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*Note: This review is prior to watching the "prequel" OVA series Submarine 707R that aired 6 years after this OVA. This may or may not be subject to updating after watching the 707R OVA series.*

Successful anime are often contingent on a variety of factors, notably how well it is adapted from the original source, the quality of the storytelling, the art, relatable characters, and in some cases the popularity of the manga beforehand. When it comes time to adapt an anime, studios will either approve a full-blown series, a short series (generally OVA/ONA format), or a one-shot (a film or pilot episode depending on the ... studio and material being adapted). Unfortunately, Submarine 707 falls into the third category as an example of how to fail to adapt a story.

The original manga, created by Blue Submarine No. 6 mangaka Satoru Ozawa, was unique for its time during the mid-60s at the start of the rise in anime and manga. Submarine warfare, involving intricate plot lines with sonar technology, homing torpedoes, and general naval combat with a "mecha" feel allowed its popularity to grow and set the foundation for future works by Ozawa. There was an initial attempt to make an adaptation but it fell short in production. Three decades later in 1997 we were treated to this adaptation. Where this OVA "pilot" fails is a result of its brevity forcing the hand of the staff. Whether this is the blame of the studio, the director, or a combination of multiple factors does not change the fact that this contributes to the majority of the drawbacks in the final production. This leaves us with an at best average OVA that had the potential to be more.

The story is thrown in medias res, with a shared commonality to poor pilots of the era with a rushed introduction to the dilemma before the introduction of the main characters. Thereafter, the OVA swiftly goes between a few short battles, a brief dialogue between the villain and one of the characters, and finally the concluding battle. This is also not to mention the story suffers from a subplot that is introduced and then hinted once more at the end yet is never fully realized, especially considering its implications on the main story. Furthermore, the mechanics of submarine warfare are drastically simplified, and while some maneuvers of naval warfare are present, they aren't fully realized and nearly rely on the enemy falling for "convenience" or being too incompetent as to fall for simple traps.

To its credit, the art and animation quality are relatively acceptable with smooth transitions between frames and nice character designs. The Seiyuu performance is done nicely. Overall, if you're looking for a quick 45 min watch and can look past the clear plot holes and shortcomings for an average sitting, then this anime should fit well in that regard.

*Note: This song is actually the ending theme for the series. Ignore this note if it has been changed on the MAL synopsis for the page.

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Finally, the legend himself has made yet another appearance in the realm of anime. Marty friggin' Friedman, one of the instrumental forces behind Dave Mustaine's Megadeth as well as notably Cacophany and a solo career. The man, now a native of Japan since 2003, is also known for multiple collaborations with Japanese bands of multiple genres and covers of anime songs notably with the band Animetal USA with their DBZ and NGE theme's respectively.

As for the other two if ... many do not know, KenKen is the well known bassist for Japanese alt metal band Rize and having done many collaborations globally. Meanwhile, Jean-Ken Johnny is the lead guitarist and one of the two lead singers for Japanese rock band Man with a Mission (MWAM). The band is noted for its blend of hard rock and dance-pop, as well as each member performing on stage wearing wolf masks.

With that background in mind, one is easily able to see the influence of all three in the song. Powerful lyrics from Jean-ken deliver over a quiet melody that develops into a strong blend of alternate metal with pop influences. To top it all off, we get a killer solo from Friedman only to be blasted back into the song's chorus for the remainder of the music video.

As for the video itself, its as you would expect of an AMV promoting the anime. The quality is nice and reflects that of the actual anime, yet any hint of the plot or characters is left in mystery as it should.

The enjoyment is well received. If you're a fan of the rock scene you'll appreciate this song, with an industry over-saturated with pop and synthesized music in the current year save some notable exceptions. Its a nice change of pace for the anime world, and it sets the mood for the anime that it was produced for.

*Note: As of this time I have not seen the 12 ep series that was produced 2 years after this OVA and this review will be strictly in regards to the OVA*
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To give the viewer context for what they will watch, this OVA was a special bundle release with the Play Station 2 release of the video game series by Nitroplus that bears the same name. Both of these were based off of a 2003 eroge novel that combined Lovecraftian fictional elements with a futuristic mecha environment. Despite the interesting concept of the original source, we are left with what essentially is a 24 ... minute preview/trailer for the game, understandable given the background.

