B’TX

    (Tokyopop, 2004-2007, 2010)
™ and © Masam Kuaumada
Reads right to left; b&w

Anyone out there who’s contemplating another revival of Magnus Robot Fighter should take a look at this entry-level boys’ manga by the creator of Knights of the Zodiac. Younger brother Teppei, who can smash robots thanks to a cool gadget and years of painful training, tries to protect his robotic wiz older brother from the evil Machine Empire.

Their name is kind of misleading, as their super-mechs (which operate on human blood, ewwww) of a variety known as a B’T (beat) merely serve a femme-looking guy who dresses in over-the-top fascist dictator wear. To fight them, our hero gets a B’TX in the form of a flying horse, and, naturally, they loathe each other on sight but bond over their mutual stubbornness. It’s pretty standard stuff, but Kuaumada’s characters are more likeable than in Knights of the Zodiac, and the action comes at a rapid clip; it should score a hit with its target audience.

— S.A. Bennett
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  • 1
    #1
    Foil cover
    Jan 2004
    Cover: $10.00
    W: Masami Kurumada  ·  A: Masami Kurumada
    1st appearance of Karen; 1st appearance of Kotaro Takamiya; 1st appearance of Teppei Takamiya
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  • 2
    #2
    Foil cover
    Cover: $10.00
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    Graphic novel
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  • 3
    #3
    Foil cover
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    Graphic novel
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  • 4
    #4
    Foil cover
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    Graphic novel
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  • 5
    #5
    Foil cover
    Sep 2004
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    W: Masami Kurumada  ·  A: Masami Kurumada
    Graphic novel
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  • 6
    #6
    Nov 2004
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    W: Masami Kurumada  ·  A: Masami Kurumada
    Origin of Karen
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  • 7
    #7
    Jan 2005
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    W: Masami Kurumada  ·  A: Masami Kurumada
    Graphic novel
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  • 8
    #8
    Mar 2005
    Cover: $10.00
    W: Masami Kurumada  ·  A: Masami Kurumada
    Graphic novel
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  • 9
    #9
    Jun 2005
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    W: Masami Kurumada  ·  A: Masami Kurumada
    Graphic novel
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  • 10
    #10
    Jan 2006
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    W: Masami Kurumada  ·  A: Masami Kurumada
    Graphic novel
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  • 11
    #11
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    W: Masami Kurumada  ·  A: Masami Kurumada
    Graphic novel
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  • 12
    #12
    Jun 2007
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    W: Masami Kurumada  ·  A: Masami Kurumada
    Graphic novel
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  • 13
    #13
    Jul 2007
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    Graphic novel
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  • 14
    #14
    Jan 2008
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    Graphic novel
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  • 15
    #15
    Jul 2008
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    W: Masami Kurumada  ·  A: Masami Kurumada
    Graphic novel
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  • 16
    #16
    Nov 2010
    Cover: $10.00
    W: Masami Kurumada  ·  A: Masami Kurumada
    Final volume
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