime/Amimation File List A88.GIF 7296 320x200x16 of a pilot from Area 88 ADPCOP.GIF 8320 Anime Gif file AIM4TOP.TXT 2688 Aim for the top synopsis AKANE.GIF 16384 640x350x16 of Tendo Akane from Ranma 1/2 AKANE.ZIP 71168 Akane Dancing Sequence (Autodesk Animator) AKIRA.TXT 10604 Synopsis AKIRA04.GIF 33152 320x200x256 crummy screen capture w/bbs-ad AKIRARV.TXT 3456 An akira review AKO3.TXT 1408 Project AKO #3 synopsis ALPHA1.GIF 4190 Anime Gif file ALPHA2.GIF 4535 Anime Gif file ALPHA3.GIF 4051 Anime Gif file ANIMANGA.001 30754 Animanga Nuzu - Anime newsletter Vol. 1 No. 1 ANIMANGA.002 51475 Animanga Nuzu - Anime newsletter Vol. 1 No. 2 ANIME.ENQ 15360 Anime Enquirer - East Coast Anime rag ANIMENL1.ZIP 74556 Anime Network Newsletter #1 (June 1989) APPLE_.GIF 8960 320x200x16 of a girl and robot (black*White) APPLSEED.TXT 2944 Appleseed synopsis AREA88.GIF 7168 Anime Gif file AS10G1.GIF 6047 Anime Stuff #10 Screen 1 AS10G2.GIF 7051 Anime Stuff #10 Screen 2 AS10G3.GIF 6925 Anime Stuff #10 Screen 3 AS10G4.GIF 5757 Anime Stuff #10 Screen 4 AS10G5.GIF 7220 Anime Stuff #10 Screen 5 AS11G1.GIF 8676 Anime Stuff #11 Screen 1 AS11G2.GIF 6983 Anime Stuff #11 Screen 2 AS11G3.GIF 7249 Anime Stuff #11 Screen 3 AS11G4.GIF 9032 Anime Stuff #11 Screen 4 AS11G5.GIF 13420 Anime Stuff #11 Screen 5 AS11G6.GIF 6097 Anime Stuff #11 Screen 6 AS12G1.GIF 7480 Anime Stuff #12 Screen 1 AS12G2.GIF 5679 Anime Stuff #12 Screen 2 AS12G3.GIF 5366 Anime Stuff #12 Screen 3 AS12G4.GIF 9285 Anime Stuff #12 Screen 4 AS12G5.GIF 6784 Anime Stuff #12 Screen 5 AS14G01.GIF 17205 Anime Stuff #14 Graphic #1 AS14G02.GIF 17538 Anime Stuff #14 Graphic #2 AS14G03.GIF 17062 Anime Stuff #14 Graphic #3 AS14G04.GIF 16455 Anime Stuff #14 Graphic #4 AS14G05.GIF 16928 Anime Stuff #14 Graphic #5 AS14G06.GIF 24902 Anime Stuff #14 Graphic #6 AS14G07.GIF 17612 Anime Stuff #14 Graphic #7 AS14G08.GIF 16469 Anime Stuff #14 Graphic #8 AS14G09.GIF 17702 Anime Stuff #14 Graphic #9 AS7G1.GIF 9339 Anime Stuff #7 Screen 1 AS7G2.GIF 9276 Anime Stuff #7 Screen 2 AS7G3.GIF 11873 Anime Stuff #7 Screen 3 AS7G4.GIF 18759 Anime Stuff #7 Screen 4 AS7G5.GIF 12291 Anime Stuff #7 Screen 5 AS7G6.GIF 15491 Anime Stuff #7 Screen 6 ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 123 ======================================================================= AS8G1.GIF 11706 Anime Stuff #8 Screen 1 AS8G10.GIF 12443 Anime Stuff #8 Screen 10 AS8G2.GIF 11808 Anime Stuff #8 Screen 2 AS8G3.GIF 10512 Anime Stuff #8 Screen 3 AS8G4.GIF 12684 Anime Stuff #8 Screen 4 AS8G5.GIF 14762 Anime Stuff #8 Screen 5 AS8G6.GIF 9064 Anime Stuff #8 Screen 6 AS8G7.GIF 16228 Anime Stuff #8 Screen 7 AS8G8.GIF 17379 Anime Stuff #8 Screen 8 AS8G9.GIF 12939 Anime Stuff #8 Screen 9 ATARU1.GIF 18560 331x717x2 of Ataru catching Lum BAOH.TXT 15488 BAOH (The Bioweapon) Synopses BELLDAND.GIF 21888 434x579x2 of a dressed up girl BGC.GIF 512 80x80x2 BubbleGum Crisis (yes, 80x80x2) BGC19.GIF 16000 Anime Gif file BGC28.GIF 14208 Anime Gif file BGC4.ZIP 10515 Bubblegum Crisis 4 - Script BGC42.GIF 14336 Anime Gif file BGC43.GIF 15360 Anime Gif file BGC44.GIF 12288 Anime Gif file BGC4_RRD.TXT 4514 Bubblegum crisis #4 "Revenge Road" Synopsis BGC6.TXT 1762 Bubble Gum Crisis #6 Synopsis BGCSONGS.TXT 3712 translations of songs in Bubble Gum Crisis BGC_HIST.TXT 5504 Bubble Gum Crisis History BGC_RRD.TXT 4608 Bubble Gum Crisis #4 - Revenge Road (synopsis) BGMAN1_4.TXT 5632 Borgman (supersonic warrior) #1-#4 synopses BRIAREOS.GIF 3968 320x200x8 of that robot/rabbit from appleseed BUGSROCK.TXT 1152 Bugs Bunny and Rocky script CAST.GIF 12934 Anime Gif file CDSLIST.TXT 14208 Listing of Anime CD's and record companies CHINA.GIF 4480 Chinese Girl riding a broom 302x303x2 CJOE_INF.TXT 1792 Crusher Joe info from Sunrise International CJO_OVA2.TXT 5376 Crusher Joe OVA Volume 2 Synopsis CLARIS.GIF 19328 522x720x2 of a girl (clarissa?) COBOLT1.GIF 62464 Nice facial gif 320x200x256 grey scale CRJOE.ARC 41699 Script: Crusher Joe CRSHANTH.TXT 7808 Crusher Joe anthology of synopses DANCER.ZIP 275072 Autodesk Animator file. DEELAH.GIF 4992 Anime Gif file DEVILMAN.TXT 15168 Translation from Newtype# 16 'Devilman' DOMINION.TXT 3968 Dominion Synopsis DP-CHAN.GIF 14848 Sorta of a "What If?" picture of Kei & Yuri. DP.GIF 49152 the lovely Angels... DPCHILDS.GIF 6983 320x200x16 Kei and Yuri as children DPD.GIF 17408 plamet surface from Dirty Pair DPD1.GIF 13952 Anime Gif file DPD2.GIF 8448 Anime Gif file DPD3.GIF 15104 Anime Gif file DPD4.GIF 17280 Anime Gif file DPD5.GIF 15616 Anime Gif file DPD6.GIF 19200 Anime Gif file DPD7.GIF 6656 Anime Gif file DPD8.GIF 4948 Anime Gif file DPD9.GIF 16384 Kei from the Dirty Pair DPGUNPOD.GIF 26558 640x480x2 Riding a gunpod like a bronc DPKEI1.GIF 8192 closeup of an argry Kei of DP DPKEI2.GIF 6656 color shot of Kei with a gun ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 124 ======================================================================= DPLOGO.GIF 13312 collection og DP video scans DPOVASTF.GIF 26368 b&w sketches of Kei & Yuri DPSINGIN.GIF 24577 640x480x2 Kei & Yuri singing on stage DPTRICK.GIF 21987 640x480x2 Kei & Yuri dressed up like...'ladie DPVOL5.TXT 3572 Dirty Pair, Volume 5, Episode 9 Synopsis DRAKKEN.GIF 14208 Anime Gif file DRGN_100.TXT 2048 Dragon Century character description/backgrnd EAV0001.ZIP 121992 Electronic Animation Velocity Vol. 0, No. 1 EAV0002.ZIP 119915 Electronic Animation Velocity Vol. 1, No. 2 EAV0003.ZIP 101583 Electronic Animation Velocity Vol. 0, No. 3 EAV0101.ZIP 152438 Electronic Animation Velocity Vol 1 Number 1 F16C.ZIP 151424 F-16 multi-view demo. F1_3.TXT 4268 F (Gunma?) Synopsis of episodes 1,2,3 FIGHT.GIF 230400 640x480x256 of akane belting