Borgman: A film that combines action and drama

Ultrasonic Warrior Borgman - A Tale of Warriors Across Time

The TV anime series "Sonic Soldier Borgman," which aired in 1988, is still loved by many fans today for its unique worldview and charming characters. In this article, we will take a deep look at the detailed information and appeal of "Sonic Soldier Borgman," as well as introduce related works and recommended points.

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

April 13, 1988 - December 21, 1988

■Broadcasting station

Nippon Television Broadcasting

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 35

■Original Story

Production Lead

■ Director

・Director: Hiroshi Negishi

■ Production

Produced by: Yomiko Advertising, Toho Co., Ltd., Ashi Productions

■Works

©1988 TOHO CO., LTD./PRODUCTION REED CO.,LTD.

■ Story

In 1999, Tokyo was suddenly destroyed by four meteorites that fell from the sky. Later, in 2030, humans built a new scientific city, "Megalocity," next to the ruins of the city. However, that peace did not last long. Demons led by scientist Gilbert Mesh appeared and plotted to revive the Demon King with the power of the Demon Stone and take over the world. Memory Gene, the principal of Cysonic Academy, had anticipated this attack and launched a counterattack using his own developed "Valtecter" and "Sonic System." Memory confronts the demons together with three other warriors, Ryo Hibiki, Chuck Swager, and Alice Farm. Now begins the days of battle for the cyborg warrior "Borgman."

■Cast

・Ryo Hibiki/Yasunori Matsumoto/Chuck Swager/Kazuhiko Inoue/Anise Farm/Yoshino Takamori/Memory Gene/Masako Katsuyo/Gilbert Mesh/Banjō Ginga/Dust Geed/Thunder/Koichi Yamadera/Miki Katsura/Naoko Matsui/Molly Langold/Tomoe Kamishiro/Shinji Oda/Yoko Kogayu/Cerberus/Yutaka Shima/Fermina/Yoko Matsuoka/Wongot/Yozu Fujimoto/Narration/Shinya Otaki

■ Main staff

・Planning: Kazuo Shimamura (Yomiuri Advertising Agency)
・Character design / Kikuchi Michitaka ・Mechanic design / Ohata Koichi, Yamada Takahiro, Fukuchi Jin ・Art director / Arai Torao ・Sound director / Shimizu Katsunori ・Editing / Masaki Naoyuki, Furuhashi Hiroshi ・Music / Tobisawa Hiromoto ・Producer / Horikoshi Toru (Nippon TV), Ohno Minoru, Yoritsune Yasushi, Kato Hiroshi ・Production / Yomiuri Advertising, Toho Co., Ltd., Ashi Productions

