Plot Summary:
The SPT Lazner is a super-powered, computerized Tracer robot. It is the strongest robot in the universe. The story's hero, Eiji, is the child of an earthman and an alien from another planet. He happens to find out about a conspiracy to destroy the earth. Using Lazner and with his friends’ help, Eiji decides to save his father's planet earth and fight against his mother's planet to achieve peace in space.
*Taken from Anime News Network*
Story
The Story takes place in 1996, where humanity is advanced enough to develop long-range space travel, as well as bases on both the Moon and Mars. However, the Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union have not ended; rather, they've escalated as both sides build military facilities in space, and the shadow of nuclear conflict looms over humanity, both on and off Earth.
Meanwhile, on Mars, an exchange program created by the United Nations to promote peace and understanding is about to begin; the "Cosmic Culture Club", consisting of 16 boys and girls, as well as their instructor Elizabeth, arrives at the UN Mars base, and are being welcomed by the staff. Among the passengers is Anna a 14 year old girl who serves as the narrator for the story.
Suddenly, four unidentified humanoid robots classified as Super Powered Tracers are detected, engaged in fierce combat with each other. The UN base is caught in the crossfire and quickly destroyed, killing all but six members of the "Cosmic Culture Club" — Elizabeth, Arthur, Roan, David, Simone and Anna, leaving them stranded on an inhospitable planet that has suddenly become a battlefield. As the battle ends, the lone SPT standing lands next to the terrified group and opens up revealing a pilot, who simply announces to them, "The Earth has been targeted".
The robots who destroyed the UN base were the creation of the Grados, an alien race, from the Udoria system, who came to the Sol system for the purpose of conquest, seeing an easy victory as the two superpowers raged against each other to exhaustion — however, this could also be described as an act of pre-emptive self-defense; the Gradosian supercomputers have determined that humanity will eventually cease its infighting and become powerful enough to spread through the galaxy, posing a destructive threat to even the far off Grados.
However, there were two Grados opposed to the plan: human astronaut Ken Asuka, assumed lost during a deep space mission but discovered by the Grados, and his son Null Albatro (his "human" name being Eiji). As the Grados prepared their invasion fleet, Eiji stows away on board one of the ships and steals their most powerful and advanced weapon, the SPT-LZ-00X Layzner before fleeing, seeking to warn humanity of its impending invasion. It was here where he was attacked. Aside from the Layzner, the surviving humans have now become very important to the Grados; as the only human eyewitnesses to the aliens and their power, the six are the only ones who can convince the warring powers to stand down from destroying each other, and focus on the greater threat.
Super Powered Tracers
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Earth SPTs
History of the SPT
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The SPT or Super Powered Tracer is the premier weapon of the Gradosian military and was developed over a century before their invasion of Earth. The beginning of the SPT development started as small pods with manipulators that were used for construction purposes. Later scientist delved into the idea of using these constructs as weaponry for the military. As development progressed the SPT took on a humanoid form and size consideration for storage consumption was taken into account. The result was a Unit large enough for construction purposes but small enough to be transported en masse inside the invasion force fleet. Although these armoured giants are primarily used for combat they are capable of performing exploration function as they are equipped with sophisticated sensors. SPTs are designed to function in space, atmospheric and ground terrain conditions. Although they can function under water this was not a consideration taken into their design specs. In order to catalogue the effective performance of each unit, a designation is assigned at the end of each units number. The designations fall into three categories which are: "C", "U" and "X".
The "C" stands for Common, meaning that the suit is mass-produced. The "U" stands for Unique stating that these are suits reserved for ace pilots or officers. Finally, the "X" stands for Experimental, the classification in which the SPT-LZ-00X falls into. The middle letters in the SPT designation are merely abbreviations of the model's name, for example, SPT-LZ-00X would stand for Super Powered Tracer Layzner 00 Experimental. Similarly the designation SPT-GK-10U would stand for Super Powered Tracer Greimkaiser 10 Unique.
The layout of the SPT is a bipedal locomotive vehicle equipped with multiple vernier thrusters located throughout to aid in high speed combat maneuvers. The cockpit is located in the head and is covered in a hardened armoured acrylic glass canopy. The power systems laid out in the SPT run similar in design to the nervous systems of the humans and Gradosians with multiple overlapping backup systems. Electrical wiring and lubricant cables run throughout the body with locomotion produced by a combination of high power actuators for slow movements and low power pulse motors for quick motions.
