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A collection of Genesis Climber MOSPEADA and Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross Pre-Production Materials

All English text © 2010 Roger Harkavy All production design content © Tatsunoko Production Co. Ltd. MOSPEADA is a trademark of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.

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Table of Contents About The Imai Files

4

Introduction

5

Envelope M1

8

Envelope M2

50

Envelope M3

69

Envelope M4

86

Additional MOSPEADA Documents

96

Envelope SC1

101

Envelope SC2

109

Envelope SC3

112

Additional Southern Cross Documents

116

“Coffee’s for Closers!”

118

About The Imai Files Permissions The Creative Commons license deed on the second page of this PDF outlines what you can and cannot do with the text and images in this document. Permission to create derivative non-commercial works with these images is granted. This includes, but is not limited to, using the text and images in online MOSPEADA and Southern Cross reference guides, adapting the mechanical designs for role-playing games, or presenting the artwork with replacement translations of the text. No commercial use of this work is allowed.

Using This PDF This PDF has been optimized for Adobe Acrobat Reader 9 and above. It may not display properly if you are using older versions or non-Adobe PDF viewers. The translations in this PDF are provided via text boxes which are placed over the original Japanese text. The text boxes appear by default, but printing and viewing them is optional. The following instructions are provided to help you toggle these in Adobe Reader 9.2.0.

Toggling Onscreen Display of Text Boxes From the View menu, select Navigation Panels > Comments. On the Comments navigation panel, select Show. To hide the text boxes, select Hide All Comments. To bring them back, select Show All Comments.

Toggling Text Box Printing From the File menu, select Print. To print the pages with the text boxes, set Comments and Forms to Document and Markups. To print the pages without the text boxes, set Comments and Forms to Document.

Acknowledgements Preliminary guidance with identifying the contents of this material was provided by Tadayuki Osumi, Matt Alt, Hiroko Yoda, and Egan Loo. All of the final translations in this document are the result of weeks of hard work by Hidekazu and Nobuko Ochiai. Additional last minute assistance was graciously provided by Shinji Aramaki to help me polish it up before I clicked the last button. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the generosity and understanding of the owner of these files, my friend who wishes to remain anonymous. All of you have my eternal gratitude for your assistance and support. Thank you. And now, on to the files…

Introduction Several years ago, I learned that a friend of mine in Japan had acquired some assets from Imai Kagaku, a defunct manufacturer of toys and model kits. Before their fourth and final bankruptcy in 2002, Imai produced items for many licensed properties, ranging from internationally known characters (including Thunderbirds, Tetsujin 28, and Tetsuwan Atom) to the obscure and forgotten (such as Galvion, Orguss, and Beetras). I discovered some of the Imai assets during a visit to a dusty warehouse where part of my friend’s collection was being stored, when I literally tripped over a filing box with the Imai logo on it. Curious, I flipped the lid and discovered envelopes marked “MOSPEADA” and “Southern Cross,” two shows I was very familiar with due to them being imported into the United States during the 1980s. Given my fondness for these shows, it seemed almost too good to be true, but within a few minutes the surprise had worn off and I was diligently digging through the envelopes. As expected, there were animation model sheets for finalized designs, marketing memos, and blueprints for the kits, plus many sheets of pre-production artwork. I had seen some designs like these in the few vintage MOSPEADA and Southern Cross publications that existed, but they represented only a small percentage of what I had found. Unfortunately my chances to delve more deeply into the artwork had to be cut short, but my friend agreed to make sure it was accessible the next time I returned to Japan. A year later, was back, and was given permission to borrow the material if I so desired. The search yielded roughly 100 sheets of unproduced designs, all of which came back with me to the US. I had the artwork scanned and enlisted the help of friends to begin deciphering what was in the sheets. What we found was truly enlightening in understanding the genesis of these shows, discovering the skill and craft that the creators invested in realizing the concepts. After attempting unsuccessfully to get these published, I obtained permission from my friend to release the images on the internet, which led to the creation of the PDF you’re viewing right now. This file includes scans of all of the unproduced designs and our translation notes, as well as translations of additional documents from the files that I found notable. Each model sheet presented in this document has a unique number identifying it (M2-04, SC3-03, etc.) and a brief description of the contents in a beige text box. English text in a cyan text box is an approximate translation of the Japanese text under it. Whenever possible, I have positioned the boxes so that they do not obscure the artwork. The display and printing of the boxes can be selectively enabled or disabled by following the instructions in the Using This PDF section above. You may notice that many of the sheets feature a circular stamp with a date in an unfamiliar format. These shows were developed during the Showa period (the era of Emperor Hirohito), and the stamp was used to certify when the documents were received by Imai from the associated studios. Most of these were filed during the 58th year of Hirohito’s reign, 1983.

