Welcome to a universe where the abnormal is the norm. Studio Trigger’s most recent short-form series, Space Pirate Luluco, is the alluring mix of sweet and spice needed to rev up your sense of universal justice. This sci-fi romantic comedy glittering with fellow Trigger show references and gun-forming people stars a young thirteen-year-old girl named Luluco who lives in a space colonization zone called Ogikuburo, with her father, Keiji, an officer of the local Space Patrol division. During breakfast one morning, Luluco’s father becomes frozen in a block of ice, and the only way to afford the fees needed to revive him are by becoming the newest member of the Space Patrol division. Once she’s appointed her first job by the division chief, Over Justice, Luluco’s wish of living a normal life gets turned upside down in order to protect Ogikuburo from space criminals and super space shoplifting. Enter in alien exchange student and romantic love interest, Alpha Omega Nova, and things only get even more entangled from there! This crazy, fast-paced anime is non-stop and it’s worth every cry of justice you have in your trigger-shaped hand.
The Struggle to be ‘Normal’.
Luluco’s wish to be normal is referred to time and time again throughout the series. Her father has always done his best to raise her as normally as possible, but with life’s turn of events, it becomes clearer as time progress on what it exactly means to be ‘normal’. Throughout the anime, her desire begins to shift and change the more she interacts with 
and learns about Nova. Even her moments with Midori, their classmate and fellow Space Patrol member, help to change her outlook on this concept. The further along she continues on her journey to save Ogikuburo, the more she begins to realize that her ‘abnormal’ is her ‘normal’ by the end of the series. From one world to the next, the excitement comes from the unpredictable, the risks of discovering first love’s, and from doing what needs to be done for justice. Luluco’s father, married Luluco’s mother, Lalaco, a thieving space pirate who’s constantly on the run, and Luluco falls for Nova, a boy who initially doesn’t care either way for any given situation. It’s like the saying goes—opposites attract, and in this case, ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ attract each other.
The Trigger-Universe Exists!
Threaded from one world to the next, this show has some of the best cameo appearances anyone could ask for. From SEX and VIOLENCE with MACHSPEED, FLCL, Inferno Cop, Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, to Little Witch Academia, to the monumental Evangelion, Gurren Lagann, Kiznaiver, and Kill la Kill series, it’s a magical question how they were able to fit so many references into such a short amount of time. The appearance of SEX and VIOLENCE with MACHSPEED was a delight, and combined with the subtle hint at the end where we find out Luluco is one of the Trigger Girls, Trigger-chan, for the production company, I was left triggered with excitement.
When the junction of destiny, Thread Ball Planet: KLK-X appears, Kill la Kill references appear abound. From the moment this planet is shown, it is clear that unlike Ryuuko’s world, this particular planet was taken over by the life fibers. The “red string of fate” 
Luluco sees attached to her finger turns out to instead be a life fiber used to manipulate the one it attaches itself to into seeing what it is they desire. In her case, it made the Kill-**-Killian standing atop a long set of stairs radiating light like that of Satsuki, look like Nova. Even the scissor blades were referenced, and the song “Before My Body is Dry” was used during the battle. Including the signature red font and Gut’s humanoid appearance, these references left me craving for Kill la Kill all over again.
Characters who appear from other Trigger shows such as Inferno Cop and Se’chan, provide Luluco with important pieces of advice that help her realize her feelings for Nova. Even Sucy from Little Witch Academia, who poisons Luluco with mushrooms, unintentionally assists her in figuring out exactly what she feels for him through a ‘last wish before I die’ sort of scenario. Trigger Studio not only incorporated a majority of their shows into this series, but they also simultaneously helped the protagonist on her journey at the same time with each encounter. Do I sense Clamp in Wonderland? Or a shorter and less serious version of Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle here?
References to Other Shows
Some of the bad guys found in the very beginning of the series reminded me of a show from my childhood. Specifically, that of Street Sharks. Midori’s henchmen were a combination of the crime-fighters and another show called Extreme Dinosaurs, both of which entailed humanoid creatures with teenage mentalities. They weren’t around for long, but seeing them caused some nostalgia to come on.
The moment Lalaco came on screen, the first thing that came to mind was Space Pirate Mito. They both have orange hair, wear red, and charge right into battle. Even Mito’s son, Aoi, ends up transforming into a girl and winds up with a blonde significant other. If these two ever combined, they’d be unstoppable.
