Reviews

As an adaptation of a 1960s manga, the plot of Blue Submarine No. 6 may seem trite now: a mad scientist has flooded the Earth as punishment for humanity's hubris and pollution, and now the remaining human forces struggle against his army of genetically-engineered beastmen and sea-monsters. The idea of sympathetic villains choosing to take radical action in the face of environmental destruction isn't new by now, and the conclusion--which basically espouses that war will never end unless both sides put down their arms and establish a dialogue--is typical of Japan's postwar genre fiction. However this is all brought to life majestically by Gonzo, as they portray a world of sunken buildings and sweltering, seafaring communities eking out a living in the post-apocalypse, though most of the OVA's runtime is dedicated to the genius monster and ship designs, which share a distinct visual language and evoke a world where they've evolved in tandem over years of intense warfare. Though some of the CG comes off as dated, it's always handled with style and a certain level of abstraction which keeps it from coming off as hokey. And while the basic premise of Blue Submarine No. 6 may seem facile nowadays, when environmental collapse is a reality and not just a hypothetical to wax philosophy about, but the ending somewhat complicates the message and the overall art direction, creature/machine designs, and soundtrack really elevate it.