Birdy the Mighty
Cover of the original series volume, featuring Birdy Cephon Altera
鉄腕バーディー
(Tetsuwan Birdy)
Genre
Manga
Written byMasami Yuki
Published byShogakukan
ImprintShōnen Sunday Books
MagazineShōnen Sunday Zōkan
DemographicShōnen
Original run1985 – 1988
Volumes1
Original video animation
Directed byYoshiaki Kawajiri
Produced by
  • Masao Maruyama
  • Atsushi Sugita
  • Fumio Ueda
  • Kazuhiko Ikeguchi
  • Satoshi Yoshimoto
Written by
Music byKow Otani
StudioMadhouse
Licensed by
Released July 25, 1996 – February 25, 1997
Runtime29–40 minutes (each)
Episodes4
Manga
Written byMasami Yuki
Published byShogakukan
Magazine
DemographicSeinen
Original runDecember 26, 2002 – September 22, 2008
Volumes20
Anime television series
Birdy the Mighty: Decode
Directed byKazuki Akane
Produced byNarue Minami
Written by
Music byYugo Kanno
StudioA-1 Pictures
Licensed by
Original networkTV Saitama, tvk, KBS, Sun TV, Tokyo MX, BS11, TBC, TVQ Kyushu, Okinawa TV, CBC, Chiba TV, Hokkaido Broadcasting
English network
Original run July 5, 2008 – March 28, 2009
Episodes25 + OVA
Manga
Birdy the Mighty: Evolution
Written byMasami Yuki
Published byShogakukan
MagazineWeekly Big Comic Spirits
DemographicSeinen
Original runOctober 11, 2008 – August 27, 2012
Volumes13

Birdy the Mighty (Japanese: 鉄腕バーディー, Hepburn: Tetsuwan Bādī) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masami Yuki. His initial attempt with the story ran in Shogakukan's Shōnen Sunday Zōkan from 1985 to 1988, but it was eventually abandoned. Over a decade later, Yuki began a reboot, which was serialized in Weekly Young Sunday (2002–2008) and Weekly Big Comic Spirits (2008); its chapters were collected in 20 tankōbon volumes. A sequel, titled Birdy the Mighty: Evolution, was serialized in Weekly Big Comic Spirits from 2008 to 2012, with its chapters collected in 13 tankōbon volumes.

In 1996, Birdy the Mighty was adapted into a four-episode original video animation (OVA) directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri. A 25-episode anime television series adaptation, titled Birdy the Mighty: Decode, animated by A-1 Pictures and produced by Aniplex, was broadcast for two seasons on TV Saitama and other networks from July 2008 to March 2009.

Plot

Birdy Cephon Altera is a Federation agent chasing interplanetary criminals to the planet Earth. While in pursuit of one such criminal, she accidentally kills a high school boy named Tsutomu Senkawa. However, there is a way to keep him alive. He ends up being merged into Birdy's body and must remain so until the repair of his body is complete.

So, Tsutomu is stuck sharing a body with an attractive, strong, and impulsive space police agent while trying to keep his family and friends from finding out about Birdy. In the meantime, Birdy continues her investigation. Together, they take on a secretive group of evil aliens planning to perform experiments on the unsuspecting inhabitants of Earth.

Characters

Main

Protagonists of Birdy the Mighty: Decode TV series. From left to right: Tsutomu Senkawa, Birdy Cephon Altera.
Birdy Cephon Altera
Voiced by: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese); Alex McCord (English) (OVA)
Voiced by: Saeko Chiba (Japanese); Luci Christian (English) (TV)
A Federation police officer, she arrives on Earth in pursuit of alien criminals who are using the planet as a refuge. During one of her missions, she accidentally kills Tsutomu and has to fuse with him in order to keep him alive. In Birdy the Mighty Decode, she meets her childhood friend Nataru later admitting to Tsutomu that she is indeed in love with Nataru.

In the 2008 anime, her false identity on Earth is rising Japanese idol Shion Arita. She is accompanied by a robot named "Tuto". Birdy is an "Altan", a human-like alien, possibly from a planet orbiting the star Altair. More specifically, Birdy is an "Ixioran Altairian", a bio-engineered supersoldier bred for combat.

Tsutomu Senkawa
Voiced by: Tetsuya Iwanaga (Japanese); Justin Thompson (English) (OVA)
Voiced by: Miyu Irino (Japanese); Micah Solusod (English) (TV)
A high school student who has his mind hosted within Birdy after being killed during her confrontation with an alien criminal. Birdy tries to let him live a normal life until his body is rebuilt.

