Cyber City Oedo 808

I've just finished watching this OVA. In summary, the animation is flawless, almost at a movie level, and the design and aesthetics are even more outstanding. However, for me, this OVA was a missed potential. Many things happen without apparent reason, with little development, especially concerning the villain from the first episode, and several loose ends are left unexplained. I believe "Cyber City Oedo" is the typical anime that you need to turn off your brain to enjoy. For those who enjoy more surreal anime or just want to watch something for entertainment, I recommend it. However, if you're expecting something more profound, I wouldn't recommend it.

This series is a very solid piece of work. In my current binge of watching more from the Golden Era, I decided that following on from Angel Cop, Cyber City was next and my goodness was a glad it was. Angel Cop was good, don't get me wrong, but everything that Angel Cop was missing this had and everything Angel Cop had, this had it but better. The show takes its time to make a prominent statement about what it's actually about, the premise behind the show. This I find lacking too often in the Golden Era. The effort is put on at the beginning to set you up nicely for the story which is about to unfold. Firstly however I will comment on the music and animation. The animation is perfect as far as I'm concerned. Throwing the limits of the era to one side, it really is perfect. It's a very blue heavy colour pallette but I believe it work perfectly. The characters are drawn exceptionally well and the action sequences are spot on. What I did find interesting is it seemingly borrowed some idea in its third episode from Angel Cop. For those who have seen Angel Cop, you'll know what I mean. I feel it's very obvious. Yes, Angel Cop was the series I watched directly before this, but I still feels it's obvious. Despite this, it doesn't suffer from it in the slightest. Honestly this animation for me is 10/10. The music also is spot on. It conveys the tension in scenes when required perfectly, it's provides the support for maintaining the pace of scenes when required and gives you the nice synth heavy pads when provided required atmosphere. I don't normally comment on intros to animes, as on the main, I think they are mostly complete garbage. I do feel this is worth comment however is I actually enjoyed listened to the intro the every episode. Whether you agree or not with my opinions on intro/outro music, coming from someone who normally cringes with every note, I actually enjoyed this so that's saying something. Finally the story, this is where this show is let down. The characters are brilliantly written for a start, every one of them. There is nothing negative to comment on here. The script is brilliant, acted well and end to end is thoroughly engaging. It's gritty atmosphere and classic 90s style of story telling too is brilliant. There are 3 episodes here, each about 40 mins long and they fly by likes it's a 10 min show. It's so easy to enjoy and very riveting. So where is the negative? That's the negative. It's too short. I wish more was written for this show. Episodes end and I am left immediately wanting more which is great until you get to the end and you still want more. The episodes do not have season finale climax. They are fantastic episodes, but none bring closure and that's it for me. That's the only negative. In summary it's really great. Very very great in fact, I just wish the we had another 3 episodes with at least 2 of them telling the same story to bring the series to a satisfying close.

Despite a few plot holes, this story about the far future 2700s cyber criminals forced to become cyber police to reduce their sentences, provides great entertainment value for its one track character archetypes and episodic storyline. Of the 3 OVAs you'll watch, each one tells the story of one of 3 protagonists, hardened criminals with 300+ year sentences. They are forced into solving other A class criminal crimes in order to reduce their sentence as otherwise the police will detonate their explosive neck collars. You will explore the psych, past, and present lives of each three in quick sequences as they often work together to terminate other criminals. The english dub can be found on youtube (search for the anime title). While I typically avoid dubs the english actors (who seem to sport a bit of the brooklyn accent) do a great job at conveying a closer down to earth rendition of what criminals would probably say (though the writing clearly dates from the 90s). Watch this if you enjoy a little bit of plot, a lot of action, and character development within cliched characters that provide a lot of entertainment for 3x30m OVAs.

Greetings, I don't normally write reviews, but this show deserves it. The art form is from early 1990s and I thoroughly enjoyed this as it reminded me of my childhood watching anime. Let's do a brief review: Art style: 10/10 Story: 9/10 Music: 9/10 My biggest concern is not having more content; the background feels so rich and full of story that its a shame we didn't get more. Poignant as this may be, it may have worked in it's favor. If you love old school, cyber-punk, sci-fi,, futurism, dark action, drama, I'd recommend you watch this. Absolutely loved the feel and overall vibe of this show and would recommend it. A real shame there's no more episodes to this show, I will miss it.

