"Blue Submarine No. 6" review: What's the new appeal of soccer anime?

The appeal and evaluation of Blue No. 6

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

October 25, 1998

■Release and sales

Bandai Visual

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 4

■Original Story

Original author: Satoru Ozawa

■ Director

Director: Maeda Masahiro

■ Production

Production: GONZO

■Works

©1998 Satoru Ozawa/Bandai Visual, EMI Music Japan Inc.

■ Story

In the near future, the sea level rises due to a rebellion by genius scientist Zorndyk. The world is submerged. In order to prevent further carnage, the fleet of the international organization "Blue" launches a counterattack. At that time, the Japanese ship "Blue No. 6" docked at Shinjuku Bay is attacked by the terrorist Berg. Hayami, a skilled submariner who had left "Blue" since a certain incident, once again boards the small, high-speed submarine Grampus. However, the "enemy" he witnesses is not human...

■Explanation

Based on the manga that was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Sunday" from 1967, GONZO made it into an OVA from 1998 to 2000. It was the world's first fully digitally animated OVA, with many of the mechanics, including the submarine, depicted in 3DCG. There are also many highlights from a technical standpoint, such as the high level realization of the depiction of "water," which is said to be the most difficult element in animation. A game version was released for the PlayStation and Dreamcast in 2000.

■Cast

・Tetsu Hayami/Hozumi Goda ・Mayumi Noriyuki/Yukana (Yukana Nogami)
・Tokuhiro Iga/Kintaro Arimoto/Yuri Mayakovsky/Hiroshi Suzuoki/Makio Yamada/Tsutomu Taruki/Misuzu Huang/Ayaka Saito/Zorndyk/Takeshi Wakamatsu/Berg/Shotaro Morikubo/Mutio/Miki Nagasawa

■ Main staff

・Producers: Shigeru Watanabe, Fuminori Shishido, Shoji Murahama ・Planning: Kazumi Kawashiro, Kazumi Harazawa ・Original story: Satoru Ozawa ・Producers: Kiyoshi Sugiyama, Takao Nagayama, Shinji Nakajima ・Screenplay: Hiroshi Yamaguchi ・Direction: Koichi Chiaki ・Art director: Masanori Kikuchi ・Sound director: Yota Tsuruoka ・Music: THE THRILL
Character design: Murata Rangeri, Kusa● Takuhito (※●: Bow radical with front)
・Animation character design: Shunji Murata, Koichi Arai, Yu Honda ・Mechanical design: Shoji Kawamori, Masahiro Maeda, Takuhito Kusa● (※●: before bow), Ikuto Yamashita, Seiji Kio, Ebikawa, Kanetake, Range Murata ・2DCG director: Toru Fukushi ・3DCGI director: Akira Suzuki ・Production: Bandai Visual, Toshiba EMI, GONZO
・Director: Maeda Masahiro

■ Main Characters

・Hayami Iron
A former "Blue" skilled submariner who lives a rough life as a salvage dealer. He becomes interested in Noriyuki, who comes to visit him on Iga's orders, and returns to the Blue No. 6.

・Kino Mayumi
A girl who pilots Grampus in the Blue No. 6. She hates Zonedyke with a passion, who submerged the world. She has a grudge against the self-indulgent Hayami, but...

・Iga Tokuhiro
Captain of the Blue No. 6. A veteran who has fought against Berg many times in the past. Hayami was his former student.

Yuri Mayakovsky is the Russian-born vice captain of the Blue No. 6. He was a classmate of Hayami at the military academy and has considered him a rival ever since.

Jung Zorndyk is a genius scientist who was once the leader of the Blue Ocean Development Team. He suddenly rebels, creates a terrorist organization, and begins attacking humanity.

Berg: The leader of a terrorist organization, a cruel mutant shark. He escaped from Zorndyk's control and went on a rampage, plotting the annihilation of humanity.

Mutio: A general term for female mutants who are hostile to humanity. One of these mutants had her life saved by Hayami and developed feelings for him.

■ Main robot items

・Blue No. 6 [Dragon King]
Hayami and his team are aboard an attack submarine dispatched by Japan to the "Blue." Equipped with a special sensory system, it exhibits maneuverability similar to that of a dolphin.

A two-seater small submarine installed on many of Grampus "Blue"'s vessels. It can also transform into an underwater combat mode by releasing its arm-like arms.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1／BLUES
・Episode 2/PILOTS
・Episode 3/HEARTS
・Episode 4／MINASOKO

■ Theme songs and music

・ED
・Everyone sleep there・Lyrics by Yukarie
・Composer: Yukarie
・Arrangement: Yukarie
・Song: Yukarie

The appeal and evaluation of Blue No. 6

"Blue No. 6" was released as an OVA in 1998 and has captivated many fans with its technical innovation and deep storyline. Set in a submerged world of the near future, the work depicts the fleet of the international organization "Blue" fighting terrorists. Of particular note is that it was the world's first fully digital animation, with highly detailed depictions of mechanics and water using 3DCG.

The story is about the international organization "Blue" launching a counterattack after the world is submerged due to a rebellion by the genius scientist Zorndyk. The protagonist, Hayami Tetsu, is a submariner who once left "Blue", but returns to "Blue No. 6" after the terrorist Berg attacks, and throws himself into the fight once again. However, the "enemy" he faces is not human, but a new threat called mutants. This setting gives viewers a fresh surprise and adds depth to the story.

The portrayal of the characters is also very fascinating. Hayami Tetsu is portrayed as a former submariner living a rough life, and his past and conflicts enrich the story. Noriyuki Mayumi is a girl with a strong hatred for Zorndyk, and her growth and her relationship with Hayami are at the center of the story. In addition, characters such as Iga Norihiro and Yuri Mayakovsky also have their own backgrounds and relationships carefully drawn, leaving a deep impression on the viewer.

The mechanic design is also not to be missed. "Blue No. 6" is an attack submarine with dolphin-like maneuverability, and its special sensory system and design are visually pleasing. Meanwhile, the Grampus is a two-seater small submarine with the ability to transform into underwater combat mode, making it an important element in livening up the battle scenes. These mechanics are depicted in 3DCG, and their realistic movements and beauty enhance the appeal of the work.

Music is also an important element that enhances the appeal of "Blue Submarine No. 6". The ending theme "Mina Soko ni Nemure" was written, composed, arranged and sung by Yukarie, and is a beautiful song that enhances the atmosphere of the work. The music was provided by THE THRILL, and plays a role in livening up the tense battle scenes and moving scenes.

"Blue No. 6" has received high praise as an OVA not only for its technical innovation, but also for its deep story, fascinating characters, beautiful mechanic design and music. In particular, the depiction of water and the use of 3DCG were very advanced for the time, and even today the quality is astonishing. A game version was also released and was widely loved by fans.

This work deeply moved and excited viewers with its unique setting of a submerged world in the near future and the new theme of the battle between humans and mutants. Although it is a short OVA, it is packed with storylines and character development, and no matter how many times you watch it, you will always find something new. "Blue No. 6" is a masterpiece that combines technological innovation with narrative depth.

If you haven't seen "Blue No. 6" yet, we highly recommend that you give it a watch. It is especially perfect for those who are interested in mechanics and CG, and those who want to enjoy a deep story and character development. Also, playing the game version will give you an even deeper understanding of the worldview of the work. "Blue No. 6" is an essential work in the history of OVAs, and its appeal has not faded even today, and it continues to be loved by many fans.