Star Driver Fish Girl Song Download

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(Redirected from List of Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto characters)
The main cast of Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto in front of Takuto's Cybody, 'Tauburn'. Clockwise from the center, Takuto, Wako, Kanako, Simone, Sugata, Reiji, Benio, Kate and Sarina.

This a list of characters for the anime series Star Driver.

  • 4Terminology

Main characters[edit]

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Fish Grill

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Takuto Tsunashi (ツナシ・タクトTsunashi Takuto) / 'Galactic Pretty Boy' (銀河美少年Ginga Bishōnen)
Voiced by: Mamoru Miyano (Japanese); Max Mittelman (English)
Protagonist hero and main character of the series and member of the Midnight Flight drama club. Piloting the Cybody Tauburn, one of the mecha formerly hidden in the island's ancient ruin, he is a Star Driver opposing the Kiraboshi Order of Cross to protect Wako, the Southern Shrine Maiden, from them. According to the Order, Takuto is the legendary 'Ginga Bishonen' (Galactic Pretty Boy) and the greatest threat to their plans. He also has two of the legendary Twelve Star Swords: Émeraude and Sapphire, and his training in dual-wielding swordsmanship allows him to fight skillfully with one in each hand. With his bright and positive personality, the 15-year-old easily becomes a humorous favorite to all, often having many females fall in love with him, but Takuto says that before he received the scar on his chest, where he shortly after received his 'Tau' mark, he was much more 'closed.' Coincidentally, he shares his birthday with Sugata. He also shows hints of a darker side to his personality, and seems to have had a dark past as well. He had a friend named Natsuo who was interested in flight but died from an unrevealed illness. He was abandoned by his father whom he believes to currently reside on the island. His father is later revealed to be Reiji Miyabi whose increasing interest in Cybodies eventually pushed a woman he was having an affair with, Sora, to leave the island who, at the time, was pregnant with Takuto. He was partially raised by his grandfather, who seemed to know much of the island's secrets and apparently bestowed Takuto with the Tau mark. He has also been shown to have extremely high athletic ability and senses, as well as showing hints of high intelligence. It has been implied that he is aware of the fact that some of his classmates and peers are members of Kiraboshi and easily recognized that Reiji is actually his father, despite he had not aged since he became a driver. Takuto is fiercely loyal to his friends, especially Wako and Sugata, and would go out of his way to help them. When Sugata attempts to seal Samekh by sacrificing his life, Takuto breaks Wako's seal and chases after Samekh, which is flying into space to absorb the libido from the whole world, and destroys it to save Sugata.
Wako Agemaki (アゲマキ・ワコAgemaki Wako)
Voiced by: Saori Hayami (Japanese); Erica Mendez (English)
A member of the Midnight Flight drama club. She is one of the 'Shrine Maidens' whose powers prevent Cybodies from being activated outside of Zero Time. Not only does she serve this purpose, but her powers and existence creates a seal, the Southern Maiden Seal, that guards the secrets of the island. As long as the seal is intact, she, a maiden, is forbidden from leaving the island. If the seal breaks, the Cybodies would be able to leave the island as well. Her grandmother was meant to tell her about being a Maiden when she entered middle school, but she apprivoised on her own when she was in elementary school, granting her access of all memories stored in the Cybody she was in. She once aspired to become a singer; as a child she wanted to go to Tokyo to seek that dream, but her status as a Maiden barred her from doing so. She has been engaged to Sugata due to his family tradition since childhood. In episode 21, she asks to play opposite of Takuto in Night Flight's latest play, becoming a part of the infamous kiss scene. She has a small yellow fox-like pet named Vice (副部長Fukubuchou, lit. Vice President) who seems to have an important 'connection' to the drama club. The mark on her chest is the ancient letter Waw, which is where her Maiden Cybody's name probably derives from. At the end of the anime, she admit that she is deeply in love with both Takuto and Sugata and is jealous of Kate and Ruri for being loyal to the one person they love. When Sugata attempts to sacrifice himself to seal Samekh, Wako allows Takuto to break her seal releasing the Cybodies from Zero Time which allows Takuto to chase after and destroy Samekh ultimately saving Sugata
Sugata Shindō (シンドウ・スガタShindō Sugata)
Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama (Japanese); Ben Pronsky (English)
A member of the Midnight Flight club along with Wako and Takuto. According to the tradition of his family, he is engaged to Wako, one of the island's Shrine Maidens, who is also his childhood friend, but is aware of her growing interest in Takuto. He is calm, intelligent and for the most part emotionally reserved, but shown to be somewhat hasty at times when his friends are in danger. He is also the current Star Driver of the King Cybody, Samekh, a highly powerful but dangerous Cybody which all previous candidates to successfully apprivoise have fallen into a permanent coma. However, after apprivoising to save Wako from the Kiraboshi, he is able to awaken due to Takuto and Wako's efforts. He then is able to use his First Phase to assist Takuto in his battles. Coincidentally, he shares his birthday with Takuto. As the owner of the King Cybody, the Kiraboshi order vacated the leadership of the order's First Division 'Emperor' to him in hopes that he would eventually claim it, and so he did after finding out that Kate is too; he joined the Kiraboshi for the sole purpose of sealing Samekh at the expense of his life. He is saved by Takuto when Takuto broke Wako's seal to chase after and destroy Samekh.

Glittering Crux Brigade[edit]