I'm always happy to watch anime from one of my favorite anime director , yoshiaki kawajiri. Every time I watched an anime from him. I am hit by beautiful character design funny and entertaining fight scenes and just a mood and settings that I always find beautiful. and of course godly amount of violence and blood and just all the detail of the human body getting exploded or maybe just caught in half. That is also part. I love in his anime. And this time I am belief with a very funny cyberpunk anime that is on the edge to become fantasy, but is always there to tell us about all this is really sci-fi b*** instead of horror fiction. What we have some lovely characters, some real badasses that keeps saying all the swear words in the dub and one of them have the pulpador so we are in good hands. It's so fun. It's always nice to just sit and watch something and my head is empty. I'm not thinking about anything else but the movie because it's just so entertaining and the music has just good sound to everything that's happening. 3 episodes every one of the is about a certain character their background. I mean a little bit of background. Not much and just that doing awesome stuff my favorite is episode 2 but god damn it's just good wholesome sci-fi fun and the City is just Future blue. the only thing I dislike about the anime is that it is gonna destroy your eyes when you watch it because god damn. Why did they use so many flashing lights 80s?

NOTE: I originally wrote this review on Letterboxd on 1/12/2022 I haven't seen Cyber City Oedo 808 in a long time, and I recently received the Discotek Blu-ray as a Christmas present. So I decided that today would be a good day to rewatch it. Cyber City Oedo 808 is just as awesome as I remembered. This anime is excellent in every way. You have a fantastic cast of characters who are both memorable and awesome. I like how each of the three gang members has their own distinct personality. Sengoku is a complete badass who is both funny and arrogant. The plot is essentially a cyberpunk version of Escape from New York (1981) with a dash of Blade Runder (1982) thrown in for good measure. There are also some elements of horror incorporated into it. Yoshiaki Kawajiri (the director) did an excellent job directing three episodes that are packed with action and compelling stories. The animation is also incredible, with beautiful shading and incredible attention to detail in the backgrounds. There's plenty of dark colorful lighting that is stunning to look at. I've always admired how Yoshiaki Kawajiri's anime, such as Wicked City (1987) and Ninja Scroll (1992), uses dark blue colors. His signature style is absolutely stunning, and I wish more anime today used the same color palettes as he did. Both the Japanese and UK versions' soundtracks are awesome and entertaining to listen to. I adore Kazuhiko Toyama's (Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII) score, but I can't help but prefer Rory McFarlane's UK score. I'm not a big fan of replacement music scores (as demonstrated by Funimation's DBZ dub), but this is one of the few times I prefer the replacement score to the original. Rory McFarlane's music blends in perfectly with the anime's tone. The English dub is a bit of a mixed bag, with some decent voice work. Stuart Milligan (Wonder Woman 1984) did an excellent job as Sengoku's voice actor, perfectly capturing his cocky demeanor. However, some other voices are bad, and the dialogue is a little too goofy. Instead, I would suggest watching this anime with subtitles. If Cyber City Oedo 808 had more episodes, I would give it a higher rating. If it were a six or thirteen-episode series, this would easily be a 9/10 anime. Overall, Cyber City Oedo 808 is a great anime that I highly recommend. Rating: 8.5/10

80's cyberpunk aesthetics, violence, hunky men, hot babe, token androgynous glam-rocker, cyborgs, centrifugally stabilized space scrapers, a suicide squad plot and lots of gritty looking animation with tons of flashing highlights as sweet rides drive down the neon lit roads of the future. What's not to like? Well, as nostalgic as I am for the 80's and 90's action flicks, it's a slow pace. While it's appreciable for the action to take its time to impart a sense of weight and risk to the main characters, it can feel sluggish to watch at other times. It's not Akira (let's be honest, pretty much nothing is) but the animation is appreciable for its time. The stories feel a little dated, without spoiling anything, the themes and plots are largely predictable though the action sequences always feel like they could go either way. I recommend it because it's a product of its time, uncomplicated and wears its heart on its sleeve. If you want a banger from the past with heavy cyberpunk vibes (and you've already watched Ghost in The Shell and Akira) then this mini series is a good way to spend your evening.

Not going to go into too much detail on the synopsis or whatever. But i thoughroughly enjoyed this anime, seen so many influences in video games that seemingly stem from this. Namely metal gear solid, where alot of the tech and ideas are clearly taken directly out of this, such as the scooba diving into shadow moses, sneaking into the tanker at the start of mgs2 to take photos and upload them, the whole vampire story line is identical to vamp in mgs2 and 4 and the way he finally dies as well with the vaccine. Also just the sniper duel in episode 3 was very reminiscent of multiple boss fights in mgs (sniper wolf, fortune, the end). Also clearly cyberpunk 2077 took huge inspirations as well with jackie being modeled after one of the main trio, and the fight with the cyborg is the final boss of cyberpunk 2077 as well pretty much shot for shot. but also i saw plot lines of spenser and albert wesker from resdient evil and even that cyborg reminding me of metal sonic from sonic 2. Clearly this anime has had a huge cutltural impact on many of my all time favourite games as well as being featured in the music video for Nero's dubstep song 'innocence'. For all of that alone i got tonnes of enjoyment from watching this. The visuals are still gorgeous and i really enjoyed alot of the dialogue in the english dub, it was really campy and hilarious at times with alot of the dry humour delivered by the robot. And also the crygenically frozen space panthers in satelite base that shoots lasers from their mouths is fucking hilarious and sick as hell, i enjoyed that alot.

