Anime Review: Megazone 23 vol 1-2

Review Megazone 23 vol 1-2 Written by Warpshadow Rating fair

Shows with philosophical meaning in them can be some of the greatest anime there are. Note I said the word can. They can also be great piles of steaming (insert word here, I try to keep the site clean). Megazone 23 is an example of the later.

Shogo Yahagi is a somewhat typical biker punk who lives in Tokyo. One day he meets with one of his friends who shows him a secret new motorcycle. It is so secret that the company comes to take it back and kill him in process, forcing Shogo to run off with the bike. It isn't just any ordinary bike but a crucial component to hacking the computer that secretly controls the world. Only that it really isn't the Tokyo that they think it is, it is actually a spaceship with a clever disguise to make people think they are living in the 20th century.

Megazone 23 is an Oav series made in the eighties. Unlike most Oavs Megazone 23 works more like a movie trilogy. The movie uses the same basic premise as the Matrix being about a reality that is really just an illusion (and by the way Megazone 23 was made in the eighties so it is clearly not a rip off). For all it's animation quality and interesting story premises Megazone 23 falls flat on it's face when it comes to plot and characters. The movie meanders along through idiotic dialogue, dreadful lulls and shallow, annoying characters. It almost feels like the director had attention deficit disorder. I recommend that you stay away from this one.