First and foremost, the mission of O.S.F. is fun in all of itsanime-related forms for Crew, Affiliates, and Spectators alike. Throughcosplay, artistry, singing, fanfiction, creation and exhibition ofmovies, sponsoring and staffing of conventions, the holding of Non-Cons,and the ever present broadcasting of SDF-O Radio, we facilitate theOtakunization of mankind.
From its humble beginnings as a single vessel, the O.S.F. has grownto a worldwide organization.
SDF-O, Flagship (docked in New Vista)
Galatea, Escort (based at the Alisa Viejo Yards)
Avenger, Destroyer (in close formation with the SDF-O)
Second O.S.F. Fleet:
Kongo, Battlecruiser (based in Tokyo 4)
Ptolemy, Destroyer (based in Portland)
Galaxia, Cruiser (based in Seattle, undergoing refitting)
Hades, Destroyer (based in New Florida)
Hidalgo, Destroyer (based in New Maryland)
S.C.C. Lumina, Ghost Ship
Tama-Chan, Cruiser
Suppi-chan, Light Cruiser
Shoujou Kakumei Otaku, Light Cruiser
Aegis, Battlecruiser
Ichigo, Cruiser
The Ships are the workhorses of the Fleet. Autonomous and independentof structure, they each travel their own paths in the pursuit of theOtaku Dream, but they come together seamlessly as needed. Each Ship hasa Skipper whose word is incontrovertible Law on his/her vessel.
The first Ship, with a proud history going back over thirteen years, itbears a strong resemblance to the Macross, the original SuperDimensional Fortress. Admiral Gideon Marcus is still Skipper, overcomingincredible odds in the arduous adventures he and his Ship have comethrough. As the flagship of the O.S.F., it bears the primaryresponsibility for interaction with the rest of the universe.
The third ship to be commissioned, she and her Captain, ShannonCooper, are tasked with the mission to fly in close formation with theSDF-O and defend against the evil Fanboys. They are are the most seasonedof Crews, and when I say most seasoned, I mean pickled.
The first ship to be crewed entirely by youngsters, it is Captained by theindefatigable Lorelei Marcus. What it lacks in size, it compensates in spadeswith a mighty and irresistible cuteness.
The Kongo:
It took a while for Captain Lindsey to come into her own, but when she did,she did so in a huge way. Her ship is now the second-largest in size, and it is crewed entirely by fluent Japanese speakers.
Really, two ships in one, with co-Captains Cyndi and Brian leading an artistic band of nitwits from the City of the Roses.
The newest ship in the fleet is O.S.F. Hades. It is Captained by Elisabeth, 2nd cousin to Lorelei, Captain of the Avenger. Woe be to those who cross her path in the southeastern corner of the nation!
Captained by Adam Tolson,who follows in the proud red-headed tradition of his cousin, Captain of the Kongo. CaptainTolson is an eager skipper, and his crew already numbers five members.
Every good fleet has a ghost ship, and this is ours. Captain Jenny andCommander Leo have flown this speedy vessel all over the Cuteways of theGalaxy to display their award-winning cosplay, but many is the time thatthe ship has disappeared off all scopes leaving nought but an eerieafterimage. It is expected that the birth of the First Mate's firstchild heralds a new appearance by the elusive craft.
Captained by the capable Hillary Hunt, this vessel was well known for plying the shoujou lines in search of plunder. Crewed entirely by beautiful women (save for their man-slave), they were surely a source of terror when encountered by ne'er-do-wells on high space. Sadly, their ship crashed into a comet whose orbit takes it within range of the Fleetbut once a year or so. Happily, however, these days,Captain Hunt has moved on to more lucrative fields to plunder--politics.
Commanded by Captain Kamilla Gunzinger, this was one of the OSF's firstships, and an escort to the Flagship, the Aegis. As time has passed,Kami's crew has abandoned ship, one by one, until all that is left isthe empty hulk of a once proud vessel. Captain Gunzinger stillactivates ship's systems periodically to effect a hyperspace fold tomyriad vacation starbases, but the SKO is no longer on the active dutyroster.
