The Michi Mk X18 "Plasma Legion" is a 10th generation unmanned tank being developed by the Sumeragi Group in collaboration with overseas company Eunos Inc. A famously powerful war machine, even during its development period, Sumeragi has yet to produce a functional unit due to technical and bureaucratic problems.
It and an incomplete model, the Proto Legion JB,[1] appear in Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 as weapons of the multinational Adept supremacist union Eden. During her time as a spy, Zonda stole data on the tank and provided it to members of The Seven, Teseo and Asroc, who were able to construct a unit and bring it online via their septimal powers.
※Doesn’t appear in-game The Mk 17 “Mantis” was called the masterpiece of unmanned tanks but given its high degree of completion and appreciation of it, the development of the Mk 18, which has to overcome it, is plagued with issues. In order to break out of this stalled situation, Sumeragi received a tech loan from an overseas corporation, Eunos, and began development of this Plasma Legion. But the confusion on the field arisen from the team-up with an overseas corporation and the developers increasing the demands on specs with each passing day, it’s still far from completion. It’s said that even nowadays the developers in the field keep on fluttering about proposals of “let’s add a transformation combination mechanism”.
Design[]
The Plasma Legion is a large, bulky robot that bears a vague resemblance to a bird. It is blue with purple highlights, stands on two short legs, and has multiple cannons and guns attached to its sides. After being upgraded, it gains a pair of horn-like rails attached to its head.
Following the Sumeragi Futures Institute of Technology (S-FIT) 8th division's development of the anti-Adept 9th generation unmanned tank, the Michi Mk 17 Mantis,[2] the Sumeragi Group began working on 10th gen tank development with two projects being worked on by different teams. While (judging by model numbers) the 8th division commenced work on the Michi Mk X18 Plasma Legion, another team began work on the Miha Mk X19 Spyder.
As the Mantis was called the pinnacle of unmanned tanks, development struggled to make a 10th gen tank able to overcome that reputation. Seeking to overcome this stagnation, Sumeragi chose to collaborate with an overseas company, Eunos Inc., and received a tech loan and transfer staff for the project. Due to the transfer staff's involvement, the Plasma Legion became the first Sumeragi machine to have a Latin alphabet character in its designation (the X in ミチＸ一八式“プラズマレギオン”).
The Plasma Legion's development suffered significant delays due to the confusion caused by the collaboration process, in addition to specifications demanded by development personnel. It's even said that enthusiastic developers who suggested "Let's add a detachable body function" contributed to the confusion. As Sumeragi's higher ups grew frustrated with the delays, they eventually had tech from the project combined with the Mantis to create the Mantis Legion. While the Mantis Legion matched expectations and gained approval within the company, the developers themselves were unsatisfied due to it not really being the machine they wanted to make.[3]
As of the events of Azure Striker Gunvolt 2, the Plasma Legion was still nowhere near being finished despite combat-capable prototypes of the other 10th gen tank Spyder being rolled out several months prior. (The Spyder, however, had its own problems...)
During Zonda's infiltration of Sumeragi, she acquired the tank's design data and gave it to Teseo. Teseo used his septima "Hack the Planet" to recreate the tank, but did so in a rush. The resulting prototype is known as the Proto Legion JB, and lacks many of its fully developed version's features. Teseo uses the robot to attack Gunvolt to prevent him from reaching the Seraph's control room. Gunvolt swiftly defeats the machine, but it is seemingly teleported out by Teseo before he can destroy it.
After being brought to Eden's headquarters, The Garden, the Plasma Legion is updated into its complete form by Teseo and Asroc. Depending on if the player is playing as Gunvolt or Copen, the Plasma Legion will be summoned by either Teseo or Asroc, using the last of their power to order it to destroy the intruder. However, despite the Plasma Legion being at full power, it is eventually destroyed, and the protagonist moves on deeper into The Garden.
The pods on the Legions' sides open up to launch a swarm of missiles. They can be blocked by Flashfield.
"Plasma Ball"
The Plasma Legion charges its cannon to fire a large green plasma ball at you. If the projectile hits the ground, it splits into two smaller balls that travel along the ground. The Plasma Legion will always fire 3 shots with this attack.
"Teleport"
The Plasma Legion is being manipulated by Teseo's septima Hack the Planet, so he can essentially copy-paste it onto the other side of the arena. It will perform this move once per phase.
Plasma Legion[]
It is possible to go behind Plasma Legion's head, completely bypassing its shield and being free from all of its regular attacks.
The device on its head springs up and produces a Hexapyle-like barrier to cover its "face", erasing any tags present at the time. The barrier isn't as durable as a proper hexapyle, and is slower to regenerate when damaged. The Plasma Legion automatically deploys a ZMC Field at the start of the fight, its 2nd phase, and after completing Aero Runner.
Piercing attacks, such as most of Copen's EX Weapons, can go through the barrier.
