On March 9, 1985, the first part of a trilogy video animation named “Megazone 23” was broadcasted in Japan. Hiroyuki Hoshiyama wrote the interesting and complex script of this episode produced by AIC, which became a model for the next Robotech movies.
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During an era when original video animation (OVA) was uncommon, the strong impact of this work was due to the joint effort in character design and animation by Toshiki Hirano, Haruhiko Mikimoto, and Ichiro Itano. Their collaboration had been put to the test and strengthened throughout their time working on “Macross” (1982). Director Noboru Ishiguro expertly guided and maintained harmony among this engrossed ensemble of performers.
Shogo Yahagi is a carefree biker who feels alive when he challenges himself. By chance, he meets Yui Takanaka in Shibuya, a hard-working dancer who dreams of standing on a Broadway stage one day. They start to see each other in a Tokyo in the 80’s, whose frenzy life is accompanied by Eve Tokimatsuri’s songs—an idol at the peak of her popularity that everyone admires and watches on TV shows. But one day, Shogo’s friend Shinji Nakagawa gets his hands on a motorcycle with impressive characteristics: 15.000 rpm, 320 km/h! When Shinji and Shogo meet to discover the specific capabilities of this vehicle, they are tailed and stopped by mysterious people bearing arms, and despite Shinji’s murder, Shogo successfully escapes on the new motorcycle.
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Willing to exact revenge on his friend, Shogo will discover that the motorcycle is a versatile weapon capable of transforming into a giant mecha, which possesses the highest combat capabilities at this time. However, he will find himself fighting against B.D., an ambitious army officer who tries to retrieve the stolen bike. While B.D. will take advantage of his leading position in a clandestine organization within the army in order to seize power, Shogo will find the truth behind the creation of his new motorcycle and the role Eve plays in determining the fate of citizens.
The original sci-fi setting evokes a multitude of reflections. Both those who believe they are watching the real Tokimatsuri Eve’s shows and those who think they are living in Tokyo are under a kind of illusion. The idol created to fiddle with the masses reflects the role of an AI that knows the things people can’t resist: if Bahamut knows the tastes and interests of people, its success is in confirming and reassuring users by showing an Eve who sings and presents pleasant contents and never brings into question the audience’s conviction. The control over what people see and consider true remains an illusory choice cunningly screened. Moreover, living in an artificial Tokyo also means losing the ability to engage with the outside world, the possibility of forming relationships with people from all over the world, and the freedom to enjoy and savor life outside of a fictional space.
Noboru Ishiguro chooses a quick pace for this intricate plot, and scene by scene, he masterfully creates an overwhelming sense of tension and suspense, leading the audience in a total immersion in the story and a steadily growing desire to understand more.
Kumi Miyasato voices Eve and her j-pop songs with grace, elegance, intensity, and a personal nostalgic touch. Toshikazu Shiozawa lends B.D. a cold, confident, and occasionally ominous voice that successfully consolidates and completes the military and villainous nature of this capable strategist. Masato Kubota‘s interpretation effectively describes Shogo’s psychological development from a passionate but immature boy to a person who is aware of the risk and needs to fight for a different future.
A strong focus on details and fluent animations filled with warm colors shows a lot of dedication. Toshiki Hirano’s soft layout of characters and elegant keyframes adds to the powerful mechanical design: Ichiro Itano and Shinji Aramaki not only animate meticulously the scenes with motorcycles, but they depict well the transitions into actual mecha combats. Haruhiko Mikimoto works on the character design for Tokimatsuri Eve as a special guest design: a masterpiece design full of fresh charm and a symbolic presence, without forgetting the stage setting and choreography.
At the time of “Megazone 23’s” debut, no other OVA had the audacity to bring to life all the various robots, explosions, crazy races, and mechanic fights that the show featured—all while skillfully and originally blending them with the personal stories of idols and artists, western choreography, an evocative score, and intricate futuristic scenarios affecting all of humanity. Its artistic merit and theoretical depth make it an movie to enjoy!