some poor guy FIREFLY.TXT 4488 Grave of the Firefly , Synopsis FTPSITES.TXT 884 Anime FTP sites GALF1-S.ZIP 11963 Gall Force 1, "Eternal Story" - Script GALF2-S.ZIP 12952 Gall Force 2, "Destruction" - Script GALF3-S.ZIP 13179 Gall Force 3, "Stardust War" - Script GALFORC1.TXT 27648 Gall Force - Eternal Story GALFORC2.TXT 31872 Galforce II - Destruction (Synopsis) GALFORC3.TXT 36352 Galforce III - Stardust War (Synopsis) GALFORCE.TXT 6144 Galforce synopsis GEDV3.TXT 75393 Script:Ginga Eiyu Densetsu GERWALK.GIF 12800 Anime Gif File GOHDA.GIF 14972 Anime Gif file GOKMANG2.TXT 62464 Gokuu Manga translation #2 GOKOAV.TXT 23808 Gokuu eye OAV script GOLGO-13.TXT 37248 Golgo-13 The Motion Picture, scirpt file GOLGO13.TXT 68352 Synopsis of lots of Golgo-13 epsodes GRNZORT1.TXT 8832 Granzort synopsis GRNZORT1.TXT 8790 Mado King Granzort - Episode 1, synopsis GUND80_2.TXT 1664 Mobile suit gundum 0080, Vol 1 synopsis GUND80_3.TXT 5248 Mobile Suit Gundum #3 synopsis GUNDAM80.TXT 3546 Mobile Suit Gundam, background, characters GUNDTIME.TXT 33408 Gundum background information HELCITY2.TXT 3968 Hell City 2 synopsis HELLCITY.TXT 6016 HELLCITY Synopsis ICZER.GIF 7552 Anime Gif file KEI-EDEN.GIF 39936 image of Kei from "DP-Eden" KEI.GIF 5120 Anime Character Kei 320 x 200 x 16 KEIGUN.GIF 7168 has a gun pointed right at you KEITOP.GIF 86784 Kei of DP, pulling on her top once again... KEIYURI1.GIF 15872 DPaint drawing Kei & Yuri, use Cshow KIKI.GIF 5632 448x309x2 of Kiki KOR-01.TXT 7808 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #1 Synopsis KOR-02.TXT 7680 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #2 Synopsis KOR-03.TXT 7680 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #3 Synopsis KOR-04.TXT 8576 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #4 Synopsis KOR-05.TXT 7936 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #5 Synopsis KOR-06.TXT 12800 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #6 Synopsis KOR-07.TXT 9088 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #7 Synopsis KOR-08.TXT 8832 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #8 Synopsis KOR-09.TXT 10240 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #9 Synopsis KOR-11.TXT 6656 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #11 Synopsis KOR-12.TXT 6272 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #12 Synopsis KOR-21.TXT 5248 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #21 Synopsis ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 125 ======================================================================= KOR-22.TXT 5504 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #22 Synopsis KOR-23.TXT 7808 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #23 Synopsis KOR-24.TXT 6272 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #24 Synopsis KOR-28.TXT 7168 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #28 Synopsis KOR-30.TXT 9728 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode #30 Synopsis KOR1-4S.ZIP 15332 Kimagure Orange Road - Episode 1-4 Scripts KOR13-24.ZIP 18446 Kimagure Orange Road - Episodes 13-24 (Synops KOR16&17.TXT 9283 Kimagure Orange Road - Episodes #16/#17 Synop KOR25-36.ZIP 18457 Kimagure Orange Road - Episodes 25-36 (Synops KOR36_40.ZIP 12736 Kimagure Orange Road - Episodes 36-40 (Synops KOR41-45.ZIP 11640 Kimagure Orange Road - Episodes 41-45 (Synops LAPU1.GIF 19968 320x200x16 of sky castle laputa LEMON.GIF 15501 Cream Lemon Anime gif file. It's black and LOG9009A.ZIP 63814 Rec.Arts.Anime postings 09/90 week 'A' LOG9009B.ZIP 81294 Rec.Arts.Anime September 1990 postings, week LOG9009C.ZIP 63074 Rec.Arts.Anime September 90 posts. Week 'C' LOSTC.GIF 39936 Anime Gif File LUM-NUDE.GIF 7168 An Anime Gif (lum) PG-13 320 x 200 x 16 LUM.GIF 8192 Anime Chacter LUM 320 x 200 x 16 LUM.MAC 8704 Anime ReadMac LUM1.MAC 18944 Anime ReadMac LUM3.GIF 7936 229x704x2 of Lum LUMSCOOT.GIF 34176 540x659x2 of Lum and a scooter LUXOPC.ZIP 380032 Lamp and Ball animation demo. MADOKA.GIF 21120 640x400x2 of Madoka MARON1.ZIP 8015 Assemble Insert, Part 1 - Script MARON2.ZIP 6678 Assemble Insert, Part 2 - Synopsis MCLIPS.GIF 115200 Anime Gif File MECHA2.GIF 12800 Anime Gif file MELOALNK.TXT 1024 Meloalink (votoms) synopsis MELOALNK.TXT 1010 Meloalink synopsis MEX61-91.ZIP 15759 Maison Ikkoku - Episodes 61-91 (Synopsis) MEZ92-95.ZIP 10124 Maison Ikkoku - Episodes 92-95 (Synopsis) MEZONIK.ZIP 23710 Maison Ikkoku "Final" Movie - Script MFB04.GIF 16384 Macross Flashback Anime Gif MFB05.GIF 12800 Macross Flashback Anime Gif MFB06.GIF 13824 Macross Flashback Anime Gif MFB08.GIF 16384 Macross Flashback Anime Gif MFB09.GIF 19456 Macross Flashback Anime Gif MFB10.GIF 13824 Macross Flashback Anime Gif MFB11.GIF 19968 Macross Flashback Anime Gif MFB12.GIF 15872 Macross Flashback Anime Gif MFB13.GIF 16384 Macross Flashback Anime Gif MGAZONE3.TXT 3840 Megazone 23, part III synopsis MGAZONE3.TXT 3816 MegaZone 23 III, Synopsis, Backgroune, Chars MINMEI.GIF 13824 576x720x2 of Minmei MISA3.GIF 38400 Anime Gif MISA4.GIF 79360 Anime Gif MIYU.TXT 6528 Anime synopsis MIYU.TXT 6500 Vampire Miyu, Episode 1 Synopsis MIYU_V2.TXT 3200 Vampire Miyu #2 synopsis-Feast of Marionnettes MIYU_V2.TXT 3142 Volume 2 synopsis (fiest of miyu) MLINK1.TXT 2560 MelowLink, Stage 1 synopsis MLINK1.TXT 2454 Melowlink 1 synopsis MLINK2.TXT 2176 MelowLink stage 2 synopsis MLINK2.TXT 2138 Melowlink 2 synopsis MOCHI.GIF 14345 Anime Gif file ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 126 ======================================================================= MOCHI2.GIF 15701 Anime Gif file MORE43.TXT 4147 Ranma 43 synopsis (Mark Crispin) NADIA1.TXT 4992 Nadia #1 Synopsis