B't X
 |
| B't X | |
 Cover of B't X volume 1 as published by Tokyopop | |
| ビート・エックス (Bīto Ekkusu) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Mecha |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Masami Kurumada |
| Published by | Kadokawa Shoten |
| English publisher | |
| Magazine | Shōnen Ace |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Original run | October 1994 – January 2000 |
| Volumes | 16 |
| Light novel | |
| Written by | Sukehiro Tomita |
| Illustrated by | Masami Kurumada |
| Published by | Kadokawa Shoten |
| Imprint | Newtype Novels |
| Original run | 20 July 1996 – 28 February 1997 |
| Volumes | 2 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Mamoru Hamatsu |
| Written by | Yoshiyuki Suga Sukehiro Tomita |
| Music by | Akira Senju |
| Studio | TMS Entertainment |
| Licensed by | |
| Original network | TBS |
| English network | |
| Original run | 6 April 1996 – 21 September 1996 |
| Episodes | 25 |
| Anime television series | |
| B't X Neo | |
| Directed by | Mamoru Hamatsu |
| Written by | Yoshiyuki Suga Sukehiro Tomita |
| Music by | Fumitaka Anzai |
| Studio | TMS Entertainment |
| Original network | TBS |
| Original run | 21 August 1997 – 20 November 1997 |
| Episodes | 14 |
B't X (Japanese: ビート・エックス, Hepburn: Bīto Ekkusu), pronounced "beat X" and stylized as B'T X, is a science fiction mecha manga series, written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada. It was serialized in Shōnen Ace from 1994 to 2000, with the 63 individual chapters published into 16 tankōbon volumes by Kadokawa Shoten. An anime adaptation containing 25 episodes was aired in Japan between April and September 1996, this series adapts the first six tankōbon volumes of the manga. A second season containing 14 episodes and called B't X Neo (ビート・エックス・ネオ) was aired between August and November 1997, this season adapts several chapters of the manga but has a derivative storyline and an alternate ending.
The manga was released in North America by Tokyopop. When B't X was released in America by Tokyopop, all of the sound effects in the manga were printed in Japanese, just as in the original version and in most other Tokyopop Manga, with the addition of English captions. In May 2012, Kurumada wrote in his blog that they are recording a new theme song for B't X but for what purpose is currently to be revealed.
The anime adaptation was released in North America by Illumitoon Entertainment and published on DVD via Westlake Entertainment. Two dual-audio DVDs got released by them, covering the first eight episodes, before being cancelled. The first 14 episodes, the only ones to be dubbed, were available on-demand via the Anime Network.
Plot
Teppei "Tepp" Takamiya is the caretaker of a farm located in Kamui Island, north of Japan. His older brother, Kotarō Takamiya, leaves to study robotics in Germany and becomes one of the most brilliant scientists in the world.
Five years later, the two brothers reunite at a robotics convention in Mechatopia, China, where Kotarō is to announce his latest breakthrough in artificial intelligence. The convention goes awry when Kotarō is captured by the malevolent Machine Empire and taken to "The Area", a mecha base hidden within the sandstorms of the Gobi Desert.
By the means of a mysterious weapon called the Messiah Fist, a cybernetic gauntlet with various technological powers and options, Teppei manages to pursue the kidnappers by grappling onto their "transport", a giant insectoid mecha that is later revealed to be one of the Machine Empire's prized AI machines (known as a B't). Upon reaching the Area, Teppei is attacked by Metalface, one of the Empire's soldiers. Unable to win, Teppei is thrown, bleeding, in the Empire's junkyard. His blood reaches the trashed body of X, who was once considered one of the strongest B't of the Empire, and the disgruntled B't awakens. Faced with unanswered questions and imminent destruction, X reluctantly saves Teppei, and the pair flee the Area with soldiers of the Empire in hot pursuit.
Meanwhile, inside the Area, Kotarō discovers that he has been summoned by another of the Empire's soldiers, Major Aramis, to find a way to stop the ultimate B't - a creation known as Raffaello (ラファエロ) that has begun a terrifying and uncontrollable evolution.
As the series unfolds, the headstrong X and equally brash Teppei develop a brotherly bond, squabbling as much as they look after each other. They slowly uncover the Machine Empire's diabolical plan as they travel through strange lands and battle other B'ts loyal to the Empire, all the while trying to save Kotarō and to resolve the mysteries of their intertwined past.
B't
A B't (pronounced "beat" in the Japanese version and "bit" in the English dub.) is the ultimate form of artificial intelligence mechanoid (they are NOT "robotics" since in the Machine Empire, "robot" are considered obsolete terminology that has been replaced by much more modernized terms such as "mecha" and of course the terms "B't" itself) designed for fighting - the B stands for Brain, Blood, Bravery and Battler. They have different forms and powers, usually based on mythological creatures. The B't's source of power is a device called BreakHeart, which is fueled by human blood. Once the BreakHeart is inserted into the B't's body, it creates a link between the blood donor and the B't. A B't is also outfitted with The Guard System, which protects its donor from various dangers and environment changes, such as volcanic heat, the crushing pressures beneath the ocean, or even the depths of space. However, the donor must be in physical contact with his or her B't for the system to work for them. Teppei is able to manifest a suit of protective armor called Battle Gear, through use of the Messiah Fist. This has the additional benefit of activating the usually dormant wings on X's sides, enabling him to reach even greater degrees of speed and mobility.
