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There are few informations in the SPC series about the past and the origin of the characters. Even in the original Japanese series (KNT), which is more explanatory, few clues are given. Owing to this, I decided to post a topic where everybody would discuss what happened before the very 1st episode of the series. I like to leave this topic as free as possible, so well stablished facts, speculative theories, simple guessing or somebody's fan fiction, all of these would be perfectly acceptable.

To start this topic, I want to make the following question:
How could :speedy: get the leadership of the group? Moreover, how he got his Ginzu/Masamasa sword?

Any posting will be welcomed.

As I've commented on numerous times, Bad Bird is the only character whom we really get to see any backstory for...

Bad Bird grew up as Birdy Badbird, one of the many sons of a notorious Ninja Crow. Birdy grew up wanting to be just like his father, the "Original Dirty Bird" (see Episode about the Nuclear Potatoe)
However, his path to being a Ninja Crow would seperate him from his childhood lover, Carla, whom Bad Bird would encounter in a chance meeting at a circus where Carla was a performer.

That's not true, we also get to see how Big Cheese met the Ninja Crows in Samurai Savings Time, and even see a bit of young Big Al.

I've never really thought about beginnings in the SPC universe. If it hadn't had an "end" I could have imagined it going on forever...and ever...and ever... uh, yeah.

I suppose since even KNT(correct me if I'm wrong) didn't really address this, the only thing we have(short of interviewing the creators) is fanfiction.

*grin*

I see the world of SPC as a post-apocalyptic future. It takes place millions of years after the human race nuked itself to death. But a few centuries before the humans nuked themselves they reached a pinnacle in cybernetics. They were able to fuse themselves and other animals with highly advanced machinery and nano-technology. After the humans self-destruction the enhanced animaloids took over. The animaloids attempted a few times to follow in their creators footsteps. Time and time again they too came close to self-destruction. Looking at old human records they decided to follow a more ancient approach to their society; adopting the ideology of imperial Japan.

But why would they choose Japan out of all the cultures?

Follow the US's footsteps, Little Tokyo! ^-^

Don't ask me why! They just did! Maybe the tried other old ideologies that failed.

But feel free to ask any other questions about my twisted view of the SPC world.

Ok, I'll quote Daisensei:

Actually in the SPC38 (A Mission in Manhattan) episode one can see animaloids living in United States. In some fan fiction works one can see mention to British Pizza Cat. I might think in Brazilian Pizza Cats too.   :)
That could be a promising theory. Does anybody wish to develop it deeper? 

Well...

After looking at each of the characters (Speedy, Polly, Guido), I think Speedy was the logical choice. True, he is a clown, getting himself into tight spots, clumsy as heck, etc. The KNT Narrator even calls him a goof. ^-^ However, when he finds himself in a fight, the clumsiness disappears(but pops up again every so often throughout the fight ;-)) and you see why he is the leader of the Cats: Speedy is the best fighter. Polly and Guido each have their respective strengths, but Speedy is the one who really leads the fray. In battles is probably when we can see Speedy's (and Yattaro's) character. Selfless and valient(I can never spell that word. Sorry.) is how I would describe him. That's all besides his Cat Eye Slash techinque, which the Ninja Crows fear above death itself.  :D I think is even called "The Killing Attack" or something along those lines in the original. Finally, Speedy is the only one who seems to be able to deal effectively with warriors like Bad Bird(Who I think is actually the single best fighter in the series.).

That's my opinion.


As for the Ginzu sword...

KNT calls it "The Mysterious Blade." (I think) It is related to the Supreme Catatonic(Or so I think), so I believe Speedy retrieved it from a shrine, temple, dark-cave-of-teh-Cat-gods(For lack of a better idea), rather than inheiriting it. Destiny, or something. :D

I'd also like to comment on the various weapons and techniques used by the characters. I don't think of anything from the series as "magic"; everything from the Ginzu sword to the Supreme Catatonic is a result of very advanced but also very ancient technologies. I like Neglected's idea of Speedy retrieving his sword from an ancient reliquary.

