Karasu Tengu Kabuto: The Golden-eyed Beast - Review of the charming characters and deep story

Karasu Tengu Kabuto: The Golden-eyed Beast - A Fierce Battle in the Sengoku Era

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

July 24, 1992

■Release and sales

NHK General TV, Enterprise, Visual Books

■Frequencies

45 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

・Original work: Buichi Terasawa

■ Director

・Director: Takashi Watanabe

■ Production

KSS

■ Story

The castle town of Sado has been taken over by a female sorcerer named Tamamushi. Kabuto travels to Sado to rescue Princess Ran, who has been captured by Tamamushi and imprisoned deep within the castle. However, Tamamushi's minions, Rasatsubo and others, attack Kabuto.

■Explanation

This original video animation was produced after the 1990 TV broadcast of "Karasu Tengu Kabuto." It is an action film set in a parallel world inspired by Japan during the Warring States period, depicting the exploits of Kabuto, a man with the abilities of a tengu. The original author, Buichi Terasawa, himself wrote the script, directed, and storyboarded the story, and some of the settings have been changed to create a completely original story.

■Cast

・Kabuto/Yasunori Matsumoto ・Tamamushi/Yoshiko Fujita ・Ranki/Yoshino Takamori ・Kazuma/Kazuhiro Nakata ・Jinnai/Kenichi Ogata ・Rakusabou/Akio Otsuka

■ Main staff

・Original story, director, script, storyboard: Buichi Terasawa・Director: Yoshitaka Fujimoto・Chief animation director: Hisashi Hirai・Producer: Kazuo Susaki・General producers: Haruo Hashizume, Takumi Ogawa・Producer: Junko Ito・Planning and production: NHK Enterprises, KSS・Planning cooperation: Eigaaru・Production: Hero Communications・Production cooperation: Nakamura Productions

■ Main Characters

A man who calls himself Kabuto Karasu Tengu. He has a serious and cool personality. Using Tengu magic, he can create wings on his back and fly in the sky.
- Tamamushi female sorceress. She killed the lord of Sado Castle and now rules the castle town of Sado.
Rankihime is the only daughter of the lord of Sado Castle. She is imprisoned deep within the castle.
・He is a subordinate of Tamamushi Jinnai. He is called Karakuri Jinnai.
・A subordinate of Rakusatsubo Tamamushi.

■ Related works

Crow Tengu Kabuto

Karasu Tengu Kabuto Golden-eyed Beast - Detailed Review and Recommendation

■ Background and production process of the work

"Karasu Tengu Kabuto: Golden Eyed Beast" is an OVA produced as a sequel to "Karasu Tengu Kabuto" which was aired on TV in 1990. The original author, Buichi Terasawa, is in charge of the script, direction, and storyboards, and develops an original story. It is an action film set in a different world inspired by Japan during the Warring States period, depicting the exploits of the main character Kabuto, who has the abilities of a tengu.

While he is known as a manga artist, Buichi Terasawa is also deeply involved in anime production, and his unique vision is reflected in this work. In particular, the character designs and story development show his unique style, making this a work that fans cannot miss.

■ The appeal of the story

The story of this work begins with a tense development in which the castle town of Sado is taken over by the female sorceress Tamamushi. The protagonist, Kabuto, travels to Sado to rescue the imprisoned Princess Ran, and must fight against Tamamushi's minions. This simple yet tense story has the power to draw the viewer in.

In particular, the battle scenes with Tamamushi's subordinate, Rasatsubo, are one of the highlights. Kabuto's fighting style, making full use of his Tengu abilities, and Rasatsubo's powerful attacks are very impressive as action scenes. Also, because his goal of saving Ranki is clear, viewers can easily empathize with Kabuto's actions and become immersed in the story.

■Charm of the characters

The main character, Kabuto, is characterized by his serious and cool personality. The setting in which he uses Tengu magic to create wings on his back and fly in the sky is visually very appealing. Yasunori Matsumoto's voice acting also brings out the character of Kabuto.

