'The Cockpit' review: A collection of great animated shorts

"The Cockpit": The pinnacle of Leiji Matsumoto's battlefield drama

There is no one who doesn't know the name Reiji Matsumoto. "The Cockpit" is an OVA that depicts three carefully selected episodes from his "Battlefield Manga Series." Released in 1993, this work contains three battlefield dramas depicting the lives of unknown soldiers. Here, I would like to delve deeper into the charm and details of the work.

Overview

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

1993

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 3

■Original Story

Reiji Matsumoto

■ Director

Ryosuke Takahashi

■Works

©1993 Leiji Matsumoto, TTNS

Commentary

"The Cockpit" is an OVA made from three carefully selected episodes from the "Battlefield Manga Series," one of Matsumoto Leiji's life works. It is a three-part battlefield drama that depicts the lives of unknown soldiers. It is a work that deeply moves viewers by realistically depicting the misery of war and the feelings of the soldiers. Each episode is set on a different battlefield, and the reality of the battlefield and the human drama of the soldiers are beautifully combined.

cast

Private First Class Kodai / Ichiro Nagai Private First Class Utsunomiya / Kappei Yamaguchi

The main characters are played by two talented voice actors, Ichiro Nagai and Kappei Yamaguchi. Ichiro Nagai's deep voice realistically expresses the harshness of the battlefield and the suffering of the soldiers, while Kappei Yamaguchi's youthful voice vividly depicts the feelings of the young men who throw themselves into the battlefield. There is no doubt that their performances add depth to the work.

Main Staff

Director: Ryosuke Takahashi Character design and animation director: Hironobu Saito

Director Ryosuke Takahashi has succeeded in faithfully recreating the world of Leiji Matsumoto while portraying the reality of the battlefield from his own perspective. In addition, the meticulous drawings of character designer and animation director Hironobu Saito realistically express the tension of the battlefield and the expressions of the soldiers, creating a visual impact.

subtitle

・Vol.1／Stratospheric Air Currents ・Vol.2／Sonic Torpedo Squadron ・Vol.3／Iron Dragoons

Each episode is set in a different battlefield, and the reality of the battlefield and the human drama of the soldiers are beautifully blended together. Here are the details of each episode.

Vol.1 Stratospheric air currents

This episode depicts an aerial battle set in the stratosphere. The story follows the fighter squadron to which Private First Class Kodai belongs, as they face off against the enemy's new fighter jets. The beautiful scenery of the stratosphere and the intense battle scenes are intertwined, creating a visual impact while also realistically portraying the feelings of the soldiers and the harshness of the battlefield.

Vol.2 Sonic Torpedo Squadron

This is the story of soldiers who pilot supersonic torpedo bombers. The torpedo bomber squadron to which Private First Class Utsunomiya belongs is tasked with attacking an enemy fleet. The supersonic speed and tension of the battlefield are beautifully blended together, drawing viewers in. The friendship between the soldiers and the conflicts on the battlefield are also depicted realistically, making this a deeply moving episode.

Vol.3 Iron Dragoons

This episode depicts a ground battle set in a tank unit. The tank unit to which Private First Class Kodai belongs is tasked with capturing an enemy fortress. The massive tanks and the reality of the battlefield are beautifully portrayed, creating a visual impact. The courage of the soldiers and the suffering on the battlefield are also depicted realistically, making this a deeply moving episode.

Related Titles

DVD, BBBA-6897 6,090 yen (tax included)
Published by Tokuma Shoten Co., Ltd. Sold by Happinet Corporation

The DVD of "The Cockpit" was released by Tokuma Shoten Co., Ltd. and distributed by Happinet Co., Ltd. It costs 6,090 yen (tax included) and is a must-see for fans of war dramas.

Ratings and Recommendations

"The Cockpit" is an OVA adaptation of Matsumoto Reiji's battlefield manga series, and contains three battlefield dramas depicting the lives of unknown soldiers. Each episode is set in a different battlefield, and the reality of the battlefield and the human drama of the soldiers are beautifully blended together. The performances of the talented voice actors Ichiro Nagai and Kappei Yamaguchi, the director Ryosuke Takahashi, and the character design and animation director Hironobu Saito add depth to the work.

This work will deeply move viewers by realistically depicting the horrors of war and the feelings of the soldiers. It is recommended for fans of war dramas as well as fans of Reiji Matsumoto. It is also highly recommended for viewers who are looking for a work that depicts the reality of the battlefield and the human drama of the soldiers.

"The Cockpit" is a masterpiece that depicts the reality of the battlefield and the human drama of soldiers, and is a work that deeply moves the viewer. I highly recommend you to watch it at least once.