Mars [OVA]
Entry updated 19 October 2026. Tagged: TV.
Japanese Original Video Animation (OVA) (1994). 81 Produce, KSS. Based on the Manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama. Directed by Junji Nishimura. Written by Masashi Sogo. Voice cast includes Akiko Hiramatsu, Nozomu Sasaki and Emi Shinohara. Two circa 26-minute OVAs. Colour.
When the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force approach a newly surfaced volcanic Island they are attacked by a giant Robot, which is defeated with difficulty. Finding a naked young man (Sasaki) on the island, they take him back to Japan for study; he remains silent and watches television. Military analyst Reiko Yamaguchi (Shinohara) brings in her young niece Harumi (Hiramatsu) hoping she will get his attention. One day, whilst Harumi is out, the boy's guards are killed and he is quizzed by his kidnapper, who calls him Mars and asks whether his Amnesia is due to his "long sleep" (see Suspended Animation) and asserts that now he is awake "you must bring final judgement on this planet", then leaves.
Meanwhile, a giant robot head (not that of the recently destroyed one) is skimming across the ocean waves towards Tokyo; within is a humanoid Alien who fires at Mars as Reiko and Harumi are trying to talk with him: Mars saves Reiko and Harumi from the Weapon's blast. A giant encrusted robot named Gaia now emerges from the sea, fighting and defeating the head, killing the pilot, then returning to the depths. Harumi realizes it was controlled by Mars; at the end of the first OVA Mars speaks to her, confirming his name.
Early in OVA 2 the five people (there had been six) who control the attacking Mecha meet, including the man who spoke to Mars, commenting on the power of Gaia and affirming how Mars must become aware of the earthlings' true face. Meanwhile, Mars is now answering the questions of the Ministry of Defence Task Force: he has been sleeping under the sea for 10,000 years and on awakening his purpose is to observe the state of the planet (thus his television viewing) and – if need be – destroy it. Furthermore, if Mars dies Gaia will explode, destroying the Earth – which seems to be why the five aliens are trying to kill him: the Japanese military realize they need to defend Mars from these attacks. The next mecha to appear is the Great Sphinx of Giza – though it and its pilot are destroyed, Mars is injured. Whilst Reiko and other officials travel to the island to see if it holds any answers, he is flown to a hospital with Harumi by his side – but the aircraft convoy is attacked, and there the second OVA finishes. After the credits we learn that a third OVA will appear: it did not.
Mitsuteru Yokoyama is best known for his Manga titles Tetsujin 28 Go (1956-1966); Sally the Witch (1967-1968, aka Sunny the Witch), an important stage in the Magical Girl genre; Giant Robo (1967-1968) and Babel II (1971-1973), all of which became successful Anime. Mars (1976) is one of his lesser known works, owing something to Babel II, but still having a number of anime adaptions: others are the 64-episode television series Godmars (1981), a loose retelling of the manga which was then edited into a 1982 film; the one-episode OVA GM:Legend of Seventeen (1988); and the 13-episode television series New Century Mars (2002; original title Shinseikiden Mars). The version discussed in this entry was intended to adapt the whole manga and stay close to the original storyline concerning an alien boy awoken from suspended animation and tasked with deciding whether humanity can be trusted with Space Flight, and if not, to destroy our planet; he decides to side with Earth and fight the six aliens who are of a different opinion, seeking to kill him so his robot, Gaia, will self-destruct, wiping out the Earth. These OVAs are watchable but cease too early in the storyline to judge how good the adaption would have been, with little backstory and character development established. An oddity is Mars being red-headed (as in the manga) when first seen on the island, but subsequently black-haired. [SP]
links
- Internet Movie Database OVA 1
- Internet Movie Database OVA 2
previous versions of this entry