Reiji Miyabi (ミヤビ・レイジMiyabi Reiji) / Head (ヘッドHeddo)
Voiced by: Akira Ishida (Japanese); Richard Cansino (English)
Leader of Glittering Star's second section also known as 'Vanishing Age' Squad, he kept the North Maiden locked in a cage at his room after breaking her seal, and has proposed that the group leader who manages to defeat Takuto will become the order's main commander. He is president of the school's art club. His first phase is the Star Sword Diamond. After releasing the North Maiden from her cage, he is seen talking to Sugata who reinspires Reiji to go back into art. He returns to the Glittering Crux in episode 16, using his Star Sword Diamond to break Mizuno's seal and destroy the Cybody Memma. His Cybody, Reshbal, is similar to Tauburn in appearance and powers. His real name is Tokio Tsunashi and he is actually Takuto's father. Despite being of the lineage of the Tau mark, his father did not pass his mark to him, and Resh mark was given to him by Ryousuke, and after having his Cybody defeated, he managed to have Shingo give his mark to him, thus he managed to take control of another Cybody, Shinpathy, instead of having Reshbal regenerated, which he used to break Keito's seal. He reveals that the whole point of the Glittering Crux is to acquire Shinpathy so that he can use its power to apprivoise Samekh, release the seals and travel through time to relive his memories. That plan ultimately failed when Takuto destroyed Shinpathy while saving Wako.
Keito Nichi (ニチ・ケイトNichi Keito) / Ivrogne (イヴローニュIvurōnyu)
Voiced by: Ami Koshimizu (Japanese); Erica Lindbeck (English)
Class Rep in Takuto's class who sits in front of him. She is also known as Ivrogne, the leader of the Glittering Star's third section, the 'Bougainvilleae' Squad. She is the East Maiden unbeknownst to everyone in the Glittering Star Crusade except apparently for Head and Camel Star, who keeps it a secret to himself so that the final two seals can be broken simultaneously, thus preventing pilots from being trapped in Zero Time. In her childhood she was friends with Sugata Shindō and Wako Agemaki, and like Wako she was inspired to become a singer. She gives up on her dream apparently due to being a maiden but still sings privately at the karaoke bar she works at. She seemingly harbors feelings towards Sugata, whose room serves as the location where she performs rituals as a maiden. After confronting Sugata about her position as the East Maiden and he joins the Glittering Crux as King, she apprivoises and has Head break her seal unleashing the fourth phase and releasing Samekh. At the end, she said to Wako that at the end, Sugata still belongs to her after all as she realizes that Wako understood Sugata much more than she did.
Kanako Watanabe (ワタナベ・カナコWatanabe Kanako) / President (頭取Tōdori)
Voiced by: Ayano Niina (Japanese); Stephanie Sheh (English)
Green haired student that sits behind Takuto. She is married to 65-year-old business tycoon Leon Watanabe and lives in her own luxury cruise ship docked at the island. Despite being married, she is always prone to flirt with other men. She is also a member of the Glittering Star known as 'The President' and leader of the fourth section also known as the 'Adult Bank' squad. Her Cybody is named Betreida. She is also a skilled boxer, able to knockdown large, muscular men with a couple of punches. While she seems to be a very bored wife that enjoys very simple things in life, she is very intelligent and makes her plans far in advanced. In that regard, she has her luxury cruise ship docked for the sole purpose of evacuating the islanders when all of the seals break as the island will begin to erupt in places near the four seals. It has been hinted that she holds feelings for Takuto despite being married. At the end of the anime, she acquires her true mark and helps Takuto.
Simone Aragon (シモーヌ・アラゴンShimōnu Aragon) / Secretary (セクレタリーSekuretarī)
Voiced by: Ayana Taketatsu (Japanese); Cristina Vee (English)
Working as Kanako's assistant, she also is part of the Order's 'Adult Bank' squad. She appears to have feelings for Takashi. Simone is also a Cybody pilot, her Cybody being named Daletos. Her real name is Pamela Watanabe (ワタナベ・パメラWatanabe Pamera), Leon Watanabe's daughter and thus Kanako's step-daughter. After being involved in an accident, Kanako apprivoised to save her life. Not knowing this fact, she works with Kanako to get revenge on her. At the end of the anime, she acquires her true mark and helps Takuto. She is also the first among the Glittering Star members to realize that their Cybodies are calling out to their respective Star Drivers, and also the first to recover her true mark.
Takashi Dai (ダイ・タカシDai Takashi) / Banker (バンカーBankā)
Voiced by: Kenji Akabane (Japanese); Robbie Daymond (English)
Working as one of Kanako's employees, he also is part of the Order's 'Adult Bank' squad. His Cybody Tzadikt has armor that resembles a samurai's hakama and kataginu, reflecting his practice of kendo swordsmanship, and fights with the Star Sword 'Amethyste', which resembles a Japanese blade. He was defeated by Takuto. Like Takuto, Wako, Sugata and Head, he also bears a true mark which allows him to directly control a Cybody without a Cybercasket which he uses to fight once again with Simone's Daletos. He later transfers into Head's 'Vanishing Age' after the release of the West Maiden's seal, since only Star Drivers with true marks can apprivoise now that the Crux has reached the Third Phase, despite his Cybody still being destroyed. He later requests to return to Adult Bank - a request which Kanako accepts. At the end of the anime, he helps Takuto when the other members of the Glittering Crux acquire their true marks.
Benio Shinada (シナダ・ベニオShinada Benio) / Scarlet Kiss (スカーレットキスSukārettokisu)
Voiced by: Chiemi Chiba (Japanese); Jeannie Tirado (English)
Benio is the Resident Advisor of the school's dorms. She is also a member of the Glittering Crux known as Scarlet Kiss, leader of the fifth section also known as the 'Filament' squad. Her First Phase ability is to control any man after kissing him, however it is hinted that she has lost this ability after being defeated in battle. Her Cybody is named Peshent and wields the Star Sword 'Rubis'. Captain of the Kendo club, she's had feelings for Sugata ever since he defeated her in a match when they were little. She's very quick to anger, prone to mischief, and states that she admires strong individuals as they have the power to change things. Her family's ancestry traditionally bore the true Pe mark, but apparently lost it somewhere down the generations. It may be noteworthy that she is the only member of the Crux possessing a Star Sword while neither having a true mark nor is affiliated with Vanishing Age. She does acquire her true mark at the end of the anime using it to help Takuto.
George Honda (ホンダ・ジョージHonda Jōji) / Raging Bull (レイジングブルReijinguburu)
Voiced by: Shun Takagi (Japanese); Ben Diskin (English)
George Honda is a member of the school's boxing club. Honda is also a member of the Glittering Star's 'Filament' Squad. He goes by the name Raging Bull and his Cybody, Alephist, resembles a bull. He was the first opponent to face and be defeated by Takuto's Tauburn. At the end of the anime, he acquires his true mark and helps Takuto.
Tetsuya Gōda (ゴウダ・テツヤGōda Tetsuya) / Speed Kid (スピードキッドSupīdokiddo)
Voiced by: Ōki Sugiyama (Japanese); Brian Beacock (English)
Another member of the 'Filament' squad. His Cybody, Tetrioht, specializes in speed and transforms into a motorcycle. He was the second opponent to be defeated by Takuto. At the end of the anime, he acquires his true mark and helps Takuto
Midori Okamoto (オカモト・ミドリOkamoto Midori) / Professor Green (プロフェッサー・グリーンPurofessā Gurīn)
Voiced by: Houko Kuwashima (Japanese); Lauren Landa (English)
The leader of Glittering Star's Science Guild, known as Professor Green to her subordinates. She is the school nurse. She has an obsession with pretty boys, going as far as to collect candid photos of several male students in albums. Her First Phase ability allows her to reverse her physical age and appear as she was back in high school, an ability she uses to flirt with and manipulate the male students. Her Cybody, Yoddock, has the ability to predict the moves of her opponent. She was defeated by Takuto's Tauburn. At the end of the anime, she acquires her true mark and helps Takuto.
Hideki Shibuya (シブヤ・ヒデキShibuya Hideki) / Professor Silver (プロフェッサー・シルバーPurofessā Shirubar)
Voiced by: Nobuo Tobita (Japanese); Kaiji Tang (English)
Second in command of the Crux's Science Guild. He is also part of the school's college research section.
Mami Yano (ヤノ・マミYano Mami) / Ondine (オンディーヌOndīnu)
Voiced by: Chiwa Saito (Japanese); Brianna Knickerbocker (English)
A member of the Bougainvilleae squad, known as Ondine. A brown haired girl who views the relationship between Takuto and Wako as dirty. She, like Wako, Takuto, and Sugata, possesses a true mark, Kaph. Her First Phase allows her to summon a human-sized fighting doll called Mermaidoll, which is hard to destroy and can multiply, making her one of the first few opponents to actually cause trouble for Takuto outside of Zero Time. Her Cybody's name is Kaphrat. Despite possessing a mark, for reasons unknown she did not join the Vanishing Age during the third phase.
Marino Yō (ヨウ・マリノYō Marino) / Manticore (マンティコールMantikōru)
Voiced by: Ryō Hirohashi (Japanese); Kate Higgins (English)
The twin sister of the Western Maiden. She is a school sports star. When Head takes a leave from the organization, Marino, under the name Manticore, is promoted to head of Vanishing Age. She is devoted to keeping secret the fact that her sister Mizuno is the West Maiden, thus her reasoning for joining the Glittering Crux. The Yō sisters grew up without parents as their father left them and her mother followed him off the island, leaving Marino and Mizuno alone. Because of the abandonment, Marino has always resented her father. She apparently has feelings for Takuto like her sister. She is the driver of Ayingott, whose abilities allow Marino to see all of the Maidens. However, Ayingott is a Cybody which consumes its driver, something that Sugata and Wako somehow knew. Upon looking for the Maidens, she finds that she does not appear in any memories involving her sister. Later it is revealed that Marino is actually a clone created by Mizuno's powers out of her despair from being abandoned. After Mizuno's seal is broken, she leaves the island with her.
Tsukihiko Bou (ボウ・ツキヒコBou Tsukihiko) / Stick Star (スティックスターSuteikusuta)
Voiced by: Kenichi Suzumura (Japanese); Chris Hackney (English)
A member of Glittering Crux's second section Vanishing Age squad. His Cybody is named Lamdth and possesses the Star Sword 'Sardonyx' which can be used in conjunction with a staff like weapon to form a spear.
Takeo Takumi (タクミ・タケオTakumi Takeo) / Sword Star (ソードスターSodosuta)
Voiced by: Yūki Kaji (Japanese); Erik Scott Kimerer (English)
A member of Glittering Crux's second section Vanishing Age squad. His Cybody is named Zayinth and possesses the Star Sword 'Grenat' along with projectile weapons known as Zayinth Sphere. His first phase ability is the manipulation of trajectories of objects, which he uses to cheat during a class baseball game. He was attracted to Marino Yō even before he learned she was Manticore.
Ginta Ryo (リョウ・ギンタRyo Ginta) / Camel Star (キャメルスターKiyamerusuta)
Voiced by: Ryohei Kimura (Japanese); Doug Erholtz (English)
A member of Glittering Crux's second section Vanishing Age squad. His Cybody is named Gimlok and possesses the Star Sword 'Corail'. His first phase ability is to possess animals, like a raven to spy on people or a snake to attack others
Ryousuke Katashiro (カタシロ・リョウスケKatashiro Ryōsuke) / Chairman (議長gichou)
Voiced by: Shinichiro Miki (Japanese); Keith Silverstein (English)
A member of Glittering Crux's second section Vanishing Age squad. Head's mark was originally his until he decided to give it to him. He was Sora's fiancee, but he gouged out his left eye when he found that Head was having an affair with her. Despite his cold attitude, Ryousuke really did love Sora, and has been shown to be fond of her son Takuto as well as Sugata and Wako.
Madoka Kei (ケイ・マドカKei Madoka) / Window Star (ウィンドウスターUindosuta)
Voiced by: Yukana (Japanese); Wendee Lee (English)
A former member of Adult Bank, she turns to Vanishing Age after Glittering Crux reaches the third phase. Her Cybody is named Hegent and possesses the Star Sword 'Perle' along with the ability to manifest illusions in Zero Time. She identifies herself as a Ginga Bishonen despite being female. She is the first member of the Glittering Crux to use the new Overphase machinery. She is in a lesbian relationship with Kou. After being defeated by Tauburn a second time and her real identity revealed, she and Kou decide to leave the island.
Kou Atari (アタリ・コウAtari Kou) / Needle Star (ニードルスターnidorusuta)
Voiced by: Mitsuki Saiga
A former member of Adult Bank, she also joins Vanishing Age after Glittering Crux reaches the third phase. Her Cybody is named Qophlite and she possesses the Star Sword 'Opale.' Her First Phase is 'Eye of the Needle,' which allows her and others with her to take control of other people's bodies. Like Madoka, she identifies herself as a Ginga Bishōnen. She is in a lesbian relationship with Madoka. She leaves the island with Madoka, after Madoka is defeated by Tauburn a second time.