Characters
| Main Characters | |||
| Name | B't and B't species | Description | Voice Actor (Japanese) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teppei "Tepp" Takamiya (高宮鉄兵, Takamiya Teppei) | X (エックス, Ekkusu) (kirin) | Main character | Nobuyuki Hiyama |
| Kotaro Takamiya (高宮鋼太郎, Takamiya Kōtarō) | n/a | Scientist. Older brother of Teppei | Nozomu Sasaki |
| Karen (華蓮) | Shadow X (シャドーエックス, Shadō Ekkusu) (twin to X, female kirin) | Spirit Knight of the West. Trained and taught Teppei any knowledge regarding combat skills, and technologies | Megumi Ogata |
| Fou Lafine (鳳ラフィーネ, Fou Rafīne) | Je T'aime (ジュテーム, Jutēmu) (phoenix/suzaku) | Spirit Knight of the South. An ordained priest whose base of operations is a small church near the Machine Empire's capital. | Kazuya Ichijou |
| Ron (ロン) (from Chinese 龍 Lóng "dragon") | Raidou (雷童, Thunder Child) (Chinese dragon/seiryuu) | Spirit Knight of the East. Childhood friend of Aramis | Keiji Fujiwara |
| Hokuto (北斗) | Max (マックス, Makkusu) (turtle/genbu) | Spirit Knight of the North. Known as "Master Doc" for his principle of repairing any injured human or mecha he comes across | Osamu Sakuda |
| Metalface (メタルフェイス, Metarufeisu) | Madonna (マドンナ) (triceratops) | A lieutenant to the Machine Empire and an almost persistent annoyance in Teppei's way. Old friend of Karen. | Kenyû Horiuchi |
| Secondary Characters | |||
| Captain Hook (キャプテン・フック, Kyaputen Fukku) | Groupie (グルピー, Gurupī) (worm) | First point soldier that Teppei encounters | |
| Camilla (カミーラ, Kamīra) | Mirage (ミラージュ, Mirāju) (butterfly) | Second point soldier, grows medicinal flowers for Nasha | Kappei Yamaguchi |
| Kaos (カオス, Kaosu, Chaos) | Lamu (ラムウ, Ramuu) (Japanese rhinoceros beetle) | Third point soldier, an old veteran and was once one of the four Spirit Knights. | Osamu Kobayashi |
| Death (死神, Shinigami), Aleph (アレフ, Arefu) | name unknown (bat) | Fourth point soldier, perceived as a Shinigami (Death God) | |
| Vem (ベム, Bemu) | Cancer (キャンス, Kyansu) (crab) | Fifth point soldier, was easily crushed | Hideyuki Umezu |
| Rai | Falcon (ファルコン, Farukon) (falcon) | Member of the Dark Knights | Sho Hayami |
| Leon | Falcon (falcon) | Member of the Dark Knights | |
| Miru | Falcon (falcon) | Leader of the Dark Knights | Takehito Koyasu |
| Balzac (バルザック, Baruzakku) | Savannah (サバンナ, Sabanna) (myrmekoleon/mermecolion, a mythical depiction of the antlion) | Sixth point soldier | |
| Lycaon Troops (リュカオン部隊, Ryukaon Butai) | Lycaon class B'ts (winged panthers) | Generic army troops of the Machine Empire | |
| Imperial Spies | Spy class B'ts (black crows) | Imperial spies and executes traitors | |
| Juggler (ジャグラー, Jagurā) | Vanilla Fudge (バニラファッジ, Banira Fadji) (harpy) | Took over the role of Commander Aramis when it was clear that she was a traitor to the Machine Empire | Issei Futamata |
| Myslim (ミスリム, Misurimu) | Lalaynya (ラレーニャ, Rarēnya) (hydra) | Capable of regenerating lost limbs, member of the 7 Evil Knights | Jūrōta Kosugi |
| Meimu (冥夢, Meimu) | Halloween (ハロウィン, Harowin) (baku) | Uses nightmare manipulation as a weapon, secretly Hokuto's elder brother Subaru. Also a member of the 7 Evil Knights | Shinichiro Miki |
| Quattro (クアトロ, Kuatoro) | Loreso (ロレッソ, Roresso) (griffin) | An old friend and Acquaintance of Fou, who he blames for the death of his sister Lily. Also a member of the 7 Evil Knights | Toshihiko Seki |
| Salome (サロメ, Sarome) | Halcyon (ハルシオン, Harushion) (unicorn) | She uses music as hypnotic, and is one of the machine empire because she lost faith in humanity. Also a member of 7 Evil Knights | |
| Sapphire (サファイヤ, Safaiya) | Eroica (エロイカ, Eroika) (basilisk) | He adores gems and uses Eroica's abilities to turn people into crystals. a member of the 7 Evil Knights | |
| Dr. Poe (ドクトル・ポー, Dokutoru Pō) | Cadenza (カデンツァ, Kadentsa) (chimera) | He was Hokuto's rival in the academy, and is one of the 7 Evil Knights | |