Catching criminals to reduce your own sentence is a scenario that's going to lead to some fireworks, and fits right into the Cyperpunk world of Cyber City Oedo. A 3-episode OVA, each episode focuses on a different character (all of whom are former criminals). The highlights of this short show are the solid animation and surprisingly good production values. If the character design wasn't so early 90's, it'd be tough to tell it was made 30 odd years ago, although I suppose the cell animation makes it a bit more obvious. The soundtrack is surprisingly minimalist, and it works. There’re two different soundtracks, but I think anything other than the original Japanese version wouldn't suit the mood. The first episode was probably my favourite. It’s a basic heist scenario but it was a good introduction to the characters, the Cyberpunk dystopian world, and was a showcase for the great art design. There was also some great over the top action scenes and kick-ass character moments. I thought the second episode on the other hand was a bit weak. Not bad, but a bit cliché and I didn't find it nearly as interesting as the first episode. I think they tried to bring in some political intrigue with how the different factions of the government work against each other, but the plot was too basic to get me involved. I also did not like how it introduced someone from the main characters past just to kill them off straight away (aka a 'Sacrificial lamb' as described by TvTropes). This happens in the next episode as well, and it doesn't work there either. The third episode was thankfully an improvement on episode two. More of a low-key story, I honestly thought I was watching Vampire Hunter D at times. Hard to put into words exactly why, but if you watch it you'll immediately understand what I mean. It also featured probably the most interesting character in the show which is Benten. It would have been great to get more information on his character and backstory. Unfortunately, this didn't happen because... there's no resolution. I don't know if there was more OVA's or a TV series planned, but it just ends abruptly with a lot of questions unanswered, we never know the characters fates. The last episode ends on a poignant note and it’s a good ending to the episode, but not the show itself. It’s a challenge to recommend something that doesn't really have an ending, but if you take the show as just a series of individual stories it’s not so bad. Cyberpunk fans should check this one out regardless, definitely one of the better Anime in the genre.

This OVA is my favorite Kawajiri Yoshiaki work, and I adore everything about it. First, the world building of the "Cyber City" is very interesting starting from the police system to the space station technology and kinds of crimes shown. I think it is a not too far-fetched cyberpunk anime, that usefully incorporated possible technology into its story (of course I wouldn't say its realistic but instead with a tasteful dose of romance). Second, the characters are very polished and have a deep history that is very lightly shown in references from the past to their reason to having sentences. Which makes me super curious yet satisfied with what is shown in each episode. I really think this could've had the potential to be a longer series with maybe even a movie under its belt to fully grasp the world of this future cyber city world. Third, Kawajiri's character designs are always very particular and beautiful. Especially, Benten yes I love him so much, such a wonderful character and thank god he was voiced by the amazing Shiozawa Kaneto (I think its his best role). Kawajiri accentuates a different world from normal anime, where it is hard-boiled and sullen, a world of adults that I like, where all thoughts and emotions are not always openly shown. Last, the mood is very mature, composed and dark. Not to mention the color palette can be very cold and selective in Kawajiri's works too, similar to Wicked City. The animation is alright but could've been even greater if the budget was more, considering it's an OVA the quality is not as good as Kawajiri's other movies. But it is definitely a great watch, if you haven't seen such old gem works.

Cyber City Oedo presents an interesting concept: three criminals sentenced to life imprisonment who must work for the police to reduce their sentences, all within a cyberpunk world. The episodes feature interesting plots and ideas, effectively explore science fiction elements, and place the characters in a wide variety of settings and conflicts. Although the series doesn't aim to be philosophical or profound, the stories do provide food for thought. However, the episodic structure works against it, as it lacks a conclusive ending and doesn't feel like the protagonists have made any progress toward their goal of freedom. Each of the three episodes focuses on one of the main trio — interesting characters with tough, distinctive personalities, whose pasts are explored in ways that match the atmosphere of the series. On the downside, the interactions between them are dry and distant. There's little to no character development, and the protagonists remain static in both their attitudes and relationships. This, combined with the lack of a linear narrative, makes the series feel incomplete — like just a glimpse of something that had much more potential. To some extent, this is understandable given it's only a three-episode OVA, but it still feels like a missed opportunity. In terms of production, the visuals are the best aspect of the series. The animation is good, and the detailed environments make the action scenes a delight to watch. The character designs are varied and well-executed. As for the soundtrack, the music is fairly standard for an 80s OVA. There are no bad tracks, but none particularly stand out either — and they could have enhanced the action scenes more. Cyber City Oedo is an anime that could have been much better with stronger character development and a more cohesive story. Still, it’s an enjoyable watch overall.

