Wikipedia

Brain Powerd

Brain Powerd(ブレンパワード,Buren Pawādo)is a Japaneseanimetelevision series created bySunrise.It was directed and written byGundamcreatorYoshiyuki Tominoand features mecha designs byMamoru Nagano,character designs byMutsumi Inomata,and music byYoko Kanno.The 26 episodes of the series originally premiered on thesatellitechannelWOWOWbetween April and November 1998. The series was also aired across Japan on the anime networkAnimax,which also later broadcast the series across its respective networks worldwide, including its English language networks inSoutheast AsiaandSouth Asia.Animax airedBandai Entertainment's localization, the series' English language television premiere. The anime series was licensed by Bandai and distributed across the region on DVD under the titleBrain Powered.

Brain Powerd
Brain Powerd Perfect Box Part 1 & 2DVD cover
ブレンパワード
(Buren Pawādo)
Created byYoshiyuki Tomino
Anime television series
Directed byYoshiyuki Tomino
Written byAkemi Omode
Katsuyuki Sumisawa
Miya Asakawa
Tetsuko Takahashi
Yoshiyuki Tomino
Music byYoko Kanno
StudioSunrise
Licensed by
Original networkWOWOW,Animax,Bandai Channel
English network
Original runApril 8, 1998–November 11, 1998
Episodes26(List of episodes)
Manga
Written byYoshiyuki Tomino
Illustrated byYukiru Sugisaki
Published byKadokawa Shoten
English publisher
MagazineMonthly Shōnen Ace
DemographicShōnen
Original runMay 27, 1998–January 29, 2001
Volumes4
Light novel
Written byYoshiyuki Tomino, Akemi Mende
Published byKadokawa Haruki Corporation
Original runDecember 15, 1998–February 13, 1999
Volumes3

The series is set on a future, decimated Earth after the discovery of a mysterious, alien spacecraft dubbed "Orphan". A group of researchers scour the planet for Orphan's disc plates usingmechacalled "Antibodies" in order to revive the craft, an event that would result in the utter destruction of all lifeforms on Earth. The protagonistsYu IsamiandHime Utsumiyamust utilize a special Antibody called "Brain Powerd" to counter the Orphan plans and save humanity.

It was adapted into amanga,with art byYukiru Sugisaki,which was serialized inKadokawa ShotenmagazineShōnen Aceand later published in the United States in English byTokyopop.A series oflight novels,music CDs, and other merchandise relating toBrain Powerdalso exist.

Plot

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See also:List of Brain Powerd characters

Brain Powerdis set in a future time in which Earth has been afflicted by earthquakes and floods. The source of this is a traced to a gargantuan, alien spacecraft dubbed "Orphan", which sits deep beneath thePacific Ocean.ScientistsKensaku IsamiandMidori Isamiwork within Orphan in order to uncover its vast knowledge, reach the Earth's surface with the craft, and travel the galaxy, resulting in the annihilation of all lifeforms on Earth.[1]Their agents, the "Reclaimers", pilot living organicmechas(or "Antibodies" ) in the army Grand Cher, and seek to retrieve Orphan's vital disc plates which are scattered across the planet. The series begins with the teenage leadHime Utsumiyaventuring upon such a disc plate, which revives into a unique Antibody, called "Brain Powerd", with which she forms a deep connection. Within a year, Hime joins a group wishing to counter the ideals of the Orphan researchers, stationed aboard the battleship Novis Noah. She is soon joined byYu Isami,an ex-Reclaimer who leaves Orphan after learning of the catastrophe his parents seek to unleash. Hime and Yu soon enter upon an adventure which may decide the future of humanity.[1]

Production

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Brain Powerdwas produced bySunriseand directed and written byYoshiyuki Tomino,the creator of the long-runningGundamfranchise.Brain Powerdis often compared to theGainax's popularNeon Genesis Evangelion,a 1995 anime series with similar themes toBrain Powerd.[1][2]He was enthusiastic about his first attempt at the "organic" mecha subgenre in place of the purely metallic robots he had worked with for so many years in his career.[3]He wanted to write an interesting story forBrain Powerdin order to allow those who watched it to do so without "having a nervous breakdown" and to show fans "that there were often other things out there better than anime".[4]Tomino has wished that more animators would see themselves as entertainers, though he admitted that he felt thatBrain Powerdwas not very entertaining and thus a failure in this regard.[4]