MOSPEADA Artwork MOSPEADA was a property being developed by Artmic, a Kichijoji based animation and design studio. One would think that MOSPEADA’s “Normandy meets Starship Troopers” concept would be an easy sell in the wake of the real robot revolution started by Mobile Suit Gundam, but Artmic had one

advantage over other studios when it came to dealing with Imai: Artmic founder Toshimichi Suzuki was the nephew of Imai’s president, so it’s not hard to figure out how the studio got their foot in the door. The primary artists who worked on MOSPEADA were Shinji Aramaki and Hideki Kakinuma, with planner Masayoshi Kubota also contributing some material. Whenever possible, the identity of the artist has been noted, although many of the model sheets lack credits.

The tastefully decorated apartment building that used to house the Artmic offices, as it appears today in Kichijoji, Tokyo.

The feel of the robot designs and environments definitely drives home the original concept for the show, a re-imagining of the D-Day invasion using transforming robots and giant alien insects, with maps showing the path of the human fleets through the Solar System, and detailed descriptions of the various ships used. Despite the realistic warfare setting, the initial designs for the bike and fighter are more reminiscent of something you would find in a 1970s super robot show: the original concept had the pilot seated inside the robot’s head, which would detach and turn into a hover bike for the pilot.

Southern Cross Artwork Southern Cross seems to have taken a much less direct route from the pen to the screen. The initial file folders lack the Southern Cross title, and are simply marked “Science Fiction Sengoku Saga.”

(Sengoku refers to Japan’s Sengoku Jidai, a period marked by conflicts between feudal states from the 15th to 17th centuries.) The sketches show the various factions that would be fighting each other, clad in heavily samuraiinfluenced armor, blending tradition with high technology. It seems that Imai wasn’t too receptive to the original concept and attempted to graft giant robots onto it (understandably, because in 1983 robots meant sales). Unfortunately, the Ochiais and I discovered that the text in the initial Southern Cross model sheets was beyond our ken. Despite the presence of two native Japanese speakers, we were not professional translators, and the text relied heavily on archaic kanji that was difficult for us to translate effectively. Readers with Japanese language skills are invited to translate the text themselves and share the information as per the Permissions section above.

Further Reading Fans of MOSPEADA and Southern Cross are encouraged to find the following publications from the 1980s: •

This Is Animation #10: Southern Cross (Shogakukan, 1984, ISBN 4-09-101513-1) – Aside from a coloring book, this is the only dedicated publication I’ve ever seen for this show.

•

Animedia MOSPEADA Color Graffiti (Animedia, 1984, no ISBN) – Smaller format book with some interesting pre-production information, including a wooden prototype of the Legioss.

•

B-Club Special #9: Artmic Design Works (Bandai, 1984, ISBN 4-89189-325-7) – A complete guide to everything this prolific studio had a hand in.

•

B-Club Special: Megazone 23, Parts I, II, and III Perfect Data Book (Bandai, year unknown, ISBN 4-89189-476-8) – Although it’s not a MOSPEADA book, the pre-production art presented includes several non-transforming powered suits that are very similar to the ones proposed by Artmic for MOSPEADA.

Two modern-day publications are worth tracking down for MOSPEADA enthusiasts: •

Hobby Japan, June 2007 – This issue includes a re-imagining of the mecha by Hideki Kakinuma.

•

Entertainment Archive Series #8: MOSPEADA Complete Art Works (Shinkigensha, 2009, ISBN 978-4-7753-0670-3) – The most complete archive of MOSPEADA mecha, character, and background artwork that a fan could ever hope for, plus coverage of toys, models, and new artwork of the ride armor by Aramaki-sensei. If you get only one book on this list, get this one.

Envelope M1

The contents of envelope M1 give you a sense that Artmic’s designers were throwing out multiple concepts, seeing what would stick with potential sponsors. Contained in the sketches are many ideas that never made it to the screen, including non-transforming powered suits, bizarre alien designs, and a variable hover bike that doubled as the cockpit and head of a larger transforming robot vehicle. One oddity is a model sheet where a nearly-finalized version of the MOSPEADA bike has a POLICE logo on it. I’ve been told that “mospeed” is Japanese slang for speeding in traffic, and I wonder if some of the designers originally envisioned MOSPEADA as a show where cops chased bad guys on their transforming motorcycles.

M1-01 Bulky powered suit, front. Shinji Aramaki, 10/25/82

M1-02 “Valcom” bulky powered suit, back. Shinji Aramaki, 10/22/82

M1-03 “Moto-Protector” bike, very close to final design. Shinji Aramaki, 1/28/83

M1-04 Ride Armor, very close to final design. Shinji Aramaki, 1/28/83

M1-05 Two views of bulky powered suit, flying and standing. Shinji Aramaki

M1-06 Bulky powered suit, flying. Shinji Aramaki

Open Rotor

“roooooooo” sound effect

I woud like it to do this (open the rotor and jump into the sky).

