Harley is a robot athlete who plays for the Metro City Omega Knights Rocket Ball team. He is the team's lead player and is highly popular throughout Metro City. He is a good friend of Astro, and was at one point hijacked by Dr. Tenma.
Story[]
In "Rocket Ball", Harley is introduced as the lead athlete for the Omega Knights Rocket Ball team. He is in the middle of Rocket Ball playoffs when Astro interrupts the game, grabbing a ball Harley had just thrown. Harley does not take it personality, though, and Astro is quickly collected by an embarrassed Professor Ochanomizu.
Some days later, Harley and his teammates are refuelling in their locker room. One of Dr. Tenma's robot dogs enters the room and launches a pair of mechanized sunglasses onto Harley's face. The device takes control of Harley's AI and spreads to the rest of the team. They begin to act uncharacteristically violent on the field, much to the audience's shock and confusion. Under Tenma's control, Harley challenges Astro to a game of Rocket Ball, or else the tank Omega Knight players will kill the audience. Astro is thrown into a tense battle of powers until he is able to knock Harley's sunglasses off, returning Harley to normal.
In "The Rise of Pluto", Harley is in the middle of a Rocket Ball game when Pluto appears on the field. Pluto declares that he is the world's greatest robot, and that he considers Harley to be one of the other strongest robots in the world and therefore a threat. Pluto throws Harley into the electrified Rocket Ball net, electrocuting him. Harley is eventually revived, and later attends the Robot of the Year Awards as a nominee.
Episode appearances[]
- #2: Rocket Ball
- #17: The Rise of Pluto
- #40: Escape From Volcano Island
Personality[]
Harley rescues Shinichi “Nickolas in English dub”
In the original Japanese version, Harley has a basic but polite personality. In spite of his highly-advanced abilities and instinctive programming, he speaks in clear, simple sentences. He rarely banters or has small talk. At one point, Harley saves Astro's friend Shinichi from being crushed by a stadium light, after which Harley only politely tells Shinichi that spectators are not allowed on the field. In the English dub, Harley is dubbed to be slightly more sarcastic and informal.
Harley is well-known for being an honest sportsman. He is programmed not to fight dirty, and will not physically spar with other Rocket Ball players or fight the referees. When Harley began to fight dirty under Dr. Tenma's control, Harley's fans were quick to realize something serious had happened to him.
Abilities[]
Harley's field of perception
- Multi-dimensional imaging - Harley can accurately detect the location and size of any machines, robots, or organic beings standing within his 100-m radius. This layout is generated as a 3D field in his electronic brain.
- Predictive programming - Using the above power, Harley can generate his best possible moves on the field. Each possible play comes with a generated outcome that he can review and choose from within milliseconds.
- Rocket speed - Harley has air-propelled jets built into his feet, which he can glide on at high speeds.
- Transformation - Harley's limbs can fold in with his body to change size and shape. He can take the shape of a cannonball and be launched into the air by his teammates.