Tomino was joined by a team of writers at Sunrise under the pseudonymHajime Yatate.[5]Other staff includedThe Weathering ContinentandWindariacharacter designerMutsumi Inomata;The Five Star StoriesandHeavy Metal L-Gaimmecha designerMamoru Nagano;andMacross PlusandThe Vision of Escaflownemusic composerYoko Kanno.[1][2][3][6]Nagano had also previously worked with TominoMobile Suit Zeta Gundam.[1]Kanno described Tomino as "not detailed at all" when compared to other directors with which she worked. She found that he was concerned with human "age" in regards to each piece of music so that viewers of all ages would understand.[6]The opening theme "In My Dream" was written and performed byEri Shingyōji.[7]The ending theme "Ai no Fīrudo"(Ái の luân quách (フィールド),lit. "Field of Love" )was composed and arranged by Kanno, with lyrics written by Rin Iogi (a pseudonym for Tomino), and the song performed byKokia.[8]

Media

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Anime

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Main article:List of Brain Powerd episodes

The 26-episodeBrain Powerdanimeinitially aired weekly on Japan'ssatellitechannelWOWOWfrom April 8 to November 11, 1998.[1][9]The series was also broadcast on the JapaneseAnimaxand theBandai Channel.[10][11]Bandaifirst released the series on DVD in two halves on June 25, 1999, and September 25, 1999, as theBrain Powerd Perfect Box.[12][13]Seven individual DVDs containing fewer episodes of the series each were released from July 25 to September 25, 2002.[14][15]A "remastered" box set was released on August 24, 2007.[16]Finally, Bandai released the entire series on DVD asEmotion the Best: Brain Powerdon April 7, 2011.[17][18]

The English-dubbed version ofBrain Powerdpremiered on Animax in South Asia and Southeast Asia.[19]In late 2000,Bandai Entertainmentacquired the rights to distribute a dub in North America with the spellingBrain Powered.[20]As with the licensedSilent Möbius,only the first few episodes were released on VHS in the region as test marketing for the show.[21][22]The original opening sequence, which largely depicts nude women, was completely redone for the release.[23]Three separate bilingual DVD sets totaling all 26 episodes were made available in North American retailers May 21 to September 24, 2002.[24][25][26]The unedited opening sequences was restored for the DVD version.[7]On April 26, 2006, the company compiled and released the entire series asAnime Legends: Brain Powered Complete Collection.[27]Following the 2012 closure of Bandai Entertainment,Sunriseannounced atOtakon2013, thatSentai Filmworkshas rescuedBrain Powerd,along with a handful of other former BEI titles.[28]

Manga and light novels

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Amangaprelude to theBrain Powerdtelevision series, featuring the original story penned by Tomino and illustrations byYukiru Sugisaki,was serialized monthly in the JapaneseKadokawa ShotenmagazineShōnen Acebeginning in the January 1998 issue.[3][29]A total of fourtankōbonchapter collections were released from May 27, 1998, to January 29, 2001.[30][31]A series of threelight novelswritten by Tomino and Akemi Mende were also published in Japan by Kadokawa Haruki Corporation:Brain Powerd Shinkai Yori Hasshi Te(ブレンパワード thâm hải より phát して,lit. "Brain Powerd: Deep Origination" )on December 15, 1998;Brain Powerd Kāten No Mukou De(ブレンパワード カーテンの hướng こうで,lit. "Brain Powerd: Behind the Curtain" )on January 14, 1999; andBrain Powerd Kioku Heno Tabidachi(ブレンパワード ký ức への lữ lập ち,lit. "Brain Powerd: Journey to Remember" )on February 13, 1999.[32][33][34]The original manga was licensed for English translation and publication byTokyopopin early 2003, also with the spellingBrain Powered.[35]All four volumes were published between June 17, 2003, and January 6, 2004.[36][37]Tokyopop replaced the Japanese version's color pages with highly saturated monochrome for their English release.[38]As of May 2, 2005, the manga is out-of-print in North America.[39]

CDs and other merchandise

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A two-volume soundtrack featuring a total of 38 background and vocal tracks from theBrain Powerdanime series was published byVictor Entertainmentin Japan on August 5, 1998, and November 21, 1998.[40][41]CD singles featuring the opening theme by Eri Shingyōji and the closing theme by Kokia have also been released.[7][8]