Fish Girl Names

Other Characters[edit]

Sarina Endō (エンドウ・サリナEndō Sarina)
Voiced by: Maaya Sakamoto
A third-year and president of Midnight Flight, the school drama club. Just like the other members of the club she is aware of the Crux's plans and supports Takuto and the maidens. She loves acting and shows great concern for her fellow club members. During the Midnight Flight's play, she ad-libs to Takuto that she may not be human, but part of a different race known as the Entropeople, along with the club's vice president, that is connected to the Cybodies origins--seeing as this speech was in a fictional setting, its probity could be in question (though it is certainly corroborated by her ability to distinguish Reiji's true age). Reiji takes interest in her after watching Midnight Flight's play, as she was the one who wrote the play and the plot seemed to have something to do with Cybodies.
Tiger Sugatame (スガタメ・タイガーSugatame Taigā)
Voiced by: Nao Tōyama
Tiger is a first-year student at Southern Cross High School. She works as a personal maid for Sugata and secretly has a crush on him. She is skilled in martial arts and knows about the Glittering Crux. She's shown to be friendly and sweet, but a little timid. Keito Nichi used a scent in the Science lab to spark Tiger's memory of her and Sugata reading a story book together, stirring conflicting emotions of her affection for Sugata and her duty to honor his traditional betrothal to Wako. This causes her to fall into a hypnotic sleep, and the Crux uses her memories along with the Cybody Hegent's power of illusion to create a fake, lifeless copy of the island in Zero Time, trapping Wako and Takuto inside. However, she was unable to control and fight with Heigent, and the Glittering Crux removes her from the Cybercasket when Takuto manages to apprivoise inside the illusion, knowing that she could not win against him. Both she and Jaguar's main mission is to keep watch on Sugata and kill him in case he tries to flee the island or claim ownership of Samekh, but even after they learn that he joined the Glittering Crux, they could not bear to do it.
Jaguar Yamasugata (ヤマスガタ・ジャガーYamasugata Jagā)
Voiced by: Hiroko Ushida
Jaguar is a second-year at Southern Cross High School, and, like Tiger, serves as a maid for Sugata and is also quite skilled in martial arts. In contrast to Tiger though, she is much more serious and easier to irk. Both she and Tiger's main mission is to keep watch on Sugata and kill him in case he tries to flee the island or claim ownership of Samekh, but even after they learn that he joined the Glittering Crux, they could not bear to do it.
'Fish Girl' (サカナちゃんSakana-chan)
Voiced by: Haruka Tomatsu
The island's 'North Maiden' (気多の巫女Kita no Miko). Nicknamed 'Fish Girl' by Head, she is locked in a cage at his room since her seal was broken, allowing the order to take control of most of the island's Cybodies. It is there that she sings the main fighting song for Star Driver, Monochrome. Throughout the episodes, she also tells the story of Sam the Squid-Piercer. In episode 7, after completing the story of Sam the Squid-Piercer, Reiji releases her from her bird cage, and she is allowed to leave the island due to her maiden seal having been broken. Reiji has stated that it hurts his heart to let her go, while she also stated that she loves Reiji. It is unknown how she fell into the Crux's hands in the first place, allowing them to break her seal although it has been hinted that she did it willingly. In the credits of the movie she is credited with her real name, Hyou Matsuri.
Mizuno Yō (ヨウ・ミズノYō Mizuno)
Voiced by: Rina Hidaka
The West Maiden and a first year along with her twin sister. She is not a popular student at Southern Cross High like her sister, but is still well known due to her eccentricities. She allegedly has the ability to talk to birds and utilize 'magic'. She has a strong crush on Takuto but later realizes that he doesn't feel the same way as her. In an attempt to leave the island, she finds that she is physically unable to, due to her position as a Maiden, with some force causing her day to literally reset to that morning upon reaching a certain distance from the island. It's revealed that Mizuno is actually an only child and when her mother left, she used her powers to create a clone named Marino and fabricated both of their memories to make it seem that they had always been sisters. After her seal is broken, she leaves the island with Marino in search for her mother. Her Maiden Cybody is called Memna.
Ikurou Tsunashi
Voiced by: Hidekatsu Shibata
Takuto's grandfather (and Tokio/Reiji Miyabi's father) and the previous bearer of the Tau mark.
Sora
Voiced by: Fumiko Orikasa
Takuto's mother and Ryousuke's former fiancee. She fell in love with Reiji after realizing that she won't obtain love from Ryousuke (in fact, that was far from the truth as Ryousuke loved her deeply) and had an illicit affair with him but eventually left the island when Ryousuke forced her to realize Reiji's true nature. Before Takuto was born, Sora left the island, and left Takuto with his grandfather Ikurou.
Hana Okada (オカダ・ハナ)
Voiced by: Umika Kawashima (9nine)
Takuto's close middle school friend. Takuto liked her, but she loved Natsuo. Hana visited the island in episode 22.
Fujino Yō (ヨウ・フジノYō Fujino)
Voiced by: Hidaka Noriko
Mizuno's mother who abandoned her as a child.