M1-07 Armor, with tires extended and being used as hover engines, very close to final design. Shinji Aramaki, 2/26/83

M1-08 “Moto-Spider” Bike (probably misspelling of "Moto-Speeder"), with tires extended and being used as hover engines, very close to final design. Shinji Aramaki, 2/24/83

M1-09 Early Legioss robot mode. Shinji Aramaki, 2/29/83

M1-10 Early Legioss diver mode.

Combat plane mode, length 9 meters.

M1-11 Early fighter, named “Vector.” Shinji Aramaki, 2/25/83

Height 8.5 meters.

M1-12 Early robot, named “Super-Vector.” Shinji Aramaki, 2/21/83

Super-Vector Plane mode. Length about 8.5m. VTOL plane. Triangle-wing jet plane (Sea Harrier).

M1-13 Early fighter, named “Super-Vector.” Shinji Aramaki, 2/21/83

Note: I tried to make a mock-up. The due date is March 4th (gerwalk mode).

Super-Vector & Span Loader fighter combination. (Concorde type.) 21m long, 22m wide.

M1-14 Early combined fighters. Shinji Aramaki, 2/21/83

MOSPEADA `jacket soldier cargo'. Span Loader. 14m long, 22m wide.

M1-15 Early fighter, looks like it doesn't transform. Shinji Aramaki, 2/18/83

M1-16 Side view of early robot.

Central body part. (Flying mode.)

.5 meter dislocation upwards.

Stored landing gear.

M1-17 Cutaway side view of early fighter showing pilot placement and joints.

Vector nozzles.

Flying Mode

M1-18 Cutaway side view of early fighter showing joints.

GERWALK

Wing turns down under arm.

M1-19 Cutaway side view of early diver showing joints.

M1-20 Cutaway side view of early fighter showing joints.

M1-21 Side view of early fighter.

M1-22 Six-legged Inbit with size comparison to a man and a powered suit. Hideki Kakinuma

M1-23 Bipedal Inbit with shoulder cannon. Hideki Kakinuma

M1-24 Ostrich-like bipedal Inbit. Hideki Kakinuma

Inbit battle walker. (Invader.) 4.5m high.

M1-25 Hunchbacked bipedal Inbit. Shinji Aramaki, 2/19/83

M1-26 Horizontally-stretched bipedal Inbit. Hideki Kakinuma

TLEAD

M1-27 TLEAD robot mode. Close to final design. 6/3/83

VAC and bike, flying form. In this mode, the powered suit is a hover bike. The hover bike becomes the fighter's cockpit. Side view.

M1-28 Early fighter with arms deployed. Shinji Aramaki, 1/22/83

The legs extend and bend and the upper nozzle bends down to the back side.

The wings are stored on the front side. The nose bends and rotates around to the back side.

M1-29 Three transformation modes, shown from back. Shinji Aramaki, 1/22/83

Robot variation.

M1-30 Early Legioss robot mode. Hideki Kakinuma, 1/20/83

Robot variation. Leg mode.

M1-31 Early robot showing how legs fold up, with human for scale. Shinji Aramaki, 1/21/83

Ejection for head. It is a powered suit that turns into the cockpit.

M1-32 Closeup of head ejection sequence. Shinji Aramaki, 1/22/83

human cowling or front body side cover or manipulators sub engine or legs main engine or body

Bike transformation 2

M1-33 Explanation of hover bike/powered suit/ Legioss head transformation. Masayoshi Kubota, 1/22/83

Bike Transformation 1

M1-34 Explanation of hover bike/ powered suit transformation. Masayoshi Kubota, 1/21/83

Powered suit in hover mode.

M1-35 Three views of early hover bike. Shinji Aramaki 1/22/83

Side view of powered suit.

M1-36 Side view of early powered suit Shinji Aramaki 1/22/83

Handlebars.

This rotates and includes the machinegun.

M1-37 Early pilot suit and side view of bike with “POLICE” logo. Shinji Aramaki 1/25/83

Aramaki would like to revise this design.

M1-38 Four-step transformation for Legioss.

M1-39 Four-step transformation for Legioss.

M1-40 Four-step transformation for Legioss.

M1-41 Four-step transformation for Legioss.

Envelope M2

Envelope M2 includes sketches that introduce a variety of non-transforming robots to fill specific combat support roles (reminiscent of another show that featured transforming jet fighters fighting aliens). The naming for the transforming jet (alternating between “Vector” and “Zector”) eventually gives way to the one we’re familiar with. I’m told that with Tatsunoko’s “Super Dimensional” shows, there was an effort to make the titles similar using an “oss” or “uss” sound (i.e. Southern Cross, Orguss, etc.). Even though this new transforming robot show was titled MOSPEADA, they managed to carry on the tradition with the name of the main robot: Legioss.

Human side battle war machines.

M2-01 Size comparison chart for human mecha. 4/30/83 Tiger RH NOTE: Name is pronounced like the German WW2-era tank. TLEAD.

Condor NB-1

Cougar NA-5 to support front guard.

Human. Jackal NA-1 to support the rear guard.

