Despite the title, this is not a feature but the three-part OAV Battle Skipper (1995), which Takashi Watanabe directed before going on to Slayers. When the members of the Etiquette Club at St. Ignacio’s School for Girls go down the tubes–literally–they acquire the skimpy outfits they wear to pilot the unfortunately named BSs or Battle Skippers–state-of-the-art military mecha. As “Extars,” the Etiquette Club members fight to eliminate evil from the world, which means the bizarre schemes of Sayaka, the nasty, super-rich president of the rival Debutante Club, and her flunky, Todo. The series was created to promote a line of robot toys from Tomy, and viewers who are willing to accept high school girls’ quarrels escalating into battles involving satellite weaponry may enjoy these silly adventures. But to describe them as “slight” is flattery. Unrated; suitable for ages 14 and up: Nudity, violence, violence against women. –Charles Solomon
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Camp silly fun.
You’re not watching this for the plot, the mecha, or the character develompent. You’re not even wathcing it for the cheesecake.
Well….. mabye the cheesecake.
What this is a a terribly funny, deliberatley camp little series.
Tomy (the people responsible for the losely connected series of plot holes known as Zoids chaotic century) put together a plot to promote some toys, which was then assembled into 90 minutes of silliness by people responsible for the slayers, bubblegum crisis, excell saga and lodos wars.
IF you want some of “great director nabeshin”’s earlier work, you cant go past this insane, inane little gem.
If you want something worth devoting some actual time and brainpower to however, you’ve come to the wrong people.
Worth wtching in dub simply for the strangly cute accients of the robot AI’s.
Well worth fishing out of your local anime stores’ any old junk, $8 a tape bin.
1 Star An Okay Rental
Battle Skipper is a three episode mini-series about
school girls from two different clubs wage war by
using mechs called Battle skippers. One club called
the Etiquette Club, has five girls in its membership
whom happen to be ditzy and shallow. The Etiquette
Club are the the forces of good that try to save
the world from: the rival club called the Debutante
Club. The Debutante want to rule the world, though
it is never explained how they planned to do it, they
just say “some day we will rule the world”. I’m pretty
sure that this anime was meant to appeal to girls
since it contains a magical-transformation sequence,
but there are better girl shows out there, (ie…sailor moon).
So whom is Battle skipper going to appeal to?
The answer: no one
The artwork is dated but looks average, the animation
quality is also average and the action is forgettable.
The english voice-acting is as terrible as can be. The
battleskipper mechs are weird looking, stumpy mechs,
which actually don’t look like mechs at all. In the final
battle there is a spaceship shaped like a rose/flower and
then it was revealed that the battles was just a “game”.
Why waste your time and money watching anime like this when
you could be watching something else. Contains three
episodes ends on episode three and never makes a comeback.
Okay for teens.
5 Stars Can’t wait for more
I was really happy when I got this dvd. I enjoyed it. It had likeable characters, action, and a good catchphrase. I can’t wait until the next one comes out. Does anybody know when that is? (and yes there is a second one… if you search the net you will see that).
1 Star Boring beyond all belief…
It’s hard sometimes to describe what exactly it is that makes a show lousy. Is it mediocre dialog? Lackluster action sequences? Lifeless and uninteresting characters? So-so animation? Or how about a incredibly unoriginal clique-ridden (slapped together)plot that puts you to sleep? In other words, this anime is just plain bad, and there’s nothing really to redeem it from that status. No compelling characters, no cool designs, no great music, nothing. Save your money and skip this one. There’s better stuff out there.
4 Stars It’s Sailor Moon meets Gundam!
Set in the not-to-distant-future, Battle Skipper is a 3-episode OVA series(despite the fact its labeled as a “movie”)that deals with the five members of the Etiquette Club in one of Japan’s most prestigious schools are secretly a group of crimefighting mecha pilots called the Ex-Stars. Their main competition is the school’s other club, the Debutante Club. Their leader is planning on taking over the world with her own army of mechas. So, the Ex-Stars try to foil their plans, while still keeping a decent grade average! This series was based on a Japanese toy line, but became its own unique and dynamic action comedy series. For fans of Project A-Ko or Sailor Moon, Battle Skipper is a hilarious anime with lots of great gags and a wonderful sense of fun!
Tags: Actual Time, Anime Stores, Battle Skipper, Brainpower, Bubblegum Crisis, Chaotic Century, Charles Solomon, Club Members, Debutante, Flattery, High School Girls, Little Gem, Lodos Wars, Mecha, Plot Holes, Robot Toys, Skimpy Outfits, Skippers, Takashi Watanabe, Violence Against Women
