IGPX Episode 1: Time to Shine
Original Japanese title: Time to Shine
Team Satomi is a rookie team vying for a spot in the IG-1 League. In the IG-1 League, six teams will compete for a chance to win the championship. Team Satomi thinks they have what it takes to make it there. Unfortunately, their lack of teamwork may be their biggest obstacle. Once they qualify, will they be able to work well with one another to face off against veteran team Sledgemamma? This episode introduces all of the IG-1 teams and the characters of Team Satomi.
Spoilers Below
Don't scroll down any further if you want to avoid spoilers! The action reports, music credits and screenshots contain some spoilers from the episode!
Report #1
The 2047 IG-2 Championship Match! Who Has Been Promoted to IG-1?
Above all expectations, Lady Luck has smiled upon Team Satomi. Satomi dominates the IG-2, and rises to IG-1 status!
It was truly a moment of "Lady Luck" smiling upon Team Satomi. The day finally came for the championship of the top 2 ranked teams of the IG-2 Regular Season. This is the third time that Team Satomi has appeared in the IG-2 championship in the 12 years since it was founded. Consider that up until 2042, Team Rolling Stone (the team that Satomi faced in this match) was in the IG-1 and had gotten to the IG-2 finals for the second year in a row. The odds were overwhelming for Team Rolling Stone to win this year. Lap 2 finished with Team Satomi's attacks missing and Team Rolling Stone maintaining a winning position.
But the final lap came. It was Team Satomi's Takeshi who took the top by sneaking away in the midst of a melee amongst the other pilots. In the middle of the spiral, although Team Rolling Stone's Oleg was being chased, with the help of his Inner Edge attack, Oleg began his lead. But, the remaining two mechs of Team Rolling Stone were closely followed behind by Takeshi. Takeshi needed to do something about those two mechs. If the other two mechs of Team Satomi were somehow not able to finish, they wouldn't have been able to get enough points to win the race. 5 kilometers remained. Team Satomi's Liz and Amy somehow managed to catch up to the four mechs in the front. But, it wouldn't be easy for Satomi to get past Rolling Stone by fighting one-on-one. It is common for teams to come up with some kind of fresh, new strategy here in the finals. Rather than strategy and teamwork, Team Satomi's forte is to win by pilot performance and luck. Indifferent to his teammates' actions, Takeshi aimed for the checkered flag. Takeshi finished in 1st place. Sertab finished in 2nd place, with Liz and Amy getting 3rd and 5th. Team Satomi got their first IG-2 Finals victory. As with what can sometimes be seen in the Regular Season, it's no wonder that the specialist magazines described this rather dicey battle as, "just a lucky break". But winning is still a great accomplishment. We look forward to seeing what Team Satomi can do in the IG-1 next season.
Report #2
Outlook: How Will Team Satomi Fight in the IG-1 League?
This is the first time for Team Satomi to race in the IG-1 since its foundation. Last season, people would say things like, "Luck was on their side", or "The smile of Lady Luck". While it's true that Satomi took home the IG-2 championship, those phrases will likely not stick with them when they're in the IG-1.
One of the characteristics of Team Satomi is that two of their pilots, Takeshi and Liz, have trained in martial arts from China and Japan. In the IG-2, their hand-to-hand fighting seemed to be what stood out the most. In particular, Takeshi's attacks demonstrated the speed and ruthlessness of his training. This style must explain why many fans have been supporting Team Satomi. Takeshi is even known by some fans as "The Samurai Pilot". But, it's said that it's not just their ability in the martial arts that they've learned, but it is those skills combined with their mental ability that gives them the power to really sense their opponents. It's these two pilots combined with the genius pilot Amy that leads us to expect that Team Satomi will show us their intrinsic capabilities. It's precisely because they haven't yet proven themselves to be an accomplished team that the anticipation for what kind of performance Team Satomi will show us is so high!
Report #3
The IG-1 Kings' Mission: Take on the Ensuing New Rival
2047 was the golden year for Team Velshtein and left a strong impression on its fans. Before the curtain for the season was raised, Team Velshtein was considered a likely winner for the season. Staying true to that prediction, Team Velshtein won all of their races in the Regular Season of the IG-1. While Team Sledgemamma demonstrated their overwhelming strength in the championship race, Team Velshtein shined brightly, winning their second year in a row - a first in IGPX history. Nonetheless, we can't say for sure if the 2048 season will be the same as last year. That's because this season, "Stop the V" has become the main catchphrase for the other IG-1 teams, driving a fresh new objective for the teams to focus on. Which team will be the first to beat Team Velshtein? We'll be constantly consumed with that question this season.
But, Team Velsthtein's ace pilot, Alex Cunningham, does not seem interested in the teams or pilots that he fought in 2047. Just the other day, the IGPX 2048 Opening Reception was held at the Ricky Perch Memorial Hall. On stage there, he was asked, "Are there any pilots you have an eye on this season?" He replied, "Takeshi of Team Satomi". After that, he followed up by saying, "I haven't fought him yet, so I don't know whether or not he's the real deal in rivalry". To the opposing teams and also to fans, hearing this must have been quite surprising. There are probably many people who took that as simply lip service. But, Benjamin Bright, who was the host of the event, says, "Declaring that as lip service is not sensible". It's true that Team Satomi won through the IG-2 not just by luck, but Cunningham isn't called a genius for nothing. We can assume that he is probably onto something with the bold statement he made. We have to wonder about Team Satomi who has been said to be carrying some baggage from the IG-2. Will they become a great new challenger in the IG-1, or will they crash and burn out of the gate? Either way, the curtain for this year's IG-1 has been raised, and their upcoming battle with Team Sledgemamma is one that has inevitably already gained a lot of attention.
Music Credits
Additional Information
US original broadcast date: November 5, 2005
Japan original broadcast date: October 5, 2005
Toonami Version Differences
- A line of Miss Satomi and Jesse is cut out, amounting to about 8 seconds. This occurs during the scene in the meeting room after the race and press conference. Miss Satomi remarks that she needs to find sponsors, and Jesse responds with an offer to help.
- Several scenes have very small cuts, making some of the longer pauses shorter.
Screenshot Gallery
