Area 88 OVA - Japan Hero
- Japan Hero
- Jeff Couto
- 07/23/06
- click here
"Area 88 is a great example of what anime is able to achieve when it chooses to explore areas that go beyond popular genres and cutesy characters."
"...Area 88 is one of those rare titles that everyone should have in their collection. "
Introduction
After a long day at the office today I was looking forward to coming home, having dinner and playing with my daughter, but ADV Films had something else to add to my line up in the way of Area 88, the original OVA series that is! I knew they had acquired the rights to this title, but had no idea when it was officially coming out to the retail channel (July 25, 06 is the release date), so seeing a preview disc of it in the good old mailbox proved to be a happy surprise.
I loved the new series that recently came out, but I missed having the hand-drawn dogfights of the original title. The new CGI fighters looked amazing and stylish in the latest show, but they lacked life and flexibility, which in my humble opinion took away from the potential many scenes had. That of course is not a problem with today?s review subject so let?s get right into it.
Story
"A classic tale of love, war and tragedy comes to life in the original fast-paced, emotionally charged thrill ride, Area 88. In a cruel twist of fate, talented young pilot Shin Kazama is tricked into serving as a mercenary for Area 88: a hell on earth where men survive by gunning down anyone who stands in their way. To return home, Shin must sell his soul to the battlefield and pave the road back to Japan with the corpses of his fallen opponents." -- ADV Films' DVD description.
Review
Please note that this review is based on a preview disc so the content and quality of the product may change by the time the DVD goes into production.
This OVA?s story centers around Shin Kazama, a young man who is the #1 ace pilot of Area 88, a mercenary air force that is right in the middle of fighting a civil war. Having been tricked into joining this phantom force of guerilla fighters there are only 3 ways for Shin to get out and return to his beloved girlfriend, survive 3 years of warfare, pay a $1.5 million penalty or desert. Having lost out on a promising career as the top young pilot of Yamato airlines and being tricked by his best friend into signing up for the hell on Earth that is Area 88, Shin counts each day, each kill, and every dollar won until the moment he can return to Japan.
Alongside Shin we also follow Rocky, a Japanese photo journalist who records much of what happens in Area 88, and many of the denizens that call this battlefield their home. From the quiet Boris to #2 pilot, Mickey, each of Area 88?s pilots brings with them a baggage of history and experiences that for some reason or the other landed them here. Like the Shin they fight, not for what they believe, but because they are here and have signed a contract.
If you?ve seen the newer Area 88 series the first feature here will feel familiar as it covers much of the same ground albeit with some differences in narrative and characters. Here the principal focus of the story in the first half revolves around the combat photographer from Japan and his dual quests to document what being in Area 88 is like and to better understand his fellow countryman (Shin). The second half is more centered on the man who tricked Shin into joining Area 88 in an effort to gain a better position with Yamato Airlines and Shin?s girlfriend (the daughter of the company?s president).
The plot is simple, but the execution of it is tremendously engaging, as it grabs you, throws you in front of your TV and holds you there until the show is over. Shin is a quiet and collected character and his motivation in the story makes you want to do nothing more than to cheer for him when he goes into combat and then feel his pain when he thinks back to the reasons he is here. It skirts the edge of melodrama, but never quite gets there, which ensures a powerful, but not over the top sentimentality to a lot of the proceedings here.
On the flipside of the character moments and one of the reasons this series is so well known are its perfectly crafted dogfight scenes, of which there are many good ones. These scenes are almost poetic in the way they unfold and remind one of just how powerful a hand-drawn image can be when it?s crafted by a talented animator. Maybe it?s because I?m personally a huge fan of military aircraft myself (I?m still mourning the loss of our 24 hours a day ?Discovery Wings? channel, which recently became an all military themed channel!), but seeing these older jets (circa 1979, which is when the story actually takes place) just fills my jetfighter fan boy heart with joy! Anime is filled with so many modern mecha and spaceships that it?s nice to see some older military planes represented so well.
On the production front this particular release was animated back in 1985, back when the OVA market was just getting started up in Japan and as such it bears many of the trademarks of anime from the 80?s and if you?ve read other reviews I?ve written for the site you know that I see this a as a HUGE positive for me. That being said the animation is better than your standard 80?s anime TV production values as it features a superior frame count, more detailed drawings and more complex coloring of the cels. Maybe not as flashy and sharp looking as the latest Area 88 series, but perhaps a richer overall experience in my estimation.
On the audio front there is a lot of great orchestral pieces included here, with some particularly noteworthy titles in the aerial battles scenes. Where this title does fall short though is in the vocal track area with songs that just came across a little too cheesy for my taste (and keep in mind that cheesy anime songs from 80?s are a staple of my Ipod and home music system so for me to say that, well it isn?t easy because I really wanted to like them). The voice acting is solid on all fronts with the Japanese track being the best of the two included (English being the other one).
As far as extras go this preview copy only included one of the two highlighted bonus features in the DVD box. The one here is a ?Introduction of the Fighters? interactive section that gives you an opportunity to learn more about the various aircraft that appear in the show. The other (which is not included in this preview disc) is an interview with Kaoru Shintani (author of the original Area 88 manga upon which this anime is based on). This DVD also included previews for other releases from ADV Films.
Final Thoughts
Area 88 is a great example of what anime is able to achieve when it chooses to explore areas that go beyond popular genres and cutesy characters. With a decidedly dramatic tone that is sprinkled with touches of aerial combat, Area 88 is one of those rare titles that everyone should have in their collection. Forget that this OVA was produced over 20 years ago, forget that it doesn?t have aliens or cute anime girls running around, let yourself wander inside Area 88 and discover a whole new side of anime.
This one gets our highest recommendations.
Posted on Sunday, July 23, 2006 (Archive on Wednesday, August 23, 2006)