Civilians

Natsumi Hayamiya
Voiced by: Yukana Nogami (Japanese); Matty O'Shea (English) (OVA)
Voiced by: Kanae Itō (Japanese); Cherami Leigh (English) (TV)
Tsutomu's friend and classmate. In the OVA, she has a more prominent role whilst in the TV show she is just a minor character.
Hazumi Senkawa
Voiced by: Tomoko Maruo (Japanese); Debora Rabbai (English) (OVA)
Voiced by: Mikako Takahashi (Japanese); Jamie Marchi (English) (TV)
Tsutomu's older sister. She does not live with Tsutomu and is rarely seen on the show. She comes by for random inspections and is first seen in the first episode saying goodbye to their parents.
Sayaka Nakasugi
Voiced by: Maaya Sakamoto (Japanese); Brina Palencia (English) (TV)
A classmate of Tsutomu, Sayaka was originally a sickly girl until she was involved in a near fatal car accident and became the vessel for the superweapon, Ryunka. After fusing with Ryunka, Sayaka became far more cheerful and social, eventually becoming romantically involved with Tsutomu.
Shoko Kagami
Voiced by: Ayako Kawasumi (Japanese); Maxey Whitehead (English) (TV)
A young girl whose legs are recovering. She is very fond of Nataru and tends to be hostile towards Birdy because she thinks Birdy's trying to 'steal' him from her. She had also lost her older brother in the Ryunka incident.

Aliens

Capella Titis
Voiced by: Kaori Nazuka (Japanese); Trina Nishimura (English) (TV)
An Altarian antagonist who works for Irma later on.
George Gomez
Voiced by: Akio Ōtsuka (Japanese); Cory Carthew (English) (OVA)
Voiced by: Unshō Ishizuka (Japanese); Newton Pittman (English) (TV)
An alien criminal who had been hiding on Earth in disguise. He is an Altarian henchman of Christella Revi.
Christella Revi
Voiced by: Mako Hyōdō (Japanese); Mary Alice McGuire (English) (OVA)
Voiced by: Mako Hyōdō (Japanese); Monica Rial (English) (TV)
A rogue alien scientist who is the antagonist of the story.
Nataru Shinmyou
Voiced by: Masaya Matsukaze (Japanese); Eric Vale (English)
Birdy's childhood friend. He lives on Earth as a refugee and pretends to be a human. Nataru is an Ixioran like Birdy and has the ability to teleport. In Birdy the Mighty Decode, he confesses to Birdy saying he is in love with her.
Skelezzo
Voiced by: Norio Wakamoto (Japanese); Christopher Sabat (English)
Skelezzo was once Birdy's advisor. He now resides on Altaria.

Media

Manga

First volume cover of the 2002 series

Written and illustrated by Masami Yuki, Birdy the Mighty was serialized in Shogakukan's shōnen manga magazine Shōnen Sunday Zōkan from 1985 to 1988,[3] being serialized while Yuki was working on Kyūkyoku Chōjin R in Weekly Shōnen Sunday.[4] Yuki eventually abandoned the project, leaving it unfinished.[5] Shogakukan released a single volume, which was listed as "volume 1", on July 18, 1996.[5][6]

Over a decade later after its original run, Yuki decided to make a reboot of the manga, keeping certain details from the original work.[7] The series ran in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Sunday from December 26, 2002,[7] until the magazine ceased its publication on July 31, 2008.[8] It later ran in Weekly Big Comic Spirits from September 6–22, 2008.[9][10] Shogakukan collected its chapters in twenty tankōbon volumes, released from June 5, 2003,[11] to October 3, 2008.[12]

A sequel, titled Birdy the Mighty: Evolution, was serialized in Weekly Big Comic Spirits from October 11, 2008,[13] to July 23, 2012.[14][15] An epilogue chapter was published in Monthly Big Comic Spirits on August 27, 2012.[16] Shogakukan collected its chapters in thirteen tankōbon volumes, released from February 27, 2009,[17] to September 28, 2012.[18]

Original video animation

The original Birdy the Mighty manga was adapted into a four-episode original video animation (OVA) by Madhouse and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri,[19] released by Bandai Visual on VHS from July 25, 1996,[20] to February 25, 1997.[21] The four episodes were later re-released on DVD on June 25, 2001.[19]

In North America, the OVA was licensed by Central Park Media, who released the episodes on two VHS sets in 1999,[22] and on two DVD sets in 2004.[23][24] The OVA was broadcast with an English dub on Starz Encore's Action channel in 2000.[25] Central Park Media discontinued the series' distribution in 2006,[26] before filing for bankruptcy in 2009.[27]

