Dual Magazine No. 12
Blue Knight Berserga Story diorama: Blood Fight
Pile bunker!
I pulled the lever with all the energy I had in my body. Pierce! My anger, Sha Bak’s anger, and the pile bunker, which Ronny had risked her life to protect, pierced his machine from the lower right side.
(See the original story starting on page 62)
This is a reproduction of the last scene. The instant conclusion after a deadly battle — this is the limit of what can be expressed in a diorama reproduction. I have made three Berserga dioramas. When I think about it, all of them seem to have been a battle between the proto Strikedog (Shadow Flare) and Berserga. Of course, I don’t think I was able to fully express the action in the diorama. I regret that, but it was fun creating the world of the story. Thank you to all the fans who have supported me over the years.
No.12V1D Production/Panzer Leader, Shinobu Nakamura
It might be a game!
MSX Corridor 32KB
Design program Marbot Pro, Masatoshi Kondo
Dual Magazine isn’t the only simulation!
Simulation games are not realistic at all (of course not), unless you have some kind of device to make them realistic. If you roll a dice and move to a new square (there is also a figure), can you see the explosion scene? Can you feel how fast the bullets fly? Well, I won’t go that far…but why not give computer games a little try? Don’t think that action games are childish, just listen to me for a moment.
Here it comes! Action role-playing game Blue Knight Berserga Story
Of course, this is not just a game. The pattern consists of 3 parts and has 30 stages. Each stage is a battling match. What makes this not just a game is the secret of its structure. In a normal game, all you have to do is to beat your opponent. In this game, however, you cannot destroy your opponent easily.
The whole game is about defeating the Black A.T. and the objective is to face off against it. Sometimes you have to strategize in order to get information about him from your opponent. And since you have to win the match, it’s a tough job. To be precise, even if you lose, the game is not over unless the Berserga is destroyed. The damage your unit takes in a match is paid for by the fight money for that match (this is your score). If you don’t win, your fight money will be reduced, so if you take a lot of damage, it will be very difficult to fight from the next stage onwards.
Moreover, because there are few enemies, they are well-developed. In addition, there are traps and the enemy’s abilities are increasing. You can’t cut through them with just your reflexes. I hope this has piqued your interest a little. Unfortunately, I can only show you pictures here. But if you see it anywhere, please give it a try! See you later!
Text in yellow box:
The blue part in the upper right corner is a metal detection radar. The bar under ENERGY indicates energy. The letter P.B. below it is an abbreviation for “pile bunker.” The color of Berserga changes from blue to yellow to red according to the degree of damage, indicating the condition of Berserga.
*This game was originally created by Mr. Kondo and is not currently scheduled for commercial release. Please note that we cannot answer any inquiries regarding this game. (Editor)
Art by Kasumi Bonshirou
TEXT 1
This page is a supplementary note touching on characters and battling. The above sketches were made at the time of the project. (The inclusion of a certain famous character is a nice touch.)
Neil’s costume was initially designed with flashy decorations, since he is one of the rich matchmakers. The muffler is an image equivalent to a necktie, and he wears a loose-fitting vest (this is a tricky one, since it is bulletproof and has all sorts of tricks up its sleeve). The coat has a gunpatch with an engraving and I’m thinking of details to follow in the off-screen world of Votoms.
TEXT 2
Kaine and Sha Bak’s pilot suits are a modified version of a military suit, which can be considered custom-made. The suit is basically divided into three layers:
① protector (shoulder pad and vest)
② G-force pressure bag and insulation
③ osmotic material for radiation control and air-conditioning circulatory system
In addition, there are more than a dozen organic connectors placed around the helmet as the A.T. operating system. This means that data from the mission disc is not only fed back to the A.T., but also directly to the cerebral association area. This is a system with a strong training character. It was probably developed by Sha Bak in the sense of self-discipline as an outsider.
In contrast, Chris Kurtz’s pilot suit has a gel-like protective fluid that is filled when the cockpit is sealed. Rather than a suit, it is connected directly from the body to the A.T.’s data processing system, which then processes the data. In effect, it is a total system in which the passenger becomes an organic computer. (It’s really creepy!)
TEXT 3
This is one of the paddock scenes. It is a medium-sized team. There are many connections with the military and companies, and some of the later battlings were used as testing grounds by numerous SPDs (Special Project Departments). The authorities begin to inspect the area in a hurry. “What are you talking about? We’re a legitimate team.”
GAT extra: A.T. Best 10 & Designer’s Note
Kazumi Fujita, artist!
“A.T. Best 10!”
Hi, I’m Kazumi Fujita, the mecha designer. The “A.T. History” that ended last issue has come back this time as an extra edition, thanks to the tremendous support of our readers. So let’s announce the results of the “GAT best 10” that we solicited in the last issue.
First of all, here is the list from 10th to 4th place
No. 10: XATH-01 Shadow Flare, 26 votes
Tied at No 10: BATM-03 Ronny Special, 26 votes
No. 9: XATH-02 Strikedog, 29 votes
No. 8: ATM-09ST Scopedog, 34 votes
No. 7: ATM-04ST Cruel Dog, 37 votes
No. 6: ATL-FX1, 43 votes
No. 5: ATM-01 Clever Camel, 51 votes
No. 4: ATH-FX1, 56 votes
The results were as follows:
“Cruel Dog” was surprisingly cool in 3D. “Clever Camel” is also very popular, which makes me glad. Thank you, Mr. Eguchi and Mr. Sugiyama. I wish “Ronny Special” was more popular. It’s cute, but…
Now, the best 3 are announced.
