The Anime Primer
or
WHAT ANIME SHOULD I WATCH NOW?

This is intended for those North American fans who are new to anime, and looking for some suggestions of what to watch next. The anime listed here may also be available in English in other parts of the world, as well.

Credits and Legal Notes

This is a webpage based on a monthly posting intended for those who are new to anime, and looking for some suggestions of what to watch next. This article can be freely distributed for non-commercial use, as long as all credits and notices remain intact. If this is used in any publication, including APAs & CD-Rom Collections, copies must be sent to:

and

Please send all additions/corrections/comments to Rob Kelk.

Contributors to this FAQ:

Past Maintainers:

Bruce Carlson

Steve Pearl

Current Maintainer:

Rob Kelk

Writers:

Ben Cantrick		<mackys -at- dimensional.com>
Robin Casady		<astro -at- carmelcoast.com>
Anand Chelian		<anandc -at- ugcs.caltech.edu>
Shawn Granger		<shawnrgranger -at- hotmail.com>
Bruce Grubb		<bgrubb -at- zianet.com>
Arthur Hansen		<arthurh -at- utah-inter.net>
Jeanne Hedge		<jhedge -at- enteract.com>
Matt "Kosher Pickle" Huber		<gte768j -at- prism.gatech.edu>
Brad Jackson		<gaijin99 -at- cox-internet.com>
Nicholas A. "QuestionMark" Jalowick		<mysteriox9000 -at- aol.com>
Derek Janssen		<djanss -at- ultranet.com>
Catherine "Fish Eye no Miko" Johnson		<Thrazz -at- aol.com>
Cathy Krusberg		<ckberg -at- ix.netcom.com>
Chris Meadows		<robotech -at- eyrie.org>
Dave Menard		<deibu_kun -at- sympatico.ca>
Karl Merris		<kmerris1 -at- san.rr.com>
Hanno Mueller		<kontakt -at- hanno.de>
Andrew V. Tupkalo		<khathi -at- online.ru>
Antaeus Feldspar		<feldspar -at- cryogen.com>
Chika		<miyuki -at- argonet.co.uk>
KireiSarah		<kireisarah -at- aol.com>
MimiE		<fengston -at- eclipse.net>
Royal Orange		<ruby_onix -at- hotmail.com>
Slithy Tove		<slithy -at- pobox.com>
Sultan Of Swing		<rob -at- lvcm.com>

If there is no credit given for an entry, then it was inherited from the original list maintained by Bruce Carlson & Steve Pearl.

How to Find Anime

Anime programs come in three flavors: TV shows, Movies, and Original Animation Video (OAV or OVA - what North American studios call "direct to video"). In general, movies have the best animation quality, while TV shows use less motion, and OAVs vary widely between those. Also, newer shows tend to have better animation than older shows do, since the state of the art has advanced. But animation quality is rarely an indicator of how good an anime is.

The vast majority of Japanese animation is only available in Japanese, of course. Sturgeon's Law ("90% of everything is crap") also applies to anime, so the professionals and fans translating anime into English tend to work with the 10% that isn't.

Professionally-translated anime can often be found at large video stores and comic book shops (brick-and-mortar or online). Sometimes, they are also available for individual purchase directly from the translation company. Secondhand copies of anime can also be found for sale on the rec.arts.anime.marketplace newsgroup.

Fan-subtitled items are mostly available as tape-to-tape copies from clubs (see below), individuals, and other volunteer distributors. This is technically illegal (so don't get fansubs if you don't want to break the law), but is largely ignored by the copyright holders as long as nobody makes a profit and anime that have been professionally translated aren't also fan-subtitled. (There are some fansub distributors who advertise their tapes on the World-Wide Web. Be warned, though, that a few of these people are taking advantage of other fans' goodwill by selling tapes at a profit. You shouldn't pay more for a fansub than you would pay for the blank tape plus postage. Also, some less-scrupulous fansub distributors sell fan-subtitled copies of anime that have also been translated professionally. The best defence against being caught by one of these distributors is to know what shows have been professionally translated. Ask on rec.arts.anime.misc if you aren't sure.)

Most cities of even moderate size have an anime club somewhere. They probably meet periodically and view the latest stuff, and many have a decent video library. A good way to find your local club is to ask at the local stores that sell anime, or to post a question in the rec.arts.anime.fandom newsgroup if your town doesn't have an anime store. Also, the Anime Web Turnpike lists many anime clubs - U.S.A. and Non-U.S.A..

Many science fiction conventions have an anime program in a room someplace these days. An anime convention is probably the best way to sample large amounts of anime at once (if you can tear yourself away from the Guests, panels, and other activities to actually watch the stuff). A near-complete listing of upcoming conventions can be found on the Anime Web Turnpike's "Conventions" page.

Why would an anime not be on this list?

You may have seen an anime that you liked, but isn't on this list. That doesn't mean your taste in anime is bad!

First, this is not a comprehensive list of anime titles, or even a list of all good anime. It it simply a list of shows that people on the anime newsgroups like enough to review and recommend to others. Please keep in mind that tastes vary, and not everyone will think that every anime on this list is good. (You could ask twenty different anime fans what the best anime are, and you'll get twenty different replies.) But we hope that this list will help you find something you think is good.

Also, if the anime you saw and liked has erotic or pornographic content, it shouldn't be listed here. Listings for this type of anime can be found in The Anime Ecchi/Hentai Primer, a companion to this page. The list maintainer chose to split the list in two so that this list could be given to people who should not, or do not wish to, watch erotic or pornographic animation.

If the anime you saw and liked isn't included in either Primer, it's quite possible that we simply haven't seen it yet. If you think we should add a capsule description of a title not on this list, please write the description and send it to Rob Kelk.

Should you decide to write a capsule description of a good anime title, please also mention who translated the anime. This is especially important when the show is only available fansubbed! (Commercially-translated anime can be purchased in specialty shops, but fansubs are only available from people within the anime fan community. Knowing who translated a show often helps other anime fans find the translations.)

Other Recommendations

Most of these descriptions are sparse, but we can't really offer more in a Usenet post! However, there are places on the World-Wide Web that offer more in-depth reviews, including reviews of shows that aren't as good as these are.

• Gilles Poitras, author of The Anime Companion and Anime Essentials, has a page of recommendations on his website. He also has pages of recommendations for manga and books about anime.
• Andrew Shelton is building the Anime Meta-Review site, which is already over ten times larger than this FAQ. He also reviews shows that he doesn't recommend, which may be of interest to some people.
• And the Anime Web Turnpike has a long list of anime and manga review websites.

Capsule Descriptions of Anime

And now, the descriptions.

(Note: The thirty-one gold stars below mark titles that the list maintainer especially recommends. These are my choices, and are not necessarily the choices of the other contributors.  - Rob Kelk)

A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P     R   S   T   U   V   W     Y   Z

3×3 Eyes (a.k.a. Sazan Eyes)

Bloody OAV horror series about a triclops (immortal three-eyed sorceress) who comes to Japan to become human. Her two-eyed alter-ego is sweet and cute and doesn't have a clue. Her boyfriend's not going to live a normal life.
[Licenced by Pioneer.   - Rob Kelk]

801 T.T.S. Airbats (a.k.a. Aozora Shoujotai)

A series based around a female aerobatic team within the Japanese Air Self Defense Force, made up of misfits including a gambling addict, an airhead, a pilot with a major chip stuck on her shoulder and another that is always at war with her. Oh yes, and one rookie airplane and mecha nut with whom both of the latter two pilots are besotted with.
[Entry by Chika]
[Available from ADV Films.   - Rob Kelk]

AD Police Files

This series chronicles the (mis-)adventures of AD Police rookie Leon and his colleagues as they defend the near-future cyberpunk city of MegaTokyo (and sometimes themselves) from boomers - humanish andriods. There are three episodes, each with a different plot line, but each asking the same question - what happens when the line between man and machine blurs? Forewarned, this series is extremely dark, violent, gory and sexual. Therefore I do not recommend it for anyone under 17 years old unless they are very mature. Well drawn and animated, and certanly engaging to watch. If you liked Bladerunner, you might like this series. Three episodes. Subbed. From AnimEigo.
[Entry by Ben Cantrick]
[NOTE: There is a recent remake titled AD Police, that has been licenced by ADV Films. The FAQ maintainer has not yet seen the remake (or even seen it available in stores), and nobody else has yet written a capsule description of the show.   - Rob Kelk]

Ah! My Goddess

see Oh My Goddess!

Ah! Megami-sama

see Oh My Goddess!

Aim for the Top!

see Gunbuster

Akira

This anime has held up remarkably over the years. Despite the fact that it was originally released in the early 1980s, its animation looks good even today.
Opening with the destruction of Tokyo by what appears to be an atomic blast, what Akira is depends on how you look at it. Is Akira a cyberpunk movie about rival biker gangs? Yes. Is Akira a conspiracy theory movie about the government experimenting with psychic powers? Yes. Is Akira a movie about rebellion against an oppressive government? Yes. Is Akira a deep movie about the nature of the universe? Yes.
In addition to a compelling story, and astonishingly good animation, Akira also features a truly excellent soundtrack composed by one of Japan's premier musicians.
It is true that Akira has a convoluted plot. There are at least three major plot threads in the story, and several minor plot threads. Partially this is due to the anime being condensed out of a 1300 page manga. Partially this is due to the plot being complex. Some people have found that Streamline's original dub tends to add to the confusion.
Akira was originally released in the US by Streamline Pictures, but its license has been purchased by Pioneer now. Akira is available on VHS tape in both subtitled and dubbed format. It is also available on DVD.
[Entry by Brad Jackson]

All Purpose Cultural Cat-Girl Nuku-Nuku

The Mishima Heavy Industries corporation wants its prototype android back, to use as a war machine. Lady Akiko, head of Mishima, wants to take her son Ryuunosuke from her ex-husband - preferably by force. Ryuunosuke, on the run with his brilliant and eccentric father, just wants the friendly kitten he finds on Christmas Eve. When it all comes together, the result is "Nuku Nuku" Natsume - the brain of a cat, the appearance of a lovely schoolgirl, and the raw power of a war machine, living with Ryuunosuke and 'Papa-san' as Ryuunosuke's sister and the family's protector.
The original six OAV series is nicely animated, delightful action-comedy. The TV series that followed kept most of the same characters but changed the situations heavily, and is reported to have suffered from a Monster-of-the-Week plot. The later OAV series, Nuku Nuku Dash, not only changed the situations but changed Nuku Nuku's character design and her personality from bubbly and upbeat to teary, and is generally considered disappointing by fans.
[Entry by Antaeus Feldspar]
[The first OAV series is available from ADV Films.   - Rob Kelk]

Angel's Egg

Ethereal film with religious overtones, but neat animation. An American SF film uses a lot of footage from this.

Aozora Shoujotai

see 801 T.T.S. Airbats

Appleseed

A police officer and her cyborg friend confront a conspiracy in paradise. An OAV based on the manga (comic book.) The video has nowhere near the depth of the comic, of course. Available from Manga Entertainment.
[And the comic is available, in four collections and a "Databook", from Dark Horse.   - Rob Kelk]

Arcadia of My Youth

see Captain Harlock

Arion

A gripping tale of Olympian intrigue which sports terrific animation, nice characterization, and a score of mythological figures, though not exactly as the Greeks saw them. Many love it, some find it muddled. Nice score by Jo Hisaishi. Rousing ending with all manner of plot twists.

