Locke the Superman

Locke the Superman (超人ロック, Chōjin Rokku) is a manga series by Yuki Hijiri which was later adapted into a movie and three OVA releases. The movie was given an obscure video release in the United States by Celebrity Home Entertainment as Locke the Superpower which was rather heavily edited to 92 minutes, removing violence, nudity and any adult bits. Both it and the OVAs were later licensed and released by Central Park Media under the original name. Ten volumes were published in Poland under the title Locke Superczłowiek.

As of 2012, Discotek has licensed the original Locke the Superman movie from 1984 and it was released on November 6. This is the first ever DVD release in the US. It would be from the uncut, remastered, anamorphic telecline print used for the Japanese DVD release. Discotek provided both the Japanese audio with English subtitles and the original English dub from the 80s, which was previously released on VHS.

Plot

The chronicle of the space age written through a certain immortal psionic's activity.

Details

Yuki Hijiri published this manga series in a dojinshi published by Sakuga Group for the first time in 1967. He went to the commercial magazine, Monthly OUT by Minori Shobō, in 1978. It then appeared in Weekly Shōnen Gahōsha's Shōnen King from 1979 to 1988 when the magazine ceased publication. Thereafter the manga changed magazines many times.

Most chapters are equivalent to 1 or 2 volumes of the comics. The era of each chapter varies and the events do not occur in chronological order. The series "Detective Hunt and Assistant Locke" was originally a part of the series' main continuity. However, it became gradually inconsistent in a number of places eventually resulting in being retconned as taking place in a parallel universe.

Manga

Sakuga Group series（SG planning）

1. Nimbus and the Negative World (ニンバスと負の世界, Ninbasu to Fu no Sekai)
2. Give Love in This Universe (この宇宙に愛を, Kono Uchū ni Ai wo)
3. Child of Junan (ジュナンの子, Junan no Ko)
4. Cosmic Game (コズミック・ゲーム, Kozumikku Gēmu)
5. Liza (the first draft)^[1]

SG Collection（SG Planning）

1. New World Command (新世界戦隊, Shin-Sekai Sentai) (remake version)^[2]

King Hit Comics/King Legend (Shōnen Gahōsha)

1. Tiger of the Flames (炎の虎, Honoo no Tora)^[3]
2. Millennium of the Witch (魔女の世紀, Majo no Seiki)
3. Lord Leon (ロード・レオン, Rōdo Reon)
4. Storm in Ronwall (ロンウォールの嵐, Ronwōru no Arashi)
5. Planet in the winter (冬の惑星, Fuyu no Wakusei)
6. Cyber Genocide^[4]
7. Sword of light (光の剣, Hikari no Ken)^[5]
8. Outer Planet
9. The Star and The Boy (星と少年, Hoshi to Shōnen)^[6]
10. Star Gazer
11. The Twilight Warrior (黄昏の戦士, Ougon no Senshi)^[7]
12. Ship of Fools (愚か者の船, Orokamono no Fune), Mind Buster
13. Battlefield in Empty Space (虚空の戦場, Kokū no Senjō) (first part)
14. Battlefield in Empty Space (虚空の戦場, Kokū no Senjō) (latter part)
15. Moon Hunter
16. Wandering (流浪, Rurō) Part I
17. Wandering (流浪, Rurō) Part II
18. The Chronos Trap (クロノスの罠, Kuronosu no Wana)
19. Permanent Traveler (永遠の旅人, Eien no Tabibito)^[8]
20. Primula
21. The Magician's Mirror (魔術師の鏡, Majutsushi no Kagami)
22. Song of the Earth
23. Lost Wings (失われた翼, Ushinawareta Tsubasa)
24. Chartreuse (シャトレーズ, Shatorēzu)
25. Astro Race
26. The Death of the Superman (超人の死, Chōjin no Shi) (first part)
27. The Death of the Superman (超人の死, Chōjin no Shi) (latter part)^[9]
28. Dark Lion
29. Golden Fang (黄金の牙, Ougon no Kiba)
30. Red Serpent (赤いサーペント, Akai Sāpento)
31. Keeper of the Book (書を守る者, Sho wo Mamorumono)
32. Final Quest
33. King of the Darkness (闇の王, Yami no Ou)
34. Desperado
35. Evil Deity's Advent (邪神降臨, Jashin Kōrin)
36. Prince of the Phantom
37. Child Prodigy (神童, Shindō)
38. Solitaire (ソリティア, Sorityia)

