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1) Design the Replica Mode first. The Replica Mode is the creature's disguise mode. It is the vehicle/weapon/device that the Replicator turns into. Keep in mind where the vehicle/weapon/device was first designed. If it was a vehicle from a human world, design it from that perspective. If it is an alien, robotic world device, draw it as if you were an alien robot. So, first read the Replica Mode description, for example, Advang's Replica Mode:
In episode #5 Advang turned into a replica of the Riel-T45 of the organic planet Aldes IV. The Riel-T45 is a battle tank used for structural assault by the Republic of Toar. It carries a crew of four, one navigator and three gunners who each control one of the three rotating barrels. Though heavily armored all around, the front of the tank is especially armored for ramming structures at top speed. The three barrels face back when engaged in ramming.
After reading the description, design the Replica Mode, drawing it from various perspectives. An example of how this is done is the following, designed by Roman Kochnev:
2) Imagine that the Replica Mode you have just designed is a transformable robot toy. Imagine that the toy is right in front of you, in your very hands. Now transform it into its Robot Mode. Twist, pull, slide, turn, flip, etc., the various parts of this toy until you have a humanoid form (head, two arms, two legs, etc.) Do not choose the easiest transformation (known as the Replicator's Replication Sequence), choose the one that would be the most fun to handle if this thing truly were a toy. Usually, the most fun Replication Sequence translates into the most complicated one. Once you have got this best Replication Sequence chosen, draw the sequence in a series of illustrations, showing how the creature changes from its Replica Mode to its Robot Mode.
3) For the Robot Mode, start with the shape of Steve Reeves. All Replicators have this particular shape, these same proportions, though they come in various sizes. Study and practice drawing the shape of Steve Reeves until you can get down his proportions exactly. The following link will take you to some pictures of this former Mister America.
CLICK HERE for Steve Reeves Images
Here is a picture of Steve Reeves. Notice the perfect proportions. Although Steve Reeves was one of the most massive body builders of all time (his pictures don't do him justice), his form bespeaks grace and proportion, not mass. He looks fluid. Replicators have this same proportion and characteristic.
4) After studying the shape and proportions of Steve Reeves, study the armor designs of Saint Seiya. Saint Seiya was a manga that was made into an anime that was made into toys. The characters were humans which had attachable armor. A Replicator's Robot Mode should incorporate the FEEL of Saint Seiya armor. The following is a link to a site that contains more links to Saint Seiya pages, with images, sounds, text of the story, etc. Draw the Steve Reeves shape and place Saint Seiya-type armor upon his body until you get the FEELING of Saint Seiya designs. (We are not looking for an exact replica of Saint Seiya, merely the feeling of those designs.) Unfortunately, I cannot describe the feeling of Saint Seiya. It must be experienced. Below you will find two example images of Saint Seiya characters in their armor. Please take note of the ornate designs of the armor.
CLICK HERE for Saint Seiya Sites
Update: I have recently learned that Saint Seiya has now been translated into the English language and is now (2003) being shown to the American public on the Cartoon Network. The series in English goes by the name of The Knights of the Zodiac and is shown at 7pm Pacific Standard Time on Saturdays. Some links to this series follow.
I have only seen the series in its French and Spanish versions, so I don't personally know if the English version is any good. I have read reviews from other fans who have seen the series in Japanese, French, Portuguese, etc., that the music has been changed (the original music was excellent) and the voices aren't as good (the French series especially had powerfully voiced actors,) but I'm betting they kept much of the artwork the same, with the expected heavy editing and dumbing-down of the dialogue and plot so that we apparently numbskull Americans can understand it better. (The foreign, uncut Saint Seiya versions that I've seen were bloody and highly emotional.) I have also learned that ADV Films has released, or will release, uncensored versions of the Saint Seiya episodes on DVD, so if you check out the new American Zodiac version and it turns out to be crapola—which I already suspect it is, having never even seen this version—you can still go down to your local anime dealer and pick that up to learn for yourself what I mean by the feeling of Saint Seiya.
5) Next, study both the baroque and arabic architectural styles. A Replicator is COVERED from head to toe in strange, symbolic designs, very ornate, very detailed, VERY BIZARRE. The more bizarre, the more Replicator-ish. There isn't a single Replicator that has a square inch of its body that isn't covered in some sort of strange, alien symbol. Here are a couple of examples.
