Ranked #6048

The Legend of the Blue Wolves

I went into this with an open mind, and I tried not to get my expectations too high. After all, there are very, very few yaoi anime that I can consider a masterpiece(even considering the fact that this is recommended with Ai no Kusabi), and I didn't want to be unfair in my judgment. That being said, on to the rest of the review.

This anime was by no means terrible; at least, in my opinion, but neither was it great. The story is unique enough, especially for the yaoi genre, but didn't quite deliver the way it should have. I think the thing that hurts it the most is the fact that it's so short. If there had been more time devoted to Jonathan and Leonard's relationship, the ending would have had much more impact.

I found it slightly predictable as well. Maybe it's just me, but I could see the end coming five minutes into this anime. Kind of disappointing.

The music was decent, the art was decent, the characters were decent, as was the story, but that is all this is. It wasn't nearly as inspiring as the creator was going for, I'm sure.

This is certainly not Ai no Kusabi or Winter Cicada, but nevertheless, I think this is worth watching anyway, if you're bored enough. I have seen much worse. Although, keep in mind that there are very strong themes and imagery in it, such as rape, etc., etc.

If you're looking to watch something deep and inspiring, this doesn't quite cut it. I would suggest watching Ai no Kusabi and Fuyu no Semi(Winter Cicada) if that's what you're looking for. read more

The Legend of the Blue Wolves is one of those shows I did not expect much from, but completely blew me when I finished. An early entry localized by the same company that localized Bakuman and Rurouni Kenshin, it has everything from a innovative story to an astounding soundtrack to a memorable cast you might remember for many years to come.

Story: 10
The main attraction of the Legend of the Blue Wolves is the deep story, and I mean that both figuratively and literally. It explores crevices you did not know could be reached without the aid of man-made instruments. The OVA also provides a daring number of plot twists that keep you on the edge of your chair or bed. Judging from the cover and the early interactions, you expect one of those classic two-man-having-sex-in-the-spaceship, right? Wrong. The anime unexpectedly adds in a third man, creating another dimension of depth in the series and increasing the number of possible positions doable.

Art: 8.8
The art might be outdated by modern standards, but remember that the series came out mid-90s. The minimalist designs actually work in the show's favor as it vividly captures the raw emotions of pleasure. The only complaint is the penises, since they are somewhat plain and boring-looking. Anime generally spend great amounts of work on their primary weapons, but the Legend of the Blue Wolves unfortunately fails to deliver.

Sound: 9.7
Amazing. The groans and orgasms sound majestic and realistic and reflect the deep passion between Leo and Jon. Unlike other yaoi that might recycle the various sex sounds, the Legend of the Blue Wolves has a least several variations, especially for important events like first penetration and of course, climaxing. If you find the sound bad, you might want to consider investing in better speakers.

Character: 10.2
Satoshi Hirayama might be better remembered for his later more popular works like Glass Mask, but much of his style can be traced back to the Legend of the Blue Wolves. Possibly the strongest part of the entire OVA is the characters. We start with two relatively-innocent relatively-German dudes chilling on a ship. Eventually, they realize their undying love to one another, but suddenly, tragedy strikes! Under the added pressure, the characters become more realistic and the show makes you wonder what you might do under similar situations.

Enjoyment: 10
Just ask my pants.

Overall: 10 (not an average)
One of those works that comes once in a few years. Needless to say, don't watch it with your kids. They might miss out right now, but trust me, they will savor it more when they are ready. read more