Computer and sensor arrays: Since the SPT was designed with the capability for space and planetary exploration every unit is equipped with highly sensitive sensors capable of analyzing and processing any situation. Some of these arrays include both active and passive radar, infrared, laser radar, electronic, photoelectric and atmospheric analysis, sound, sonar and a variety of others (There are well over 20 systems built into each unit). Sensors are measured in negative decibels for detection of vibrations and other movements in the vacuum of space. The collation of data is the responsibility of the SPTs' built-in computer and relays information to the pilot by using a synthesized voice. Much of the controls of the SPT are handled by the computer, which has a built-in artificial intelligence capable of handling or even taking control of a situation should its pilot become injured or incapacitated. The computer constantly maintains unit integrity, handles repairs and controls damage whilst also providing tactical advice. All manual control can be transferred via voice command. The hierarchy of the computers objectives are:
Carry out the pilots instructions.
Protect the pilot's life.
Self-preservation of the SPT.
Much of the computer's data is directly relayed into the right eyepiece transferred on the visor of the pilots helmet or a visual monocle.
Lasered Rifle: The SPT's primary weapon is a proton laser cannon called a Lasered Rifle. Much like a human the SPT carries the Rifle in its arms and the Rifle can be stored on its back. In a non-atmospheric condition the Rifle can easily rip through 100 mm of standard armour, with the power being drawn from either a power clip or directly from the Tracer's main generator. Power output on the rifle can be adjusted from seven different levels including rapid to scattering fire.
Knuckle Shot: The most common secondary weapon of the SPT. The Knuckle Shot destroys targets by utilizing a powerful electromagnetic field which-when combined with a high impact-can bypass the SPT's armour and directly attacks the internal mechanisms. Thus the high electrical output wreaks havoc among an enemy's internal circuitry system. Originally designed to remove obstacles the Knuckle Shot is potent weapon when used by an experienced pilot.
Calf Missile: A supporting weapon of some SPTs, the Calf Missiles are stored on the back of an SPT's legs and are fired directly upwards before locking-on and homing in on their target. These powerful missiles have a limited range of three to five kilometers and are primarily used for wide scale destruction.
Armour: SPT armour is composited from specially treated titanium alloy designed to disperse heat from laser blasts. The most vulnerable spots are covered with magnetic-repulsion active armour, electromagnetically polarized to harden its surface and increase resistance to impact-based attacks. To counter this weapons with high electron penetration assaults have been developed called the "Knuckle Shot"
The V-MAX System: The V-MAX system is an exclusive experimental device associated with the SPT-LZ-00X Layzner and later with the SPT-ZK-53U Zakarl. The MF-GL-73U Gasshalan also equips a V-MAX unit.
Once V-MAX is activated it switches on its thrusters and activates the afterburner, it operates the field generator which covers the units entire body with a blue magnetic wave and exhausts all inactive gases via the vent in the chest region to strengthen the barrier effect of the field. The speed is then increased making the Layzner an impenetrable "Blue Meteor" impervious to laser attacks. Once the process has begun it is impossible to shut down until the effect is exhausted: this will happen once the computer has 'cleared' the area by eliminating all threats, expending all of the SPT's Once the fuel has been expended or if the SPT overheats then the V-MAX is discharged: outer ports will then open to discharge excess heat and the battery is then recharged via the escaping gases.
Onboard Computer: The majority of the SPTs have their own on-board computer which assists its pilot in monitoring both external and internal conditions as well as assisting the pilot's control of their SPT. The onboard computer can analyze the pilot’s combat skill level and can set itself to match it accordingly. Circuitry inside the pilot’s helmet can also access the onboard computer remotely and can even warn the pilot of incoming enemies. Effectively, it serves as the on-board personality and voice response system.
The AI of the SPT-LZ-00X Layzner is so advanced that it has even developed an intelligent personality of its own. When combat conditions become overwhelming and the Layzner is in danger of being destroyed Rei will advise the pilot to either flee the area or eject. Should the pilot ignore the orders or become incapacitated the secondary on-board computer known as Fouron takes complete control of the SPT and initiates V-MAX. At this point the actions of the pilot no longer apply as the Layzner is under Fouron's complete control and even Rei is pushed down by its domineering personality.
I was wondering if a topic was going to be made for this soon. Just finished the series/OVAs a couple of days ago. I'll briefly sum up my spoiler-laden thoughts on it below
For the TV series, overall I enjoyed it, but I felt that the pacing REALLY held it back. The first arc feels like a standard enemy-of-the-week show, but then in episode 12 you're told it has all taken place within the span of 55 hours, something that had no prior indication. While it makes more sense for the group to be undergoing a constant barrage of enemies, to me it in turn discredits some of the character development that takes place within that time because I don't see it being able to happen that quickly. Due to how far the first arc is stretched out, it feels like absolutely nothing is happening at times. They just go from one place to another getting attacked. You could argue it's used to created a sense of horror and hopelessness, but I think it could've been similarly achieved in a shorter amount of time.
