Posted on September 14, 2023

Dual Magazine No. 4

● Introducing the program after Fang of the Sun Dougram with the latest data!

● Interview with General Director Ryosuke Takahashi just before broadcast

● Hard mecha! What is an Armored Trooper?

A man who knows nothing but how to live as a soldier loses his place to fight, and is thrown into a city where violence reigns. In the midst of the chaos of greed and deceit, he finds his first friends. While society is in upheaval in preparation for the next war, a man searches for a way to live as a human. His name is Chirico Cuvie.

Story

After the end of a space war known as the Hundred Years War, the planet Melkia in the G system has found a temporary peace. However, it is only a pause until the next war. The Melkian army on the Gilgamesh side, to which Chirico Cuvie belongs, can no longer maintain itself, and many of its soldiers have lost their jobs.

[Translator’s note: the original text mistakenly called it the “Ten Year War.”]

Chirico, an A.T. pilot, was forced to leave the army and drifted to the city of Woodo. This three-story underground city is home to a mining site for jijirium, an important strategic material. The city is controlled by an organization calling itself the Security Police. It is also a city of violence, with motorcycle gangs and vagrants.

Goto, a black marketer, buys Chirico’s AT piloting skills here, and enters him in a Battling partnership (like pro wrestling in A.T.s). However, there is a secret society that wants Chirico’s life…

VOTOMS is a drama about the rehabilitation of a man scarred by war?
Interview (1)

A man who has known nothing but war ever since he can remember. Suddenly, the war is over and he is forced out into a post-war town alone.

“What have you been fighting for?”

He has lived his whole life without thinking about such things. So, when peace came, he didn’t know what to do. Thanks to the mission he participated in just before the end of the war, he came under surveillance by both the enemy and his allies, and was caught up in the turmoil.

He has to fight in an Armored Trooper. In the process, friends are born. These are his first friends that are not comrades-in-arms, but rather human companions. I’m thinking of a drama in which he gradually regains his humanity, finds new meaning in the fight, and gains a new way of life as a soldier.

“Prototype” strategic weapon, better than an A.T.
Interview (2)

Chirico’s last mission was about a “prototype.”

On the asteroid Lido, Chirico encounters the body of a newborn woman. This prototype is a kind of cyborg, a fighting machine more focused on the mental aspect than the physical. In other words, there are no artificial muscles, artificial organs, or any other modifications. The body’s former memory is erased and knowledge of only combat and tactics is implanted. Moreover, they obey the orders of their superiors. It was developed at the end of the Hundred Years War as a more strategic weapon than the AT.

The Secret Society is an organization that has extended its power to the inner circle of the Melkian military, intending to gain an advantage in the next war by acquiring this prototype.

However, the female Chirico encounters recognizes him as a blank slate. She comes to think of Chirico as a being greater than her superiors. Chirico also cannot forget her, and although it is not a simple love affair, they are attracted to each other at every encounter.

In terms of combat ability, when fighting each other in A.T.s, the prototype is overwhelmingly superior to humans. Because of their superior reflexes, even if their physical strength is the same, it makes a big difference. In the course of the fight, Chirico also begins to think about becoming one himself, but he will have to come to a conclusion about his way of life.

Three prototypes were created at the end of the war. It is confirmed that the Secret Society took one of them. The Gilgameth forces, to which Chirico belonged, took him prisoner and intentionally let him escape in order to track him down.

Chirico is trying to trace the whereabouts of the prototype. This mystery is the main feature of this work.

The Hundred Years War
Explanation (1)

This was the third war for a space civilization, which is composed of countless planets and nations, large and small. Gilgameth and Balarant, the main protagonists of this war, fought across the galaxy with many allies.

One hundred years after the outbreak of the war, both sides find it difficult to maintain the front line and reach an armistice agreement. However, the relationship between the two forces remains fundamentally unchanged. The armistice is said to be simply a period of preparation for the next war.

Armored Troopers were deployed on a full scale for the first time during this war, and many results were achieved.

Armored Trooper codename “A.T.”
Explanation (2)

An A.T. is a mobile weapon designed to occupy a certain area. It was first introduced in full scale during the Hundred Years War.

