Joker Marginal City
Entry updated 2 November 2026. Tagged: TV.
Japanese Original Video Animation (OVA) (1992). E&G Films, Studio Sign. Based on the Joker Manga by Katsumi Michihara and Yuu Maki. Directed by Osamu Yamasaki. Written by Hiroyuki Ōnuma and Junichi Watanabe. Voice cast includes Show Hayami, Jūrōta Kosugi, Yasunori Matsumoto, Urara Takano and Michie Tomizawa. 42 minutes (actually 37 minutes plus the advert for the video). Colour.
Joker (male: Hayami; female: Tomizawa) is a Special Judicial Officer – detective, judge and executioner (see Crime and Punishment) – and a synthetic human with technological implants, including artificial eyes that can perceive various electromagnetic waves (see Androids; Cyborgs). Joker can also change Gender (see Transgender SF); most of the fighting is done in their male form.
In Marginal City a serial killer has murdered six women, removing their hearts with bladed hands. Whilst investigating, detective Rīn Rikudō (Matsumoto) is greeted and hugged by a man – Joker – then dragged away: the departing Rīn asks his colleague not to jump to conclusions. Shortly after Joker has shifted to female and Rīn comments that he is really glad they are a woman again: the pair go on a date, but after Rīn leaves Joker is attacked by the killer, whose name is probably Saki (Takano). After Joker asks where Dr Bayfarm is and the other replies they do not know, the two fight with no outright winner: both are badly injured, with Joker going to Rīn's house to have his wounds dressed. The next day Rīn finds and helps the injured Saki (initially unaware of their identity), noting they are androgynous; checking, he discovers Saki is not a registered synthetic human.
The Scientist Dr Bayfarm wished to create a synthetic person who was a perfect human: he told Saki they were his most successful attempt, but had no heart. He admits he was incapable of building one for an android (clearly referring to the moral and other qualities attributed to that organ): thus he has created a monster, though the arms industry that provided the investment is satisfied. He then presses a button, apparently intended to destroy his creation; but Saki escapes, destroying the laboratory and crying out Dr Bayfarm's name (we later see Joker examining the wreckage). Viewers might infer Saki considers themselves rejected by their father and wishes to find the heart they have been told they lack (see Psychology).
Perhaps because he helped them, Saki believes Rīn is Dr Bayfarm and wants his heart, believing that would make them perfect, and so lures him into a trap. Bullets are only an inconvenience: fortunately Joker appears, tells Rīn they love him, then battles and defeats Saki. However, Joker explains that when an android is near death they transform into a Monster as a defence mechanism; sure enough, Saki does. Joker is caught and about to be killed when Rīn fires several shots into the creature, which unlike its android form is conveniently not immune to bullets; it dies. Joker kisses Rīn in their male form (which he does not like), then their female (which he does). We learn he never sees Joker again, but Rīn suspects stories of the collapse of a tyrannical country's military/industrial complex might have something to do with them, and wonders if they are still searching for Dr Bayfarm.
Saki's design appears to include Biological elements, as Rīn's investigations find mention of lost sperm samples relating to Dr Bayfarm's work. We learn little else about synthetic humans: Dr Bayfarm declared himself incapable of building a heart, yet Joker clearly has one. The film touches on LGBT issues, both with Joker themself and their relationship with Rīn, and seems sympathetic although Rīn's gay panic has not worn well. The unanswered questions – such as what happened to Dr Bayfarm; Joker and Rīn's previous history; Joker's origins, and who they are working for – suggest plans for a series; but no further OVAs were released. As it stands, Joker Marginal City is a minor but watchable Anime. [SP]
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