The appeal and reviews of "Space Runaway Ideon: Activation Chapter": A must-see masterpiece for anime fans?

The appeal and reviews of "Space Runaway Ideon: Activation Chapter": A must-see masterpiece for anime fans?

Space Runaway Ideon: Activation Chapter - Space Runaway Ideon: Activation Chapter

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

July 10, 1982 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Shochiku

■ Eirin Number

110671

■Frequencies

99 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Original story by Hajime Yatate and Yoshiyuki Tomino

■ Director

General Director: Yoshiyuki Tomino

■ Production

Japan Sunrise

■Works

©Sunrise

■ Story

In the distant future, the Solo Ship and Ideon continue their space flight to escape the pursuit of the alien Buff Clan. In the midst of this, the power of Ide, which dwells in the ruins, brings together Karara, a woman of the Buff Clan who was pregnant with the Earthling Beth's child, with her father, the military commander-in-chief, and gives them one last chance for reconciliation. However, this breaks down, and the fighting escalates further. The power of Ide destroys both home planets with a meteor, and those left behind continue to fight a bloody battle to the end.

From "Sunrise Complete Works Collection"

■Explanation

This theatrical film was released at the same time as "Contact" and recaptured the climax that could not be fully depicted in the TV version. It could be called the true final episode. The battle scenes with the massive amount of mecha that stand in the way towards the climax, and the tragic end of the main characters, both children and adults, had a huge impact on the anime scene at the time. The ending, which used edited live-action footage with an opera-like choral piece as background music, was nothing short of magnificent.

From "Sunrise Complete Works Collection"

■Cast

・Yuuki Cosmo/ Tsubasa Shioya・Jordan Beth/ Hideyuki Tanaka・Imhoff Kasha/ Fuyumi Shiraishi・Formosa Sheryl/ Yo Inoue・After Deku/ Tatsuya Matsuda・Karara Ajiba/ Keiko Toda・Doba Ajiba/ Yukitatsu Ishimori・Haruru Ajiba/ Yoko Asagami・Kitch Kitchen/ Rumiko Ukai

■ Main staff

・Made by Yoshi Kishimoto [with earth on the mouth radical] [a sword with merit]
・Planning / Eiji Yamaura, Masanori Ito・Original story / Hajime Yatate, Yoshiyuki Tomino・Screenplay / Hiroyasu Yamaura, Sukehiro Tomita, Yuji Watanabe, Morimasa Matsumoto・Character design / Tomotake Kogawa・Mechanical design / Yuichi Higuchi・Art director / Mitsuki Nakamura・Animation director / Tomotake Kogawa・Director of photography / Toshiaki Okaseri・Editor / Tomoaki Tsurubuchi・Sound director / Yasuo Urakami・Music / Koichi Sugiyama・Director / Toshifumi Takizawa・General director / Yoshiyuki Tomino・Producer / Toru Hasegawa

■ Review

"Space Runaway Ideon: Hakkouhen" is an anime film released in 1982, known as a reconstruction of the climax of the TV series. This work is characterized by director Yoshiyuki Tomino's unique worldview and grand scale, and made a strong impression on viewers at the time. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and influence of this work.

Story and Themes

The story of "Invocation" escalates as the battle with the alien Buff Clan escalates, ultimately resulting in the destruction of both home planets. This story depicts the meaninglessness of war and the foolishness of humans, but also has deep themes by showing the possibility and hope of reconciliation. In particular, the relationship between Karara and Beth, and the existence of the child that is born to them, symbolize the tragedy of war, but also give a sense of hope for new life.

Visuals and Music

The film's visual expression is characterized by spectacular mecha battle scenes that make full use of the technology of the time, and realistic character portrayals. In particular, the climax battle scene is visually impressive, with numerous mechas filling the screen. The final scene combines an opera-style chorus with live-action footage, bringing the film to a solemn close. As for the music, Koichi Sugiyama's background music heightens the tension of the story and plays a role in drawing out the emotions of the viewer.

Characters and cast

In "Invocation Chapter," the main characters are depicted fighting while each carrying their own thoughts. The performances of the voice actors, such as Shioya Tsubasa as Yuuki Cosmo and Tanaka Hideyuki as Jordan Beth, also add to the charm of the work. In particular, Toda Keiko's performance as Karara realistically expresses her anguish and hopes, resonating deeply with the viewers.

Impact and Evaluation

"Ideon" shocked many viewers by depicting a climax that surpassed the final episode of the TV series. It is also praised for sending out a social message by depicting the misery of war and the foolishness of human beings. This work has had a major influence on subsequent anime works, especially in the fields of mecha anime and science fiction anime. It is also often compared to other works by director Yoshiyuki Tomino, such as the "Mobile Suit Gundam" series, and the originality of "Ideon" is being reevaluated among them.

■Recommendation

"Space Runaway Ideon: Hakkuu-hen" is a work with a grand scale and deep themes, and is especially recommended for those who like mecha anime and science fiction anime. It is also a must-watch for those who like works that depict the tragedies of war and human foolishness. Furthermore, fans of Director Yoshiyuki Tomino will be able to enjoy it while comparing it with his other works. This work is not only visually impressive, but also allows you to feel the depth of the story and the emotions of the characters, making it truly worthy of being called the "true final episode."

■ Additional information

"Initiation" was released at the same time as "Contact", so by watching both films together you can gain a deeper understanding of the story. Also, by watching the TV series episodes, you can learn more about the characters' backgrounds and the flow of the story. We also recommend reading related books and interviews to learn about the behind-the-scenes of the production and the director's intentions. This will allow you to feel the appeal of the film even more deeply.

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>>:  The appeal and reviews of "Space Runaway Ideon: Contact Chapter": A thorough analysis of the profound worldview of this classic robot anime

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