No. 3: XATH-02DT Rabidlydog, 76 votes
This is indeed a popular model! I like the silhouette created by the huge iron claw, which gives it a strong character. Please, Takara, make it into a commercial product. It’s not too late.
No. 2: ATH-Q63 BTS II Berserga Super Execution, 105 votes
Here it is! The main mecha of Blue Knight, the most powerful A.T. in the Astragius galaxy! Mr. Nakamura’s super detail version is almost unbelievable. Unfortunately, the popularity of BTSI has dropped with the appearance of BTSII. At first, the power-up was just added armor. However, the temptation of “the strongest” was too much for the BTSII, and the stabilizer was added. A new type of M.C., a large pile bunker…it’s almost a different thing. Heh heh heh!
Now, here is the best 1.
No. 1: ATM-FX1, 156 votes
Yay!!! It also appears in Blue Knight in this issue! I was originally inspired by my personal frustration that I could only draw old A.T. models in the FX series due to the nature of “A.T. History”, and I thought, “Let’s do an advanced version!” I’m glad to see that all of them made it into the best 10. (There is also a story about the Scopedog.)
“Thank you for your letter!”
After the top 10, here’s a corner introducing postcards that I liked. Actually there are more, but I don’t have more pages, so this is all I can post. Sorry.
LEFT: Katsushika Hokusai-kun (pen name)
Wahahaha, you’re good! You’re the only one who figured out that the naming of Kaine [McDougall] and Chris [Kurtz] actually came from Chris McDougall. In fact, our staff loves Chris from the movie Lensman. The “Z666” on the edge of Shadow Flare, the BTSII line, etc. You’re in sync with us, aren’t you? Maybe you’re a genius.
CENTER: Keiko Nakagawa, Tokyo
(Note suggests that “Berserga” is based on the word “Berserker.”)m
What an academic! We didn’t know that either. What? Do you know, Hataike-san? Hmm. By the way, the word “berserker” comes from Fred Saberhagen’s Berserker SF novel series. You should read it, though, because it features an unmanned killing machine. I wonder if Saberhagen got “Berserker” from Norse mythology.
RIGHT: Koji Komatsu-kun, Sasebo City
You’re the only one! It’s amazing that you can draw this from such a confusing picture. And you are 12 years old, what a talent. However, there is one thing wrong; the parts on the right shoulder are actually from the backpack. It feels like you’ll end up being a mecha designer or illustrator. (Uh… what if I say something careless and lead a boy astray…?) Anyway, I wish you all the best.
“Times gone by”
Between you and me, the design work for “A.T. History” was very hard. I did ten A.T. models in a week. In addition to the crazy schedule, the writer, Masanori Hama, started to say things that I didn’t understand. Other jobs came in, and variant A.T.s would appear. (Eh? It was the same for you, Mr. Hama? Waaa! Hold on, please don’t take my pen away…)
Hama: Wasn’t it you who said that you could transform A.T. using the landing mechanism? GAT was kind of a mess in the beginning! It was checked by Mr. Inoue of Sunrise! After that, it was my fault that it escalated!
(Please don’t be upset.)
But I reflected on and referred to the letters from readers. I thought about it a lot!
(No mention of Blue Knight?)
Hmm. When I started serializing it, I thought it was going to become X Berserga. But it was well-received! Huzzah! I liked the battle scene in the last episode. As expected, when the girl was killed, things got serious. But I’m happy that it gradually exceeded the realm of the ordinary. The serialization is finished for now, but I’m currently working on writing a new story for the Asahi Sonorama Library. Thank you very much!
Whew. I finally got my pen back. Let me touch on the original idea of Blue Knight here. The initial BTS was based on the Q64 and modified. That was the concept. The main character inherits the Berserga of a murdered Quentian and is searching for his nemesis. The basic idea has not changed, but Berserga’s nickname is “La Iyaru,” which is named after a Quentian, and Kaine is “Garland Wraith.” The story also has a professional wrestling style, with flashy A.T. markings, clearly reflecting Katsumata’s taste. But I would like to see “La Iyaru” screaming in the spotlight.
However, I’m very glad that I could do “A.T. History.” I have received some criticism from Votoms fans, such as it was too “Studio Nue” or too “Studio Artmic,” and I’m sorry for causing trouble for the modelers. I also thank Nippon Sunrise and Mr. Kunio Okawara for their kindness. I learned a lot from all of them. Thank you all very much. As some of you may know, I am currently working on Zeta Gundam. Let’s meet again somewhere.
Berserga BTS early design 1
This is the stage when the idea became concrete. It was mostly just a doodle drawn while meeting with the illustrator Hiroyuki Hataike and others. Looking at it, the fact that the pile bunker is a percussion type is just crazy!
LEFT: Berserga BTS early design 2
The earliest design by Mr. Hataike. All the design images of BTS can be said to have originated from this. The pile bunker can be replaced with a bazooka in Real Battle. The sandroader and the optional gliding system are used in combination to provide high running ability. (It can even climb a vertical wall!) But this was scrapped.
CENTER: Scopedog High Maneuver Custom
A Scopedog modified to be lighter and more maneuverable by removing armor and other parts. I strongly insisted, “Let’s put it in Blue Knight!” But the response was, “This isn’t Heavy Metal [L-Gaim]!” So, it was lost. That frustration manifested itself as the ATM-FX1.
RIGHT: Fatty (Ronny Special) early design
It was supposed to be more of a Gilgameth-like design. But the final draft was almost the same as a Fatty.