Wake up, Dann!
The main robot for my favourite anime Gun X Sword, Dann of Thursday is one original that is hard for me to hate for any reason. For this blog, I will be using the term that the GxS uses for mecha, “Armor”.
Dann Of Thursday has as many secrets as it does facts. Things that are known are its partial origins, fighting capabilities, pilot and pilot requirements. Things that have not really been talked about are a definite manufacturer, explanation of energy source, and an in depth piloting system. For know, let’s start with what we know about Dann’s past.
This blog WILL contain spoilers. I own all the single DVDs so fuck off.
During the time that mother Earth was alive, they cultivated a planet near the edge of our galaxy. It’s purpose? A prison. To watch over this prison planet, later dubbed Endless Illusion, Earth created 7 powerful Armor’s called The Original Seven. Diablo Of Monday, Metsa of Tuesday, Dahlia of Wednesday, Dann of Thursday, Sin of Friday, Sen of Saturday, and Saudade of Sunday. As time passed, mother Earth started to die, and with it came the corruption of The Original Seven pilots, causing all of them to slowly die off. Later, an unknown Armor research group lead by the main character’s soon to be wife found Dann and tried to repair it with the help of current Diablo pilot Gadved and hobo Van. As the production went on, the main character and the lead scenist were about to get married, but were soon struck with murder by the antagonist due to fear of having Dann being used against them. This would lead to the epic that is Gun X Sword.
Throughout the series, one main visual about the Original Seven, more specifically Dann, is a weird blue CG liquid that is evident in both the cockpit, and runs through the Armor and acts like blood for the Armor. I remember the characters or /m/ calling it “Liquid Metal” once or twice but I’m not sure. If that is the case, then my hypothesis about it is that when piloting the Armor, the small amount of electricity that goes on in our brain and nervous system is sent through the main piloting tool and then super conducted by both the “Liquid” and “Metal” properties of the blue goop, which then in tern becomes the energy source. Either that or I may just need to watch the series for a seventh time.
With that major unknown out of the way, lets get to the spoilerful details.
In order to pilot an Original, you must meet certain requirement, again some of which are unknown. The first pilots had to go through a process dubbed “Reconstruction” where the person is supped up with some sort cybernetics and turns them super human with presumably heightened reflex, increased strength, and regeneration. Piloting the Armor and accessing a healing system within it can also relive people of any illness, handovers in the case of Van. The main downfall of this however is that if said person does not pilot their Armor for more then a week, or if the Armor is destroyed, then the pilot dies. The Armor does not die though if the pilot dies somehow but the Armor is intact. The second way a person can pilot an original is through a special type of “synchronization” utilized by the antagonists. This however can only on individuals that are deemed to have the “right” requirements. What these requirements are is unknown, though when watching the series, one can assume that you need to have some sort on metal problem... These individuals are dubbed by Gadved the “Neo-Originals”. The Neo-Originals are capable of piloting much more efficient in then regular Originals in a much smaller time period. An example of this is when Van (Thursday) fought Carossa (Sin) and Melissa (Sen). Van had been using Dann for a numerous years, far long then these two kids, but they were able to control their Armor’s to a point where they were a match for Van. Neo-Originals also do not have the same link with their Armor to cause them to pilot it once a week. This presumably means that they cannot use the same regeneration abilities nor enhanced strength and reflexes.
Now, unlike typical Mecha, the Originals are not kept on the planet and travel with the pilots. During the time of the first Originals, a special cross-shaped satellite was constructed for each of the Armors. These satellites are kept in the Endless Illusions orbit out of the atmosphere to collect solar rays to power them. For a pilot to call down their Armor, they are given a weapon that represents the Armor of their choice. Eg. Van uses a sword, which is used to call down Dann who uses a sword and is shaped like one during launch. These weapons have to different states that the pilots can put them in. When sheathed, the weapon is nothing more then fabric making easy to conceal or carry, but with a pull of the trigger can become a bladed weapon capable of spinning at high speeds. To call down the Armor, the weapon somehow reacts to the person’s thoughts or something and holes grow along the bladed area of the weapon. Now, the main character normally draws a “V” with the sword to call down Dann, but all other members are not shown doing so. It’s not that they don’t do it, it’s just they’re off screen when the Armor is shot down form the satellite. Piloting the Armor however for the person is unexplained in words, but from watching you can take a wild guess and say that it’s mind controlled. When the pilot get’s in, they somehow insert their weapon through the transparent floor into the blue liquid metal. Now, their seems to be some sort of synchronization the pilots can obtain went using an Original which can increase it’s battle potency by a lot. This is shown by a light encasing the cockpit. When this happens, besides a boost in power and reaction time, the Armor gains 2 new abilities. The first is the Electromagnetic Shield, which is basically just a powerful energy shield, the second is direct visual and audio communication with another Original Seven Armor. After the battle, the pilot seems to have two choices for the Armor. One is “Return”, obviously meaning return to the satellite, while the other is “Auto Pilot” which is never shown during that show. When the Armor is end back into the satellite, it will transform into a shape resembling the weapon and fly back up where the satellite will do instant repairs on it, assuming that it’s in good enough condition to get there.
Now that we’re done with the Original Seven general information, lets gone on to things specifically about Dann Of Thursday. Dann’s weapon theme is that of a sword, using a single sword much like Van where it can spin at high speeds, but also transforms into a sword shape when launching and docking into its satellite. Dann’s sword can also split into one normal sized sword, and one much smaller. Besides its sword(s), hands, and feet, Dann has no other weapons. How it has survived a multitude of Armors with ranged attacks, tower sizes, and greater strength is by pure speed and skill. Dann has small, but very effective thrusters installed into it’s back which helps with dashes or gliding across and through water. Along with the already stated Electromagnetic Field and other things, Dann has one attack that no other Original could dream of, all thanks to Van. This attack in series is dubbed "Overflow", where Van attains complete synchronization with Dann and creates a giant sword made out of the liquid metal. The length of it has never seen an end, but it goes higher then the sky. It is only hinted that Van would to have to have some sort of connection with the Original Seven before Van even saw Dann, however this is left unconcluded and is one of the only hints towards Van's past.
Here is a video from Super Robot Wars K that shows the kind of attacks Dann is capable of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_nKj0ib2_M
All in all, Dann Of Thursday is ranked 3 for its vague, but deep history, style, and feats. Armed with nothing but a sword, Dann is truly a Mecha for the ages.
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