Battle Angel |
 | Summary:Stylish, gritty sci-fi thriller paves rouge-warrior bounty hunter against diabolical antagonists. Despite some striking character designs, it's uneven animation; impetuously lacking storyline throws off anime fans seeking higher quality character narratives not flawed by rampant pacing. |
| Title Aka: | Hyper Future Vision Gunnm |
| Company/Distributors: | Business Jump;Shueisha;KSS, Inc.;Movic;A.D.V. Films |
| Year: | 1993 |
| Length: | 60 Minutes;2 Episode Series |
| Rating: |  |
| Genres: | Science Fiction |
| Format: | OAV Series |
| Content Level: |
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| Comments: | Recommeded Viewing Format: Subtitled |
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Synopsis:
In the distant future, a dour and brooding scrap heap lies amidst a large scale plateau-like city. "Zalem" is home to many of the well established and boffola personalities. But like many large scale environments such as this, there always arises the presence of limitless technologies and endless plethoras of machine-like beings. They are the many which inhabit a scorched and often lifeless wasteland full of crime, chaos and corruption. The only thing which keeps those in line are beings known as "hunter warriors", the equivalency of typical law enforcement found in past times of the 20th Century. Beings who live below Zalem are often those of the antagonists and the socially corrupt. There are also the idealists who believe Zalem to be the Utopia of which they can escape the dour-ridden land. Yet those who fight in order to survive are usually the one's to stay alive in a world of corruption. One of these men is doctor "Ido Daisuke", a hunter warrior of the most peculiar kind. With doctor Ido's skill and brains comes a distinctive interest in science and machinery, the key to unlocking the mysteries of this baleful world. In an old junk yard, Ido comes across a disembodied cyborg. After being repaired and re-established into a new body, Ido creates a unique powerful female cyborg which he named "Gally". She carries within her distinctive characteristics resembling that of humans, though she contains no memory about her past or why she ended up in the scrap yard near Zalem. Gally shows her versatile, cheerful human-like capabilities by assisting Ido; as well as discovering new things about her surrounding environment. Gally further extends her creative motives about her cybergenetic-self, after meeting an idealistic young man named "Yugo", who dreams of seeking out "Zalem" and all it has to offer. After an almost fatal encounter with a ruthless cyber-criminal named "Grewcica", Ido is saved by Gally; whom until shortly discovered her potential skills to fight. Amidst the confusion, Gally decides to become a hunter warrior, collecting bounty heads for the mad men and evil mercenaries which inhabit the city. Soon Yugo is trapped into an array of intrugue by one of the most dangerous of the crime lords "Mr. Vector", whom is being assisted by the deceptive "Dr. Chiren"; Ido's ex-comrad. Now realizing what she must do, Gally attempts to save Yugo by halting the motives of Vector, and his legions of cyber-junkies; but will that be enough to get them to Zalem. Where another deadly predicament may await them all.
Review:
"Kishiro Yukito's" fully realized and stylistic manga "Hyper Future Vision Gunnm" are brought to animation in this gritty thriller about a female cyborg. Brought to life by often distinctive camera and background set-ups, a mercurial storyline and dithyrambic artwork. Yukito's "Battle Angel" seemed all too good to be true, an OAV series which is perhaps faulted. It is the rather short story of "Gally" (Aka: "Alita" in Yukito's manga), the cutesy yet deceptively powerful female cyborg warrior. The series contains many different characters and villians whom all play a particular role in the storyline, moving Gally along through her often brief quasi-dramatic moments and expeditious developments in becoming more human. This aspect of the storyline is escalated when an idealist named "Yugo" comes along to comfort and aid Gally through her long unrequited efforts in doing all she can to learn about emotion. However, she is a machine after all. Though "Yugo's" character is not often the 'pretty-boy', innocent idealist image you might expect coming from nature of "Miyazaki" heroics like "Pazu" in "Castle In The Sky". But like that film, Battle Angel's presentation as something near bromide is one engulfed into it's stylistic approach on the future. If there is always one thing which is impressive about Battle Angel it is it's impeccable character design and environment. Though flawed in many distinct increments, Gally is truly an interesting character; the series does offer unique views on these characters and it's self made commentary on technological design. Something we usually see in most science fiction animes. While most prominently action-thiller based, Battle Angel does present a unique view on Gally alone; which perhaps seems enough to fill-in it's often impulsive sense of story structure. Something which is sometimes too prevalent for it's own good. While being flawed here and there as kinky melodrama, Battle Angel is comprised of only a two episode OAV series; inevitably faulted as being too short and not being able to support a decent plotline development. This is all too aparent amidst the series hastily action sequences and pieces of dialouge, which could have been better if had been considered longer more thought out segments. This seems all too rushed through Gally's own personal journey through this often grim plot, one plagued to repetative violence and choppy fight scenes; which seems as aparent as some found in your typical "fighting game" based flick. Animation for the series suffers as well, though visually ambitious and hauntingly atmospheric; sequences often consist of stilled shots and choppy frame rates. This is a problem I see in many animes dealing with great character designs, which in turn fail to deliver that sense of quality through movement. Though Battle Angel is not always entirely bad in this sense, it really could have been better in those respects. I suppose it's almost half decent for something so short it doesn't even attempt to account for the extensive quality of the manga series. This really should have been a longer OAV. On that note, Battle Angel can at times seem repetitively violent. Never serving to enhance the story in any sense, but rather it slows it down in it's times of more well executed storyline. Aparently, this doesn't know whether it wants to be a gore fest or a emotional experience through character depth; something which is halted through situation violence. This will please all you "Kawajiri" fanatics out there, at least "Ninja Scroll" had gore complete with substance; Battle Angel often doesn't know how to distinguish the two. On the good side, the series' often impeccable sense of character depth and style helps move along it's rushed and rocky story. One plagued to often choppy but still relatively fluid animation, enhanced by stylish environment and some impressive visuals. Music is usually nice and well fitted to the story. However if your not bothered by it's repetitiveness in rushed plotline and action-violence, this would make a decent thriller. However, I as a fan always thought these kind of epics usually were more than one measly hour long! Short OAVs like "Macross Plus" know how to mix masterful production with an incredible sense of pace. Other animes of the sort like "Iria: Zeiram The Animation" containing great female main characters don't have to worry about a great storyline. In much respect of Battle Angel, both didn't really have either one. But at least that series wasn't burried in pointless action/violence, dialouge and uneven animation too precipitant for it's own good. Decide, watch, or take your pick... Hyper Future Vision Gunnm or "Battle Angel" if you wish just isn't in my line of excellence in anime film making. Die hard fans of "Yukito's" Gally the cyborg enjoy. If there's a remake or sequel, I think I'll stay out of it. |
