#Earth Defense Girl Iko-chan

[nidera]

[super-heroinecomparisons]

1980's heroines.

Re-upload. I tried to edit original post, accidentally deleted it instead.

[mahounomanga]

Chikyuu Bouei Shoujo Iko-chan

One of the interesting side effects of defining this blog's scope in the way that I have is that, for better or for worse, only focusing on magical girl manga that don't have anime adaptations automatically filters out almost every multimedia franchise. Sure we've talked about a couple manga adaptations of big live action productions, but there's a difference between that and a series that spreads itself across a handful of mediums simultaneously. Most magical girl multimedia projects from Japan will throw an anime of some form into the mix. Which is to say most, but not all. Today we'll be taking a look at a series which, throughout the late 80s and early 90s, released manga, a video game, a live action series, and more, but has no anime.

Chikyuu Bouei Shoujo Iko-chan (Terrestrial Defense Girl Iko) started as a live action direct-to-video series in 1987. The protagonist is Iko Kawai, a middle schooler who one day helps a member of the intergalactic police she sees lying unconscious on the pavement, and as a reward she is gifted a high tech headset called the Super Incom. The Super Incom allows her to use ESP to do what she believes is right, giving her abilities including but not limited to instant outfit changes, teleportation, leaping tall buildings in a single bound, shrinking, and communicating with beasts. In using her newfound powers, she catches the attention of an Earth defense squad known as the Light Terrestrial Defense Team, LTDT for short. They recruit Iko as a new member, and now armed with her Super Incom and gadgets from the LTDT, it is her duty to protect Earth from extraterrestrial threats.

The first entry in the series, an approximately 47 minute movie, was released on February 28, 1987. The monster designs were done by Toru Narita, who had done special effects work for Godzilla, and co-created Ultraman; so his involvement helped draw attention to the project. The series even has an Ultraman parody character in the form of Miracleman, who can grow to enormous size, but passes out when he does so.

A second movie was released on July 14, 1988, at the start of which Iko bequeaths her Super Incom to a new girl, coincidentally named Iko Sugekawa, who also goes on to work for the LTDT. While the original Iko was played by Akiko Isozaki, a relatively obscure child actress, the new Iko was played by Mia Masuda, a popular idol who was just getting her start around this time. This meant many Iko-chan fans were also Mia Masuda fans, and vice versa. Even now many people seem to know of the series predominantly through her involvement. This movie gives Iko a new (and more iconic) outfit, plus a spectacularly intelligent and accomplished rival named Runna Hakuba. Mia Masuda would stay on as Iko for the third movie, released on June 22, 1990, but each subsequent production would cast a different actress in the role. As for the series director, Minoru Kawasaki is known for producing tokusatsu parodies on the cheap, with Terrestrial Defense Girl Iko being one such example.

Due to the success of the original movie trilogy, a video game based on the series was released for the PC98 engine on December 4, 1992. Titled Chikyuu Bouei Shoujo Iko-chan ~UFO Daisakusen~ (Terrestrial Defense Girl Iko ~The Great UFO Strategy~, this is a turn-based battle game with visual novel elements, in which the LTDT face off against various aliens. Unfortunately, the game didn't sell well. It's speculated that the gameplay style didn't capture the appeal of the title's tokusatsu origins. The in-game art is very pretty though, for whatever that's worth.

Iko would continue starring in live action sequels and spinoffs after that, and a number of companion books were released for the series as well, but the release most relevant to this blog is the Iko-Chan manga.

Running in monthly Comic Comp from the May 1988 issue to the May 1991 issue, this manga was created by Yoshito Asari, with writing input from Minoru Kawasaki, the original director. Asari is best known for his involvement in the production of the original Evangelion anime, for which he was an assistant character designer, and he penned a 4koma spinoff titled Evangelion Yonkoma Zenshuu. However, he is an accomplished mangaka in his own right, creating works such as Wahhaman, Manga Science, and Space Family Carlvinson, the lattermost of which would get an OVA adaptation in 1988.

Over the course of its' run, the Iko-chan manga would amass a total of 32 chapters. The first tankobon volume, containing chapters 1 through 18, was published by Kadokawa on September 13, 1990, but the remainder of the series would not be compiled until a new edition of both volumes was released by Hakusensha under their Jets Comics label on December 25, 1999. A digital rerelease, also by Hakusensha, was made available on December 26, 2014.

