Cybersix

Cybersix as she appears in TMS' 1999 animated series.

Cybersix is a series of Argentine comic books created by writers Carlos Meglia and Carlos Trillo. The series first appeared in Spanish in November 1993.

The heroine of the series is the eponymous character, Cybersix, a leather-clad artificial human superhero who by day operates behind the guise of a male high school literature teacher, and by night battles the monstrous biological weapons of her creator. She is aided in her adventures by her younger brother Cyber-29, who is reborn in the body of a black panther known as Data 7. The extended cast includes Cybersix's colleague and love interest Lucas Amato, a student named Lori in love with her male guise, a young street wise kid named Julian as well as others.

In 1995, the comics were adapted into a poorly-received live-action television series, and again in 1999 into a much more successful thirteen-episode animated series by TMS, with positive critical reception from sources like the Pulcinella Awards, which first aired in Canada on Teletoon and was later dubbed in several other countries.

Story

Dr. Von Reichter, a member of the SS and the Nazi party, is an expert in genetic engineering. He initially began his work in concentration camps during World War II, implanting cybernetic organs in the bodies of dead prisoners in an attempt to bring them back to life to serve in the Führer's army. However, the Allied forces intervened to defeat the Nazis, so he fled to South America where he once again continued his sinister experiments.

From one of his experiments emerged the Cyber Series — artificial humanoids possessing superhuman strength and agility. But something was amiss: The 5000 original Cybers, engineered to be the perfect servants, mimicked human emotions too closely, displaying free will of their own. When they began disobeying their creator, Von Reichter ordered all of the Cyber Series to be destroyed. By this time, Cyber-29 had already died in a playtime accident when he fell from a cliff, but Von Reichter managed to transfer the dead child's brain into the body of a panther to be reborn as Data 7. Cybersix was the only true Cyber to survive the massacre, escaping with the help of a black slave who hid her away in a fishing village. When the slave was later interrogated and killed by Von Reichter, Cybersix escaped once again and made her way to the fictitious city of Meridiana, where she adopted the identity of a boy killed in a car wreck, Adrian Seidelman, and now battles her evil creator and his minions.

Like all of Von Reichter's creations, Cybersix depends on a mysterious life-giving fluor called "sustenance". When her supply ran out, she was forced to prowl the city in search of other creatures of Von Reichter's making, such as Frankenstein-like Fixed Ideas or the more human-like Technos, to kill them and take their sustenance to survive. Almost by accident, she became a superhero by defending the people of her city from Von Reichter's malevolent plans, often carried out by his cloned "son" José. Along the way, she meets the resurrected Data 7, as well as a young boy named Julian, and falls in love with biology teacher/reporter Lucas Amato, while her alter-ego, Adrian, became the object of affection of one of his students.

Production history

Comics

The Cybersix comics were originally published in Argentina and written in Spanish between November, 1993 and 1999, and spanned six volumes. Collections were released in French and Italian, with twelve volumes distributed by Editions Vents d'Ouest for the former and forty-five volumes for the latter, but no English or Japanese versions were ever made available.

Four special-edition Italian Cybersix issues were also released, in addition to another six documenting Volumes 1 to 18. The first book of the special edition comics had two possible cover designs.

Live-action television series

The Cybersix live-action television series debuted in Argentina on March 15, 1995. It was produced by Luis Gandulfo, Sebastián Parrotta, Fernando Rascovsky, and Andre Ronco, and written by Ricardo Rodríguez, Carlos Meglia, and Carlos Trillo. The series aired on Telefé, but was cancelled after only a few episodes due to low ratings.

Cybersix was played by model Carolina Peleritti, José was played by Rodrigo de la Serna, and Doguyy was played by Mario Moscoso.

Animated television series

The Cybersix animated television series debuted in Canada on September 6, 1999, and was subsequently dubbed for French, Japanese, Malaysian, Polish, South American, and Thai viewers. It was animated by Tokyo Movie Shinsha; produced by Herve Bedard, Toshihiko Masuda, and Koji Takeuchi; directed by Atsuko Tanaka, Hiroyuki Aoyama, Nabuo Tomizawa, and Kazuhide Tomonag; and written by Catherine Girczyc, Carlos Meglia, and Carlos Trillo. Original music was composed by Robbi Finkel, and character designs were overseen by Teiichi Takiguchi.

The title sequence and closing credits featured lyrics written by Robert Olivier, which were sung by jazz vocalist Coral Egan.

There were five main cast members who voiced Cybersix. Cathy Weseluck performed the dual role of Adrian Seidelman and Cybersix. Michael Dobson performed the voice of Lucas Amato. Andrew Francis played Julian, while Alex Doduk and Terry Klassen voiced José and Von Reichter, respectively. Additional voices were provided by Janyse Jaud, Brian Drummond, Chantal Strand, and L. Harvey Gold.