Armo-Fighter Vector AF-2. Boxer for hand to hand combat.

Inbit side #2 battle war machines.

M2-02 Size comparison chart for Inbit mecha. 4/30/83

Eager, 6 meters tall.

Grab, 8 meters tall.

Frog unmanned vehicle, 4 meters tall.

Vector.

Human (with bike suit).

Horizon: Big shuttle for descent, launched from space battleship, descends to ground level, range: can fly around the world at 20,000 feet, can carry 6 Vectors, 1 Tiger, and 40 troops. During the second attack only three shuttles made it through the atmosphere.

Drop Version Armo-Fighter Vector and TLEAD: Battle trooper Vector connected with heavy battle robot TLEAD, has ability to drop down through the atmosphere. Capacity is only two people.

Atlanta Normal Size Shuttle: Only holds 15 troops.

M2-03 Size comparison chart for human mecha. 4/30/83

Izumo Mothership: This 1,000 meter ship is made for battles between colonies. For the first third of the show, this will belong to Alice Base. It can store 60 drop shuttles.

Gargantua Mothership: 600 meters, can store 20 drop shuttles, 60 space fighters, mass produced.

Battleship Gardenia: Most common mass-produced ship.

Destroyer Barbarian: This mid-sized destroyer can carry a lot of big missiles.

Battleship Bilkeniya: For transportation rather than combat, can store 60 drop shuttles.

Colony Battery Cannon-Boy: Mobility is limited, interstellar cannon unit, can destroy small 1 km planetoids.

Fast Attack Destroyer: Has a very strong shield and can break through enemy defenses.

Crab-Pot Drop Pod: Huge, can store 200 troops and ten Vectors. After dropping, can be used as a fortress, but in the first and second stage attacks these were all destroyed completely.

M2-04 Size comparison chart for human ships. 4/30/83

M2-05 Size comparison chart for human fighters. 4/30/83

Armed Fighter Zector: This is an old type fighter used during the first drop operation. On Mars Base, this fighter is used for training. Some of these survived the first drop and can work in an atmosphere.

Space Combat Plane Gross SF6: Air defense combat plane from Mars Base. Non transforming space fighter, does not have ability to fly in an atmosphere.

Mabo SB2: Long distance anti-battleship bomber. Made for battles between colonies. Has one proto-missile and cannot fly in atmosphere.

M2-06 Size comparison chart for human mecha. 4/30/83

Light Battle Mecha Flying Goose: In the previous big war on Earth, this walking mecha was used instead of jeeps. Has vulcan cannons and holds two people.

Iron Mechanic Soldier Storman: 3 meter tall super-small armored soldier. In the previous war on Earth, this mecha was very important and strong, but now it's not good enough to fight against alien war machines.

Mobile trench mortar Hood: For one person, mobile trench mortar.

Six wheel armored car.

Mars Base Space Fleet M2-07 Mars Base Space Fleet 4/30/83

Inbit mecha with boosters. (in upper atmosphere and lower satellite orbit)

M2-08 Inbit in flight. 4/30/83

Human side and Inbit side with space booster in battle formation.

These fight each other in orbit.

M2-09 Inbit and human mecha 4/30/83

Vector and Tread shuttle for drop operations. M2-10 Legioss and TLEAD combined and in robot mode with size comparison. 4/30/83

Vector.

TLEAD.

TLEAD.

Vector.

Example of combination between TLEAD and Legioss.

M2-11 Legioss and TLEAD combined transformation. 4/30/83

M2-12 Super Legioss. 4/30/83

Drift. RH NOTE: we couldn't figure out what this means.

2.2 meters high.

Armor for Inbit.

M2-13 Inbit and human rifle. 4/30/83

M2-14 Bipedal Inbit. 4/30/83

Inbit side two-legged war machine Eager. For one person, 5m, 20cm.

M2-15 Early Eager design with cannon. 4/30/83

Infrared sight.

Rocket launcher pack 9 x 2.

Stabilizer fins for rocket.

Laser guidance system.

Optional armament for ride armor.

M2-16 Shoulder missile launcher concepts. Shinji Aramaki, 4/30/83

Missile launcher pack.

M2-17 Human rifle concept. 4/30/83 One-handed machine gun for regular soldiers.

Optional armaments for ride armor hand guard.

Rocket launcher.

Release lever.

Heat sword.

Vent.

Power manipulator claw.

M2-18 Gauntlet weapon concepts. 4/30/83

Envelope M3

The contents of envelope M3 contain more explorations of the MOSPEADA universe, including primitive mecha the Earth-based resistance use against the Inbit, and a map of the human colonies’ failed battle plan to retake their homeworld.

Old armament Daniel. Earth guerillas use this. Draft.

M3-01 Old human mecha "Daniel." 6/1/83

Human side. Troop transport Wolf.

