Review of "Yojuu Toshi": A fascinating world view and deep story

"Yojuu Toshi": A masterpiece that opened up new horizons for Japanese horror

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

novel

■ Release date

April 25, 1987 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Joypack Film

■ Eirin Number

112346

■Frequencies

83 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Hideyuki Kikuchi

■ Director

Yoshiaki Kawajiri

■ Production

Produced by Japan Home Video. Production cooperation: Video Art, Madhouse.

■Works

©Hideyuki Kikuchi, Japan Home Video, Tokuma Shoten, Video Art

■ Story

Giuseppe Mayard, a psychic who holds the key to the conclusion of a non-aggression pact between the human world and the demon world. Renzaburo Taki, the "dark guard" who protects him, teams up with Makie, a beautiful woman sent from the demon world, and engages in a deadly battle against monsters with strange appearances and terrifying abilities that attack them!

■Explanation

Yoshiaki Kawajiri, who is highly acclaimed for his sharp action and live-action directing skills, has adapted "Yojuu Toshi," the first work in the popular "Yami Guard" series by Hideyuki Kikuchi, a genius of Japanese horror, into an OVA. Set in the beautifully yet coolly depicted darkness of the metropolis of Tokyo, the story unfolds with erotic violence and a hard-boiled flavor.
Distinguishing itself from the mainstream of conventional anime, this "anime for adults" was met with great enthusiasm when it was released in theaters and on video in 1987, winning the Best Original Video Software Award at the 5th Japan Anime Awards. Director Kawajiri's realistic characters and direction also attracted attention from around the world, making it a phenomenal hit in Hong Kong theaters and also a success in theaters, on video and on DVD in the United States. "Yōjuu Toshi" is an ambitious masterpiece that opened up a new dimension in Japanese animation.

■Cast

・Rensaburo Taki / Yusaku Yara ・Makie / Yoshiko Fujita ・Giuseppe Meyert / Ichiro Nagai ・Mr. Shadow / Takeshi Aono ・Spider Woman / Mari Yokoo ・Hotel Owner / Tamio Oki ・Jin / Koji Toya ・CEO / Yasuo Muramatsu ・Soapland Girl / Arisa Ando ・Woman of the Demon World / Asami Mukaidono

■ Main staff

・Original story/Kikuchi Hideyuki・Screenplay/Naga Kisei・Setting/Maruyama Masao・Character design, animation director/Kawajiri Yoshiaki・Assistant animation director/Takei Masaki・Art director/Oga Kazuo・Director of photography/Ishikawa Kinichi・Music/Tojirin Osamu・Assistant directors/Kusumi Naoko, Fukushima Hiroyuki・Director/Kawajiri Yoshiaki・Production cooperation/Video Art, Madhouse・Production/Japan Home Video

■ Main Characters

Taki Renzaburo: A dark guard on the side of the human world. He is usually an office worker at a mid-sized electronics manufacturer. He says, "I know all too well how terrifying the women of the demon world are."
Makie is a dark guard from the demon world. She works as a model in the human world, but her perfect beauty means she has no sponsors and is completely unknown as a model.
Giuseppe Meyert: An Italian missionary. Taki describes him as a "legendary magician and a great psychic." He was an essential figure in the signing of a truce between the human and demon worlds.
・Mr. Spider Woman, the boss of the Shadow Demon World's extremist faction
Mr. Shadow's subordinate. He relentlessly targets Taki.
The manager of Teito Hotel, which has one of the most powerful spirit barriers in Tokyo. He explains the mission of the Dark Guard to Taki.
Gin is a demonic extremist who was once Makie's lover. He attacks the Teito Hotel.
The president of the company where Taki works. He is an executive of the Dark Guard and gives Taki the order to protect Myart.
-Extremists from the demon world who attacked the soapland girl Myart.
・Woman of the Demon World
A subordinate of Mr. Kage. He plans to take over Taki.

■ Theme songs and music

・ED
"HOLD ME IN THE SHADOW"
Lyrics by Ryu Machiko Composition by Ida Yoshihiro Arrangement by Kyoda Seiichi Vocals by Toyama Hitomi
"IT'S NOT EASY"
Vocals: Hitomi Toyama

The appeal and evaluation of "Yojuu Toshi"

"Yojuu Toshi" is an OVA released in 1987, and is highly regarded as a work that opened up new horizons in Japanese horror. It was based on the first film in Hideyuki Kikuchi's popular series "Yami Guard", and was directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and reviews of this work.

The appeal of the story

The story of "Yōjū Toshi" depicts the exploits of Renzaburo Taki, a dark guard who protects Giuseppe Mayard, a psychic who holds the key to the non-aggression pact between the human and demon worlds, and Makie, a beautiful woman dispatched from the demon world. As a deadly battle unfolds with monsters with strange appearances and terrifying powers, the tension between the human and demon worlds is depicted realistically.

