Idol Defense Force Hummingbird (アイドル防衛隊ハミングバード) is a two-volume Japanese light novel series written by Hitoshi Yoshioka that tells the very offbeat tale of five idol singer/fighter pilot sisters. It was adapted into an anime series consisting of four OVA episodes that ran from 1993 to 1995.

Synopsis

One day in the near future, the Japanese Self-Defense Force decides to transfer the command (and financing) of their air force to private companies and investors. Most reject the idea as a joke, but some show business-oriented companies catch up on the idea, spawning the birth of a new type of idol: the so-called "Idol Pilots", celebrity combat pilots. The five Toreishi sisters, Kanna, Yayoi, Satsuki, Uzuki and Mina, are teenage idol singers who are collectively known as The Hummingbirds. They are also one of the ace fighter pilot squadrons in the Japanese military. When they aren't saving the world from major overseas threats, they are on stage in frilly dresses, pursuing their idol career. This is the story of how they came to be Japan's most successful idol group and their first line of defense.

Characters

Toreishi Productions

The Hummingbirds

Personnel

Yajima Office

SNAP

SNAP were a popular four-man idol pilot boy band represented by Yajima Office. Ostensibly led by media darling and fan-favourite Kakkun, the team had a huge following of rabid fans, despite their incompetence in the air. The group flew F-16s. SNAP are, indirectly, responsible for getting Hummingbird on the map. They have gone up against the Toreishi sisters twice—in their first encounter, the girls were contractually obliged to play sitting ducks, but the lengths to which they went to present obvious targets got them noticed. During their next encounter, they were effortlessly picked off by a grossly handicapped Hummingbird, who made their debut.

Fever Girls

The Fever Girls are a duo of beautiful idol pilots under contract by Yajima. Originally fierce rivals of the Hummingbirds, they become friends with them (and especially with Satsuki) after a particularly foul bit of play by their boss.

Personnel

Hummingbird '95 characters

Light novels

The light novels are written by Hitoshi Yoshioka.

OVA series

Episode list

Discography

The main voice actors performed as their characters in a seiyuu group called Humming Bird.

Theme songs

Production

Staff Company

Home media releases

In the Western hemisphere, Idol Defense Force Hummingbird was published in the UK as a subtitled VHS video combining the 93 and 94 episodes in 1994. There have been no subsequent video releases of the 95 episodes, or any DVD publications since.