Not very often one sees the Konami logo making an entrance before the start of an anime. Video games most definitely as Konami created many a classic for early consoles during the 1980s and 1990s, but an anime… what’s the catch? Could it be an anime based on a video game in Konami’s library? Obviously. Anime as a promotional tie in is nothing new and with Konami’s Salamander (Life Force for the NES) a three episode OVA would be commissioned to begin release in 1988. So we have an anime based off of a space ship shooter? A schmup? Work with your strengths here add some heroic characters, space opera and a little character development and you get a production that is actually pretty good.
While the video game of Salamander lays down the foundation of this anime with attacking an alien threat while piloting the ever well designed Vic Viper space craft, other influences would also color the anime into a more flushed out production. Why not add in references to Salamander’s fellow siblings Gradius and Gradius II: GOFER no Yabou as well. Plus lets include veteran director Hisayuki Toriumi and Studio Pierrot for production and character designs by Haruhiko Mikimoto (nice choice!) to polish off this package. Salamander is solid 1980s space opera complete with the look and feel one would expect from the era and best of all you don’t have to be a fan of video games. Now let’s see how this plot unfolds!
Much like 2001: A Space Odyssey we begin with mysterious black monoliths, except these look like the giant stone statues found on Easter Island. Legend states that these protect the planet Latis from a sleeping fire dragon. This dragon has ties with an invading power, the Bacterian of the planet Salamander and recently on the planet Gradius, three young heroes defeated this power. Latis’ prince Lord British (nice name) calls forth these three fighters even though the relations between Latis and Gradius are difficult at best. Arriving in Vic Vipers, our heroes Dan, Eddie and Stephanie make their entrance in front of the regal Lord British. Sounds fairly ordinary at first except Eddie and Stephanie have some baggage from the past which become major plot points. Eddie’s family has ties to the planet Latis and Stephanie mourns the loss of her father from the invasion on their home world of Gradius. Instead of being just a flash and dazzle showing of aerial acrobatics and dogfighting, we get character drama, which I can be sure was not part of the original video gaming experience.
The following two episodes bookend the opener. Episode two acts as a prequel, tying up unfinished business that was hinted at previously, and episode three delivers a subsequent sequel and finale. Being based on space ship shooters it is nice to sit back and relax for once instead of being in intense in the moment. Let the pros handle this one! And maybe it is just me, but Salamander does feel a little slow. Watching the first episode alone is enough of a story in and of itself and then adding in the final two gives more depth, but kind of repeats similar themes, characters and stories already. Maybe I am being a little too critical since I have seen my fair share and a half of space opera anime and know many of the tropes familiar with the genre. That being said, Salamander is still well above the upper end of average.
Cast in the same era as other space opera OVAs like Gunbuster and Dangaioh, Salamander is a worthy recommendation if you can get a hold of it. My initial draw to Salamander were the Mikimoto character designs. As a fan of his work I do my best to track down all that I can to see those tried and true sparkling eyes again and again that he is known for. I won’t lie, this OVA for me is all about the visual appeal. Ironically this anime also led me to later give Gradius a try on the NES; a fun game. As of this writing I have not tried Salamander/Life Force, maybe in the future. And just in case you are wondering… the famous ‘Konami Code’ will not work with this OVA. No free power ups, or 30 extra lives this time round.
To be forever young… is it truly possible? My two cents says that without question and I will stake everything on it, that all magical girls do remain forever young. The pride and joy as well as perhaps the biggest backbone for all that is shojo in anime, the magical girl, is a genre and an archetype without peer. The 1980s witnessed a rebirth and reinvention of the magical girl and one in particular would be a leading example for one particular studio as well as a generation. In 1983, Studio Pierrot would marry magical girls into the world of the pop idol with Magical Angel Creamy Mami… thus a legend was born.