Terminology[edit]

Apprivoise and Cybodies[edit]

Grill

Apprivoise (from the French verb 'apprivoiser', which means 'to tame') is the term that is used to describe the process by which a Cybody is summoned into active battle. An apprivoisement can occur in one of several ways. In the case of Glittering Crux members lacking a true mark, a member must possess a mask and a Star Driver emblem, using the mask in conjunction with the Cybercasket, a giant machine that serves as a piloting chamber. The Maiden's Seals prevent them from summoning their Cybodies outside of Zero Time; the Third Phase, achieved by breaking two Maiden seals, further prevents them from doing so inside of Zero Time, rendering them unable to pilot at all.

Undine, Wako, Takuto, Sugata, Reiji and most of his Vanishing Age comrades have the ability to summon Cybodies via their true marks on their chests. It is unknown if Maidens still possess their ability to summon Maiden Cybodies, or if they are unable to after their seals are broken. Maidens can apprivoise their own Cybodies, as shown by Keito and Wako on episodes 24 and 25 respectively, during the process of their seals being broken. However, it can be assumed that even after a Maiden's seal is broken, she still possesses powers. This has been shown by Mizuno in episode 16 when even after Memma was destroyed and Mizuno's seal was broken, Marino, a clone created by Mizuno's powers, is revealed to be still alive.

Cybodies are split into three categories, Four Cybodies of the Maiden Type that belong to Wako and the other maidens and prevent Cybodies from being used outside of Zero Time, the single King Cybody in possession of Sugata, so powerful that no pilot ever managed to use it in combat. Ayingott is also a King Cybody, and is the Cybody that battled Samekh in the past. Although it was defeated and weakened, then broken into many pieces. This explains why Ayingott was the only Cybody found destroyed when dug up on Southern Cross Island. The remaining Cybodies belong to the Warrior Type. Glittering Crux's main objective is to destroy the Four Maiden Cybodies to allow them to use theirs in the outside world. It is hinted that a maiden has her seal broken if her Cybody is destroyed or if she loses her virginity before passing her mark to her successor (hence, 'Maiden'). It is also hinted that Cybodies have more uses than simply fighting as it was mentioned that Kanako apprivoised to save Simone. Also it seems that the higher the phase of a Cybody the stronger it is, implying that it is a form of evolution for the Cybody. It has been implied that Cybodies have consciousness, as shown when Ayingott fell into a berserk state while being piloted.

Cybodies seem to be bound from accessing higher phases due to the Maiden Cybodies' seals. Usually the pilots have access to a special power known as the first phase, that can be used even without a Cybody. To unlock the second phase, one of the seals must be broken, two for the third phase and so on, despite it is unknown why Takuto managed to bring his Tauburn to the third phase before the second seal was broken. A Cybody can only be piloted from second phase onwards, and only those bearing true marks can use Cybodies from third phase onwards. The third phase unlocks special abilities for the Cybodies and the fourth phase further increases their abilities but apparently would cause the pilots and Cybodies to become trapped within Zero Time, thus requiring the final two seals to be broken simultaneously. In addition, once the fourth phase is unlocked, Samekh is unsealed. If the fifth phase is unlocked, then Zero Time breaks which also unleashes Samekh onto the world, which will absorb all of the libido in the world causing the end of the world though its user can use its power to its fullest extent such as traveling through time.

There has not been shown to be a clear system for attaining marks, though a possible connection is that each person with a real mark has been 'beautiful', leading the individual to be known as a Galactic Pretty Boy (regardless of their gender). Another point of interest is that only Cybodies who have a Driver with a true mark or a connection to the mark has a Star Sword. Further, each non-Maiden Star Driver who bears a true mark has been shown to be extremely talented at something, such as Tadashi's skill at piano and kendo and Head's art. In addition, all of the four maidens each have a talent for singing. Also, Drivers without true marks lose their first phase abilities after their Cybodies are destroyed. In addition, marks can be willingly passed to others, even if they don't have a mark or the same bloodline. Though with the case of all of the Star Drivers, even if they don't have a mark themselves, if their ancestors had a mark, they can apprivoise and can acquire a mark themselves.

In total, there are twenty-two Cybodies. Each Cybody's name is named after a letter in the Phoenician alphabet, which multiple modern Semitic abjads are derived from, notably Hebrew, Aramaic and Arabic. Each Star Driver's mark is also derived from the matching letters. Some Cybodies also have the ability to summon one or two special blades called 'Star Swords', each one named after a different gem's name in French. There are twelve in total although one remains unseen in the anime series. All Cybodies are capable of flight similar to levitation.

According to Sarina, Tauburn is different from other Cybodies as it was created specifically for earthlings, what could explain Takuto's prowess to pilot it.

