The appeal and reviews of "COOL COOL BYE": The world of anime you can't miss

The appeal and reviews of "COOL COOL BYE"

■Overview of the work

"COOL COOL BYE" is an animated work released as an OVA on January 21, 1986. It was written, directed, scripted, and character designed by Tomotaka Kogawa, and released by Pony Canyon. It is a 45-minute long adventure animation produced by Filmlink and Studio B-Bo.

■ Story

Han clan warriors Lek and Frenay are asked by a clan elder to guard a village because of their skills. A giant transforming mecha is attacking the village and kidnapping the women. However, their guarding fails and a baby is kidnapped again. Lek and his friends, along with some boys from the village who volunteered, head to the base of Tangine, the man who controls the mecha.

■Explanation

"COOL COOL BYE" is a work that features Tomotaka Kogawa's unique worldview, unique characters, and mecha action. It depicts hot-blooded boys facing difficulties in the adventure genre. Tomotaka Kogawa is in charge of the original story, direction, scriptwriting, and character design, and expresses his vision to the fullest.

■Cast

• Lek Han: Masako Nozawa
• Frene Han: Mayumi Tanaka
• Cyril Soko: Eiko Yamada
• Colora: Hideyuki Hori
• Coolie: Hikari Akiyama
• Tanguin: Koichi Mori

■ Main staff

• Produced by: Studio B-Bo
• Planning and production: Norio Yamakawa
• Original story, director, character design, script: Tomotaka Kogawa
• Producer: Daizaburo Hayashi
• Storyboard: Bibo
• Assistant Director: Fumio Ito
• Mechanical design: Katsuya Nozawa
• Setting cooperation: Akihiko Yamashita
• Animation director: Tomotaka Kogawa, Hidetoshi Omori
• Art director, background: Kenji Matsumoto
• Director of photography: Toshio Ito
• Music: Takeru Sato
• Sound Director: Noriyoshi Matsuura
• Color setting, color specification: Suzuki Motoaki
• Development: IMAGICA
• Edited by: Kazuo Inoue
• Mixer: Harutoshi Otsuka
• Sound Production: Present
• Recording: Sound Mixing Studio
• Effects: Katsumi Ito, Yasuyuki Konno
• Recording Director: Kiyoshi Umino
• Produced by Filmlink International

■ Main Characters

• Lek: A hot-blooded boy who is a warrior of the Han clan. A wild child who never forgets to fill his stomach before a battle and eats until the very last moment.
• Frene: A boy who is a warrior of the Han clan, just like Rek. He's mischievous, but also a bit of a coward.
• Cyril: A village boy. He has red hair, blue eyes, and a handsome face. He had promised his future to Tangine, but his lover, Pamela, was stolen from him.
• Korora: A young man from the village. He is well-built and sturdy. His sister has been kidnapped by Tangine.
• Coolie: A mysterious girl who appeared from a hole in the ground. She can change from a small fairy-like form to human size. A beautiful girl with long hair and beautiful eyes.
• Tangine: A small-time villain who kidnapped women from the surrounding villages. His goal was to ensure that the villages would not prosper and would perish.

■ Main robot items

• The vehicle that Rek and his friends ride on: a small mecha with insect-like legs. It floats and moves like a hovercraft. It also has parts that look like insect wings.
• Penguin: A giant transforming mecha operated by Tangine. Its movements are slow, but it is large enough that the Recks can run through its armor.

■ Theme songs and music

The ending theme "Footloose" is written by Akira Otsu, composed by Takeru Sato, and sung by Noriko Hidaka.

■The appeal of the work

The greatest appeal of "COOL COOL BYE" is Tomotaka Kogawa's unique worldview and character design. The duo of Rek and Freine, with their perfect combination of hot-bloodedness and timidity, draws viewers in. Additionally, the village boys Cyril and Korora also have rich personalities, adding depth to the story. The character of Cooly in particular leaves an impression with his mysterious presence and beautiful visuals.

The mecha action scenes are also one of the highlights. The machines that Rek and his friends pilot are designed to look like insects, and the way they float and move like hovercrafts is refreshing. Meanwhile, Tangeen's giant transforming mecha, the Pengeen, is so huge and sluggish that it feels even more powerful. The battle scenes between the mechas are full of tension and thrills.

The music also adds to the appeal of the work. The ending theme "Footloose" composed by Takeru Sato is a song that further enhances the moving feeling of the story. Noriko Hidaka's singing voice resonates in the hearts of viewers.

■ Evaluation of the work

"COOL COOL BYE" is a work that has been released in the form of an OVA, but it continues to be loved by many fans. It is highly praised for Tomotaka Kogawa's unique world view, character design, and the powerful mecha action. The story also develops quickly, so viewers will not get bored.

The performances of the cast are also highly praised. Masako Nozawa and Mayumi Tanaka's voices of Leck and Freinet bring out the individuality of their characters to the fullest. Eiko Yamada and Hideyuki Hori's performances also enrich the characters of Cyril and Korora. Hikari Akiyama's voice of Cooley in particular further emphasizes her mysterious presence.

The technical skills of the staff are also not to be overlooked. Tomotaka Kogawa's character design and mechanical design support the worldview of the work. In addition, the art direction and background of Kenji Matsumoto, the cinematography of Toshio Ito, the music of Takeru Sato, the sound direction of Noriyoshi Matsuura, and other staff members all work together to complete the work.

■ Recommendation points

"COOL COOL BYE" is recommended for those who want to enjoy an action-adventure animation. You will be moved by the passionate boys who face difficulties and excited by the power of the mecha action. You will also be fascinated by Tomotaka Kogawa's unique worldview and character design.

This is a must-see for fans of mecha action movies. The battle scenes between Rek's machine and Tangine's giant transforming mecha, the Penguin, are full of tension and thrills. The music also adds to the appeal of the film, and the ending theme, "Footloose," is a moving piece.

The performances of the cast are also not to be missed. The voice actors Masako Nozawa, Mayumi Tanaka, Eiko Yamada, Hideyuki Hori, Hikari Akiyama, and Koji Mori bring out the best in the characters. Hikari Akiyama's performance as the voice of Coolie especially emphasizes her mysterious presence.

The technical skills of the staff are also not to be overlooked. The character and mechanical designs by Tomotaka Kogawa, the art direction and backgrounds by Kenji Matsumoto, the cinematography by Toshio Ito, the music by Takeru Sato, and the sound direction by Noriyoshi Matsuura all worked together to complete the film.

"COOL COOL BYE" is a work that allows you to fully experience the charm of adventure action animation. Experience the adventures of hot-blooded boys, the power of mecha action, and Tomotaka Kogawa's unique world view and character design. You will surely become a fan of this work.