A non-scale model kit of Hime's Brain Powerd mecha was released by Bandai shortly after the show's debut.[1]A Brain Powerd line of colored plastic non-scale model kits was released starting in November 2022 under Good Smile Company's Moderoid line. The line includes You (Yu) Brain, Hime Brain, Quincy's Grand Cher, Jonathan's Grand Cher, and a generic Grand Cher.[42][43][44][45][46]

A singleartbooktitledBrain Powerd Spiral Bookwas published byGakkenin Japan on June 28, 1999.[47]Characters and mecha fromBrain Powerdhave been featured alongside other Sunrise properties invideo gamespublished byBanprestoincludingAnother Century's Episodefor thePlayStation 2andPlayStation Portable,2nd Super Robot Wars Alphafor the PlayStation 2, andSuper Robot Wars Jfor theGame Boy Advance.[48][49][50][51]

Reception

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Jonathan ClementsandHelen McCarthyofThe Anime EncyclopediasummarizedBrain Powerd"as if Tomino and his crew were thrown in at the deep end and told to wing it", though they found it "curiously watchable, thanks largely to Yoko Kanno's wonderful music".[52]

References

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  1. ^abcdefgOuellette, Martin (April–May 1999). "Spotlight: Brain Powerd".Protoculture Addicts.No. 55.Protoculture Inc.pp.39–45.
  2. ^abMays, Jonathan (February 14, 2003)."Brain Powered DVD 2 Review".Anime News Network.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  3. ^abc"Animexpress".Animerica.6(2). Viz Media: 15. February 1998.
  4. ^ab"Interview with Yoshiyuki Tomino".Animerica.8(2).Viz Media.March 2000.
  5. ^Oppliger, John (June 5, 2003)."Ask John: Who is Hajime Yadate?".AnimeNation.Archived fromthe originalon March 20, 2012.RetrievedMay 30,2011.
  6. ^abLoo, Egan."Voices: An Exclusive Interview with Yoko Kanno".EX.org. Archived fromthe originalon June 6, 2011.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  7. ^abc"In My Dream"(in Japanese).RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  8. ^abÁi の luân quách[Field of Love] (in Japanese).RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  9. ^ブレンパワード[Brain Powerd] (in Japanese).Sunrise.Archived fromthe originalon December 10, 2007.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  10. ^ブレンパワード[Brain Powerd] (in Japanese).Animax.Archived fromthe originalon July 23, 2012.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  11. ^ブレンパワード[Brain Powerd] (in Japanese).Bandai.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  12. ^"ブレンパワード パーフェクトボックス Part 1"[Brain Powered Perfect Box Part 1] (in Japanese). June 25, 1999.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  13. ^"ブレンパワード パーフェクトボックス Part 2"[Brain Powered Perfect Box Part 2] (in Japanese). September 25, 1999.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  14. ^"ブレンパワード Vol. 1"[Brain Powered Vol. 1] (in Japanese). July 25, 2002.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  15. ^"ブレンパワード Vol. 7"[Brain Powered Vol. 7] (in Japanese). September 25, 2002.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  16. ^"ブレンパワード リマスターBOX"[Brain Powerd Remaster BOX] (in Japanese). August 24, 2007.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  17. ^"EMOTION the Best ブレンパワードDVD-BOX"[Emotion the Best Brain Powerd DVD-BOX]. April 7, 2011.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  18. ^"Anime/Manga Releases Delayed After Quake: Part IV".Anime News Network.March 23, 2011.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  19. ^"Brain Powerd".Animax Asia.Archived fromthe originalon September 27, 2007.RetrievedAugust 20,2007.
  20. ^Legion (May 17, 2001)."E3 2001 Bandai Entertainment Interview".Anime Dream.RetrievedMay 29,2011.
  21. ^Beveridge, Chris (November 10, 2000)."Chat with Charles McCarter of Bandai".Mania.com. Archived fromthe originalon October 18, 2012.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  22. ^Oppliger, John (May 15, 2000)."Anime Central Announcements".AnimeNation. Archived fromthe originalon March 20, 2012.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  23. ^"Brain Powered tidbit".Mania.com. May 2, 2002. Archived fromthe originalon December 15, 2013.RetrievedOctober 12,2011.