CLICK HERE for baroque example (309k)
CLICK HERE for arabic example (309k)
6) All Reps have five-fingered hands and five-toed feet. They have two eyes, a nose and a mouth, but just where their ears are is anybody's guess. They don't cover their extremities except when wearing battle/guard armor. Some Replicators do, however, wear clothing. These Reps spend inordinate amounts of time among the organics and copy many of their habits, including the wearing of clothing, such as a cape, etc. Unless a description indicates that a character might be one of those who wears clothing, do not draw it. If you draw battle/guard armor, draw it as a separate illustration, since the use of armor is the exception, not the rule.
7) Replicators have a round look as opposed to a square-ish look. These are not blocky robots.
8) Now, take your Replication Sequence Robot Mode you've designed and put it on top of the Steve Reeves shape. Mold the creature's skin so that it has a round appearance to it. Make sure the feet and hands, etc., are all there. There should be enough traces of the creature's Replica Mode visible in its Robot Mode so that a person who sees both modes can figure out its Replication Sequence, in other words, how to twist it, pull it, slide it, etc., in order to get it into its other mode.
9) Next, start adding the bizarre symbols that cover the "skin" of every Replicator. The more outlandish and alien it is, the more Replicator-ish it will look. Humans, when they get their first glimpse of these creatures, will be struck by three things: their horrific size, their bizarre symbols and their scintillating colors.
10) Following a character's description, add color based upon irridescent beetle exoskeletons. Here is a link and a picture (designed by Mike Asanuma) to demonstrate just what we're talking about:
11) Again following the character's description, design the sword and sword storage, whether it goes in the inner forearm or some other place, according to the description. An example, designed for the Omeis character by Roman Kochnev, follows:
12) Many characters carry shields. If they carry only one shield, make sure you place it on the correct arm, right or left. Most shields are large, like this one, designed again by Roman Kochnev for the Omeis character:
13) All characters carry long range weapons. Again, make sure to follow the description and design it like an alien robot. Be sure to place it on the correct side of the body, if the description calls for that. Here is an example of a gamma ray rifle, designed by Roman Kochnev for the character Advang:
14) The final item to put on your complete Replicators character is its insignia. Each of the 100 armies of Æonos has its own insignia. The character you are designing will wear the insignia of the army it pertains to. Sometimes, depending on allegiance, it may carry two or more insignias, showing which leader(s) it follows. Insignias are based upon the personality of that particular army's leader. Read the leader's description, then come up with an insignia you think fits his personality. Finally, place the insignia somewhere upon the creature's body. The color of the insignia is up to each individual Replicator and is not standard. The following is an example of an insignia. It is the insignia of the Darumont of Æonos, the character called Mornosh:
The pre-Replication Technology form is what the creature looked like prior to the discovery of the Replication Technology. In other words, prior to being able to replicate a certain device, weapon or vehicle, this is the form that the creature possessed. Later, when these alien robots discovered the Replication Technology and applied it to their own bodies via the surgical procedure known as the Replication Process, the creatures received MODES, both a Robot Mode and one or more Replica Modes, and became known as Replicators. Of the seven chapters of The Replicators Saga, Chapters Two through Seven hardly show any pre-Replication Technology forms, though the very first episode of Chapter Two (The Civil War of Æonos) has a few robots making appearances prior to the Replication Process. It is not necessary to design this form for these chapters, though it is suggested, in order to get a better feeling for the character's appearance in any Robot Modes it may go through. In other words, a character in episode #1 may have a Replica Mode of a Replication Computer and its Robot Mode will contain traces of this Replica Mode, but in episode #10 it may enter a Replication Room and get RECONFIGURED so that it becomes a Toroidal Blaster of the organic planet Glasuvius III. Obviously, with the new Replica Mode, its Robot Mode will change, too, but both Robot Mode forms SHOULD be similar enough to the character's original form, its pre-Replication Technology form, to be recognizable always AS THAT CHARACTER. The following is one of the designs of Roman Kochnev for the Advang character's pre-Replication Technology form, to show that this form does not contain any elements of a Replica Mode, since the creature at this point has no ability to alter its appearance, the Replication Technology having never been applied:
One last point. Be sure to include a human or some other object next to your Replicator's Robot Mode so that the size of it can be shown clearly. Here's an example:
