Questions & Answers (An Introduction)

What are Biological Units?

Biological Units, also known as Core Life Units, is a concept primarily used in Japanese media (specifically anime and manga) which features a human/humanoid female being unwillingly abducted by the story's antagonist and used as a type of power source or pilot for either themselves, or a giant robot or monster which is under their command. Once the heroine is taken by the villain, they are typically subjected to some form of mind control or corruption induced by the machine/creature, and put into a sleep or trance-like state.

Rain Mikamura of Mobile Fighter G Gundam is one of the best known examples of a Biological Unit.

Where do Biological Units come from?

Believe it or not, Biological Units are actually based on the hand-carved figureheads of the sea-sailing ships of old. Centuries ago, figureheads (often carved into the shape of an animal) were seen as symbols of good luck, power and wealth. The ancient Romans took this one step further and began creating larger-than-life busts that hung beneath the bow of their ships. Eventually, figureheads were carved into the shape of a beautiful (and typically scantly-clad) woman in the hopes to appease "the gods of the sea", who would spot the beauties and allow the ship and it's crew safe passage across the unruly waves. While this practice ended in the 18th Century, figureheads became synonymous with images the public thinks of when it comes the elegant ships of yesteryear. A little more than a hundred years later, someone had the idea to merge these intricate works of art with the age-old storytelling trope of "damsels in distress", and thus the Biological Unit was born.

A modern example of a figurehead.

What qualifies as a Biological Unit?

That's a bit of a tricky question, and it's something we look at on a case-by-case basis for this database. To give an example of what isn't a Biological Unit, look no further than Neon Genesis Evangelion. While many would be quick to claim that they do indeed use this concept with their infamous plugsuits, the characters are merely the pilots of their machines. There is no mind control/corruption, and they are not used as the object's primary source of power.

What's the purpose of this site?

As mentioned in the opening paragraph, Biological Units/Core Life Units are primarily featured in Japanese media, and because of that many online archives and discussions about the topic are in Japanese, "Westerners" have no single place in which they can learn about the concept in their native English. The intent of this blog is to change all that.

Are there other websites that discuss this?

Yes. One of the largest is the Biological Unit Summary on the Japanese Seesaa Wiki servers, and threads occasionally appear on the various "Chan" image boards (such as 2chan, 4chan, and 8chan). There is also the Biological Unit subreddit and DeviantArt group, as well as a Discord server (which you can find links to on the subreddit). We also operate a YouTube channel and a Twitter account.

How to I contact you about a question/recommendation?

Leave comments on the posts themselves, submit a post to the subreddit, or send me a message at biologicalunitdatabase@gmail.com! I would be more than happy to get feedback about this project, some recommendations, or to answer your questions.

About the Database...

The Biological Unit Database was born out of a discussion on 4chan's /d/ board in July, 2021. It's sole owner and poster is an American male known by the username BioUnitAdmin, who is also the moderator of the subreddit, DeviantArt group, Discord, and the Database's official Twitter account. There is no set schedule of posting, nor is there a specific number of posts that will be up on a monthly basis.

All images are owned by their respective copyright holders and no infringement is intended. Presented under Fair Use (Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act).