Robu Tsuchino: The Good, the Bad, and the Badass.

Robu Tsuchino/Seijitsu (center) and his Japanese parallels:

Chibiusa/Rini (with Black Lady/Wicked Lady, left)

and the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger (right)

(Click here to listen to the MIDI version of "Sailor Senshi Doushi no Taitirtu"
as you're reading this blog. This would totally be Seijitsu's theme if it wasn't already taken!
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If there is one character in the Angelic Guardians series that I think will steal Rizu/Tamashii's spotlight more than any other member of the Angelic Guardians squad, it'd have to be the star of Angelic Guardians: The Awakening: Robu Tsuchino.


Also known as Seijitsu.


Robu was designed after a very special friend of mine since the summer of 2005. In fact, our story was thrown into the storylines for The Gathering and The Awakening, including the place where we worked and some of our family members and coworkers. Like Robu Tsuchino, he was a big sci-fi nerd and he was the only guy I knew who was still playing Pokémon video games. (Nerdom was not accepted in my graduating class, which sucked for me.)


Now, throw in a few personalities and backgrounds of notable characters in Japanese entertainment, and you have the perfect leading male character to rival his female counterpart, which is exactly what makes Robu just as loveable as Rizu but less whiny and fangirly.


(Although, he does hold his own when it comes to his secret love for Pōwā Senshi, the Angelic Guardians ripoff to Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger (or the first season of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers). He received a giant collection of Dinodroids and Megadroids from his cousin Matu Hiro when Matu grew out of his nerd phase, and he claims the Green Senshi (Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger, respectively) is the best Pōwā Senshi there ever was. Clearly, his favorite Droid is none other than the Dragondroid (Dragon Caesar/Dragonzord), which can still be found in his bedroom to this day.)


Robu is first seen in The Gathering as a sharp-tongued, arrogant, Gothic nerd who has no interest in religion. He often chastises Rizu for her foot-in-mouth comments, but he also shows a great concern for her whenever she feels troubled. He only makes two appearances throughout the book, which makes him a minor character but a minor character that would soon change the paradigms of the Angelic Guardians series as we know it.


His grand return to Roganu in Angelic Guardians: The Awakening puts Rizu in a difficult situation when Paipa, one of the two boss demons of the book, strikes Roganu Beach by kidnapping children in the middle of the night and placing an eternal sleep curse over them. Rizu knows Paipa is carrying out Myoujou's latest scheme, but because he understands that their jobs are on the line, Robu plans to rescue the children himself, which eventually prompts both Rizu and Deibiddo/Inochi to reveal their secret to him in their first battle against Paipa.


Robu's involvement in The Awakening parallels with two other characters many fans of 90's Japanese children entertainment may recall. The first character is Usagi "Chibiusa" Chiba/Rini, better known as Chibimoon/Mini Moon in Sailor Moon. Elements of Sailor Moon R and Sailor Moon SuperS were the foundation of The Awakening, mainly because both arcs (excluding the story of the Makaiju/Doom Tree in the anime of Sailor Moon R) focused on Chibiusa as the main character. Chibiusa would be a better candidate to draw similarities from when comparing with Rizu, but it's her story from these two arcs that parallels with Robu's in The Awakening.


Parallel #1: Robu vs. Chibiusa
- Both Robu and Chibiusa discovered the secret identities of their future teammates before becoming Chosen Ones themselves.
- They were the youngest members of their respective corps at the time of their initiation. (Robu --> 18; Chibiusa --> 5 (manga), 6 or 7 (Sailor Moon S anime)) This soon changed when ChibiChibi/Sailor ChibiChibi was introduced in Sailor Moon Sailor Stars, although ChibChibi was not a real child in the end. In the manga, she is really Sailor Cosmos in disguise, and in the anime, she is the Star Seed of Sailor Galaxia, which hints she was "created" instead of being born.
- They share a deep connection with the dream world and its magical guardians. (Robu --> Seiji; Chibiusa --> Pegasus)
- They become the enemy in the same arc they are first viewed as the main character. (Robu --> Dark Seijitsu; Chibiusa --> Black Lady/Wicked Lady)
- They have at least one attack that causes little damage but can serve as a huge distraction. (Robu --> Slingshot Toss (which will be introduced in Angelic Guardians: The Return); Chibiusa --> Pink Sugar Heart Attack (anime only))
- They have a friendly (and sometimes sibling-like) rivalry with the protagonist but with good reason. (Sadly, I'm not in the position to tell you Robu's reason at the moment. Let's just say I'd be giving away a huge spoiler for future installments.)


The second character that Robu mirrors quite often in Angelic Guardians is the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger himself. Now I will say that Burai (Zyuranger) and Tommy Oliver (MMPR) were two different men possessing the Dragon Coin, and the fate of these two men differed greatly. Although both Burai and Tommy gradually lost their powers thanks to Bandora/Rita Repulsa, whom they served under prior to joining the Zyuranger/Power Rangers, Burai died and Tommy reemerged as the White Ranger in the second season of MMPR, using the Kibaranger costume from Gosei Sentai Dairanger (and, yes, I'm still disappointed with Haim Saban for not bringing over the other five costumes when the second season of MMPR was being produced).


Still, the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger proved to be the greatest rival the Tyrannoranger/Red Ranger had ever faced, which could be said the same in light of Rizu/Tamashii and Robu/Seijitsu. Robu is basically Rizu's male counterpart but with a bad attitude. They are equally matched in intelligence and combat, and like Zyuranger/MMPR, Rizu shares ownership with Robu over his familiar Seiji, much like the Tyrannoranger/Red Ranger after inheiriting Dragon Caesar/Dragonzord, the Dragon Dagger, and the Dragon Shield following the departure of the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger (even though the Green Ranger reunites with the Power Rangers and is given full control over his prized possessions once more until Lord Zedd strips him of what's left of his powers).


Parallel #2: Robu vs. Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger
 - Both Robu and the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger are tricked by a deceiving female antagonist to fight against their own kind. (Robu --> Robu is kissed by Deiraira's mortal counterpart Di and brainwashed by the poison on her lips; Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger --> Bandora/Rita Repulsa kidnaps the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger and uses her magic on him to kill the Zyuranger/Power Rangers)

• Ironically enough, they are both the sixth senshi to join their corps, and they were used at one point to play the role as the enemy.

- Their biggest rival in battle is the main character of their respective franchises. (Robu --> Rizu/Tamashii; Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger --> Tyrannoranger/Red Ranger)
- They share leadership with the head senshi of their corps. (self-explanatory)
- They redeem themselves for their treachery through a great sacrifice. (Robu --> Rizu/Tamashii gives herself to Deiraira in exchange for Robu/Seijitsu's soul, which gives Robu/Seijitsu the motivation to prove himself as a true Angelic Guardian to the others; Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger --> Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger risks the last hour of his existence to save the other Zyuranger/Power Ranger from their doom, but time expires and he loses his powers and, in the case of Zyuranger, his life.)
- Their favorite damsel in distress wears pink. (Robu --> Rizu/Tamashii; Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger --> Pteraranger/Pink Ranger (although the Dragon Ranger never had any romantic interest for the Pteraranger in Zyuranger. That was all MMPR, baby.))


It's sad to say not many active male characters such as Robu Tsuchino appear in modern-day literature. (That is, if you're not counting a certain Boy Wizard who captured our hearts over ten years ago.) Still, no matter who Robu is compared to, whether it's Chibiusa or the Dragon Ranger/Green Ranger, he'll forever be remembered as the Angelic Guardian who made nerdom sexy, dangerous, and cool.