| Gai (凱) | Shendu (神鷲, Shendyu) (from Chinese Shénjiù "divine eagle") (garuda) | The philosopher of the Empire, and a member of the 7 Evil Knights | |
| Aramis (アラミス, Aramisu) | Rosemary (ローズマリー, Rōzumarī) (wasp) | Commander of the Area. Disguised herself as a man and was later revealed that she was the legendary warrior who never lost a battle before the time of the Four Knights, the Rose Knight | Atsuko Yuya |
| Nasha (ナーシャ, Nāsha) | Theta (シータ, Shīta) (dog) | Representative of the Emperor. Misha's younger sister | Kyôko Hikami |
| Misha (ミーシャ, Mīsha) | Zeta (ゼータ, Zēta) (dog) | Representative of the Emperor, appears to be the second in command | Ai Orikasa |
| Marcello (マルチェロ, Maruchero) | n/a | Underhell warden, he wields an electric whip | Naoki Tatsuta |
| Amigo (アミーゴ, Amīgo) | n/a | Marcello's massive assistant, he assists Kotaro in his escape | Shinpachi Tsuji |
| Raphael (ラファエロ, Rafaero, Raffaello) | n/a | Ultimate B't, created to grow by absorbing other life forms | |
| Lisa Marie (リサ・マリア・シュタイン, Risa Maria Shutain, Lisa Maria Stein) | n/a | A fellow scientist prisoner that helped Kotaro Takamiya solve the formula on how to defeat Raphael | Yumi Touma |
| Karin (華梨) | A Lycaon class B't | A Warrant Officer of the Machine Empire, and very close to Fou. She is later revealed to be Karen's sister, who lost her memory when attacked by Raphael | Chisa Yokoyama |
Media
Manga
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | March 1995 | 4047131024 | 6 January 2004 | 159182639X |
| 02 | July 1995 | 4047131091 | 2 March 2004 | 1591826403 |
| 03 | November 1995 | 4047131210 | 4 May 2004 | 1591826411 |
| 04 | March 1996 | 4047131318 | 13 July 2004 | 159182642X |
| 05 | June 1996 | 4047131431 | 14 September 2004 | 1591826438 |
| 06 | October 1996 | 4047131660 | 9 November 2004 | 1591826446 |
| 07 | April 1997 | 4047131776 | 11 January 2005 | 1595323775 |
| 08 | August 1997 | 4047131938 | 8 March 2005 | 1595323783 |
| 09 | November 1997 | 4047132012 | 7 June 2005 | 1595323791 |
| 10 | March 1998 | 404713211X | 10 January 2006 | 1595323805 |
| 11 | June 1998 | 404713225X | 3 July 2006 | 1595323813 |
| 12 | October 1998 | 4047132381 | 9 January 2007 | 1595323821 |
| 13 | February 1999 | 4047132691 | 3 July 2007 | 159532383X |
| 14 | June 1999 | 4047132845 | 2 January 2008 | 1595323848 |
| 15 | October 1999 | 4047133027 | 7 July 2008 | 1595323856 |
| 16 | February 2000 | 4047133264 | 30 November 2010 | 1595323864 |
The series was also republished by Home-sha, a Shueisha company, in an edition of more than 300-pages per volume.
- Home-sha (Home-sha manga bunko) (2002)
| # | Japanese release date | Japanese ISBN |
| 1 | September 2002 | 4834272400 |
| 2 | September 2002 | 4834272419 |
| 3 | October 2002 | 4834272427 |
| 4 | October 2002 | 4834272435 |
| 5 | November 2002 | 4834272443 |
| 6 | November 2002 | 4834272451 |
| 7 | December 2002 | 483427246X |
| 8 | December 2002 | 4834272478 |
Anime
Season 1 (1996)
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Season 2 (1997)
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See also
References
Further reading
- Beveridge, Chris (24 May 2007). "Beat BtX Vol. #01". Mania. Template:Query web archive
- Gifford, Kevin (March 2007). "B't X Volume 1". Newtype USA. Vol. 6, no. 3. p. 149. ISSN 1541-4817.
- Carlos, Ross. "B'tX". T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews. Template:Query web archive
External links
- B't X (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- Articles lacking sources from August 2007
- Manga series
- 1994 manga
- 1996 anime television series debuts
- 1997 anime television series debuts
- Use dmy dates from February 2011
- 1996 anime television series
- 1997 anime OVAs
- Kadokawa Shoten manga
- Light novels
- Masami Kurumada
- Science fiction anime and manga
- Shōnen manga
- Tokyo Broadcasting System shows
- Tokyopop titles
- TMS Entertainment