Dream Hunter Rem: What is the appeal of this masterpiece anime that transcends the boundaries between fantasy and reality?

Dream Hunter Rem: A story of a beautiful detective girl who fights between dreams and reality

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

December 15, 1985

■Release and sales

Orange Video House

■Frequencies

40 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 2

■ Director

・General Director: Seiji Okuda ・Director: Satoru Kumazaki

■ Production

・Production: CyEnterprise

■ Story

Ayakouji Reimu is a detective who fights against incubus demons that enter people's dreams and eat away at their lives. She has received a new request. A strange phenomenon has occurred in which if a strange man cuts someone in a dream, they are cut to death in the same way in reality. Reimu continues her investigation and comes face to face with the murderer, Dr. Shinigami.

■Explanation

A biographical action film depicting the exploits of Ayanokoji Reimu, a beautiful detective who specializes in mysterious cases. This work was released on June 10, 1985 as "Dream Hunter Reimu Special Version: Tragic Dream! The Resurrection of Professor Shinigami," replacing some scenes from "Dream Hunter Reimu," which was released with an adult rating, and adding a second episode.

■Cast

・Reimu Ayakoji/Naoko Matsui ・Alpha/Masumi Goto ・Beta/Naoki Tatsuta ・Inspector Sakaki/Kenji Utsumi ・Dr. Shinigami/Tamio Oki

■ Main staff

・Chief Director: Seiji Okuda ・Director: Satoru Kumazaki ・Planning and Production: Seigo Kuroda ・Character Design: Kazuaki Mori, Animation R ・Animation Directors: Moriyasu Taniguchi, Kazuaki Mori ・Art Director: Geki Katsumata ・Music: Hideo Goto

■ Main Characters

Ayanokoji Reimu: A girl who runs a detective agency in Aoyama that specializes in mysterious cases. Her age and background are unknown. She has the ability to enter other people's dreams. Someone stole her dreams in the past, so she can only have nightmares.

Alpha Remu's pet and assistant kitten. She can speak human language and enter dreams with Remu. She can also grow to be gigantic.

Beta: Remu's pet puppy assistant. She can speak human language and enter dreams with Remu. She can also grow to be gigantic.

Inspector Sakaki is a skilled inspector at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Since he became involved in a mysterious incident, he often asks Reimu for help with the investigation.

A person with the same abilities as Dr. Reimu. A brutal murderer, he enters people's dreams and commits bizarre murders.

■Subtitle

Episode 1: Reimu's Appearance Episode 2: Tragic Nightmare! Dr. Shinigami Resurrected

■ Theme songs and music

・IN01
・"Dream Hunter Rem"
Lyrics: Itsuka Composition: Hideo Goto Performance: Kotoro BAND
・Singer: Naoko Matsui

・IN02
・"Hold me close once more"
Lyrics: Itsuka Composition: Hideo Goto Performance: Kotoro BAND
・Singer: Naoko Matsui

・IN03
・"The Gentle Love Thief"
Lyrics: Itsuka Composition: Hideo Goto Performance: Kotoro BAND
・Singer: Naoko Matsui

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

■ Background and production of the work

"Dream Hunter Rem" was released as an OVA in 1985, and is a biographical action film depicting the exploits of Ayanokoji Rem, a beautiful detective who specializes in mysterious cases. This work is known as a work that breathed new life into the adult anime market at the time. The general director was Seiji Okuda, the director was Satoru Kumazaki, and the character designs were by Kazuaki Mori and Anime R. The music was created by Hideo Goto, and it adds to the atmosphere of the entire work, including the theme song.

The series was originally released with an adult rating, but was later re-released as "Dream Hunter Rem Special Version: Tragic Dream! Professor Shinigami Resurrected" with some scenes replaced and a second episode added. This version has more depth to the story and characters in order to appeal to a wider audience.

■ Story and Theme

The story of "Dream Hunter Rem" revolves around the exploits of Ayanokoji Rem, a beautiful detective who fights beyond the boundaries between dreams and reality. Rem has the ability to enter other people's dreams and fight demons there. However, she herself has a sad background in that her dreams were stolen in the past and she can only have nightmares. This setting gives the whole work a kind of dark atmosphere and evokes deep empathy from the viewer.

The story begins with a strange phenomenon in which if a person is slashed to death by a creepy man in a dream, they are also slashed to death in reality. Reimu investigates the case and eventually comes face to face with the murderer, Dr. Shinigami. The plot skillfully depicts the boundary between dreams and reality, providing the viewer with thrills and suspense.

■Character Analysis

The protagonist of this work, Ayanokoji Reimu, is a beautiful young detective who specializes in mysterious cases and has the ability to enter other people's dreams. Her character is a fascinating presence that combines strength and vulnerability, making a deep impression on the viewer. Reimu's pets and assistants, Alpha and Beta, are important characters who support her adventure, and their giant-sized ability adds humor and action to the story.

Inspector Sakaki is a skilled inspector of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department who assists Remu in her investigation, and his character gives the story a sense of realism and tension. And Dr. Shinigami, a murderer with the same powers as Remu, is the main antagonist of the story, and his cruelty and insanity leave a strong impression on the viewer.

■Video and Music

The visuals in Dream Hunter Rem are of exceptionally high quality for a 1980s OVA, with beautifully harmonious character and background art, especially in the dream world scenes, where dreamlike colors and fluid animations add to the visual appeal.

The music was composed by Hideo Goto, and the songs, including the theme song, liven up the atmosphere of the entire work. In particular, the theme song "Dream Hunter Rem" sung by Naoko Matsui is a beautiful melody that symbolizes Rem's character and the theme of the story, and resonates deeply in the hearts of viewers.

■ Recommendations and ratings

"Dream Hunter Rem" is a biographical action film themed around mysterious events, providing thrills and suspense to viewers. In particular, the story skillfully depicts the boundary between dreams and reality, and the attractive characters are major attractions of this work. Another point not to be missed is the high quality of the visuals and music for an OVA from the 1980s.

This work is highly recommended for viewers who like horror and action. It is also enjoyable for female viewers as it depicts the adventures of a beautiful detective. It is also a valuable work for viewers who want to learn about the anime culture of the 1980s.

■ Related works and how to watch them

"Dream Hunter Rem" was released as an OVA and is currently available on DVD and Blu-ray. It may also be available on some video streaming services, so viewers who are interested should check it out.

Related works include "Urusei Yatsura" and "Yu Yu Hakusho," which also have the theme of mysterious incidents. These works are also characterized by stories that depict the boundary between dreams and reality and attractive characters, and are recommended for fans of "Dream Hunter Rem."

Conclusion

"Dream Hunter Rem" is a story about a beautiful detective girl who fights between dreams and reality, and is a work that will deeply move and thrill viewers. The story, characters, visuals, and music are all of high quality, making it a must-see for viewers who like horror and action. Please watch it at least once and experience its charm.