■ Main Characters

・Ryo Hibiki/
A Japanese teacher of Class C at Saisonic Academy. 16 years old. A kind-hearted, passionate man with a strong sense of justice who cannot turn a blind eye to people in trouble. He entered the Marshall Academy, an institution for training gifted individuals, at the age of six, and at the age of thirteen became the prototype for the space cyborg "Borgman." He boasts explosive power and jumping ability dozens of times greater than that of an ordinary person, and can run at three times the speed of an F1 car. He also has the ability to sense demons even in his normal state, and fights them with a sonic gun and a large weapon called the Battle Shot.
・Chuck Swager/
A Class A Physical Education teacher at Saisonic Academy. 17 years old, American. He is an all-around athlete, has a good vibe, and likes to pick up girls, but at heart he is very serious. At the age of 13, he entered MSP Academy, where the Borgman Project was carried out, and met Ryo. After undergoing basic cyborg surgery, he was strengthened and modified to become a Borgman. His Valtector surpasses Ryo in both offensive and defensive power, but lacks agility. He uses weapons such as a sonic bazooka and a battle launcher.
・Anise Farm/
A female Borgman who works in the nurse's office at Saisonic Academy. She is 16 years old and American. Her family runs a major fast food restaurant. She is intelligent and qualified to be an A-class math teacher at the age of 11. She was seriously injured in an attack by demons, but survived after Memory and Fritz performed a Borgman modification surgery on her. She has eyesight and hearing several dozen times better than that of an ordinary person, and is skilled in information warfare and electronic warfare. She is a reliable person who leads her two comrades, and gradually becomes attracted to Ryo as they fight against demons.
・Memory Gene/
A 22-year-old talented woman who serves as the principal and headmaster of Psionic Academy. A genius scientist who was at the core of the Borgman Project, she researched the Sonic System and the Baltector teleportation technology with her now-deceased brother, Reminisce. As atonement for their plan summoning demons from another dimension, she became the commander of the Borgman team and protects people from demons. Although she gives the impression of being strong-willed and cold-hearted, she is actually very compassionate, putting children first.
・Gilbert Mesh/
He is the leader of the crime organization Gill, which is made up of demons, evil beings that came from another dimension. He was once a brilliant scientist who worked on the Borgman Project with Fritz and Memory. However, he was controlled by a demon summoned by the Sonic System and transformed into an evil person. Although his body was almost entirely demonic, he still had some human parts in his mind. He still had memories of his time as a scientist, and would sometimes talk about old times with Memory, but in the end he was transformed into a demon in both body and mind.
・Dust Geed/
A warrior who is Mesh's right-hand man, he has an equal status in Gil with the three demon priests. From the outside, it is not clear whether he is human or demon, but he is a Borgman wearing a jet-black Valtector and boasts great fighting power. He is also able to use demonic powers, and can steal the psychic powers of Borgmen, and can summon and control the Demon General, a high-ranking demon. He views Ryo, a fellow Borgman, as a rival. Towards the end of the story, Mesh reveals his surprising true identity.
・Miki Katsura／
The young leader of Phantom SWAT, an anti-demon organization specially established by the World Police. 17 years old. She is the daughter of the president of the Katsura Group, which has a great influence on the economic world of Megalocity, and her grandfather, Katsura Juzo, is a big shot in the political world as well. She has a high sense of pride and initially feels a sense of rivalry towards Borgman, but later they cooperate to fight against demons. Her ideal type is a sincere man, and according to her colleagues, she is devoted to her lovers. She and Chuck were attracted to each other and entered into a relationship.
・Maury Langevin/
A student at Saisonic Academy. Her hobbies are collecting small items and taking care of flower beds. She is a kind-hearted girl who gives flowers she has grown to Anise, who is exhausted from fighting demons, to encourage her, and gives a charm to Thunder, who is heading to the battlefield. She has a crush on Ryo, and Anise has felt jealous of him at times.
・Oda Shinji/
A student at Psysonic Academy who dreams of becoming an astronaut. He was once trapped in a demon stone towering over Megalocity, and this incident made Ryo and the others suspect that he might be Borgman. He was the first of the students to learn Borgman's true identity. He seems to like Morley, and often hangs out with her.
・Cerberus/
He is said to be a former human, mentally ill genius scientist who joined the demons. He is one of the three priests, and in addition to demon beasts, he controls demon beastmen and demon machine beasts that are strengthened by combining demon beasts with demon men and demon machines. He himself combined with the demon beast Hellcorn to torment Borgman.
・Ferumina/
She was once a genius female doctor and is now one of Gil's three demon priests. She often uses demons with clear egos as her servants. She carries out various operations to take control of Megalocity, but each one is thwarted by Borgman. In the end, she is abandoned by Dust Geed and the others who were supposed to be her allies.
・Wongot/
He is one of the three demon priests, and was apparently formerly a terrorist. He has a ruthless personality, and will use anyone, even a child, to complete the demon machine. Feeling a sense of crisis that Dust Geed is threatening his position, he provokes Ryo into a one-on-one fight, plotting to eliminate him and the others.

■Subtitle

Episode 1: The demons are coming. Borgman appears!
Episode 2: Who is it? The third Borgman Episode 3: Break the nightmare! Sonic Power Episode 4: The strongest enemy, Dust Geed Episode 5: Super Thunder launches!
・Episode 6 / Super Thunder vs Ghost Rider・Episode 7 / The Mysterious World of the Demon Man Doro・Episode 8 / Flowers Attack!! The Flower Fairy the Girl Saw・Episode 9 / The Water Race with the Demons Roaring・Episode 10 / Demon Weapon! The Boy from the Past・Episode 11 / The Strongest Power! The Gun Warrior Appears・Episode 12 / Escape from the Demon Stone・Episode 13 / Bloody Battle! Ryo's Last Day・Episode 14 / Stand Up, Ryo! The Order to Assassinate Borgman・Episode 15 / I Saw It! The Teacher is Borgman・Episode 16 / The Beauty's Trap! The Movie Star Chuck in Big Trouble・Episode 17 / The Clown Laughs! The Mysterious Incident in Demon Land・Episode 18 / The Mystery of Mesh! When the Red Star Falls・Episode 19 / Demon City! Anise in Wonderland・Episode 20 / Doctor Memory: The Warriors in the Eyes・Episode 21 / A Midsummer Night's Nightmare! A Gift from the Demons・Episode 22/Terror from the Sea! Our Adventure Journey・Episode 23/Save Shinji! The Borgman Base is Attacked・Episode 24/Clash! Phantom Swat vs. Borgman・Episode 25/A Terrifying Trap・Death-or-Death Battle! The Demon World・Episode 26/A Desperate Escape! The Strongest Enemy, the Demon General, Appears・Episode 27/Prelude to Collapse! Conquer the Gil Triangle・Episode 28/Anise's Determination! I'll Protect These Children・Episode 29/The Day of Collapse! Megalocity Crisis・Episode 30/Emergency Order! The Mobile Base Takes Off・Episode 31/A Desperate Situation! The Trapped Memory・Episode 32/Crush! The Battle for the Gil Triangle・Episode 33/The Demon Castle Appears! Countdown to the End・Episode 34/Screams in the Sky! Dust Geed Dies・Episode 35/The Demon King Returns! Farewell, Borgman