This manga makes some changes to the original plot, particularly in Iko's backstory. In this version, Iko already works for the LTDT part-time at the start of the series, and she gets the Super Incom after helping Miracleman while he's drunk. It's less momentous, but I actually prefer it given how poorly the original Iko's buddying up to cops has aged. The way the Super Incom works is slightly different too: it activates when she says please, enunciating each syllable (o-ne-ga-i). This makes whatever she thinks will help happen, but if she attempts to use this power for selfish reasons, the device will malfunction.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to read very much of the manga, and the language barrier made it difficult to get into any version of this series. Huge shout-out to the surprisingly detailed Japanese Wikipedia page, which was a tremendous help in researching for this overview. They also have quite a bit of information on later installments in this series I glossed over. There is a lot more I could get into, but I wanted to mainly focus on the meat of the franchise, and this post is long enough as is.

I really hope fan translations of the series become available one day, because Terrestrial Defense Girl Iko seems like a lot of fun, and I would definitely recommend it to fans of older tokusatsu. There are elements of it I don't vibe with, but still, it has an interesting premise, some decently entertaining humor, a super catchy theme song, and a killer aesthetic.

[prettyheartentangle]

Earth Defense Girl Iko-chan (1987)

[snowsetdeer]

I participated in my first art collab! Shoutout to the Newgrounds N64 art collab, which can be found here (And the game version can be found here)

I also made a comic book cover version so I can FINALLY reveal this is where that tiny doodle of Wolf from a month ago came from HAHA

This is technically a redraw of one of the book (or maybe magazine??) covers for Earth Defense Girl Iko Chan, which I have never seen but I love the screenshots I've seen from it so there's that at least lol

[meangreenmulletmachine]

[posthumanwanderings]

[toujoon]

Pinterest has been recommending some rare stuff lately but not complaining (*´∀｀*)

*From a 2001 jap show called 「Earth Defense Girl Iko-chan」

[spaceleech]

The December 1988 issue of Dragon Magazine featured a story on Earth Defense Girl Iko-chan ( 地球防衛少女イコちゃん), a sorta Ultraman/tokusatsu parody series from Minoru Kawasaki.

Kawasaki also directed The Calamari Wrestler, one of the best films of all time.

[choooccoto]

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#earth defense girl iko chan

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[worangetraveler-multiverseguide]

And we’re back

Part 2 of chapter 9

We jumps forwards into the girls back on Earth and Iko finally waking up... I was gonna say there’s not much to it but she falling sleep gets mentioned and... *takes suspicious notes*

Before they part way Teru goes all up to how bad she is at being a hero and... at least she ends the selfdeprication to declare she will become stronger so Iko will never have to cry for her again :)

MDSH: Tears... promise... Am I the only one thinking Fullmetal Alchemist?

Me: by this point this manga is hitting all the right spots isnt?

Iko gets it! Teru is sensitive AF (nothing wrong with it) and that reflect in her heart AND power, yeah me likes

“Your hero name is SHY, and your face is burning as red as a flame“

That has to be the most silly idea of why SHY is named SHY... its canon until proven otherwise (and even after)

Laughing together :)

So Teru lives on her own... I’m not ready for that truck to hit yet, can we wait?

And we end the chapter with the looming presence of Stigma doing shit on China which is shown on the news, and Teru being determined (while scared) to be the hero that can protect everyone

So very standard last part... lets jump to chapter 10 right away!

Chapter 10: I hate it (Lady Tsundere chapter? mmm... ok)

Teru is buying stuff at a store and as relatable as usual when no one around calling to people is horrible (I usually dont cry but yeah its awkward)

Oh! seems its a place she used to frequently go with Mei-chan... who’s Mei-c--?

NO! NO TRUCKS TO HIT ME TODAY PLEASE!

Simple backstory talk. Chihiro san has had it rough with her back and her husband’s death but she still does what she can to take care of the store, even when not many people show up anymore...

