Author Topic: Team Banzai - REALLY!? (Read 32258 times)

StuartYee · « **on:** 03 August 2011, 17:34:17 »

I read Michael Stackpole's Warrior Trilogy which includes brief appearances of Team Banzai, lead by a "Dr. Banzai".

So did Michael Stackpole shamelessly steal the name from the 1984 Peter Weller film, or is ther an in-universe explanation as to how they go the name? Maybe they found a copy of this quirky cult classic amid a cache of Lostech and loved it that much?

roosterboy · « **Reply #1 on:** 03 August 2011, 17:43:31 »

Quote from: StuartYee on 03 August 2011, 17:34:17

So did Michael Stackpole shamelessly steal the name from the 1984 Peter Weller film

Pretty much, yeah.

PurpleDragon · « **Reply #2 on:** 03 August 2011, 17:54:27 »

So, which was first? That novel that Stackpole wrote? or that 1st ed mercenaries handbook that has their logo in it?

Dave Talley · « **Reply #3 on:** 03 August 2011, 17:57:14 »

Dude
team Bamzai was mentioned in the 1st ed book I believe,
definately by the time of the Mechwarrior RPG release
Dave

StuartYee · « **Reply #4 on:** 03 August 2011, 18:11:28 »

Quote from: Dave Talley on 03 August 2011, 17:57:14

Dude
team Bamzai was mentioned in the 1st ed book I believe,
definately by the time of the Mechwarrior RPG release
Dave

Ok, I stand corrected given that the Mercenaries Handbook was published in 1987, a year before Warrior: En Garde.

But still, Buckaroo Banzai came out in 1984...

roosterboy · « **Reply #5 on:** 03 August 2011, 18:25:26 »

Team Banzai may have been mentioned in an earlier sourcebook, but it was Stackpole who really turned it into a blatant rip-off of the movie, complete with character names and personalities and a recreation of a famous scene.

Hellraiser · « **Reply #6 on:** 03 August 2011, 18:25:41 »

I'm shocked this is the 1st you've seen of it.

The original FASA crew was big on pop culture references.

PS. Pretty sure at least one of the original 3025 Notable Pilots was from Banzai, Orion IIRC, named "Lurch"

StuartYee · « **Reply #7 on:** 03 August 2011, 18:40:11 »

Ok, so that answers my original question.

I suppose I'm fine with retconing the fiction to suggest that Team Banzai simply found a copy of the movie and modeled themselves after it. Not the most elegant retcon, but accepting it to be a full on rip-off is just lame.

Dave Talley · « **Reply #8 on:** 03 August 2011, 19:24:43 »

I am surprised some batch of Kuritans hasnt
started Yoyodyne and renamed everyone John

StuartYee · « **Reply #9 on:** 04 August 2011, 11:42:45 »

Quote from: Dave Talley on 03 August 2011, 19:24:43

I am surprised some batch of Kuritans hasnt
started Yoyodyne and renamed everyone John

Who would be John Big Boote? (it's Big Boo-TAY!)

Dave Talley · « **Reply #10 on:** 04 August 2011, 12:41:58 »

Omi of course

granted its been classified until now that Victors code name is Sir Mix a Lot

skiltao · « **Reply #11 on:** 04 August 2011, 15:20:10 »

Quote from: StuartYee on 03 August 2011, 18:40:11

I suppose I'm fine with retconing the fiction to suggest that Team Banzai simply found a copy of the movie and modeled themselves after it. Not the most elegant retcon, but accepting it to be a full on rip-off is just lame.

Isn't this more of a crossover than a rip-off?

StuartYee · « **Reply #12 on:** 04 August 2011, 18:44:01 »

Quote from: skiltao on 04 August 2011, 15:20:10

Isn't this more of a crossover than a rip-off?

A cross-over means that they are the same characters as were portrayed in the film. Ergo it would imply that Dr. Banzai and the Hong Kong cavaliers somehow travelled to the future from the year 1984, or were frozen in time.

It would also imply that somewhere out there are Red and Black Lectroids.

That said, if Jeff Goldblum's character was a 'mechwarrior, what would he pilot?

PurpleDragon · « **Reply #13 on:** 04 August 2011, 18:46:49 »

Quote from: StuartYee on 04 August 2011, 18:44:01

That said, if Jeff Goldblum's character was a 'mechwarrior, what would he pilot?

A firefly! :D

A. Lurker · « **Reply #14 on:** 05 August 2011, 15:38:34 »

Quote from: Hellraiser on 03 August 2011, 18:25:41

I'm shocked this is the 1st you've seen of it.

The original FASA crew was big on pop culture references.

PS. Pretty sure at least one of the original 3025 Notable Pilots was from Banzai, Orion IIRC, named "Lurch"

Yvonne Morticia and her Orion, yes. :) The bit of trivia about Dr. Banzai being the designer of the Hatchetman also got its start in that book, I think -- at least that's the earliest source mentioning (rumors of) it that I'm aware of. So Mike Stackpole just expanded on what was already there.

Caesar Steiner for Archon · « **Reply #15 on:** 05 August 2011, 16:27:25 »

Quote from: A. Lurker on 05 August 2011, 15:38:34

Yvonne Morticia and her Orion, yes. :) The bit of trivia about Dr. Banzai being the designer of the Hatchetman also got its start in that book, I think -- at least that's the earliest source mentioning (rumors of) it that I'm aware of. So Mike Stackpole just expanded on what was already there.

And as usual, it ended up being a bad idea.

ColBosch · « **Reply #16 on:** 05 August 2011, 18:38:53 »

I'm just glad to hear that I'm not alone in hating pop culture references. :)

PurpleDragon · « **Reply #17 on:** 05 August 2011, 19:59:03 »

I don't hate them. I even attribute the Team Banzai as being, at least in part, the crew from the movie. They did discover another dimension after all.