Armitage III

In the future, mankind has terraformed and settled Mars. We've also developed a line of human-like androids with designations of "first," "second" and "third". Ross Sylabus, a police detective from Earth with an antipathy for androids, has transferred to Mars. What he finds there is a political conspiracy that covers two planets and involves his colleague, the child-like female detective Armitage. Well drawn and animated, with moments of both levity and action. Some violence. Four episodes, or one movie which is the episodes edited together with some omissions. Subbed and dubbed both availble. From Pioneer.
[Entry by Ben Cantrick]

Arslan Senki (a.k.a. The Heroic Legend of Arslan)

5 part OAV running approximately 4 hours total. Slow paced historical fiction. The kingdom of Pars is overrun by a neighboring kingdom, with inside help. The king is imprisoned and it's up to the young prince and his loyal retainers to win the kingdom back. The story is more sword and political intrigue than it is sword and sorcery, not much fighting, no comedy, full of shoujo-esque character designs, and is unfinished, the remainder of the story is available in novel or manga form. Original novels by the same author as Legend of Galactic Heroes. DVD box set includes all OAVs. By U.S. Manga Corps.
[Entry by MimiE]

Aura Battler Dunbine (TV series, OAV series)

Biological mecha (look like bugs) and parallel dimensions reign. Good plot, character development. Good mecha combat, but the designs are "unique", to say the least.

Bakuen Campus Guardress (a.k.a. Combustible Campus Guardress or Campus Guardress)

Girl is sister to boy who is the reincarnation of a man whom the girl's previous incarnation loved. He died last time saving the world for evil monsters from another dimension who are bent on world conquest. And now it's happening all over again. How will the girl ever manage to save her brother and the world at the same time, how will she deal with her incestful feelings for her brother, and how can she deal with her mother making moves on her boy?
This is a bimodal show with characters and input from Hagiwara, the author of Bastard! Destructive God of Darkness. As such, it is a combination of the sublime and the profane in a very cute mix. The attack names are a wonderful throwback to some of the spells in Bastard!, and have such names as "Thousand Slices of Radish Attack" or "Puppy Dog Attack".
If you liked Bastard!, you'll like this one.
[Entry by Anand Chelian]

Baoh

A lab creates super-beings by implanting weird parasitic organisms in their brains. When injured, these "baohs" cause their host bodies to manifest a series of increasingly potent powers. Energetic and bloody. Should appeal to fans of Black Magic M-66 & Hokuto no Ken. Available from AnimEigo.

Bastard!

A Sword and Sorcery action / comedy. The hero's a bastard all right, but he's also a great sorcerer, and has cute women all around him anyway.

Battle Angel (a.k.a. Gunnm)

The Scrapyard is the name given to a large decaying city that exists due to the garbage dumped from the floating city above it, named Zalem. Humans, androids and cyborgs live in this dark and dirty place, all intermingling. Living with each other, trading with each other, sometime mugging each other. Ido, A brilliant cyber-doctor, discovers the wreckage of an extraordinary cyborg in one of the city's junk piles, and restores it to full health with his skills. She has no memory of her past, so he names her Gally and raises her as his own daughter. However, there is more to her than meets the eye ... Good artwork and animation. From the much-acclaimed manga of the same name by Yukito Kishiro. Contains violence, gore, nudity. Dubbed and subbed, subs recommended. From ADV Films.
[Entry by Ben Cantrick]

Battle Athletes Victory

Battle Athletes Victory chronicles the trials of a 15 year old athlete, Akari Kanzaki. Akari's dream is to become the Cosmo Beauty, the title given each year to the greatest athlete in the Solar System. The title is fought for at the University Satellite, a space station that orbits Earth. Akari lives in the shadow of her mother, Tomoe Midoh, who was widely regarded as the greatest Cosmo Beauty ever. Akari's journey begins at a training school in Antarctica, but stretches past the University Satellite ... Available on DVD and VHS from Pioneer.
[Entry by Matt Huber]

Battle Skipper

A new intake and the usual scrap for the best by the school hobby clubs, but three young girls end up taking the fast track into the secret world of one particular club, a cover for some pretty heavyweight mecha in the usual clash of good bot meets bad bot ... apparently the folk who did Plastic Little had much to do with this title. (CPM/USMC)
[Entry by Chika]

BigWars

Man has colonised Mars and an alien race doesn't much care for that. This is a tale of Man's struggle against the odds as the alien, who styles itself as a kind of god, uses awesome weapons to beat back the expansionist humans. It's now down to one last chance ... (CPM/USMC)
[Entry by Chika]

Black Magic M66

A side story to Masamune Shirow's manga Black Magic, this movie tells the story of one of the first combat androids ever built. Unfortunately, the military scientist who designed it used his daughter as the test subject for the android to target. Even more unfortunately, the android has escaped from the aircraft transporting it from the test facility ... If you liked The Terminator, you'll probably like M66. The anime is available from Manga Video, and the collected comic is available from Dark Horse.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]

Blackjack

He's called Blackjack, and he is a practitioner of "underground surgery". A Tezuka chara of old, in this story he is caught up in a mystery concerning the appearance of "Super Humans", and the lethal secret behind it. Blackjack is based around a manga where he is a chara that appears, performs surgery that no legitimate surgeon would consider, charges high fees for it then vanishes. (Manga)
[Entry by Chika]

Blue Sonnet

There have been many stories about making a humanoid "ultimate weapon". This is one of those, in that Sonnet is a cyborg that has awesome psychokinetic powers. However it is known to her creator that somewhere out there is an even greater power lying dormant. In fact the person in question becomes a classmate of Sonnet's. While this girl discovers her hidden power, Sonnet discovers her lost humanity in a background of corporate domination. (USMC)
[Entry by Chika]

Blue Submarine #6

The world is at war with aliens. Most of the world is covered in water. But not everything is as it seems. There is a lot of action in this series and some interesting twists. It's a combination of hand drawn and computer animation which in my opinion worked nicely. The episodes are short and only one episode per DVD. Still cheaper than the old way of buying a dub and a sub version of the VHS, but in today's DVD age it seems a bit expensive. An single disk is also available with the violence edited out. The dub is alright but is better watched in original.
[Entry by Shawn Granger]

Brother, Dear Brother

see Oniisama E

Bubblegum Crisis

A "cyberpunk" style anime that centers around the mercenary (or perhaps vigilante) group, the "Knight Sabers". These four women use powered armor to accomplish their missions. There are eight OVAs in this series, and two major story arcs. The Genom megacorporation acts as the main villain in the series, but there is serious question as to whether Genom is actually evil or not. The humanoid robots, boomers, that Genom produces are used in combat, and occasionally go rogue, but they also save lives and are responsible for rebuilding Tokyo after the second Kanto quake. The plot is interesting and involving, if sometimes hard to follow.
The series owes a lot to the US movie Blade Runner, and includes several references to the movie. For example, one of the Knight Sabers, Priss, is the lead singer in a band called "The Replicants". As in the movie Blade Runner, one of the central issues in the series is the question of what makes us people, and whether the created life forms may be people.
The animation is somewhat dated, as is the music. Still, the hard 80's rock sound is not at all painful to listen to, and the animation holds up well over the years. The characters and mecha were designed by Kenichi Sonoda, of Gunsmith Cats fame, and look good even after all this time. The dub is very bad, especially the remakes of the songs.
Bubblegum Crisis has spawned several spin off series, a sequel, Bubblegum Crash, and the recent remake Bubblegum Crisis 2040.
Bubblegum Crisis is available from AnimEigo on VHS in both subtitled and dubbed format, DVD containing both formats, and LD in subtitled format.
[Entry by Brad Jackson]

Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040

A television show similar to the Bubblegum Crisis OAV series, but (for legal reasons) not connected to it other than sharing character names and slight plot similarities. Made by a different production company than the original Bubblegum Crisis and Crash (Artmic and Youmex produced the original Bubblegum Crisis, Polydor produced Bubblegum Crash, and AIC produced Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040). Available from ADV Films.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]

Burn Up W

Surrounding a group of specially selected (female) police who, when called into action, display special skills (and a lot more in those inevitable skin tight costumes!) This series runs through a number of side plots but is essentially concerned with an underworld plot to control the minds of various powerful folk using an addictive device. (ADV)
[Entry by Chika]

Campus Guardress

see Bakuen Campus Guardress

Captain Harlock

High romance in space as pirate Harlock wages a secret battle to free the earth from alien control. English Vengeance of the Space Pirate is almost My Youth in Arcadia. My Youth in Arcadia is available from AnimEigo in subbed format.

Cardcaptor Sakura (a.k.a. Cardcaptors)

A sweet and charming 'magical girl' show by the popular CLAMP team, built on the framework of a collectable card game. 4th grader Kinomoto Sakura accidentally releases a number of magical cards from an ancient book. With the aid of the cards' guardian, Keroberos, who appears as a winged toy bear, and her adoring girlfriend Tomoyo, Sakura must recapture the cards and return them to their book, using the captured cards' powers to help her. Complications ensue with the appearance of other seekers of the cards. Cardcaptor Sakura is as much about the joys, vicissitudes and perplexities of growing up, of what friendship really means, of how to be brave in the face of danger, as it is about its frame story of the chase after magical cards. As with all CLAMP shows, the character and costume designs are utterly charming, and as with all CLAMP shows, there are hints of homoeroticism.
This show is commercially available in the US in two formats: Cardcaptor Sakura has Japanese language and English subtitles only, and has not been edited for content; Cardcaptors, with an English dub only, is the version that was shown on American TV, and is heavily edited.
[Entry by Slithy Tove]

Castle in the Sky

see Laputa

Castle of Cagliostro

see the entry for Lupin III

Cat-Girl Nuku-Nuku

see All Purpose Cultural Cat-Girl Nuku-Nuku

Char's Counterattack

See Gundam

A Chinese Ghost Story

A naive tax collector is surprised to find that he was assigned to work in the land of ghosts and spirits. Too late, he already fell in love with a beautiful ghost who wants to harvest his soul for her mistress. He can resist her spell and wins her love, but now the two lovers find themselves in the middle of a battle between the three best ghostbusters of the land. Loosely based on the same Chinese fairy tale as the popular live-action Hong Kong movie of the same name. Beautiful character design and 2D animation, badly mixed with ugly, overdone 3D computer graphics that brings down the overall experience. Yet the great (very Chinese) humour and a cute story save the film.
[Entry by Hanno Mueller]

Chronicles of the Heroic Knight

see Record of Lodoss War

City Hunter

An action-adventure private eye with a powerful lust, and a flock of women to keep him frustrated. A long TV series and a movie (or two). A live action movie starring Jackie Chan was produced in Hong Kong.
[The anime is being translated by ADV Films.   - Rob Kelk]

Combustible Campus Guardress

see Bakuen Campus Guardress

Cowboy Bebop

A jazzy group of bounty hunters meet up and travel the galaxy. Lots of great individual episodes as well as a main storyline running through them all. Sharp animation that shows how well the hand drawn and computer mixed can look. Great music and even the dub is actually pretty good. Instant classic which appeals to a wide audience, Otaku and non-Otaku alike.
[Entry by Shawn Granger]