And the reason Teru showed up after like at minimun 4 years? A memory of a mountain and a painting that’s in the store... and Chihiro san remembers she and her late husband climb its peak every year... she as being doing it alone to remember him but her back is at her limit

Oddly comedic break back to prove it I guess xD

“Losing interest in the places I used to be familiar with” okay Teru stop reading my mind!

She wants to help Chihiro san but she doesnt know how, or at least iis thinking of something but she cant heal her so...

So I guess the plot convinience fairy is knocking at the door?

IT IS! Lady Tsundere is here to give Teru a check-up... oh dear... okay lets be open minded and see where this goes

While on check up we get some extra info! Pilse (Black Lady’s real name) is a university student trying to become a nurse? Nice... also that STILL leaves Teru as the youngest hero by a WIDE margin!

Funny how sometimes one doesnt even question the language barrier yet the media always makes sure to explain WHY people from different countries can communicate in japanese in this case I guess (its the bracelets)

Teru has an idea!

Pilse instantly goes on the defensive

... that was a perfectly timed comedic turn page transition... also Pilse is never NOT gonna be Lady Tsundere

Again, moods are EXTREMELY different but all these heroes share having a kind heart :)

Kind MEDDLESOME heart in this case since Pilse upon Chihiro san’s question if she can hike the mountain inmediatly offered herself (and Teru) to accompany her... I’m starting to like Pilse, good job manga.

A stubborn heart is more accurate then, since she hates hiking and the mountains yet she is good at it cause she wanted to prove she could

Also she is an asshole... and yet this is entertaining so she’s alright

Also also I presume emotional energy makes up for her lack of athletisism but Teru might need to shape herself a bit :P

...

DAMN

I did not see that coming... but comes to show how adversity is not easily noticeable until it hits you with (in this case) her prosptetic legs

I’m glad Pilse has a better opinion on Teru for walking up the mountain despite being difficult to her

... she is still Lady Tsundere... but its now in a WAY more fonde tone

I was actually fearing she was gonna be a tsundere of the obnoxious type but instead I get a kind yet harsh person who has lived hardships and life but fought them off and wants everyone to do so as well, despite she knowing not everyone CAN be the same way inmediatly

OH! Trivia in Pilse’s last name (Dunant) coming from the man who co-funded the red cross? NICE!

Overall great chapter! We get to meet Pilse and Teru trough her interactions with her recognizes she has to climb her mountain, yeah it was good

Gonna start the next chapter but unsure If I’ll post it right away, we shall see

[nidera]

[attract-mode-collective]

"Mister Rogers Talks About (Video) GAMES"

Because you can only embed so many vids in a single Tumblr post, this is essentially a supplement to the previous recap of stuff tweeted during the first two weeks at Attract Mode's new refocused Twitter. Which I believe will be a regular thing. And kicking things off is a visit to Mister Rogers Neighborhood, in which he's introduced to Donkey Kong.

Perhaps the timing of this particular vid couldn't be more appropriate; video games are again in the news for being the source of society's ills, so it's nice to see "some old guy" who clearly lacks any familiarity approach one without an ounce of bias or fear, but instead is completely open-minded and curious.

As if it needs to be stated, but I'll do so: the world needs Mister Rogers, now more than ever. Oh, and is that Keith David as the video game technician? Why yes it is!

Moving on is another blast from television's past, though one that's not quite as old as the first clip. It's a game review that appeared on Toonami; I wonder how many people's very first exposure of Rez was because of this? (via posthumanwanderings)...

Sticking with Sega, why it's the Dreamcast's boot up sequence, but slowed down 800%...

And sticking with the Dreamcast, the sounds it makes when connecting to the internet (in Japan, with Dream Passport) is not quite as vaporware-worthy as the first clip, yet worth sampling nonetheless (via anthony10000000)...

It would appear as if the Luminist decided to take a break from re-doing the soundtrack to Super Metroid in analog synth by tackling the first stage from the original Star Fox...

Finally is something that's not super related to games, yet this Global Defense Girl Iko-Chan (or Earth Defense Girl Iko-Chan; can't seem to get a consistent translation from Google) clip does feature a rom hack of Space Harrier (plus is hella catchy; again via anthony10000000)...

[meangreenmulletmachine]

[posthumanwanderings]

Earth Defense Girl Iko-chan 地球防衛少女イコちゃん

[nidera]