Something I noticed about Space Harrier (Turbo Graphix)

[fairyland]

This is something I had noticed at least 10 years ago. Perhaps I'm wrong, but take a look at this image from the Turbo Graphix edition of Space Harrier.

http://www.magicalgirl.com/save/SpaceHarrier.jpg

Does anyone else notice anything about the score list? I believe that they are all anime magical girl names there. You probably have to be an old timer magical girl fan like me to notice this, but check it out:

Mai (that is Magical Emi's girl form)
Emi (Magical Emi)
Yu. (Yuu is Creamy Mami's girl form)
M. M. (Minky Momo)
A. O.
M. M. (Majokko Megu-chan?)
I. O.

I'm having trouble trying to figure out what A.O. and I.O. would stand for. Perhaps I'm wrong in my thinking here? It could be all generic-ness here, but I don't know...does any one else think the names could be in honor of magical girls?

[Ed Oscuro]

From MAME:

Designed by : Yu Suzuki (YU.)
From highscore table : (KAN), (KAW), (BIN), (TUD), (NAG), (ASO)
Music by : Hiroshi Miyauchi

I imagine those are the NEC Avenue staffers. Hmm. The other NEC Avenue games I have handy are CD-ROM releases (Gain Ground SX and Horror Story), so no clue if the highscores will be the same...

[idrougge]

Space Harrier wasn't ported by NEC Avenue, it was ported by Dempa Micomsoft.

[idrougge]

PC Engine credits:


Main Programmer: Takao Kurebayashi (T. Kurebayashi)
Music Driver: Perfect Senoko
Music Editor: Nazo1 Ken Ken
Sound Effector: ROM Writer Nasu
Graphic Coding: Tetsu Matsushima (T. Matsushima), Takao Kurebayashi (T. Kurebayashi)
Test Player: K. Tsuchida, A. Yamashita
Special Thanks to: Daddy Naniwa, Toshio Tabeta (T. Tabeta)
PC Engine Programmed by: Dempa Micom Soft

[idrougge]

Oh, and I think the Studio Pierrot might have some validity.