Mahjong Hishoden: Crying Dragon - A thorough review of the moving story and character depth

"Mahjong Hishoden: Crying Dragon - Hiryu no Shou" - A moving OVA depicting the world of mahjong

The OVA "Mahjong Hishoden: Crying Dragon Hiryu no Shou", released on August 23, 1991, is a work that depicts a human drama through the game of mahjong. The original work is a manga by Junichi Nojo, directed by Tetsu Dezaki, and produced by a stellar team including Gainax and Magic Bus. This work was released by Toshiba, and although it is short and only 45 minutes long, it offers a dense experience.

story

"Mahjong Hishoden: Naki no Ryuu Hiryu no Shou" depicts the protagonist, Naki no Ryuu, growing up in the world of mahjong. Naki no Ryuu has been familiar with mahjong since childhood and while his talent blossoms, he also grows as a person through various difficulties and encounters with other players. This work particularly depicts Naki no Ryuu facing a crucial situation known as the "Hiryu no Shou," and there are many scenes that test not only his mahjong skills, but also his mental strength and the bonds he has with his friends.

character

Crying Dragon

• The protagonist. He has been familiar with mahjong since he was a child and his talent blossoms. He is an emotional person, and he grows as a person through mahjong.

Other major characters

• Crying Dragon's masters and rivals appear, each portrayed as a unique character. Through his matches and interactions with them, Crying Dragon's growth is depicted.

Production Staff

Original author: Junichi Nojo

Director: Tetsu Dezaki

Produced by: Gainax, Magic Bus

Junichi Nojo's original work is known for its realistic depiction of the world of mahjong while skillfully weaving in human drama. Director Tetsu Dezaki is a master of many masterpieces in the animation industry, and his directing skills have had a major influence on this work. In addition, the film was co-produced by Gainax and Magic Bus, resulting in high-quality visual expression.

Evaluation and Impressions

"Mahjong Hishoden: Crying Dragon - Hiryu no Shou" has been highly praised not only by mahjong fans, but also by anime fans in general. In particular, the story of Crying Dragon's growth and the human drama through mahjong moved many viewers. In addition, the direction of Tetsu Dezaki and the visual expression of Gainax and Magic Bus were also highly praised, making it an unusual success for an OVA.

The appeal of this work is, above all, the growth of Crying Dragon as a person. The story depicts not only mahjong skills, but also mental strength and the bond with friends, and deeply moves the viewer. In addition, the rules and strategies of mahjong are carefully described, so even mahjong beginners can enjoy it.

Recommended points

1. **The story of the growth of the Crying Dragon**: The story of the protagonist, the Crying Dragon, growing as a person through mahjong deeply touches the viewers. The scenes depicting his emotional ups and downs and the bond with his friends are particularly moving.

2. **Direction by Tetsu Dezaki**: Tetsu Dezaki's direction has had a major influence on this work. His unique camerawork and visual expression bring out the tension and drama of the mahjong to the fullest.

3. **Visual expression by Gainax and Magic Bus**: The joint production by Gainax and Magic Bus has achieved high quality visual expression. In particular, the depiction of movements and expressions in the mahjong scenes is superb.

4. **Enjoyable even for Mahjong beginners**: The rules and strategies of Mahjong are carefully described, so even beginners can enjoy it. Also, since it is centered on human drama through Mahjong, even people who are not interested in Mahjong can enjoy it.

Related works and recommendations

For those who enjoyed "Mahjong Hishoden: Crying Dragon - Hiryu no Shou," we also recommend the following works:

1. **"Akagi"**: An anime adaptation of a mahjong manga by Nobuyuki Fukumoto. It depicts the protagonist Akagi's activities in the world of mahjong. Like "Mahjong Hishoden: Crying Dragon Hiryu no Shou", it centers on a human drama through mahjong.

2. **Ten: The Perfect Mahjong Player**: An anime adaptation of a mahjong manga also by Fukumoto Nobuyuki. It follows the protagonist Ten as he grows in the world of mahjong. Like Mahjong Hishoden: Crying Dragon: Hiryu no Shou, it not only focuses on mahjong skills, but also on mental strength and the bonds between friends.

3. **"Akagi: The Genius Who Descended Into Darkness"**: An anime adaptation of a mahjong manga by Nobuyuki Fukumoto. It depicts the protagonist Akagi's exploits in the world of mahjong. Like "Mahjong Hishoden: The Crying Dragon, Hiryu no Shou", it centers around a human drama that unfolds through mahjong.

Conclusion

"Mahjong Hishoden: Crying Dragon - Hiryu no Shou" is a moving OVA set in the world of mahjong. It is full of many charms, such as the way the main character, Crying Dragon, grows as a person through mahjong, the direction of Tetsu Dezaki, and the visual expression of Gainax and Magic Bus. It is a work that is recommended not only for mahjong fans but also for general anime fans, so please give it a watch.