Two things hit me when I watched this show. First it’s adorable; can’t deny that. Though when you mention to people you are watching a classic title like Magical Angel Creamy Mami, especially those who are not in the know about anime in general, they may think it is some sort of porn title. IT’S NOT!!! Cream Lemon yes, Creamy Mami NO! This is a sweet wholesome show, something you can watch with the whole family… just an awkward title. And second, did Jem and the Holograms derive any influence from this show? Magic transformations and pop music idols are rampant in both shows. Maybe its a coincidence? Although to be frank both shows are completely different in approach, but I could not help but find a parallel between two shows made around the same time. Anyway on with the main program…
Miss Yuu Morisawa… our protagonist… a plain jane, average in many ways and very independent, but in a sweet way. She does not technically stand out, even to the boy that she is infatuated with (shame on you Toshio), yet behind the normality there lurks much potential. I appreciate that she is an opposite to the popular Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon). Yuu is not quote, a dumb blonde, a ditz… annoying. Perhaps this is more than likely why I have issue with watching Sailor Moon. Yuu is the type of character I can identify with, I can root for and also hold a series together. Often times a show is as good as it’s cast, story and plot can be interchangeable, with the main character acting as a bedrock, perhaps the identity of a show itself. It was you Yuu Morisawa that made me love Creamy Mami.
Underneath all the magical girl fun, the great color pallet used, the slapstick comedy and the danceable music, we have a romance. Perhaps even a love triangle, that is between two people, yet three identities. Again I have to reference Jem for that one. Yuu and Toshio are made for each other yet there are sparks that fly, but when the moments are right, there is true love. Be on watch near the middle of the episode running for a great plot twisting that will not again play out until the near end. The entire show turns upside down as the secret of Mami is revealed to a special someone.
Say hey there Space Cowboy, catch any outlaws today? … Who says the wild west ended during the time of covered wagons, cowboys and revolver pistols. I say let’s give this genre a sci-fi coat of paint. Why? … just because! And what do we get? A futuristic yet retro tale of Heroes and Villains. “Heroes and villains, Just see what you’ve done, Ba Ba Ba…” … ah yes, Beach Boys lyrics! (great band) … Back on track now, our entry this time round was one of the original direct to video releases, a pioneer (nice wild west pun!). A product of my beloved home base year of 1985 made by that talented group known simply as Studio Pierrot. A gem of an OVA, Cosmo Police Justy.
Cosmo Police Justy was a release I became infatuated with just from viewing only still shots. Almost like love at first sight where one could not wait to have the date. When I was in the beginning of finding more obscure classic titles I set about certain parameters as a starting point and Cosmo Police Justy fit in quite nicely. The game was to find titles primarily from the middle part of the 1980s, usually sci-fi or space opera in flavor and then I left it all to my gut reaction determine if it would be a match. For Justy the character’s had a similar quality to Macross, though not as sophisticated as Mikimoto’s, and this was a big plus on my end (plus Justy has great hair, me oh so jealous). Also here in the U.S. a portion of the manga came out via Viz in their once comic sized format which aided the fansub release of the anime.
The story consists of a basic good guy vs. bad guy premise, but also has a lot going on under the surface that shapes the overall plot. Revenge is the name of the game as the gang of the fallen criminal Magnum Vega plans to get their just desserts onto the well renowned Cosmo Police agent, Justy Kaizard. Justy’s reputation and super human esper skills brought down the venerable Magnum Vega, but doing so left much controversy and damage. Vega’s gang felt it in one way, but Vega’s daughter Astalis (Astaris) would take the situation in an entirely different way simply because the big bad Magnum Vega was not a criminal in her eyes, but simply dad. Enraged she would vow revenge on Justy when she would get to be big and strong. And then… she would from the power of anger, grow and mature in a matter of seconds… behold the power of science fiction.
As mentioned earlier Cosmo Police Justy was a project from Studio Pierrot and because of this belongs to a select family. Pierrot would release the first OVA in late 1983, Dallos which would continue into 1984. By 1985 Pierrot would grow their direct to video releases to include several Creamy Mami titles, the great Area 88, and the sentimental Fire Tripper, Plus lets add all the Urusei Yatsura madness that was ever so popular on both the small and cinematic screens. Cosmo Police Justy was a fellow sibling among these titles… now that’s a proper family!… I hate to play on the Pokemon catch phrase, but you should catch them all! Or as many as you can attempt.
The Classic Anime Museum 
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