Rideback (manga)

Rideback (stylized as RɪᴅᴇBᴀᴄᴋ) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tetsurō Kasahara. It was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Monthly Ikki from April 2003 to October 2008, with its chapters collected in ten tankōbon volumes. Set in Japan in the 2020s, it follows the story of college student Rin Ogata, as she comes across a two-wheeled automobile robot known as a Rideback. It was adapted into a 12-episode anime television series by Madhouse broadcast from January to March 2009. In North America, Funimation licensed the anime series for English release.

Plot
In the year of 2020 (2025 in the anime), an organization called the Global Government Force (世界統治軍) (GGF) has taken control of the world. Rin Ogata was a promising up-and-coming ballet dancer but suffered a serious injury while dancing and decided to quit. Years later in college, she comes across a club building and soon finds herself intrigued by a transforming motorcycle-like robotic vehicle called a "Rideback". She soon finds that her unique ballet skills with balance and finesse make her a born natural on a Rideback. However, those same skills also get her into serious trouble with the government.

Musashino University Rideback Club

 * Rin Ogata (尾形 琳)
 * A college student. Being the daughter of a talented dancer, she was therefore expected to be their natural successor, having participated in dancing competitions from a young age. However, she fractured her left foot while dancing and subsequently decided to leave it, later enrolling in the theater department of Musashino University, where she first comes across the Rideback Fuego.
 * A college student. Being the daughter of a talented dancer, she was therefore expected to be their natural successor, having participated in dancing competitions from a young age. However, she fractured her left foot while dancing and subsequently decided to leave it, later enrolling in the theater department of Musashino University, where she first comes across the Rideback Fuego.


 * Tamayo Kataoka (片岡 珠代)
 * Third year student in the French literature department and a senior to both to Rin and Haruki. The Rideback champion of Japan.
 * Third year student in the French literature department and a senior to both to Rin and Haruki. The Rideback champion of Japan.


 * Tenshirō Okakura (岡倉 天司郎)
 * Head of the Rideback team. Possessing a strict character and a large nose.
 * Head of the Rideback team. Possessing a strict character and a large nose.


 * Haruki Hishida (菱田 春樹)
 * Second year student in the English department and Rin's senior. An enthusiast of Ridebacks.
 * Second year student in the English department and Rin's senior. An enthusiast of Ridebacks.


 * Shōko Uemura (上村 しょう子)
 * Childhood friend of Rin's.
 * Childhood friend of Rin's.


 * Suzuri Uchida (内田 すずり)
 * First year student in the sociology department. Being a huge fan of Rin, she is extremely enthusiastic.
 * First year student in the sociology department. Being a huge fan of Rin, she is extremely enthusiastic.

GGP (GGF in manga)

 * Romanov Kallenbach (ロマノフ・カレンバーク)
 * The corrupt commander of the GGP. He runs the government with a dictatorship approach. He is shot and killed by Misawo. He is an anime original character.
 * The corrupt commander of the GGP. He runs the government with a dictatorship approach. He is shot and killed by Misawo. He is an anime original character.


 * Misawo Yokoyama (横山 みさを)
 * Lecturer at Musashino University's department of literature and adviser to the Rideback team. In reality, however, she is a member of the GGP.
 * Lecturer at Musashino University's department of literature and adviser to the Rideback team. In reality, however, she is a member of the GGP.

BMA
Note: BMA is an acronym for Borderless Military Alliance (国境なき軍事同盟).
 * Kiefer (キーファ)
 * A soldier of BMA, who rides a black Rideback. In his early years, he served in the same GGP unit as Okakura and Kallenbach before later defecting to the BMA.
 * A soldier of BMA, who rides a black Rideback. In his early years, he served in the same GGP unit as Okakura and Kallenbach before later defecting to the BMA.


 * Kenji Ogata (尾形 堅司)
 * Rin's younger brother.
 * Rin's younger brother.

Other characters

 * Yuki Ogata (尾形 遊紀)
 * Rin's mother. A talented ballet dancer who died six years before the series' story.
 * Rin's mother. A talented ballet dancer who died six years before the series' story.


 * Megumi Yoda (依田 恵)
 * A freelance journalist.
 * A freelance journalist.


 * Ryunosuke Kataoka (片岡 龍之介)
 * An executive of the Metropolitan Police Department and Tamayo's older brother.
 * An executive of the Metropolitan Police Department and Tamayo's older brother.

Manga
Rideback, written and illustrated by Tetsurō Kasahara, was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Monthly Ikki from April 25, 2003, to October 25, 2008. Shogakukan collected its chapters in ten tankōbon volumes, published from May 28, 2004, to February 25, 2009.

Anime
An anime adaptation was announced in April 2007. The 12-episode series was animated by Madhouse and directed by Atsushi Takahashi. It was broadcast on Chiba TV, TV Saitama, tvk, KBS Kyoto, Sun TV, Tokyo MX and AT-X from January 12 to March 30, 2009. The opening theme is "Rideback", performed by Mell, and the ending theme is "Kioku" (記憶) by Younha featuring Goku.

In North America, Funimation announced the license to the series at Anime Central in May 2010. Funimation released the series on Blu-ray and DVD on June 28, 2011. The series made its American television debut on July 26, 2011 on Funimation Channel.

Novel
A novel, titled Rideback: Cannonball Run (RIDEBACK―キャノンボール・ラン―) was released by Shogakukan, under its Gagaga Bunko, on January 21, 2009.