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Forum - View topicAny fans of Area 88 OVA?
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Area88
 Posts: 374 |
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This anime is called Area 88 and is a 3 part anime (4 hours long). It was made in 1985 and is one of the best anime to be released outside Japan. It's one of the deepest and most emotionally moving anime to ever grace our shores. It has everything from action to drama to romance. Many fans outside Japan know only the game counterpart. The hit game Area 88 also known as UN Squadron in the US was based on the anime and released in 1989.  
Area 88 OVA contains all 3 Episodes on dvd for the first time (see below):  
The official Region 1 dvd includes: * Digitally Remastered Video * Japanese with English Subtitles, * New English Language Dub * Original Japanese Extras - Interview with Manga Artist, Documentary about Fighter Jets in the anime. Dvd Available at: Dvd Pacific for only $17.32 To check out the complete archive of reviews for Area 88 OVA: Click Here Last edited by Area88 on Wed Jul 19, 2006 4:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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MilkManX
 Posts: 47 Location: Tucson AZ USA |
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LOL!
Yes I will be picking this up next week for sure. Unless it is availible at the SDCC this weekend then I will grab it there. |
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DuelLadyS
 Posts: 1705 Location: WA state |
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YES! Yes yes yes yes yes!!!
I first picked up volume 1 of this on video ages ago at rental store going out-of-business, for the sole purpose that the guy on the cover had Trowa Barton hair, and it amused me. I later replaced that video with the old episode 1 DVD from CPM. I have been giddy since I first heard ADV picked this up to release on DVD. I've never seen anything past that first episode, and I'm dying to know what happens!! (I'd thought about getting the TV show, until they put an episode on a Newtype preview disc... I distinctly remember being upset at McCoy for being nice.  )
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Area88
Posts: 374 |
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Hehe, thats the kind of enthusiasm i'm feeling too. You won't be disapointed the anime gets better and better. I rate it up there with classics such as Gunbuster, Akira and Wings of Honneamise. |
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Noggy
 Posts: 88 |
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I've only seen the TV series (just finished it yesterday in matter of fact), how does that compare to the OVA? Quality wise and content wise.
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Area88
Posts: 374 |
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Quite simply the OVA is better in any sense of word. The Tv series suffered from being too action orientated and low production values.
The OVA on the otherhand is a masterpiece with huge production values, great music and some of the best characterisation i've seen in an anime. Also the OVA covers more ground than the tv series so you see more of the story. Highly Recommended! |
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Randall Miyashiro
 Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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There has been at least one thread in the past in regards to this series. I ran out and bought all the records when they came out. I have a small collection of the manga, and Shintani's manga Phantom. I'm a huge fan and bought the big red limited edition LD box set when it came out. My favorite animation cel in my collection is a profile close up shot of Shin as he is about to collapse in the desert in Act II. I also have minor obsession with Mio, and love the Dunbine and 0083 songs she sings. I do also love Keiko Terada's ED song for the A88 tv series. Kaneto Shiozawa was simply the best. Between Vampire Hunter D, Sir Violet, and BD from Megazone, this guy had one of those memorable voices. This is amongst the top of the Masterpieces on my lists.
I prefer the original three act structure over the newer two part splice. It fits the series better since Shin spoiler[attempts to buy his way out in Act I, Escape in Act II, and does the three years in Act III] The progression seems normal as three acts. It is also very nostalgic to remember waiting a year for the next act to be released. I think I saw the commercial for Act III while watching Gundam Double Zeta and being really excited. A couple years later I remember getting excited all over again as Area 88 was one of the first three (along with Kamui and Mai, right?) manga to hit the US, not counting the American illustrated Robotech, or the hard to find bilingual Urusei Yatsura books. When the UN squad coin op came out in the US I played it until I could finish it on one credit with Shin, or Mickey. I believe the little Capcom astronaught does something different depending on how many times you continue. I would always enter A88 as my high score entry. Geez, I really love this series.[/quote] |
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Area88
Posts: 374 |
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Agreed i also loved watching the credits at the end of Act 1 along with the preview and it's poetic narration.
I will keep both the CPM dvd and ADV's dvd for completition sake. |
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indrik
 Posts: 365 Location: yonder |
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I wouldn't go that far. I thought the production values were pretty solid, but the script avoided some of the character insights that made the manga interesting. I really enjoyed the tv series. Although I was watching Initial D at the same time, and the voice actor cross over was kind of weird. I did like the ova better, but I've only seen the first two on the vhs. I stopped thinking about buying a laserdisc player when ADV announced they were releasing them on dvd. No, seriously.