MF Comics （Media Factory）

1. Tears of the saint (聖者の涙, Seija no Namida) (vol.1-3)
2. Mirror Ring (vol.1-2)
3. Brain Shrinker, Immortals (不死者たち, Fushisha-tachi)
4. The Sword of Nemesis (vol.1-3) (The remake of "Ninbasu to Fu no Sekai")
5. The Moon of Clanvert (クランベールの月, Kuranbēru no Tsuki)
6. We are always prepared to take your cat out for a walk. (猫の散歩引き受けます, Neko no Sanpo Hikiukemasu)
7. Wizard in the Sky (天空の魔法士, Tenkū no Mahōshi)^[10]
8. Menuett^[11]
9. Kadett
10. The Gate of the Constellation (星辰の門, Seishin no Mon)
11. Omega (vol.1-3) (The remake of "Kono Uchū ni Ai wo")
12. Eternal Pupil (久遠の瞳, Kuon no Hitomi) (vol.1-3) (The remake of "Junan no Ko")
13. Lonely Princess (ひとりぼっちのプリンセス, Hitoribocchi no Purinsesu)
14. Knight in the Wilderness (荒野の騎士, Kōya no Kishi)
15. Liza (remake version)

MF Comics Flapper series (Media Factory)

1. Epitaph (vol.1-4)^[12]
2. Sneering Man (嗤う男, Warau Otoko) (vol.1-4)
3. Holly Circle (vol.1-3)
4. Children of the Time (刻の子供達, Toki no Kodomotachi)

YK Comics (Shōnen Gahōsha)

1. Rainbow in the winter (冬の虹, Fuyu no Niji) (vol.1-4)
2. Quadra (vol.1-2)
3. The Frozen Constellation (凍てついた星座, Itetsuita Seiza) (vol.1-3)
4. Nirvana (vol.1-4)
5. Winds Embraces (風の抱擁, Kaze no Houyou) (vol.1-7)

Polish edition

The Polish manga company Waneko licensed and published the series from 1999-2001 by under the title Locke Superczłowiek. Parts 1-8 were published as single volumes, while the last two volumes were published as double volumes. It was one of the first Japanese comics published in Poland.^[13]

1. Tysiącletnie Imperium vol. 1
2. Tysiącletnie Imperium vol. 2/Kto się boi esperów?
3. Pogrom Cyberów
4. Burza na Ronwall
5. Zimowa Planeta vol. 1
6. Zimowa Planeta vol. 2/Władcy Planety
7. Lord Leon vol. 1
8. Lord Leon vol. 2/Projekt Inifinte
9. Lustrzany Pierścień vol. 1
10. Lustrzany Pierścień vol. 2

Characters in the series

All times

Chōjin Locke

A quiet, charismatic, lonely immortal esper about whom little is known. He is called "Locke the Superman," but often denies being such. It is not known where or when he was born, and if asked, Locke will say he does not remember; it is entirely possible this is true. When he asked by Cornelia Prim in Millennium of the Witch which star he was from, he replied "Toa." However, that was just the name of the planet where he'd lived before that meeting.

He has appeared at various times throughout the history of the galaxy, as a direct influence, an indirect influence, or a simple observer. Using his esper abilities, Locke can learn and do most things more quickly than a normal human. His power also allows him to remain eternally young, or even turn himself into a child again to be adopted by kindhearted families. This is called waka-gaeri; it could be said of this that it keeps him young at heart. It is speculated that he retains a youthful appearance as an excuse not to take responsibility for whatever cause he is approached for, since no one expects the young to accept such responsibilities.