M3-02 Old human mecha "Wolf." 6/1/83

Second drop operation Izumo. It opens to show numerous cannons and missile launchers inside. Giant mothership, plays an important role in the second drop operation. It was sunk when it charged into the enemy's troops to open the way for the rest of the fleet. M3-03 Early Izumo design. 6/1/83

Turbine engine.

These three lines go around the nose.

Shoulder hinge, repeats on opposite side. This sensor is on every corner, but has no function.

Human side armo-soldier. Type 99.

Condor B-1

Jackal A-G

M3-04 "Visual vocabulary" for details on human mecha. 6/1/83

Armo-soldier Golem. Old armo-soldier for Earth military forces.

M3-05 Human mecha. 6/1/83

Bazooka.

Inbit-sized armor suit. Height is 2m.

M3-06 Early Protect Inbit. 6/1/83

Ogre.

Inbit fits inside. Inbit armor suit.

Detail.

Type 2.

M3-07 Early Protect Inbits. 6/1/83

Inbit armored soldier.

Type 3.

M3-08 Early Protect Inbit. 6/1/83

Protector suit variations (only for humans). A Type

B Type

C Type

M3-09 Early pilot suits. 6/20/83

D Type

Powered suit variations (human plus bike). Stick

A Type

Ray, equipment for arm is different B Type

C Type

D Type

Type C and D are 50% different from Stick and Ray.

Types A and B are almost the same.

7/2 note: all the documents will be available.

M3-10 Early ride armors. 6/20/83

Battalion from other colonies.

The hero of this story is in this battalion, which is Mars Base Drop Section #21.

These are additional ships from other colonies.

Both battalions merge in outer space. Combined force attacking Earth. Battalion from Mars Base. Battalion from Jupiter Juno Base.

Platoon from armored colony.

In the first episode, all of the drop ships will attack Earth.

Armored colony orbiting Mars. Inbit Shellpacks in orbit.

The flagships follow this path back to their home bases.

Diagram of second drop operation. These are additional ships from other colonies. M3-11 Diagram showing different waves of attacks on Earth from Mars and Jupiter. 6/20/83

M3-12 Size comparison chart showing Ikazuchi, Horizont, Garfish, and Legioss/TLEAD including numbers of each in the fleet. (no translation notes, gomen nasai)

M3-13 Legioss docked with booster shooting down Inbit in space. Note Go Nagai's Devilman character on the booster. 6/7/83

Mecha dropping from orbit, coming through the clouds, parachute open and gunning the engines.

Image Illustration

M3-14 Early Condor firing all missiles. 6/7/83

Image Illustration

M3-15 Gamo and Eagers with early boosters in flight. 6/7/83

M3-16 Early Condor and other non-transforming mecha on battlefield.

Envelope M4

Envelope M4 contains eight unused MOSPEADA and Legioss designs that are notable due to the dates on the sketches: November 1983, one month after MOSPEADA started airing. With the exception of one or two, the designs appear to be the basic robot designs with add-on parts that equip them for different missions. It’s possible that an initial positive response to the show spurred Imai and Gakken to commission more designs from Artmic, in the hopes that the series could be extended.

Sight built into helmet.

Heavy output dual beam cannon.

Sensor intensification system.

Long-range dual beam cannon.

Small sixmissile launcher.

Hand grenades, 3 on each side, six total.

MOSPEADA heavy armament type (able to transform)

M4-01 Ride armor with shoulder cannon. 11/9/83

Light armor for outer space. (Transforms into astro-bike.)

Missile pod, 3 in each one.

Helmet integrated into body.

Front vector nozzle.

Impulse boosters for outer space.

80mm beam cannon.

Vernier nozzles on front and back of calves.

Soldier wears airtight space suit.

M4-02 Ride armor optimized for space. 11/9/83

Ride armor test prototype. Enhanced booster ride armor.

This isn't a 2-wheeled motorcycle, it is a transformed hover-bike.

Sensor.

Smoke mortar.

Enhanced boosters.

Auxilliary booster.

Design is adapted from Blowsuperior.

M4-02 Ride armor prototype. 11/9/83

Non-transformable, easily mass-produced, fast attack ride armor.

Since this is a nontransforming bike, there are no tires.

These parts are very simple.

M4-04 Ride armor "economy version." 11/9/83

AFC/S-B1 Legioss Interceptor (specialized for outer space). Mars Base (Air Defense Battle Type).

M4-05 Legioss optimized for space. 11/83

AFC/3-B (Legioss with additional armor.)

M4-06 Armored Legioss.

AFC/S-02 (Deep Reconnaissance type.)

M4-07 Recon Legioss.

AFC/R-01 (Equipped for ground combat.)

M4-08 Legioss optimized for ground operations.

M4-09 Copy of M4-08 filled in with colored marker.