NADIA2.GIF 104209 431x324x256 of Nadia NADIA2.TXT 3968 Nadia #2 Synopsis NADIA3.GIF 124195 431x324x256 of Nadia NAU01A.GIF 12927 Anime Gif file NAUS3.GIF 17152 320x224x16 of Nausicaa of the valley of wind NAUSICA.GIF 30208 576-720x2 of Nausica NAUSICA1.GIF 7206 Anime Gif file NAUSICA2.GIF 8875 Anime Gif file NAUSIKA.GIF 59648 608x832x2 of Nausika OR12.TXT 4224 Orange Road #12 Synopsis OR19.TXT 4096 Orange Road #19 Synopsis OR42.TXT 4608 Orange Road #42 Synopsis OR46.TXT 5248 Orange Road #46 synopsis (Ski trip) OR47.TXT 4480 Orange Road # 47 synopsis OR48.TXT 5632 Orange Road #48 Synopsis ORANGE5.TXT 11454 Orange road #5 script OROAD_MV.TXT 3200 Orange Road the Movie synopsis OROAD_MV.TXT 3168 Orange Road Movie, review OROAD_TV.TXT 2560 Orange Road tv series #1 and #2 synopses OROAD_TV.TXT 2452 Orange road series 1,2 synopsis PAKO1.GIF 7921 Anime Gif file PAKO10.GIF 17352 Anime Gif file PAKO2.GIF 11301 Anime Gif file PAKO3.GIF 14601 Anime Gif file PAKO4.GIF 12408 Anime Gif file PAKO5.GIF 18430 Anime Gif file PAKO6.GIF 13436 Anime Gif file PAKO7.GIF 17942 Anime Gif file PAKO8.GIF 12790 Anime Gif file PAKO9.GIF 15878 Anime Gif file PANDA.GIF 3143 Anime Gif file PANDA.GIF 3584 Anime Gif PANDA2.GIF 3072 280x255x2 of the panda, pi-chan, and cat PAPASAN.GIF 14336 Looks like Lum's dad 320x224x16 PATLBRV1.TXT 1792 Mobile Police, Patlabor, episode 1 synopsis PAZU.GIF 7040 Anime Gif file PCOCKING.TXT 3072 Peacock King (warrior priest) #1 synopsis PI-CHAN.GIF 4096 255x325x2 of Ranma& the pig PLABR_V2.TXT 2048 Mobile Police Patlabor #2 synopsis PLABR_V2.TXT 2008 Pat Labor Vol. 2 synopsis PL_SCR.TXT 13312 PatLabor Script PRISS0.GIF 11648 Anime Gif file RAM_.GIF 10624 576x718x2 Looks like Lum RANMA.012 3666 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.013 3189 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.014 3580 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.015 2276 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.12 3580 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.13 3128 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.14 3520 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.15 2232 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.18 2218 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.19 4175 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.21 2599 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 127 ======================================================================= RANMA.22 2799 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.23 2860 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.24 4431 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.25 4164 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.26 4391 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.27 3873 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.28 3073 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.30 4187 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.31 4453 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.32 3459 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.33 2915 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.36 3136 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.37 3089 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.38 2860 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv synopsis RANMA.EPS 1420 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 episode guide RANMA.FIC 37806 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv RANMA.GIF 11136 Anime Gif file RANMA.GIF 7168 Anime Gif RANMA.V12 48682 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 RANMA1.TXT 22150 Anime text file Ranma-1/2 tv script RANMA13.TXT 3859 Ranma 13 Sysnopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA14.TXT 4172 Ranma 14 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA15.TXT 3126 Ranma 15 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA16.TXT 4033 Ranma 16 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA17.TXT 3680 Ranma 17 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA18.TXT 3103 Ranma 18 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA19.TXT 5104 Ranma 19 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA2.TXT 9208 Ranma 1/2 episode 2 script RANMA20.TXT 3720 Ranma 20 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA21.TXT 3508 Ranma 21 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA22.TXT 3699 Ranma 22 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA23.TXT 3750 Ranma 23 Synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA24.TXT 5349 Ranma 24 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA25.TXT 5067 Ranma 25 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA26.TXT 4915 Ranma 26 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA27.TXT 4389 Ranma 27 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA28.TXT 4031 Ranma 28 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA29.TXT 3656 Ranma 20 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA3.TXT 6390 Ranma 1/2 episode 3 script RANMA30.TXT 5124 Ranma 30 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA31.TXT 5397 Ranma 31 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA32.TXT 4385 Ranma 32 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA33.TXT 3843 Ranma 33 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA34.TXT 2824 Ranma 34 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA35.TXT 4701 Ranma 25 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA36.TXT 3770 Ranma 36 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA37.TXT 3626 Ranma 37 Synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA38.TXT 3399 Ranma 