I got this idea from when I watched the second episode of KNT. They explained that Polly's "Beckoning Cat" attack is caused by electromagnets. So I took this concept further to explain that the magnets are controlled by a computer in her armour system that lets her specifically target her enemies instead of pulling all things metal toward her.

Notice that I prefer the term 'armour system' over just calling it armour or a suit. I think of their power suits as more than just armour but a power assist system that amplifies their strength and reflexes just like the Master Chief’s Mjolnir armour.

Side Note: I bet some of you are having difficulty with me spelling "armor" with a "our" at the end. Well, I'm Canadian so deal with it.

In KNT, it's referred to as "Youtou Masamasa". The "You" part does inded mean "mysterious", "spooky", or something along those lines. It definitely has a relation to the Supreme Catatonic/Nyagoking. The giant robot was first unlocked when the sword came into contact with the statue that houses it. And for each time after that, the sword's hilt is always seen sending a signal of some sort that opens the statue. So there's definitely some kind of relation between the two. Perhaps the sword was forged by the same people that built the Supreme Catatonic?

...Which inevitably brings up the question:

"Just who is the 'Great Warrior'?"

...On a side note, I was rewatching the second half of Bad Bird Uncaged, and I noticed that Speedy says, "I wonder if he left this sword for a reason?" o_O I guess the dubbing crew thought that Speedy was given a new Ginzu instead of the sword just being returned to him after he dropped it. (Klutz. Dropping your magic sword off a cliff.  ::))

I'm sure the Great Warrior has something to do with the sword, but that was "lost in translation," as they say.

...Regarding Mecha's idea, technicly the SPC were supposed to be robotic, but were shown more as flesh-and-blood types, despite their appearance. But what Mecha said about an "armor system" is a good idea.

First. Thanks for supporting my idea.


I'm not saying that the cats are NOT robots without their armour. I'm just saying that the suits are interfaced with whatever cybernetic enhancements they were born with.

That's right! You heard me. I believe that every citizen of Little Tokyo was BORN with their cybernetic parts. Now how does that work you might ask? Well my explanation requires certain terminologies that are unsuitable for a younger audience. I'm still waiting to join the Nihonbare boards but when I do, I'll explain it in there.

Stay tuned! More of Mechadon's CRAZY ideas are to follow!

My guess is that each of the cats were found by Big Al.
I hate to sound too cliche` So I'll add my own little spin on things.

Big Al was buisy setting up his branch of the Samurai Pizza Cats. 
Chances are he was in discuise, and was running job interviews.
I'm envisioning something like Madem` Rattina's modeling school... Only... A little dumbed down to allow for those who had potential to well... not die.

I'm also assumeing that General Catton would've been there, because he seemes to be the older of the group.
He would've given advice, and would've had insight as to what would make a good warrior.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As for the quinundrum of Speedy being the leader...

I think it would be a better question to ask yourselves... What makes a true leader?
Then ask yourselves... Does Speedy fufill that?

I believe he does. While he is a complete jerk at times, and at other times I do think he deserves to get the living crap beaten outa him, he does fufill what I think a brave leader, and a hero should be.

Speedy is the leader, because he is wearing white.
In Japanese television, the leader either wears red or white, but white is generally the leader, if there is both a red and white member.
Thank you Momoko Akatsutsumi!

No argument there. Speedy's white clothing with a hint of red on the helmet represents the Japanese flag.

That scene is heavily cut in the SPC version of the episode. In the original KNT version, Speedy actually managed to impale the Warrior with his sword while he was blinded by the bright sunlight. If you watch the SPC episode carefully, you can still see the Ginzu sword sticking from the Warrior's chest when he speaks to Speedy.

I always thought that how they looked, cybernetic and all, was not important. They're robots, yet they don't act like robots. I think it's just something you're supposed to laugh at and not think about.

...Am I making any sense at all?