Locke is capable of teleportation over a range of distances, including light years; telekinesis; psychogenesis, the rapid-healing of himself and others; telepathy in the short and long range; and creating barriers and "spears" of energy (perhaps a 'flavor' of telekinesis).

Liza/Eliza:

A form into which Locke can transform. She is a skilled woman, but is only mentioned in certain stories. Once Locke used this identity to become a pop star.

The Christian era

2000s

王志明 (Wang Zhi Ming)

A scanner (esper was called so in those days), a master of qigong sent as an agent from Country C.

Captain Tatjana Klochkov

A Russian scanner

Kate Ronwall

A research fellow of Sky Lift which developed space elevator.

The Universal era

The first year

Irina Markelov/Malkove

One of the world's most eminent scanner (esper) in A.D. of the 2500s. She belonged to the secret intelligence agency of EU before.

Dr. Kent Ronwall

An executive director of the space development public corporation. He is a planner of The Infinite Project.

The Allies of the solar system age

Machiko Grace

A cyber developer who assists Locke. She is a genius scientist belonging to the technical development office of Space armed forces, the Allied Forces of the solar system. She is an adopted daughter of the Godeauxs family which is a prestigious family and takes charge of only gifted children from hunger for fame. Locke is her brother-in-law. She appears in Cyber Genocide.

Pederson

An aide of the Allied Forces of the solar system (the Earth Union Forces). He backs up the research of Machiko Grace. Appears in Cyber Genocide.

Lemus

A brain of the fetuses Machiko illegality obtained and used for the experiment of cyber. He loves Machiko dearly and believes that she will make his body sometime. Since Locke feels pity for him, he drags Julius into the affair and makes the cyber-body for him secretly to Machiko. Appears in Cyber Genocide.

Julius Flay

A computer engineer who worked as Miss Grace's assistant. After that, he was one of the immigrants who colonized the planet Ronwal. He later became the leader of the independence movement and met Locke again eighteen years later. Not long afterward, he gained victory through exploiting Locke's efforts and is inaugurated as the first chairman of Ronwall revolutionary council, but he is assassinated soon by the earth union government. He appears in Cyber Genocide, Ronwall no Arashi and Fuyu no Wakusei.

Governor Santos

The governor of Ronwall. He was always at a loss as to what to do about the independence movement. He appears in Ronwal no Arashi.

Elaine Bernstein

A core member of the Ronwal revolutionary army. She plunged into the independence movement and worked frequently with Locke. She is the only person who knows that Locke is Esper except Julius. She appears in Ronwal no Arashi and Fuyu no Wakusei.

Colonel Viktor von Stroheim

A commander of the special airborne forces "Helldiver" of the Earth Union Forces. He was given the nickname "Stroheim, the God of Death" because he was so feared. He was dispatched from Earth and put in charge of the guerrilla independence movement suppression effort on Ronwal.

Alfred Klaus

The chairman of Ronwall revolutionary council appointed as a successor to Julius Flay following his death. Used by the alliance to purge those of the same mind. He appears in Fuyu no Wakusei.

Wilhelm Katō

A commander of the Earth Union Forces. He was dispatched to Ronwal from the earth as a negotiator with Chair Alfred Klaus. He lent the hand to Klaus as a duty, but felt strong indignation against it. He appears in Fuyu no Wakusei.

The Galaxy Federation age

Erika

The ancestor of the supermen and the true character of ”Emperor Layzák." Challenged the forces of Earth which were in control of the colonization of the planet Dinard. Locke learned his teleportation ability from Erika. While her name sometimes appears in the anime as "Erīka", it is always written "Erika" in the manga. She appears in Cosmic Game.

Wallenstein

Colonel in the Earth Forces. He quickly noticed the espers after meeting Locke at the battle on Dinard. He kept a close eye on Locke afterward. Wallenstein became the director of the military intelligence. He appears in Cosmic Game, Honō no Tora and Witch Era.

Lianna Migault

A daughter of General Migault of the Galaxy Federal Army at the Dinard War. She met Locke wandering with child's appearance, and took care of him. She died from the sequela of the radioactive exposure by the indiscriminate bombing using the nuclear weapon by Erika. She appears in Cosmic Game.