List of Drivers and Cybodies[edit]

Fish Girl Song

LetterDriver nameCybodySymbolStar SwordFirst Phase Ability; Cybody PowersClass
AlephJojiAlephist-None; Super strength/Extensible horns called the Buffalo CrashWarrior
BetKanakoBetraida-Human regeneration; Reinforced ClawsWarrior
GimelGintaGimelockCorail (Coral)Animal possession; Star Sword Corail (Zhanmadao-like)/Four-armed detachable cape called Needle Star/Energy fieldWarrior
DaletSimoneDaletos-Barriers; Cybody powers of any Star Driver piloting the second cockpitWarrior
HeMadokaHeigentPerle (Pearl)Summoning a shadow dimension called the Miroir; Memory based environments/Star Sword Perle (broadsword-like)/Limb lasersWarrior
WawWakoWauna-Smell; Maintaining Southern SealMaiden
ZayinTakeoZayinasGrenat (Garnet)Swordsman skills; Star Sword Grenat (joust lance-like)/Four red energy balls called the ZayinsphereWarrior
HethKeitoHethna-Life force transplanting capable of revival called the Pledge of Eternity; Seal of Samekh called the Obito/Maintaining Eastern SealMaiden
TethTetsuyaTetriauto-None; Super speed/Energy saw discsWarrior
YodhMidoriYoddock-Temporary time rejuvenation; Arm Bomber/Seeing seconds into the futureWarrior
KaphMamiKaphrat-An energy composed android called the Mermaid Doll; Transforming into a fish or double sided bladeWarrior
LamedhTsukihikoLamedhosSardonyx (Onyx)Swordsman skills; Star Sword Sardonyx (claymore-like)/Star Sword attaching spearWarrior
MemMizunoMemna-Clone generation (Marino); Maintaining Western SealMaiden
NunSakana-chanNunna-Keeps all Cybodies from unlocking; Maintaining Northern SealMaiden
SamekhSugataSamekhAn extremely powerful energy pillar called the King's Pillar; Reviving and controlling Cybodies/Body lightning/Libido absorption/Eight homing laser cannons/Fifth phase ability: Time TravelKing
AyinMarinoAyingot-None; Shoulder eyes that can detect Shrine Maidens called the Ayingott's Eyes/Possessive black slime from the bodyWarrior
PeBenioPageantRubis (Ruby)Control over kissed men/ Libido absorption/Swordsman skills/Super speed; Star Sword Rubis (wakizashi-like)Warrior
TsadeTakashiSaddictAméthyste (Amethyst)Swordsman skills; Star Sword Amethyst (katana-like)/Rapid slash attack called the Divine SnowstormWarrior
QophKoQophliteOpale (Opal)Possessive eye lasers called the Eye of the Needle/X-ray vision; Star Sword Opale (longsword-like)/Fighter transformation armed with a machine gunWarrior
ReshRyousuke / ReijiReshbalDiamant (Diamond)Eye of Truth; Star Sword Diament/Four funnels/Libido absorptionWarrior
SinShingo / ReijiSinpathyTurquoisePreventing the driver of other apprivoised Cybodies from aging physically; Star Sword Turqoise (zweihander-like) and later Diamant/apprivoiseother Cybodies using energy spearsWarrior
TawTakutoTauburnEmeraude (Emerald) and Saphir (Sapphire)Higher than normal radiance; Star Swords Emerald and Sapphire (rapier-like)/Tau Galaxy Beam/Four funnels/Tau Missile/Dynamic Galactic Cross-SlashWarrior

Fishing Girl

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Alternative Titles

English: Star Driver
Japanese: STAR DRIVER 輝きのタクト

Information

Episodes: 25
Aired: Oct 3, 2010 to Apr 3, 2011
Broadcast: Sundays at 17:00 (JST)
Producers:Aniplex, Dentsu, Square Enix, Mainichi Broadcasting System, Bandai Namco Entertainment
Licensors:Bandai Entertainment, Aniplex of America
Source: Original
Duration: 25 min. per ep.

Statistics

Ranked: #25932
2 based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Members: 87,306
Ranked #2593Popularity #1174Members 87,306
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Synopsis

Deep beneath the surface of Southern Cross Isle, a mysterious organization known as the Glittering Crux Brigade frequently gathers in their underground fortress. The group is particularly interested in 'Cybodies,' stone giants which can transform into massive fighting humanoids but only in a realm known as 'Zero Time.' By finding and shattering the seals of the island's four seal maidens, Glittering Crux hopes to break free of Zero Time and use the Cybodies anywhere they please.
One night, a young man named Takuto Tsunashi washes up on the island's shore and is rescued by Sugata Shindou and his fiancée Wako Agemaki, one of the island's seal maidens. After he awakens, Takuto quickly befriends the two and proceeds to enroll at the local academy, where many of his fellow students are secretly members of Glittering Crux. However, Takuto holds a secret: when in Zero Time, he can utilize a Cybody of his own—the Tauburn. In the forthcoming battle, Takuto and the Tauburn will be the key to preventing Glittering Crux from shattering Wako's seal and realizing its nefarious ambitions.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Background

There was an advance screening on September 16, 2010. The regular TV broadcast started on October 3, 2010.

Related Anime

Adaptation:Star Driver
Summary:Star Driver the Movie

Characters & Voice Actors

Tsunashi, Takuto
Main
Miyano, Mamoru
Japanese
Shindou, Sugata
Fukuyama, Jun
Japanese
Agemaki, Wako
Main
Hayami, Saori
Japanese
Watanabe, Kanako
Niina, Ayano
Japanese
You, Mizuno
Supporting
Hidaka, Rina
Japanese
Miyabi, Reiji
Supporting
Ishida, Akira
Japanese
Hyou, Matsuri
Tomatsu, Haruka
Japanese
Nichi, Keito
Supporting
Koshimizu, Ami
Japanese
You, Marino
Hirohashi, Ryou
Japanese
Fukubuchou
Supporting

Staff

Igarashi, Takuya
Director, Episode Director, Storyboard
Wakabayashi, Kazuhiro
Sound Director
Watanabe, Shinichiro
Episode Director
Nagasaki, Kenji
Episode Director

Edit Opening Theme

#1: 'Gravity Zero' by Aqua Timez (eps 1-13)
#2: 'SHINING☆STAR' by 9nine (eps 14-24)

Edit Ending Theme

#1: 'Cross Over' by 9nine (eps 1-13)
#2: 'Pride' by SCANDAL (eps 14-25)