The second arc gets better. It's refreshing to see them actually move to new places and I think the fights against the unmanned mechs in the abandoned moon base are the best in the series. Once they arrive at Earth, things became somewhat cliched for me, and the pacing really slowed down again.
The 3rd arc was amazing, though. I'd consider it a masterpiece if it wasn't connected to the rest of the show. I like to think of it as Fist Of The North Votoms. You rarely see a dystopian/post-apocalyptic setting combined with mecha, and it works great. It's interesting to see what direction every character took after the timeskip, and I feel like something actually happens every episode in this arc. There are some really bizarre things like Eiji wielding Tonfas, Lu Caine's Jason-mask henchmen, mech duels in Yankee stadium, the Incan temple episode, but it all is a lot of fun to watch and it's a shame to see it jump to some plausible but unfortunately incoherent without context ending.
I think the show's weakest aspect was the characters. Most just simply aren't very complex. Development is minimal beyond the core cast growing to like Eiji. Eiji learns to kill his Gradosian brethren, but it would've been a really boring series if he hadn't (another reason why the first arc doesn't really work). I was really impressed by the direction that Rowan's character took post-timeskip, but in the end he was still the same old Rowan. To me, a good villain doesn't show up until the 3rd arc. Before that, Gosterro was just evil for the sake of being evil and annoying. Gail was alright, but I think he would'e worked better if we saw more of the Gradosian behind the scenes stuff earlier. His female subordinate was bad. Juilia was moderately interesting, it's funny ones the 3rd arc comes around she's probably the most well-developed character in the series. It's neat to see lu Caine's ideals clash with his father's (this feels very Warring States-esque), and I'll admit seeing Gosterro come back as the terminator brought a smile to my face.
The animation is hands down the show's best asset. It has some of if not the consistently best mecha combat I have seen. Votoms had great fight scenes too, but the streamlined mech design didn't allow for much variation ultimately. Here, the mechs are more humanoid and versatile, some of the fight scenes are just insane. I felt like I was watching a high budget film at times, really they blew me away, and they only got better as the series went on. This makes me feel like at heart this anime is an action show.
I'm not sure how I feel about this show's placement in the real robot genre. The mechs take damage and such, but you don't see them taking much physical harm often. Then in the third arc, some of the weapons like Gosterro's claw shield and the mech with the elbow drill are absurd from a practicality standpoint. The widespread introduction of the V-Max system basically upped the stakes to a point where I'd almost say it was an extremely grounded super robot show. That's not a bad thing, though. Maybe I've been spoiled up to this point by only watching the most real of real robot shows. Speaking of the V-Max system, the silliest scene of the show by far was when Eiji was holding his mech's computer system at gunpoint and ended up shooting it.
I gave the show a 7. It was entertaining and well-animated, but I thought the pacing caused a ton of problems, the characters weren't very compelling, and the sudden cancellation ending was interesting, but awkward. I thought a lot of the show's problems were fixed by the OVA, though.
The OVA has breakneck pacing as opposed to the show. It allows the story to flow much more smoothly. It does leave out somethings like Gosterro in the first arc, the trip to the moon in the second, and the Incan temple episode in the 3rd, but I think that it was ultimately worth it for the better pacing. This does lead to some inconsistencies like not knowing who Gosterro is in the 3rd arc, the gang arriving on Earth with a group of children not introduced, and some main characters not being referenced by name until the 2nd or 3rd episode, but I think the OVAs fulfill the show's true purpose of being an action series.
The alternate ending 3rd episode is great too. Oh how I wish I could've seen that arc fully expanded. One thing I did prefer in the TV series though was the ending of the last episode. I liked how they didn't show Eiji and they made his status slightly ambiguous with the Layzner just floating in space. I thought that was a lot more powerful than him returning to Earth, and more thematically in line with the endings of other Takahashi shows (I won't spoil them here, though). I gave the OVAs a 9.
So yeah, overall I liked the franchise. Had it's problems, but it was fun. Kind of baffled it got cancelled though, how could the fans not like Fist Of The North Votoms? I do wish there was a middle ground between the bloated TV series and the rapid OVAs, but at least it's nice that you have two different and relatively high quality options of seeing the story.
I didn't intend to ramble this long about the show, but as you can imagine it's pretty niche so there's not much elsewhere to talk about it. I know my thoughts on the show probably aren't the norm, but I figured I'd share them. Thanks for reading.
