Makyou Gaiden Les Dius: A deep look into the fascinating story and characters

Makyou Gaiden Re Dius - Makyou Gaiden Re Dius

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

December 1, 1987

■Release and sales

Toho Video

■Frequencies

50 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Production Lead

■ Director

・Director: Hiroshi Negishi

■ Production

Produced by Toho Co., Ltd. and Ashi Productions

■Works

©1987 Ashi Productions, Toho

■ Story

Riot and his friends set out on a journey in search of the mineral resource Lidonium, which lies dormant in the Zalem ruins on the planet Raphael. If they could collect two "Eyes of Zalem" and place them on the statue, the door to the stone chamber containing the Lidonium would open. One was in Riot's hands, and the other was in the hands of a young girl, Uta, a descendant of Zalem. Uta and the two "Eyes" were stolen by the Demstar gang when they caught them off guard - the moment Uta placed the "Eyes" on the statue, the ruins began to crumble under the light of the Lidonium. Riot rescued Uta and called out to Radius from the sky, and challenged the gang to a final battle.

■Cast

・Riot/Kazuki Yao ・Utah/Yuko Mizutani ・Spica/Tomoe Kamiyo ・Seneca/Toshimi Nakamura ・Kaiser/Norio Wakamoto

■ Main staff

・Director / Negishi Hiroshi・Screenplay / Sonoda Hideki・Character design / Aran Rei・Animation design / Tamura Hideki・Mechanical design / Habara Nobuyoshi, Omori Takahiro, Sano Hirotoshi・Chief animation director / Motohashi Hideyuki・Art director / Shimazaki Yui・Music / Nanba Hiroyuki・Sound director / Shimizu Katsunori・Produced by Toho Co., Ltd., Ashi Productions

■Subtitle

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Makyou Gaiden Re Dius - Makyou Gaiden Re Dius Review

Released as an OVA in 1987, "Makyou Gaiden Les Dius" left a strong impression on fans at the time with its unique worldview and epic story. This work was produced as an original anime, written by Production Reed and released by Toho Video. Directed by Negishi Hiroshi and produced by Toho Co., Ltd. and Ashi Productions, each episode is 50 minutes long and self-contained.

The story depicts the journey of adventurers searching for the mineral Lidonium, which lies dormant in the Zalem ruins on the planet Raphael. The protagonist Riot and his companions attempt to open the door to the stone chamber that contains the Lidonium by collecting two gemstones called the "Eyes of Zalem" and inserting them into a statue of the god. However, Riot's companion Uta is captured by Demstar's gang, and the two "eyes" are stolen. The moment Uta inserts the "eyes" into the statue, the light of the Lidonium causes the ruins to collapse, and Riot summons Radius from the sky to rescue Uta, and they must face the Demstar gang in a final battle.

The appeal of this work lies above all in its grand worldview and detailed setting. Set in a parallel world called the planet Raphael, the story depicts an adventure around ancient ruins and unknown mineral resources. In particular, the depiction of the Zalem ruins is extremely realistic, with a strong visual impact and the power to draw the viewer in. In addition, the presence of a mineral resource called Lidonium adds depth to the story, making the adventurers' motivations and actions feel even more real.

The character settings are also fascinating. The protagonist Riot is portrayed as a brave and righteous adventurer, and Kazuki Yao's voice acting brings out the character even more. Uta is a descendant of Zalem, and her purity and strength add color to the story. Yuko Mizutani's voice acting also deeply expresses Uta's character. Meanwhile, Kaiser, the leader of the Demstar gang, is portrayed as a ruthless and calculating villain, and Norio Wakamoto's voice acting further emphasizes his character.

The main staff also play a major role in enhancing the quality of this work. Director Hiroshi Negishi skillfully directs the development of the story and the movements of the characters, achieving both visual beauty and tension. Screenwriter Hideki Sonoda smoothly advances the development of the story and carefully depicts the feelings and motivations of the characters. Character designer Rei Aran provides designs that highlight the individuality of the characters, while animation designer Hideki Tamura pursues the beauty and realism of the movements. Mechanic designers Nobuyoshi Habara, Takahiro Omori, and Hirotoshi Sano are in charge of the design of mechanics such as Radius, enhancing the visual impact. Animation director Hideyuki Motohashi draws the movements and expressions of the characters with attention to detail, while art director Yui Shimazaki realistically depicts the backgrounds such as the Zalem ruins. Musician Hiroyuki Namba provides music that enhances the atmosphere of the story, and sound director Katsunori Shimizu skillfully adjusts the sound effects and the performances of the voice actors.

Another attraction of this work is the presence of a giant mechanic called Radius. Radius, summoned from the sky, is depicted as the weapon of Riot's final battle, and its design and movement make a strong visual impact. The teamwork of mechanic designers Nobuyoshi Habara, Takahiro Omori, and Hirotoshi Sano brings out the charm of Radius to the fullest.

"Makyou Gaiden Les Dius" was released as an OVA in 1987, but its world view, characters, and mechanical design are still loved by many fans today. In particular, the epic adventure story, detailed setting, and visual beauty are major attractions of this work, and it has the power to draw the viewer in. If you like adventure stories set in another world and giant mechanics, you should definitely check out this work. You will surely be drawn in by its charm.

Recommendation

If you enjoyed "Makyou Gaiden Les Dius," here are some recommended works for you.

1. Mobile Suit Gundam

"Mobile Suit Gundam" is a TV anime series that aired in 1979, depicting giant robots and war. The main character, Amuro Ray, pilots the Gundam and fights against the Principality of Zeon. The mechanical design and depth of the story are in common with "Makyou Gaiden Les Dius", making it a beloved work by fans.

2. Laputa: Castle in the Sky

"Castle in the Sky" is a Studio Ghibli film released in 1986, and is an adventure story about ancient ruins floating in the sky. It depicts the protagonists Pazu and Sheeta going on a journey to find Laputa. The ancient ruins and adventure elements are common to "Makyou Gaiden Les Dius", and the visual beauty of the film is also appealing.

3. Final Fantasy VII Advent Children

"Final Fantasy VII Advent Children" is an OVA released in 2005, produced as a sequel to the game "Final Fantasy VII". It depicts the protagonist Cloud and his companions fighting a new enemy. It shares the same grand worldview and deep characters as "Makyou Gaiden Les Dius", and is a work beloved by fans.

Just like "Makyou Gaiden Les Dius", these works also have magnificent worldviews, intricate settings, and beautiful visuals.