The appeal and reputation of Ambassador Magma: A monumental special effects hero

Ambassador Magma: The Fateful Showdown Between the Golden Giant and the Evil God Goa

■Overview of the work

"Ambassador Magma" is an OVA based on the original work by Tezuka Osamu, and was released by Bandai Visual Co., Ltd. on February 21, 1993. It consists of 13 episodes, each 25 minutes long, and was produced by Tezuka Productions and Bandai Visual Co., Ltd. It was directed by Ueda Hidehito, with music by Watanabe Toshiyuki, and the theme songs are "A Planet with Love" and "Ambassador Magma Theme Song."

■ Story

Goa is an evil god who commands countless galactic lifeforms and calls himself the emperor of the universe. He was sealed away long ago by Magma, the sacred power that is Goa's counterpart. Now, after an eternity has passed, a mysterious group of aliens are secretly operating in the shadows of prosperous Japan, heralding the resurrection of Goa in the modern era. Meanwhile, newspaper reporter Atsushi Murakami, his wife Tomoko, and their son Mamoru are fatefully drawn into a major global incident. Now, before their family, the golden giant Magma has been resurrected.

■Explanation

This is an original video animation based on the popular manga of the same name, which was aired on TV as a live-action special effects drama in 1966. The story is set in a somewhat modern style, depicting the fateful confrontation between the rocket man Magma and the evil emperor Goa. It was also talked about how Toru Ohira, who voiced Goa in the live-action drama, is reprising his role in this film for the first time in 27 years.

■Cast

• Mamoru Murakami/Masami Kikuchi
• Atsushi Murakami/Jurota Kosugi
• Tomoko Murakami/Rika Fukami
• Asuka Future/Miki Ito
• Sayaka Umemura/Naoko Matsui
• Junya Sekita/Wataru Takagi
• Kunisaki/Tetsuo Kanao
• Magma/Akio Otsuka
• Gum/Akira Ishida
• Earth/Kouhei Miyauchi
• Gore/Toru Ohira

■ Main staff

• Original work, original characters / Osamu Tezuka
• Planning: Yoshihiro Shimizu, Shin Unozawa
• Producers: Minoru Kubota, Shigeru Okazaki, Satoshi Kubo
• Music by Toshiyuki Watanabe
• Series Composition: Katsuhiko Koide
• Character design and chief animation director: Kazuhiko Udagawa
• Art Director: Kazuo Okada
• Director of photography: Hajime Noguchi
• Music Production: Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd.
• Sound Director: Tadashi Mukaiyama
• Sound Director: Tojo Beppu
• Director: Hidehito Ueda

Theme song

• "A planet with love"
• Lyricist: Yoshikatsu Hiraide
• Composed and arranged by Yogo Kono
• Performance/Singing/Maydy
• "Ambassador Magma Theme Song"
• Lyrics by Ryusei Hasegawa
• Composer: Naozumi Yamamoto
• Arrangement: Shinji Matsubara
• Song: The Twelve Olympians

■Subtitle

• Episode 1: My Name is Gore
• Episode 2: The Golden Giant
• Episode 3: Silent Invasion
• Episode 4: The Two Mamoru
• Episode 5: The Nation's Intentions
• Episode 6: Magma the Suspicious Warrior
• Episode 7: The Great Mission
• Episode 8: The Targeted Whistle
• Episode 9: Udo's Resurrection
• Episode 10: Mother, Her Love
• Episode 11: Wrath of the Earth
• Episode 12: Magma dies!
• Episode 13: A Planet of Love

■Detailed evaluation

"Ambassador Magma" is an OVA based on the original work by Osamu Tezuka, and is characterized by its deep story and attractive characters. Below, we will evaluate each element of the work in detail.

Story and Themes

The story of Ambassador Magma revolves around the confrontation between the evil god Goa and the golden giant Magma. Goa was sealed away by Magma in ancient times, but is secretly trying to revive him in modern times. In the background to this, the themes of the fight to protect peace on Earth and the bond of family are depicted. In particular, the individual human dramas of newspaper reporter Atsushi Murakami and his family are drawn into the story, delving deeper into the plot.

The film also depicts how the Murakami family grows and develops strong bonds as they fight to stop Gore's return, reflecting the theme of "human love" common to Tezuka Osamu's works and leaving a deep impression on viewers.

character

Each character in this work is unique and charming. In particular, the performances of Kikuchi Masami as Murakami Mamoru, Kosugi Jurota as Murakami Atsushi, and Fukami Rika as Murakami Tomoko stand out. Their experience and skills as voice actors allow them to realistically express the emotions of the characters, leaving a strong impression on viewers. Additionally, the voices of Otsuka Akio as Magma and Ohira Toru as Goa are important elements that enhance the atmosphere of the work. Ohira Toru's performance as Goa for the first time in 27 years was a big topic of conversation among fans.

Visuals and Music

The visuals of "Ambassador Magma" are a work that highlights the high technical capabilities of Tezuka Productions. The beautiful character designs by Kazuhiko Udagawa, who was in charge of character design and general animation director, and the detailed background art by Kazuo Okada, the art director, richly express the worldview of the work. In addition, the camerawork by Hajime Noguchi, the director of photography, is also an important element in increasing the tension of the story.

The music is by Watanabe Toshiyuki, and the theme songs "A Planet Where Love Lies" and "Ambassador Magma Theme Song" add to the atmosphere of the work. With lyrics by Hiraide Yoshikatsu, music composed and arranged by Kono Yogo, and vocals by Maydy, "Ambassador Magma Theme Song" resonates with viewers' hearts with its moving melody. Meanwhile, with lyrics by Hasegawa Ryusei, music composed by Yamamoto Naozumi, arrangement by Matsubara Jinji, and vocals by the Twelve Olympians, "Ambassador Magma Theme Song" leaves a powerful impression. These pieces of music deeply express the theme of the work and the emotions of the characters.

Subtitles and episodes

The subtitles of each episode are an important element that indicates the development of the story. Episode 1, "My Name is Goa," depicts Goa's resurrection and serves as the prologue of the story. Episode 2, "The Golden Giant," depicts Magma's resurrection and his power, building up the viewers' expectations. From Episode 3, "Silent Invasion," to Episode 13, "A Planet of Love," each episode follows the progression of the story, drawing the viewers in. In particular, Episode 12, "Magma Dies!" depicts the climax of the story and shakes the viewers' emotions.

■ Recommendations and ratings

"Ambassador Magma" is based on the original work by Osamu Tezuka and features a deep story, attractive characters, beautiful images and moving music. In particular, the theme of family ties and the fight to protect peace on Earth deeply moves viewers. In addition, the subtitles and developments of each episode enhance the story and have the power to draw viewers in.

This work is recommended not only for fans of Tezuka Osamu, but also for those who like special effects and anime. In particular, the fact that Toru Ohira, who plays Gore, voiced him for the first time in 27 years, is a big attraction for fans. In addition, the theme songs "A Star with Love" and "Ambassador Magma Theme Song" are also important elements that enhance the atmosphere of the work.

Overall, "Ambassador Magma" is a work that has been highly praised for its story, characters, visuals, and music. This work will deeply move and excite the audience, so we hope you will all enjoy it.