More reviewsReviews

25 of 25 episodes seen
Archaeon(All reviews)
284 people found this review helpful
Overall6
Story6
Animation7
Sound7
Character5
Enjoyment6
Adaptations are becoming a bit of a thorny issue in anime these days, which is a bit odd considering how many are produced every year. The constant conversion of stories from other media is a pretty lucrative business as there's already an established market for the end product and its merchandise, regardless of how good the show actually is. Like anything in life though, there's a price to pay, and there are increasing concerns about the impact adaptations are having on original works. The resulting negative effect on script and screen writers is beginning to be felt throughout the industry as studios everywhere are finding that their creative teams are slowly becoming unable to develop original concepts into viable storylines. The reason for this is purely because in comparative terms, it takes more effort, imagination and skill to make something original than it does to rework something that already exists, and if one doesn't regularly exercise their 'mental muscles' in a substantial manner, then their creativity will begin to stagnate.
And that's the reason why we get anime like Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto (Takuto of the Radiance).
The series begins with Agemaki Wako and Shindo Sugata as the pair take a moonlit stroll along a beach on the fictional Southern Cross Island. Along the way Wako detects the scent of of someone she doesn't know, and following the trail, she and Sugata find a young man who has been washed ashore. He is Tsunashi Takuto, and his arrival on the island will awaken his destiny.
Well, that all sounds pretty heroic, but that's about as far as it goes. Star Driver may initially seem like an interesting proposition, but many of the plot themes are never fully realised, which only exacerbates the fact that there is simply too much going on in the storyline. The series makes some rather nice subtextual introductions at certain points, but no matter how important these may be to plot or character development, they're never fully utilised and thus become the equivalent of the human appendix (i.e. totally useless).
The storyline progression is handled in the standard 'fight of the week' manner that is so prevalent in shounen anime and manga, but alongside that Enokido Yoji (series composition and script writer), and director Igarashi Takuya (Soul Eater, Ashita no Nadja, Doremi), have seen fit to add a number of themes that only serve to confuse the audience. In addition to this there are a number of questions that remain unanswered come the end of the series, which may hint at an attempt to have the viewer infer the relevant information rather than outright carelessness.
That doesn't mean the storyline is bad though. While there may be a degree of confusion, Star Driver does offer up some interesting ideas that could have taken the show in a new direction.
Visually the series is a bit of an odd blend as while the concept is predominantly shounen, several of the male characters have a decidedly bishounen look to them. Star Driver seems to play on this by naming Takuto's alter ego the Galactic Pretty Boy, but it's difficult to tell if this is an attempt to parody the character style. That said, there's a mundanity to the overall design that no amount of beautification can remove, partly because everyone is supposed to look good, but mainly because there seems to be a limited range of expressions.
While there are a few scenes that depict specific feelings rather well, the majority of the time the characters display very little emotion, and many of the more expressive moments can seem forced or contrived. In addition to this, the complicated and overly sexualised costumes of Glittering Star, the weird posturing, the rather odd mahou shoujo style transformation sequence when Takuto summons Tauburn, and even the design of Tauburn itself, all promote the idea that Star Driver is a parody anime, and this conflicts with the serious tone of the show.
Speaking of Tauburn ..
The conceptualisation of the cybodies is interesting in that it highlights a degree of innovation and originality, which is odd when one considers the slightly banal approach to character design. There's a novelty to the mechas that's nice to see, especially Tauburn's rather obvious court dandy/musketeer influenced look, so the obvious question is why the same innovative approach wasn't taken with the characters themselves. The backgrounds also suffer from a similar mundanity, which is a little disconcerting given the nicely surreal overtones of Zero Time.
As for the animation, the character movements are pretty standard, but the action sequences are often fluid and well choreographed. Unfortunately this is overshadowed by the the fact that specific scenes have simply been re-used to the point where viewers may find themselves skipping particular moments, and while this tends to be a fairly common practice in 'fight of the week' shows, it still smacks of laziness.
Which neatly leads me on to the audio side of the series.
Star Driver initially seems to be well served in the acting department thanks to the experience of Miyano Mamoru (Takuto), Hayami Saori (Wako), Fukuyama Jun (Sugata), and the rest of the cast, so it's a bit strange that many of the roles seem shallow and forced. Part of the reason for this is the lack of facial response on the characters themselves as this gives the impression that the seiyuu are trying too hard, but the script is also to blame as much of the dialogue seems to have been written just to fill in the gaps. All of this makes the voice acting a much more difficult proposition as the seiyuu are often forced to compensate for poor writing.
On the other hand the effects are well timed and very clear, and one of the nice things about this show is how it doesn't use music, as background tracks are often reserved for occasions of emotive importance or action sequences. There are also two opening and ending themes for the series, and while they tend to have a slightly upbeat feel to them, they seem to work well with Star Driver's major theme.
Possibly the biggest issue though, is the lack of substantial development on the part of the characters, which could have been somewhat offset had they been clearly defined from the start. Unfortunately this is not the case, and while viewers are given the facade of progression through interactions, conversations, and even action sequences, in reality there is only one thing learned throughout the whole show, and this only occurs in the final episode. In addition to this there are few explanations forthcoming about why the members of Glittering Star are so determined to use the cybodies, and the only thing that seems to tie their actions into the story is something called The Departure (which is another thing that isn't properly explained).
But that's not the worst part.
In a nutshell, the characters are dumb, and leading the idiocy is Takuto. The very first episode has him entering the enemy base, but for some reason he 'forgets' that he's been to the heart of Glittering Star's operation, and so the secret society is left to continue their work relatively unimpeded. This is possibly the biggest hole in the plot as at that point Takuto is aware of the enemy, knows where they and who their target is, and could very easily expedite a much simpler and shorter resolution. Because of this the so-called past traumas, the posturing, the banality of the high school setting, pretty much everything used to define the characters in some manner, all become slightly ridiculous.
So, where does that leave us? Well, on the surface this seems like a pretty solid proposition, especially with Enokido Yoji (who wrote the screenplay for Diebuster), taking part on the production side, and there are some enjoyable moments that occur throughout the series. Star Driver is nothing if not an interesting idea that tries to approach certain concepts from a different angle, and the little touches of innovation here and there add a pleasing quirkiness to proceedings.
Sadly, it's not enough as the series retains a ridiculous quality that isn't helped by a decidedly sub-par script, seemingly emotionless characters, and the lack of any substantial explanations. Star Driver tries to do too much with too little, and the apparent attempts at parodying certain themes only adds to the confusion and makes the plot more convoluted and overly complicated.
This may not be an adaptation of any sort, but that doesn't mean that it's automatically good, regardless of who worked on it. There are some positives within the series, but ultimately this is nothing more than mediocrity at its finest.
The fault lies solely with Bones, who in the last two years have produced one original anime franchise (Tokyo Magnitude 8.0). Everything else has been an extension of an existing title, or an adaptation from another medium. Unfortunately they're just one studio out of many that continue to try and cash in on the popularity of something else, with no regard for the effect this has on the viewer or the industry itself. After all, it's easier to blame things like fansubs for falling sales rather than admit that what you've produced is nothing more than average.