■ Related works

Theater "THE BORGMAN LAST BATTLE" <60 minutes>
"Sonic Warrior Borgman LOVERS RAIN" <35 min>
OVA
"Sonic Warrior Borgman 2 New Century 2058" <30 minutes, vol.3>
Music clip "Sonic Warrior Borgman MADNIGHT☆GIGS!" <30 minutes>

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

Story and worldview

"Borgman: The Sonic Warrior" is set in the futuristic science-based city of Megalocity, and tells the story of cyborg warriors battling demons from another dimension. Starting with a setting in which Tokyo was destroyed by a meteorite in 1999, the film depicts a future society in 2030, providing viewers with a sci-fi thrill. The story centers on Gilbert Mesch's ambition to revive the Demon King with the power of the Demon Stone, and the battle between Borgman and his men who oppose him. This conflict structure gives viewers a sense of tension and thrill, enhancing the story.

Furthermore, the depiction of the new megacity simultaneously shows the possibilities and dangers of future society, encouraging deep reflection in the viewer. By depicting the benefits of technological advances and the problems they cause, the work is not just an action anime, but also contains a social message.

character

The appeal of this work lies above all in its unique characters. The protagonist, Ryo Hibiki, is a hot-blooded man with a strong sense of justice, but he also has special abilities as a cyborg, which makes a strong impression on viewers. His growth and fighting style are major factors that draw viewers in. Chuck Sweger and Annis Farm also have different backgrounds and abilities, which help to balance the team. Annis's intelligence and leadership in particular add depth to the story.

On the other hand, the characters on the enemy side are also fascinating. Gilbert Mesch was once a brilliant scientist, making him more than just a villain, but a complex human being. Dust Geed's powerful fighting power and rivalry with Ryo add tension to the story and draw the viewer in.

Animation and Music

The animation of "Sonic Soldier Borgman" is of very high quality for a work from 1988. The character designs were done by Michitaka Kikuchi, and each character's personality is well expressed. The mechanical designs were also done by Koichi Ohata, Takahiro Yamada, and Jin Fukuchi, and are full of futuristic design. In particular, the design of Borgman's Baltectors makes a visual impact and draws the viewer in.

The music is also one of the attractions of this work. The music by Hiromoto Tobisawa effectively brings out the tension and emotion of the story. In particular, the energetic melody of the opening theme "Borgman" lifts the viewer's spirits and heightens their expectations for the story. The ending theme "Beyond Time" also brings out the emotional scenes in the story, leaving viewers with a deep impression.

Related works and recommendations

"Sonic Warrior Borgman" has been expanded into various media, including not only the TV series, but also the movie version, OVA, music videos, and more. In particular, the movie version "THE BORGMAN LAST BATTLE" is a must-see for fans, as it further expands on the climax of the TV series. In addition, the OVA "Sonic Warrior Borgman 2: New Century 2058" depicts a new story as a sequel to the TV series, allowing you to enjoy the world of Borgman even more.

As for the recommendation points, first of all, it is recommended for those who like science fiction and action. This work provides strong excitement to the viewer by beautifully blending the depiction of a future society with the battles of cyborg warriors. In addition, the portrayal of character growth and human relationships is also fascinating, giving depth to the story. In addition, the quality of the music and animation is high, making it a visually and aurally enjoyable experience.

Finally, "Sonic Warrior Borgman" is a work that has been loved by many fans even today, even though it was made in 1988. Its appeal is the result of the fusion of various elements such as story, characters, animation, and music, and it provides strong emotions and excitement to the viewers. Please give it a watch.