Crimson Pig

see Porco Rosso

Crusher Joe

Old-style comic-book action from the writers that later went on to create Dirty Pair: Feature movie and two OAV episodes availble, from the TV series about team Crusher and their leader Joe, four mercenaries (and one robot) who'll tackle any job in the galaxy that needs doing, no matter how impossible ... especially if impossible.
[Entry by Derek Janssen]
[Available from AnimEigo.   - Rob Kelk]

Cyber City Oedo 808

In a world dominated by the criminal element, the forces of law and order turn to setting criminals up to work off their penalties by becoming unwilling foot soldiers in the march against crime. Three such criminals are followed in this series, each with a mission to complete within a given period of time, otherwise a device locked on their necks will make sure they do not get another chance. With each successful mission, a portion of their sentences is erased. (Manga)
[Entry by Chika]

Dangiaoh

OAV series by Toshihiro Hirano (Iczer-1). Three cute girls and a guy pilot giant convertible robots to save the world.
[This title is most noteworthy as being one of the first two anime available uncut and subtitled in North America (the other being Gunbuster, which was released simultaneously). It was available subbed from US Renditions when US Renditions was still in business.   - Rob Kelk]

Devil Hunter Yohko (a.k.a. Mamono Hunter Yohko)

Mano Yohko is your average Japanese High-School girl. However, what she doesn't know is that she's 108th in the line of Devil Hunters, women who must battle supernatural demons to keep the world safe. Silly more than scary, and not without the ecchi (sexual) overtones and occasional violence, this is a fun but fluffy series. No grand concepts, just silly, occasionally dramatic fun. However, the sex and violence prevent it from being ideal for the kiddies. 5 episodes plus one tape of music videos. Subbed. From ADV Films.
[Entry by Ben Cantrick]

Digimon

Seven children are suddenly ripped from summer camp to a strange land which is in danger from the domination of an evil creature. Coming to their aid are seven creatures that, upon suitable stimulous, grow and change and gain all sorts of powers. These are the Digimon (or Digital Monsters). The series is a little drawn as each enemy defeated reveals another and, in the course of fighting one particular enemy, an eighth member is added to the group. This series was dubbed in a number of languages and is shown on TV in the US, UK and mainland Europe.
[Entry by Chika]

Dirty Pair

A book trilogy, a TV series, an OAV series, and a movie revolve around this SF comedy of two cute female agents of the far-flung future. Code-named "Lovely Angels," the duo are better known as the "Dirty Pair" because whatever the problem, their cure is sure to be worse. Best bet would be the movie, a.k.a. Project E.D.E.N. Recent revival Flash series (available from ADV Films) didn't go over well with US fans, who objected to new, unfamiliar character designs.
[Parts are available from ADV Films, and others were available from Streamline Pictures when Streamline was in still business. - Rob Kelk]

DNA²

She's a cute time agent from the future sent to stop a future catastrophe. He's a loser. Naturally, it's going to be love. From the producers of Video Girl Ai.

Dominion

Action-comedy SF OAV, rather silly at times, about the Tank Police in a very punk future. Based upon characters and situations created by Masamune Shirow. Available from US Manga Corps & Manga Entertainment.

Dragon Ball

The first series concerning the adventures of Son Goku, a strange child who, in his earliest days, possesses a tail. When he runs into Bulma (or "Bloomers"), he gets involved in the search for Dragon Balls, mystical stones that, when collected together, can be used to call forth a magical dragon who can then grant your hearts' desire. Heavily involved in martial arts, Goku's main part in all this is to fight off a variety of monsters and other opponents to gain these balls while learning his fighting skills. This series was dubbed into a number of languages and has been shown on TV in mainland Europe and the US.
[Entry by Chika]

Dragon Ball Z

Moving on from the original Dragon Ball series, this series opens when Goku's long lost brother, Raditz, shows up on Earth during a reunion party and declares that he intends to destroy the planet. The ensuing battle is the first of many that Goku and his son Gohan have to deal with, including the discovery of Piccolo's home planet and the destructive battles with Freeza there as well as the intevention on Earth by future son Trunks, the android wars and so forth. Far more violent than the original series, and the Freeza war in particular is panned by some for being too long. Again, dubbed for TV in Europe and the US as well as UK, where it started Toonami on Cartoon Network there.
[Entry by Chika]

Dragon Half

Absolutely whacked comedy playing off everything from fairy tale world to "idol singers". Lots of visual gags, lots of nuttiness, lots of fun. Note: this is a very disorienting title to many viewers because the style of animation frequently shifts to punctuate the gags; some people even find it difficult to connect the character in one frame drawn in 'realistic' style to the same character in the next frame, drawn in a deliberately crude, cartoony style. If you want a hilarious hour of goofy humor, however, you really should check this out. Note: Only two OAVs were ever produced in Japan, and they are released domestically on a single tape.
[Entry by Antaeus Feldspar]
[Available from ADV Films.   - Rob Kelk]

Dunbine

see Aura Battler Dunbine

El Hazard

Makoto is your average high-school kid. A bit of a nebbish, he likes Nanami and is constanly hounded by her big brother Jinnai, though not about Nanami per se. Makoto and several of his classmates get sucked through a portal to another world where he and his friends each seem to manifest a superpower. There is a war going on between the human people of the world and the insect-like Bugrom. Makoto and his friends try to help the humans, aided by the three priestesses of Muldoon, while Jinnai ends up on the wrong side, helping the Bugrom. Hilarity, action and adventure ensue, including the discovery of an ancient evil power, a woman named Ifurita who only Makoto can defeat. Good art and animation. Silly and fun. This summary applies only to the OVA version; there is also a TV series with the same characters. Comedic violence only. Seven OVAs. From Pioneer.
[Entry by Ben Cantrick]

Endless Waltz

See Gundam

Fire Tripper

One of the more serious of the Rumik World stories by Rumiko Takahashi. A young woman gets sent back in time to feudal Japan, but how? And what happened to the young boy that was with her? Was available from USMC.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]

Fist of the North Star (a.k.a. Hokuto no Ken) (TV series and movie)

Very bloody post-apocalyptic martial arts sword & sorcery fantasy. Conan meets The Road Warrior starring Sylvester Stallone possessed by the spirit of Bruce Lee. ;) A heavy metal or professional wrestling fan's dream-come-true. The TV series is addictive. The movie has to be seen to be (dis-)believed.
[Was available dubbed from Streamline Pictures when Streamline was still in business.   - Rob Kelk]

Five Star Stories (OAV based on first book of the manga by the same name)

Although not authorized by Nagano, this video is animated beautifully, and features all the nifty characters, plot, and mecha from the manga. In a distant galaxy, some folks are bred & raised to run robots for the Empire.

Fushigi Yuugi (a.k.a. Mysterious Play)

One of the most emotional anime of all time, truly heartwrenching, though it does delve into sap a little by the end. The anime focuses on a young girl, Miaka, who gets pulled into an ancient Chinese text and becomes a part of the story - a priestess, in fact, of one of the book world's four gods, Suzaku. When she tries to get out, her best friend Yui is taken in her place! Miaka goes back in after her, but things have happened since Miaka returned to the real world ... With her guardians, the Suzaku Shichiseishi, and her love Tamahome, Miaka must go through many trials in order to regain both peace for her warring kingdom, and her best friend as well. (Pioneer)
[Entry by KireiSarah]

Gall Force

a series of (7?) SF OAVs about cute girls with guns and space ships. All the men of the race died in the everlasting war with the Evil Paranoids, and there's nothing left but sexy young women who reproduce by cloning. But, they have a plan ... Available subbed from USMC. A parody of the series called Ten Little Gall Force was available from AnimEigo.

Genesis Surviver Gaiarth

A post-apolcalyptic world sees a young boy with no parents brought up by a stranded war robot (warroid) as a soldier but when a mysterious enemy slaughters the only parent he had ever had, he goes to war only to find that the war had ended many years before. He meets up with a battered warroid who has no memory of his past but seems to be full of surprises and a girl who gets the hots for him, when she isn't thinking of money, and the group go off treasure hunting, only to find that their hunt will eventually turn into a fight to save the planet and end the long dormant war ...
[Entry by Chika]
[Available from AnimEigo.   - Rob Kelk]

Geo-Armor

see Kishin Heidan

Ghost in the Shell

Hong Kong, years from now, and a collaboration work between Masamune Shirow and western influences to produce a special police force on the hunt for a mysterious creature that steals peoples' "ghosts" and reprograms them for its own purposes. However, it seems to be so elusive that it is questionable if it is actually one person, or even human. The common factor with the force is their cybernetic upgrades. Based on the successful manga series, though the manga is nowhere as dark as the film. Some folk refer to this film as "Frain's Folly" as it saw the end of Andy Frain at Manga Video after poor sales in the UK.
[Entry by Chika]

Ghost Sweeper Mikami

She's a spiritualist who'll put restless ghosts to rest ... for the right price. Her lecherous assistant works for peanuts, and her ghostly partner gets nothing at all. Comedy TV series.

Giant Robo

A series of OVAs that embrace all the cliches of the giant robot genre, and wallows joyously in them. A fast-paced action romp with spiffy animation, sort of the Indiana Jones of giant robot shows. English release by Manga Entertainment with Pioneer releasing the LDs.

Grave of the Fireflies

A powerful and moving story about two children orphaned when their village is fire-bombed in WWII. This is an excellent work by Studio Ghibli that should include the warning "May cause severe sadness." The art is fabulous and the story has a strong emotional impact.
[Entry by Robin Casady]

Gunbuster

Takaya Noriko is a teenage girl enrolled in a school for giant robot pilots in the near future. After her father dies in a battle with aliens, Noriko vows to go into space like him, and fight to save the human race. Gunbuster is the story of her struggle to develop the skills that will allow her to pilot the mighty robot Gunbuster, humankind's ultimate weapon against an encroaching alien menace. She is joined in her quest by her 'big sister' Kasumi whom she idolizes, their stern teacher Coach Ota, and her sometime-rival, the brilliant and beautiful Jung-Freud. Their story, deftly directed by Hideaki Anno and produced by the famous GAINAX team, is sometimes comic, sometimes tragic, always moving and entertaining.
Gunbuster is both a gentle satire of older giant robot shows, and a homage to them. Its major theme is that staple of fiction, the education of the hero and the development of heroic character, as we watch Noriko's often agonized struggle to grow from weakness to strength, from incompetence to mastery, from inconsequentiality to heroism. A secondary theme is the damaging effects of near-lightspeed travel on human relationships.
The show's tone changes radically as it progresses, being lighthearted and comic at the outset, but darker and more serious in the later episodes. You'll be laughing during the first episode, on your feet cheering at the end of fourth, and the bittersweet end of the final episode will probably leave you in tears. But they're good tears. Fans usually rate Gunbuster's ending as one of the best in anime, and the show has been a fan favorite since it was released. This should be on your short list of anime to watch, even if you don't think you like giant robot shows.
Content advisory: Some bouncing breasts and female nudity, no sexual activity or innuendo. Lots of violence against alien lifeforms that resemble titanic space-going cauliflowers. Six OAV episodes, total running time about 3 hours.
As of May 2001, the six Gunbuster episodes are available in the US from Manga Video, subtitled on 3 VHS tapes. No dub is available. No date for a DVD release is known.
[Entry by Slithy Tove]

Gundam (Mobile Suit Gundam, Stardust Memories, War in the Pocket, MS Team 08, Zeta Gundam, ZZ Gundam, Char's Counterattack, Gundam Wing, etc.)