Formerly of the First Fleet, this ship, consisted of an all-female crewbased out of New York City. They possessed two weapons officers and nonavigators. Predictably, the ship, led by our youngest Skipper,Commander Krissy Pillot, foundered after several years, but the ship'sScience Officer, Casidi Rapascz, escaped to become a member of theSDF-O's complement of Space Marines.
From the unlikeliest of places sprang the newest of vessels--the namemight be cute, but then so is its captain, the indomitable AmandaBriggs. Powered by sugar, this ship was a powerhouse wherever itflies, from Kentucky to Florida. Sadly, the vessel careened headlong into a asteroid-sized candy bar and has not been heard from since.
Former flagship of the 2nd Fleet, commanded by Derek Wildstar, this was oncea vibrant and powerful ship. Then half the Crew departed to form the O.S.F. Galaxia.For years after, the Aegis battled on, battered but unbroken, but the departure of Admiral Wildstar to points South spelled the end for the old warhorse. Still, one cannot dispute ordiscount the ship's contribution to the enduring strength of the O.S.F.
Our first entirely foreign vessel was currently based near Stockholm,Sweden. Its captain was Lieutenant. Jan Mikael Torbjörn Alfredsson, andits crew was well versed in the arts of shipcraft, as befit their Vikingancestry. Now decommissioned, Lt. Alfredsson still can be found at the localpubs, drinking Akavit (or something) and reminiscing about the good old days.
In the far reaches of space where recruiting is difficult or theenvironment too dangerous to support a berthed ship, solitary intrepidsouls have maintained a vigilant watch.
Lieutenant Chad Ensor, Miharu Defense Base (Houston, TX)
KapitanLeutnant Martin Schmidt, Shuttlecraft Pilot (Berlin, Germany)
No ship is complete without a complement of Space Marines, who defendagainst the Fanboyanites and other hazards. There are three prerequisitesto being a Space Marine:
1) One must be ESL (English as a Second Language)
2) One must know a martial art
3) One must be a female who appreciates men who fulfil requirements #1 and #2.
These rules were set forth by the Commandant of the Corps, Berto Lio, andwe can't change them now. The current active head of the Space Marines is"5m00\/" Tam Phan.
And no ship is complete without a horde of defending mechs. The head of theMech Force is its founder, Captain Lutz.
The
O.S.F. (especially the First Fleet) has been instrumental in
theplanning and staffing of Animagic 2000, Animagic 2001, and Yuricon
2003
The O.S.F. prides itself on its award-winning cosplayers. Members ofthe SDF-O and S.C.C. Lumina have won Best of Show at Anime Expo 2001,2002, and 2004 as well as other awards. Virtually all Crewmemberscosplay, and we continually seek to master the arts of costume creationand character portrayal.
Several of our crew can sing and do so in as public a setting aspossible. From impromptu performances of /Tatakae! Otaking/ toserenading large audiences with original works like "Yaoi World", thevoices of the O.S.F. can be heard at conventions around thecountry.Diana Wildstar of the Aegis won the 2004 Otaku Idol contest atOtakon. The Admiral, Queen, and Ensign David Swanson sang karaoke withthe staff of Worldcon 2007 in a Tokyo parlor. Diana Garnett, First Officeron the Kongo, has appeared on Japanese television as a singing idol, and Spacer Jess Varnado has enjoyed similar fame in China!
Some of the Crew dabble in writing. The Queen of the SDF-O has receivedespecial attention for her works, being asked to sit at severalfanfiction panels. The Admiral has also dabbled. Many of our Crew, includingthe prolific Spacer Shockey, were found in the byways of various online fora.
Sometimes laughter is the best medicine. Afterbirth is the antidote toEnd of Evangelion, the Anno-inspired ninety minutes of pain. X/Y? is theanswer to X/1999. They are MSTs which have been well received atAnimagic 2000, Fanime 2001, Animagic 2001, Otakon 2003, Anime USA 2003,and Fanime 2004.
The brainchild of Captain Lutz, 2nd Officer on the SDF-O, they are thebacklash from the host of crappy cons we've attended. There are minimalfees, lots of fun activities, and general mirth and frivolity for all.Non Cons are for the exclusive enjoyment of O.S.F. personnel and Guestsonly. What they lack in size, they make up for in Otaku goodness. Therehave been five thus far.
