Banzai Institute for Biomedical Research and Strategic Information

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Banzai Institute for Biomedical Research and Strategic Information
NicknamesBlue Blazers
BBIs
Home BaseThe Roadhouse, Deimos
Population (2015 rough)unknown; many members are also members of other factions
Political InfluenceMinor (verging on Major)
AlliesPulpers, Supers (congenial with all factions)
Major AchievementsDisaster Relief (multiple occasions)
The Clark Savage, Jr. Memorial Stadium and Music Complex
StereotypeIntelligent folks who will help you out when life's bad and party with you when life's good.
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The Institute is here to help, even for the little things. Especially the little things; even the smallest drop of water will begin to fill a bucket.

Buckaroo, November 14, 2013

Also known as Blue Blazers

Followers of the teachings of the great pulp hero Buckaroo Banzai, as set down by Earl Mac Rauch in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the Eighth Dimension and by W.D. Richter in the movie of the same name, the Blue Blazers exist to help their fellow man. Most of the Institute’s work actually takes place on Earth, where they’re active in disaster relief and researching the use of handwavium for the betterment of humanity.

All Blazers are trained in basic rescue and first aid.

The term “Blue Blazer” refers both to the dark blue jackets that members of this faction wear when in public and “on duty,” and to the Banzai Institute “blue blaze” that associated members wear somewhere on their other faction’s colors.

The Banzai Institute and the Blue Blazers are not particularly factional in their factional status; they can, will, and do take all volunteers as prospective members. While Blue Blazers do not necessarily cross-pollinate into other factions, it is not uncommon to see Browncoats, Supers, Trekkers, and others wearing a “blue blaze.” Even when not wearing the jackets, Blue Blazer Irregulars (“Blue Blazers” or “BBIs” for short) wear either a patch or cloisonne pin depicting the back-to-back Bs of the Banzai Institute for Biomedical Research and Strategic Information. Blue Blazers are known for their discipline and diversity of talent and knowledge, as well as their loyalty to Buckaroo. The Blue Blazer Irregulars are closely affiliated with the Pulpers and Supers, but on the whole, are congenial with all factions.

The Banzai Institute for Biomedical Research and Strategic Information is a non-profit organization that handles business concerns for the Blue Blazer Irregulars in the ’Danelaw. The Institute concerns itself with altruistic pursuits as simple as literacy and as complex as disaster rescue and relief.

Banzai Institute centers focus on community, continuing education, and 'Wavium research. Think of them as the local rec center, community college, and think tank.

The Institute is also developing a global network similar to what is in the DC comic book Global Frequency. The Institute coordinates local agents and global experts to solve problems using a massive and widespread thinktank – if something is going on, the Institute will be drawing upon the expertise of Blazers and consultants across the planet and in Fenspace, via satellite and Interwave communications. Blazers report situations in their area or are called upon to investigate, based on their abilities. If something crosses the Institute’s radar, there’s a possibility that anyone (Blue Blazer or not), anywhere, can get a phone call that starts, “Good afternoon, (person’s name here), this is Buckaroo, and you’re on the Global Frequency...”

The Banzai Institute is registered in both the United States and the European Union. Its mailing address is listed as a P.O. Box located in Dallas, Texas. Both the P.O. Box and the email domain, banzai-institute.org, are registered under a shell corporation, managed by a woman known only as Mrs. Johnson.

Joining the BBIs

It's not like you just fill out a form and get handed an armband and then go out and Do Good. Okay, it's exactly like that.

Blackstone, August 4, 2012

It is extremely easy to become a Blue Blazer Irregular, assuming you're the type of person who wants to become a Blazer. (A direct conversation with Buckaroo or one of the Hong Kong Cavaliers is handy, but not necessary; after all, they're busy people.)

Rugsuckers

A subfaction of the Blue Blazers, the Rugsuckers are gun geeks and military aficionados that work with the Institute. The Rugsuckers are usually divided among the other teams of Blue Blazers, diffusing their inherent love for all things bang and boom among the more civic-minded Blazers. Rugsuckers serve as sergeants-at-arms and drill instructors, keeping order and teaching firearm and weapon skills and safety to their teammates. The Rugsuckers take their name from the novelization of The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the Eighth Dimension, where the team is described as Buckaroo's elite unit of troubleshooters.

The Rugsuckers maintain the Armory, a research and development station in an undisclosed location.

Banzai Institute Dragons

Winged-BB.jpg
The Dragons are the Institute's official astroball team.

Noted as being the best among the Blue Blazers (who have several intramural teams, based out of their various cities or colonies), the team roster changes often, with members being cycled out. It has more than the average number of second- and third-string players, many of whom do not sit on the sidelines during play, but only show up when first-stringers are pulled out due to Institute emergencies. Buckaroo takes players off of the Global Frequency during games, but will notify game officials and the team staff if a player is needed.

The Dragons are not known as a particularly consistent team, due to the other commitments of the Institute, but they always bring a certain amount of enthusiasm and esprit de corps to their games. The team focuses on teamwork, providing for some dazzling displays of astrobatics (the vacuum equivalent of aerobatics) and seemingly telepathic communication between players. (No psychic powers are involved, just an awareness of where teammates are or should be that has been finely honed.)

The Dragons all tie on a rising sun hachimaki under their safety helmets before entering a game. The hachimakis are duplicates of Buckaroo's own headband, as seen in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the Eighth Dimension and in the syndicated Fenspace television series.

Known BBIs

Main article: List of Known Blue Blazers

The original BBIs are now known as the Hong Kong Cavaliers; they never answered to that name until they were finally convinced they were good enough to be known by it, shortly before the end of the Boskone War.

Other known BBIs include Junior Fabulous and the PS238 Brass, respected Fenspace Convention citizens Frederic "Full Byte" Ferdinand and Jonathon Helscher, and many others both in space and in the Really Real World who aren't as well-known.