Along with the background music, several elements of the cartoon's visual design hint that Meridiana is modeled after Buenos Aires, teeming with decorative sculpture throughout the metropolis, numerous outdoor markets and open-air cafés.

On April 28, 2000 Cybersix won "Special Mention for the Best Science Fiction Program" at the Pulcinella Awards in Italy for that year's competition.

Episode list

Ep#	Total	Title	Original airdate
1	1	"Mysterious Shadow"	September 6, 1999 (1999-09-06)
High school teacher Lucas Amato makes a new friend in fellow teacher Adrian Seidelman and encounters the dangerous minions of José and Von Reichter by night, not suspecting that "Adrian" is actually the mysterious and enchanting Cybersix, who comes to his rescue. Lucas finds a tube of sustenance which Cybersix comes to claim the next night only to be chased off by José's men. Cybersix heads to stop José from printing money by sending the truck into the ocean(actually Lucas, on his way to help Cybersix almost runs into the truck, trying to avoid him-Jose veers his truck into the ocean).
2	2	"Data 7 & Julian"	September 13, 1999 (1999-09-13)
Von Reichter sends a panther by the name of Data 7 to track down and destroy Cybersix. Meanwhile, Cybersix meets a young boy named Julian who is forced by his guardian to pick pocket against his own will. As Adrian, Cybersix offers him the wallet, who refuses, seeing that he needs it just before taking out a picture of a younger version of herself and another child. After finding out that José has taken over the abandoned theatre where Julian lives, Cybersix promises to help him get away to somewhere safer. A battle ensues between Cybersix and Data 7 while Julian attempts to help by dropping stage props from above. The picture falls out in front of Data 7 as Cybersix struggles to keep Julian from falling. Data 7 stares at the picture and, when Julian falls, saves him. Data 7 reveals that he is Cyber-29, who Cybersix thought died years ago, and defects to join her in her fight against Von Reichter.
3	3	"Terra"	September 20, 1999 (1999-09-20)
Von Reichter creates a monster named Terra from ancient mud fused with sustenance. When the creature battles Cybersix, her altruistic essence transforms its malevolent heart to goodness, giving him emotions. While Terra wishes to see Cybersix, José traps Terra and fuses him with some animal behaviors to make him more vicious. After luring Cybersix into a trap with a more vicious, cruel looking Terra, José sets the tower that Cybersix and Terra are trapped in on fire. Terra, after regaining his free will, uses his mud to smother the flames but ends up using his entire body to save Cybersix. As Data 7 and Lucas arrive, Cybersix cries over the sandy remains of Terra.
4	4	"Yashimoto, Private Eye"	September 27, 1999 (1999-09-27)
José kidnaps a young girl named Ikiko, a new friend of Julian's, to blackmail Meridiana's most renowned detective, Yashimoto, Ikiko's older brother, into hunting down Cybersix. Julian also falls into José's clutches and Cybersix must rescue them. Yashimoto manages to deduce that Cybersix is Adrian and breaks into her apartment. Upon arrival to make the exchange, Julian and Ikiko manage to escape from José's men and Yashimoto used a mannequin dressed in clothes like Cybersix's to fool them. The real Cybersix and Data 7 arrive on the scene as José summons a giant snail like creature. Cybersix manages to destroy it using the drawbridge mechanism as Julian, Ikiko and Yashimoto head home safely.
5	5	"Lori is Missing"	October 4, 1999 (1999-10-04)
Lori, a streetwise teen at Meridiana High School crushing on Adrian Seidelman, finds out where he lives but sees Cybersix talking to someone (Data 7). Lori, angered is questioned by Lucas as to why she is upset and reveals that she saw a woman dressed in black leather in his apartment. Lucas soon becomes angered with Adrian for knowing Cybersix when he has been talking about her all this time. One night, Lori runs into José's gang in a dark alley and ends up being abducted as José schemes to tunnel his way into the city bank. Cybersix finds Lori and helps her escape and then destroys José's giant drill which destroys his base.
6	6	"Blue Birds of Horror"	October 11, 1999 (1999-10-11)
Meridiana is beset by swarms of hostile birds that attack anyone who goes outside. While Cybersix heads to Lucas' apartment, no birds are present, but as she attempts to head out once more, they reappear. Lucas then deduces that there were no birds when Cybersix left her apartment because the air waves for new broadcasts was used to send a message through every TV in Meridiana, therefore no birds could be controlled at the time. Lucas and Cybersix head through the sewers to the school to set up a trap to catch all the birds they can to make being outside safer. Cybersix heads to the TV station to stop José who releases a giant bird creature. Data 7 manages to destroy it by flying into the TV tower's electrical broadcaster but is hurt in the process. The birds, no longer under control are released.
7	7	"Brainwashed"	October 18, 1999 (1999-10-18)
