The People
Below is a list of all
characters in MAPS that I could easily find and identify names for.
The descriptions are by no means complete or accurate for that matter,
based only on what I could translate by imagry in the manga, which
thankfully was explained well enough in the anime.
Mapman:
Gen
The hero of MAPS, last descendant of the Nomad Star Tribe, a spacefaring
race who when they found out about the true nature of the Mystic One,
turned against their masters and hid the three pieces of the Star
Map.
Gen is found by Ripumira and thus begins his involvement. A high school
student he becomes a true Flash Gordon like hero, uniting the many
races in the galaxy and having more women fall in love with him than
James Bond, much to the annoyance of his human girlfriend Hiroshimi.
In a nutshell, Gen is the archetypical hero that every school boy
wants to be.
Space
Privateer : Ripumira Gaaisu
Only just behind Gen as hero of MAPS, Ripumira is a strong willed
individual searching for the 'Flowing Light' a weapon that will defeat
the Mystic Ones. With Gen they find the pieces of the Star Map, bring
together an alliance of alien races in a titanic battle against the
Mystic Ones and fall in love with each other (or at least really deep
affection) along the way. In her ultra-stylish and futuristic wrap
Ripumira is 100% Classical Science Fiction.
Karion
Given the task of recovering the Star Map by the Mystic Ones, and
given the Ripu sisters to aid in this task, he learns of the true
nature of the Mystic Ones and escapes with Ripumira. But, under telepathic
control by Ripu Rado, Ripumira is forced to kill Karion before fleeing
herself and continuing on the journey alone. He is much like Gen,
probably why Ripumira becomes attracted to the human.
Hiroshimi
Gen's girlfriend she joins him into space and the adventures that
follows. She rescues Shikime and at first treats him like a pet. Annoyed
at all the attention Gen gets from the many females they encounter
she gets some of her own back when on Earth Gen's old competition
turns up. But she still loves Gen, and the end result is probably
revealed in #17 (which i dont have grr!).
Nyuu
Eibu
The first of Ripumira's enemies to become a staunch ally. Looking
like a childs drawing (along with the rest of his race) Eibu provides
(unintentionaly) comic relief. His most amazing power is that he can
grow to giant size and uses this power a few times; to rescue his
wife, and to squash some clone-Rado's in the last big battle. He manages
to get a copy of Ripumira's core to rebuild her just before she is
destroyed by Jundo Rado. He even tries to disuise himself as Gen to
keep the shaky alliance together while Gen is missing.
Princess
Jurume
In order to stop a war between her country and Isuma she takes Gen
hostage (using a unique and effective method of flashing him). Revolutionary
elements in Isuma's military try to stop them but with the aid of
Gen (who can' resist pretty girls) Jurume is delivered to the Isuma
ruler (her 'god-father') and peace is restored. Along the way she
falls for Gen and becomes his first paramour. Her country and Isuma
also become allies of Gen and join his alliance.
Shikime
'Rescued' by Hiroshimi and at first thought to be just an animal,
only to be discovered that he is indeed a high ranking official in
his race, or its ruler. He has a crush on Hiroshimi, and also has
superhuman (or superalien?) strength!
Gashiha
Karakara
Galatic Merchant and arms dealer who works for the right price. Initially
hired by Isuma to help capture/kill Princess Juruma he fights against
Gen & Co until changing sides after Gen helps saves his family.
His equipment provides a strong boost for the alliance in the fight
against the Mystic Ones, as does his commanding voice, helping the
alliance rally during a black hour.
Katarion
Evil leader of the Mystic Ones, he is awakened and let loose onto
the Galaxy by Gen & Co way back in #1. Using agents rather than
himself to do the fighting he tries to bring about the destruction
of the galaxy with a gigantic Sacrifice Cannon that uses the Star
Map as its aiming device. Supposedly defeated in #17 by the alliance.
Ripu
Rym
The youngest of the initial Ripu sisters. She is carefree, a bad dancer
and singer when drunk and ends up being one of Gen's paramours (although
more of a girlish crush). She lures Gen to recover a Star Map located
on a deranged Mystic One who explains the truth behind his race. She
joins Gen and Ripumira and fights against her sisters. She befriends
the reincarnated Rado and gives her a stuffe toy that she later uses
to break the spell over Rado after she is turned back to Evil by Ragun
and Katarion. Throughout the story her cybership changes shap - undergoing
some form of chrysalis.
Ripu
Shian
With a silver ship that reflects energy blasts Shian is the second
of the sisters to change sides after Rym (who she cares much for)
and helps defeat Rado. After that she helps in the fight against the
Mystic Ones, frees Sei and becomes his comrade.
Ripu
Rain
A fragile Ripu under the telepathic control of Rado she is only able
to free herself when Ripumira, Rym and Shian fight against Rado. However,
she is mortally wounded but uses her Star Tear to destroy Rado. Ripumira's
closest sister, she is reincarnated as Ranii.
