Rideback (manga)

Plot

In the year of 2020 (2025 in the anime), an organization called the GGF (GGP in the anime) has taken control of the world. Rin Ogata was a promising up-and-coming ballet dancer but suffered a serious injury while dancing and decided to quit. Years later in college, she comes across a club building and soon finds herself intrigued by a transforming motorcycle-like robotic vehicle called a "Rideback". She soon finds that her unique ballet skills with balance and finesse make her a born natural on a Rideback. However, those same skills also get her into serious trouble with the government.

Characters

Musashino University Rideback Club

; : :Rin is a freshman in the drama department at Musashino University. Being a talented ballet dancer, she was expected to be the natural successor to her late mother Yuki, having participated in dance competitions from a young age. However, she subsequently decided to quit after fracturing her left ankle two years before enrolling at Musashino University, where she first comes across the red Rideback Fuego. ; : :Tamayo is a junior in the French literature department at Musashino University, being an upperclassman to Rin and Haruki. She is the current champion for the Eighth All Japan Rideback Race Championship using her green Rideback RBZ. ; : :Okakura is the adviser of the Musashino University Rideback Club, who possesses a strict character and a large nose. He was honorably discharged from the GGP. ; : :Haruki is a sophomore in the engineering department at Musashino University and an upperclassman to Rin. He is an enthusiast of Ridebacks. ; : :Shoko is Rin's childhood friend, who becomes Rin's roommate at Musashino University. ; : :Suzuri is a freshman in the fine arts department at Musashino University. She is extremely enthusiastic as she is a huge fan of Rin.

GGF / GGP

; : :Romanov is a colonel sworn in as the corrupt commander-in-chief of the GGP, who runs the government with a dictatorship approach. He is later shot and killed by Misawo. He is an anime original character. ; : :Misawo is a member of the GGP, who moonlights as a lecturer of the literature department at Musashino University. She is later revealed to be a double agent for Kiefer.

BMA

; : :Kiefer is a first lieutenant and the leader of the BMA, who rides the black Rideback Black Knight. During the Battle of Arizona ten years ago, he served as a soldier in the same unit of the GGP as Okakura and Romanov before later defecting to the BMA. ; : :Kenji is Rin's younger brother.

Other characters

; : :Yuki is Rin's mother, a talented ballet dancer who died six years before the series' story. ; : :Kei is a freelance journalist who works alongside her partner Sato. ; : :Ryunosuke is an executive of the National Police Agency and Tamayo's older brother.

Media

Manga

Rideback, written and illustrated by , was serialized in Shogakukan's ja manga magazine Monthly Ikki from April 25, 2003, to October 25, 2008. Shogakukan collected its chapters in ten ja volumes, published from May 28, 2004, to February 25, 2009.

Volumes

Anime

An anime adaptation was announced in April 2007. The 12-episode series was animated by Madhouse and directed by Atsushi Takahashi. It was broadcast on Chiba TV, TV Saitama, tvk, KBS Kyoto, Sun TV, Tokyo MX and AT-X from January 12 to March 30, 2009. The opening theme is "Rideback", performed by Mell, and the ending theme is "Kioku" by Younha featuring Goku.

In North America, Funimation announced the license to the series at Anime Central in May 2010. Funimation released the series on Blu-ray and DVD on June 28, 2011. The series made its American television debut on July 26, 2011, on Funimation Channel.

Episodes

Novel

A novel, titled Rideback: Cannonball Run was released by Shogakukan, under its Gagaga Bunko, on January 21, 2009.

Notes

References

References

1. Høgset, Stig. "Rideback".
2. Miller, Evan. (July 17, 2009). "Madhouse - Otakon 2009".
3. link. [[Shogakukan]]
4. {{cite magazine. [[Shogakukan]]. Kasahara, Tetsurō. (October 25, 2008)
5. Kasahara. Tetsurō. link. (October 26, 2008)
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16. Loo, Egan. (April 29, 2007). "Ride Back Motorcycle Robot Manga to Be Animated for TV".
17. Loo, Egan. (December 10, 2008). "Rideback Anime's TV Ad Officially Posted Online".
18. Loo, Egan. (December 18, 2008). "Rideback Motorcycle Robot Anime's 2nd TV Ad Streamed".
19. link. Mynavi Corporation. (December 3, 2008)
20. "RIDEBACK". [[Agency for Cultural Affairs]].
21. link. (December 5, 2008). ja. OP：MELL「RIDEBACK」 ED：ユンナ featuring GOKU「記憶」
22. Loo, Egan. (May 15, 2010). "Funimation Adds Rosario + Vampire, Chaos;HEAd, Regios".
23. Manry, Gia. (September 17, 2020). "North American Anime, Manga Releases: June 26-July 2".
24. Funimation Channel. (July 6, 2011). "FUNimation Channel – Weekend Roudup (7/1 – 7/3) The Uber Late Edition". [[Funimation]].
25. link. [[Shogakukan]]