Yamato Takeru (TV series)

Yamato Takeru (ヤマトタケル) is a 1994 Japanese anime television series loosely related to the Japanese mythology, specifically Shinto and the legendary prince of the same name, and the 1963 anime film The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon. Despite the title, it doesn't set in feudal Japan and the characters are named after Japanese legendary figures instead.

The series revolves around a young Ismo human named Takeru who goes on a great adventure that would grant him great powers and the understanding that his destiny is linked to the world.

The series is followed up by the 1995 two-episode original video animation Yamato Takeru: After War.

Synopsis

Million years ago, the Onam System, which corresponds to the Solar System, once has eight planets, until the "time of the gods", there was a war against the evil eight-headed extraterrestrial dragon named Orochi. After the gods won the battle, Orochi's remains was locked into eight capsules, one of which is buried deep in the center of each planet. Nobody was supposed to have access to the core of the planets. However, Tsukuyomi (named after Japanese moon god of the same name), an evil "god" who rules the comet and the space station called Death Star Yomi (based on Death Star from Star Wars franchise), succeeded in reaching the capsules one after another. Seven of the planets were destroyed using his powerful mechas, the Evil Sky Warriors. However, when he tried to acquire the last capsule from Ismo, the most powerful Sky Warrior, Susanoo (named after Japanese

Characters

Yamato Takeru

He's the first human to be born and raised in Ismo and based on Japanese legendary prince of the same name. While living in the village, he was the star trouble maker of the group. He was respected amongst his peers as the leader and bring no end to mischief (for good or bad intentions). After he encounters Susanoo and used the destructive powers of the mech to defeat their enemies attacking the village, the villagers banished the mech and blame it for their misfortune. Yamato cannot deal with the superstitious nature of the villagers and opted to leave with his best friend to see the world. It was his journey not long that would allow him to meet Oto and new friends and enemies. After defeating Orochi, he leaves Susanoo where he once rested in the caves and visits him to talk. Because there's no epilogue, it is assumed that Yamato will still cause some trouble in the village as he used to. He'll also probably end up with Oto and start a life together in the village.

In After War, Yamato is called again to pilot Susanoo when a piece of the Dark Sky Carriage falls near the village and Shuranoo reveals itself. But when Yamato refuses to fight Shuranoo, who is possessed by Mikazuchi, Shuranoo mercilessly slashes at Susanoo and then sends it into the lake where it is rescued and healed by the Dragon Carrier. The renewed Susanoo flies off to find Oto who had been kidnapped by Shuranoo. In the end, Yamato was going to sacrifice himself and Oto (willingly) to defeat Tsukiyomi by flying into the sun. Before they get to the melting point, Mikazuchi appears and tells them that he would pilot Susanoo and that Yamato and Oto should live out their lives. Tears fall from Yamato's eyes as Susanoo looks back at him once more before flying into the sun destroying himself and Tsukiyomi.

Oto Tachibana

She's the sister to Mikazuchi, love interest of Takeru and based on Yamato Takeru's legendary lover of the same name. She was sent as an undercover agent to win Yamato's trust and steal Susanoo away from Yamato and murder him. Things become complicated as Oto develops a real bond with the group and even falls for Yamato. Because she has been contaminated, she was also marked for death amongst her peers. She later finds out that she's actually not related to Mikazuchi, but a little girl taken away from her real mother. Mikazuchi however never knew about this and after being possessed by Orochi he used the dark energies of Orochi to corrupt Oto's soul. It was not until Orochi broken the psionic bind between Mikazuchi and his mech that her mind was free from dark influence. Towards the end of the series she now lives in the village along with Yamato. There was no epilogue to speak of her fate, but it is assumed that she will eventually have a real romantic relationship with Takeru and marry him.

In After War, Oto had because a member of the Yakumo Village along with Hayamika. When Shuranoo attacks the village, she is kidnapped and taken to Tsukiyomi who then reveals that it is a parasite that had latched on to her mum's body. She is then absorbed by Tsukiyomi while her mum is released. Yamato follows but is hesitant at attacking because Oto was a part of it. In the end Yamato realises that to defeat Tsukiyomi they need to fly her into the sun so he grabs her and heads towards the sun but before they reach the sun Mikazuchi appears and tells them to live their lives full and tells them that he approves of them causing tears to run down Oto's face. Mikazuchi frees them and sends them back towards the Dragon Carrier as Susanoo and Tsukiyomi meet their ends.

Roka

He's the best friend to Takeru and in many ways his second conscience. Roka was always afraid of the things Yamato would do because it tends to be dangerous or morally conflicting. When Yamato chose to leave their village, Roka tagged along for the journey. Through their adventures together between battling Sky Warriors and avoiding danger, he learned to become a stronger person. By the time they returned to their home village, Roka has become wiser and braver than he used to. He returns in After War as a scholar and wears glasses now.

Sky Warriors and Soldiers

In the anime, all the giant extraterrestrial mechas are called "Demon Air War Gods" or "Dark Sky Warriors" in Japanese. These robots are bio-mechanized with their own personalities, feelings, and unique powers. All the pilots of these fantastic machines are actually kidnapped children that were trained to be obedient, skillful, and murderous agents of their dark priestess. Though robotic in form, they are made through bio-mechanical incubation and have the ability to evolve over time to take even more powerful forms. All "Demon Air War Gods" recharge through special bacta-like pods which repairs and recharges their energies, but because they are also living machines they can eat as well. All their internal cockpits have crystal orbs which act as an interface with their pilot and also respond to human emotions to react accordingly to the pilots feelings. In After War, when Susanoo's arm is cut off it reveals a beating body of flesh underneath that further proves that the Sky Warriors are indeed alive. Because this series was never English subbed/dubbed, only their Japanese names remains:

Susanoo :
Susanoo is a mecha named after Japanese sea god of the same name, it once belonged to a merciless unnamed pilot that used Susanoo powers to destroy seven worlds. Susanoo's pilot for unexplained reasons landed upon the green planet and died there leaving his sword behind along with his remains. Yamato would eventually stumble upon Susanoo and used its destructive powers for good, but never once realizing that inside Susanoo also lies the dark spirit of the one of eight-headed dragon. Through combat, Susanoo eventually evolved into a larger and more powerful form to defeat his enemies. The dark dragon spirit that once resided in Susanoo left when the very energies that bound him were used to revive Yamato. In time the dark energies that resided in Susanoo were cleansed through Yamato's journey. Susanoo would eventually develop a psychic link with Yamato and respond to his every thought and intention. In the After War OVA Susanoo is once again called upon against a revived Shuranoo but because of Yamato's unwillingness to destroy Mikazuchi, Susanoo is beaten and loses an arm in the process. Shuranoo pushes Susanoo into the Yakumo lake where it was healed by the Dragon Carrier and subsequently evolve into his 3rd form which is a red samurai-themed armor. In the end, Yamato takes Susanoo towards the sun taking Tsukiyomi and Oto with it, but Mikazuchi intervenes and takes control of Susanoo and sends Yamato and Oto back to Earth as he sacrifices himself to kill Tsukiyomi and approving Yamato and Oto being together.

type	ova
title	Yamato Takeru: After War
director	Shuji Iuchi
writer	Shuji Iuchi
studio	Zero-G Room
released	November 22, 1995
runtime	45 minutes (each)
episodes	2

Yamato Takeru (TV series)

Synopsis

Voice cast

Japanese Production Staff

Characters

Yamato Takeru

Oto Tachibana

Roka

Sky Warriors and Soldiers

Episodes

After War (OVA)

Music

See also

External links