A thorough review of the "Netsukaze Kairiku Bushiroad" bundled edition of the March issue of Monthly Bushiroad!

Nepfu Kairiku Bushiroad: A flower of hope blooming in an age of despair

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

February 8, 2014

■Release and sales

KADOKAWA/Kadokawa Shoten

■Frequencies

120 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Nao Yoshida, Bushiroad, Nitroplus

■ Director

Masayuki Sakoi

■ Production

Animation Production: Kinema Citrus, Orange

■Works

©Neppu Kairiku Bushiroad Production Committee

■ Story

In an age where the world is on the brink of despair, infected by a poison called "Shinobi" brought about by the impact of an asteroid, people have fled to "Kairiku", which was once the bottom of the sea, and live in fear of the threat of the "Shinobi". In this desolate world, there is a ray of hope. The only ones who can oppose the "Shinobi" are the "Mechanical God General Gigaroad". And the legendary warrior "Yagyuu". Now, Ame, the princess of a fallen country, rises up to save the world with these powers!

■Explanation

Released on Saturday, February 8, 2014, and included in the March issue of Monthly Bushiroad. Includes the TV anime Neppu Kairiku Bushiroad.

■Cast

・Ame/Megumi Han ・Suou/KENN
・Sanda/Unsho Ishizuka・Tsukiyomi/Shuta Morishima・Shin/Kosuke Toriumi・Hinata/Tomo Saeki・Kagato/Chihiro Suzuki・Hana/Izumi Tachibana・Yuzu/Sorai Tokui・Rin/Suzuko Mimori・Eri/Miku Sasaki・Ame's mother/Miki Ito・Village chief/Susumu Akagi・Saki's mother/Yui Kondo・Saki/Tachibanako Yamaguchi

■ Main staff

・Original concept, general direction / Takaaki Kidani・Original story / Nao Yoshida, Bushiroad, Nitroplus・Director / Masayuki Sakoi・Assistant director, special effects director / Masaru Mori・Screenplay / Norimitsu Kaihou, Ukyo Kodachi・Screenplay cooperation / Sayaka Harada・SF research / Katsuji Yatsushige・Art / Yoshinori Hishinuma, Atsushi Morikawa・Art cooperation / Toshiki Nishi・Background / Anime Kobo Basara, Yoshinori Hishinuma, Atsushi Morikawa, Emi Kesamaru・Color design / Reiko Iwasawa・3D director / Eiji Inoshita・3D / Orange・Director of photography / Toshiya Kimura・Sound effects / Emi Takanashi・Editor / Hitomi Sudo・Online editing / Sony PCL
Animation Production: Kinema Citrus, Orange Production: Neppu Kairiku Bushiroad Production Committee, Bushiroad, Bandai Visual, Nitroplus, Kinema Citrus

■ Main Characters

・The princess shrine maiden of Ise, a fallen nation of Ame. She aims to revive the God Machine General.
A boy with Suoyagyu bloodline. He meets Ame.
An old swordsman who serves Sandaame. They are fighting together.
A scholar under the direct control of the Tsukiyomiise Kingdom. He was supposed to be dead, but...
Kazusa Shin The crown prince of the powerful military nation, Tourai.
Hashiba Hinata: The captain of the royal guard who serves Shin. Shin's confidant.
・Maeda Kagato is a royal guard who serves Shin. He is Shin's confidant.
The king of the military nation of Tourai. Shin's uncle.
Ame's mother, a shrine maiden of the fallen nation of Ise.
Hana
Four kind older sisters.
・He loves yuzu and likes to play pranks.
・Rin is cheerful but clumsy.
-Eri: He's quiet, but he's knowledgeable about machines.
・Village chief He governs the settlements of the wilderness. In order to escape the threat of the ninja, he makes the poor villagers practice human sacrifices to reduce the number of mouths to feed the able-bodied villagers.

■ Main robot items

・A human weapon created to fight against the Yagyu Shinobi.
Shinobi: The embodiment of the pollution of the earth. They attack humans.
・Shell (general purpose)
Military infantry equipment developed by an ancient civilization. Total height 2-3m. Manned by a human and powered by a fuel cell.
A shell specially designed for Ame. A shell discovered in almost perfect condition. Unlike the general-purpose type, it has various functions, such as transforming into a motorcycle.
A bow equipped with Ame's special shell. It is not an excavated item, but is made with current technology.
・Like the general-purpose Sanda-specific shell, it has been modified for Sanda use based on excavated core components.
A shotgun made for shells. By using a variety of bullets, it can be used for general purposes such as anti-personnel, shells, and ninja.
Rifles: Anti-personnel rifles. In addition to the military, vigilante groups and a small number of civilians also own them.
・Torai Army Command Armored Vehicle A heavily armored vehicle that serves as the command center for the Torai Army during battle. It is equipped with numerous firearms and boasts heavy armor.
・Torai Army Shell Transport Vehicle A vehicle that stores shells, the main force during battle. It can carry about 10 shells.

