New Submarine Warship: A thorough review of the deep sea adventure and moving story

A comprehensive review and recommendation of Shinkaiteigunkan

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

December 18, 1995

■Frequencies

47 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 2

■Original Story

・Original work by Harunari Oshikawa

■ Director

Director: Kazuyoshi Katayama ( ^{Episode 1)} , Mitsuo Fukuda ^{(Episode 2)}

■Works

©1995 “Undersea Warship” Production Committee

■ Story

Towards the end of the Pacific War, the Japanese Navy redesigned the Yamato-class battleships, incorporating the scientific knowledge bestowed by the "Chikuu-jin." The giant undersea warship "Ra" escaped into the open sea. However, it was pursued by the US Navy's undersea warship "Liberty," which had the same capabilities, and both should have been lost in the sea. Now in the present day, a giant cylinder appears in Antarctica, attacking Arisaka Go and his team as they head out to investigate. What appears there is the "Ra," which was supposed to have sunk half a century ago!?

■Explanation

This animation is based on the 1963 special effects film "Submarine Warship." Other than the setting of a gigantic all-purpose ship designed by the Imperial Japanese Navy, there is no relation to the novel or film version of "Submarine Warship." The first episode, "Zero Hour to Destruction," was released in 1995, and the second episode, "Memory of Ocean," was released in 1996, but no episodes after the third one have been produced.

■Cast

・Go Arisaka/Tomokazu Seki, Kaori Yuasa (childhood)
・Annette/Junko Iwao ・Hinata Shintetsu/Tetsuro Sakawa ・Abtut/Kikuko Inoue ・Stoner/Kazuhiko Inoue ・Masayoshi Tachibana/Nobuo Otsuka ・Mitsugu Kageyama/Hideharu Shimizu, Kanehito Shiozawa (when he was vice captain)
・Koutarou Nishimura/Shinsuke Chikaishi/Shino Arisaka/Masara Takashima/Masashi Hinata/Yasunobu Matsumoto/Saive/Rin Mizuhara/Milius/Takehiro Murozono/Hino/Kazunori Chiba/Yoshioka/Koji Ochiai/Daniel Hamada/Kiyoyuki Yanada/Bogard/Kazuya Ichijo/Ichiro Mikoshiba/Hiroki Takahashi/Otakabana (older brother), Controller/Iwao Takamine/Takano/Masato Hijikata/Chief/Hideaki Ono/Announcer/Kunihiko Yasui

■ Main staff

・Original work: "Undersea Battleship" by Harunami Oshikawa
・Directors: Kazuyoshi Katayama, Mitsuo Fukuda ・Screenplay: Nobuaki Kishima ・Character design: Yoshikazu Yasuhiko ・Mecha design: Makoto Kobayashi ・Chief animation character animation director: Masami Ozone ・Chief mechanic animation director: Noriaki Teura ・Art directors: Akira Furuya (episode 1), Toru Koga (episode 2)
・Director of photography: Yasuhara Yoshiaki ・Sound director: Tsuruoka Yota ・Editor: Nishiyama Shigeru ・Editing assistant: Tsuru Yoko ・Sound recording: Abe Yukio (Episode 1), Ichikawa Osamu (Episode 2)
・Sound effects / Yasuyuki Konno ・Color setting / Kiyoko Waki ​​・Color design / Kiyoko Waki, Satoshi Uchida ・Assistant director / Kaoru Suzuki ・SF setting cooperation / Satoshi Omori ・Music / Masamichi Amano ・Performance / Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra ・Production / Tetsuhisa Yamada ・Animation production / Phoenix Entertainment ・Released by / Toho

■ Main Characters

Go Arisaka A young man belonging to the United Nations Army. He volunteers to join the UN investigation team investigating the Antarctic Cylinder. He is attacked by the Chikuu-jin, rescued by the "Ra-gou", and they continue to work together.
Annette was an agent of the Earth and Space people who was sent to determine whether the Earth people should survive or be exterminated, but after seeing the kindness of the Earth people, she hesitates from destroying them.
A girl from the Earth and Space who was sent to the Earth as an agent with Abtour Annette. She judges the Earthlings to be extinct because of the constant wars, but Annette, who wants the Earthlings to survive, puts them in a state of suspended animation.
・Kageyama Mitsugu, former Imperial Japanese Navy Captain and first Executive Officer of the "Ra". At the end of the war, just before the Liberty and the ship collided, he escaped from the "Ra" with Annette on the orders of Captain Hyuga. After the war, he changed the name and led the Japanese financial world while secretly developing the "Ra" in preparation for the battle against Abtu.
・Hyuga Shintetsu
The second captain of the "Ra" and Tsuyoshi's father. He died in a ship accident a dozen years ago, but this was a disguise in preparation for the battle against the Chikujin.

■Subtitle

(1) Zero Hour to Destruction

Detailed review and recommendation of Shinkaiteigunkan

■ Background and history of the work

"New Submarine Warship" is an OVA based on the 1963 special effects film "Submarine Warship". The original work was Harunari Oshikawa's novel "Submarine Warship", and the special effects film version is based on the novel. However, this OVA version has no direct connection to the special effects film version or the novel version, and develops its own story and setting. The first episode, "Zero Hour to Destruction", was released in 1995, followed by the second episode, "Memory of Ocean" in 1996, but no sequels have been made since then.