Anime television series

An anime television series adaptation was announced by Weekly Young Sunday in 2006.[28] Titled Birdy the Mighty: Decode (鉄腕バーディー DECODE, Tetsuwan Bādī Dekōdo), the series was animated by A-1 Pictures and directed by Kazuki Akane, with Hiroshi Ōnogi handling the series' scripts.[29] The series was first broadcast on TV Saitama (and later on twelve other terrestrial stations) for thirteen episodes from July 5 to September 27, 2008.[30][lower-alpha 1] Aniplex collected the episodes in seven DVDs, released from September 24, 2008, to March 25, 2009.[32]

The series was followed by a second season, Birdy the Mighty: Decode 02, which was broadcast for twelve episodes from January 10 to March 28, 2009.[33][lower-alpha 2] Aniplex collected the episodes in six DVDs, released from April 22 to July 1, 2009.[35] An unaired episode that connects the first and second seasons was included with the special DVD "Birdy the Mighty Decode: The Cipher", released on July 22, 2009.[36]

In North America, the series was licensed by Funimation in 2009.[37] The rights to the series expired on October 14, 2016.[38]

Soundtracks

The music for Birdy the Mighty: Decode was composed by Yugo Kanno. The original soundtrack was released on September 24, 2008.[39] The original soundtrack of Birdy the Mighty: Decode 02 was released on April 22, 2009.[40] The first opening theme, "Sora" (そら, "Sky"), was performed by Hearts Grow, while the first ending theme, "Let's go together", was performed by Afromania.[30] The second opening theme, "kiseki" ("Miracle"), was performed by Nirgilis, while the second ending theme, "Tane" (タネ, "Seeds"), was performed by no3b.[33]

Reception

Since its release in the West, Birdy the Mighty: Decode has received generally favorable reviews. Bryan Morton, from The Fandom Post, was positive toward the first season, citing the visuals and action as factors for it. In his review of the second season, while Morton stated that it was as enjoyable as the first, he was more critical of it.[41] Several criticisms were drawn to Tsutomu and his friends being more sidelined in the story, and the animation, which he pointed out as, "...appearing to have been animated on a shoestring budget.".[42] Bob Muir, from Japanator, noted the ending for the show made it feel rushed, but overall recommended the series, calling it "...just plain fun, with no insipid moe characters or deathly serious world domination plots to drag it down."[43] Josh Viel of the Escapist, praised the visuals and soundtrack of the first season, bringing particular mention to the show's use of foreshadowing.[44] On DVDTalk, Todd Douglass Jr. commended both seasons for their character development, though criticized the pacing of the first season, as well as the antagonists, calling one of them, "... more of a Cigarette Smoking Man kind of guy and really seems to just be some shadowy figure doing what he wants to do in the sidelines.".[45] Further points were directed toward the second season for having the same issues, yet still recommended the series as a whole.[46]

Legacy

Zack Snyder said the Birdy the Mighty anime series was an inspiration for his take on Man of Steel.[47]

Notes

  1. ↑ TV Saitama listed the air dates for the series on Friday at 25:00, which is effectively Saturday at 1:00 a.m. JST.[31]
  2. ↑ TV Saitama listed the air dates for the series on Friday at 25:00, which is effectively Saturday at 1:00 a.m. JST.[34]

