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Japanese Original Video Animation (OVA) (1986). Tatsunoko Production. Based on the Manga by Johji Manabe. Directed by Katsuhisa Yamada. Written by Kenji Terada and Sukehiro Tomita. Voice cast includes Fumi Hirano, Mitsuo Iwata, Miko Terashima, Takashi Toyama, Kenji Utsumi and Mari Yokoo. 48 minutes. Colour.
The Santovasku Galactic Empire, ruled by Emperor Quevas (Toyama), plans to conquer Earth (see Invasion) and exterminate its people. Princess Kahm (Hirano), bored with court life, decides to go in ahead of her father's forces. Her Spaceship's Weapons destroy most of Tokyo's military defences while the horned, sword-wielding, bikini-clad Princess despatches many of the soldiers herself: limbs are severed, heads decapitated and blood gushes (see Horror). About to cleave photographer Tetsuya Wakatsuki (Iwata), she is disorientated by his flash going off; they grapple, resulting in mutual arousal: Kahm kisses him, which doubles as a Universal Translator, then knocks him out.
Tetsuya awakes on her craft – which, like most of the Empire's spaceships, is organic. He meets Kahm's annoying servants and her friend, warrior catgirl Battia Bureitin Rou (Yokoo). When the Emperor arrives she introduces Tetsuya as her fiancée and asks for Earth to be spared; he has her tied up and orders that Tetsuya be thrown into a pit of giant toothed worms. Fortunately he is rescued by Battia. Freeing Kahm, they flee in their spaceships, though not before Tetsuya has been stabbed by Battia's boyfriend Geobaldi (Utsumi) and resurrected by Kahm. They are now attacked by the ambitious Progresso (Terashima), one of the Emperor's senior military officers. However, Geobaldi infects his fleet with a disease, debilitating them, and then destroys Progresso's ship. The Emperor, not displeased with Progresso's death and also loving his daughter – an emotion not previously noticeable – allows the two couples to escape.
A flawed film – the ending is very rushed and the plot has many gaps (a familiarity with the original manga apparently helps) – Outlanders is nevertheless an entertaining romantic screwball comedy with Sex and gore. The influence of Star Wars (1977) and Urusei Yatsura (1981-1986) may be detected. [SP]
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Entry from The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (2011-current) edited by John Clute and David Langford.
Accessed 16:34 pm on 19 April 2024.
<https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/outlanders>