Artificial muscles expand the capabilities of the pilot many times over. Its strong armor increases survivability. It was especially effective at advancing across wasteland and urban rubble, moreso than the standard tank/infantry combination.

The ability to use heavy hand-held weapons and the attachment of various functional backpacks increased mobility. In particular, the mounting of a space vernier greatly expanded the A.T.’s range of use. In addition, the exchange of limb parts according to the operation improved the response capability.

The name “Trooper” is derived from the fact that ATs were first deployed in cavalry divisions, the most advanced ground forces.

VOTOMS is a common name for A.T.s. This originates from the term “Vertical One-man Tank for Offense & Maneuvers.” But it is strongly believed that the soldier’s slang of calling themselves “bottoms” (guys at the bottom of the barrel) led to it becoming a fixed term.

AT control system
Explanation (3)

A. Insert a disc with a program stored in advance to perform movement operations. Modifications and tactical deployments can be automated.

B. The pilot can operate the A.T. directly by using the images and data projected into his goggles to control emergency actions such as shooting, evasive maneuvers, etc.

C. Several types of disc can be set simultaneously. Programs can be changed both automatically and manually.

D. Discs are created using a dedicated computer for each operational action. (Though this cannot be done inside the A.T.)

The main character’s mecha is destroyed every time
Interview (3)

The main mecha in this work is a 4-meter robot called an Armored Trooper. In Dougram, the Combat Armor was positioned as a tank, but an A.T. is treated as heavy infantry.

I have received some criticism from fans that Dougram was too strong. I myself wanted to destroy the Dougram as soon as possible and have the main character switch to a normal Combat Armor, but I couldn’t do that, so I wanted to give it a try this time.

The first A.T. that Chirico uses is quickly destroyed and replaced, one after another. As I depicted in Dougram, a robot is a very troublesome thing outside of combat. They need a trailer to move, and if it breaks down, they cannot walk. Therefore, if Chirico thinks an A.T. is too slow to escape, he immediately discards it.

A.T.s are equipped with hands, feet, portable firearms, and backpacks, depending on their operational use. There are various types. Chirico continues to fight with the A.T. that Goto obtained from somewhere. Fortunately, Chirico’s friends are black marketeers.

“Votoms” in the title is the common name for these A.T.s. Chirico always calls his robots Votoms. As for me, I call them “bottoms” (B became V for business reasons), which means “people at the bottom of the barrel.”

CHARACTERS AND SUB-MECHA

Prototype
Explanation (4)

A cyborg body secretly developed by the Gilgameth Army at the end of the Hundred Years War.

A special metal, jijirium, is used in the central nervous system, and the reflexes are several times faster than those of normal humans. Their memories are erased, and they are given identification numbers and knowledge of combat and tactics. This allows for the rapid development of skilled soldiers who obey orders absolutely.

Their bodies are not modified, and their muscular strength, stamina, and other physical characteristics are on a par with those of normal humans.

Armored Trooper Mid-class Standard type Scopedog

Background of A.T. Development

The A.T. was developed as a strategic weapon for invasion and conquest. In other words, it is the signature weapon of ground forces, which historically developed from infantry to cavalry to tanks.

It is at the forefront of the weapon development principle of maximum killing and injury by the least number of people. At the same time, one of the development goals was to achieve maximum mobility in all terrain, weather, and other conditions.

* * *

The development of A.T.s was made possible by the practical application of the muscle cylinder. At present, there are very few examples of muscle cylinders being used for anything other than A.T.s. The reason is that both muscle cylinders and A.T.s were developed under wartime conditions, and their practical use for purposes other than war has been postponed.

Also, polymer ringer solution is very expensive, making it cost-prohibitive for civilian use.

The muscle cylinder itself is still under development, which may explain why A.T.s use so few of them.

It is very difficult to miniaturize a muscle cylinder because of the fluid velocity inside the cylinder. It is said that it will not be possible to develop a smaller muscle cylinder than the ones used in the arm of this A.T. for at least 30 years.