38 Synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA4.TXT 9642 Ranma 1/2 episode 4 script RANMA40.TXT 3774 Ranma 40 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA41.TXT 3936 Ranma 41 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA42.TXT 3467 Ranma 42 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA43.TXT 12185 Ranma 43 synopsis (Robert DeLoura) RANMA44.TXT 3776 Ranma 44 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA45.TXT 3233 Ranma 45 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA46.TXT 3431 Ranma 46 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA47.TXT 4000 Ranma 47 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 128 ======================================================================= RANMA47.TXT 4000 Ranma #47 synopsis (Hitachi Doi) RANMA49.TXT 3674 Ranma 49 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA49.TXT 3674 Ranma #49 Synopsis (Hitachi Doi) RANMA5.TXT 11422 Ranma 1/2 episode 5.script RANMA50.TXT 4656 Ranma 50 synopsis (Hitashi Doi) RANMA50.TXT 4656 Ranma #50 synopsis (Hitachi Doi) RANMA51.TXT 4400 New Ranma Episode #51 Synopsis (Hitoshi Doi) RANMA6.TXT 13366 Ranma 1/2 episode 6 script RANMA7.TXT 12252 Ranma 1/2 episode 7 script RANMA8.TXT 12942 Ranma 1/2 episode 8 script RANMATV1.DOC 22150 Translation of Ranma episode 1 RANMA_QA.DOC 22784 Questions and answers about the Ranma Manga RGALFORC.TXT 1152 Rhea Gall Force synopsis RICK1.GIF 6144 Anime Gif file RRABBIT.ZIP 305920 Roger Rabbit demo. RYO2.GIF 6167 Anime Gif file SCRIPLST.TXT 5632 List of Sue's scripts SHE-ELF.GIF 11264 Anime Charcter (Unknow to me) 320x200x16 SHURATO1.TXT 24280 Complete 'Novelization' SHURATO2.TXT 48238 Complete 'Novelization' SISTERS.GIF 186368 640x480x256 of Akane&sisters SPACEGRL.GIF 17408 288x548x2 of spacegirl (cute) STARBL.GIF 27648 Anime Gif file STUFF.IDX 19584 Anime Stuff Index of articles STUFF.IDX 19538 Anime Stuff Index STUFF1.TXT 13312 Anime Stuff #1 STUFF10.TXT 62208 Anime Stuff #10 STUFF11.TXT 51840 Anime Stuff #11 STUFF12.TXT 80640 Anime Stuff #12 STUFF13.TXT 18048 Anime Stuff #13 STUFF14.TXT 92004 Anime Stuff #14 STUFF2.TXT 10752 Anime Stuff #2 STUFF3.TXT 12032 Anime Stuff #3 STUFF4.TZT 8448 Anime Stuff #4 STUFF5.TXT 16896 Anime Stuff #5 STUFF6.TXT 59264 Anime Stuff #6 STUFF7.TXT 38144 Anime Stuff #7 STUFF8.TXT 49664 Anime Stuff #8 STUFF9.TXT 67712 Anime Stuff #9 TABLE.GIF 189440 640x480x256 of Ranma/Akane etc at table TCON8.GIF 10752 Technicon 1991 advertisement TEMPLUMN.GIF 7040 Anime Character (Lum) Gif TERESA.GIF 6912 Anime Gif file TOTORO.TXT 30976 Totoro script UY5.ZIP 18965 Urusei Yatsura #5, "Boy Meets Girl" - Script UYLUM1.GIF 12928 494x712x2 of Lum UYLUM2.GIF 6144 220x687x2 of Lum UYLUM6.GIF 5248 173x638x2 of Lum VENUSWAR.TXT 4508 Movie synopsis, characters VENUSWR2.TXT 3712 Venus War Chronicle #2 synopsis VFLAUN.GIF 7936 Anime Gif file WICKED.ZIP 143744 Wicked Witch of the west. X29-2A.ZIP 252672 Grumman X-29 demo. YUKI.GIF 13115 Anime Gif file YURI-EGA.GIF 15360 Yuri, of DP fame YURI01V.GIF 18432 Yuri, of DP fame YURILA.GIF 6784 Yuri, of DP fame ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 129 ======================================================================= ZAK.GIF 8192 Anime Gif Zak from Gundam, I think ZEORYMER.TXT 1536 Zeorymer synopsis ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 130 ======================================================================= =================== == == == USAGE NOTES == == == =================== Full Copyright Statement ======================== Electronic Tales of Animation is copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau and Randall S. Stukey. All rights reserved. Except that the APB reserves the right to reprint or to allow reprinting of this material in other not-for-profit fan publications and to provide not-for-profit article reprints, all rights are returned to the original artists and writers upon publication. Copying and Sharing Electronic Tales of Animation ================================================= You are encouraged to copy this issue and give it to your friends and fellow anime fans subject to the following rules: 1) The Electronic version of Tales of Animation may be freely uploaded to BBSs and services like Compuserve and Genie provided that: a) no charge is made to download or otherwise access the file containing this issue, except for general connect time charges by the BBS or service. b) The file is not added to or changed in any way (exception: a different archiving method may be used). 2) You may freely distribute the electronic version of Tales of Animation on disk under the following conditions: a) No charge whatsoever (other than the EXACT cost of a disk and the EXACT cost of postage -- no handling, service, or any other charges whatsoever) is made for the service of providing the copy. b) The file is not added to or changed in any way (exception: a different archiving method may be used). c) The file is not knowingly given to any person or organization who makes or attempts to make a material profit of any kind (money, extra blank tapes, etc.) from the production, sale, or distribution of unlicensed videotapes. 