On the other hand, the villain Tamamushi has a strong presence as a female sorcerer. Yoshiko Fujita's voice acting also brings out Tamamushi's ruthlessness and charm. Characters such as Ranki, Jinnai, and Rasshobo also play their own roles and add excitement to the story.

■ Animation quality

The animation of this work is of very high quality for a 1992 OVA. In particular, the scenes where Kabuto uses his Tengu powers and the battle scene with Rakusatsubou are notable for their smooth movement and expressiveness. The detailed backgrounds also convey the atmosphere of another world reminiscent of Japan during the Warring States period.

This work is a highlight of the technical skills of animation director Hisashi Hirai, and the results of his pursuit of visual beauty can be seen everywhere. In particular, the attention to detail in the characters' expressions and movements leaves a strong impression on viewers.

■Music and Sound

The music in this work plays an important role in enhancing the atmosphere of the Warring States period. In particular, the background music that heightens the tension in battle scenes and the music that portrays the characters' feelings have the effect of drawing out the emotions of the viewer. The voice actors' performances also bring out the individuality of the characters, improving the overall quality.

■ Recommendation points

"Kabuto the Golden-eyed Beast" is a very appealing action film set in a parallel world reminiscent of Japan during the Warring States period. In particular, the battles between the protagonist Kabuto using his Tengu abilities and his villain Tamamushi are full of highlights. In addition, the story and characters that reflect Buichi Terasawa's unique vision are elements that fans cannot miss.

The points that make me recommend this work are as follows:

• Enjoy the otherworldly atmosphere of Japan during the Warring States period
• The action scenes featuring the main character Kabuto's Tengu abilities are worth watching.
• Story and characters reflecting Buichi Terasawa's unique vision
• High quality animation and attention to detail
• Music and sound enhance the story

This work will be particularly enjoyable for fans of action stories set in the Sengoku period or other worlds, fans of Buichi Terasawa, and those who enjoy the quality of the animation and the charm of the characters.

■ Related works and their appeal

"Karasu Tengu Kabuto: Golden Eyed Beast" is a sequel to "Karasu Tengu Kabuto". "Karasu Tengu Kabuto" is also an action film based on the original work by Buichi Terasawa, and depicts the exploits of the main character Kabuto. Comparing the two works, "Golden Eyed Beast" places more emphasis on the original story, and new elements have been added to the character settings and story development.

Karasu Tengu Kabuto was aired as a TV series, so the story and character development are depicted in episodes. On the other hand, Golden Eyed Beast was produced as an OVA, so it features a more compact and focused story development. By watching both works, you can gain a deeper understanding of Buichi Terasawa's worldview and the appeal of his characters.

■ Viewer reactions and ratings

"Kabuto: The Golden-Eyed Beast" has been well-received by fans, especially for its action scenes and characters. Many viewers have commented that Kabuto's battles using his Tengu abilities and his showdown with Tamamushi were impressive. The story and characters, which reflect Buichi Terasawa's unique vision, have also been highly praised.

On the other hand, some viewers feel that it is too short for an OVA and that the story development is not satisfactory. However, overall, many viewers have enjoyed the series, and it has been especially popular among fans of action movies and Buichi Terasawa.

■ Summary

"Karasu Tengu Kabuto: Golden Eyed Beast" is a very appealing action film set in a parallel world reminiscent of Japan during the Warring States period. The main character Kabuto's battles using his Tengu abilities and his showdown with the villain Tamamushi are full of highlights, and the story and characters that reflect Buichi Terasawa's unique vision are elements that fans cannot miss. In addition, the high quality animation, music and sound are also important elements that liven up the story.

This work is especially enjoyable for fans of action films set in the Sengoku period or other worlds, and for fans of Buichi Terasawa. It is also recommended for those who want to pay attention to the quality of the animation and the charm of the characters. Please watch "Karasu Tengu Kabuto: Golden Eyed Beast" and experience its charm.