Ripu
Dyne
Aggressive, Dyne blindly follows Rado's orders until Rado's evil nature
is revealed, whence she flees and leaves the others to fight. After
a few attemps at Ripumira's life she is later found helping Zazaan
Kuromamisu (and is one of her lovers) and joins the growing alliance.
She redeems herself by sacrificing heself to help Ripumira defeat
Rado, and is reincarnated as Danii.
Ripu
Rado
The senior Ripu cybership entrusted to recover the Star Map for the
Mystic Ones. Her ship is the most powerful, with huge and deadly weapons.
She is devoted to her masters, giving no second though to using the
others in achievement of her goals - including trying to kill them
all herself when they betray her for Ripumira who eventually kills
her. She is reincarnated and befriended by Rym (she appears very young
and niave) but captured and turned to evil by Daato Rai Ragun and
Katrarion. In the end battle she recovers her senses by Rym and a
stuffed toy thanks to Ragun changing sides to save her.
Daato
Rai Ragun
The Mystic One's chief henchman (after Ripu Rado) and only male version
of the Ripu cyberships. Ripumira's #1 enemy the two engage in many
epic battles. Ragun capture's the reincarnated Ripu Rado and turns
her to evil. However, he becomes overly protective of the young Rado
and turns against his masters to help Gen save her, dying in the process
but redeeming himself.
Zazaan
Kuromamisu
A commander of an entirely female race of space-warriors, she joins
up with Gen & Co, not having an attraction to him but to Ripumira,
who is not overjoyed with the prospect of being felt up by another
woman! With her amazon warrioresses she helps Gen unite the alien
races in defeating the Mystic Ones.
Sei
Free'd from inside a Mystic One by Ripu Shian, they become comrades.
With his poweful space cruiser he helps in the fight against the Mystic
Ones.
Shizutaa
Puterisu
Found by Gen and Ripumira when they ended up on the other side of
the Galaxy. She had wings and spends a lot of time inside a bubble
of some sort. Like many other's she has feelings for Gen.
Kadorijin
Roomu Ramu
A Godzilla like mohawk sporting alien who plays a very large electrical
guitar (punk indeed). A supporter of Gen, he helps Ripu Rym, provides
'wise' assistance to the young alliance and generally helps keep it
together for the good guys.
Nerushisu
Starting off as one of Ragun's allies she fights against Gen and Ripumira
but like so many other females, falls for him. Once defeated, she
ends up being carried around as a hologram passing on advice or information
to Gen or the alliance.
?miba
Leader of a band of 'sideways' aliens (both arms and eyes face the
side and not forwards) which at first fight Gen and Ripumira who have
ended up on the other side of the Galaxy, but end up joining their
cause to fight the Mystic Ones.
Gishiaato
A Mystic One, almost as powerful as Katarion. His base surrounds and
guards the source of Ripu cyberships, hundreds of them imprisoned,
and released when he is destroyed by Gen and Ripumira, X and her sisters
who have changed sides after being defated in battle by Ripurama and
her sisters.
Denii
and Renii
Reincarnated youngsters of Ripu Rain and Ripu Dyne, Ripumira's sisters.
Ripumira 'created' them and takes care of them. Although children,
they take part in the fight in their own cybership when the entire
Ripu fleet is freed from Gishiaato's control.
Sugara
Rishipu
After Rado's destruction and the defection of the other Ripu siters
to Ripumira, Sugara too Rado's vacated place along with her own siters
under Gishiaato's command. She and Ripumira have many battles, in
the last she is defeated and joins Ripumira as allies and helps destroy
Gishiaato, release all the Ripu cyberships and fight against the remaining
Mystic Ones.
Baon
Rishipu
The only ugly cybership, a veritible gorgon. One of Sugara's Rishipu
sisters who are servants of Gishiaato and fight against the Ripu sisters.
Zeru
and Ruze
Twins, their cybership can split into two parts. They are part of
the Rishipu sisters.
Hazaan
An 'animal', quick and violent. One of the Rishipu sisters.
Sofujaka
Rishipu
One of the Rishipu sisters. Her cybership is extroadinarily flexible/malleable,
being able to wrap around objects.
Jundo
Rado
A super-Rado she is unveiled during the last epic-battle (3-4 issues
long) and commands scores of Rado clones. She protects the Mystic
Ones and fights the original reincarnated Rado causing Ragun to change
sides, but she kills him. At the end of #16 she and her diminishing
fleet is all that stands against the allance of races from the last
Mystic Ones.
Giant
Heads / Mystic Ones
The size of planets and very difficult to destroy, these are the enemy!
While Katarion and other Mystic Ones take humanoid form, the majority
are these monstrosities. Maybe they might not be the Mystic Ones,
but mindless beings that they use to destroy with.