3) A copy of this publication may not be sold or given away with, as part of, or in association with any other item or service for which you charge a fee of any type without permission in writing from the APB. 4) Original copies of this each issue of this publication (and many other APB publications and anime-related files) will be available for Fidonet File Request (or for direct download) from San Antonio's best SF/Tech/Anime BBS, NUL (Fidonet: 1:387/255) modem: 512-692-0730 (300/1200/2400/9600/14400 HST). San Antonio is on Starlink! Reprinting Individual Articles ============================== Permission to copy individual articles (without change of any kind) that do not relate to club news and activities from this publication ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 131 ======================================================================= for NOT-FOR-PROFIT FAN DISTRIBUTION is granted, provided that proper credit (to both the author/artist AND TO THIS PUBLICATION (including information on how to obtain it) is given and that our copyright notice ("Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau and Randall S. Stukey") is printed either with the material being reprinted or clearly noted with the publication's own copyright notice (if any). APB requests two free copies of any publication that reprints our material (one for APB files, one for the author/artist), however, this is not a requirement. Prior permission must be obtained in writing from the Anime Publication Bureau if an entire issue is to be printed or if articles relating to club news and activities are to be reprinted. This blanket permission to reprint is NOT VALID for publications which are being produced for profit or potential profit (e.g. Animag, Anime-Zine, Animeplus, Protocuture Addicts, etc. however these publications are free to negotiate rights that do not interfere with the APB's retained reprint rights with the individual authors), for publications which do not publicly oppose unauthorized for-profit dubbing, or for publications which do not provide similar blanket permission for other not-for-profit fan publications to reprint their material. "Not-for-profit" in this paragraph means "sold at the cost of printing and postage only" with no money from the publication being put into club treasuries, the editor's pocket as payment for his work, or the like. Fan Fiction from Electronic Tales of Animation may not be reprinted without written permission from the original author or the publishers. Material from this publication may not be sold or given away with, as part of, or in association with any other item or service for which you charge a fee of any type (including "voluntary" donations) without permission in writing from the APB. Various Legal Disclaimers ========================= The various anime characters, series, and features depicted or mentioned in this publication are copyrighted and trademarked by their owning studios, publishers, and/or creators. Copyright to any translations published in this publication remain with the original copyright owner. No infringement of these copyrights or trademarks is intended. The Anime Publications Bureau is a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to educate the public about animation and manga. No person, business, or organization receives any profit from this publication. In the unlikely event that this publication ever shows a profit instead of a loss, all profits will be used in the public interest. The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and artists and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the APB, the editors and staff of this publication, or any other person or organization. The Anime Publications Bureau is an independent fannish organization. Neither the APB nor its operating staff have large sums (or even small sums) of money in the bank, own property, or have large insurance policies, so suing us if you do not like what we say or do will not get you anything other than large legal bills to pay, so instead of suing, just go out and produce a publication for fandom that you like better than ours! That's a much cheaper and more constructive solution... ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 132 ======================================================================= Although the information contained in this publication is believed to be basically correct, neither the APB, the APB staff, nor our authors accept any responsibility for its accuracy. Use of the information contained herein is strictly at your own risk. ==================================================== == == == Anime Publications Bureau Submissions Policy == == == ==================================================== There is no way to submit material for direct publication in the Electronic version of Animation Velocity, however, the APB welcomes submissions for the printed version of Animation Velocity (which are then reprinted in the Electronic version of the issue in question). Here is a copy of the current submission guidelines for the printed version of Animation Velocity. These guidelines also apply to submissions for Electronic Tales of Animation. Editorial Address: Randall S. Stukey 4122 Tallulah San Antonio, TX 78218-3452 USA Fidonet: 1:387/255.150 Internet: Randall.Stukey@p150.f255.n387.z1.fidonet.org (in theory anyway :-) Introduction ============ The Anime Publications Bureau is an independent, non-profit, fan publishing house. Although the APB works with FAST, the EDC, and other anime groups, it is not subject to control by any of these groups. The APB's goals are * to provide anime fandom with news and articles in a timely and non-profit manner through its quarterly fanzine, Animation Velocity. * to provide anime fandom with detailed information on selected animation series through its Series Reviews, again in a non-profit manner. * to provide a non-profit forum for fan writers and fan artists to express themselves through fanzines devoted to fan fiction and/or fan art. APB publications are all fanzines. While the APB tries to make them look as nice as possible in the very limited