Fires three drill-tipped missiles, which are very durable and require a few seconds of Flashfield exposure to destroy. Upon destruction, they release energy balls which keep going.
There are two patterns:
Firing straight forward.
Firing into the air, after which they come down and slowly drill into the ground.
"Plasma Cannon"
The Plasma Legion charges the cannon inside its mouth to shoot a blue energy ball. If it impacts the ground, it splits into four smaller balls that travel along the ground. The Plasma Legion will always fire 3 shots with this attack.
Rails flip down from the shoulders before it fires a massive blast diagonally downwards. The only safe spots are right near the Plasma Legion or in the air.
Aero Runner (DGレイサー, DG Raser)
The Plasma Legion's special skill. It detaches its upper and lower halves, the upper half staying afloat via jets. The upper half flies above in a plasma field while the lower half drives along the ground. They run along the upper and lower halves of the screen, leaving only a small row along the center safe. After three runs with this move, the unit reforms at the opposite end from where it started.
The Plasma Legion reappears in Mighty Gunvolt Burst as one of the final bosses, brought forth by Teseo during the penultimate stage, Distopia, to face either Gunvolt or Beck. It is much larger relative to the player character than in GV2, and just like in GV2, only its head is vulnerable. It is weak to the ANALYZER and SHOCK elements.
Characters with good aerial mobility have a natural advantage during this battle. Gunvolt's Crashbolt and Voltaic Chains special skills can also deal damage from underneath.
It has a collectible pixel sticker that can be gained as a random drop from an enemy.
Attacks[]
Attack
Description
Stabilizer Missiles and Rocket
The Plasma Legion fires a series of missiles from its containers, and launches a homing rocket from its head. The missiles are platforms, and must be jumped on to reach the head's height and damage it with standard shots. In Hard Mode, there are two rockets.
Legion Tornado
The Plasma Legion lowers its rails and fires a massive spiraling laser beam. In Hard Mode, the beam's radius is wider and there is less warning before it fires.
Its desperation move and a variant of Aero Runner, the Plasma Legion detaches its head, which flies off and lowers down on the opposite side of the arena. It then completely covers the floor in its jets' exhaust flames as the main body launches a stream of missiles.
The Plasma Legion shares its name with a boss that appears in Speed Power Gunbike, the first game developed by Inti Creates. The Gunbike Plasma Legion is capable of separating itself into two halves, similar to the Aero Runner SP skill, and like the one in GV2 acts as the final line of defense before reaching the leader of superhumans attempting the wipe out humanity.
The JP script name of Aero Runner, DG Raser, is likely a reference to the Gunbike Plasma Legion's pilots, Dan and Gun.
LuLu and the L-Silhoutte
The appearance of the Plasma Legion is vaguely similar to the L-Silhouette from Love & Destroy, the second game developed by Inti Creates.
The Plasma Legion first appeared in the Armed Blue Official Soundtrack booklet with a profile and art alongside the game's medium bosses. All of its concept art in the Armed Blue: Gunvolt Complete Works is also in the first game's section alongside them. Considering this, the Plasma Legion's profile speaking of delays and confusion in development and the Mantis Legion's profile mentioning its creation being ordered to "make it in time" and it "not being the machine the developers really wanted to make", there is some speculation that it was originally intended to appear in the first Azure Striker Gunvolt but was omitted from the game similar to Zonda. Due to the artwork depicting it in a rainy area, there is also speculation it was intended to be the boss of Eridu rather than Merak and the Mantis Legions.
When questioned about this, director Yoshihisa Tsuda stated that while he may have mentioned the Plasma Legion early on during planning of GV1, he doesn't think there were plans to introduce it in the game. By the time the later stages were developed, the schedule was pushed so hard that things were changing all over the place.[5]
The Eunos Inc. mentioned in the Plasma Legion's profile in the Armed Blue Official Soundtrack booklet is likely named after Eunos, a type of car once made by Mazda.
On the Gunvolt 2 character popularity poll, with 1.6% of the vote the Plasma Legion came in 15th place out of 23 candidates. This was higher than two actual characters, Milas and Xiao.
The Gunvolt 3 Plasma Legion's final appearance
In the announcement trailer of Azure Striker Gunvolt 3, a quadrupedal variant of the Plasma Legion appeared as a medium boss at the end of the first half of Holy Night XIII (Downtown Christmas). Later game footage showed it in a slightly different position and with improved joints connecting its legs and feet. The Plasma Legion was absent from the 2020 demo of the stage, and despite continuing to appear in advertisements for some time afterwards it ultimately did not appear in the final game. The only remnant of its existence is a blue drone common enemy possessing an attack extremely similar to the one seen in the trailer.
While Gunvolt still shouts "Oversurge! Azure Striker!", it is the only boss where his battle cry isn't directed at it.
The Plasma Legion is the first and only non-character boss to have an SP skill chant and cut-in art.
The Plasma Legion is also the only non-character boss with an Image Pulse.