Many things in KNT/SPC are in there to make you laugh and just enjoy the show. I don't think the creators intended for every little thing to have a reason, like "Animaloids" being born and dying of old age. It's just something that's there, but is never really explained, for the simple fact that it isn't doesn't need an explaination.

While that is very true, sometimes it's nice to imagine explanations for such things just for fun.

They're Not robots! They are cyborgs. There is a difference. Cyborg stands for Cybernetic Organism. They don't act like robots because they are not 100% robotic. My idea is they are descended from fully organic animals. At some point in time they were altered genetically and cybernetically.

I felt this is a good time to explain why they are able to function as both machine and with flesh and blood. Everything to do with their organic side is handled by their metabolism. Everything mechanical is handled by nano-machines in their bodies. They have to eat food in order to keep their living parts alive. Nano-machines are hard at work keeping their mechanisms functioning. So where do the nano-machines get the materials they need to do repairs you might ask? This isn't magic. We still have to consider conservation of mass. Well, here's the genious of it all. They get the metals they need from their food. There is a very high concentration of metals in their food water and environment as a result of the many nuclear wars that have occurred on Earth. (Post-Apocalyptic future remember)

Do you follow? If not please read ALL my posts in this topic.

Mechadon's theory makes me remember Metalzoic (http://www.2000adonline.com/?zone=covers&page=character&choice=METAL&Comic=2000ad), from 2000AD. I read the Portuguese edition of this comic almost 20 years ago.

Alls I know--or think I know-- is that the Great Warrior is a human.
Maybe he is a writer!  ?:|

I never liked the idea of them being robots either. I like to think of the cats as being ´real´ when I write fics ...

He does LOOK human, but when he gets stabbed during his fight with Speedy he emits lots of electrical sparks (I think this scene was cut from SPC, so it might only be in the KNT episode). Plus he has that habit of uncannily appearing and disappearing.

Anyway, it's stated that the Supreme Catatonic was built by an ancient, long-dead technologically advanced civilization, right? It would also seem that the Ginzu sword was forged by this same civilization, due to there being a connection between the two items (the Catatonic was first unlocked by physical contact between the sword and the statue it resides in, and each time after that, it's summoned by a light or signal of some kind from the sword's hilt). This Great Warrior seems to know quite a bit about both of of them. As Speedy and Bad Bird ascended in the Catatonic to confront the incoming comet, he appeared on the screen and told Speedy to use the Ginzu sword (showing yet another connection between the sword and the Catatonic, as the robot produced a set of swords of its own and was able to use the Cat's Eye Slash technique).

Going by his apparent knowledge of these ancient technologies, as well as his apparently mechanical nature, my guess would be that the "Great Warrior" is actually the conciousness of a member of the extinct civilization that created the Ginzu sword and the Catatonic, preserved through some technological means. A "cyber-ghost", so to speak.

---

As for opinions on the characters being robots, I like them fine that way. They're robots more in form than in function, since they do all those things like eating, sleeping, breathing, and reproducing that are all hallmarks of flesh-and-blood organisms. They just happen to be capable of storing missiles in their hair and such. :D

Yep, I agree that they're like cyborgs. Partly metal, partly rea.
It's hard to believe the robot theory. Robots don't blush nor feel pain. So, cyborgs I reckon they are.
Plus, the clue is in the name of their kind: Animaloids, animal androids.

I'm glad I got most of you thinking about how the world of SPC came to be the way it is. It's easy to just think of it as an alternate world and history. But it's more fun to try to think how this world would exist as a future of our own.


See! Now some of you are starting to understand.
I'd like to thank you for pointing out the relationship between the Ginzu, Catatonic and Great Warrior. I totally forgot about another part of my theory. The Great Warrior was a member a civilization of animaloids who tried to be more human than animal. There downfall, like the humans, was ever escalating war. But unlike the humans they didn't simply NUKE themselves to extinction. Their demise came in a Great War like no other. Imagine a battlefield filled with legions of Supreme Catatonics. Meanwhile, at their feet, grand armies are lead by samurai generals just like the "Great Warrior" and every warrior under their command wielding Ginzu swords.