25 of 25 episodes seen
Cobbles(All reviews)
201 people found this review helpful
Overall8
Story8
Animation8
Sound7
Character9
Enjoyment8
Star Driver has been one hell of a polarizing anime since day 1. Some people were initially on board because it looked like a throw-back to old school mecha. Some watched it because it looked like a full on parody of 90's anime with the ridiculous nature of the show combined with the over-the-top style. And even more watched it because it was penned by the same guy who did the composition for Revolutionary Girl Utena, Yoji Enokido. Yet when the credits rolled at the end of episode 25, it was obvious to me and to anyone who stuck with the show that Star Driver was its own beast so to speak. It incorporated elements of the things I mentioned above yet it never really followed through with any one idea. Surely a mish-mash of these ideas would create schizophrenic anime which tries to do everything and succeeds at nothing, correct? Any other circumstance, I'd tell all of you yes, because there's absolutely no way an anime like that could ever be good. Yet against all odds, I found myself enjoying Star Driver more and more as the weeks went along until I reached the startling conclusion that hey, Star Driver was good! Not just good but pretty damn awesome and compelling! I wrapped my brain around why I was enjoying it so much, when virtually every aspect of the show was working against it. I mean what kind of anime has the audacity to take itself seriously when the main character's title is 'Galactic Pretty Boy'? The answer is: Star Driver, an anime that somehow manages to pull it all off, and pulls it off with a healthy dosage of fabulousity.
SD's story isn't really something out of the ordinary. A secret organization made up of high schoolers are bent on taking over the world with giant robots that are sealed in a pocket of space/time while some random Mary Sue shows up to thwart them with his own ridiculous giant robot while sporting an equally ridiculous costume and Mahou Shoujo-esque transformation scene. While this is the basic premise of SD (and pretty much every episode), many people will think it gets repetitive pretty soon (and believe me, it does). So why would anyone like it? Well my answer is derived solely from one aspect of the show and that's primarily the subtlety of the execution. The subtle way exposition is fed to the audience, the subtle way characters are presented and written, it makes for a really compelling style. Its one of aspects that made Utena as good and popular as it was. Now I know BONES' anime have a notorious reputation of not holding the audience's hand at all when it comes to story-telling and much of it becomes read in-between the lines or not addressed at all. Star Driver also does this, but only to a degree. It's not so vague that it becomes frustrating but its mysterious enough to compel the audience to continue watching. It gives the audience a chance to think about the plot and characters by themselves and tactfully delivers the answers later at an appropriate time. This is a grand form of storytelling not because the story itself is good but mainly because of the way its presented. Unfortunately while the storytelling borders on masterful, there are some really annoying pacing problems with the whole package. Case in point, most people will drop this in the first 5 or so episodes. I wouldn't blame them because the show has very weak start, where characters are very slowly introduced and the show pretty much relies on the mecha fights to carry it for 20 minutes. Didn't help that the fights were usually only 1-2 minutes long. It slowly builds itself up and it really gets better after episode 7 but I can't really look favorably at the beginning since it could have played up the shows strength which is characterization instead of lolhijinks and boring-as-hell mecha fights. The show also drags towards the end which is honestly baffling to me since there was plenty of material they could have used to make things interesting. Yup, around the end it sort of reverts back to the formula used at the beginning, but thankfully gets its shit together and ends on a strong note.
Now like I said earlier, SD's characters are its strongest point. Even when nothing but high school antics are happening on the screen, there is a sense that everything that happens has some meaning behind it. So when characters often start talking about inane or seemingly pointless topics, it can turn out to be euphemism or a metaphor that has relevance to the plot. Now I don't mean all the antics and comedy have some ulterior theme to them, sometimes there really are comedy scenes to make the audience laugh but more often then not, you'll be thinking about some lines of dialogue long after they've been said. This brings me to another element that SD does really well and that's character interactions. Instead of long flashbacks about something or other, character's personalities are revealed through the way they act around each other, especially when the tone becomes serious. And these are probably the best parts of the show, Sugata's conflict with Takuto, Mizuno general interactions with her sister, Kanoko's demeanor and attitude towards the Glittering Crux and Wako's internal struggle between Takuto and Sugata are all great. Even more impressive is the fact that SD goes out of it's way to characterize minor characters as well as major characters. You can probably argue that Takuto himself is the Mary Sue and isn't characterized worth shit but at the same time you could probably write papers on how his real personality is implied in juxtaposition of the Mary Sue front he shows to all the characters and even the audience. Hell you could even write an essay on how his first phase ability makes him the main character of the show with his catch-phrase 'Dazzling the stage' as proof of how meta things can appear. It doesn't go as far as Utena does but it certainly isn't a slouch slouch in that regard.
As per all BONES anime, the art and animation is done very well. There are loads of awesome sakuga cuts for all the animation fans out there. Generally the fights can be very repetitive with Takuto winning all the time but the animation can make them very exciting sometimes. It doesn't happen too often since I can count the number of times where everything aligns on one hand but when the art, animation, plot and music are all synched in excellence, it becomes very awesome. But be warned, this isn't really an anime where the mecha fights are the most important part of the show, most of the backlash towards the beginning happened because the mecha bits were actually the worst parts. Mostly because the fights are nothing more than a tool for characterization in the end and you're enjoyment of it will revolve around how much you care for the character that fights Takuto. I won't say the mecha aspect is downright terrible, but I honestly think they could have better implemented the Cybody fights to coincide more with the plot than the characters. Some of the best episodes in the show don't even have any fights in them. The sound on the other hand is really good and is strong throughout the show. SD has some of the best insert songs I've heard in quite a while (like Monochrome) and uses them very efficiently. The other tracks manage to keep up with the vocal ones as well, so its not like the rest of the OST is bleh in comparison. The voice work is also typically good, the best performances come from Jun Fukuyama as Sugata, Ayano Niina as Kanako and Akira Ishida as Head. Can't say I'm not sick of Mamoru Miyano after watching a lot of animu but he pulls off Takuto's happy-go-lucky attitude well enough and still manages to convey his more serious moments with the appropriate tension.
Star Driver really turned out to be that one show you liked but couldn't really point out why. Kudos to all those people who stuck with it through thick and thin, god knows it tried our patience many times. But for all its apparent shortcomings like derp pacing, flaky mecha moments and wasted potential, it still manged to be one hell of an anime, and a great ride. I'll definitely miss the Saturdays where I stayed up all night into the wee hours of Sunday morning discussing the newest episode and whatnot. If you haven't watched it, I recommend really pushing through those first couple episodes because they're not the best this anime has to offer. Star Driver offers a really unique experience that I haven't seen in much-if any anime, so I strongly recommend it.
oh and
(ノゝ∀・)~キラ☆ KIRABOSHI!
because it had to be done.
25 of 25 episodes seen
8thSin(All reviews)
27 people found this review helpful
Overall8
Story7
Animation8
Sound9
Character7
Enjoyment9
*This review contains spoilers.
'Grand Entrance! Galactic Pretty Boy! Tauburn!!!' Such a stupid and embarrassing line that I would never repeat in public in a million years, but there's something about this series that's just so captivating and moving.
'STAR DRIVER: Kagayaki no Takuto (Takuto of the Radiance)' is like a homage to various '70s mecha anime. Everything about this series screams of classic Japanese mecha, superhero, and tokusatsu, while many modern elements, for better or worse, are also incorporated. The surprise is: Everything clicks.