One thing to keep in mind with GUNDAM is that there are two main continuities. One is known by the Universal Calendar and the other is the After Colony calender. The UC timeline is the original, while the newer Gundam Wing universe uses the AC timeline. Other than that they have giant robots and semi-realistic near-future Earth space civilizations at war, they don't interelate much.
Mobile Suit Gundam was the first 'gritty' and 'realistic' giant robot stories, paving the way for other series. Before MS Gundam, most giant robot stories were vehicles for selling toys in Japan. Gundam revolutionized the genre by putting a background and a more realistic use of giant robots. Gundam is war story, with extras.
Adding in ambiguous allies and enemies and an unusual manifest destiny, it managed to tell a compelling story of a young man thrust into the middle of an unwanted war. He and the ship he ends up on become the pivot on which their history is decided. The UC timeline has the colonies rebelling against a static Earth Federation. One of the more interesting points is that no one is really good or evil, per se. Both have faults and heroes, both have their villans. The Gundam units are on Earth's side for the most part.
MS Gundam,, Stardust Memories, War in the Pocket and MS Team 08 all are based (loosely) in the UC timeline. They all use or make mention of the One Year War.
Gundam Wing (and the finale, Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz) are based in the newer AC (After Colony) timeline. A repressive Earth government is tyranizing everyone, holding an iron grip over their colonies. The colonies finally rebel, using five Gundam mobile suits. Piloted by young freedom fighters, they are the colonies best hope to break the iron grip of Earth. Part soldiers and part terrorists, the young pilots fight and interact with foes. Still a war drama, Gundam Wing puts an effort into some social commentary on war and death.
[Entry by Arthur Hansen]
[Many Gundam shows are available from Bandai / Anime Village, and Gundam Wing has been televised in the U.S.   - Rob Kelk]

Gundam Wing

See Gundam

Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz

See Gundam

Gunnm

see Battle Angel

Gunsmith Cats

Rally Vincent and May Hopkins are bounty-hunters in Chicago. Rally is a sharp-shooter with a passion for fast 70's sports cars, and May likes explosives - lots of explosives. A BATF agent named Bill Collins "hires" Rally to help him break up a gun-smuggling ring, and big trouble ensues, leading eventually to the Mayor's office. Based loosely on the manga by Kenichi Sonoda. Good art and animation. Some violence and lots of shooting. Three episodes. Subbed and dubbed. From ADV Films.
[Entry by Ben Cantrick]

Here Is Greenwood

Hasakawa has the worst luck: He's late for his high school entry exams, then he's late for high school, and his older brother has married the woman of his dreams. As he heads to school, he figures things are looking up, until he finds out he's been put in "GreenWood", the dorm notorious for its weird residents. Having a roommate who looks like a girl is the least of his problems ...
[Entry by Catherine Johnson]

Heroic Legend of Arislan

see Arslan

Hokuto no Ken

see Fist of the North Star

Humanoid

Fairly retro feel here in a story about the creation of a scientific genius, referred to as a "humanoid". The planet on which this happens is also the resting place of other and greater technology, power which the planetary governor wouldn't mind getting his hands on. The story seems to revolve around the development of the humanoid, some of which is voluntary, indeed resonant of Key the Metal Idol, and around the deeds of the governor as he realises his folly ...
[Entry by Chika]

I Can Hear the Sea

A snotty Tokyo girl moves to a provincial sea town, there she clashes with her new classmates in high school. Told from the perspective of one of the local boys who is first appalled by her, but later befriends her when he finds out about the divorce of her parents and helps her cope with her family problems. A sweet, subdued story about growing up to be an adult and about first love with some interesting insights into everyday life of Japanese school and college students.
[Entry by Hanno Mueller]

Iczer-1

A three-part SF OAV involving hideous monsters from space, cute but lethal girls, and two giant robots. Meant to be taken only semi-seriously, but has some great slime-monsters that'll make your skin crawl.
[Was available from US Renditions when US Renditions was still in operation.   - Rob Kelk]

Iczer-3

Earth has been taken over by Big Gold's daughter (see Iczer-1) and Iczer 1 is in no fit state to do anything about it. All there is left is Iczer 1's little sister, Iczer 3, but she is very much a rookie. Just as well that Nagisa is waiting aboard the only remaining Earth ship, sitting waiting on the moon along with its crew. The story is very similar to Iczer 1 except that there isn't quite so much body-snatching; each episode seeing the crew and Iczer 3 battle each of the baddies (mostly rejects from the Negaverse!!!). Iczer 1 and Iczer 2 both emerge at the end, by the way.
[Entry by Chika]
Iczer-3 is available subbed from USMC.

Inu-Yasha

Hundreds of years ago in Feudal Japan, during the Sengoku Jidai (or Warring States Era), there was a half-demon, half-human hybrid named Inu-Yasha. He sought to capture the Shikon no Tama (or Jewel of Four Souls) for himself, but Kikyo, the priestess who had guarded the jewel, sealed him away with a sacred arrow. On her deathbed, she was cremated along with the Jewel ... but the story does not end there. In the modern age of the present day, Kagome Higurashi, a seemingly ordinary girl, is thrust back into the Sengoku Jidai by a magical well, and must now protect the mysteriously reappeared Shikon no Tama from the fearsome demons and ogres that wander across the land. But can she rely on Inu-Yasha, the resurrected half-demon, to help her defend this enigmatic jewel? A gothic horror/adventure series, with romantic comedy elements, from Rumiko Takahashi (creator of Ranma ½ and Maison Ikkoku)
[Entry by Nicholas A. Jalowick]

Iria (a.k.a. Zeiram, the Animation)

Set in a future time Iria is a bounty hunter in training. She, her brother Gren and their boss Bob are hired to for a rescue mission when the most dangerous lifeform in the galaxy Zeiram shows up as part of the cargo. Escaping to the planet Taowajan with no idea on the fate of Gren or Bob, Iria must deal with the authorities idea of urban renewal which is to allow Zeiram to run loose in a city slum. Later on all records of the rescue mission have vanished and Iria must contend with a conspiracy that wants to silence her before she can find out what their plans for Zeiram are. (6 episode series on VHS and DVD by US Manga)
[Entry by Bruce Grubb]

Irresponsible Captain Tylor

Through a series of coincidences (or are they?), Justy Tylor (aged 20) becomes captain of the Battle Cruiser Soyokaze, which is full of misfits and rejects. His easy-going, do-your-own-thing manner annoys and confuses friend and foe alike, and his amazing successes keep people wondering: Is he incredibly lucky or incredibly clever?
[Entry by Catherine Johnson]

Jungle Taitei

see Kimba the White Lion

Key the Metal Idol

Tokiko "Key" Mima is a strange, pale, waifish little girl who claims to be an android. Raised by a scientist in a small town, she is forced to strike out on her own when he dies. His dying words to her are a puzzling "In order to make yourself a real girl, you must make 30,000 friends." But things only get stranger from there. Who is the evil Ajo and his henchman "D"? Why are they interested in Key? Is Key really an android? Decent art and animation. Subbed and dubbed. 13 episodes. From Viz.
[Entry by Ben Cantrick]

Kiki's Delivery Service

Kiki, a 13-year-old witch, leaves her home and family as a rite of passage, and finds a new city in which to live and practice her craft. She is given a place to live by a friendly woman baker, and finding she has no special skills with which to support herself, decides to use her ability to fly on her broom to run a parcel delivery service. Kiki and her black cat, Jiji, have many adventures and a few disasters as they explore their new city, grow up, and find their place in the world. A boy her own age named Tombo offers his friendship, and an older girl artist named Ursula becomes a mentor and confidant. As the story progresses, Kiki matures from a sometimes callow and uncertain girl into a resilient and capable young woman. A crisis of confidence in her witchy powers leads to the film's intense and satisfying conclusion.
Kiki is a gentle work, devoid of the battles and violence that mark many of Miyazaki's other films. Like much other anime, it's a story of growing up, of a teenager learning how deal with life's challenges and setbacks, and becoming an adult in the process. For a non-action film, there's a fair amount of action, often involving Kiki's antics and accidents while flying on her broom, and director Hayao Miyazaki, who loves airships of all kinds, even manages to drag in a dirigible near the end. The works of Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli are generally considered to be among the finest anime, and Kiki is no exception. This a famous and much-loved film, and you should make a point to seek it out.
Content advisory: nothing offensive. Running time: 102 minutes.
As of May 2001, Kiki is available in the US from Disney/Buena Vista as a dubbed, pan&scan VHS. It was also released as a bilingual laserdisk and letterboxed subtitled VHS, however these are out of print. Disney's plans regarding a DVD release are uncertain.
[Entry by Slithy Tove]

Kimagure Orange Road

A TV series, many OAVs, and a movie. Contemporary high school students work out their love triangles and try to grow up, even though one has ESP "powers". A kindly, comic look at the youth experience, relatively easy to understand. Recommended.
[Available from AnimEigo.   - Rob Kelk]

Kimba the White Lion

Another old US import from the pen of Osamu Tezuka originally titled Jungle Taitei (Emperor). Note any similarity to Disney's Lion King?

Kishin Heidan (a.k.a. Kishin Corps or Geo-Armor)

An interesting admixture of World War II, an Alien invasion, and the giant robots captured alien technology makes possible. Fast-paced adventure, available from Pioneer dubbed or subtitled.

Lain

see Serial Experiments Lain

Landlock

Firstly, this is not a Shirow story. It merely uses some character designs. A typical brother and sister eventually find that they have more to them than meets the eye. Or two eyes; each one a different colour! This story is a typical quest to save the world against insurmountable odds and evil mentors.
[Entry by Chika]
[Available from Manga Video.   - Rob Kelk]

Laputa, Castle in the Sky

A great fast-moving action adventure by children's film-maker Miyazaki, and features designs Jules Verne would approve (not to mention Swift.) Two kids flee pirates, the army, and other parties in a race to find the legendary Laputa. Great soundtrack, too. A Must See.
[Dubbed to English by Streamline, and again by Disney, but not currently available.   - Rob Kelk]

Laughing Target

Another serious story from Rumiko Takahashi (in her Rumik World series), this takes many of Takahashi's favourite cliches (unwanted engagements, a love triangle, teenaged protagonists, etc.) and puts them into a supernatural-horror story. Was available from USMC.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]

Legend of Galactic Heroes

A far-future SF epic in which two vast space-faring governments, the Empire and the Federation, vie for supremacy amid the sea of stars. Against this backdrop two young heroes on the opposing sides wage war with each other and politics with their peers.

Lensman

Loosely based around the E.E. "Doc" Smith stories, an ex-patrolman suddenly finds his planet being ripped apart, but all is not lost! His son inherits a "lens", which because of the nature of the info on it, the enemy would really like it back, hence its destruction of the planet and relentless pursuit of the boy from that point onwards through all sorts of weird scenarios. However he gathers allies on the way, so the enemy doesn't get it all its own way ...
[Entry by Chika]
[Chika is understating matters - this anime uses little more than some of the names from the original series of novels. It isn't a bad story, but don't expect it to be anything like "Doc" Smith's masterpiece. Lensman was available dubbed from Streamline when Streamline was still in business.   - Rob Kelk]

Locke the Superman

An intergalactically famous superbeing lured out of voluntary seclusion helps save Earth from a group of elite ESPers bent on galactic conquest. The design sense is rather primitive but the story line is lean, exciting and propulsive, revolving around the title character, a powerful female ESPer, and an evil conclave. Admittedly, these are simple premises, but the action & storytelling are first-rate.

Lodoss War

see Record of Lodoss War

Lost Universe

Lost Universe is done by all the same people who did Slayers, and it's pretty much Slayers in outer space. It's a Sci-Fi comedy which follows the adventures of Kain Blueriver, a psychic troubleshooter that hires himself out to solve problems and looks like he could be the child of Lina and Gourry, and his ship the Swordbreaker, which is one of the lost ships belonging to a highly advanced lost civilization. Joining him is Canal, the holographic image which the ship projects to communicate, and Millie, a dead shot who blows up kitchens cooking and wants to become the best something or other in the Universe (exactly what changes with every episode). Despite some not so great animation, those fuzzy dots that move around are not because of a bad TV, the series is an enjoyable comedy done in Slayers fashion, and although it doesn't quite live up to its parent anime it's the closest thing out there to a fourth season of Slayers right now.
[Entry by "Sultan Of Swing"]
[Available from ADV Films.   - Rob Kelk]

Lupin III

A semi-modern series of (TV & OAV) stories about a stylish thief with a heart of gold and his gang. My personal favorite installment is Castle of Cagliostro (directed by Miyazaki), although The Fuma Conspiracy is one of the most action-packed and entertaining anime around. Most Lupin III is not by Miyazaki, but by a fellow who calls himself "Monkey Punch" (I'm not making this up, you know).
[The Fuma Conspiracy is available from AnimEigo, under the name Rupan III. Castle of Cagliostro is available from Manga Video. Other Lupin III shows exist, but many, including one also available from AnimEigo, are not recommended by the fans.   - Rob Kelk]

M66

see Black Magic M66

Mach Go Go Go

see Speed Racer

MADOX-01

A parody of mecha films in which a young lad gets trapped inside a metal combat suit. The army wants the suit back, and the hero just wants to keep his date. Available from AnimEigo.

Magical Girl Pretty Sammy

Sasami Kawai is chosen by Tsunami, Queen of Juraihelm, to become the title character. With the aid of a magic wand and her cute animal sidekick Ryo-chan, Sammy rights wrongs and triumphs over evil, while desperately hoping no one she knows spots her in her ridiculous costume! Three-part OAV series featuring the magical-girl spoof character introduced in the Tenchi Muyo TV series. Entertaining silliness that can be appreciated by fans of Tenchi as well as an affectionate send-up of the Magical Girl genre. Watch for the Evil Bill Gates clone in episode two!
[Entry by Dave Menard]
[Available from Pioneer.   - Rob Kelk]

Magical Project S

TV series version of Magical Girl Pretty Sammy and spoof of magical girl shows in general. Aimed more at children than the OAV series was. Catchier theme song, too. Suitable for all ages.
[Entry by Dave Menard]
[Available from Pioneer.   - Rob Kelk]

Maison Ikkoku

A delightful contemporary romantic comedy about odd assortment of people sharing an apartment complex. From Rumiko Takahashi.
[Both the anime and manga are available from VIZ.   - Rob Kelk]

Mamono Hunter Yohko

see Devil Hunter Yohko

Maris the Chojo (a.k.a. Supergirl Maris)

Unlike the other Rumik World stories by Rumiko Takahashi that have been turned into anime, this OAV is not at all serious. Maris is a super-strong troubleshooter who just can't stay out of debt. (She dreams of getting rich, or at least breaking even, but fate conspires against her.) One day, she's assigned to track down the kidnappers of one of the richest eligible bachelors in the galaxy ... This OAV is one of the few anime to have a Jackie-Chan-style "blooper reel" under the ending credits. Was available from USMC.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]

Marmalade Boy

Miki is your typical teenage anime girl, popular in school, star of the girls' tennis team, happy with her life. Until the day she came home from school and her parents told her they are divorcing. Not just divorcing, but also swapping partners with another couple they met on their recent vacation. And this is just the first 5 minutes of episode 1! Based on the manga by Yoshizumi Wataru, Marmalade Boy follows Miki, Yu, the teenage son of the other couple in the partner-swap, Meiko, Miki's best friend, Ginta, Miki's tennis teammate, Arimi, with her ever-present group of male followers, Suzu, famous teen model, and others through 76 episodes of high school romantic comedy/drama that often has viewers semi-suicidal with its unexpected plot twists and turns.
[Entry by Jeanne Hedge]

Martian Successor Nadesico (a.k.a. Mobile Battleship Nadesico)

Aliens attacking Martian colonies. Dead parents leaving orphaned children to defend themselves. Doesn‰t sound funny does it? How about a mech pilot who keeps hiding from the fights so he can cook? A Cyber girl with a deep depression? An anime fanatic who screams battle cries from his favorite animes? It all makes Nadesico is one of the funniest anime around. There is even some good spoofs on just about every type of fan. Anime, Manga, or even action figure collectors are not spared. Stereotypes are used to enhance the humor and not because the writer was lazy. The dub is not that great as usual but it isn‰t horrible. A space comedy of the best kind.
[Entry by Shawn Granger]

Megazone 23

Megazone Two Three is a three part mecha anime OAV series (with some cyberpunk overtones). Part One was one of the first anime OAVs ever, and helped spark the OAV trend (in which movies were made directly for video release, instead of first hitting TV or cinema). Although the Megazone OAVs are numbered Parts One, Two, and Three, they were actually entirely separate productions, related but released several years apart (like the first Star Wars trilogy).
In Part One (aka just plain Megazone 23), a Tokyo teen named Yahagi Shogo (inexplicably changed to "Johnny Winter" in the Carl Macek dub) comes into posession of a huge red motorcycle called variously the Garland, Garand, or Bahamode depending on what source you listen to, and is chased all over town by the military and government agents who want to get it back for their own nefarious purposes. In the meantime, there is a war going on with a hostile alien force, and the city of Tokyo is not all that it appears to be...
This OAV was redubbed and edited into part of the spectacularly unsuccessful Robotech cinematic movie, and has more recently been released to bilingual DVD by Streamline Video.
Part Two picks up where the first part left off, but with character designs and animation style so dramatically altered that it is difficult to believe they are the same characters. This OAV follows the decline and final fall of the Tokyo Megazone as an ancient weapon of last resort comes into play. Bootlegs of a Macek English dub with Japanese subtitles can occasionally be found.
Part Three, the most cyberpunk-influenced, picks up decades or centuries later, with a new generation of rebellious teenagers and new Garland battle bikes piloted by virtual reality. It is somewhat difficult to understand the storyline of this part, as no official English version was ever made (and even fansubs are nearly impossible to find), but it seems that mankind did not learn its lesson from the Megazones' past.
The third Megazone 23 was not very successful, and no further episodes have been made to date.
[Entry by Chris Meadows]

Mellowlink

See the entry for Votoms.

Mermaid Forest and Mermaid Scar

Horror stories released in Japan as part of the Rumik World series by Rumiko Takahashi. Most people who eat the flesh of a mermaid die. The unlucky ones live forever, most becoming horrendously malformed in the process of gaining immortality. Two people were lucky enough to gain immortality without being changed. Now they wander through Japan, searching for others who might eat the flesh of a mermaid ...
USMC and Viz have released the OAVs, and Viz has collected the translated manga into three volumes.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]

Metal Angel Marie

see My Dear Marie

Mobile Battleship Nadesico

see Martian Successor Nadesico

Mobile Suit Gundam

See Gundam

Moldiver

He has an overdeveloped Sense Of Right And Wrong, an incredible brain, and not much else to recommend him. So he invents a superhero suit! Too bad his sister found out and accidentally changed the design ... Now they share the identity of "Moldiver" (although she gets to use it more often than he does) in battle against their arch-enemy - but is the arch-enemy evil, or just misunderstood? Starts as a comedy, but becomes more serious near the end. A six-OAV series available from Pioneer.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]

Monster Rancher

Another Pokemon-motivated "monster" kids show. Energetic young kid Genki is transported to a world populated by humans and intelligent monsters, where he joins Holly, a young girl with a mysterious pendant, and a small band of monsters on their quest to stop Mu by finding the Phoenix, the only monster capable of fighting him.
English dubbed episodes televised, and available on video from ADV.
[Entry by "Royal Orange"]

MS Team 08

See Gundam

My Dear Marie (a.k.a. Metal Angel Marie)

Brilliant, nerdy Hiroshi creates an android replica of his dream girl, but finds things a little trickier than he'd planned when she turns out to have self-determination. Some may be turned off by the iffy nature of the sexual subtext (Android Marie has a definite 'thing' for her creator, despite him insisting on being her 'brother') but others may be intrigued by Marie's attempts to deal with her origins and her feelings. Three OAVs, released on a single tape. The third OAV is especially hilarious for all the references the sharp-eyed can spot to other famous anime.
[Entry by Antaeus Feldspar]
[Available from ADV Films.   - Rob Kelk]

My Neighbor Totoro (a.k.a. Tonari no Totoro)

Two girls move out to the country with their father (their mother is in the hospital). They discover the joys of nature and the power of family thanks to some unusual new woodland friends. Available from FOX Video
[Entry by Catherine Johnson]

My Youth in Arcadia

see Captain Harlock

Mysterious Play

see Fushigi Yuugi

Nadesico

see Martian Successor Nadesico

Nadia (Secret of Blue Water)

Recent TV series in 39 parts. Starts as a Miyazaki-clone light action-adventure about a girl with a mysterious past and a fantastic amulet, "Blue Water", and the young boy who takes off with her. Gets silly for long stretches, ends with a bang. A 6-hour compilation of the TV series is titled Nadia: The Nautilus Adventure. A new Nadia Movie is also out & not well reviewed.
[The first eight episodes were dubbed by Streamline and made available on two tapes as The Secret of Blue Water before Streamline ceased operations. The entire series is currently being subtitled by ADV Films.   - Rob Kelk]

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Probably Miyazaki's most popular film - a sort of post-apocalypse mystic eco-fantasy, more notable for plot, character, music and designs than the smoothness of animation. Excellent Jo Hisaishi soundtrack, too. Based on the comic (manga) of the same title. A classic.
[A poorly-received translation, Warriors of the Wind, was released some years ago but is no longer available. Currently, Disney has the rights to Nausicaa.   - Rob Kelk]

No Need for Tenchi

see Tenchi Muyo

Nuku-Nuku

see All Purpose Cultural Cat-Girl Nuku-Nuku

Oh My Goddess! (a.k.a. Ah! Megami-sama or Ah! My Goddess)

Keiichi is visited by the lovely goddess Belldandy, who grants him a wish. He wishes that she become his girlfriend. Her older sister wants their relationship to progress faster, while her younger sister is dead-set against it. But why does Belldandy resist them both, insisting that promises must be kept? Based loosely on the manga by Fujishima Kosuke.
The original five-episode OAV series is available from AnimEigo. The manga is available from Dark Horse. A theatrical movie has also been made, as has a comedy TV series based on the related Adventures of the Mini-Goddess comic strip. (The comedy TV series has been fansubbed.)
[Entry by Rob Kelk]

Omoide Poroporo (English title Only Yesterday)

Contemporary sentimental drama about a yuppie Japanese woman looking back at her youth and life-choices, brilliantly animated by Miyazaki pro Isao Takahata. Talky, actionless, and stunningly beautiful.