■ The appeal of the story

The story of "New Submarine Warship" unfolds against the backdrop of a grand timeline spanning from the end of the Pacific War to the present day. The giant submarine warship "Ra", developed by the Japanese Navy using the scientific knowledge bestowed by the "Chikuu-jin", was thought to have sunk in a battle with the US Navy's submarine warship "Liberty" towards the end of the war. However, a giant cylinder appears in modern-day Antarctica, and while Arisaka Go and his team head out to investigate it, they are attacked by the Chikuu-jin, when "Ra" reappears, a plot that draws viewers in.

This work is characterized by its storytelling that blends science fiction and history, depicting the tragedy of war and the hope for human survival. In particular, the relationship between the people of the Earth and the people of the land, and the impact of the existence of the giant undersea warship, have deep themes. In addition, the growth of the protagonist, Go Arisaka, and the conflict between the Earth and the people of the land, Annette and Abutu, agents of the Earth and the land, function as elements that allow the viewer to empathize with the story.

■Charm of the characters

Each character in "Deep Sea Battleship" has their own background and motivation, enriching the story. The protagonist, Go Arisaka, is a young man belonging to the United Nations military who participates in an Antarctic survey and is rescued by the "Ra-go" from an attack by the Chikuu-jin, making him the central character of the story. His growth and decisions leave a strong impression on the viewer.

As the Earthlings, Annette and Abutu are tasked with deciding whether the Earthlings will survive or be wiped out, but they are conflicted when they come into contact with the kindness of the Earthlings. Annette's character in particular is depicted as growing through her understanding and empathy with the Earthlings, deeply moving the viewer.

Kageyama Mitsugu is a former Imperial Japanese Navy captain who served as the first officer of the "Ra", and after escaping from a battle with the "Liberty" towards the end of the war, he led the Japanese financial world while promoting the redevelopment of the "Ra" after the war. His actions and decisions will lead to important turning points in the story.

Hyuga Shintetsu is the second captain of the "Ra-go" and Tsuyoshi's father. His fake death and his preparations for the battle against the Chiku-jin are elements that increase the tension of the story.

■ Evaluation of video and music

The visuals of "Deep Sea Battleship: The Final Chapter" are characterized by their high-quality animation and mecha designs for an OVA work from the 1990s. The beautiful character designs by character designer Yoshikazu Yasuhiko and the detailed mecha designs by Makoto Kobayashi greatly enhance the visual appeal. In addition, the background art by art directors Akira Furuya and Toru Koga also enriches the atmosphere of the work.

The music was composed by Masamichi Amano, and the performance by the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra enhances the grandeur of the work. The music, especially in dramatic scenes, plays an important role in stirring the emotions of the viewer and adding excitement to the story's development.

■ Voice actor performance

The voice actors of "Deep Sea Battleship No. 1" are all talented actors who are active from the time to the present, such as Tomokazu Seki, Junko Iwao, and Kikuko Inoue. In particular, the growth and decision-making moments of Go Arisaka, played by Tomokazu Seki, and the conflict and growth of Annette, played by Junko Iwao, leave a strong impression on viewers. The complex emotions of Abutu, played by Kikuko Inoue, also capture the hearts of viewers.

■ Work evaluation and recommendation

"New Submarine Warship" is a work that features an epic story that combines science fiction and history, attractive characters, beautiful images and music. In particular, the theme that depicts the tragedy of war and the hope for human survival deeply moves viewers. In addition, the high quality of the animation and mecha design are also highly praised for OVA works from the 1990s.

This work is highly recommended for fans of science fiction and historical anime, and for those looking for a work with deep themes. It is also recommended for those interested in character and mecha design. However, since only two episodes were made, those hoping for a sequel may find it disappointing. However, the dense story and charm of the characters packed into those two episodes will be thoroughly enjoyable.

■ Related works and recommendations

If you enjoyed "New Submarine Warship," we also recommend the following related works:

• "Submarine Warship" (1963 special effects film) - The original special effects film, depicting the setting of a giant submarine warship and the tragedy of war. Although it has no direct relation to the OVA version, you can get a feel for the atmosphere of the original.
• Mobile Suit Gundam series - A science fiction anime with themes of war and human survival, with high-quality mecha and character designs. In particular, the original Mobile Suit Gundam is known as a masterpiece that depicts the tragedy of war and human growth.
• "Evangelion" series - A work with deep science fiction themes, the character and mecha designs have also been highly praised. In particular, the protagonist's growth and struggles have something in common with those of Go Arisaka and Annette from "Evangelion: New Submarine Warship."

■ Summary

"New Submarine Warship" features an epic story that combines science fiction and history, as well as attractive characters, beautiful visuals and music. The theme of the tragedy of war and the hope for human survival deeply moves viewers. In addition, the high quality of the animation and mecha design is also highly praised for an OVA work from the 1990s. This work is highly recommended for those who like science fiction and historical anime, and those who are looking for a work with a deep theme. Other related works that are recommended are "Submarine Warship" (1963 special effects film), the "Mobile Suit Gundam" series, and the "Evangelion" series.