The story of 'STAR DRIVER' is summarized by caged girl in the beginning and later in the school play: 'Planet of Fish'. The evil organization 'Kiraboshi' aims to reach the stars by breaking all 4 seals of Zero Time and activate cybodies in real life. Kiraboshi's leader is akin to Sam in the 'Planet of Fish' story. On the other hand, Takuto tries to destroy all cybodies so that Mako, the Southern Seal, can leave the island. He represents Mark from the school play. Episodes take the monster-of-the-week format à la '70s mecha.
The characters are the archetype heroes and villains from classic mecha. Our protagonist Takuto is like one of those classic superhero who's good at everything, likes to help everyone, and has such a strong sense of justice that he's almost naive. Yes, super robots were never meant to be piloted by weak indecisive morons, they were supposed to be piloted by superheroes that kids admire. The hero proactively engaging into the battle to make the world a better place, is a nice change from most recent mecha series. On the other hand, the antagonists are all in an apparently evil organization shrouded by mystery. This character setup is proven to work over and over in iconic classic mecha series.
Scene recycling is prevalent like the retro shows, with cybercasket scene looking like classic mecha sortie, Tauburn appearance scenes recycled with CG-assisted backgrounds, hero 'Sailor Moon' transformation into uniform. The enemy mecha even explode with delay, 'Kamen Rider' style, having the protagonist's mecha looking all cool in the foreground after pulling off some awesome move.
Almost every single mecha moves are borrowed from famous '70s anime. Yes, the pilots even scream out the signature move names! These are just few that I noticed (and still remember):
* Tauburn: 'Tau Galaxy Beam' - Mazinger Z 'Breast Fire'
* Tauburn: 'Tau Missile' - Getter1 'Shining Spark'
* Tauburn: 'Galactic Cross Cut' - Daltanious 'Flame Sword Cross Cut', Voltes V 'V Letter Cut'?
* Tauburn: 'Pile' Attacks - Nu-Gundam 'Fin Funnel' Attacks
* Tauburn: 'Pile Crusher' - Getter2 'Drill Punch'
* Tetrioht: Bike attack - Combattler V 'Gran Dasher'?
* Qophlite: Flight mode - Transformers?
The retro influence can even be found in music for this show. Did the insert songs leading up to, and during battles remind anyone else of 'Mothra'? The two main insert songs were absolutely brilliant. Catchy and well edited, more importantly, godly audio mixing that matched perfectly with every single episode's battle initiation.
'STAR DRIVER' must seem like an outdated '70s knockoff by now, but there are also many modern elements mixed in.
Story-wise, the pacing is excellent. It was so captivating that I didn't mind the excessive corniness, and just wanted to know what will happen next. It seems like battle in alternate space is a fad this season, with 'Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica' and 'Yumekui Merry' following the same format. Our heroes are taken to 'Zero Time' by Kiraboshi in nearly every episode, where they fight like crazy for the fate of the Earth, unbeknownst to rest of the world. The show ends with a generic modern epic final battle where the protagonist transcends an (supposedly) insurmountable power in the universe. We've seen it in other mecha series like 'Gurren Lagann', 'Asura Cryin', 'Heroic Age' etc. Unlike those mecha series with fail endings, 'STAR DRIVER' never got too serious, and maintained the so-bad-it's-actually-good atmosphere throughout by almost making fun of itself by rolling out one retro cliché after another, thus the corny ending actually worked.
The show also had healthy amounts of harem and ecchi. It's true every girl in the show were head-over-heels for Takuto or Sugata. However, both of those two main characters knew exactly who they liked, and also didn't have to act like a thickheaded retards most of the time, and just brushed off girls they're not interested in. Additionally, those guys are supposedly extremely good looking, and have decent personality or mystique, so it wasn't too far-fetched that they were the most popular guys on the island (yes, living in an island give girls limited choice too). The ecchi was present in Kiraboshi female costumes and cybercasket scenes, but the girls didn't trip randomly for panchira and the camera wasn't constantly shooting up to their panties. Although these elements exist as little bonuses, they were never detrimental to the show.
The modern artwork is magnificent. Mecha, character, and costume designs were very unique, and the battle scenes were very exciting with fluid action. The visuals were so nice that the horrible CG-assisted recycled scenes seemed to be deliberately done for '70s influence, so-bad-it's-actually good. While the scenery in Zero Time was always amazing, the ordinary world was a bit too bland.
The voice acting is wonderful, especially for that of Takuto, Kanako, and Keito. All of were perfect fit for respective characters, and very emotional tones in key scenes. BGM were decent, some of them quite memorable. The OP by Aqua Timez was perfect for the theme, and addictive like most of their tie-ups.
'STAR DRIVER' was a highly nostalgic mecha series for me, which successfully blended the tried-and-true retro qualities with cliché modern elements to create something completely different. Admittedly, there is the gayness of Galactic Pretty Boy and Kiraboshi members, the abundant corniness, and certain plot holes (like why don't they just shoot Takuto in real life?) that the viewer must overcome, but I believe series like this is what anime is all about. This is one of those series where you have to stop thinking and just feel the show. Is there still a child in you?
25 of 25 episodes seen
ggultra2764(All reviews)
15 people found this review helpful
Overall6
Story6
Animation8
Sound6
Character6
Enjoyment6
This series was giving me a number of vibes connected to Code Geass and I don't mean that in a good way. Star Driver appeared to be trying to mix around the classic archetypes of super robot anime, slice-of-life high school comedy and the over-the-top elements of Code Geass. If the series ran for the most part as a comedy like Gurren Lagann where it didn't take itself seriously, then I would have found myself liking this series quite well. Instead the series tries to take itself seriously yet with the many eccentric traits of the characters, it comes across as rather awkward and hard to take seriously just like Code Geass and is bogged down by quite a good number of issues in its plotting. Many episodes tend to run in a similar setup:
1. Takuto is enjoying himself with Wako and Sugata.
2. Random member of Glittering Crux in the student body meets with him or tries causing mischief.
3. Member decides to challenge Takuto to Cybody battle.
4. Takuto overcomes foe.
5. Repeat for much of the show's run.
This was quite a repetitious setup for each episode and made things appear to be mostly episodic for the show. In addition, the show doesn't really bother going into great detail into its major elements such as what led to each of the students in Glittering Crux to join the group, how Cybodies came to be, how humanity came to discover them and why the Glittering Crux did not dispose of Takuto away from Cybody battles if they desired world domination so badly. The ending also came across as rather weak with a shallow baddie unveiling himself, elements of deus ex machina and failing to provide a proper resolution to the love triangle that later develops with Takuto, Wako and Sugata.
There are some elements to the plotting of Star Driver that did work well for me and kept me from dumping it much earlier on. The series does do well at fleshing out and developing the bond between Wako, Takuto and Sugata showing that the three come to greatly care for one another, even as they are aware of the complicated situation they have to overcome with the Glittering Crux and their love triangle. Marino's character arc even lays out some heart-wrenching and deep-seated issues with her that are not as apparent with her on the surface.
On the visual end, Star Driver does have clean artwork delivering a decent amount of detail on mecha, character and scenery designs; as well as having its moments of fluid animation during fights between Cybodies. There are some noticeable occasions where the visual quality can drop quite a bit, particularly in some scenes during the middle and last episodes.
If you could put up with and enjoy the bizarre and over-the-top developments of Code Geass, then you might be able to enjoy Star Driver more than I did. Otherwise, be prepared for a mostly mediocre romp that tries to blend together the elements I mentioned above yet comes across as hard to care for because it doesn't cover its major elements and is hard to take seriously when it tries to be so.

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Poll: Star Driver: Kagayaki no Takuto Episode 2 Discussion ( 1234 )
Sucrose - Oct 10, 2010
190 replies350 replies
Some series take time to get into. Not these ones. Whether there's some sort of disturbing violence or a profound life-changing event, these debut episodes make it easy to dive right in.