time and budget available to each publication, APB publications are not "professional" publications and do not claim to be professional! The APB does not have the money to hire translators ($40 to $60 an hour) or proofreaders ($10 to $20 an hour), have color separations done, or have its publications offset printed by the thousands (especially when we are only going sell a few hundred at most) so that the per copy cost is low. Every APB publication is edited by fen, written by fen, illustrated by fen, and (generally) collated and stapled by fen in their spare time. Fen just like you. None of the editors, writers, artists, collators, etc. are paid a dime for their hours of hard work ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 133 ======================================================================= (in fact we have lost relatively large sums of money [$400-$900 a year] for the past 5 years printing this stuff -- and this does not even count purchasing computer equipment and programs used in these publications), so please cut them some slack when you find typos and formatting errors! Computer Information ==================== The APB uses a (cheap) IBM (XT) compatible computer that can read 5.25 inch 360K MS-DOS disks and 3.5 inch 720K MS-DOS diskettes. If you have access to a computer that can write to one of the above MS-DOS disk formats (all IBM compatibles and many Atari STs and Amigas can), we really would prefer that you send your material in on disk. When sending material on disk, please send a self-addressed return mailer to we can send your disk back to you. And please, be sure to put your name on the disk label so we know who the disk belongs to! Text While we can, of course, accept text files in straight ASCII, we prefer them in one of the following IBM word-processing program formats: * WordPerfect 4.2, 5.0, or 5.1 * Wordstar 3.3, 4.0, 5.0, or 5.5 * DCA format (Displaywrite, SAMNA Word IV, Wordstar 2000) * Microsoft Word 4.0, 5.0 * Multimate * Other IBM word processor formats may be acceptable if Word for Word Pro can convert them to WordPerfect format. When submitting text on a computer disk, please follow these rules when you are entering it into your computer. They will make it easier for the editors to import your work! * Never use underlining or ALL CAPITALS (use italics or bold instead). * Leave a blank line between paragraphs and do not indent the first line of a paragraph. Pictures We can use picture files in any of the following formats: * Line Art: GEM, Autocad SLD, Lotus PIC, Mentor Graphics, Videoshow, MAC PICT, Postscript, CGM, MS Windows, and HPGL * Bit-mapped Art: GEM, HALO DPE, PC-Paintbrush, MAC Paint, and TIFF. * Compuserve's GIF format The APB will be happy to accept pictures in one of these formats for the newsletter provided that the picture in question is either your own original work, you know for a fact the picture is in the public domain (not just think or suspect or believe, but would be willing to stake your life on it), or you enclose the artist's signed written permission to use it under our standard terms. Animation Velocity Submissions Policy ===================================== General Editorial Policy Animation Velocity is a fanzine, it is not (and will not try to be) ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 134 ======================================================================= a professional publication. It is edited by fen, written, by fen, and illustrated by fen. Fen just like you. So please submit something, we will print the best of what we get! While perfection is definitely not required, a reasonable level of competence in writing or drawing is expected. As Animation Velocity is a large quarterly publication, we are always in need of more submissions -- we have yet to have too many! The APB staff will try to print articles on series and features that are of most interest to the readership. However, we can only print what we get! If the readership wants to see articles on Urusei Yatsura, Ramna 1/2, and Bubblegum Crisis, but no one submits any articles on those topics, we simply cannot print them -- no matter how many letters of complaint we get). If the only articles we get are on The Archies, Smurfs, and Pound Puppies, then those articles will probably get printed, regardless of their extremely low popularity among the readership. Again, we can only print what gets submitted, so if you do not like the articles we print, get off your duff and write something for us! A few of our readers seem to think that the APB staff should do all the translations and write all the articles as well as produce the quarterly issue of Animation Velocity -- all we can say is that we do as much as we can (to the tune of over 100 unpaid man-hours per issue) and simply do not have time to translate and write everything too! General Rules 1) Please do not send the originals of your work! Send only photocopies or disks. There are two reasons for this: * we hold submissions until we can use them, even if you send an SASE for the material's return, chances are about 99% that we will have lost it by the time we use the material. * the post office has a great record at losing items -- especially items that cannot be replaced. 2) First consideration for publication of quality submissions will go to our subscribers. However, we can only publish what we get -- if we do not get enough material from our readership, we'll print anything from anyone (unless they are a video pirate). We're not proud, we're desperate -- did you know it takes 30 to 50 thousand words to fill an issue of Animation Velocity?! 