Additional MOSPEADA Documents MP1 – Typed Story Outline About 90 years from now, about 2070 AD, the Earth does not belong to humankind because of powerful invaders who come from outer space called Inbit. Earth belongs to them, and humans have retreated to colonies in space, such as the former military base on Mars or other planets in the solar system. The Inbit invaders are mysterious. Humans don’t know who they are, where they come from, or what their goals are. It has been 20 years since they arrived. In the colonies, where humans live peacefully, the population has increased since the retreat from Earth. The idea of beating the invaders has become more prominent in their minds. Mars Base has become a staging area for the human military forces from all of the other colony states. Most of the soldiers were born on colony worlds in the last 20 years, and have no memory of Earth. They have been trained in simulators since they were children. The first drop operation, launched from Mars Base, failed. The operation concluded with a tremendous loss of human life and equipment. The humans learned from this operation and developed new strategies, tactics, and weapons. Years have passed, and a new generation of soldiers embarks on the second drop operation. It fails, but a small percentage of them have survived. Among them is our main character. This is the first time they have seen Mother Earth. Aside from the Inbit bases and small human settlements, nature has reclaimed much of the planet. Wherever these soldiers go, they face neverending jungles, vast expanses of desert, blue seas, and ruined metropolises. All of these are things they have never experienced.

MP2, MP3, MP4 – Handwritten Notes About the Inbit Occupation Basic Design of the Inbit The Inbit are evolving on a cosmic scale. Using bio-aggregation techniques, they are trying to understand the nature of the cosmos by wandering from planet to planet. They are not good, nor are they evil. They arrived on Earth as a result of their instincts, and by accident. As a result, they don’t have any emotional ties to the creatures that live there already.

Constitution The Inbit base is called “Reflex Point,” which is protected by a force field. When the Inbit arrived on the earth, they structured themselves using the example they found in Earth’s insect societies. As a result, there are two types of Inbit: non-thinking workers, and thinking leaders. As a result of their experience, the leaders may develop different ideas from one another.

Attacks Basically, Inbit don’t attack anyone unless they are attacked. The lower-grade soldiers attack based on telepathic instructions from their hive brains. They will automatically attack any military forces they find, as well as non-military humans that possess any weapons or war machines.

Evolution Inbit evolve much more quickly than humans do. For example, initially their sight was limited to monochrome images, but now they have better vision than humans. They are evolving even more quickly, now that the conflict with the humans has escalated. As a result, they will certainly evolve into more powerful forms.

Instinct Protecting their own species is a strong Inbit instinct, as well as connecting with the power of their new environments. As a result of this relationship, the Earth has recovered from the damage that humans did to it. The Inbit are guiding this recovery by enhancing the natural power of Earth. Obviously, they don’t care what will happen to the humans as a result. The Earth is eventually returning to a more primitive state, where glacier-covered areas, deserts, and jungles all exist in jumbled patterns.

Humans Inbit never use machines. They have vehicles that are powered by their own life energy. At first glance, they seem like beetles. In space, they receive additional bio energy from their base at Reflex Point.

Illumination For our human heroes, the process of mastering oneself will help them on the road to Reflex Point. Some of them may even come in psychic contact with the Inbit queen, but they will continue on their mission.

Secret Setting The characters are mostly unaware of what the Inbit are planning. 1) The interaction between the humans an Inbit is like an experiment. 2) The Inbit are watching to understand what human beings are. The Earth is like their lab. 3) Ray and Stig and other characters are some of their model cases. They are guinea pigs, so to speak. a) They want to see drama based on the emotions of each person: • Stig’s military mind • Ray’s energy as a pure Earth person • Jim and Yellow’s changing characteristics • Fouquet and Mint’s backgrounds as people from ruined civilizations b) Those who win the game of reaching Reflex Point will only do so using their natural intelligence and stamina. c) This is a sort of model case to observe how different people can live together, relate to, and travel with each other. 4) Aisha is the X-factor in this group. She seems to have memories of being a human, but she might be one of the Inbit.

MP5 – Handwritten Flow Chart Showing Themes Reflex Point

Invid

Aisha as an observer

Journey to Reflex Point

Upcoming convergence to become the universe’s ultimate intelligence.

What are human beings? What is the purpose of life in the universe?

Ray and others’ behavior as a sample study group Playing field: The Earth

MP6, MP7 – List of Mecha With Notes RH NOTE: The list of mecha on the first page is exactly what ended up being used in the show, but one notable thing is the true name of the Legioss’ traveling companion: not “Tread,” but “TLEAD.” The acronym is spelled out in English on one of the sheets: Transport Legioss Escort Armored Dreadnought. Hoquet’s armor is also called “Strider” here, something I hadn’t seen anywhere else.

Ride-Armor System For the purpose of conducting the first drop operation, Mars Base felt that fire power, armor, mobility, and the ability to penetrate enemy territory were absolutely imperative to even the odds with the Invid after landing on Earth to compensate for the low number of soldiers. The Ride-Armor system satisfies this requirement and is the most effective and compact weapon system they have developed. The Ride-Armor system consists of two parts: a soldier wearing a bulletproof and crashproof riding suit and a motorcycle called an Armor- Bike. A soldier using this equipment can quickly penetrate enemy territory. When he/she encounters enemies, he/she can quickly transform the Armor-Bike into the RideArmor form. In this configuration, he/she can quickly attack the enemies by using the feedbackcontrolled enhanced strength of the Ride-Armor, and the heavy firepower.