  24. ^"Brain Powered (V.1) - DVD Collection 1".Bandai Entertainment.Archived fromthe originalon November 22, 2005.RetrievedMay 29,2011.
  25. ^"Brain Powered (V.2) - Family Feuds".Bandai Entertainment. Archived fromthe originalon November 22, 2005.RetrievedMay 29,2011.
  26. ^"Brain Powered (V.3) - Resolutions".Bandai Entertainment. Archived fromthe originalon November 22, 2005.RetrievedMay 29,2011.
  27. ^"Brain Powered Complete Collection".Amazon.com.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  28. ^"Sentai Filmworks Adds Sacred Seven, The Big O, Kurokami, More".Anime News Network.RetrievedAugust 11,2013.
  29. ^Thompson, Jason(2007).Manga: The Complete Guide.New York:Ballantine Books&Del Rey Books.p. 37.ISBN978-0-345-48590-8.
  30. ^ブレンパワード đệ 1 quyển[Brain Powerd Volume 1] (in Japanese).Kadokawa Shoten.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  31. ^ブレンパワード (4)[Brain Powerd (4)] (in Japanese). Kadokawa Shoten.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  32. ^ブレンパワード ( 1 ) thâm hải より phát して[Brain Powerd (1) Deep Origination] (in Japanese). Kadokawa Haruki Corporation.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  33. ^ブレンパワード ( 2 ) カーテンの hướng こうで[Brain Powerd (2) Behind the Curtain] (in Japanese). Kadokawa Haruki Corporation.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  34. ^ブレンパワード ( 3 ) ký ức への lữ lập ち[Brain Powerd (3) Journey to Remember] (in Japanese). Kadokawa Haruki Corporation.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  35. ^"More Manga from Tokyopop".Anime News Network.January 26, 2003.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  36. ^"Brain Powered Volume1".Tokyopop.Archived fromthe originalon December 12, 2005.RetrievedMay 28,2011.
  37. ^"Brain Powered Volume4".Tokyopop. Archived fromthe originalon April 30, 2006.RetrievedMay 28,2011.
  38. ^Oppliger, John (January 5, 2005)."Ask John: What is America's Best Manga Translation Company?".AnimeNation. Archived fromthe originalon March 20, 2012.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  39. ^"Tokyopop Inc. Out of Print Title".Tokyopop. Archived fromthe originalon May 12, 2009.RetrievedJune 27,2011.
  40. ^ブレンパワード ― オリジナル・サウンドトラック 1[Brain Powerd Original Soundtrack 1] (in Japanese).RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  41. ^ブレンパワード ― オリジナル・サウンドトラック 2[Brain Powerd Original Soundtrack 2] (in Japanese).RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  42. ^"MODEROID You Brain".www.goodsmile.info.RetrievedApril 24,2023.
  43. ^"MODEROID Hime Brain".www.goodsmile.info.RetrievedApril 24,2023.
  44. ^"MODEROID Grand Cher (Quincy's Machine)".www.goodsmile.info.RetrievedApril 24,2023.
  45. ^"MODEROID Grand Cher (Jonathan's Machine)".www.goodsmile.info.RetrievedApril 24,2023.
  46. ^"MODEROID Grand Cher".www.goodsmile.info.RetrievedApril 24,2023.
  47. ^ブレンパワード スパイラルブック[Brain Powerd Spiral Book] (in Japanese).Gakken.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  48. ^Smith, David (September 1, 2004)."Mecha Action From Banpresto, From Software".1UP.com.Archived fromthe originalon October 19, 2012.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  49. ^『アナザーセンチュリーズエピソード ポータブル』[Another Century's Episode Portable] (in Japanese).Dengeki.October 29, 2010.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  50. ^IGN Staff (December 18, 2002)."Second Super Robot Wars Alpha".IGN.Archived fromthe originalon May 25, 2011.RetrievedJune 11,2011.
  51. ^"Super Robot Wars J".Anime News Network.August 9, 2005.RetrievedJune 14,2011.
  52. ^Clements, Jonathan;McCarthy, Helen(2006).The Anime Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917(Revised and Expanded ed.). Stone Bridge Press. p. 74.ISBN1-933330-10-4.
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