Anime Reviews (The '80s): Venus Wars (1989)

I’m quite content with the overall anime series and for those not looking for a super long anime series, then “Dororo – Complete Collection” is a captivating, gorgeously animated, action-driven anime series that I highly recommend!

Image courtesy of © Tezuka Productions/Twin Engine Inc.

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TITLE: Venus Wars (ヴイナス戦記)

ANIME FILM RELEASE DATE: 1989

DURATION: 105 Minutes

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (16×9), English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, English subtitles

COMPANY: Sentai Filmworks

RATING: TV 14 V

Release Date: October 26, 2021

Originally created by Yasuhiko Yoshikazu

Director: Yasuhiko Yoshikazu

Series Composition by Yasuhiko Yoshikazu, Sasamoto Yuichi

Character Design by Yasuhiko Yoshikazu

Art Director: Kobayashi Shichiro

Animation Director: Kamimura Sachiko

Mechanical Design by Yokoyama Kow, Kobayashi Makoto

Music by Hisaishi Jo

Anime Production by Kugatsusha, Triangle Staff

Featuring the following voice talent:

Uekusa Katsuhida/Adam Gubbs as Hiro

Hara Eriko/Maggie Flecknoe as Susan

Daisuke Gouri as Game Announcer

Naya Gorō/John Gremillion as Gary

Hidemi Osaka as Desk

Kawaguchi Hiroshi/Mike Haimoto as Tao

Houchu Ohtsuka as Will

Ikuya Sawaki as Branch Manager

Shiozawa Kaneto/David Wald as Donner

Yanada Kiyoyuki/Scott Gibbs as Jack

Kōichi Yamadera as Jeff

Yoshida Konami/Christina Kelly as Cathy

Kikuchi Masami/Mark Allen Jr. as Rob

Inaba Minoru/Jay Hickman as Bartender

Mitsuaki Hoshino as Manuel

Makishima Naoki/Blake Jackson as Kenny

Ikeda Shūichi/Sean Patrick Judge as Kurtz

Jinnai Tatsuyuki/John Swasey as Chief

Genda Tesshō/Rob Mungle as Sims

Tsutomu Kashiwakura as Chris

Yousuke Akimoto as Maggie’s Father

Mizutani Yuko/Luci Christian as Maggie

Sasaki Yuko/Christine Auten as Miranda

Fujimoto Yuzuru/John Swasey as General

Venus Wars is an anime movie directed by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko.

When an ice comet slammed into the planet Venus, terraforming its toxic atmosphere into one capable of sustaining human life, mankind’s dream of colonizing other worlds became a reality. Unfortunately for the colonists, Venus isn’t the paradise they’d dreamed of. As crops fail and competition for resources intensifies, hostilities grow until the two inhabited continents stand on the brink of war.

Reporter Susan Sommers arrives in the capital of Aphrodia just as Ishtar attacks and only the intervention of Hiro Seno and his Battle Bike team saves her from certain death… but now Aphrodia is under Ishtar’s control and Sue, Hiro, and his teammates find themselves on the run! However, their unique skill at Battle Bike, which combines motorcycle racing with roller derby, may just prove to be the secret weapon Aphrodia needs to win the Venus Wars.

From 1987 to 1990, “Venus Senki” (aka “Venus Wars”) by animator and mangaka Yasuhiko Yoshikazu was originally serialized in Gakken Magazine’s “Nora Comics”.

The manga received an anime adaptation in 1989 and the manga also received an English translation by Dark Horse courtesy of Alan Gleason and Toren Smith. In fact, “Venus Wars” is one of the first wave of anime releases in its original Japanese language with English subtitles to be released on the VHS format in America back in 1993.

While the animated film was released on DVD in 2012 and on Blu-ray in 2015 featuring a new film print which featured the film with anamorphic widescreen, the license for the film expired and Sentai Filmworks now has the rights to the film and has released it on Blu-ray featuring an all-new English dub.

“Venus Wars” begins with an introduction on how an ice comet collided with the planet Venus in 2003. This collision let enough moisture to form acidic seas and speeded up its rotation to give it a day that matches its year.

Because of the comet collision with Venus, this led to humans from Earth to colonize Venus and by the year 2089, Venus’ population was in the millions and was divided into two states, the northern continent of Ishtar and the southern continent of Aphrodia. And both countries are locked in extreme tension with a possibility of war.