It's good to see this topic is going well. My intention was to make a place where we could freely discuss about the history of SPC/KNT universe. I'm seeing more than this, this discussion is expanding the series universe. Who knows if that could result in a fan fiction?

I like Mechadon's theories, they make sense. I accept the idea that animaloids resulted from the evolution of living matter and man made robots. However this don't force me to believe in the existence of an organic (i.e. cell based) part in the animaloid's body. One possible scenery is men replacing their body parts by more powerful cybernetic parts, to get longer life. Otherwise, people wishes to live longer, but don't wish to loose their humanity completely. That's the reason for the remaining of habits like eating, laughing, loving, angering, and so on. Therefore, animaloids are living beings with very resistant bodies (made with metals, polymers, ceramics and other materials) which can mimic all the functions performed by organic cells.

Now imagine what would result from an people with very enhanced body. Sooner or later a very destructive war would begin, as depicted by Mechadon.

OK So we've proved that the Ginzu Sword and Supreme Catatonic have connections but what about Guido and Polly's swords.

I read in a different topic that they have similar names to the Youtou Masamasa and that their finishing moves have Hisstatsu in them too. So they must be connected to the Masamasa and in turn connected to the Catatonic in some way

Polly's and Guido's swords do indeed have similar names. Polly's is "Bitou (Beautiful Sword) Kirakira", and Guido's is "Koutou (Bright/Luminous Sword) Pikapika". Both "Pikapika" and "Kirakira" mean somtheing along the lines of "to glisten or sparkle". And they are both indeed used for their respective wielders' "Hissatsu" techniques, the "Heart Breaker", and "Ichimonji Fire (Straight Line Fire)". Simply going by these similarities in nature, I would say it is likely that they were indeed forged by the same people who created the Ginzu/Masamasa and the Catatonic/Nyagoking.

In one episode, when Speedy was banished to Prisoner Island, Polly and Guido were somehow able to summon their power-up armor from the Catatonic without him. Perhaps their swords have the same ability to open the statue and summon the Catatonic as Speedy's Ginzu? It was never shown how exactly they managed to do that without Speedy and the Ginzu around, but the explanation above is the only one I can think of.

Not many people probably noticed this but didja know that the Ginzo sheath wasn't always red.  In the first episode it was gold as well as red.  The only time you see it as gold is when he pulls the second sword out.  The rest of the time it is red.  But I guess the rest of the episodes it just stayed red.  Anyone have any idea why this is?

Yep I knew that, one of the colorists must have made a mistake (not following color codes and model sheets) and it wasn't caught until it was too late. 

Cool!

The Nyagoking, Kuroi Busho, and Masamasa might have been from an earlier era like the animaloid equivalent of the Warring States Period. Back then the daimyo were at war and perhaps one used the Nyagoking in battle. Like you said, maybe all Hans used one or more to fight. I'd like to see a prequel series showing the wars and the origin of their bakufu, perhaps showing the clans of Nyanki and Karakara back then.

I think that as long as the "Black cat warrior" is around, the 3 main nyyaki will be able to summon the special armors and the catatonic no matter what.

But Im a fan of the idea that the catatonic was destroyed after "The big comet capter".

In a prequel, we would get to see how Ko'on no Kami became the prime minister.  :bigcheese:

Does anyone know the name of that "mysterious guy" who appeared in BB Uncaged and Big Comet Capers. I wish they made a second series to explain things further. :(

I guess Kitsunezuka family played a important role in the past, when Tokugawa family was fighting to get the power. Perhaps an ancestor of :bigcheese: was an important vassal of Tokugawa army.

Hmm... come to think of it, I can remember for certain that there's an SPC episode where the Narrator says something about Speedy being given the sword by a great samurai master who was also a part-time sushi chef. Just not quite sure which episode it was. :D


He's generally been referred to things such as "The Catatonic Guardian/Spirit" or "The Great Warrior" in SPC.
Sadly, very few, if any specifics are given beyond that, to my knowledge.

