By now, many have seen Area 88, though it’s a newer version of the now classic tale. It really isn’t often that an anime is remade, and actually I can think of only Area 88 as being the example in this case, but the modernization of the story was quite impressive even with a few changes thrown in for good measure. However, for many, the new Area 88 is the only version they know of . . . at least it is until now.

Get ready for a blast from the past. ADV has even more Area 88 for you, though this time it’s the original OVA, and more or less, the story is identical to what was seen in the latest version of the series. Shin Kazama was once a promising pilot for Yamato Airlines with a bright future ahead of him and a beautiful woman by his side, until he was betrayed by his best friend. Shin has unwittingly been enlisted to join the foreign legion in the war torn country or Aslan and has been stationed at Area 88. Now part of a ragtag group of pilots, Shin only has a few ways he can escape this hell and return to the arms of his beloved Ryoko; earn $1.5 million to buy out his contract, serve out three years, or desertion. Of course, there is always death, but for Shin, that’s not an option.

In most cases, when you think OVA, you think of an anime that is a mere 45 minutes or a bit longer in length, but Area 88 does not fall into that category. Spread out over two DVD’s, the original presentation clocks in at a little over 3 hours, giving you plenty of material to watch. If there is any dark spots though, it would have to be the bad 80’s soundtrack, and by this, I mean J-pop songs that bring back some rather bad memories of the state of the music industry during that time period. The only thing that Area 88 lacks in any of these songs is a montage, but you can’t have everything.

The underlying story here remains unchanged, but through the course of the OVA, you will find that there are quite a few differences between the two series. The first noticeable difference between the two series’ is that I actually feel that Shin is much more emotional in this version that in the remake. In the new version, Shin really is quite a cold person, keeping his emotions to himself for the most part, but that’s not so here. Shin has a few emotional outbursts because of the situation that he’s gotten himself into and is often portrayed as a character that is a little more up front with his fellow pilots, not someone who simply hides away between missions. But, while this may not be a bad way to see the character, and given the circumstances it does make a bit more sense, I do have to vote in favor of the new Shin as the preferable character.

In comparison between the two series, what I found interesting with the OVA (and remember, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen it, so quite a bit of it has slipped out of mind) is that there are some things briefly seen here that are explored a bit more in the newer version. The epic air raid that finds the boys from Area 88 navigating a treacherous canyon is briefly seen here, but both instances have some rather impressive bits of animation. The series went in-depth regarding Boris and the emotional baggage that he was carrying around, but it’s very brief here, and Boris becomes nothing more than a casualty very early on.

Another difference that is found is that in the OVA, Rocky, the Japanese photographer, was interested in Shin merely because of the rumors that were surrounding him. He wasn’t hired by Kanazaki to get proof of his death, and Rocky’s visit to Area 88 ends quickly, and it doesn’t involve being sent back. Instead in the OVA, there is another ace pilot who is hired to make short work of Shin, though he isn’t successful, and although there is some time spent on the combat in the skies, the OVA does take a different turn.

The surface that was merely scratched with the series would be what was going on back in Japan. Now that Shin is gone, Kanazaki, in both series, is trying to get together with Ryoko, and again in both series we find that she is resistant. However, the OVA goes a bit more in-depth and we see just how devious Kanazaki really is. He participates in a corporate take-over of Yamato airlines, he forces Ryoko’s father to step down for the company and attempts to use his newfound power to help Ryoko get the money to free Shin. I suppose that really, it would be a case of earning the money, and she’s not going to be helping arrange paperwork to get it. Another difference is that it is early on that Ryoko finds that Shin is alive and where he might possibly be, not being told at the last minute thanks to a series of photographs. This secondary portion to the story really brings a bit more into the series, not that the newer version of Area 88 is terrible.

Area 88 also has a number of other things included that you won’t find in the remake, such as different characters and even some that tend to get a bit more screen time. Mickey Simon for example was seen briefly in the remake, but not nearly as much as what he is here while McCoy, the old codger that always has the right goods at an inflated price isn’t necessarily a huge part of the OVA, though he does play a key role from time to time. Also, the OVA actually explores the reasoning behind the war in Aslan a bit more than what the remake did, and it tends to make a little more sense in the long run.

Between the two series’ though, you are looking at a gap of over a decade, so the animation is drastically different between the two. However, the character designs are almost identical, though I would have to say that I’m in favor of the newer version when it comes to looks. The OVA though I feel has a number of instances where the animation sequences, particularly the combat, is done a little better. Taking into consideration though that back in the 80’s a huge amount of OVA’s were released that looked less than impressive, Area 88 was definitely a top-notch product for its time and even today still looks quite good.

There are only two extra features, one on each DVD, but they are actually quite good. On the first disc you will find information on the aircraft seen in the series, and these are very informative as far as not only the specs, but the background information on them. The second DVD has an interview with the manga-ka, Kaoru Shintani, and take note; this is NOT a text interview. Shintani-san talks about the manga, his influences, and just about everything else you could want to know about Area 88.

Between the two series, the original OVA and the remake, I can’t really say that one is better than the other. They both have advantages, and this is a series you can get something from the original and the remake. Not matter which version you’re watching though; Area 88 to this very day is an unrivaled example of perfection of anime aerial combat. Old school or new school, everyone has said it . . . . this is anime’s answer to Top Gun, but better (because there’s no Tom Cruise.)

-mike-

Genre: Action Series Director: Hisayuki Toriumi Written by: Akiyoshi Sakai Based on the Manga by: Kaoru Shintani   Voice Cast: Kaneto Shiozawa (Shin Kazama) Yoshito Yasuhara (Satou Kanazaki) Taro Shingaki (Saki Vashtar) Sakiko Tamagawa (Ryoko Tsugamo) Kei Tomiyama (Mickey Simon) Shusei Nakamura (Mutsuki “Rocky” Goh) Kayumi Iemasa (McCoy) Takuzou Kamiyama (Greg Gates) Tessho Genda (Boris) Toshio Furukawa (Bucksey) Makio Inoue (Charlie) Michihiro Ikemizu (Bowman)

DVD Features: Full Frame - 1.33:1 Audio: Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 & English Dolby Digital 2.0 English subtitles Aircraft Specs Interview w/Kaoru Shintani