TLEAD TLEAD is a weapon specifically developed for drop operations. Developed while the Legioss was still in the experimental stage, it is a reinforced booster for the purpose of increasing the Legioss’ cruising distance and combat efficiency in both inside and outside the influence of gravity. TLEAD can transform into a heavy Armo-Soldier and can play a role as a backup for the Legioss in space, or as a supporting weapon that can act independently from the Legioss on the ground.

In addition to the above, bombing is one of the most important functions of the TLEAD. It can fit many different types of munitions inside, such as napalm bombs.

Legioss Originally, the Armo-Fighter was a defensive weapon used in conflicts between the colonies. However, during the campaign to retake Earth, a joint effort between the colonies was undertaken to repurpose and refine it as an anti-Inbit weapon. The Legioss is the successor to the Condor Armo-Fighter that was used during the first drop operation, and was mass produced for the second drop operation. The mass produced model, the AFC-01I Iota is typical of the Legioss’ form, specifications, and performance. In addition to the Iota, there are other specialized types. Each Legioss also contains one Armor-Bike in the chest that the pilot can use in emergency situations. The Legioss is the latest Armo-Fighter and can fight in any environment: in outer space, in an atmosphere, and on the ground.

MP8 – Animation Production Schedule

RH NOTE: List of 39 episodes scheduled for production, complete with air dates and animation studios assigned to each. Unfortunately MOSPEADA was halted at the 25 episode mark due to low interest in the show and associated merchandise.

IP1, IP2 – Unproduced Model Kits from Imai These are notes from an Imai internal planning memo. Several entries on this list were unproduced: 5) 6) 7) 8)

Legioss soldier (kit #4 on list, produced) with optional armor parts, 11 cm tall, 500 yen Optional armor parts for soldier, diver, and fighter modes, 300 yen Variable Super Legioss and TLEAD, 16 cm tall, 700 yen Combination set of kit #4, #6, and #7, 1200 yen

9) Legioss maintenance diorama set, includes engine parts, checkup panel, and mechanic figures, 500 yen 15) MOSPEADA (kit #11 on list, produced) with optional armor parts and armored sidecar, 1/15 scale, 13.3 cm tall, 800 yen 16) MOSPEADA maintenance diorama set, 1/15 scale, 500 yen 17) Inbit Eager poseable kit, 1/72 scale, 8.3 cm tall, 300 yen 18) Inbit Grab poseable kit, 1/72 scale, 11 cm tall, 500 yen 19) Inbit booster, 1/72 scale, 6.9 cm long, 300 yen 20) Legioss cockpit display, 1/15 scale, 800 yen There is a note at the bottom saying, “Other than these, we will be adding various other mecha. We will meet in two weeks.” Apparently at that next meeting, they chose to cut certain kits instead of add more. Aside from the unused box art that appears in the B-Club Special: Artmic Design Works, previously I had seen no additional evidence that Imai was planning TLEAD model kits. In the Imai memos that catalog the Legioss kits, they are always listed in soldier, then diver, then fighter mode. As a result, the letters S D F stand out very prominently. Coincidence?

Envelope SC1

Envelope SC1 bears the date 11/02/83 and the label on it is very nondescript. The text says simply, “new animation sketches.” The kanji for “secret” is circled. All of the sketches within are the preproduction designs on the following pages. There are no finalized designs for the series in this envelope. It appears that this is the original concept for the show, and seems to be devoid of any giant robots. Many of the different feuding factions are depicted in the sketches, and the armor designs are heavily detailed, which probably would have made them difficult to animate. It’s apparent that the designs for these different “clans” eventually evolved into the different branches of the Southern Cross army.

SC1-01 Samurai-styled HPS-04 Raizin armor and E-102 Taka mechanical falcon.

SC1-02 Explanation of sengoku concept, showing four warring factions at ease and in combat on mechanical horses.

SC1-03 Five armor designs with diamond-shaped faction symbol.

SC1-04 Five armor designs with round faction symbol.

SC1-05 Diagram of flying fortress, manned by armored soldiers.

SC1-06 Character wearing armor similar to ATAC, helmet off and wielding a sword.

SC1-07 Character wearing armor similar to TASC, helmet on and sword sheathed.

Envelope SC2

Envelope SC3 is dated 12/20/83 and 12/29/83, and the label gives more details about the contents: “Science Fiction Sengoku Saga.” The only unproduced designs in the envelope, shown on the following pages, are two sheets featuring the Zor flagship. The ship was intended to have a complex transformation, but there doesn’t seem to be any apparent reason for it. A note on one of the sheets (perhaps from a frustrated planner who wanted remind his designer the deadline was looming) says, “Never mind the transformation, just finish the design.” All of the remaining model sheets in this envelope contain finalized designs for the armor and robots that appeared in the show. It seems that at this point, the show was shaping up to be a concept that a toy or model company in the early 1980s would want to sponsor. Robots galore, on both sides of the conflict.