Oniisama E (a.k.a. Brother, Dear Brother)

Teenage Misonoo Nanako enters an exclusive private high school, makes new friends, and is quickly picked to join a snooty sorority. She is quickly caught up in the emotional whirlwind of the passionate and unstable personalities of her female classmates: Miya-sama, the wealthy, beautiful, and ruthless sorority president; Saint-Juste, a brilliant pianist, but prone to depression and fits of self-destructive violence; the boyish basketball player Kaoru no Kimi, smart and ethically clear-sighted, but subject to a mysterious illness, and troubled by an undisclosed romantic sorrow; and the beautiful, fiercely loyal, but unstable and obsessed Mariko, the despised daughter of a wealthy writer of pornography. With innocent Nanako in the middle, the fragile truce between the other girls begins to break down, and Nanako is carried with them into a destructive maelstrom of passion, madness, and unrequited love.
This is the dark side of shoujo, much darker than author Ikeda Riyoko's best known work, Rose of Versailles. It is gothic and atmospheric, dramatic bordering on melodramatic, and includes sexual stalking, graphic physical violence, multiple suicide attempts, drug abuse, and lesbian homoeroticism. It is deadly serious, with scarcely a trace of humor, and as the story passes the midpoint of its 40 TV episodes, it becomes unbearably intense. It is not for everyone, and may appeal to women more than men. Like it or hate it, you will never forget it. It has an outstanding score, which reinforces the show's emotional tone. Available only as fansubs of the first 28 episodes; even the original Japanese edition is no longer in print.
[Entry by Slithy Tove]

Orange Road

see Kimagure Orange Road

Outlaw Star

The animation is decent. Sometimes great and sometimes mediocre. The show can go from amazingly cheezy to serious. But it's a pretty good space anime about two bounty hunters who get sucked off the lonely planet they live on and into a much bigger problem. The dub is not very good.
[Entry by Shawn Granger]
[I like the dub  ...   - Rob Kelk]

Panda Kopanda (a.k.a. Panda! Go Panda!)

Hayao Miyazaki's first produced work. It is two half-hour short pieces. The first piece was made in 1972, the second a year later. The main characters are a little girl named Mimiko, a large panda (Pa Panda), and his panda son (Panny). Mimiko (about 5 years old) lives with her grandmother. One day, her grandmother has to travel out of town for an extended period, leaving Mimiko alone to take care of things. By chance, a panda father and his son wander into the town where Mimiko lives, and attracted by the large bamboo garden, come to her house. Mimiko talks with them and decides to create a family of sorts, wherein she is the little panda's mother, and the large panda is her father. This piece is generally seen as a precursor to Tonari no Totoro (My Meighbor Totoro). It is available on DVD and VHS from Pioneer.
[Entry by Matt Huber]

Patlabor

Near-future police use mecha to combat criminals who use "labors" (mecha). Light action/comedy. The movies are more serious, and IMHO the first is a surprisingly neat action mystery if you can understand the dialog to follow the plot twists. Manga Entertainment released the movies both theatrically and on video. The TV series and OAV series are being released by USMC.

Phantom Quest Corporation (a.k.a. Yuugen Kaisha)

Hard-drinking, hard-shopping Ayaka Kisaragi is the head of the "Phantom Quest Corporation", an eclectic team of ghostbusters whose members include Ayaka with her magical sword, a huge Buddhist priest, a flame-summoning schoolgirl, and a brilliant little boy whose financial acumen is all that keeps Ayaka's shopping from ruining the company. The animation is beautiful and fluid, and the soundtrack songs catchy indeed. Four OAVs.
[Entry by Antaeus Feldspar]
[Available from Pioneer on two tapes or one DVD.   - Rob Kelk]

Please Save my Earth

An interesting but mostly quiet story of a group of 7 people who gradually become aware that they are reincarnations of aliens who had been observing the Earth from a base on the moon. Gradually their old relationships impact their current lives.
[Available from Viz.   - Rob Kelk]

Pokemon (a.k.a. Pocket Monsters)

Before you all start gagging, yes this is a full blown, card carrying anime. The story is loosely Earth like in its setting, however the world in this case is inhabited by many different "Pocket Monsters" or "Pokemon", which people trap and train to compete in fighting competitions. Of course there are all sorts of rules attached to this, plus the obligatory baddies, in this case a boy and girl team (Team Rocket) and their pet Pokemon. Dubbed and on show on TV virtually eveywhere, with two films also released to date.
[Entry by Chika]
[Both the anime and manga are available from Viz.   - Rob Kelk]

Porco Rosso (a.k.a. Crimson Pig)

Directed by the master Hayao Miyazaki, is a light-hearted but mature and sentimental film set in the 1920 Italian Adriatic, as a valiant pilot (who happens to be a pig) fights air pirates for his honor and for his lady. Top notch animation.

Project A-Ko (the 1st film)

Spoof of just about every anime series, about three school-girls with super-powers and mecha and bad cooking. Very, very funny, or very very silly, depending on if you get the jokes. Several sequels. All available from USMC.

Rail of the Star

A Japanese family living in Korea experiences the end of WW2, told from the perspective of the young daughter. Supplies and medicine become sparse, simple diseases turn deadly, the occupied Koreans slowly start being rebellious against the Japanese oppressors. When the Russian forces take over North Korea, the Japanese have to flee to the South if they ever want to see Japan again. Despite an interesting historical backdrop, the actual story is slow and boring and is painfully naive in its description of occupied Korea.
[Entry by Hanno Mueller]

Ranma ½

Ranma Saotome is the heir to his family's style of martial arts. Akane Tendo is the heir to her family's martial arts style. Their fathers want to unite the two styles, and what better way (they think) than to have the two heirs marry? But that isn't Ranma's only problem - while he was training in China, he was cursed to become a girl whenever he gets wet. Comedy (often slapstick) from the pen of Rumiko Takahashi. Both the anime and the manga are available from Viz, the anime being their flagship title.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]

Record of Lodoss War

There are now two series called Record of Lodoss War: the original 13 episode OVA and a 27 episode TV series called Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight. The OVA based is on novels which in turn were baced on an D&D game with the standard class and race types as the heroes (Fighter, Cleric, Wizard, Thief, Elf, and Dwarf) and the clasic villians of orcs, wizards, and drow elves. Due to time constraints the animaters shifted things around a bit which creates some problems with the Heroic Knight series which is set after episode 7 of the OVA but follows the novels far more closely.
[Entry by Bruce Grubb]

Revolutionary Girl Utena

see Utena

Riding Bean

Ace driver Bean Bandit will deliver anything to anywhere in Chicago for the right price, no questions asked. But when he tries to deliver an escaped kidnap victim to her father, he gets framed as the kidnapper! An action story written by Kenichi Sonoda. Available from AnimEigo.
(Please note that this OAV almost qualifies for inclusion in the Anime Ecchi/Hentai Primer, because of one scene that is inappropriate for younger viewers.)
[Entry by Rob Kelk]

Robot Carnival

8 separate short pieces by different artists, some serious, some comedy, almost all very well done. All involve a robot somewhere - some more than others. Some comedy, some pathos. Artsy. Streamline dub versions exist (only 2 segments had dialog, anyway.)
[Was available dubbed from Streamline Pictures when Streamline was still in business.   - Rob Kelk]

Rose of Versailles

Historical fantasy set in France in the years before the French Revolution. The central character is Oscar Francois de Jarjeyes, a fictional swordswomen who becomes the head of Marie Antoinette's bodyguards. Many real historical figures and events are included in a story of romance and intrigue. A dramatic series, with beautiful artwork, based on the manga by Riyoko Ikeda. A 40 episode TV series.

Roujin-Z

The very near future. A new fully automated healthcare robot, integrated in a sickbed, starts taking way too much care of its senile patient when it takes on the personality of the patient's deceased wife. A silly cyberpunk parody with lots of punches about the generation gap and the lack of interest in the problems of the elderly. Senior citizens hacking into government computers from their daycare facility! Strange humour that may not appeal to everybody, though.
[Entry by Hanno Mueller]

Royal Space Force (a.k.a. Wings of Honneamise)

SF. Man's first trip into space, from the fictional nation of Honneamise, explores issues of morality, bravery, and dedication to a cause in first-rate animation. Some find it slow, though. Available from Manga Entertainment.

Rumik World

see Fire Tripper, Laughing Target, Maris the Chojo, and Mermaid Forest

Rupan III

see Lupin III

Rurouni Kenshin

The adventures of Himura Kenshin and his friends in 1870's Japan, 10 years after the civil war. A former assassin, Kenshin now uses a sakabattou (reverse-bladed sword) so as to protect those the loves while keeping his promise to never kill again. This long series hits its stride during the season long "Kyoto Arc" (eps 28-62), becoming darker and more serious than the previous season.
The OVA, made after the series but set before it, is much darker and more violent than the series itself.
Commercially available through ADV (movie and OVA, as Samurai X) and Anime Works (series)
[Entry by Catherine Johnson]

Saber Marionette J

The planet of Terra II is populated only by men, all clones of the six survivors of a crashed colony vessel. To compensate for the loss of women in their society, robots in female form, called marionettes, were created. Centuries later, a young man named Otaru comes into the possession of a trio of marionettes (Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry) that exhibit some very un-robotlike behavior: they laugh, cry and argue. Otaru now faces the challenge of teaching the three marionettes what it means to be human, while struggling with his own growing feelings for them. (25 episode TV series, from Bandai, US VHS release by AnimeVillage, 1998, DVD release expected in 2001.)
[Entry by Karl Merris]
[The first of what appears to be three double-DVD sets is now available in North America.   - Rob Kelk]

Saber Marionette J Again

In this sequel to Saber Marionette J, Otaru and the marionettes, Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry, take care of some unfinished business from the first series and unexpectedly acquires some new marionette "students" that wish to fully realize their potential to be human. Dealing with a houseful of lively women, Otaru learns a few new things himself about being human. As catastrophe looms over the planet of Terra II, the marionettes find that a human heart carries a heavy price: it can be broken. (6 episode OAV series, from Bandai, US VHS release by AnimeVillage, 1999, DVD release expected in 2001.)
[Entry by Karl Merris]

Saber Marionette R

This OAV feature was released prior to Saber Marionette J, but is set three centuries after that series. A young boy, Junior, heir apparent to the throne of the city-state of Romana, is hunted by his mad brother and his army of warrior marionettes. The boy's only hope for survival lies with three marionettes, Lime, Cherry and Bloodberry, who are dedicated to Junior's defense. There's plenty of action and surprising revelations as Junior struggles against his brother to determine the fate of Terra II. (3 episode OAV series, from Bandai, US VHS release by AnimeVillage, 1999, DVD release expected in 2001.)
[Entry by Karl Merris]