References

  1. ↑ Meek, Bradley (March 8, 2009). "Birdy the Mighty: Decode". THEM Anime Reviews. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  2. ↑ Loo, Egan (June 24, 2008). "Birdy the Mighty Decode Sci-Fi Comedy TV Ad Streamed". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  3. ↑ 人気マンガ「鉄腕バーディー」作者、「ヤンサン」休刊も連載継続宣言。. Narinari.com (in Japanese). July 7, 2008. Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  4. ↑ 究極超人あ～る. Web Sunday (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  5. 1 2 Luce, Eric "Scanner". "Birdy the Mighty (Tetsuwan Birdy)". Ex.org. Archived from the original on May 22, 1998. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  6. ↑ 鉄腕バーディー / 1 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on July 18, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  7. 1 2 Yuki, Masami (December 23, 2002). あの作品はじめました. yukimasami.com. Archived from the original on November 4, 2005. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  8. ↑ Loo, Egan (May 30, 2008). "Shogakukan Confirms End of Young Sunday, Judy Mags". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  9. ↑ Loo, Egan (July 30, 2008). "More Revealed on Aftermath of Young Sunday Mag's End". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  10. ↑ ビッグコミックスピリッツ 2008年43号. muhyojo.com (in Japanese). September 22, 2008. Archived from the original on October 10, 2008. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  11. ↑ 鉄腕バーディー / 1 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  12. ↑ 鉄腕バーディー / 20 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on May 1, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  13. ↑ 2008年10月11日のアーカイブ. manganohi.jp (in Japanese). October 10, 2008. Archived from the original on October 24, 2008. Retrieved October 27, 2021. 【ビッグコミックスピリッツ】ビッグコミックスピリッツ 46号　発売！ ★完全リニューアルで「新」連載スタート!!! 「鉄腕バーディーEVOLUTION」ゆうきまさみ＆アニメ「鉄腕バーディー」 第２シーズン特報
  14. ↑ Loo, Egan (June 17, 2012). "Tetsuwan Birdy Evolution Manga to End in 4 More Chapters". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 28, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  15. ↑ 「鉄腕バーディー」シリーズ完結、月スピに後日談＆付録. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. July 23, 2012. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  16. ↑ 月スピに「鉄腕バーディー」後日談、付録はラフスケッチ集. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. August 27, 2012. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  17. ↑ 鉄腕バーディーEVOLUTION / 1 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  18. ↑ 鉄腕バーディーEVOLUTION / 13 (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on May 1, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  19. 1 2 鉄腕バーディー スペシャル (in Japanese). Bandai Visual. Archived from the original on August 16, 2002. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Releases: Japan". Ex.org. Archived from the original on May 23, 1998. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Import Releases". Ex.org. Archived from the original on December 6, 1998. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  22. ↑ "U.S. Manga Corps". Central Park Media. Archived from the original on September 22, 1999. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  23. ↑ Beveridge, Chris (March 9, 2004). "Birdy the Mighty: Double Trouble (of 0)". AnimeOnDVD. Archived from the original on March 8, 2005. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  24. ↑ Beveridge, Chris (May 11, 2004). "Birdy the Mighty Vol. #2: Final Force (of 2)". AnimeOnDVD. Archived from the original on November 1, 2006. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Starz Encore Action Channel Anime Chedule extended". Anime News Network. August 30, 2000. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  26. ↑ Macdonald, Christopher (October 14, 2006). "Central Park Media Discontinues Titles". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  27. ↑ Loo, Egan (June 8, 2009). "Central Park Media's Licenses Offered by Liquidator". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  28. ↑ Macdonald, Christopher (November 1, 2006). "New Birdy the Mighty Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  29. ↑ Loo, Egan (March 22, 2008). "New Birdy's Title Revealed: Birdy the Mighty Decode". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  30. 1 2 鉄腕バーディーDECODE. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  31. ↑ TV ANIMATION 鉄腕バーディー DECODE. birdy-tv.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  32. ↑ 鉄腕バーディーDECODE – blu-ray/DVD (in Japanese). Aniplex. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  33. 1 2 鉄腕バーディーDECODE:02. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  34. ↑ ON AIR 鉄腕バーディー02 DECODE. birdy-tv.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  35. ↑ 鉄腕バーディーDECODE 02 – blu-ray/DVD (in Japanese). Aniplex. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  36. ↑ Loo, Egan (March 4, 2009). "Unaired Birdy the Mighty Decode Episode to Ship on DVD (Updated)". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  37. ↑ Loo, Egan (November 22, 2009). "Funimation Adds Sekirei, Tetsuwan Birdy Decode & Decode:02 (Updated)". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  38. ↑ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (September 30, 2016). "Funimation's Birdy the Mighty: Decode Rights Expire in October". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  39. ↑ 鉄腕バーディー ＤＥＣＯＤＥ ＯＲＩＧＩＮＡＬ ＳＯＵＮＤＴＲＡＣＫ. Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  40. ↑ "SonyMusicShop" 鉄腕バーディー DECODE：02 ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK. Sony Music Shop (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  41. ↑ "Birdy The Mighty: Decode Part 1 UK Anime DVD Review". The Fandom Post. August 29, 2011. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  42. ↑ "Birdy the Mighty: Decode Vol. #2 UK Anime DVD Review". The Fandom Post. November 8, 2011. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  43. ↑ "Japanator Recommends: Birdy the Mighty: Decode - Japanator". Japanator. Archived from the original on May 11, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  44. ↑ "Anime Review: Birdy the Mighty". The Escapist. Archived from the original on December 12, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  45. ↑ "Birdy the Mighty: Decode Part 1". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  46. ↑ "Birdy the Mighty: Decode 02". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  47. ↑ "10 Big Hollywood Movies You Never Knew Have Anime Influences Or Equivalents". ScreenRant. December 14, 2019. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
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