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''The Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross'' (超時空騎団サザンクロス ''Chōjikū Kidan Sazan Kurosu'') was the third Japanese animated ( Anime ) series released under the "Super Dimension" moniker by the sponsor Big West. This 1984 Science Fiction robotic mecha series followed '' The Super Dimension Fortress Macross '' (1982-1983), created by Studio Nue with Artland and produced by Tatsunoko , and '' The Super Dimension Century Orguss '' (1983-1984), also created by Studio Nue with Artland and produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha . Unlike the other two series, ''The Southern Cross'' was created and produced almost entirely by Tatsunoko with mechanical designs by its sister studio Ammonite. The series lasted for 23 episodes. The three titles share some of the same creators, and ''Macross'' is referenced by character cameos and inside references by the latter two series. However, the basic stories are unrelated. Most of the animation of ''The Southern Cross'' (with edited content and revised dialogue) was adapted outside Japan for the second part of '' Robotech '', following ''The Macross Saga'', and preceding ''The New Generation''. In this form, it is frequently referred to as ''Robotech Masters'' (as it was titled in the comic book adaptation released by Comico ). Some of the animation from ''The Southern Cross'' also appeared in the aborted '' Megazone 23 ''. MAIN CHARACTERS (SEIYUU) '' adapted names in brackets '' Jeanne Fránçaix '' Sterling '' ( Michie Tomizawa ): At 17 years of age Jeanne finds herself the leader of the 15th Squad in the Southern Cross' A Tactics Armored Corps. A native from the planet Liberté, Jeanne sometimes has a tendency to follow her heart and act rashly, much to the chagrin of her superiors. Her frequent disregard for orders and regulations continually lands her in solitary confinement, often placed there by Lt. Lana Isavia. Fortunately she always manages to be let out when needed. Jeanne develops a romantic interest in Seifriet Weiße, but his reaction is one of puzzlement and disdain. Most of the series revolves around Jeanne's escapades with the 15th Squad, and her almost personal war with the invading Zor. Marie Angel '' Crystal '' ( Kumiko Mizukura ): If Jeanne can be labelled as impulsive, then Marie can be her exact opposite. Nicknamed the "Cosmo Amazon" she represents the model soldier. She was once the leader of a biker gang and has also an aptitude for machines. Despite her tough exterior she still has deep feelings and begins a rocky relationship with Charles de Etouard. As a capable leader, Marie is often the one to snap Jeanne out of her periodic episodes of shock or indecision, usually with a harsh slap to the face. Marie leads her own unit within the Tactics Armored Space Corps, for which she is also an ace. Lana Isavia '' Satori '' ( Mika Doi ): The third central female of the Southern Cross. At 19, Lana is the youngest military police officer on Glorie, and one of the highest ranking. Lana takes her duties very seriously and allows for no compromises regarding protocol and regulations. Her rivalry with Jeanne can be viewed as a subtle game of "cat and mouse". In the beginning of the series, Lana appears to be colder and less personable than Marie. But as the story progresses, she is revealed to be even more of a romantic than Jeanne. Her military training eventually conflicts with her passionate emotions, and she is forced to choose between her duty to the Southern Cross, and her friendship with the 15th Squad. She slowly develops feelings for TASC pilot R. Brown, and they later become romantically involved. OTHER CHARACTERS (SEIYUU)
BACKGROUND The world of Glorie was founded by the human race in an effort to find new worlds for humanity due to the fact that Earth at this time is now uninhabitable from catastrophic nuclear holocaust. Relay stations have been established in Mars and Jupiter and as a result the planet "Liberté" located in the Proxima solar system was colonized. The next planet, Glorie, was discovered in the Epsilon Eridanus system. Similar to planetary scale and atmospheric conditions to Earth, Glorie still had an uexpectedly harsh natural environment. The planet has an elliptical orbit around the sun with a cycle of 73 years. Sixty percent of the planet surface area is land and in the winter, fifty percent of that land is covered with glaciers. Originally the planetery temperatures in winter averaged between -5 to -30 degrees Celsius. Thanks to extensive military terraforming, Glorie was successfully turned into a suitable planet for terrestrial life. The government of Glorie is independent from that of Liberté but is an ally to that planet. In the year 2120 (When our story takes place) Glorie is now a self sufficient planet in terms of food and resources. SOUTHERN CROSS ARMY The military organization (referred to as the Southern Cross Army) is under the jurisdiction of its prime minister. The units are divided among the land/sea forces and the aerospace force. There are also military police and security forces which are independent, but directly affiliated with Supreme General Headquarters. Headquarters are located on every major city.
PERSONAL ARMOUR Every soldier of the Southern Cross Army is issued a personal combat suit known as an "arming doublet". The purpose of the suit not only acts as protective armor but also improves combat performance. Each suit is equippped to serve different functions and can be altered depending on the mission requirements and needs of each division and rank. All suits are personally tailored for the physique of the individual, resulting in high mobilty. Some variants of the arming doublet also have the ability to serve as self-sealed spacesuits. THE ZOR The Zor are a race who serve as the antagonists for the Southern Cross army. The Zor were the former inhabitants of the planet Glorie but had to evacuate due to an apocalyptic war. Their advances in biotechnology surpass that of humanity, and the weapons they employ called "Bioroids" serve as a formidable enemy to the units of the Southern Cross. They operate in groups of three. Each member is responsible for one of three functions: information, decision and action. As whole they present a powerful threat but if one member is lost to the group then they lose their stability and become unable to function. Characteristically, the Zor are human in appearance, tall and slender with violet eyes, silvery hair and pale skin. The Zor have a symbiotic relationship with a flower native to Glorie referred to as the Protozor which like them exist in trinities. BIOROIDS Since the Zor are not a race suited for combat, they employ biohumans to act as soldiers on their behalf. Biohumans are abducted personnel from the armies of the Southern Cross and Liberté forces who are brainwashed and forced to pilot the Bio-engineered mecha created by Zor supreme commanders. The most impressive feature of Bioroid technology is the ability to convey the thoughts of the operator directly to the mecha. This increases the response time making the Bioroids movements infinitely more agile that those of the Southern Cross Mechas. In short the Bioroids are actually "alive" with the pilots acting as their "brains". The tactical advantage of the alien forces serves the Zor in two ways. One- the use of the Bioroid serves as a superior fighter over the Southern Cross mecha. Two- the use of biohumans serve as a psychological deterrent as the human soldiers find they are fighting their fellow comrades at arms. During the time of the conflict many variations of the Bioroid were implemented by the Zor in order to adapt to the ever-changing battle conditions experienced on the field. EPISODE LISTING
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