| Noriko Takaya | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Vital statistics | |
| Title | Pilot of Buster Machine 1 |
| Gender | Female (♀️) |
| Birthdate | September 12, 2006 (Age:15 in 2021) |
| Nationality | Japanese (🇯🇵) |
| Relatives | Yuzo Takaya |
| Friends and Allies | Kimiko Higuchi, Kazumi Amano, Smith Toren, Jung Freud, Koichiro Oota |
| Enemies and Rivals | Reiko Kashiwara |
| Aliases | Daughter of Defeat, The #1 Otaku in Space |
| Status | Alive |
| Location | Earth |
Noriko Takaya (タカヤ・ノリコ; Takaya Noriko) is the main character of Top o Nerae! Gunbuster and the pilot of Buster Machine 1.
Biography[]
Born on September 12, 2006 in Osaka, Japan, Noriko Takaya is the daughter of famous space captain Yuzo Takaya, who disappeared in the Luxion disaster of 2015. In 2021, she enrolled in Okinawa High School for Girls to follow her father's footsteps as a space pilot. Other students accused her of nepotism and nicknamed her the "Daughter of Defeat" (全滅娘, Zenmetsu Musume). When Noriko was chosen for the Gunbuster project despite her lack of piloting ability, she was further subjected to bullying and harassment. When she confronted Koichiro Oota on his decision to choose her, he convinced her that she had the same amount of potential as Kazumi. Noriko underwent weeks of intense training to improve her piloting skills. One night, she was challenged to a duel by senior student Reiko Kashiwara. Despite Kashiwara having more experience, Noriko defeated her using the Inazuma Kick. The next day, Noriko, Kazumi, and Oota left the academy for the space station Silver Star.
Appearance[]
Noriko is 158 cm (5'2") tall with shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes. In episode 1, she wears a yellow headband given to her by Kazumi Amano; in episode 4, she switches to a blue headband in memory of Smith Toren.
Merchandise[]
Model Kits[]
- General Products 1/8 scale Noriko Takaya Resin Cast Kit
- Kaiyodo 1/6 Noriko Takaya Resin Cast Kit (Sculpted by Takehiko Ogami)
- Kaiyodo 1/6 Noriko Takaya Resin Cast Kit (Sculpted by BOME)
- Kaiyodo Artpla Sculpture Works Gunbuster with Noriko Takaya and Kazumi Amano: Absolute Defense Battle of the Solar System (2023)
- MAX Factory Plamax Minimum Factory MF-80 Noriko Takaya with Gunbuster [Character Color Ver.] (2023)
- MAX Factory Plamax Minimum Factory MF-81 Noriko Takaya with Gunbuster [Effect Color Ver.] (2023)
Toys[]
- CM'S Corporation Gutto Kuru Figure Collection Noriko Takaya (2012)
- Good Smile Company Nendoroid No. 2361 Noriko Takaya (2024)
- Kaiyodo Mon-sieur Bome Collection Takaya Noriko (2006)
- Kotobukiya 1/6 Noriko Takaya Pre-Painted Figure (Sculpted by Hiroshi Inagaki)
- Wave Corporation Treasure Figure Collection 1/10 Noriko Takaya (2007)
Trivia[]
- Noriko is named after Noriko Takaya, the wife of Gainax storyboard artist Shinji Higuchi. The real Noriko also worked on other anime works such as AKIRA.
- Noriko is loosely based on Hiromi Oka from the manga/anime series Aim for the Ace!
- In Gunbuster Science Lessons, it's revealed that Noriko is a big fan of 20th-century anime, which explains her tendency to loudly announce Gunbuster's attacks.
- In the background of Noriko's room, posters for My Neighbor Totoro, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and Space Battleship Yamato are visible.
- Noriko's RX-7 is nicknamed "Nausicaä", after the title character of the 1984 anime film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.
- Noriko canonically listens to Van Halen.
- Noriko and Jung Freud share the same birthday.
- She is a Virgo.
- Her blood type is O.
- Noriko is physically age 18 at the end of the series.
Gallery[]