2nd Lt. Marian Lluis

An intelligence officer of Federal Army. Since she was Lianna Migault look-alike, she was assigned the mission to supervise Locke by Wallenstein. She appears in Honō no Tora.

Amazona

An esper, a captain of the space pirate "Tiger of the Flames." She got engaged to Eric G. Russell as a mercenary and assassinated the late feudal lord of the planet Maia. However, all her subordinates were annihilated by Noor.

The Duke of Zenon Noor

A feudal lord of the planet Maia. He murdered his uncle who was the late Duke of Zenon, and took the position.

Wolff

A commander of the mercenary troops "Dark Knights" employed for Noor.

Eric G. Russell

A general manager of the Universe Plastic. He conspires with Noor to acquire crude oil mining rights of Maia.

Lady Kahn

A leader of the Kahn financial combine. She uses espers faithful to her as a tool, and aims to build the kingdom 'the Millennium' for herself.

Ryū Yamaki

A youngest director general of the Intelligence Agency of the Galaxy Federal Army in history. He is the successor to Wallenstein.

Jessica Olin/Amelia

A special esper with ability to nullify supernatural power. She was brainwashed by Lady Kahn so that she might hate Locke in order to assassinate him.

Cornelia Prim

A subordinate of lady Kahn, and a fighter of the Millennium. She trained Jessica, and leads the Esper legion later.

Lugh

A bishop of "the Holy Mothers" who served Lady Kahn in "Asteroid Kahn" which is a stronghold of the Millennium. She attempts to revive the Millennium at the planet Alma later.

Ken Yamaki, Haruna Yamaki

Yamaki and Jessica's children. They are twin brother and sister. They have ESP a little.

"The Twilight Warrior"

A space pirate led by a female boss (her real name is unknown and she loves a young man).

Haruki Fujishima

A self-styled genius scientist.

Albert Carian

An official of the Intelligence Agency of the Galaxy Federal Army.

Lord Leon

An esper, a cyber, and a captain of the space pirate "Load Leon." He burns with the desire for revenge to Great Jorg who murdered his parents and damaged his both hands, both legs, and his younger sister's eyes.

Flore Lane

An elementary school teacher. She is blind, and Leon's younger sister. She grew up with her elder brother in the nursing institution.

"Great Jorg" (Jorg Roto)

The chairman of interplanet enterprise "Asturius Konzern." He once planned to murder the Lane family in order to get a Rondit mine of his own.

"Doc"

An unlicensed doctor who was deprived of his medical qualification by the involuntary manslaughter which made the patient die from an illegal cyber-operation. Then he worked in a mine of father of Leon & Flora. He saved dying Leon and Flora once and continues the maintenance of the cyber-parts of Leon afterward. He was opposed to Leon's revenge.

Elena/Neon

AI of the Galaxy Federation's computer program for the administrative management. It was developed by Ran to make the Pan-Galactic Computer Networks. Elena starts "The Tsar Project" and erase Espers according to the intention of Ran. She was destroyed by Locke, but Cassandra rebooted backup data decentralized in various places. The character was changed into the male type, Neon. He makes Locke out to be new "Tsar" by strong hypnotism and restarts the Project.

Azalea Ratwick (Azalea Gannett)

An esper with strong ability for contact type telepathy. She is implicated in "The Tsar Project" because of her ability. She was an actresses in the making, but, after the incident, she has achieved stardom of interplanet video.

Ran Svendsen (Raffnord name is Rodos Mork Ran)

A genius about a computer, a developer of "Elena" which is a Galaxy Federation's computer. He tried to exterminate the espers who can become Elena's obstacle by "The Tsar Project." He is a potential esper, and he was contained in the candidate for exclusion in the second "Tsar Project." He marries Nia and becomes King of Raffnord afterwards.

Nia

The royal princess of the planet Raffnord, a teleporter. She escapes from Gürnberg's pursuers and defects to the Galaxy Federation. She is implicated in "The Tsar Project" on the way and meets Locke and Ran.