In particular, the relationship between Taki Renzaburo and Makie is one of the charms of the work. Taki is a businessman at a mid-sized electronics manufacturer, but he fights to fulfill his mission as a dark guard. Meanwhile, Makie is a dark guard on the side of the demon world, and works as a model in the human world, but her flawless beauty has prevented her from gaining sponsors and she remains unknown. The combination of these two makes the story exciting and draws the viewer in.

Visuals and performance

Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri's direction is characterized by sharp action and realistic depictions that are like live-action. The story is set in the beautifully yet coolly depicted darkness of the big city of Tokyo, where erotic violence unfolds with a hard-boiled flavor. This direction was praised as an "anime for adults" that stands out from the mainstream of conventional anime.

In particular, the character designs and movements are extremely realistic, leaving a strong impression on the viewer. Renzaburo Taki's calm expression, Makie's beauty, and the terrifying beasts are depicted in great detail. In addition, with the cooperation of art director Kazuo Oga and cinematographer Kin'ichi Ishikawa, the darkness of Tokyo is realistically reproduced.

Music and theme song

The music was composed by Osamu Tojibayashi and plays an important role in enhancing the atmosphere of the work. In particular, the ending theme "HOLD ME IN THE SHADOW" and the insert song "IT'S NOT EASY" feature Hitomi Toyama's singing voice, which enhances the worldview of the work. These songs help the viewer to become immersed in the story.

Recognition and Awards

"Yoju Toshi" was met with great enthusiasm after its theatrical release and video release in 1987. Its high acclaim was proven when it won the Best Original Video Software Award at the 5th Japan Anime Awards. Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri's realistic characters and direction also attracted attention from around the world, making it a phenomenal hit in Hong Kong theaters and also a success in theaters, on video and on DVD in the United States. These successes demonstrate that it is an ambitious masterpiece that opened up a new dimension in Japanese animation.

Cast and crew

The cast includes a star-studded cast of voice actors, including Yusaku Yara as Renzaburo Taki, Yoshiko Fujita as Makie, and Ichiro Nagai as Giuseppe Meyerdt. In addition, the voice actors who play unique characters, such as Takeshi Aono as Mr. Kage and Mari Yokoo as Spider Woman, also enhance the appeal of the work.

In terms of staff, the film is made up of professionals from various fields, including Hideyuki Kikuchi (original author), Nozomi Nagashi (scriptwriter), Masao Maruyama (settings), Yoshiaki Kawajiri (character designer and animation director), and others. Video Art and Madhouse participated in the production collaboration, and Japan Home Video was in charge of production. Thanks to the cooperation of these staff, "Yoju Toshi" has achieved high quality.

Main character details

Taki Renzaburo is a dark guard on the human side, and usually works as an office worker at a mid-sized electronics manufacturer. He says, "I know all too well how terrifying the women of the demon world can be," and fights calmly and with a strong will. Makie is a dark guard on the demon side, and works as a model in the human world, but her flawless beauty has prevented her from gaining sponsors and she remains unknown. Her beauty and fighting ability are important elements of the work.

Giuseppe Meyert is an Italian missionary, and according to Taki, "a legendary magician and a great psychic." He is an essential figure in the conclusion of the truce treaty between the human world and the demon world, and is at the center of the story. Mr. Kage is the boss of the demon world's extremists, and a formidable enemy standing in the way of Taki and Makie. The spider woman is a subordinate of Mr. Kage, and relentlessly targets Taki. The hotel owner is the manager of the Teito Hotel, which has one of the most powerful spiritual barriers in the city, and advises Taki of the mission of the Dark Guard. Jin is a demon world extremist who was once Makie's lover, and attacks the Teito Hotel. The president is the president of the company where Taki works, and as an executive of the Dark Guard, he instructs Taki to protect Meyert. The soap girl is a demon world extremist who attacked Meyert, and the demon world woman is a subordinate of Mr. Kage who plans to take over Taki. These characters add excitement to the story and draw the audience in.

Background and influences of the work

"Yoju Toshi" was born during the OVA boom of the late 1980s, and was noted for its quality and innovation. It was especially praised for breaking new ground in Japanese horror, winning many fans. It also received high praise overseas, demonstrating new possibilities for Japanese animation.

This work had a major influence on later horror and action anime. Its realistic depictions and hard-boiled taste influenced many creators and contributed to the development of the genre. The character designs and direction were also incorporated into later anime works, and became established as one of the styles of Japanese anime.

Recommendation to viewers

"Yojou Toshi" is highly recommended for viewers who like horror and action. This work, characterized by its realistic depiction and hard-boiled taste, has the power to draw the viewer in. In addition, the tension between the human world and the demon world and the relationships between the characters are also part of its appeal, making it easy to immerse yourself in the story. Furthermore, the music and theme songs also enhance the worldview of the work, enriching the viewing experience.

This work has been loved by many fans since its release in 1987. Even though it is an OVA, its quality and innovation are still highly regarded, and it is sure to bring new discoveries to viewers. Please watch "Yojuu Toshi" and experience its charm.