The appeal and evaluation of Megazone 23: Reevaluating a good old OVA masterpiece

"Megazone 23": A sci-fi romance about bikes and youth

■Overview of the work

"Megazone 23" is an anime work released as an OVA in 1985, and was later released as a theatrical film with the same content. It was directed by Noboru Ishiguro, written by Hiroyuki Hoshiyama, with character design by Toshihiro Hirano, and mechanical design by Hideki Kakinuma and Shinji Aramaki, bringing together a stellar cast of staff. Many staff members from "The Super Dimension Fortress Macross" were involved in the project, and the high quality of the work was a hot topic.

■ Story

Shogo Yahagi, a young man who loves motorcycles, is entrusted with a motorcycle by a friend. It is a weapon secretly developed by the military, a motorcycle called Garland, which has the ability to transform into a robot. When Shogo finds out Garland's secret, his daily life changes and he is pursued by the military. Shogo also learns a secret hidden in Tokyo.

■ Characters

The protagonist, Yahagi Shogo, is an 18-year-old motorbike-loving young man living in Tokyo. He is pursued by the military due to a garland entrusted to him by a friend. The heroine, Takanashi Yui, is a 17-year-old aspiring dancer who meets Shogo and is drawn to his natural charm. BD, a mysterious man who plans to take over the world through military dictatorship, targets Shogo's garland and attacks him in a despicable way. Meanwhile, 15-year-old top idol Tokimatsuri Eve is hiding a secret that relates to the very foundations of the world.

■ Mechanic

Garland, the main robot in this work, can transform into a motorcycle-type Maneuver Craft and a humanoid Maneuver Slave. Megazones are huge city-type spaceships built to migrate humans to new planets, and there are a total of 24 of them in operation. Inside the ships, the streets of Earth's past are recreated, and the 23rd ship is a reproduction of Tokyo in the 1980s.

■Music

The music for this work is by Shiro Sagisu, and the theme song "Sentimental Over My Shoulders" is sung by Kumi Miyazato. The ending theme "I Can't Sleep Lonely" is sung by Yuka Takeuchi, and the insert songs "Lullaby of the Wind" and "TOMORROW BLUES" are also sung by Kumi Miyazato. These songs are important elements that add to the atmosphere of the work.

■Production Background

"Megazone 23" was released in the early days of OVA media, and was released as a video animation, which was rare at the time. It attracted attention as a work that showed the potential of the new OVA media, and can be said to be a pioneer of the later OVA boom. In addition, many members of "Super Dimension Fortress Macross" participated in the staff, and the high quality of the work was highly praised.

■ Evaluation and impact

"Megazone 23" was highly praised as a work depicting the sci-fi romance of youth and motorcycles. In particular, Garland's transformation scene and the Megazone setting left a strong impression on viewers. It was also praised as a work that showed the potential of the new medium known as OVA, and became a pioneer of the later OVA boom. Furthermore, the luxury of the staff and the quality of the music were also highly praised, and it gained many fans.

■ Recommendation points

"Megazone 23" is a work that depicts the sci-fi romance of youth and motorcycles, and the transformation scenes of Garland and the Megazone setting are fascinating. In addition, the staff is luxurious and the music is of high quality, making it a noteworthy work from the dawn of the OVA media. This work is especially recommended for those who like motorcycles and robots, and those who like youthful sci-fi.

■ Related works

"Megazone 23" continued as a series after that, with "Megazone 23 Part II - The Secret Timeline" and "Megazone 23 Part III - The Origin of the End" being produced. There is also a related work, "Megazone 23 SIN", which is a work that fans cannot miss.

■How to watch

"Megazone 23" is available on DVD and Blu-ray. It may also be available on streaming services, so if you're interested, be sure to check it out.

■ Summary

"Megazone 23" is a work that depicts the sci-fi romance of youth and motorcycles, and the transformation scenes of Garland and the Megazone setting are fascinating. The staff is luxurious and the music is of high quality, making it a noteworthy work from the dawn of the OVA media. This is a work that is especially recommended for those who like motorcycles and robots, and those who like youthful sci-fi, so please give it a watch.