“In the wholesome light of the current year, I walk upon the path of Restoration. 'Ere are my brothers and sisters walking beside me, their eyes aglow with life-saving intent, fists ready to dispense wholesome doom. We vowed to protect those we've learned to love and with our very blood if need be, for the fullest life is a life lived for others...”
Indeed, this is not the Bofurin motto but the Crow's, yet the similarities between them and the Space Bikars (yes, it is correct since this is the way they pronounce it) are so major, that I simply had to do something. You see; after way too many of my own readers engaged in furious noticing as they watched Wind Breaker, and proceeded to ask me a whole spaceship cargohold full of questions, the birth of this essay became inevitable.
No, I do not think that Satoru Nii read any of my Starshatter books, though it would've been really cool, I must admit!
Yes, though the two universes are rather different, many of the heroic themes and character archetypes are quite similar.
The Bofurin are not just some bunch of rowdy delinquents, no. Though their school, Furin High, is not a shining beacon of academic prowess, its students have a special set of skills and gifts. Under the inspiring leadership of Hajime Umemiya these students have adopted a cause most noble—protecting Makochi, their hometown and its people.
As for the awesome Bofurin motto, here it is before I start rambling:
“Anyone who causes pain, who brings destruction, who holds evil in their heart will be purged by Bofurin without exception!”
True it is what Terran Morale Officers say, “The path of Restoration starts where the road to Redemption ends.”
Thus, we explore the complicated pasts of Bofurin members, who, before their transmogrification into protectors most wholesome, were lost. Just as all those who walk the walk of a sanctioned criminal and join a SMC or a Space Motorcycle Club, they've suffered and made mistakes.
It is the measure of quite the mighty community, if those who built it can embrace their rowdiest children and help them recover their Core.
I was asked many times one question—where are the teachers of Furin High?
“They are there,” I answered, “all of them, diligently working in their shops.”
The people of Makochi, salt of the Earth, they are a gathering of Heroes, building and maintaining civilization. Upon this altar of life did the members of Bofurin make their vow, embraced a worthy purpose. Directionless and without a goal in life no longer, they have become Protectors not only of the denizens of Makochi, but their own futures.
When we look at Wind Breaker's main protagonist, Haruka Sakura, it is not hard to see that he's had a sad, even torturous past. The very fist glimpse of his inner self is him balancing precariously on a thin rope over a dark abyss. People, not honest ones, but of the lousy, sucky kind, have always looked down on him because of who he is at his Core.
However, instead of turning into a villain, this motivated him to grow. Though growth, as he had deeply felt inside his heart, is worthless without a purpose. Indeed, he assumed that said purpose was the goal he placed before himself, to become the leader of Furin High.
He is taught, first by the teachers of Makochi, then his fellow classmates, that ascending to the throne of Furin High would be a hollow journey, and sitting upon it, hollow still. Unless there are friends to help him climb the ladder, and he discovers his purpose in life, he could end up just like one of the antagonists, Choji.
A boy who walks the nihilist road of self-destruction all for want of power; the leader of Shishitoren is a chilling example of what happens when you abandon those who fulfilled your existence. Choji's life purpose he discarded on his own, which led to dangerous psychopathy and nearly the loss of his mind.
Said loss was obvious to Choji's second, the powerful, silent Jo Togame, yet he kept his mouth shut. Instead of confronting his friend he let things regress further and further, until neither the Shishitoren nor his best friend Choji were as they once were.
In a scene both amazing to behold and offering quite the profound life-lesson, the wholesome leader of Furin High, Hajime Umemiya is willing to sacrifice his health to help Choji find his way back to reality. A compelling lesson, that even those who walked themselves upon the very precipice of doom could be redeemed.
Reluctant, Haruka finds solace in the life-lessons taught to him by the teachers of Furin High, the hardworking people of Makochi. More, his heart is emboldened by the actions of his classmates and the shining example of Hajime Umemiya awakens Haruka's Core. No longer alone, he begins his journey to Redemption and eventually, Restoration.
Yet, you will ask, what are the similarities between the Bofurin and the Space Bikars from Starshatter?
Now, hold yer cybernetically enhanced, uplifted horses of war!
First I need to talk a bit about Humanity in Starshatter, of heart, mind, and soul. They've been though their Crucible and to survive it, in many ways they radically changed. Walked the path of Redemption and then the road of Regeneration, they did. Now, in their Space Age, Humanity has embarked upon the journey of Uplift. Teaching others the painful lessons they've suffered themselves, and showing many a young, fledgling alien race how they could help and grow by their own merit.
However, that does not make even those uplifted humans perfect. Though they may never embrace soul-crushing nihilism, or the degeneracy of slavery, some still clash with their rowdy hearts. These humans desire to roam free, unfettered even by the logical constrains of Terran Minarchy’s laws; they'd like to let their fists do the talking, go where they may face certain death, engage in nigh suicidal vehicle races, etc, etc.
Much like the delinquents of Furin High, the Space Bikars will beat each other bloody, cause property damage, and often violently disrupt public order. However, these same bikars would go out of their way to help said public, whenever the people require it and in any way necessary.
Realizing early on that it is far more productive to have all members of your society work together towards a hopeful future, I-Sec, the keepers of peace across all Terran Minarchy colonies, stated that those bikars who protect “honist peepo” are to be called sanctioned criminals. They don't step on each other's toes and oftentimes actively ignore what the other has or is currently doing.
Yes, and I will say it again: them bikars ain't some cuddly, sanitized version of our world's road riding motorcyclists. In the words (mind you, he is talking in high Bikar Speak) of one Takeshi Hongo, a mighty space bikar hailing from Japan:
“In most casis, us bikars make sure our ‘ard workin’ boys an’ girls ar’ safe. We prey on dem violent mobsters, pirates, narcos, an’ everi kind of degenerate fuck who dares touch our peepo. Dey buy all dat sweet loot of ours an’ hide us wen we need to lay low. Space bikars kill slaving fucks every star-year by deir hundrids of thousans an’ free the enslaved. Plus, we haff an understandin’ wiff our lawmen; dey don’ mess wiff us an’ we, wiff dem.”
Meaning they oft require a symbolic Protection Fare, and just like the teachers of Makochi give their Protectors food or a roof over their heads, the bikars know that having said honist peepo backs means their own future is secured. Money they can always take from the soulless, evil gangsters, who are all-too-eager to drink the blood of others dry and live off the sweat of another man's (or woman's) brow.
Titanic is the space bikar's revilement of those who enslave others. They love their freedom so much, that when some filthy fuck denies other people theirs, the bikars consider this an assault on their very Core. They may not have many rules, yet there is one which these unapologetic individualists hold most dear—a person must live free.
To this end, they will go out of their way to liberate slaves, many of whom readily join the bikers. They would raid slave auctions, assault narco drug plantations, or board spaceships ferrying slaves, always dealing with those who did the enslaving in a manner of most vicious severity.
Thus, when the fecal matter collides with the proverbial air cooling device, Bikars know that those they protected will have their backs.
And, as they live their purpose, one faithful day Father Death touches them with his bony finger, they would hug the bastard. With a happy grin on their scarred gobs they would willingly go into the afterlife. They didn't reach the top alone, nor were they all friendless there, and most assuredly, those whom they protected would greet them, a bottle of cold beer in hand.
Because a life lived for others is a life worth living.
I love your Space Bikars. They are such a great part of your overall work. I love how you put a place in your Starshatter Universe for even those that have no place anywhere else and would otherwise turn into thugs and thieves.
And you know how I love the bikars. And anyone who helps those that need it They make Starshatter so fun to read.