Julian's friend, Detective Henrique, and other officers in the Meridiana police force are brainwashed by José's new mind-control device, ordered to patrol the city streets for Cybersix. Julian follows Henrique to see that José is behind everything but is caught and becomes bait to lure Cybersix into a trap. Cybersix inevitably falls into the trap while Data 7 bursts in to try and save her. Julian manages to remove the mind control device on Henrique, who helps Cybersix escape. Later that night, Cybersix and Data 7 watch over the cafe as Julian and Henrique share some ice cream.
8	8	"Gone With the Wings"	October 25, 1999 (1999-10-25)
Von Reichter sends a horde of winged goblins to terrorize the city with the shrieking destructive power of their supersonic blasts. Cybersix is nearly captured by the goblins if not for their sudden retreat due to the rising sun. Julian follows the goblins to find them in an old train service room filled with eggs. Data 7 heads there to but is ushered out by Julian who is trapped and tells him to go find Cybersix. Knowing their weakness, Cybersix brings a train to the goblin's lair and Data 7 and Julian loads the eggs on the train. Cybersix then lures the goblins on the train, traps them and drives it out to the sunlight, destroying them.
9	9	"The Eye"	November 8, 1999 (1999-11-08)
Von Reichter sends a bizarre eyeball creature to José for testing. José exercises its mind-robbing powers of hypnosis to overtake the city. The eye steals a person's consciousness and grows bigger with the more minds it takes. Lucas soon falls victim to this as does everyone in Meridiana. During a battle, Data 7's mind is taken and Cybersix reflects the gaze back at the eye causing it to go out of José's control. José tries to catch the eye, as ordered by Von Reichter, but Cybersix freezes it using the liquid nitrogen that she saw Lucas use during a class demonstration to freeze the eye and destroy it as all the people's stolen minds return to their bodies.
10	10	"Full Moon Fascination"	November 11, 1999 (1999-11-11)
Strange werewolf attacks threaten the citizens of Meridiana when a new teacher named Elaine signs on to work at the high school. Lucas encounters a werewolf and gets injured but is thankfully saved by Cybersix as the werewolf changes back into a man with no memory of what happened. She quickly seduces Lucas, much to Adrian's chagrin. When Lucas transforms into a werewolf, Cybersix is reluctant to fight him and tries to remind Lucas of who he really is and their relationship. In sudden realization, Cybersix sees that Elaine is the werewolf. Lucas manages to remember Cybersix and their relationship and fights off Elaine. After falling a great feat, Elaine turns back into a human and reveals that Von Reichter sent her to destroy Cybersix and apologizes to Lucas for doing what she did. Lucas, with no memory of the events, turns back into a human and his injury fades away.
11	11	"The Greatest Show in Meridiana"	November 15, 1999 (1999-11-15)
José captures Data 7 and stages a circus show in Meridiana whose main attraction is an army of deadly mechanical animals pitted against Cybersix. She heads to rescue him the same night that Lucas goes to see it. However, Cybersix is captured and pitted against a giant robot octopus. Lucas tried to help but is taken backstage by two other robots. He manages to destroy the robots and free Data 7 while Lucas tried to stop the robot animals. They eventually fall out of control as Lucas, Cybersix, and Data 7 destroy all the robots and the circus all together.
12	12	"Daylight Devil"	November 22, 1999 (1999-11-22)
A reptilian woman named Grizelda who has powers of invisibility stalks Cybersix relentlessly in a deadly chase. During a class field trip, Cybersix is injured after falling down a cliff into a stream. Grizelda follows Cybersix to the hospital where she makes a run for it. As Adrian, he can only run from her, not wishing to reveal his true identity in the light of day. Data 7 frantically tries to assist but is unable to stop the ambulance from falling off a bridge over a waterfall. Thankfully, Cybersix is unharmed but tried to save Grizelda. Grizelda, spotting an oncoming train, is touched by Cybersix's kindness and lets go of the rope falling into the water, dying, saving Cybersix from the train.
13	13	"The Final Confrontation"	November 29, 1999 (1999-11-29)
Von Reichter sends an island-sized living bomb toward Meridiana, planning to destroy the city and Cybersix once and for all. After revealing herself as Adrian to Lori(gives her his glasses) and kissing Lucas in a farewell embrace, Cybersix rushes off to force her evil creator into a final showdown. Meanwhile, feeling cheated by his father's plan, José has reprogrammed the bomb to return to Von Reichter's seaside lab, which is engulfed in explosive flames as Cybersix desperately races for the exit. Lori finds Lucas and they go after Cybersix but are too late and do not reach the lab in time. In the epilogue, Lucas is seen in the cafe holding Cybersix's glasses(given to him by Lori, he now knows Cybersix is Adrian) as the news reports the explosion of the previous night. He heads to her apartment and smiles, seeing the lights on through the window. Von Reichter states in a recording that "Cybersix was my greatest failure, but she displays great courage...and I admire that" just as José shut off the recording and smiles.