I find it interesting how the Gooney Birds/Extra Topping Armor with their modular armor system can so flawlessly attach onto the the SPCs armor and also how they seem to be made to match and suit the SPCs current armor and style even though they along with the Catatonic are meant to be ancient, I think its odd that he heres some ancient stuff thats seems to be made esspecially for you guys who live in the future :P

Also any theories on the armor of Vork that Badbird gets in Badbird Uncaged, and I notice so many oddities with the technology level in SPC since it the show in the port we sail powered galleons yet in other modern cruiseliners and even Emperor Freds transport shuttle, quite odd.

In response to your remark about low tech mixed with high tech, Pizzacat, remember this is one of the main (intended) quirks of KNT. It was a sort of series-long joke, equivelent of an Anime that had elements from colonial America and modern America.  :D

I can see it now, George Washington packing a lightsaber and a laser pistol.

The whole high tech meets low tech thing is one of the many things that attracts me to SPC. All the temples with satillite dishes on their roofs. Another example I like was in the episode with Ruby. You have a high tech apartment building that looks like it's seen better days. And on the top of the building an old dilapidated japanese village. My favourite invention from the whole show is Francine's Digital Abacus.

Hmmm ... maybe it was Hattori Hanzo from 'Kill Bill'?  8)

Here is what I invented as a backstory for the SPC_I fic thing ages ago...

Polly past: She was the daughter of a model; she ran way of home because she hated the way of life her mother wanted to impose her. Unfortunately, she later learned she had to act like that to get male attention, wanting to prove she could live in the way she wanted, she got into a secret ninja academy.

Guido: His dream was to be a male model, but his ego was too big that he was constantly fired for fighting with other male models. After being put in the black list of all model agencies, he decided to try his luck leaning Ninjitsu. Even if he was a skilled sword fighter, he decided to use a metal parasol because it made him look cooler.

Speedy: He was some kind of errant guy, traveling from town to town and being fired by every job because he was a goof and liked to solve problems fighting^_-. He finally got a stable job as a cook assistant, the cook discovered the boy fighting skills and trained him both in fighting and cooking, he had more luck in the first thing. Later Speedy discovered his sensei was a great samurai, but that was part time sushi chef to make a living. As a Graduation gif, Speedy got the Ginzu sword from his sensei, with hopes he could put it in a good use.

Great ideas. I always liked to imagine that Speedy used to get involved in a lot of bar fights.  :D

He's that kinda guy. he fought with Bad Bird over a ping pong match, so...

Hehe, typical =]

Actually a real good friend of mine once said he savv an offical Pizza Cat vvebsite that did tell the story of the Pizza Cats, but the site has been kaput for a vvhile novv. But from vvhat he remembers about it, herer are the backrounds of the Cats:

Speedy: His father vvas a Samurai vvarrior serving under Fred (back vvhen he vvas sane) Speedy took up Samurai Trining back in grammer school to follovv in his footsteps, Al vvas his teacher.  Both of Speedy's parents died soon after Samurai Graduation and he took himself into Vi's service to support himself, and Al made him leader after seeing his fighting skills. His only realtive mentioned is his Uncle Irving. He had no brothers or sisters.

Polly: Polly met Speedy back in third grade. She and her family had moved to Tokyo and she vvas being picked on by bullies for being the nevv kid. Speedy savv vvhat vvas happening and helped chase the bullies avvay and introduced himself. He vvalked her home and they became fast friends.  The next day Speedy noticed hovv strong she vvas and said he vvould help get her into Samurai Training so she vouldn't have to vvorry about bullies again. She also met Lucielle shortly after that.  She had a younger sister named Sayaka.

Guido: He can't remember much about Guido other than he met Speedy and Polly in Samurai Training Shool and the three proved the best in class vvhivh lead to Al forming the Pizza Cats. He has a brother in a catering business.

That's all he remembers, but he svvears it's true!