The appeal and evaluation of "Blue Comet SPT Layzner": A deep look into the classic robot anime

Blue Comet SPT Layzner - A monumental achievement in real robot anime

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

October 3, 1985 - June 26, 1986 Every Thursday 17:30-18:00

■Broadcasting station

Nippon Television

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 38

■Original Story

Original story by Hajime Yatate, based on the original story by Tsunehisa Ito and Ryosuke Takahashi

■ Director

Director: Ryosuke Takahashi

■ Production

Japan Sunrise

■Works

©Sunrise

■ Story

October 3, 1996. Anna and the other boys and girls selected to take part in the Cosmic Culture Club (CCC), an experiential class run by the United Nations, arrive on Mars. Anna and the others are filled with hope, but what awaits them is an attack by the mysterious robot-type mobile weapon SPT. The Mars base is in a difficult situation, but it is saved by a boy named Eiji from the planet Grados and the blue SPT Layzner he pilots. Eiji is half Grados and half Earth, and he has come to tell them that "Earth is being targeted by Grados." Eiji and the boys and girls from CCC, who have become Earth's allies, form a strong bond and grow up in the interstellar war between Earth and Grados.

■Explanation

The boom of real robot anime has died down, new media such as video and TV games have appeared, and anime viewers' tastes have changed dramatically. This work is a bold attempt to respond to these changes with a two-part structure. The first half of the series depicts how Eiji and the boys and girls form strong bonds as they escape Mars and return to Earth. The second half takes a turn and shows the grown-up protagonists continuing their resistance movement on an Earth conquered by Grados, with the involvement of Le Cain, the son of the Earth governor, and other characters, emphasizing the elements of a fighting anime.

■Cast

・Age/Kazuhiko Inoue ・Anna/Hiroko Emori ・David/Hideyuki Umezu
・Arthur/Yuji Kanomata
Roan / Katsumi Toriumi / Simone / Fumie Hirano / Elizabeth / Keiko Toda / Ray / Eriko Hara / Gayle / Hideyuki Hori / Gostello / Masashi Hirose / Julia / Mari Yokoo / Le Cain / Kaneto Shiozawa / Gresco / Takeshi Watanabe

■ Main staff

Planning: Nippon Sunrise Original story: Hajime Yatate Original story: Tsunehisa Ito, Ryosuke Takahashi
・Character design: Moriyasu Taniguchi
Mechanical design: Kunio Okawara Art direction: Osamu Honda, Kazuhiro Arai (episodes 6-38)
Director of photography: Toyosaku Miura (episodes 1-25), Ichita Furubayashi (episodes 26-38)
・Editor: Tsurubuchi Films ・Sound Director: Yasuo Urakami ・Music: Hiroki Inui ・Director: Ryosuke Takahashi ・Producers: Seiichi Gintani (Nippon Television Network), Takahiko Kimoto (Yomiuri Advertising), Masuro Ueda (Nippon Sunrise)

■Subtitle

・Episode 1: "On the Red Planet"
・Episode 2: "His name is Eiji"
・Episode 3: "Believe in Those Eyes"
Episode 4: "Escape with all my heart"
Episode 5: "Even if I'm protected..."
・Episode 6: "Left Behind"
Episode 7: "The Blood Was Red"
Episode 8: "In Response to His Cry"
Episode 9: "In Search of a Way to Live"
Episode 10: "Aiji!?"
Episode 11: "The Earth Ship Has Arrived!"
・Episode 12: "Goodbye Red Star"
Episode 13: "Vacant in Space"
Episode 14: "Captive by Aliens"
Episode 15: "Becoming a Blue Shooting Star"
Episode 16: "Moon! Answer me"
Episode 17: "The Swarm of Killer Machines"
・Episode 18/"And to Earth"
・Episode 19: "Unrequited Love"
Episode 20: "The Wrath of Layzner"
Episode 21: "My Name is Foron"
Episode 22: "Confrontation with Foron"
・Episode 23: "In Search of a Miracle"
Episode 24: "Eiji Becomes Light"
Episode 25: "Running Through the Universe"
Episode 26: "Time has flown!"
Episode 27: "The Magnificent Le Cain"
Episode 28: "The Saint of Cusco"
Episode 29: "Reunion: Mysterious Invitation"
Episode 30: "Operation Bayle Recapture (Game)"
Episode 31: "The Contrived Holy War"
Episode 32: "Ah, Gothel"
Episode 33: "The Challenge of the Shiki Corps"
Episode 34: "Anna is Targeted"
・Episode 35: "The Mark of Grados"
Episode 36: "Enemy V-MAX Activated"
Episode 37: "Aiji vs. Le Cain"
・Episode 38: "The Warped Universe"

■ Review

Blue Comet SPT Layzner is a landmark of real robot anime that aired from 1985 to 1986 and is highly praised for its innovative storytelling and character development. Coming out at a time when the real robot anime boom had died down, this series adopted a bold two-part structure to cater to new audience tastes and successfully drew in viewers.

The story begins on Mars. Anna and the other boys and girls are participating in a hands-on class run by the United Nations when they encounter an attack by a mysterious robot-type mobile weapon called an SPT. They are saved from this crisis by a boy named Eiji from the planet Grados, and the blue SPT Layzner he pilots. Eiji is half Earth, half Grados, and has come to tell them that Earth is being targeted by Grados. From this encounter, Eiji and the boys and girls from CCC form a strong bond, and they grow up amid the interstellar war between Earth and Grados.

The first half of the series depicts the return from Mars to Earth. In the process, the bond between Eiji and the boys and girls deepens, and they are shown supporting each other. The relationship between Eiji and Anna in particular is the central theme of the story and has captured the hearts of viewers. The second half depicts the grown-up protagonists as they continue their resistance movement on an Earth conquered by Grados. Here, the conflict with Le Cain, the son of the Earth governor, and fighting anime elements are emphasized, adding tension and thrill to the story.

The appeal of this work lies in the balance between the realism of a real robot anime and the human drama of the characters. Eiji's growth and the struggles and growth of the boys and girls around him are depicted realistically, allowing the viewer to empathize with their suffering and joy. Also not to be missed are the realism of the Layzner design and battle scenes. Kunio Okawara's mechanical design was particularly sophisticated among robot anime of the time, and made a visual impact.

Music is also an important element that enhances the appeal of this work. The music by Hiroki Inui enhances the atmosphere of the story and stirs the emotions of the viewer. In particular, the opening theme "Blue Shooting Star" is a masterpiece that leaves a strong impression on viewers and symbolizes the theme of the story.

The cast also contributed greatly to the success of this series. The voice actors, including Kazuhiko Inoue as Eiji and Hiroko Emori as Anna, expressed the emotions of their characters realistically and left a deep impression on the viewers. Kazuhiko Inoue's performance especially shines in the scenes depicting Eiji's conflict and growth. Kaneto Shiozawa, who plays Le Cain, also showed a strong presence as the villain, adding depth to the story.

"Blue Comet SPT Layzner" occupies an important place in the history of real robot anime, and its innovative storytelling and character development are still beloved by many fans today. This work, which maximizes the appeal of real robot anime while responding to the tastes of new viewers, can be said to be a true milestone.

■Recommendation

"Blue Comet SPT Layzner" is recommended not only for fans of real robot anime, but also for viewers who want to enjoy human drama and character growth. It is a must-see work, especially for those who want to experience the atmosphere of 1980s anime and those who want to know the history of real robot anime. It is also full of elements that will be enjoyed by those who are interested in music and mechanical design. Please give it a watch.