The Voice of the SDF-O, and indeed of the O.S.F., this station hasbroadcast uninterruptedly for over a year playing the best in anime,j-pop, and game tunes as well as original programming and advertising.Hear the latest Fleet news on the Admiral's Morning Show. Note: TheRadio is down until a new transmitter can be constructed.
The O.S.F. is a naval institution. We use naval ranks and live by theCode of the Sea. This means we dress smartly and do what our Captainstell us to.
Military personnel have always been divided into three groups:Officers, Petty Officers and Spacers. Officers are the leaders. It is ontheir shoulders that responsibility and the burden of command rests.They wear the sexiest uniforms, are more likely to smoke pipes, and comeup with the most outlandish suggestions. It is they who uphold thetradition of the O.S.F. and ensure its propagation. Spacers make up thebulk of the Crew. They are the technicians, operators, and laborers.Without them, little would be accomplished. Bridging the gap betweenOfficer and Enlisted are the Petty Officers. They are the section-chiefsand low level administrators, and they tend to be less well dressed thanOfficers or Spacers. They are also most likely to have large tattoos ofanchors and "Mother" in various locations on their body.
In short: Officers outline the jobs and give orders, Petty Officersensure the jobs get done--and Spacers do them. Hopefully.
The concept of rank is a simple one--one must be of higher rank to giveorders to another officer. In the case where the rank is identical,seniority is determined by length of service. Of course, Line Officers(those with numbers in front on their title-1st Officer, 2nd Officer,etc.) always have precedence with the Captain of a vessel being thehighest Line Officer. Note: On board ship, the commander of a vessel isalways referred to as "Captain", regardless of rank. Promotion is asimple affair. About once a year, a Skipper will review his Crew and seewho is worthy. Special care must be taken not promote out of sequence asthis may breed Resentment and perhaps Mutiny.
The following are the ranks of the Naval Officers:
The Boss, either currently or formerly in command of a Fleet. They canbe recognized by their gold epaulets and formidable facial hair. Theyrun the show.
As the number of ships has grown, Fleets have been organized ofmultiple ships for ease of administration. To command a Fleet requiresmore than a Captain, and therefore we have revived the old rank ofCommodore. Derek Wildstar held this rank before his promotion to Admiral.
The dream of every Command officer is to one day possess this rank--tobe master of a ship-of-the-line. It is they who set the pace and stylefor their own Crews, and as they tend to operate far from shore, have awide degree of lattitude. It is considered a Dumb Idea for a Crewmemberto go over his/her Captain's head with a complaint. The Admiralgenerally has better things to do anyway. Note: It is possible to havethe rank of Captain and not have your own ship. Just look at Riker fromTNG. Or don't. We're not Trekkies.
This is the rank of the up and coming, or the down and stifled. This isthe lowest rank a Skipper may have. Most Skippers have the temporaryrank of Commander until they get their ships together. It's also acommon rank for seasoned first and second officers. They arerecognizable for their immaculate uniforms and their fervent desire toget one more stripe on their epaulets.
A rank for veteran Officers, with a vast amount of convention andshipboard experience. It marks the pinnacle of achievement, and denotesconsiderable skill and expertise. They are the authorities in theirfield and are highly prized. From cosplay to morale, these Crewmembersknow their stuff.
These are the experienced Officers. They have gone to a convention ortwo and have started to pull their own weight. They can start bossingaround all the Ensigns.
The initial rank of all officers. Wet behind the ears Greenies whothink they know all about anime because they've watched Akira and ahandful of DBZ episodes and won't stop talking about how Goku can kickeveryone's butt. Actually, no one like that would make it into theO.S.F. It's just the first rank.
A special rank created for young officers-in-training. And for Meg Glassco of the Avenger, since she is on a ship crewed by kids,and because she is so very wee."
