The appeal and reviews of "Makai Toshi <Shinjuku>": A thorough analysis of the abyssal world

All-round evaluation and recommendation of Makai Toshi <Shinjuku> - Makai Toshi Shinjuku -

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

novel

■ Release date

October 25, 1988

■Release and sales

Japan Home Video Co., Ltd.

■Frequencies

80 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Hideyuki Kikuchi

■ Director

Yoshiaki Kawajiri

■ Production

Animation Production: Madhouse Production: Kenji Kurata

■ Story

A major earthquake struck Shinjuku, a sub-center of Tokyo. As a result, Shinjuku was transformed into a crime-ridden area called "Shinjuku, the City of Demons." A dark magician named Levi Ra was hiding behind the scenes, but Genichiro Izayoi, a man who used mind powers and was also Ra's ally, challenged him, only to die before the enemy's magical powers. Now, 10 years later, the powerful monster Ra was looking for is about to descend upon Shinjuku.
Ra, who wants to turn the whole world into a demon realm, succeeds in stopping the Nen priest Rai, who is an obstacle to his plan. However, Rai is unable to move, so he entrusts Genichiro's only son, Izayoi Kyoya, with defeating Ra in his place. Furthermore, Rama Sayaka, the daughter of the head of the federal government, who is being tormented by Ra, also pleads with Kyoya. Kyoya initially declines, saying that he is not a Gala, but the two eventually head to Shinjuku. There, they are attacked by a water demon, but are saved by a mysterious man, Mephisto...

■Explanation

This OVA is based on the debut work of the same title by fantasy horror author Kikuchi Hideyuki. Director Kawajiri Yoshiaki and production company Madhouse also made an OVA the previous year of "Yōjū Toshi", also based on Kikuchi's original work. "Makai Toshi Shinjuku" was born during the OVA boom of the late 1980s, and its fusion of dark fantasy and horror left a strong impression on viewers at the time. In particular, the setting, which combined urban legends and the occult, had a fascinating pull on viewers. Also, for fans of the original novel, the film adaptation allowed them to enjoy the story from a new perspective.

■Cast

・Kyouya Izayoi/Hideyuki Hori・Sayaka Lama/Hiromi Tsuru・Levi Rah/Kiyoshi Kobayashi・Chibi/Kyoko Tonmiya・Mephisto/Yusaku Yara・Genichiro Izayoi/Banjō Ginga・Rai Roshi/Ichiro Nagai・Information Granny/Takeshi Aono

■ Main staff

Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri Animation Production: Madhouse Production: Kenji Kurata Planning: Kosuke Kuri Original Story: Hideyuki Kikuchi Screenplay: Kaori Okamura Animation Director: Takayuki Onda Art Director: Yuji Ikeda Director of Photography: Kinichi Ishikawa Music: Genichi Shinoda

■ Main Characters

Kyoya Izayoi is a self-taught user of "Nenpou". Although he is still a high school student, he inherited his father's excellent Nen talent, and together with Sayaka, he enters the demon city as her guard, and engages in a deadly battle with Levi Ra and the demons.
Sayaka Lama In order to save her father, Chairman Lama Cozumi, who was attacked as soon as he arrived in Japan, Sayaka heads to Demon City alone, regardless of the danger. Although she is a naive and kind-hearted young lady, there are many people who are on her side, including Kyoya.
Levi Ra was once an excellent user of "Nenpou", but he was captivated by the demon world and absorbed its power, giving him incredible power. In order to gain the power to combine this world with the demon world, he went into a 10-year slumber.
He lives a tough life in the demon city with his two-headed doberman. He met Sayaka and her friends by chance and they started acting together.
Mephisto is a doctor who is known as the "Demon Doctor" and is rumored to be able to revive the dead. He is always cool and cynical. It's hard to tell what he's thinking, but he helps Kyoya and Sayaka as they fight against formidable opponents.
Genichiro Izayoi Kyoya's father and a master of "Nenpo". Ten years ago, he risked his life to fight Ra with his beloved sword "Asura" in an attempt to crush his ambitions, but was defeated in vain.
Master Rai is a practitioner of the Nenpo technique and the master of Genichiro and Ra. He is unable to move in order to save Chairman Lama, who is about to lose his life in Ra's trap, and asks Kyoya to defeat Ra.
The Old Lady Informant She is an information broker who knows everything about the Demon City, but she is also greedy, cunning and tricky.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

"Makai Toshi Shinjuku" was released as an OVA in 1988, and its fusion of dark fantasy and horror left a strong impression on viewers at the time. In particular, the setting, which combined urban legends and the occult, had a fascinating pull that drew viewers in. Also, for fans of the original novel, the film adaptation allowed them to enjoy the story from a new perspective.

The appeal of this work lies above all in its unique worldview. The setting is the real city of Shinjuku, transformed into a "Demon City" where monsters run rampant, which has the effect of blurring the boundary between reality and fantasy for the viewer. In addition, the story of Kyoya Izayoi's growth as he confronts the powerful enemy Levi-Rah is also an element that draws the viewer in.

The portrayal of the characters is also superb. In particular, the character of Izayoi Kyoya, a self-taught user of "Nenpou", is easy for viewers to sympathize with. His actions as he follows his father's last will and confronts the demon city can be seen as a symbol of youth. Additionally, the purity of Lama Sayaka and Mephisto's coolness add depth to the story.

The animation and music have also been highly praised. Madhouse's animation skillfully expresses a dark atmosphere that draws viewers in. Genichi Shinoda's music not only heightens the tension of the story, but also has the effect of stirring the emotions of the viewer.

The recommended points are as follows:

• People who like a fusion of dark fantasy and horror
• People who are interested in urban legends and the occult
• People who want to enjoy a coming-of-age story
• People who want to enjoy a unique worldview
• Anyone interested in Madhouse's animation productions
• People who are interested in Genichi Shinoda's music

"Makai Toshi Shinjuku" was born during the OVA boom of the late 1980s, and its fusion of dark fantasy and horror left a strong impression on viewers at the time. In particular, the setting, which combined urban legends and the occult, had the appeal to draw viewers in. Also, for fans of the original novel, the film adaptation allowed them to enjoy the story from a new perspective. This work is recommended for those who like the fusion of dark fantasy and horror, those who are interested in urban legends and the occult, those who want to enjoy a coming-of-age story, those who want to enjoy a unique worldview, those who are interested in Madhouse's animation productions, and those who are interested in Genichi Shinoda's music.