Obari, Masami

Battle Arena Toshinden

Based on the popular video game, this animated feature expands the playing field, so to speak, with a story about a mysterious warrior who is tracking down all the champions of previous Toshin battle tournaments. The warrior uses the winners' highly developed battle moves to become the undefeated Toshin champion. Can anyone challenge the ultimate warrior? Only the most devoted Sega and Sony Playstation addicts will want to know... --Jeff Shannon

Master swordsman Eiji Shinjo has a score to settle with his arch-nemesis, Gaia. Now their ultimate battle begins, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Fatal Fury

Based on the video game, Fatal Fury is widely regarded as one of the best kung fu anime features. The good guys are Terry "Hungry Wolf" Bogard and his brother, Andy; Thai kickboxer Joe Higashi; and the curvaceous ninja Mai. With their masses of spiky blond hair, narrow blue eyes, and sharp features, the Bogard brothers almost cross over into the "beautiful boy" genre, but they and Joe are muscled like dinosaurs. Mai, who has a crush on Andy, provides both humor and jiggle interest in a succession of minuscule outfits. The heroes are pitted against an assortment of equally buffed-out Bad Guys, led by Laocorn, a descendant of the ancient clan of Gaudeamus, who is seeking to obtain "the armor of Vulcan." A relic going back to the time of Alexander the Great, the armor transforms anyone who wears all seven pieces of it into a god. But Laocorn's twin sister, Sulia, knows it will also make the wearer hopelessly evil: she enlists the Bogards and their friends to prevent her brother from acquiring the scattered pieces. Director Masami Obari uses all the standard tricks for the bone-crunching martial arts battles--blurs, streaks, slow-motion images of blows landing on skulls, camera spins, flashes of lighting, flames, and, of course, gobs of blood. Fatal Fury feels like a cross between an Indiana Jones film and a WWE tag-team match, and is sure to delight adolescent boys. (Rated 13 Up) --Charles Solomon

Detonator Orgun

Originally released in 1991, the three-part OAV Detonator Orgun plays like a mixture of several popular sci-fi films. Tomoru, a teenage boy in the 24th century, is haunted by weird dreams partially based on the computer games he plays with his friends. He soon discovers he's telepathically linked to the mysterious mecha Orgun. Meanwhile, at the Earth Defense Force Intelligence Headquarters, Dr. Michi Kanzaki and supercomputer I-Zak decrypt a message from deep space that turns out to be the blueprint for Orgun's physical being. As they make these discoveries, an advanced race of aliens nears the Earth with plans to destroy it. Naturally only the combination of Tomoru, Kanzaki, and Orgun can defeat them. Director Masami Obari (Fatal Fury) handles the action sequences, space battles, and fist fights between giant robots with his usual skill. He's less successful at presenting Hideki Kakinuma's convoluted story, a needlessly complicated mixture of flashbacks, fantasies, quasi-religious mysticism, and warnings about the dangers of tampering with human evolution that is simultaneously too complicated and too simple for its two-and-a-half-hour length. There also seem to be problems with the translation: although Tomoru sees himself as a World War I-style pilot in his fantasies, he refers to his leather jacket as a "Luftwaffer uniform" (the Luftwaffe was the German air corps in World War II). Unrated; suitable for ages 14 and up: nudity, profanity, and violence, largely restricted to robot versus robot conflicts. --Charles Solomon

From the Director of Bubblegum Crisis, in the two-fisted tradition of Ultraman. If it weren't for the horrific dreams, Tomonu would be having the time of his life cutting classes and playing video games. But an alien intelligence has invaded his mind and is about to plunge him into an interstellar war. Battleships are headed for Earth and Tomoru's psychic link is humanity's only hope!

Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer

At the Belnar Institute, superhuman teens recieve unique martial arts training. And when young Isato clashes with a mysterious transfer student, the stage is set for a cataclysmic battle!

Bubblegum Crisis - Hurricane Live! (Vol. 4)

Since its debut in 1987, the popular Bubblegum Crisis series has been entertaining viewers with the adventures of the Knight Sabers--Sylia Stingray, Priss, Linna, and Nene. The curvaceous vigilantes fight the grasping leaders of Genom in stories that combine rock music, romance, and hard-hitting mecha battles. This installment is devoted to their music with montages of action. Watching explosions, motorcycle chases, mecha, and bloody fights while the soundtrack pounds out homogenized pop songs may seem incongruous at first, but fans of the series are used to it. All the songs seem to focus on a few themes: it's a tough city/life, but if we persevere, we'll triumph/find love/finally be happy. It's not clear if the song lyrics are as maladroit in Japanese as they are in English, but the subtitled words are often unintentionally hilarious: "I silently rev up the darkness while holding fast the crisis of my heart" or "Like the wind, you disappeared into the asphalt... while being torn to pale ribbons." The results resemble a cross between a standard-issue anime adventure and MTV, and will appeal only to hard-core fans of Bubblegum Crisis. Not rated: suitable for 13 and up for violence and occasional nudity. --Charles Solomon