3) Be sure to sign all artwork in a readable manner (and put your name and address on the back if you submit photocopies). Please put your name and address at the top of each page of an article. 4) We will be happy to consider submissions that have previously appeared in other fanzines or apas -- but you need to tell us exactly when and where your submission has appeared when you submit it. 5) The copyright to all articles and artwork is returned to the author or artist upon publication, however, the APB reserves the right to reprint the issue in which your art or article appeared, to use your art or article in future APB publications, to allow other non-profit fan publications to reprint your work so long as proper credit is given and to allow your material to be photocopied by various club archives for their members. If you are submitting someone else's work, they must agree to these terms in writing. By submitting your own work ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 135 ======================================================================= you are agreeing to these terms. 6) Neither the APB or its staff take any responsibility for any submissions. For your own protection, please submit photocopies or disks, not your originals! (We cannot repeat this enough....) Articles 1) On major articles (over 15 double-spaced typewritten pages), please inquire before submission so that the editors can work out format and final length with the author. (We'd like to work with the author instead of having to make radical cuts.) 2) If you do not have access to a compatible computer, please consider sending long articles to one of the volunteer typists listed on the first page of each month's issue of Animation Velocity. (If any, we currently are out of volunteers with PCs again!) 3) We are looking for, first of all, informative articles on current or recent series, manga, or features/OVAs. However, we are not adverse to printing articles on older animation or manga, non-Japanese animation, Japanese history, culture, or mythology, anime roleplaying games, BGMs, etc. The series or OVA need not be a favorite of the APB staff for an article on it to be printed -- we will print articles on Urusei Yatsura, Bubblegum Crisis, and the like despite the fact that the APB staff does not find these things interesting. You just will not find staff-written articles on such series. 4) If you want to arrange for your own artwork to accompany your article, that's fine with us. Just have your artist follow the rules for artwork submissions below and submit the artwork together with your article. 5) Please identify -- completely and exactly -- the source of all non- original material used in your article. If you cannot identify the exact source of a quote or an illo from a Japanese anime magazine or the like, we can't use it. 6) Although this is a fanzine, not an English assignment, please try to follow the rules of English grammar. If you do not, the editor will correct your grammar (to the best of his ability). However, as the editor only knows what he thinks you meant to say, not what you actually meant to say, the end result may not be exactly what you were actually trying to say! In particular, remember when you write a synopsis, write it in present tense (as if it were happening at the very moment you are writing it down) not in past tense. 7) If at all possible, send in your article on disk. But if you cannot do so, please type or neatly print your articles. Please double space typewritten or hand-printed submissions and leave 1 inch margins all around the page. Never type or print your submissions in all capital letters, please! Translations 1) We welcome translations from Japanese anime publications provided that you completely and fully credit your source. 2) Translations should be equivalent meaning for equivalent meaning, ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 136 ======================================================================= not "word-for-word". Most Japanese idioms and such make no sense when translated word-for-word! 3) As far as submission format is concerned, follow the rules for articles above. Fan Fiction 1) While Fan Fiction has never been all that popular an item in Animation Velocity, we are going to continue printing it in the zine. Short works of fan fiction that are based on a series or feature that is popular among the readership are most likely to be used. By short we mean short enough to be completed in one issues with about five to eight pages devoted to the story. Longer works should be submitted for one of the APB's planned fiction zines (see below). Humorous fan fiction set in the Hotel Anime Universe is acceptable, but will be rewritten to conform to the history and background that Baka and Aho have set up. 2) Anime-related Fan Fiction of all types and lengths is solicited for Electronic Tales of Animation. Submissions must be in a form readable APB's IBM computer system. Note that submissions for Animation Velocity may be used in Electronic Tales of Animation if -- in the sole opinion of the editors -- they fit better in this publication (and vice-versa). Poetry and filk songs are also welcome for Electronic Tales of Animation. 3) As far as submission format is concerned, follow the rules for articles above. Artwork 1) All illustrations need to be black and white line art that will photocopy well (large areas of solid black shading tend to copy poorly). 