Errors in the Show

In episode 1 and 2, Cybersix's tattoo on her arm appear on different arms. It appears on her left when she shows it to Jose in episode 1 and it appears on her right arm when she tries to save Julian and Data 7 spots it while remembering his past.

Characters

Cybersix

Number 6 of the cyber series creations, Cybersix dons the identity of Adrian Seidelman by day and foils her evil creator's plans by night. In the animated series, not much is revealed about her past: she was rescued by a black slave during the massacre of the other 4999 cyber soldiers because of their developing rebellious nature and growing human emotions. She befriends a young poor boy named Julian and a fellow teacher at school named Lucas Amoto, whom she begins to fall in love with. Later on, she is reunited with her younger brother, Cyber-29, reborn in the body of a panther after a tragic playtime accident, as they work together to protect Meridiana from Von Reichter.

Data 7

Previously known as Cyber-29, Data 7 is Cybersix's younger brother. His body was greatly damaged after he fell off the cliff and Von Reichter transplanted Cyber-29's brain into the body of a panther. Data 7 has a series of flashbacks of his death, before remembering Cybersix. After seeing a picture of the two of them as children, Data 7 remembers how he died and who Cybersix was. Data 7 joins Cybersix in her plans to foil Von Reichter's plans. He is seen to be very protective of Cybersix, often taking hits for her, trying desperately to save her from danger and even following her during a school field trip after she is injured from the previous night. Data 7 is very obedient to Cybersix, and rarely ever objects to what she says.

Julian

Julian is a young street kid and possibly an orphan, due to the fact that he is seen living on his own with no family. He is forced to pick pocket against his own will until Cybersix promises to take him somewhere safer. He tries to help Cybersix during her fights but is often rescued by her instead. He lives on a small boat tied to the harbour. Data 7 is often sent by Cybersix to make sure that he doesn't interfere or get in trouble.

Lucas Amato

Lucas is a fellow teacher who meets Cybersix one night. He is also her friend when she is Adrian Seidelman at the school. He often has dinner with Adrian at the cafe while Lucas talks on about Cybersix, who visits him almost every night. He eventually begins to fall in love with Cybersix and kisses her before she heads off to fight Von Reichter. In the epilogue, he holds Adrian's glasses after finding that Adrian is Cybersix and heads to her apartment to see a light on.

Von Reichter

Von Reichter is the creator of Cybersix and the other cyber series. His plans are often carried out by his clone/son Jose. Von Reichter is often disappointed with Jose. After Jose's betrayal, Von Reichter was eventually killed by his own creations, of whom he tried to sent to kill Cybersix in their final showdown.

Jose

A very stuck up, self-centered, ill-tempered, and bossy young boy, Jose is the clone and son of Von Reichter, created to succeed him in case of death, and is usually the one to carry out Von Reichter's plans, though they almost never work. Jose is really an adult despite his child-like appearance (and behaviour), but his father engineered him to have eternal youth to prevent him from growing up to be a potential rebel. In the end, he betrays Von Reichter after feeling cheated by his final plan.

Lori

Lori is a young student in Adrian Seidelman's class. She has a huge crush on Adrian and heads to his apartment to see Cybersix talking to Data 7 (she could not see Data 7 and simply assumed she was talking to Adrian). Cybersix later reveals who she is to Lori and gives her Adrian's glasses.

Differences between media

The method by which Cybersix obtains sustenance is different among the series' incarnations. In the comic book, Cybersix sucks sustenance directly from the neck of those she hunts as if she were a vampire; however, she does not have fangs, instead simply making a wound in the victim's neck with her teeth, then drinking the sustenance that bleeds from it. Conversely, in the animated series, Von Reichter's creations leave glowing vials of sustenance after being killed, which Cybersix would open and consume.

Cybersix's outfit of black bodysuit, high heels, hat, cropped gloves, and cape with red lining was taken from a Techno prostitute in the comics, while its origin is never fully explained in the animated television series.

Some of the more mature story elements, such as José and Von Reichter's Nazi background or Cybersix's youth, are not openly revealed in the animated series, but are suggested through dialogue, flashbacks, or visual clues, such as the military-style goose-stepping that both José and Von Reichter engage in.

The live-action series was heavily toned-down from the comics. Violence was reduced, and mentions of sex and drugs were absent.

External links

• Telecom's official Cybersix page (English)
• Telecom's official Cybersix page (Japanese)
• Cybersix @ International Superheroes