Birdy the Mighty

Birdy the Mighty (鉄腕バーディー) is a manga by Masami Yuki, who is best known for producing the long-running series Patlabor. His initial work on the series was quickly abandoned, but it was made into an anime, which was produced and, on the last episode, scripted by Yoshiaki Kawajiri, who is known for anime titles such as Vampire Hunter D, and Ninja Scroll. The character designer and animation director for the series was Kumiko Takahashi. In 2003, Masami Yuki began serializing a second, more ambitious Birdy the Mighty manga in Weekly Young Sunday.

A new TV anime adaptation, titled Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode (鉄腕バーディー DECODE), which is being animated by A-1 Pictures and produced by Aniplex, premiered in Japan on TV Saitama and other broadcast networks from July 4, 2008. The series is directed by Kazuki Akane (director of Vision of Escaflowne), written by Hiroshi Ōnogi, with its character designer and overseeing animation director being Ryo Timo. It is also slated to air on the satellite network Animax from July 14, 2008 with another season slated to air on January 2009. The TV series is featuring a different seiyū cast from the original OVA series. At Anime USA 2009, Funimation Entertainment announced that it has acquired the show and will be released in 2010.

Plot
Birdy Cephon Altera is a Federation agent chasing interplanetary criminals to the planet Earth. While in pursuit of one such criminal, she accidentally kills a high school boy named Tsutomu Senkawa. Fortunately for Tsutomu, there is a way to keep him alive. He ends up being merged into Birdy's body and must remain so until the repair of his body is complete.

So, Tsutomu is stuck sharing a body with an attractive, strong, and impulsive space police agent while trying to keep his family and friends from finding out about Birdy. In the meantime, Birdy continues her investigation. Together, they take on a secretive group of evil aliens planning to perform experiments on the unsuspecting inhabitants of Earth.

Main

 * Birdy Cephon Altera
 * (OVA)
 * (TV)


 * A Federation police officer, she arrives on Earth in pursuit of alien criminals who are using the planet as a refuge. During one of her missions, she accidentally kills Tsutomu and has to fuse with him in order to keep him alive.


 * In the 2008 anime, her false identity on Earth is rising Japanese idol Shion Arita. She is accompanied by a robot named Tute.

Birdy is an Altairian, a human-like alien, possibly from a planet orbiting the star Altair. More specifically, Birdy is an Ixion Altairian, a bio-engineered supersoldier bred for combat.


 * Tsutomu Senkawa
 * (OVA)
 * (TV)


 * A high school student who has his mind hosted within Birdy after being killed during her confrontation with an alien criminal. Birdy tries to let him live a normal life until his body is rebuilt.

Civilians

 * Natsumi Hayamiya
 * (OVA)
 * (TV)


 * Tsutomu's female friend and classmate.


 * Hazumi Senkawa
 * (OVA)


 * Tsutomu's older sister.


 * Sayaka Nakasugi


 * Sayaka had a weak body until she was involved in a car accident. After she healed from the accident, her demeanor became more cheerful.

Aliens

 * Gomesu/Gomez
 * (OVA)
 * (TV)


 * An alien criminal who had been hiding on Earth in disguise. He's an Altarian henchman of Christella Revi.


 * Christella Revi
 * (OVA)


 * A rogue scientist who is the antagonist of the story.

Manga
The original manga ran in what is now Shōnen Sunday Super, but when Masami Yuki began serializing Kyūkyoku Chōjin R in the pages of Shōnen Sunday it began appearing infrequently, and was eventually abandoned. Only one volume was ever collected. In 2003, after a number of other series for Shōnen Sunday, Masami Yuki moved to Weekly Young Sunday, a seinen magazine, and began drawing a remake version, starting the story from the beginning.

DVD
The first DVD for Birdy the Mighty Decode was released on September 24, 2008.

OST
The Birdy the Mighty Decode OST was released on September 24, 2008 in a simultaneous release with the DVD.

Sora
Sora is the opening theme to the TV animation adaptation titled Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode. It is performed by Hearts Grow.

Track listing

 * 1) Sora (そら, Sky)
 * 2) Mirai Sketch (未来スケッチ, Sketch of Future)
 * 3) Sora - Instrumental (そら)

Production
Birdy the Mighty Decode was first announced under the name Birdy the Movement. It was then revealed in the Tokyo International Anime Fair that the show would be aired in summer 2008 as Birdy the Mighty Decode.

A second season of Birdy the Mighty: Decode began to air on January 9, 2009, known as Birdy the Mighty Decode: 02. It concluded in May. There is no indication that there will be further seasons.

A subsequent OVA titled Birdy the Mighty Decode: Cipher features an "unaired episode" that connects the first and second seasons. It is currently planned for DVD release on July 22, 2009. The episode is named Between you and me. The ending says Bye Bye and to be continued.