The appeal and evaluation of "Soryuuden": Reevaluating the legendary RPG

The full story and appeal of "Souryuuden"

Overview

"Souryuuden" is an OVA released by Kitty Film on June 25, 1991. It was written by Yoshiki Tanaka, who is known for his science fiction novels, and was directed by Osamu Dezaki. It is a feature-length work consisting of one episode and 125 minutes, and is set in the present day, depicting the four brothers of the Ryudo family, descendants of the Dragon King, fighting evil.

■ Story

The story takes place in the present day. The four Ryudo brothers, Tsuzuku, Shuu, Shige and Yo, are descendants of the Dragon King and possess abilities that surpass those of ordinary people. The four brothers wish to live peacefully, but are attacked by minions of the old man Funatsu, the mastermind behind Japan's political and financial world, who desires their abilities. During the battle, Yo, the fourth of the four Ryudo brothers, finally awakens as a dragon and defeats the old man Funatsu, but this causes the Four Sisters, the hidden face of a huge conglomerate that controls the Western economy, to also advance into Japan. During the battle, the four brothers, Tsuzuku, Shuu and Yo, awaken one after another as dragons.

■Explanation

This anime is based on the original work by Yoshiki Tanaka, a writer known for popular science fiction novels such as "Legend of the Galactic Heroes." It is a science fiction fantasy about the four Ryudo brothers who can transform into dragons and fight evil, and the 12-episode anime depicts the contents of volumes 1 to 4 of the original novel. The work is the work of a stellar staff, including director Osamu Dezaki, screenwriter Akinori Endo, and animation director Moriyasu Taniguchi. In particular, the fusion of Dezaki Osamu's unique direction and Yoshiki Tanaka's detailed worldview has earned the work extremely high praise both visually and in terms of the story.

■Cast

・Hajime Ryudo/Hideyuki Hori・Tsuki Ryudo/Nobuo Tobita・Shu Ryudo/Daiki Nakamura・Yo Ryudo/Kappei Yamaguchi・Tadayoshi Funatsu/Norio Otsuka

■ Main staff

・Original story by Yoshiki Tanaka ・Director by Osamu Dezaki ・Screenplay by Akinori Endo ・Storyboard by Sakimakura ・Direction by Shigeru Ueda and Yoshihiro Yamaguchi ・Chief animation director by Moriyasu Taniguchi ・Art director by Shichiro Kobayashi ・Background by Studio Loft and Studio With

■ Main Characters

・Ryuudou Shigeru The eldest of the four Ryuudou brothers. He has a strict and stubborn personality, but he cares for his younger brothers. He is loved by his other brothers. His hobby is reading, and he is a book addict who cannot relax without a book. He can transform into a blue dragon that can control gravity.
The second son of the four Ryudo Tsukuryudo brothers. He is a good-looking, sharp-tongued man who deals with his enemies coldly. He has respected his older brother Hajime since he was a child, and only follows what Hajime decides. He can transform into a red dragon that can control super-high temperature flames and low temperature cold air.
The third son of the four Ryudo brothers. A mischievous boy who loves to fight, he is the best among his brothers in terms of fighting skills alone. He is a big eater and hates cowardly acts. He can transform into a white dragon that can control wind and sound.
・Ryudou Yoryudou The fourth son of the four brothers. He has a quiet and gentle personality, but he is the first of his brothers to awaken as a dragon. He has the ability to see "dreams" that transcend time and space. He can transform into a black dragon that can control rain and lightning.
・Funatsu Tadanao An old man known as the "Lord of Kamakura" and the mastermind behind Japan's political and financial world. Although he is human, he once inherited the blood of a supernatural dragon species, which gave him superhuman powers. In order to gain even more power, he targets the four Ryudo brothers, but is defeated by me, who has awakened as a dragon.

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Souryuuden" has received high praise for its fusion of the grand worldview of Yoshiki Tanaka's original work and the unique direction of Osamu Dezaki. In particular, the scene in which each of the four brothers transforms into a dragon with a different ability is visually very impactful, bringing out the charm of the fantasy anime to the fullest. In addition, the individual character settings of the four brothers are also very deep, and the fact that it is easy for viewers to empathize with them has also been praised.

The story is also very detailed, with the process of the four brothers awakening into dragons one after another, and the battles with Old Man Funatsu and the four sisters depicted with great tension. In particular, the scenes depicting the growth and bond between the four brothers will have a strong impact on the viewers' hearts.

■ Recommendation points

"Souryuuden" is a must-see for anyone who loves sci-fi fantasy anime. In particular, those who are familiar with Yoshiki Tanaka's original work will enjoy the world view that has been further deepened by the anime adaptation. Also, those who like Osamu Dezaki's directing will enjoy this work as it fully demonstrates his unique style.

Furthermore, the individual character settings of the four brothers and the scenes depicting their growth and bonds will surely encourage viewers to empathize with them. In particular, the scene in which each of the four brothers transforms into a dragon with a different ability is visually very impactful, bringing out the charm of this fantasy anime to the fullest.

■ Related works and recommendations

For those who enjoyed "Souryuuden," we also recommend "Legend of the Galactic Heroes," also based on an original work by Yoshiki Tanaka. "Legend of the Galactic Heroes" is a grand science fiction drama set in space, with detailed depictions of politics, war, and human drama. In addition, other works directed by Osamu Dezaki, such as "Aim for the Ace!" and "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind," are also recommended. These works can also be enjoyed as works that highlight Dezaki's unique direction.

For those who enjoyed the scenes depicting the growth and bonds between the four brothers, we also recommend "Full Metal Panic!" and "Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion." These works also have many scenes depicting the growth and bonds between the main characters, which will encourage strong emotional empathy in the viewer.

Conclusion

"Souryuuden" is a fascinating sci-fi fantasy anime that combines Yoshiki Tanaka's original work with Osamu Dezaki's direction. The individual character settings of the four brothers and the scenes depicting their growth and bond will encourage strong emotional empathy in the viewer. In addition, the scene in which each of the four brothers transforms into a dragon with a different ability is visually very impactful, bringing out the charm of the fantasy anime to the fullest. It is a must-see for people who love sci-fi fantasy anime, and is especially enjoyable for those who are familiar with Yoshiki Tanaka's original work and who like Osamu Dezaki's direction. Please give it a watch.