SC2-01 Transformation sequence for Zor mothership.

Never mind the transformation, just finish the design. SC2-02 Detail sketch for Zor mothership.

Envelope SC3

Envelope SC3 is dated 2/21/84 and the model sheets inside are the first to bear the Southern Cross name and logos. Three successive iterations of model kit blueprints for Jeanne’s Spartas robot are presented on the following pages. Note that the blueprints show an early version of the robot with a more ornate head design (this version can also be seen in This is Animation #10). The first sheet sets the scale at 1/32 (for a 193mm tall model). The second one has those figures scratched out and the scale is revised to 1/40 (154mm). The third one seemingly finalizes the scale at 1/48 (129mm) after comparing the size of the proposed product to other robot models like the Legioss and Orgroid. The lesson? Sometimes the specs of a “real robot” need to be fudged to hit a price point.

SC3-01 First blueprint for early Spartas robot kit, 1/32 scale.

SC3-02 Second blueprint for early Spartas robot kit, 1/40 scale.

SC3-03 Third blueprint for early Spartas robot kit, 1/48 scale.

Additional Southern Cross Documents Southern Cross TV Promotional Flyer This is a large glossy flyer that shows the various TV networks that would be airing Southern Cross with a chart showing the various armies and a listing of the model kits offered by all three companies, including several unproduced items. The Bioroid for Seifriet is listed as belonging to “Philip.”

Arii 1/12 Glorie Military Police Suit for Lana, 700 yen 1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Charles, 800 yen 1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Anjay, 800 yen 1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Louie, 800 yen 1/48 Glorie Military Police Robot 1/48 Zor Late Generation Type 1 Bioroid 1/48 Zor Bi-Hover 1/48 Tactics Armored Space Corps/A Tactic Armored Corps Variable Robot [both groups listed together, this could be a typographical error] 1/12 Navy Division Suit for Yamashita 1/12 Mountain Squad Suit for Fogel

Imai 1/12 Tactics Armored Space Corps Suit for Paul, 800 yen 1/12 Tactics Armored Space Corps Suit for Marie, 700 yen 1/48 A Tactics Armored Corps Variable Hover Tank for Jeanne, 1,000 yen 1/12 Cold Squad Suit for Alexander 1/48 Cold Squad Robot 1/12 Desert Squad Suit for Ohka 1/48 Desert Squid Robot 1/12 Tactics Corps Suit for Thomas 1/48 Tactics Corps Robot 1/48 Zor Middle Generation Type 1 Bioroid

LS 1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Jeanne, 700 yen 1/12 Glorie Military Police Suit for Alan, 800 yen 1/48 Zor Bioroid Specialized for Philip 1/20 Hover Bike 1/12 Tactics Space Corps Suit for Henry 1/144 Tactics Space Corps Rocket 1/12 City Defense Flying Corps Suit for Robert 1/144 City Defense Flying Corps Fighter 1/12 Reconnoitering Suit [no name listed for soldier] 1/48 Reconnoitering Robot

Southern Cross/Galvion Promotional Booklet This is a small 22 page booklet showing line art for each army’s body armor, plus a revised list of kits to look for, including unproduced items. Again, Seifriet’s Bioroid is listed with the name “Philip,” and Jeanne’s robot is dubbed “Spartas” instead of having a generic name. LS: 1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Jeanne, 700 yen Arii: 1/12 Glorie Military Police Suit for Lana, 700 yen Imai: 1/12 Tactics Armored Space Corps Suit for Paul, 800 yen LS: 1/12 Glorie Military Police Suit for Alan, 800 yen Arii: 1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Charles, 800 yen Imai: 1/12 Tactics Armored Space Corps Suit for Marie, 700 yen LS: 1/48 Zor Bioroid Specialized for Philip, 800 yen Arii: 1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Anjay, 800 yen Imai: 1/48 Variable Spartas for Jeanne, 1,000 yen LS: 1/20 Flash Clapper, 800 yen Arii: 1/12 A Tactics Armored Corps Suit for Louie, 800 yen Imai: 1/12 Cold Squad Suit for Alexander, 800 yen LS: 1/12 Tactics Space Corps Suit for Henry, 800 yen Arii: 1/48 Glorie Military Police Robot, 500 yen Imai: 1/48 Cold Squad Robot, 500 yen LS: Tactics Space Corps Rocket [no scale listed], 600 yen Arii: 1/48 Zor Late Type 1 Bioroid, 500 yen Imai: 1/12 Desert Squad Suit for Ohka, 800 yen

Flyer from Gakken catalog showing retailers how to market transforming robot toys to kids.