Eno

One of the espers gathered with Locke because of "The Tsar Project." He has ability to see through the ability of other espers.

"Tsar"

An esper, a ringleader of "The Tsar Project". In fact, it is a name given a decoy-esper for assembling espers. Elena brainwashed and used him as a decoy and gathered 20,000 espers. In the 2nd "The Tsar Project", Locke is compelled to play this role.

Cassandra Al Hassan, commonly called Cass

An exceptionally talented hacker under search, one of hunted men "Cassandra and Berkoff." Her old frend Ariel says, "She is a real genius." She discovers backup of Elena. Because she restore and boots up this, "The Tsar Project" is reopened. Neon chooses her as a new partner.

Stanislav Berkoff, commonly called Stan

A professional martial artist, a wanted man, Cassandra's partner. He is a ex-champion of the 0G Wrestling. ESP isn't effective against him at all. He hated espers intensely because an esper made his older brother a disabled person.

Ernest Abel

A colonel of Galaxy Federation Army, a director of Intelligence Service. Originally he chased "Cassandra and Berkoff", but he will cope with Elena which is rebooted.

Ariel Grant

A subordinate of the Colonel Abel. She tries to destroy Elena. She was an old acquaintance of Cassandra, and they recognize their ability each other. They were schoolmates in the "Logos Academy" which cultivates the geniuses of the first rank in the galactic system. She graduated from the academy with excellent results, and was given "Mirror Ring" which was the proof of the very best student.

Gürnberg

A very powerful esper, a high priest of Raffnord. He murdered the former king, Rodos (Nia's father) and ruled over Raffnord, but he dispatches assassins outside the planet in fear of the Nia's return. He had drifted about outer space for a long time after fighting with Locke & Ran. Though he has become an ameboid organic matter which doesn't retains human form because of the sequela of the battle and the drift, he maintained his life using supernatural power tenaciously.

Clau Roni

An esper, "an ascetic" of Raffnord, an assassinator whom Gürnberg sent out. He discovers Nia who lived on the planet Opta with Locke and Ran, and attempts to murder her. The Roni clan has the faculty to transform themselves. When they lose fighting, they copy the enemy's face and die.

Serga Roni

An esper, a younger brother of Clau Roni. He succeeds his elder brother's duty and fights against Locke who infiltrated Raffnord.

Riot Alexey

A very strong esper belongs to the interplanet corporation "Galaxy Flyers." He lost his mother at the age of three, and Galaxy Flyers expected his talent and took him over. He has devoted himself entirely to the company since then. Officially he is the manager of a publicity department, but actually, he kidnaps a large number of espers from Raffnord where 200,000 espers live in, and makes them the military power monopolistically in the illegal activities of his company by brainwashing them. However, he is cut off by the company which gives in to the pressure of the Federal Army. He leads 2,000 espers and raises a rebellion afterwards.

Captain Francis, "The Holy Spirit" Fran

An esper, a captain of the Galaxy Federal Army, a commander of the esper corps. When she investigated Galaxy Flyers secretly, she met Locke by chance. She was attracted to him and was disgusted with the federal army using her as a tool, so she escaped from the army and defected to "Raffnord." Because her body gets a mortally injury in the accident of the energy absorption shield later, she takes on the roll to lead training monks as "the Holy Spirit of mirror."

Rag Yahato

An esper who is said to be more than G class. He wandered from place to place after his parents were murdered by ESP hunters. Then he was helped by Locke, and came to lead a vagabond life with him. He settles down in Raffnord later and marries Lema, and lives through the Pan-Galaxy War.

Lema

An esper of Raffnord. Because she inherits a trait or talent from the Roni clan, she has ability for metamorphosis. "The Holy Spirit" Fran notices her ability and dispatches her to rescue Locke and Rag who are kept in the Federales base of the planet Selen.

Kumi Nielsen

A shrewd journalist. She has a little supernatural power. Someone is seeking after her life, because she investigated the corruption case of the shipbuilding company. Then, while she investigated the conglomerate "UAI" during the Pan-Galaxy War, she met Locke again and got his cooperation.

