Noriko Takaya[f] is a fictional character from the Gunbuster franchise, created by the Japanese animation studio Gainax.

In the anime series of the same name, Noriko is the daughter of deceased space captain Yuzo Takaya.

Analysts and critics have praised her appearance and character arc for growing from an inexperienced pilot to a master one through hard work and will.

She has had merchandise released of her, influenced the development of characters such as Shinji Ikari of Neon Genesis Evangelion, and popularized the Gainax Pose, an arm fold, commonly seen in different media.

Consequently, Gainax quickly created an original video animation that included said girl, said mecha, and a space monster.

[2]: 167  In an interview with Hideaki Anno shortly after Neon Genesis Evangelion aired, he noted that Gunbuster, being his directorial debut, was an ironic response to the losses from The Wings of Honnêamise, stating, "Right, so [instead] send into space a robot and a half-naked girl.

[4] Some staff members, such as director Hideaki Anno and Hiroyuki Yamaga, previously worked on Super Dimension Fortress Macross.

[4] In Aim for the Ace!, Hiromi Oka, the protagonist, looks up to Reika Ryuzaki, a master of tennis and the president of the student club.

[17] Some of Gainax's staff, such as Hideaki Anno, previously worked on Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind,[18] as did the animator Noriko Takaya.

[21][22] Born on September 12, 2006,[7]: 73 [23]: 66 [24]: 56  Noriko is the protagonist of this series[25] and the daughter of space pilot and captain of the Luxion Yuzo Takaya.

Noriko and Kazumi graduate from the Okinawa Girls' Space Pilot High School and pass by Kimiko, who is now an adult with a child.

After working together to defeat the space monsters, they return to Earth, and Kazumi cries as she finds Ohta alive.

Buster Machine 3 sets off, Gunbuster flies out quickly, and Noriko and Kazumi find themselves above Earth on July 6, 14,292.

Mangaka Kabocha [ja]'s manga adaptation of Gunbuster follows the anime, but differences include Noriko wearing a different outfit as she leaves to go in space and crying in the jet,[43]: 182-193  taking a large amount of food,[44]: 16-18  meeting Smith Toren[44]: 16-19  before the Exelion is finished,[44]: 39  bathing with a fourth bather,[44]: 96-104  and going to a swimming pool with Kazumi and Jung[45]: 79-95  instead of a beach with only Jung.

[49] As shown in Gunbuster, Noriko shows traits of rigorous training[50] and striving for excellence through "hard work and guts".

[53] An editor for Anime News Network notes that throughout the story, Noriko has moments of doubting herself, but as she becomes a master, she understands her position carries much weight.

[7]: 6 [30] According to Rufus Manji, Noriko's admiration and desire to follow her father could be seen as an intimate apocalypse, where losing a family member can happen with an apocalyptic threat.

Because of this, by enrolling in the high school, she overcomes grief by following her father's path to defeat the space monsters causing her trauma through "hard work and guts", enthusiasm, and empathy.

[56] According to Peter Laliberte, Kazumi was initially portrayed as elegant, but because of the possibility of losing Ohta, she wanted to back out, causing Noriko to tell her to snap out of this behavior and work together to stop the space monsters.

[57] Tamaki Saitō and Hiroki Azuma note that Noriko and Kazumi could be seen as phallic mothers, women who have a sense of authority and perfection.

According to Anime News Network, because of time dilation, fighting to protect Earth and then coming back to see it significantly change can seem as though one is not part of the life of a person one cares about.

[25] Dev Tugnait notes that losing a friend, Kimiko Higuchi, also caused her to focus on mastering piloting Gunbuster and be willing to sacrifice everything for Earth's sake.

Hideaki Anno creates a modern picture of a hibakusha, alluding to the victims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the context of a remilitarized Japan ready for preventing something similar from happening to them again.

[62] The Film Comic books published by Bandai in 1988 and 1989 describe Noriko's hobbies as building plastic models[7]: 73  and watching past anime and television shows with special effects.

[23]: 66  Examples of these anime include Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Space Battleship Yamato, and My Neighbor Totoro.

[28] Tamaki Saitō, Hiroki Azuma, and Patrick Galbraith, among others, have described Noriko as having a cute appearance.

[2]: 167 [63]: 238  Ethan Supovitz and Daniel Kurland praised her character arc for growing from an inexperienced pilot to a master one through hard work and will.

Max Covill notes that when Noriko crosses her arms, she plans to cause her enemy significant trouble.

The Gainax Pose is typically made at a turning point in an anime that needs compelling visual effects and will.

[66] In Gurren Lagann, as Noriko grew in Gunbuster, Simon grows under the training of Kamina, who behaves similarly to Ohta, and becomes a powerful pilot.