I think that's right- I remember getting Mai and Area 88, but I don't remember what the other one was. I bet I could go dig through the boxes in the attic and find out, but it's hot and I'm lazy. I didn't see the OVAs until after I had read the comic... er, manga in comic form though. We didn't see those around here until after Akira. I don't know if somebody else had them and I didn't notice, but our local comic store didn't carry any anime until Akira, and those were the first manga. Now I feel old again. OVA dvd should arrive tomorrow though, or Wednesday if the mailman hates me. I'm excited. |
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Area88
Posts: 374 |
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Hehe good stuff. Let us know what you think after you've watched it. This might as well be the Area 88 OVA discussion thread. |
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Zalis116
Moderator
 Posts: 6921 Location: Kazune City |
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I'm going to get that DVD ordered--I'm excited to purchase it and be able to read subtitles of better quality than, "Whats wrong Shin? You angry for I kill that guy?" spoiler[it's later in the series when one of the other A88 pilots shoots down an enemy pilot who had ejected from his own plane.] (HK subs
 ) I've played the heck out of U.N. Squadron (I can beat the first 8 levels with the initial jet to save time and $$$.. if only the ninth level (The Caverns) didn't have that damn ceiling boss  ), so that's what got me interested in the franchise. Haven't watched the new TV series yet, but I plan to buy it when the thinpack comes out and Rightstuf liquidates the singles.
When I watched the OVA a few years ago, I was struck by how much the game watered down the story--aside from the exciting fighter jet action, it's a pretty serious tale of the psychological effects of war. Very recommendable. |
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Randall Miyashiro
Posts: 2451 Location: A block away from Golden Gate Park |
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There are a few scenes that are trimmed from the first two OAVs. Although I haven't done a side by side comparison the one that stands out in my mind is Mickey's flashback stuff. There are a coupple shots that even are in the ACT II trailer (the jungle traps) in the Vietnam footage that were trimmed out. I swear that the opening song is a few measures shorter. I'll try to do a side by side viewing sometime soon.
I'm pretty sure that Mai, Area 88, and Kamui ere the first three Viz titles, followed by Xenon, Crying Freeman, Grey and a few others. I actually bought all of their titles for several years. I love how Shin is referenced in the last episode of Excel Saga as well. |
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Area88
Posts: 374 |
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Are you sure about this? Is Mickey's flashback of Vietnam really missing? A side by side comparison would be appreciated because now i'm really worried. |
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indrik
Posts: 365 Location: yonder |
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In case anybody was worried, the mailman hates me, and I am still waiting.
Maybe I'll watch the old dvd out of despair. I remember Crying Freeman and Grey- I picked up Desert Punk because it looked like Grey. How disappointing that was. Not to hijack the thread with reminisence about the olden times or whatever. I don't remember Xenon. I do remember telling the guy at the comic store to hold one of everything Viz put out. |
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OrionQuest
 Posts: 31 |
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I collected some of the Viz titles when they were coming in comic form. Of course, Area 88 was the first one I started getting. I also got Xenon, Justy, and Pineapple Army. I remember Mai The Psychic Girl and Dagger Of Kamui, but I didn't get Kamui and I only got Mai when I started coming in graphic novel format. I wish I still had all those. The one I miss most was Area 88. Too bad Viz stopped production of it before the story concluded.
I picked up the Area 88 DVD today after I realized it was the old one. I have the CPM DVD but it only has act 1 and they had told me via email they weren't bringing act 2 & 3 to DVD. Blah! I had seen them on store shelves in VHS format, but I passed on them. So, it looks like ADV are my heroes once again. First the offer Robotech, then Mospeada and Southern Cross, then Aura Battler Dunbine, then a dubbed Macross (woo hoo!) and now the orginal Area 88 OVAs. Up until today I had only seen Acts 1 & 2, but Act 2 was raw. Now, 20 years after being introduced to the story... I finally got to see how it ends. That's a long time to wait isn't it? Now, how can we make Viz step up to the plate and start releasing Area 88 graphic novels (in original right to left format? - like they do with Dragon Ball Z.) I really miss reading about all the other characters there wasn't time for in the anime (as well as the further adventures of a certain character who was thought to have been killed.) |
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