Bubblegum Crisis, Vol. 1

These OAVs were among the first Japanese series released as such in the U.S. and are remembered fondly by fans. An early example of cyberpunk that borrows heavily from Blade Runner and Robocop, Bubblegum Crisis depicts the adventures of the female vigilante group the Knight Sabers. In form-fitting, high-heeled mecha suits, Sylia, Priss, Linna, and Nene fight the rogue cyborgs of the sinister Genom Corporation in MegaTokyo, 2032. Sylia's brother Mackie, and A.D. Cop Leon, Priss's long-suffering suitor, assist them. The first three episodes (1987) form a single continuity; "Revenge Road" (1988) depicts a battle between an embittered man and a motorcycle gang. "Moonlight Rambler" (1988) and "Red Eyes" (1989) pit the Saber Knights against vampire cyborgs prowling MegaTokyo. "Double Vision" (1990) introduces the mysterious pop star Vision, and "Scoop Chase" (1991), in which a high school journalist tries to unmask the Knight Sabers, ends the series on a silly note. The direction and design in the first trilogy look decidedly old-fashioned, but the later adventures grow increasingly sophisticated. Odd notes include suggestions of lesbianism, officer Daley's homosexual passes at Leon (who gets better-looking in each redesign), and Mackie trying see his sister in her underwear. Included in the set are Hurricane Live! 2032 and 2033, collections of music videos, and concert footage of the Japanese voice actresses singing the pop songs used in the series. Unrated; suitable for ages 16 and up: Violence, grotesque imagery, profanity, brief nudity, tobacco use, and sexual situations, including prostitution. --Charles Solomon

Detonator Orgun

Originally released in 1991, the three-part OAV Detonator Orgun plays like a mixture of several popular sci-fi films. Tomoru, a teenage boy in the 24th century, is haunted by weird dreams partially based on the computer games he plays with his friends. He soon discovers he's telepathically linked to the mysterious mecha Orgun. Meanwhile, at the Earth Defense Force Intelligence Headquarters, Dr. Michi Kanzaki and supercomputer I-Zak decrypt a message from deep space that turns out to be the blueprint for Orgun's physical being. As they make these discoveries, an advanced race of aliens nears the Earth with plans to destroy it. Naturally only the combination of Tomoru, Kanzaki, and Orgun can defeat them. Director Masami Obari (Fatal Fury) handles the action sequences, space battles, and fist fights between giant robots with his usual skill. He's less successful at presenting Hideki Kakinuma's convoluted story, a needlessly complicated mixture of flashbacks, fantasies, quasi-religious mysticism, and warnings about the dangers of tampering with human evolution that is simultaneously too complicated and too simple for its two-and-a-half-hour length. There also seem to be problems with the translation: although Tomoru sees himself as a World War I-style pilot in his fantasies, he refers to his leather jacket as a "Luftwaffer uniform" (the Luftwaffe was the German air corps in World War II). Unrated; suitable for ages 14 and up: nudity, profanity, and violence, largely restricted to robot versus robot conflicts. --Charles Solomon

From Masami Ohbari (Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture, Battle Arena Toshinden, Bubblegum Crisis, and Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer)! With the help of a super computer and a young Earth Defense worker, Tomoru must unravel the mystery of the alien armor found on the Moon! In the two-fisted tradition of Ultra Man!

Bubblegum Crisis, Vol. 3

These OAVs were among the first Japanese series released as such in the U.S. and are remembered fondly by fans. An early example of cyberpunk that borrows heavily from Blade Runner and Robocop, Bubblegum Crisis depicts the adventures of the female vigilante group the Knight Sabers. In form-fitting, high-heeled mecha suits, Sylia, Priss, Linna, and Nene fight the rogue cyborgs of the sinister Genom Corporation in MegaTokyo, 2032. Sylia's brother Mackie, and A.D. Cop Leon, Priss's long-suffering suitor, assist them. The first three episodes (1987) form a single continuity; "Revenge Road" (1988) depicts a battle between an embittered man and a motorcycle gang. "Moonlight Rambler" (1988) and "Red Eyes" (1989) pit the Saber Knights against vampire cyborgs prowling MegaTokyo. "Double Vision" (1990) introduces the mysterious pop star Vision, and "Scoop Chase" (1991), in which a high school journalist tries to unmask the Knight Sabers, ends the series on a silly note. The direction and design in the first trilogy look decidedly old-fashioned, but the later adventures grow increasingly sophisticated. Odd notes include suggestions of lesbianism, officer Daley's homosexual passes at Leon (who gets better-looking in each redesign), and Mackie trying see his sister in her underwear. Included in the set are Hurricane Live! 2032 and 2033, collections of music videos, and concert footage of the Japanese voice actresses singing the pop songs used in the series. Unrated; suitable for ages 16 and up: Violence, grotesque imagery, profanity, brief nudity, tobacco use, and sexual situations, including prostitution. --Charles Solomon

Gowcaizer: Voltage Fighter: Rounds 1 & 2

It is the dawn of the 21st century, and the planet has been rocked by a series natural catastrophes--the handiwork of Shizuru Ozaki. But Ozaki aspires to something greater than mere mortality--even if that means destroying the Earth. One man, however, has the power to stop him. Armed with the Caizer Stone, Isato Kaiza transforms into the armored hero Gowcaizer! Both Round 1 and 2 are included on this disc.

Battle Arena: Toshinden

Based on the popular video game, this animated feature expands the playing field, so to speak, with a story about a mysterious warrior who is tracking down all the champions of previous Toshin battle tournaments. The warrior uses the winners' highly developed battle moves to become the undefeated Toshin champion. Can anyone challenge the ultimate warrior? Only the most devoted Sega and Sony Playstation addicts will want to know... --Jeff Shannon

One year ago, the battle between Master Swordsman Eiji Shinjo and the infamous Gaia was interrupted by agents of the sinister "Organization." Now, someone is hunting down the champions of the Battle Arena. At last, the ultimate battle between the greatest fighters in the world will finally be decided. But if Eiji should lose, his friend Ellis will die.... Based on the smash-hit video game.