Sailor Moon

An example of the "Magical Girls" anime genre, with a ditzy young teen granted magical powers to fight nasty demons, if she'll quit crying. Her growing horde of planetary sailor sidekicks provide a large cast of cute young girls in short skirts. TV comedy (mostly) for young girls with an embarrassingly large male following. Dubbed by DIC on American TV with a video release by Buena Vista.
[This show is now seen as the first of a new subgenre: the "magical sentai girl" story, drawing equally on the "magical girl" and "sentai team" (or "fighter team") genres for inspiration. The dubbed television run from DIC lasted for only the first two of the show's five seasons, but a subsequent dub from Optimum has covered the third and fourth seasons. Luckily, Optimum went to Cloverway, the same dubbing studio that DiC used, for their dubs. ADV Films is now releasing the dubs that DIC commissioned from Cloverway. Pioneer is releasing the dubs that Optimum commissioned from Cloverway, as well as dubs and subs of all three Sailor Moon movies and subs of the third and fourth seasons. Fansubs of the fifth season exist, but are becoming very difficult to find.   - Rob Kelk]

Samurai X

see Rurouni Kenshin

Sazan Eyes

see 3×3 Eyes

Secret of Blue Water

see Nadia

Serial Experiments Lain

Lain is a shy junior-high girl living in a seemingly normal, not too very far in the future world. And yet, strange things keep happening. A classmate commits suicide by jumping off a building ... and the next day, several people receive e-mail from her. Lain's parents don't behave as you would expect. Lain starts to become interested in computers and quite naturally and easily demonstrates startling aptitude for them using them and "the wired" - the Internet of her day. But the real truth of who Lain is will be even more startling yet. A trippy, surreal, confusing and in my opinion very interesting series. Decent art and animation. Occasional gore, though very little actual violence. 13 Episodes. Subbed and dubbed, subs recommended. From Pioneer Entertainment.
[Entry by Ben Cantrick]

Shin Tenchi Muyo

see Tenchi in Tokyo

Shinesman: Special Duty Combat Unit

Special hardsuit team Shinesman could be the next Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, except for two things:

1. They spend their day jobs as drudging middle-management salarymen, in between fighting off alien invaders (also disguised as drudging middle-management salarymen), and
2. how impressive a sentai team can you be when your armor colors are sepia, moss green, and salmon pink?

Only two OAV episodes available, but if you have a choice, catch them dubbed: AnimeWorks' redub picks up the mild bits of satire in the original, and rewrites a few wild jabs at anime/sentai fandom with hip deadpan.
[Entry by Derek Janssen]

Shoujo Kakumei Utena

see Utena

Silent Mobius: The Motion Picture and Silent Mobius: The Motion Picture 2

Based on the popular manga series by Kia Asamiya, Silent Mobius is set in the near future, when creatures from the dark universe of Nemesis threaten the Earth. Founded to fight this battle, the Attacked Mystification Police, a special (and all female) police department is always looking for a few good women who meet their unique requirements: each member brings her own special power (physical, cyber, religious, psychic, mystical) to the fight. These movies are really parts 1 and 2 of the same story - how AMP heroine Katsumi Liqueur came to join the force (and she's really not this whiney in the manga or TV series!).
[Entry by Jeanne Hedge]
[Was available dubbed from Streamline Pictures when Streamline was still in business.   - Rob Kelk]

Silent Mobius TV

In the near future, creatures from the dark universe of Nemesis threaten the Earth. The battle has been going on for generations, and now things are coming to a head. Spanning the course of several years, Silent Mobius is a 26-episode TV series that follows the adventures of the Attacked Mystification Police, a special (and all female) police department founded to carry on where their elders left off. Each member of the force brings her own special power (physical, cyber, religious, psychic, mystical) to the fight against darkness - both from without and within. Part action-drama, part comedy, this is not a re-telling of the movies, and it's alternate-universe to both the movies and the manga series by Kia Asamiya that both TV and movies were based on (in overall tone, it's close to the manga than the movies). Available from Bandai/Anime Village.
[Entry by Jeanne Hedge]

Slayers

Slayers

A half-comic half-serious take on the fantasy genre. The series revolves around the underdevoloped, short, small breasted, ever hungry Lina Inverse, a sorceress that kills bandits and steals their loot for a living, and her companions, Gourry Gabriev, the not so bright swordsman possesing the legendary Sword of Light, Amelia Wil Telsa Sailoon, the obnoxious princess and shrine madien who believes in justice and that the power of good will prevail, Zelgadis Greywords, a part human, part golem, and part demon, shy, pessimistic creation that seeks to return to a human state, and Sylphiel, a shrine madien who's the only good one of the bunch. Along the way Lina and company have to face off against the dark lord Shabranigdo, and find out who put a bounty on their head. Some subplots include dressing Gourry up like a girl, fighting a dragon, and pretending to be players in a play. The series remarkably juggles the comedy and drama, often flipping between both in the same episode. On one hand it's a great fantasy anime, and on the other it's funny as hell. The animation starts out not so great, and improves through out the first season, getting pretty good by the end. The voice acting is great, except for the original dub voices of Zelgadis and Amelia which are fortunatly changed after episode thirteen.

Slayers Next

The second, and arguably the best, Slayers season. After Lina, Gourry, Amelia, and Zelgadis are reunited they take off in search of a cure for Zelgadis's condition, a quest that leads them into the middle of a power struggle between two demon lords, Hellmaster Fibrizo and the Demon Dragon King Gaav. Also joining them is the schizophrenic princess Martina who is obsessed with killing Lina, and the mysterious priest Xellos who shadows the group with his own ulterior motives. The second season, at least the second half, is based mostly around the relationship of Lina and Gourry, and the two of them admitting to their feelings for each other. Of course the theme is surronded by comic misadventures and tense battles against powerful opponents. Pretty much the first and third quarters of the season is mostly comical, while the second and fourth quarters are mostly serious. The animation is greatly improved over the first season, but unfortunatly the dialogue seems to be more cut and dry question and answer stuff, unlike the first season where the characters would routinely interupt each other and add in odd and often times ignored comments throughout the episode. Still it manages to be slightly better than season one with most of the best episodes being in the second half.

Slayers Try

The third, and unfortunatly final, season of Slayers. Once again Lina, Gourry, Amelia, and Zelgadis are reuinited, but this time head off into unexplored territory where magic is a lost art. Shortly after their arrival, Lina and company are hired by Philia, a dragon priestess who needs them to fulfill a prophecy, and later are joined by Xellos who once again comes complete with his own ulterior motives. The third season seems to revolve around the theme that there is no real good or evil, just what lies between. The animation and voice acting are great, but the season seems like the worst of the three, especially in the begining. Still it's a great series and the second half of episodes really turn out great.

Available from Software Sculptors.
[Entries by "Sultan Of Swing"]

Slayers OAVs and movies

These describe Lina Inverse's early years, before she met Gourry and the others. Travelling and working with, and sometimes fighting against, the over-endowed and overly-obnoxious Naga the Serpent (who has proclaimed herself "Lina's greatest rival"), Lina explores her little part of the world while turning many sword-and-sorcery cliches on their ear.
The first three OAVs and the first movie are available from ADV Films. The fourth movie has been subtitled by Slow As Hell Anime.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]

Sol Bianca

Sol Bianca centers around the five woman crew of a pirate ship of the same name. There are two OVAs, and there should have been a third. The second OVA sets up the stage for a third quite nicely, but apparently the series didn't have enough popularity to merit the third OVA. Which is a shame, because it is a very nice series. It takes place in the far flung future, where Earth is a legend, and space travel is commonplace.
In the first episode a fairly standard bit of piracy on the part of the crew of the Sol Bianca results in them accidentally capturing a boy who was stowing away on the ship they'd plundered. Events cause them to take on an entire planetary empire, and show that in addition to looking very nice the Sol Bianca has a range of rather astonishing powers (including the mandatory BFG).
The second episode explains more about the ship, and why it has such extraordinary powers. Unfortunately the explanations are mostly in the form of rather obscure hints, and this sets up quite nicely for the third episode, which doesn't exist.
Excellent mecha design, an intriguing cast, and well done animation and pacing.
The first OVA is available from ADV on VHS in both sub and dubbed format. The second OVA is available from ADV on VHS in subtitled format only. The OVAs are not available on DVD.
[Entry by Brad Jackson]

Sol Bianca: The Legacy

This series shares the ship design, most of the character designs, and many of the character personalities with the first two OVAs, but it is neither a sequel nor a prequel. In the same tradition as the various incarnations of the Tenchi Muyo universe, we see a different, and in many ways better, version of Sol Bianca.
The ship design is mostly the same, and those few changes that exist are all improvements. The character designs are improved, and the characters have deeper and more complex personalities than they do in their first incarnations. Jun is still the data hack, but Feb is no longer the captain; that job has passed to April. May's character is the most changed, instead of being a short mecha freak, she is now a child.
The computer-generated scenes are ok, but not really worth raving about. Generally though the animation is much better than it was in the first OVAs, and the first OVAs had very good animation. The storyline is engaging, and the characters make you care about them. The quality of the dub, like many of Pioneer's other recent releases is surprisingly good. Not Disney quality, but it's actually enjoyable even to subtitle fans.
There are six episodes to the new Sol Bianca OVAs.
Sol Bianca: The Legacy is available from Pioneer in both subtitled and dubbed versions on VHS. It is also available on DVD with both Japanese and English audio tracks and an English subtitle track.
[Entry by Brad Jackson]

Sorcerer Hunters

Carrot Glaice, Tira Misu and Chocolate Misu are the Sorcerer Hunters, a group comissioned by the goddess "Big Mama" to hunt down renegade sorcerers. These three particular people are chosen for their mix of talents. Carrot, in particular, is highly qualified for reasons I can't tell you without spoiling a major plot point. However, he's also an amazing letch, so his two companions have to keep him in line, by tying him up in their sexy outfits, if need be! This is a TV series, and so the artwork and animation could be better, though they're not terrible - just not great. Mostly this is just fun, stupid fluff. Has sexual overtones and occasional violence. Dub and sub. 25 episodes. From ADV Films.
[Entry by Ben Cantrick]

Speed Racer (a.k.a. Mach Go Go Go)

Based on the 1966 manga Mach Go Go Go this 52 episode 1967 series by Tatsunako studios shows the career of Speed Racer (Go Mifune) from beginner racer to world champion. The dub version is noted for its mixture of interesting storylines and unintentually campy dialog and numberous bad puns in regards to character names.
It was considered popular enough that in the 1990s two revial attempts were tried: One in America under the title New Speed Racer (1993) [13 episodes] and the other in Japan by Tatsunako studios under the title Mach Go Go Go (1996) (aka Y2K Speed Racer) [52 episodes were planned only 34 made] Neither revial worked partly IMHO due to the stories not measuring up to the original.
(FHE and NOW both made VHS taps in the 1980s but AFAIK they are no longer in print though Speed Racer Enterprises is planning on releasing a limited edition (1000 copies) VHS set in July 2001)
[Entry by Bruce Grubb]

Spell Wars

see Sorcerer Hunters

Stardust Memories

See Gundam

Supergirl Maris

see Maris the Chojo

Taiho Shichauzo!

see You're Under Arrest!

