Rokushin Gattai Godmars: A thorough review of the 17-year-old legend

Rokushin Gattai Godmars: A thorough review of the 17-year-old legend

"Godmars: The Legend of the Seventeen Years Old": A story of youth and battle

"Godmars: The Legend of the Seventeen Year Old" was released as an OVA in 1988 and is a magnificent story based on the original work by Mitsuteru Yokoyama and Keisuke Fujikawa. This work depicts Marg, a boy from the planet Gishin, standing up against the dictatorship and evil government of Emperor Zulu. Below, we will introduce detailed information and reviews of this work, as well as recommended points.

Overview

■ Public Media
OVA
■ Original Media
comics
■ Release date
June 5, 1988
■Release and sales
Toho Video
■Frequencies
55 min
■ Number of Episodes
Episode 1
■Original Story
Mitsuteru Yokoyama and Keisuke Fujikawa
■ Director
Masakatsu Iijima
■ Production
Produced by Toho, Tokyo Movie Shinsha
■Works
©Hikari Production, Keisuke Fujikawa/Toho, TMS

story

■ Story

The people of Planet Gishin rebel against the dictatorship and tyranny of Emperor Zulu and form a guerrilla rebel force. 17-year-old Marg joins the guerrillas out of rage after his mother is killed. Together with the leader's daughter, Lulu, they fight back against the Zulu faction using their psychic powers. However, during a mopping-up operation that involves civilians from the Zulu army, Marg loses his beloved Lulu... In his despair, Marg is captured by Rose, a female captain of the Zulu army, and attacks the Zulus with her psychic powers, but ends up being brainwashed instead.

cast

■Cast

Marg: Yuji Mitsuya / Mars: Yu Mizushima / Emperor Zulu: Goro Naya / Rose: Rumiko Ukai / Idea: Masaaki Okabe / Aida: Akiko Tsuboi / Ula: Koichi Kitamura / Lulu: Yuko Mizutani and others

Main Staff

■ Main staff

Screenplay: Keisuke Fujikawa / Animation director, character design: Hideyuki Motohashi / Hardware design: Hajime Kamegaki / Art: Yukihiro Shibuya, Tsutomu Ishigaki / Music: Reijiro Koroku

Theme songs and music

■ Theme songs and music

[OP] Song: Legend of Stardust / Singers: Mitsuya Yuji, Mizushima Yu / Lyrics: Ando Yoshihiko / Composer: Kudo Takashi / Arrangement: Yano Tatsumi [ED] Song: In the Wind / Singer: Mizutani Yuko / Lyrics: Ando Yoshihiko / Composer: Baba Takayuki / Arrangement: Yano Tatsumi

Background and production secrets

"Godmars: The Legend of the Seventeen-Year-Old" was produced as a spin-off of the TV anime "Godmars," which aired from 1981 to 1984. The original work is a manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama and Keisuke Fujikawa, and the OVA expands on that worldview. Director Masakatsu Iijima also directed the TV series, and in the OVA he portrays the story from a new perspective.

In producing the film, it was necessary to condense the grand worldview of the original work into a short 55-minute length. To that end, screenwriter Keisuke Fujikawa focused on the core of the story, and made an effort to portray the characters' feelings and conflicts. In addition, animation director Hideyuki Motohashi paid close attention to the characters' expressions and movements to create a strong visual impact.

Character Analysis

Marg

The main character, Marg, is a 17-year-old boy who confronts Emperor Zulu out of rage at the murder of his mother. His character is a symbolic presence, combining the purity of youth with the harshness of battle. Yuji Mitsuya's voice acting realistically portrays Marg's emotional ups and downs, leaving a strong impression on viewers. In particular, his despair after losing Lulu and the conflict he feels after being brainwashed touch the hearts of viewers.

Lulu

Lulu is the daughter of a guerrilla leader and Marg's lover. Her existence is a reason for Marg to fight and a symbol of hope. Yuko Mizutani's voice acting brings out Lulu's kindness and strength, and her death plays an important role as a turning point in the story.

Rosé

Rose, the female captain of the Zulu army, is responsible for brainwashing Marg. Her character symbolizes the evil rule of Emperor Zulu, but also depicts her own beliefs and conflicts, making her a complex character rather than a simple villain. Rumiko Ukai's voice acting skillfully expresses Rose's ruthlessness and inner conflict.

Visuals and Music

The visuals in this film show the attention to detail of animation director Hideyuki Motohashi throughout. Especially in the battle scenes, the characters' movements and expressions are depicted realistically, creating a strong visual impact. In addition, the mechanical design by hardware designer Hajime Kamegaki is also superb, allowing you to visually enjoy the powerful appearance of Godmars.

The music was composed by Koroku Reijiro and plays an important role in enhancing the atmosphere of the story. The opening theme "Hoshikuzu no Densetsu" features the impressive powerful voices of Mitsuya Yuji and Mizushima Yutaka, and conveys the grandeur of the story. The ending theme "Kaze no Naka wo" features Mizutani Yuko's gentle voice, evoking the presence of Lulu and resonating deeply with the viewer.

Rating and Recommended Points

"Godmars: The Legend of the Seventeen" has been highly praised as a story of youth and battle. In particular, it has been successful in portraying the emotions and conflicts of the characters, encouraging strong emotional empathy from the viewer. In addition, the quality of the visuals and music is high, making it a visually and aurally enjoyable experience.

The recommended points include the following:

  • Themes of youth and battle : The story of Marg's growth and struggles evokes the purity of youth and the harshness of battle.
  • Depth of characters : The feelings and conflicts of each character, such as Marg, Lulu, and Rose, are portrayed so realistically that they touch the hearts of viewers.
  • Visual and music quality : The visuals, which reflect the animation director's attention to detail, and the music by Koroku Reijiro add excitement to the story.
  • The world of the original work : Enjoy a magnificent world view based on the original work by Mitsuteru Yokoyama and Keisuke Fujikawa.

Related works and recommendations

If you enjoyed "Godmars: The Legend of the Seventeen Year Old," we also recommend the following related works:

  • "Godmars" TV series : This is the TV anime that is the origin of this work, and you can learn more about the story and character backgrounds.
  • Other works by Mitsuteru Yokoyama : Other works by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, such as "Tetsujin 28" and "Mars," also feature grand worldviews and deep character portrayals.
  • Other works by Fujikawa Keisuke : Fujikawa Keisuke's other works, such as Galaxy Drifter Vifam and Panzer Revenge, are also masterpieces that depict the themes of youth and battle.

Conclusion

"Godmars: The Legend of the Seventeen Year Old" is a moving work that depicts the themes of youth and battle. Its appeal is the high quality of its realistic portrayal of the characters' feelings and conflicts, allowing viewers to enjoy it visually and aurally. The 55-minute story, which condenses the grand worldview of the original work, leaves a strong impression on viewers. Be sure to watch this work and experience the story of Marg's growth and battles.

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