Once a while, an OVA series comes out and it’s enjoyable without having exploit everything deeply. It’s nice to have deep explorations of everything in a story; but sometimes just action, some ties and binds between characters and a lot of action and fun is just what the doctor prescribes. In any event, I’ve watched all 4 episodes and I’m just going through them again.
Of course, action OVAs with guns and Mafia plus hitmen may not be anything new, but all possible stories ran out at the end of the 19th century anyways…right? In any case, here the great thing is to savor the performance of the voices-overs, of course!
A cold day at a cold city; the snow hasn’t completely melted and Mihai returns upon reading the letter from her dead lover’s friend and colleague, Kiri, that his protege and the young man who killed Milena, his past love, has now seized the position of the Don. Ian, the protege, has now become the man in power.
In an OVA like this, there’s no way one get to see too much character motivation explanations, which may be a good thing. The one thing that a lot of anime likes to do is to explain everything in words – long monologues that sound like they come out of a shojo anime, in addition to a lot of bitching, moaning and whining. There is no need for any of those here. Ian’s motives aren’t that complex on the surface, and yet it does make the audience think about the relationship between a father and a son. Born of a lowly status and having a “real” father for the first time, what goes through Ian’s mind when he sees his, for all intents and purposes, his “real” father loving someone else, possibly more than loving him?
Of course, yaoi girls craving for older men will rejoice with tears at Ozuka Akio’s Mihai.
No bullshit, no fuss and no stale leftovers though the overall taste is somewhat bland (perhaps due to my overtly experience in anime watching) and we go on to OVA 2.
Badou is a “hard boiled” private dick but with the recent economy slump (reflecting real life), he’s forced to take small jobs that pay shit for what he has to go through. This is a guy who has to have nicotine in his blood to stay calm and feel good about things but strangely he doesn’t get the usual withdrawal symptoms without nicotine – it’s something else that snaps and that something else is dangerous. In any case, today is his unlucky(?) day.
He drops his fresh pack of cigarettes and in his attempt to get it back, he sees something that he couldn’t pass up. Big mistake. Then again, he drops to the wrong window and the Don of the west really should just blame himself for letting the window wide open. Shouta Dominatrix, girls?
Chaos ensue, and he meets Mihai, who’s recovering from the end of OVA 1. Anyone who enjoys Ishida Akira’s voice acting would definitely enjoy his half-crazed performance here. Of course, his character Badou, gets no tobacco and oh boy, he snaps all right.
How do you like your chance against a pair of Uzis with a Tommy gun? Even with about 50+ men at you side?
Needless to say, this time, the mad dog saves the day and poor Badou finally gets to smoke. Never deprive a man of his needs, never, especially when he’s that dangerous.
It’s action and a “slice of mafia comedy” with great acting.
