NG Knight Ramune & 40 DX - Reevaluating a nostalgic masterpiece

NG Knight Ramune & 40 DX - NG Knight Ramune and Forty Deluxe

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

June 23, 1993

■Release and sales

King Records, 3 volumes

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 3

■Original Story

Production Lead

■ Director

・Director: Naori Kaiki

■ Production

・Production: Ashi Productions, ASATSU

■ Story

Baba Ramune is a fourth grade elementary school student who is crazy about the Famicom. One day, Princess Milk of the Alara Kingdom came and took Ramune to the Alara Kingdom in Harahara World as the chosen hero. In Harahara World, the hero Ramune was waiting for Don Harumage, a great magician who plans to conquer the world, and his men. To fight them, the hero Ramune summons his guardian knight, King Smasher. In order to stop Don Harumage's ambition to revive the demon god Goburiki, Ramune revives the remaining seven sealed guardian knights, gathers the power of the eight guardian knights, and confronts Don Harumage. Then, he frees Da Cider from the curse and defeats Goburiki. However, Goburiki, who they thought they had finally defeated, is actually alive. In order to save Harahara World, they now have to collect eight rainbow stone slabs. With Da Cider and Leska as their companions, they set off on a journey to Doki Doki Space. A compilation video full of tears(?) and laughter.

Detailed evaluation and recommendation

Background and production of the work

NG Knight Ramune & 40 DX is an OVA series released by King Records in 1993, consisting of three volumes, each 30 minutes long, and three episodes in total. It was written by Production Reed, directed by Kaiki Naori, and produced by Ashi Productions and ASATSU. The work is an original anime, a fantasy action comedy starring Baba Ramune, a fourth grade elementary school student who is obsessed with the Famicom.

The appeal of the story

The story begins when Baba Ramune is taken to Harahara World by Princess Milk of the Alara Kingdom. There, Ramune, as the hero Ramune, fights against the great magician Don Harumage and his minions who are plotting to conquer the world. Ramune summons his guardian knight King Smasher, revives the seven sealed guardian knights, and gathers the powers of the eight guardian knights to face Don Harumage. He eventually defeats the demon Goburiki, but Goburiki comes back to life and he sets out on a journey to collect the seven-colored stone slabs again. Although this story is a fantasy for children, it is an exquisite blend of humor and action that will keep viewers entertained.

Character Appeal

The main character, Baba Ramune, is a fourth-grader who loves the Famicom and plays the role of the hero Ramunes. Ramune's character is charming with his childlike innocence and courage, which resonates with viewers. Characters such as Milk Princess, Da Cider, and Leska are also unique and play an important role in adding excitement to the story. In particular, villain characters such as Don Harumage and Goburiki are portrayed as powerful enemies who test Ramunes and his friends, while also having a humorous side.

Animation and Music

The animation is of standard quality for a 1990s OVA, with carefully drawn character designs and background art. The battle and transformation scenes are particularly impressive and visually enjoyable. The music is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, with the background music and theme song matching the development of the story. The theme song in particular is catchy, with a melody that will remain in the viewer's memory.

Cultural influence and recognition

"NG Knight Ramune & 40 DX" was a work that was popular with some fans during the OVA boom of the 1990s. In particular, children of the Famicom generation could easily sympathize with the main character Ramune, and many were moved by his story of growth as a hero. This work was also praised for its style that combined fantasy and comedy, and is thought to have influenced later anime works. However, some may find the fact that the OVA format means there are only a few episodes and the story is not complete enough to satisfy.

Recommended points

The reasons why I recommend this work are as follows:

• A protagonist that is easy for children of the Famicom generation to empathize with
• A story with a perfect mix of humor and action
• Unique characters add excitement to the story
• Standard animation quality for a 1990s OVA.
• The catchy theme song and background music enhance the atmosphere of the work.

How to watch and related products

"NG Knight Ramune & 40 DX" is available on DVD and Blu-ray released by King Records. It is also available on streaming services, so be sure to check. Related products include character goods and soundtrack CDs, so fans can enjoy collecting them.

summary

"NG Knight Ramune & 40 DX" is a work that is appealing for its protagonist, who is easy for children of the Famicom generation to relate to, and its story that exquisitely blends humor and action. The unique characters, the animation quality that is standard for OVA works of the 1990s, and the catchy theme song and background music also enhance the appeal of the work. It is a work that I would highly recommend to those who enjoy fantasy and comedy.