Domenico Ruska

A professional killer who is specialized in an esper. He was employed to murder Kumi. He is reconciled with Kumi in cooperation with her in another terror attack, and he is arrested after the incident.　He practices a private detective agency after he was released from the prison, and he investigates the corruption case of "UAI" at Kumi's request.

Professor Riger

A former professor of sociology at the Ronwall University. He is also a developer of "Riger1" (Galactic Computer). While he is an esper, he insists that "the existence of espers will collapse the world." He forms the terror group "Inner Cross" to correct the disproportion of inequalities in wealth among planets. They aim at blocking traffic between planets by destroying spacecraft equipped with HD(hyper drive) engine. In addition, he destroyed the planets which belonged to the federation by missiles equipped with "the Geoid Warhead" which let a planet disintegrate, and led the federation to the collapse.

Auguste Lloyd

A member of the terror group "Inner Cross" believing in Riger. He is going to destroy the starship "Penelope II."

Nagato

An esper and a former intelligence officer of Galaxy Federal Army. He is also the first emperor of the Galactic Empire. He participated in the terror group "Inner Cross", but broke with them by the difference of opinion. Then he was in full control of the planet "Fargo", and obtained the huge computer "Riger1" which is Professor Riger's inheritance. He put in many neighboring planets under the influence, and founded "The Republic of Interplanet." He organized the Esper Force, and put an end to the Pan-Galaxy War. He finally founded the Galactic Empire.

Octavias

An esper. He is the president of "UAI" which is a conglomerate of munitions industries. At the time of Pan-Galaxy War, he palmed off weapons on each powers and made them continue war, and he had got immense profits. His influence extends to the federation, and lets them attack Nagato's "The Republic of Interplanet" (the forerunner of the Galactic Empire) of which gained power.

Nana(Seven)

One of Locke's clone born by the experiment on a living creature in the planet Tenelo. He is a leader of five clones who were brought up by the computer "Mom" at the abandoned research institute. He was bright, courageous, and curious about everything. He yearned to the father whom he had not met yet and was greatly interested in "the outside world" while his brothers were not so interested in them.

Ku(Nine), Nii-Go(Two-Five), Nii-Hachi(Two-Eight), San-Ichi(Three-One)

Locke's clones born by the experiment on a living creature in the planet Tenelo. They are Nana's brothers.

Teo Fabi

One of the clones of Locke born in the planet Tenelo. His matrix seems to be Ran. He is a leader of four clones. Rag and Lema took in him and his brother and sisters and brought them up after the death of the computer "Mom."　Then, he acts with Locke.

Adele

One of the clones of Locke born in the planet Tenelo. Her matrix seems to be Francis. She was raised by Rag and Lema. Then, she lived in the lodge far from any human dwelling at a certain planet, but she is forced to leave there because it came out that she is an esper. She becomes senile soon and dies young.

Soi

One of the clones of Locke born in the planet Tenelo. His matrix is unclear. He was raised by Rag and Lema. Then, he lives with Rosanna while he pretends to be deaf and works as an assistant in a bar. Rosanna becomes ill on the way to "Fargo" where they leave for to examine the data of the computer "Mom." He uses ESP to stop her senility too much, and he dies of old age.

Rosanna

One of the clones of Locke born in the planet Tenelo. Her matrix seems to be Kumi Nielsen. She was raised by Rag and Lema. Then, she lived with Soi. She has Locke stop the senility since Soi died. She prevented Rodolphe's coup d'etat with Locke, and acts as the double of Alma who is the second emperor of the Galaxy Empire afterwards.

Anime

References

External links

• (Japanese) Yuki Hijiri Official Site: Denno Kaba
• (Japanese) Chojin Locke Unofficial Wiki
• (Japanese) Yuki Hijiri Fansite: Locke the Superman Room
• Witch Era (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Lord Leon (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• New World Command (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Mirror Ring (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Reviews of the English dub Star Warrior and Locke The Superpower versions of the movie.