This is a rank which was invented to provide a military convention forthe many specialists attached to the O.S.F. who don't fit the militarymode. These are the artists, the ambassadors, those who get spacesick atthe drop of the hat. They are afforded the pay and privilege of anEnsign, but have no officerial seniority. They may not give orders norare they eligible for promotion. It is, essentially, an honorary rank.Specialists can, of course, become Enlisted men or Officers by standardmethods.
Between the crew and the officers are the non-commissioned officers orPetty Officers. It is their job to ensure orders are carried out andthat the crew are kept in line. Petty Officers tend to be taller thanaverage-big hulking brutes with loud voices and indomitablepersonalities. When an Officer whispers, they roar-and Spacers tremble.Petty Officers are divided into 3rd, 2nd, and 1st class Petty Officerswith successive increases in responsbility, compensation, and size. Uponreaching the rank of Petty Officer, 1st Class, said individual iseligible to attempt a transfer to the Officer corps, provided said POcan tie his shoes, tolerate the taste of red wine, and pretend to smokea pipe.
The highest rank of the non-commissioned is Master Chief Petty Officer. To date, only one man has attained the glorious title: "Perfect" JohnGlass. With the ascension of Perfect John to the exalted rank of MegaGeneral (q.v.), the position is now open, but those are some mighty bigshoes to fill.
Spacers are required to meet certain physical and educationalstandards. Unlike the days of the unlearned swab who populated the oldwet navy, today's space-going O.S.F. demands a highly skilled andeducated body of Otaku, ready to face a potentially unfriendly (and morelikely boring) universe.
There are three ranks of enlisted men: Spacer 3rd, 2nd, 1st. Eachsuccessive promotion brings more responsibilities and compensations.Most crew attain a rank of Spacer 2nd by the end of their conventionsortie. Some may even start their service with this rank in recognitionof a significant contribution upon entrance. The rank of Spacer 1st ismore difficult to get, awarded to those crewmembers who show solid andcommendable work term after term.
The ranks of the Space Marines follow those of the terrestrial armies. By far thecoolest of all of the ranks is Dragoon Sergeant, currently held by EquestrianExtraordinaire, Mae Chase-Dunn.
For the truly young, before they can wear the big-pants ranks, they start asCadet versions of the grown-up ranks.
The lowest rank in the Otaku Space Force is that of Cody. Even the greenestrecruit will find her/himself higher ranking than Cody. This is why we keep himon the lists.
A big piece of posterboard meticulously folded into the shape of a fanand adorned with various Fleet and Ship and Personal inscriptions is themain sidearm of O.S.F. personnel. It's a scary world out there. Everyonemust be prepared.
Shorter ranged than the Fan, nonetheless it can be a powerful weapon inthe hands of an experienced wielder. The loud squeak is especiallyeffective at warding off the smelly and the rude.
There is but one crime in the O.S.F. This is the crime of Mutiny! Thepunishment for Mutiny is death. Don't do it. There are no other crimes.Simply Dumb Ideas. These are dealt with by judicious application of theaforementioned weaponry. By big, hairy Petty Officers.
Promotion is considered the highest form of reward in the O.S.F. Theawarding of Pocky(tm) is considered a lesser aprobation. Between theseextremes, a variety of badges and medals exist to decorate the worthy.
All Crewmembers who fulfill certain requirements receive these. Theyinclude awards for watching Miyuki-chan in Wonderland, Digi Charat, andEvangelion: Afterbirth.
These are awards for truly exemplary Fleet-related activities. Theseinclude making Baka Fans, DJing the Radio Station, and Drawing a Ship'sMascot. There are several formalized awards, but each Skipper isauthorized to make Ship-specific ones.
These are the true medals of the O.S.F. These are awards formeritorious service in the Field. Anything done at conventions isrewarded with these. These include Con Medals, the Space Medal (forconspicuous gallantry of an Otaku), and the Otaku Cross, the mostcoveted of decorations.
The O.S.F. tradition is a long and proud one. It is a deceptivelysimple code: Have fun--and make sure others do too. We are a communityof creative and vibrant personalities. It is our goal to take anime tothe next level, and invent new ways of enjoying it. Through ourcamaraderie and panache, we inspire awe and admiration in those who knowus.
/The Admiral/
(and remember: The Penguin is the 3rd Impact)