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Legend of the Overfiend

       
                 
                 
 

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Title Info

  • alias: Chojin Densetsu Urotsukidoji
  • alias: Urotsukidoji
  • alias: Wandering Kid
  • type: movie
  • grade: weird
  • Other elements of this title:
    • This title has been commercially released in Australia.
    • This title may offend the sensitive.
    • Contains explicit sexual content.
  • genre: hentai
  • made: 1989
  • Review created: Recently, but I didn't record the date.
  • mod: none

This is the the most famous tentacle rape and super-violent horror in the history of anime. Whether this is something to be proud of is another matter, but this thing has had a wide showing and has successfully convinced many that anime is some perverse japanese fetish. And this is the cut-down dubbed movie made from the first two of the original five OAV episodes. I think I have seen some of the originals, and it looks like there was lots of material to cut without getting close to damaging the story. The Anime Movie Guide suggests this movie was made from OAV 1 and 2 of the original 5 (although it contradicts itself, twice!). Since this movie is 108 minutes, which is at least as much as any two OAV's I suspect it is made from OAV 1-3 and 45 minutes of OAV material has been cut, which is fairly impressive.

So what is the story? Well in this universe there are three alternate worlds, being the human, demonic and beast worlds. Demons are evil, beasts are a bit wild (but not evil) and humans are basically cannon fodder in the middle. The legend goes that from within the human world a new god will arise to make a better world. Initially the demons want to stop this, while some of the beasts support it, but is might just be that the legends aren't as complete as one would like...after all, no records seem to have survived from any observers of the last occurence.

Is the story the reason this movie is famous? of course not. The reason is that it is almost like an exercise in how far the animators can go. The plot is workable, as are the characters, but they really are just a foundation for a dark and doomed world. And the challenge is accepted by the creators, tentacle rape, exploding bodies, huge scenes of cataclysmic destruction, violent combat with gouts of blood, it's all in here. And what's more it is done with sufficient skill that it does have an effect on you. The creators actually do know how to pace an anime, design a monster and present the action to give it maximum effect and stop you from just ignoring it as `incompetent'. Although I suspect the editing removed a lot of sex, but left a lot of violence. Thus those hoping for erotica might be disappointed, unless the idea of one of the partners turning into a demon and/or exploding like a blood ballon turns you on. The reason it is in the weird is because it all depends on personal philosophy. If you believe that intensity of experience is not an excuse for exploring perversity then you won't miss anything much by leaving this one on the shelf.

Although to be honest the aging of the animation, but even more so the agressive editing, has probably robbed a lot of the power from this anime. Thus it could be considered a weird tribute to the `quality' and skill of the creator that it still has an effect. Certainly there is skill here, with some of the action and effects animation being pretty impressive. It also does a pretty good job of maintaining atmosphere and pace. The dub is reasonably acceptable, with a fair amount of obscenity (like that's going to bother you in this!). Some will enjoy this, some will consider it worth experiencing, but it would really be better for anime in general if you keep it to yourself.

       
                 
                 
       

Words by Andrew Shelton, Web by Ticti, Last Compile: Wed Aug 5 12:39:20 WST 2009