■ Theme songs and music

・Theme song: Neppu Kairiku Bushiroad ~Hot Roar~
Lyrics: Yuki Mori; Composition: Yusuke Sakamoto; Arrangement: Yusuke Sakamoto; Singer: Masatoshi Ono

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

■ Background and setting of the work

Neppu Kairiku Bushiroad was released as an OVA in 2014 and was included in the March issue of Monthly Bushiroad. It is an original anime work by Nao Yoshida, Bushiroad, and Nitroplus, and directed by Masayuki Sakoi. The story is set in a world devastated by the poison known as Shinobi, and follows the story of people fighting for hope.

The story is set in a world infected with a poison called "Shinobi" that was created by the impact of an asteroid. "Shinobi" are the physical form of the pollution of the earth, and they are a threat to humans. People have fled to "Kairiku", which was once the bottom of the sea, and live in fear of the threat of "Shinobi". However, even in such a hopeless situation, symbols of hope exist, such as "Mecha God General Gigaroad" and "Yagyuu". The main story of this work is about Ame, the princess of a fallen country, rising up to save the world with these powers.

■Characters and Cast

The protagonist of this work, Ame, is voiced by Megumi Han. Ame is a princess shrine maiden of the fallen country of Ise, and is a character with a strong will to revive the Machine God General. Her voice actress, Megumi Han, exquisitely expresses Ame's strength and kindness with her voice quality and acting ability. KENN, who plays Suou, a boy of Yagyuu blood, also realistically portrays his growth and conflicts.

Other than that, the cast is full of other impressive actors, including Unsho Ishizuka as the old swordsman Sanda, Shuta Morishima as the scholar Tsukiyomi, and Kosuke Toriumi as the crown prince of the powerful military nation Torai. Unsho Ishizuka as Sanda in particular has a deep voice that makes you feel the depth of the character. Kosuke Toriumi as Shin skillfully expresses his cold-heartedness and inner conflict.

■ Story and development

The story of Nepfu Kairiku Bushiroad revolves around the theme of finding hope in a hopeless world. As Ame aims to revive the Machine God Generals, he encounters and confronts various characters, and the story gradually becomes more exciting. In particular, the battles with the Shinobi and the showdown with the Tourai Army are spectacular and have the power to draw viewers in.

The story's development is meticulously calculated, with each character's background and motivations carefully drawn. The story is enriched by complex human relationships, such as Ame's growth, her relationship with Suou, and the intentions of Shin and the Tourai Army. Furthermore, the fear and despair brought about by the threat of the shinobi are depicted realistically, leaving a strong impression on the viewer.

■Visuals and animation

Kinema Citrus and Orange are in charge of the animation for this work. The combined technical capabilities of both studios resulted in beautiful visuals and dynamic battle scenes. In particular, the designs of the Shinobi and Shells are unique and leave a strong visual impact. In addition, the backgrounds and art are meticulously detailed, realistically recreating the atmosphere of a desolate world.

3D animation is used extensively, and the effect is particularly noticeable in the battle scenes. The movements of the shells and yagyus are realistic, giving the viewer a sense of presence. In addition, the color design and cinematography are excellent, making the overall image easy to watch and beautiful.

■Music and theme songs

The theme song for this work, "Netsufumi Kairiku Bushiroad ~Atsuki Houkou~" is a powerful song sung by Masatoshi Ono. The lyrics are by Yuki Mori, and the music and arrangement are by Yusuke Sakamoto, making it a perfect fit for the theme of the story. The background music is also by Yusuke Sakamoto, and effective music is used to liven up the atmosphere of each scene.

In particular, the background music during battle scenes heightens the tension and draws the viewer in. Furthermore, the music in the film changes according to the development of the story, skillfully manipulating the viewer's emotions. It can be said that the fusion of music and visuals further enhances the appeal of this film.

■ Recommendations and ratings

"Bushiroad: The Battle of the Seas" is a work that depicts the theme of finding hope in a hopeless world, and the story, characters, visuals and music all work together to draw the viewer in. In particular, the unique setting of the threat of shinobi, Shell and Yagyuu makes a strong impact both visually and narratively. The performances by the stellar cast are also superb, giving a sense of the depth of each character.

This work is especially recommended for those who like science fiction and mecha anime. You will be able to enjoy the drama of characters who waver between despair and hope, the dynamic battle scenes, and the world view that combines beautiful visuals and music. Also, by following the development of the story and the growth of the characters, viewers themselves may find hope.

Overall, Nepfu Kairiku Bushiroad is a work that leaves a strong impression on viewers, with a high level of story, characters, visuals, and music. It is a work that should be watched by anyone looking for a story about finding hope in a hopeless world.