Anime Meta-Review
Guyver: Out of Control
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Title Info
- alias: Kyoshoku Soko Guyver
- seen: 1 of 1
- type: OAV
- grade: archaic
- Other elements of this title:
- This title may offend the sensitive.
- made: 1986
- Review created: Recently, but I didn't record the date.
- mod: none
This OAV must have been fairly successful, since it spawned a sequel that ran for 12 OAV episodes. However this just adds to the difficulty this OAV faces as anything other than a historical record. The story involves the awakening of the bio-weapon guyver by a young student. While he is trying to deal with this the ruthless corporation that controlled the unit will stop at nothing to recover what they consider theres.
Clearly the manga had been out for some time, because there are a lot of story and design similarities between this and the later OAV. The main differences between this and the first two episodes of the later OAV are a female prime opponent and that the corporation is much nastier. Being bio-weapons there are lots of opportunity for gore to gout and arms to be ripped off. However what earnt the nfts (not for the sensitive) rating is some of the calm callous violence inflicted by the corporation on innocent bystanders. Of course the fact that the advantages of a female opponent, primarily being shower scenes and ecchi tentacle transforms, was taken advantage of also adds to the rating. The story, and dialog, for this single OAV episode are as limited as time and type might suggest. The conclusion is open, with at least one plot element unresolved.
So, given that the guyver series is all about super-powered bio-weapon violence why did that not earn the nfts by itself? The reason is because this animation has dated badly. The heavy linework, low framecount and blocky coloring from a limited palette all look ancient by today's standards. Likewise the motion shortcuts and `paint' effects don't really work. Since the OAV focuses on action, graphic violence and impressive effects this really limits the viewability of this title. While the dialog and characterisation are shallow, the core story, while simple, still has some appeal...but it's done much better in the later OAV. Which basically leaves this anime with no good reason to exist.
The Anime Movie Guide calls it `concentrated', but then I suspect they just wanted the experience to end quickly.
Words by Andrew Shelton, Web by Ticti, Last Compile: Wed Aug 5 12:39:19 WST 2009