Tank Police

see Dominion

Tenchi Muyo

A story about a teenage boy, the pretty alien girl who loves him, the other pretty alien girl who loves him, the other other pretty alien girl who loves him, and a few other pretty alien girls (some of whom love him, too). And they all just happen to be some of the most powerful people in the universe. The plotline varies between sit-com and space opera, occasionally in the same episode. The plot of the first OAV series was heavily re-written to become the basis of Tenchi Muyo TV. The first two OAV series are available from Pioneer under the name Tenchi Collection - in fact, this is Pioneer's flagship title - and an edited version has been aired on U.S. cable TV. The manga (with the translated title No Need for Tenchi) is available from Viz.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]

Tenchi Muyo: Mihoshi Special

A side story to the Tenchi Muyo OAV series, this is Galaxy Police officer Mihoshi's recounting of her biggest case ever. The names in the story have been changed to protect the innocent, of course, but Mihoshi changes them to the names of her friends! Somehow, the relationships just don't change ... This comedy marks the only undisputed appearance to date of Kiyone in the OAV continuity, and also shows one of the earliest appearances of Magical Girl Pretty Sammy. Available (on VHS only) as part of the Tenchi Collection from Pioneer.
[Entry by Rob Kelk]

Tenchi Muyo TV

Tenchi Masaki is an ordinary schoolboy until gorgeous alien women (with their little sisters and meowing spaceships in tow) start to crash-land in his backyard. A little bit of Urusei Yatsura and a little bit of Ranma ½, with some Star Wars homages thrown in for good measure. The TV series is generally considered a parallel universe to the version of the story told in the OAV series. Highly recommended for fans of romantic comedies and sci-fi adventure.
[Entry by Dave Menard]
[Available from Pioneer.   - Rob Kelk]

Tenchi in Tokyo (a.k.a. Shin Tenchi Muyo)

This latest installment of Tenchi fun is yet another parallel universe from the OAV and first TV series. In this story, Tenchi goes off to school in Tokyo leaving the girls behind in Okayama. This doesn't sit well with the passell of alien women, especially since Tenchi's getting awfully close to that new girl, Sakuya ...
[Entry by Dave Menard]
[Available from Pioneer.   - Rob Kelk]

Tenchi Muyo movies

Tenchi Muyo in Love!

Tenchi and the girls must race back in time to keep an intergalactic criminal from altering the past. The first Tenchi movie, based off the TV series continuity. Spectacular animation combined with a good story make this film in many ways the best Tenchi feature.

Tenchi Muyo: Daughter of Darkness (a.k.a. Manatsu no Eve)

Known as Midsummer's Eve in the UK and Europe. Tenchi's daughter appears, but who's the mother? And what does all this have to do with Yosho's childhood on planet Jurai? Not as well received by fans as the first Tenchi movie, DoD is nevertheless high-quality animation, though the story may seem to be a little rushed. This may be due to the long-circulated rumour that the plotline was originally written for a third OAV series.

Tenchi Muyo in Love 2 - Tenchi Forever

According to Pioneer/AIC, the final Tenchi Muyo TV feature. Forever does a fair job of resolving some of the longstanding conflicts between the two primary rivals for Tenchi's heart, and the bittersweet ending suggests that Tenchi has finally made a choice. A languid pace makes this feature tricky viewing, especially compared to the more frenetic pace of the earlier films. Worth watching only if you are willing to invest the attention needed to appreciate this final chapter.

[Entries by Dave Menard]
[Dave's comment about the first movie being the best is his opinion - some people, including the FAQ maintainer, like the second movie better. All three movies are available from Pioneer.   - Rob Kelk]

Those Obnoxious Aliens

see Urusei Yatsura

Time Stranger

An involving variation on The Terminator, with slight nods of the head towards Time Bandits. The animation is very good and the story, complex. Feudal Japan is depicted nicely and in detail, as is the far future. Great plot complications throughout.

Tonari no Totoro

see My Neighbor Totoro

Trigun

A sci-fi western comedy (mostly) focusing around the world's most unlikely criminal, Vash the Stampede. The man is apparently so dangerous that he's worth 60,000,000,000$$ ("double dollars"), but whenever anyone catches up to him in hopes of snagging the reward, they're always thwarted: sometimes by his skill with a gun, but mostly by his inherent goofiness. However, Vash does have a dark past, so mysterious that even he himself doesn't know what it is! All in all, a fairly lighthearted show with some serious themes, but a hilarious watch. (Pioneer)
[Entry by KireiSarah]

Urusei Yatsura (translates as something like Those Obnoxious Aliens)

A slap-stick screwball comedy about Lum, the flying electro-demon girl from space, Ataru, the earth boy she wants, and a host of other crazy characters. Popular madness in TV, OAV, and movie formats by Rumiko Takahashi. This entire series is being released from AnimEigo in dubbed and subbed formats. (The second movie is available subbed from USMC. Don't ask ...)
[After hearing the fans' opinion of the dub of the first four episodes, AnimEigo decided to release the remainder of Urusei Yatsura in subtitled format only.   - Rob Kelk]

Utena (a.k.a. Shoujo Kakumei Utena, Revolutionary Girl Utena)

You could go off roses! A different twist on the magical girl series in that the subject here makes no attempt to transform into anything except by the fact that as a very young girl, grieving her parents' death, she encounters a "prince" who comforts her and tells her that they are destined to meet again, giving her a ring. She vows to grow up as noble as this prince, but takes it too literally, shunning the usual fuku of her peers for more masculine garb. On her acceptance to a school with a mysterious club, she finds that not only were there other people with the same ring as her, but that they regularly fought for the hand of the "Rose Bride", in the hope that eventually the lucky winner will gain entry to the strange castle visible from the duelling ring, though each has a different reason driving them.
[Entry by Chika]
[The first thirteen episodes are available from Software Sculptors. There are fansubs of much of the remainder of the series.   - Rob Kelk]

Vampire Hunter D (1985)

A.D. 12,090 is a lot like the Old West, except for the mutants and vampires. When Count Magnus Lee, an ancient and powerful bloodsucker, sets his sights on a young woman of the frontier, Doris Lang, she hires a cape-clad, sword-swinging stranger known simply as D to get rid of a suitor who doesn't understand "No." D must fight his way past a horde of supernatural guardians as well as taking on Count Lee himself, and also must contend with his own unnatural aspects. In addition to being a dhampir (half human and half vampire), D has in his left palm a symbiotic creature that exercises weird powers on his behalf but also taunts him for his shortcomings at every opportunity.
Some fans look down on VHD for its crude animation and cliched storyline, but it has become a cult classic, perhaps for its stunning imagery and larger-than-life conflicts. There's romance as well when Doris starts falling for her half-human savior. VHD is also notable for its violence, as D's blade slices through nearly anything that will make a blood splash. Tetsuya Komuro's soundtrack gives a rich atmosphere to both action and quieter moments.
[Entry by Cathy Krusberg]
[Available from Urban Vision.   - Rob Kelk]

Vampire Hunter D (2000)

A second Vampire Hunter D movie was released to Japanese theaters in April 2001 and is slated for American theatrical release in September 2001. Also titled Vampire Hunter D, it is based on the third novel in Hideyuki Kikuchi's VHD series, D - Yousatsukou (D - Demon Deathchase). D is hired to retrieve a woman kidnapped by the vampire Meier Link, but his task is complicated by two factors: a competing set of hunters, and the true love that led the woman to accompany Meier of her own will. The character designs in the new movie are much closer to Yoshitaka Amano's vision, and the animation is top notch.
[Entry by Cathy Krusberg]

Vampire Princess Miyu

A supernatural horror series about a contemporary "vampire" who stalks wayward demons (Shinma) loose on Earth and sends them back to Darkness, while pursued by a persistent exorcist not as enthused about unlife as Miyu. Quiet, moody brooding chiller, hopeless to follow without understanding the dialog. Available from AnimEigo.
[There is also a recent Vampire Princess Miyu TV series, which has a slightly different focus from the OAVs described above. Fansubs of the TV series are available.   - Rob Kelk]

Venus Wars

A group of racers on Venus and a reporter from Earth are caught up in the war for the dominance of Venus. A dark film from the "sand in my spacesuit" view of the future which sees the racers being turned from a group of stunt racers who defeat a tank by sheer fluke to hard fighting riders who become instrumental in the war's conclusion. Available from USMC.
[Entry by Chika]

Video Girl Ai

A romantic fantasy comedy/drama. He's been dumped by the girl he loves for his best friend. Ai pops out of the TV and comes to life when he plays a tape to cheer him up. But his VCR isn't working very well, and the Video Girl is behaving a little oddly. Nicely animated with some bright tunes. Available from Viz Video.

Votoms

Old TV series of post-WW3 world. The army controls the world with their mecha, but not everyone goes along. Mellowlink is a related series in the same universe (set before Votoms, made after.) Votoms has been licensed by USMC.

War in the Pocket

See Gundam

Weathering Continent

A sword and sorcery tale in a land fallen to ruin. Takes its time and tells a small story of three travelers with a dark, spooky mood, well supported by a fine musical score.

A Wind Named Amnesia

It happened suddenly. One minute all was as it should be, the next ... everyone on Earth had their memory wiped. Language, social habit, everything. The story surrounds one boy, who has been retrained to normality by another boy who escaped erasure by the fact that he was linked to a computer in a radical new way. Touring the devastation, he is accompanied by a woman who seems also to have escaped erasure but will not say how. On their journey they see what Man has made of himself since his memory was wiped, and view the consequences, all of which leads to the ultimate questions; who did it, and why? Available from USMC.
[Entry by Chika]

Windaria

A lovely fantasy story of two kingdoms at war, and how that disturbs two pairs of lovers - one peasant, one royal. A tragedy. Well worth the watch, IMHO. Nice music, too.
[Was available dubbed from Streamline Pictures while Streamline was still in business.   - Rob Kelk]

Wings of Honneamise

See Royal Space Force

Witch's Delivery Service

see Kiki's Delivery Service

You're Under Arrest! (a.k.a. Taiho Shichauzo!)

The adventures of Natsumi Tsujimoto and Miyuki Kobayakawa, two female police officers on the Bokutoh City police force and their day-to-day adventures. Set in a more or less present day city. Good animation and artwork. Good clean fun. Little if any violence or gore, and only some innocent flirting on the sexual side. Both OVA and TV series has been made. Based on a manga by Kosuke Fujishima, the same guy who did Oh My Goddess! There's also a TV series that hasn't been released yet in the US. Four OVAs. From AnimEigo.
[Entry by Ben Cantrick]
[The TV series has been licenced by AnimEigo. There is also an excellent You're Under Arrest movie, which has a tone somewhere between the You're Under Arrest OAVs and the Patlabor movies. The movie has been licenced by ADV Films.   - Rob Kelk]

Yuugen Kaisha

see Phantom Quest Corporation

Zeiram, the Animation

see Iria

Zeta Gundam

See Gundam

ZZ Gundam

See Gundam