The story shifts to Io, the capital city of Aphrodia and many are enjoying the monobike races at the Talak Battle Bike Stadium.

The first issue features military officials watching one of the racers named Seno Hiro (of the team, Killer Commandos) and how he is quite fearless. He doesn’t care if he lives or dies and they feel he would be perfect for the Army.

Meanwhile, arriving to Venus is a reporter from Earth, Susan, who is trying to learn more about the tensions between the two nations. But while she receives a scoop of a possible war, the city is invaded by the forces of Ishtar, led by General Donner.

As Hiro’s race is disrupted by the attacks, he and his race team lay low and it is learned that Ishtar has taken control of Io and the politicians, police and the media have now submitted to Ishtar’s authority and the city is put on martial law with an imposed curfew.

While the citizens of Io try to live a normal life, the learn that with Ishtar now in charge of the city, life is not the same and for Hiro’s girlfriend, Maggie, it’s been tough on her, despite her trying to be cheerful.

But as the citizens of Aphrodia start to fight back, will Hiro and friends fight back against the Ishtar army?

VIDEO:

“Venus Wars” is presented in 1080p High Definition. This is no doubt the best version I have seen of “Venus Wars”. I have owned the VHS version, the DVD version and now the Blu-ray version of this animated film. And this is old school anime looking at its very best. Colors are vibrant, black levels are nice and deep and I saw no major artifacting at all.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

As for lossless audio, “Venus Wars” is presented in Japanese and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 with English subtitles. The series is front channel driven but dialogue and music is clear. For those who want a more immersive soundtrack can easily switch their receiver for stereo on all channels.

Now, as the Japanese soundtrack is wonderfully acted, there are differences with the English voice dub. This is rather debatable among fans, because we are starting to see old school anime receiving redubs. There are many who felt the English voice dubs of the early ’90s were inferior and had to be redone. While there are those who grew up with the original, and want to hear the original English dub.

The same can be said with “Venus Wars”, as it received a new English dub. I like it but I can see why some may feel upset by it not including the original. I guess perhaps they could of added a third audio track with the original dub, but it is what it is and I can understand why a few people may get upset.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Venus Wars” comes with the trailer.

For me, watching “Venus Wars” is about nostalgia.

From hearing the theme song in the disc menu to watching the animation when cel-based animation was at its peak and remembering the days of visiting Blockbuster or Hollywood Video and seeing the clamshell of the VHS cover on the shelves back in the day.

“Venus Wars” along with “Akira”, “Gunbuster”, “Tenchi Muyou” and a few other titles are part of the anime titles that many people outside of Japan, especially in America, were first introduced to anime.

Before there was Toonami and the Cartoon Network (which would eventually lead to a new generation of anime fans), there was Sci-Fi Channel “Saturday Anime” and either through this or watching anime back then were driven by anime clubs showing anime at public libraries, malls, college or some place for people to gather around and hope they could watch the latest from Japan via English fansubs.

“Venus Wars” was fascinating to me because I remember the first original ads that advertised it in America. It was $40 just for the VHS and here we are today, with a much better version on video for half the price!

As for the animated film, my thoughts about the film remain unchanged decades later. I still feel that the animated film would have benefited from a TV series. As I felt the series could really boosten the storyline of the conflict between the two empires and also focus on various character plots, which is difficult to feature so many in one animated film.

And my original impression was how this animated film was an amazing work for animator Yasuhiko Yoshikazu, is still unchanged.

A lot of people may be unaware of how much Yasuhiko put into this anime series. Not only was he the creator, he was also the director, a co-writer and character designer.

Many grew up with his anime through the ’70s which he created character designs or directed such as “Brave Reideen” and “Combattler V”. And many don’t know that he was also the original character designer of “Dirty Pair” before their first manga and anime appearance.

And before there was “Venus Wars”, he was responsible for the 1983 animated film “Crusher Joe the Movie” and of course, his involvement in the character designs for “Mobile Suit Gundam F91”, “Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn”, Chief Director for “Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin” and he is the director for the upcoming “Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin MSD: Cucuruz Doan’s Island”.

This is an anime series created by a legend in the anime industry and while an earlier work of Yasuhiko, the film does stand on its own since it was released back in 1989.

It’s fun and action-packed. It’s an anime classic and I’m grateful that a new generation of anime fans can check out this OG Anime film on Blu-ray.

“Venus Wars” is recommended!

Click here to purchase this Blu-ray on Amazon