"Space Warriors" review: A masterpiece anime with epic space battles and a deep story

"Space Warriors": A Future Battlefield and the Trajectory of Youth

■Overview of the work

"Space Soldiers" was released as an OVA in 1988 and was based on Robert A. Heinlein's science fiction novel "Space Soldiers." The story follows the human race as it expands from Earth into the galaxy in the future, focusing on the protagonist Johnny's growth as a soldier. The OVA is made up of six episodes, each about 25 minutes long. It was produced by Bandai and Sunrise with the cooperation of Movic, and released by Bandai Visual.

■ Story

On Earth in the future, humanity has expanded into the galaxy. The protagonist, Johnny, lives an ordinary life as a high school student, but when he finds out that his classmate Carmencita, whom he has a crush on, is joining the navy, he volunteers for the military as well. After rigorous training, Johnny is promoted to a mobile infantryman wearing a powered suit and takes part in a battle against mysterious aliens on the planet Kurendatu. During this battle, Johnny and his friends grow together, and spend their days in youth and fighting.

■Explanation

"Space Troopers" is an anime adaptation of Heinlein's classic science fiction novel, which was also known as one of the planning motifs for "Mobile Suit Gundam" and was later made into a Hollywood movie. The original novel depicts the struggles and achievements of a young man who becomes a soldier and experiences in the extreme conditions of an interstellar war, but the anime version has a different interpretation from the original, such as the design of the enemy aliens and the development of the story. This allows not only fans of the original work to enjoy the unique appeal of the anime.

■Cast

The cast of this work includes Yasunori Matsumoto as the main character Johnny and Rei Sakuma as Carmencita. Other notable voice actors include Makoto Ataka as Paul, Yuji Mitsuya as Carl, Shinji Ogawa as Emilio Rico, Kazuko Yanagi as Maria Rico, Akira Kamiya as Sergeant Zim, Hirotaka Suzuoki as Greg, Kazuhiko Inoue as Smith, Shou Hayami as Pat, Shuichi Ikeda as Azuma, and Kazuyasu Sogabe as Hendrick. The performances of these voice actors realistically portray the emotions and growth of the characters.

■ Main staff

Many talented staff members were involved in the production of "Space Warriors." The project was planned by Sunrise, the original work was by Robert A. Heinlein (translated by Toru Yano, published by Hayakawa Publishing), the story was composed by Tsunehisa Ito, the character design and animation director was Yoshi Inano, the mechanical design was Kazutaka Miyatake, the art was Shigemi Ikeda, the setting cooperation was Yutaka Izubuchi, the mechanical animation director was Yoshihisa Uchida, the cinematographer was Takashi Nomura, the editor was Takeshi Seyama, the sound was Yasunori Honda, the music was Hiroyuki Nanba, the director was Tetsuro Amino, and the producers were Hironori Nakagawa (Sunrise) and Minoru Takanashi (Bandai). Thanks to the cooperation of these staff members, the worldview of the original work was faithfully reproduced while bringing out the unique charm of the anime.

■Subtitle

The subtitles for each episode of "Space Warriors" are as follows:

• Episode 1: Johnny
• Episode 2: Hendrick
• Episode 3: Maria
• Episode 4: Greg
• Episode 5: Charenkov
• Episode 6: Carmencita

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Space Warriors" is loved by many fans as a work that depicts the battlefield of the future and the trajectory of youth. In particular, the story of the protagonist Johnny's coming of age deeply moves viewers. In addition, the design of the powered suits and the depiction of the battle scenes are also superb, making it a must-see for science fiction fans. Another attraction is the anime's unique story development, which adds a different interpretation to the original work, making it enjoyable not only for fans of the original work but also for anime fans.

■ Recommendation points

Here are some reasons why I recommend Space Warriors:

• A story of youth and growth : The coming-of-age story of the main character, Johnny, will deeply touch the viewers. You can follow the process of how Johnny grows through his rigorous military training and experiences on the battlefield.
• The appeal of the sci-fi elements : The design of the powered suits and the depiction of the battle scenes are must-sees for sci-fi fans. The realistic depiction of futuristic technology and the battlefield enhances the appeal of the work.
• The anime's unique interpretation : The storyline of the anime, which has a different interpretation from the original, is enjoyable not only for fans of the original but also for anime fans. In particular, the design of the enemy aliens and the relationships between the characters are full of the anime's unique charm.
• A stellar cast of voice actors : Yasunori Matsumoto, Rei Sakuma, Akira Kamiya, and many others. The performances of these voice actors portray the emotions and growth of the characters realistically.

■Comparison with related works

"Space Troopers" is often compared to other science fiction works such as "Mobile Suit Gundam" and "Starship Troopers." In particular, "Mobile Suit Gundam" is also produced by Sunrise, and there are similarities in the depiction of future battlefields and mobile weapons. "Starship Troopers" is also based on the same original novel, and there are similarities in the story and character settings. However, "Space Troopers" has its own unique appeal that is different from these works, and it is a work that gives new impressions to viewers.

■How to watch

"Space Warriors" can be purchased on DVD and Blu-ray. It is also available on some video streaming services. If you are interested, please try watching it in these ways.

Conclusion

"Space Warriors" is a moving work that depicts the battlefield of the future and the trajectory of youth. It is full of many charms, such as the story of the protagonist Johnny's growth, the design of his powered suit, and the depiction of the battle scenes. In addition, the story development with its own unique interpretation of the anime and the gorgeous voice actors are also points not to be missed. This is a work that science fiction and anime fans should definitely watch.