While the apocalyptic scene near the end of 
the series tinted in red, bones, and broken buildings was a reference from Evangelion, the red hand palm up to the sky in the background was reminiscent of Berserk. It’s almost like I could feel Griffith’s eyes watching me, trying to telekinetically tell me that this is all fate. Maybe even the entirety of the God Hand. I’m not ready to ascend anywhere without Guts. Or Over Justice’s Kamina-style transformation.
Alpha Omega Nova? More Like Alpha Omega Multi-Pack.
He really is a multi-pack. In the series, we come to find he 
is a Nothingling and has been enslaved by the Blackholeians from the very beginning. His personality has a small resemblance to Kaworu from Evangelion, and during a scene where he sits atop a glowing crescent moon, he does so exactly like Kaworu from the original anime. It’s a signature move with his face hidden, and it manages to leave fans clutching their chests in hope of seeing just a glimpse of his facial features, even if it’s for a fleeting moment (Just me? It could be, but who doesn’t have a crush on Kaworu?) To add to his look, he has a Kiznaiver scar on the bottom right of his back, two scars on his shoulder blades from when his wings were ripped out after he fell from heaven as Kaworu’s reincarnation by other Evangelion ‘angels’, and the x-shaped scar on his forehead is in reprise to Southern Cross from Inferno Cop. He even dresses similarly to Kill la Kill’s Houka Inumuta with his white outfit and fur-lined collar. Fai D. Flowright from Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle is also someone he resembles in some ways. While Fai’s coat is similar with the fur at the top and in coloring as well, it’s their looks and personalities that draw me to this comparison the most. Both Nova and Fai have blonde hair similar in style accompanied by blue-colored eyes. They both appear to be nice and smile often enough (more so Fai), but once things go down a dark turn of events, both show a less friendly side to themselves. This may not be a relative comparison, but the two are similar enough for me to notice.
“The Big Bang is the point of origin—just like this boy standing in front of me might be my own.” Luluco felt their fates were tied together long before she understood what it was she was feeling, and her description of Nova is a perfect synopsis for him. Just like how he begins her universe of love, he also echoes it after he drags the Blackholeians Space Patrol Galaxy Commander-in-Chief to another dimension, increasing her love for 
him (distance does make the heart grow fonder). Aside from resembling a Big Bang, all three parts of his name are also well-chosen descriptors of his character. His personality has an alpha demeanor in it by how he takes charge and protects Luluco throughout the series. He has omega in him because of his docile and caring nature shown during the second half of the show, and he’s a nova because he is a star that becomes thousands of times brighter after finding love, before returning to his previous, more quiet luminosity when he parts ways with Luluco. Nova is a multi-pack, and I’d happily go in search of him in another dimension too after a confession like that (so similar to Kaworu’s death scene in meaning, I almost did ascend). He never lies, after all.
Two More Short-Forms to Come!
Now that we have one of the Trigger Girls’ back stories down, it’s time for the other two! Luluco turning out to be Trigger-Chan was an exciting surprise at the end of the series, but like Nova said before he disappeared into the black hole, “there will be a second, and third” after Space Patrol Luluco. While there isn’t much out on the other two girls aside from the drawings made by their designer and illustrator, Magodesu, I can’t help but feel these girls are a re-formed Charlie’s Angels. Luluco is probably Dylan, the dark-haired girl with gadgets is probably Natalie, and the small blonde girl with the pigtails is most likely Alex. Their ‘suave’ boss is Over Justice, and with their young-girlish charms, space-tech gadgets, and combat abilities as space patrol officers, these ‘angels’ will no doubt continue to save innocent lives across the galaxies, completing their own mini-quests along the way (a.k.a Nova and co. love interests).
The details for the sequels and release dates are currently unknown, but for now, at least there are the illustrations from Magodesu to tide us over until the newest update!
Final Thoughts
This was a multi-fascited anime that catered to all Trigger Studio fans alike. Its fast-paced nature with references from all over the Trigger-Universe helped to show its kinetic energy, and how each show is bound together by life fibers. More importantly, it showed how love can be found from anywhere in the galaxy if it’s meant to be. After all, a Pitter-Patter Stone and an Aflutter Jewel can’t become a Lovey-Dovey Diamond without a little help from fate. Even a ‘normal’ girl can find her way to romance with a little justice and ‘abnormality’. Like these two say during their final battle, “Future love is invincible! Mutual love reigns supreme!” This couple, and this show, truly are an unbeatable force of love-filled justice!
Want to join in on a space patrol and serve out justice? Watch Space Patrol Luluco on either Crunchyroll or Funimation and see if you’re up for the task today! Who knows— you may find your own Nova along the way!
©TRIGGER, Hiroyuki Imaishi/SPACE PATROL LULUCO Production Committee. All Rights Reserved.
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