While its intentions are known, this anime fails to give justice to original work. The story derives its point of view from a reporter, whom while being the source of the plot progression seems only to be a bystander to the actual plot of the anime. This is clear when one realizes that the actual main cast from the source is nearly absent throughout this adaptation. Even further, the viewer is treated to a fast-paced and loaded plot that attempts to dump the entire story in a simultaneous gesture of raising interest. What this does however is leave the viewer in a state of confusion with too much information to digest into a coherent narrative. It would not be wrong to assume that, alone, this anime would be a parady of several anime of the 90s, such as Mobile Suit G Gundam and Macross 7, as well as using many of the common anime tropes that have assimilated themselves into the mainstream. The characters are archetypal and unmemorable, only accompanied with this fact even further by the convoluted presentation and execution of the plot.

The animation and art itself provides an arguably strong point for the anime, with complementary visuals and color for its setting. However what will probably turn off many viewers is the use of 3D during the mecha battles. Since being an early 2000s anime of low budget and concern, the noticeable flaws in the movements and sequences may irk the meticulous mecha fan. There is also a certain attack that one may recall from a certain popular mecha anime that was listed above that is clearly reused. The sound is done well despite the drawbacks of this anime, with a decent seiyuu performance and a pleasant ED.

At its best, this is an average anime that began with an interesting concept and the opportunity to provide a introduction for the game it was bundled with. Unfortunately this anime squandered this expectation, leaving a trail of many unanswered questions and scratching heads.

Stories about the damsel in distress adventure are a hackneyed staple in the realm of storytelling across all mediums. However, whenever done correctly, will always result as a source of enjoyment for its audience. Such is the case for the film Apfelland Monogatari, a surprising gem from the early 90s period. The film does not fail to entertain the viewer, packing in an intricate plot, wonderful characters, and colorful visuals to keep one entranced by the story.

Set in an alternate early 20th century Europe at a time of nation-building and old feuds, the film manages to incorporate a realistic sense of the historic era ... with its relevance to geo-political events, nations, weapons, and down to the very lifestyle of the time period. That goes without saying however, as this film is based on the manga from Yoshiki Tanaka. Yes, THE Yoshiki Tanaka, mastermind creator of the Legend of the Galactic Heroes and Arslan Senki manga and later anime adaptations. Also assisting in the creation of this anime was the director, Kunihiko Yuyama, who would later go on to direct the Pokemon franchise. Therefore it is easy to see the influence of the young protagonists as they adventure in order to save the world from ruin. Cliche? Yes, however was still a good story.

However this is a heavily character-driven story, very akin to Laputa: Castle in the Sky or Nadia: Secret of Blue Water. What stands out for this film is despite its brevity, we are given a well-received cast that for the most part have ample screen time. Each character contributes to the story and only on a few occasions were there unnecessary characters introduced into the film yet this did not detract from the overall enjoyment. There is also a great dynamic of action and drama added to generate excitement for the viewers.

The art, with the direction of Mitsuki Nakamura, were appropriate for the story, giving the feel of a late 80s animation however remaining fluid for its time. However there are noticeable moments with reused footage and animation that become repetitive.

The seiyuu performance was nicely done. Some might recognize a few of them, such as the MC being the same voice of Conan Edogawa from Detective Conan. The OST for the film initially felt out of place, however as the film progressed it became intertwined with the story in an adequate manner.

Apfelland Monogatari is another quiet gem that went below the radar of the rise in anime for the 90s, however do not let its age fool you. While retaining a cliche story yet not being mainstream, it nevertheless is an enjoyable film full of wonderful characters and an exciting adventure.

Here is another wonderful work of Kenzou Masaoka. With our main protagonist Tora-chan, this 10 minute short delivers all the aspects of a children's drama.

This is one of 2-3 short films involving anthropomorphic felines in their day to day adventures, the others being Tora-chan to Hanayome and Suteneko Tora-chan. The animation for such an early set of shorts is very fluid and characteristic to the Disney shorts of the same era. The story concerns itself more with the characters' goofiness than with consistency, but being targeted towards children audiences its no surprise. The sound quality was average, however depending on which source you use it ... may differ.

Overall its a decent watch and among the trademark anime for this era in animation.

Tora-chan to Hanayome is one of two or three short anime involving our kitten duo that was created by Kenzou Masaoka, among one of his last works before retiring. Due to the shortness of this animation I'll be brief with my review.

The anime makes itself out to be and by all means is intended for a children's audience, hence all the characters and the story are straight forward, slightly goofy, and basic. That being said, for a 1948 anime the animation quality is very much fluid, and to many may be reminiscent of an old Disney short from the same era. The sound quality is ... fair, however this may be subject to change depending on the source you are viewing it. I did get a good enjoyment out of watching a relic of the anime realm though. While by any means it does not compare to modern standards, this anime is still a decent watch, especially given the short run time.