The Appleseed franchise is a real favorite of mine though I continue to wish we’d get an expanded TV series and something with more traditional animation to it than the CG side. This is why it was a delight that the original 1988 OVA was coming back into print as Discotek Media acquired the rights to it recently. With the series getting its standard definition return to the market last year as no HD sources were available, the folks at RetroCrush have started bringing out clips for it. This one plays early on and in the four minutes offers up some solid action – and a drunken moment or two!
Based on the manga by Masamune Shirow, it was written and directed by Kazuyoshi Katayama with character designs by Yumiko Horasawa.
The Japanese cast includes Masako Katsuki as Deunan Knute, Yoshisada Sakaguchi as Brialeos Hecatombcales, Mayumi ShĆ as Hitomi, Norio Wakamoto as A. J. Sebastian, Toshiko Sawada as Athena, and Toshio Furukawa as Calon. The English cast from the US Renditions dub includes Bill Roberts as Bularios, Larissa Murray as Dunan, David Reynolds as Karon, Julia Brahms as Hitomi, Lorelei King as Athena, and Vincent Marzello as Sebastian.
Plot Concept: After the devastation of World War III, the scattered governments of the world construct the perfect city administered by perfect Biodroids – artificially created half-human half-robots. Life in Olympus is carefully controlled and monitored – and some of its human population have had enough. A dedicated band of terrorists plot to destroy Gaia, the central computer, and restore freedom to mankind. After a daring raid of a high security facility, they have the weapons and information they need to complete their mission – including the key to the end of Gaia. Will they be stopped before they ruin the dream of paradise?
Appleseed takes us into the explosive world of the Extra Special Weapons and Tactics Squad of the Olympus Police Force, as they battle against those who would destroy their utopia. Join two of the finest (and most reckless) officers on the force in this high-tech animated thriller. Based on the internationally successful comic series by Masamune Shirow, Appleseed is a high-octane, action-packed race against time as the future of a civilization hangs in the balance.
