Blue Knight Berserga Story 1
After Armored Trooper Votoms wrapped up its original TV broadcast in March 1984, fans of the show continued worldbuilding in the pages of Takara’s Dual Magazine. This became the platform for the first Votoms side story, Blue Knight Berserga. Dual ceased publication before the story could reach its conclusion, but this was not the end.
It returned as a 2-part novel from Asahi Sonorama in June and September 1985 with both its original writer and illustrator at the wheel. This inspired two more over the next two years, and an explosion of merchandising (mainly garage kits) that has continued ever since. (See it all here.)
Now, 40 years after it originally appeared, I invite you to finally read this story in English!
Chapter 2 (part 2) added May 1
Blue Knight Berserga Story [1]
Author: Masanori Hama
Illustrator: Hiroyuki Hataike
1985 Blurb:
I’m Kain McDougal. An A.T. pilot known to the world as “Votoms” — the lowest of the low. After the end of the Hundred Years’ War that split the Astragius Galaxy in two, we who knew nothing but fighting earned our daily bread by riding abandoned A.T.s in battling matches. It was a terrible business that spread the smell of blood in the desolate towns where the scars of war were still fresh.
What supported me as I became a fighting machine, traveling from town to town on my A.T. “Berserga” was my boundless hatred for “Shadow Flare,” who had brutally murdered my only friend. Sha Bak, who had his limbs torn off before my eyes, was everything human to me after the war when I was turned loose from the military.
Sha Bak. I’ll avenge you!
A shocking inside story set in the world of the popular anime Armored Trooper Votoms!
Masanori Hama
Real name: Hisato Shimogouchi. Born in 1963. Originally from Fukuoka Prefecture. Dropped out of Hosei University. While still a student, he aspired to be a writer, and made his debut as a scriptwriter in the MBS TV anime Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross. He is currently working for various magazines.
Hiroyuki Hataike
Born in 1961. Originally from Tokyo. Debuted in Dual Magazine. Since then, he has been illustrating for publishers such as Minori Shobo and Tokyo Sogensha.
2017 Blurb:
After the Hundred Years’ War that split the Astragius Galaxy in two, the Votoms — A.T. riders, known as the lowest of the low — sought a way to make a living through the betting game of “Battling”, where A.T.s fight each other.
I, Kain McDougal, was one of them. But I only have one reason to pilot the Blue Knight Berserga: to find and defeat the “Shadow Flare” that slaughtered Sha Bak…
The side story of Armored Trooper Votoms is miraculously revived!
Complete with illustrations by Hataike Hiroyuki!
PROLOGUE: ASTRAGIUS YEAR 7110
People died and planets shattered. Splitting the Astragius Galaxy in two, the Gilgameth Galactic Army and the Balarant Galactic Army were engaged in a fierce battle to the death. A long battle…when did it begin and what was its purpose? No one remembers. But there was definitely an “enemy” there…
The Grim Reaper marches with heavy footsteps. Armored Troopers appeared in the latter stages of the war. They gave peace in exchange for life to those who failed to die. Steel demons nurtured in smoke and a hail of gunpowder. People called them VOTOMS — “the lowest of the low.”
After spilling a great deal of blood and sacrificing a hundred years of life, the war came to a ceasefire without a resolution. The cities were devastated and people’s hearts were desolate. The soldiers who were cast out of the military knew nothing but fighting.
I, Kain McDougal, was one of those Votoms riders…
ASTRAGIUS YEAR 7213…AFTER WAR
and in an instant, consciousness will be lost.
All that remains is “fighting.”
It is a phantom left by the Hundred Years’ War, and the smell of blood has permeated the Votoms pilots.
— Sha Bak —
“You’re a friend,” he said.
Click here to read part 1
NEW: Click here to read part 2
Part 3 still to come
Some were tough, some were nostalgic for the old days, and under the rusted steel frame, there was its writhing form. Arg — a city infested with demons tamed by war.
Still to come
— You are the enemy of my friend —
And beyond the creaking machine,
black flames began to flicker.
Still to come
Weight • 8923kg
Armor thickness • 8-15mm
Running speed • 32km/h
Weapons used •
GAT-118 modified machine gun
Battle record, regular matches: 67 Wins, 15 Losses
Irregular matches: 9 Wins, 1 Loss
Among the battling A.T.s, this is the most dramatic unit. In particular, the battle with the legendary “Shadow Flare” is still fresh in the memory. It lost its original owner in this battle, and is now in the hands of its current rider, “Corpse” Kain. It has a particularly outstanding record in Real Battles, and is not shy about publicly declaring that it has killed 200 people.
Weight • 8102kg
Armor thickness • 6-15mm
Running speed • 40km/h
Weapons used:
GAT-98 bazooka, etc.
Battle record, regular matches: 23 Wins, 3 Losses
Irregular matches: 10 Wins, 1 Loss
This unique machine is a bold modification of the Tortoise series, and there is an anecdote that an engineer team who was forced to retire at the end of the war risked their lives to tune it up. The power that this machine produces is overwhelming, and it has buried many famous machines since its first match.
Weight • 8750kg
Armor thickness • 7-16mm
Running speed • 35km/h
Weapon used • GAT-167 handgun
Battle record, regular matches 5/37
Irregular matches 0/1
This unit, the “Funny Devil,” is popular as a villain in Arg City. When it appears on the field with the Balarant military anthem as its background music, the atmosphere in the arena becomes tense and exciting. Many people cast lustful glances at the A.T. pilot, who calls herself a Balarant native and has a checkered past. She is probably the strongest villain character.
Weight • Unknown
Armor thickness • Unknown
Running speed • Unknown
Weapon used • Large solid shooter, etc.
Battle record, regular matches 0/0
Irregular matches 23/0
There are many mysteries surrounding this A.T. It is said that this machine, which only appears in real battles, has overwhelming combat power that puts other A.T.s to shame. To date, no one has been able to hold their own against this A.T. for more than 10 minutes.
This is awesome! Thanks so much for the translation Mr. Eldred!
No charge, buddy!
This is amazing. Votoms has been my favorite anime for a few years now and I’ve just stumbled on this page. Thank you so much for gathering all this Votoms greatness!