Caesar Steiner for Archon · « **Reply #18 on:** 05 August 2011, 22:23:36 »

Quote from: ColBosch on 05 August 2011, 18:38:53

I'm just glad to hear that I'm not alone in hating pop culture references. :)

Well, I thought, for example, the BSG reference in Field Report: LA about the Invincible was something that still worked on its own- "this thing's such a hunk of junk you might as well replace one of the fighter hangars with a gift shop." So ha ha, funny. I don't even particularly mind the regimental COs in the 25th Arcturan being characters from Die Hard because it doesn't call too much attention to itself.

The Team Banzai stuff, particularly in the Warrior Trilogy, takes it too far. I'd be equally unhappy with something about the 25th Arcturan where they tear into some building in battle armor and act like it's a commando raid and they're taking prisoners when really they're just stealing shit out the vault and then, at the end Colonel Gruber falls off a building into a fountain, only to be shot dead by the dad from that Urkle show.

ColBosch · « **Reply #19 on:** 05 August 2011, 23:58:42 »

The one that really set my teeth on edge was the bit based around mixing up characters' and actors' names from B5 in Operation KLONDIKE. Much as I like that book, the entire page or so on the naval battle above Babylon was skimmed, not read.

ColonelCody · « **Reply #20 on:** 06 August 2011, 00:55:03 »

Wasn't TRO:3025 released before Warrior Trilogy? Don't blame Stackpole for character choices he probably had no say over really. IF the editors and such did not want them there, the Banzais would NEVER have shown up. On another note, Wolfhound, Axman and Hatchetman are all designs Dr. Banzai and Team Banzai worked on. Supposedly he pioneered the whole, "Whole Head Ejection system" thingy.

Marveryn · « **Reply #21 on:** 06 August 2011, 01:00:05 »

personally i don't mind especially when it subtle they can be pretty funny if you get it, but i agreed just straight ripoff just goes to far.

Dread Moores · « **Reply #22 on:** 06 August 2011, 01:22:50 »

Quote from: Caesar Steiner for Archon on 05 August 2011, 22:23:36

The Team Banzai stuff, particularly in the Warrior Trilogy, takes it too far. I'd be equally unhappy with something about the 25th Arcturan where they tear into some building in battle armor and act like it's a commando raid and they're taking prisoners when really they're just stealing shit out the vault and then, at the end Colonel Gruber falls off a building into a fountain, only to be shot dead by the dad from that Urkle show.

Now see, there's a cartoon idea you can get behind. ;)

StuartYee · « **Reply #23 on:** 08 August 2011, 15:08:04 »

Quote from: ColonelCody on 06 August 2011, 00:55:03

Wasn't TRO:3025 released before Warrior Trilogy? Don't blame Stackpole for character choices he probably had no say over really. IF the editors and such did not want them there, the Banzais would NEVER have shown up....

Yeah, hence the "I stand corrected..." on comment 4. ;)

StuartYee · « **Reply #24 on:** 08 August 2011, 15:12:28 »

Quote from: Marveryn on 06 August 2011, 01:00:05

personally i don't mind especially when it subtle they can be pretty funny if you get it, but i agreed just straight ripoff just goes to far.

Exactly. It would be different if it were simply a pop culture reference.

I have to admit, The Fighting Urukhai as a "pop culture" reference tickles me. However it will be a sad day if Stackpole or one of the other writers literally puts Saruman's Orcs in Battlemechs- this isn't Warhammer 40k!

Caesar Steiner for Archon · « **Reply #25 on:** 08 August 2011, 15:43:39 »

Quote from: ColonelCody on 06 August 2011, 00:55:03

Wasn't TRO:3025 released before Warrior Trilogy? Don't blame Stackpole for character choices he probably had no say over really. IF the editors and such did not want them there, the Banzais would NEVER have shown up. On another note, Wolfhound, Axman and Hatchetman are all designs Dr. Banzai and Team Banzai worked on. Supposedly he pioneered the whole, "Whole Head Ejection system" thingy.

There being a researcher named Banzai in TRO:3025 was something I would give a pass on. I didn't think it was particularly funny but I didn't mind it.

It was Stackpole who decided to just straight up write in an entire scene from the movie into one of his novels for no real reason, though, and that was where I felt it crossed the line from "in-joke" to "outright stupid."

Decoy · « **Reply #26 on:** 08 August 2011, 15:46:19 »

Don't blame Stackpole too much. Have you seen the Team Banzai Hatchetman from Camospecs? It looked like they pulled the paint job straight off of the van and then put it on the Hatchetman.

Caesar Steiner for Archon · « **Reply #27 on:** 09 August 2011, 01:23:27 »

Perhaps this is pretentious, having preferred the verbal arts, but a miniature paint job on a website shouldn't be held to the same standard as scenes from a professionally written novel.

mikecj · « **Reply #28 on:** 09 August 2011, 03:10:39 »

I liked the cartoon reference in the lead story of "Wars of Reaving"

â€œThe Solaris feeds we watched when we were little.
Or that idiotic cartoon about the Jade Falcons.â€ She was
chuckling out loud now. â€œCan you imagine if our Khans
talked like that? â€˜You will pay for your treachery, Adam
Steiner,â€™â€ she screeched.

But its an in-universe pop culture comment.

Of course on page 108 we have the Clan Snow Raven ship William Adams...

Decoy · « **Reply #29 on:** 09 August 2011, 03:14:06 »

You misunderstand me. The book, camospecs, which came out the same time as the first book of the Warrior series, had this hatchetman in it. In addition, the Davion Sourcebook hit the same year. There's a lot of people to blame for Team Banzai, Alex. Not just Michael Stackpole.