Saber Marionette Series Info

Saber Marionette J
In the distant future, an overpopulated Earth caused its inhabitants to emmigrate in search of a new home. A horrendus event occured on the spaceship Mesopotamia which killed most of its passengers. Six men managed to get an escape craft down to the nearby atmospheric planet. Stranded, with only six survivors, the men worked together to create a new future for mankind though cloning. However, no matter what they tried, the six could not produce a female clone.

It has been 300 years since, and Terra II is the result. Six great city states from each of the original survivors have grown in population, and have developed their own personalities. Still, everywhere you look, all you can see is men, men, and more men.

The human female is remembered, faintly, in the form of a robotic android replica. These "marionettes" have taken place of what most inhabitants of the planet dismiss as a myth. Much of the hard work is taken care of by these machines, be it construction, porter duties, or militia. They unquestionably cater to every need, and caring for them is unheard of.

Enter Otaru Mamiya, a struggling boy of the city of Japoness. He sees something that no else seems to when looking into the blank stare of marionettes. They make him feel awkward, and he rejects the idea of making one work when he can do it himself.

When he ends up in a strange chamber under an abandoned history museum, he meets an unusual marionette. This one seems so real, with the ability to think and feel for herself. She is different from any other marionette, and her discovery is only the beginning of the story...

Anime Episodes
Saber Marionette J (TV) - 25 episodes, licensed and released by Bandai-Entertainment
Saber Marionette J Again (OVA) - 6 episodes, licensed and released by Bandai-Entertainment
Saber Marionette J to X (TV) - 25 episodes + a bonus promotional 26th episode, licensed and released by Bandai-Entertainment

Manga
Saber Marionette J - 5 volumes, licensed and released by Tokyopop

Novels
Saber Marionette J - 12 books, unlicensed
Saber Marionette J High School - 2 books, unlicensed

Audio Drama
Saber Marionette J - ? parts originally featured on Nowanchatte Say You, unlicensed

Video Games
Saber Marionette J Battle Sabers - Playstation game, unlicensed


Saber Marionette R
200 years after the events of Saber Marionette J, there was an uprising in the country of Romana. The power hungry Starface is after the throne, and attacks with his mechanical army.

The king's son, Junior gets caught up in the events, and is marked for assassination, escaping only with the help of his unique marionettes. This unlikely young boy is the only hope to usurp the power of Starface in order to return Romana to its former peaceful state.

Anime Episodes
Saber Marionette R (OVA) - 3 episodes, licensed and released by Media Blasters

Novels
Saber Marionette R - 2 books, unlicensed

Audio Drama
Saber Marionette R - 12 parts originally featured on Nowanchatte Say You, unlicensed


Saber Marionette Zero
100 years after the events of Saber Marionette R, all of Romana's marionettes were equipped with Otome Kairo, the astounding circuit that gives thoughts and feelings to marionettes. Over time, these circuits degraded and caused the marionettes to go berserk.

Doctor Kitajima is the woman attempting to find a solution to this situation, and ends up encountering the power marionette, Zero.

This story is titled as an "Alternate story", so its events may or may not be canon to the main timeline.

Manga
Saber Marionette Zero - 7 chapters, serialized

Novels
Saber Marionette Zero - Final 8th chapter


Saber Marionette High School
This story takes place some time after R, and has a few pages of featurettes on Satoru's site.

The previous marionette wars have brought about a new law that gives equal rights to humans and marionettes. This story involves a private schooling facility with a mixed class.


Saber Marionette i
Recently released teasers heralded the coming of a new serial involving two marionette sisters. Check out this post.

Links
Hanami's Saber Marionette World is currently the largest infobase for Saber Marionette on the web, despite not receiving an update for 2 years.

Bandai-Entertainment

Tokyopop

Media Blasters

Polilin's Site (Satoru Akahori's Personal Website)