2) Artwork of all sizes (up to 8 x 10) is needed, but smaller illustrations are more likely to be used as your average issue of Animation Velocity uses three to four times as many small illos as it does large ones. Artwork will be reduced to fit if necessary -- by repeated photocopy (unless the art is on disk -- if so it is scaled automatically to fit the space available by the publishing program). Sorry, but a stat camera cannot be used -- each shot from a stat camera costs six dollars down here! 3) Please sign your work with your full name (not just initials) and place the names of the characters, mecha, and/or the series, feature, or manga the illustration is based on near the artwork. If you have more than one illustration on a page be sure that someone who is completely unfair with the series in question cannot confuse the labeling (in other words be consistent, don't label one on the left, another on the right, and a third to the upper left)! If you do not provide this information, your illustration cannot be used. (If it is an original character, label it as such.) 4) Do not send originals, send good, clear, high quality photocopies or send a scanned image (at 200 and 300 dpi, if possible) on disk. Please submit artwork flat -- do not fold it, the fold lines look horrible when the artwork is reproduced. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 137 ======================================================================= Letters to the Editor 1) The APB staff really wants to hear from the Animation Velocity readership! The only real joy the APB staff get out of producing Animation Velocity is reading Letters of Comment from the readership. So write us! 2) Letters to the Editor should be typewritten or neatly printed. They should also be concise and include constructive comment. Letters of praise are always welcome (but may not always be printed). Letters of disdain will be printed if their points are valid. Rude and overly- sarcastic letters, however, will either be trashed (if the writer's points are valid) or printed and replied to in kind (if the writer's points are invalid). Letters listing typos and errors will generally be ignored as pointless -- the staff is too small and has to work too fast to have much chance of improving things. Comments deemed offensive or libelous will be edited out. Letters may also be edited for length, of course. 3) Letters that are deemed to be offensive to, or unnecessarily harsh on our authors, our artists, and -- especially -- our translators will either be trashed or heavily edited. Our authors, artists, and translators are generally amateurs and are not being paid for their hard work -- and they do not need to be taken to task for every little mistake or for being less than perfect. A reader who feels that the work being done by the volunteer writers, artists, and translators is not good enough, should not waste time writing in and complaining -- he or she should instead write, draw, or translate something and submit it so we can all see by example how it should be done. 4) If you feel that you simply must correct an important error of fact, please do so politely and without belittling the efforts of the original author (by commenting on his/her education, the fact that he/she is not Japanese, or....) 5) Please do not bother to "correct" the transliteration of names, however. There is no one correct way to transliterate a proper name - -even different Japanese transliterate the same name in a different manner! We refuse to get involved in such silly arguments as whether transliterating the first name of one of Gundam's major as "Char", "Shah", or "Shaa" is more correct. Such inane discussions have been the cause of too many hurt feelings in anime fandom over the years. 6) Letters to the Editor need not be directly concerned with Animation Velocity. You can use a Letter to the Editor to speak your mind on anime, manga, or related topics. Just remember to be brief, complete and clear, and polite! Series Overviews APB Series Overviews are a complex operation. Access to a compatible computer is a requirement for such a large operation. If you are seriously interested in working on a major series overview, please contact the APB for more information! Fiction Fanzines @BodyFirst = The APB is currently working on three anime fanfic zines. The titles of these books are tentative but submissions are currently being accepted for both! (Follow the normal submission guidelines ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey Electronic Tales of Animation Volume 1 Number 1 Page 138 ======================================================================= given above.) Anime 3-X! Three submissions currently accepted Here's the place for your graphic X-rated and slash stories, poetry, and art (bawdy filk songs, too). The only requirement is that the material must be erotic and must be based on anime or manga. We hope to be able to get a good mix of erotica so that about 50% will be the type that appeals to males and the other 50% will be the type that appeals to females. Slash stories (stories where the characters sexual preferences are altered) are welcome! If you are a fan of the Japanese fanzines, Cream Lemons, etc., you know what we are looking for! Adventures in A-Space Four submissions currently accepted This zine will be devoted to fiction set in the A-Space of Hotel Anime. It will reprint the four currently existing Hotel Anime stories and hopefully will include stories by new Hotel Anime authors. If completed, a simple Hotel Anime RPG will be included so you can play out your favorite anime character's adventures in A-Space. Short humor pieces that are not Hotel Anime related are also welcome. ======================================================================= Copyright (c) 1991 by the Anime Publications Bureau & Randall Stukey