Well, that was pretty cool. I don't usually place my foot inside 80s or 90s anime, mostly because they're very open-ended, usually unfinished stories made to showcase a team, or a glimpse into a world. I've heard about other ones, and watched the Devilman OVA's, which ended in the year 2000. Again, my problems with what I've heard on other ones extend to here. It's an incomplete thing. For a story, you just get a stereotype of characters that have an adventure that couples well with their skills and introductions. You have the pure brains, the brawn, and the equilibrium of both in three characters that live an experience that shows who they are, and what they fight for. There's just a bit of depth, and the dynamic works well. I just hope it was a little more. Everything feels really incomplete, as if everybody deserved one more episode just to show them all in one final adventure. Alas, it didn't happen. In a way, maybe that's the point. These people are a Suicide Squad that keeps living, suffering, causing trouble around them while they try to dissociate from it. Good times are gone, and now they can only worry about having their heads attached to their bodies. It did make me think, and question if I should worry about the criminals, their wounds, or the moments they're close to death. I just need more story, more about them, with more conflicts. So much potential, man. The rest of everything else, I believe, succeeds in spades. Raunchy, brutal, disgusting, but somehow, not excessive violence. It's impressive how many limbs fly out, but they don't put the typical splatter that clearly has more blood than the human body can hold. It's strangely tasteful, and I feel as if it's such a bigger plus because of that. Fight scenes are great, focusing on fast, tactical victories, rather than just a massacre that makes no sense. Clearly, they wanted to talk about how the characters solve something, before talking about how much blood should be there. I just appreciate well done gore a lot. It's got tons of plotholes, impossible moments, near deaths that make no sense, but I can tell they didn't take it all too seriously. They wanted to showcase their skills, and show a cyberpunk world? All the power to them. Although, I was bored sometimes. 6.2/10. If it had that final chapter on the horizon, probably could've reached super high.

To put it bluntly - do you like the cyberpunk genre? If yes, then watch this series, you will love it. If you watched Edgerunners and really enjoyed it, I think you will enjoy this too. Hell, you'll see some eerie resemblances between the main cast of those two series too. Even Hideo Kojima himself drew this comparison on Twitter. Cyber City Oedo 808 is a peak representation of the genre in its purest form and every fan of this type of dystopian/speculative sci-fi should watch this. Honestly, my only real complaint is how short it is and how it doesn't get enough time to truly flesh out its characters and universe. Although it came out in 1990, this has a definitive 80s vibe to everything. The visuals, the sound effects, the designs of the futuristic tech, the awesome soundtrack, it feels really close to your classic Blade Runner or Ghost in the Shell. It shows a beautiful gigacity rendition of a futuristic Tokyo (now called Oedo, hence the series title), flying cars, cyborg criminals, towering skyscrapers, ubiquitous AI and more. In terms of vibe and aesthetic, its perfect. The action is quite well made, the stories present are quite engaging and everything is very high quality. The three episodes more or less focus on each of the three main characters and present their perspective on a specific case. For the short runtime, a decent variety of tales is present. Also enough of the backgrounds of the characters are hinted at to give them depth, leaving the details to the viewer's imagination. Pacing is good imo, the fact that this is an original work and not a manga adaptation helps it feel more movie-like in its structure and cinematography. It would've been nice if this series could've gone on longer and it feels like maybe it was supposed to, because it ends kind of abruptly. No idea if the creators wanted to make this longer but weren't greenlit for it or something, who knows. In any case, as it is now, this is still an awesome watch and is thoroughly enjoyable. Once more, this is 80s cyberpunk distilled to perfection and will be appreciated by many fans of that genre. A younger studio Madhouse did an awesome job with this one and all I can say is that I want more!

Cyber City Oedo was very interesting. It's a creation by the legendary Yoshiaki Kawajiri that I've never seen before for some reason. I love Wicked City, Ninja Scroll, and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, but I have never watched Cyber City until now. Cyber City follows three criminals named Sengoku, Benton, and Gogul who are serving life sentences and in exchange for getting their sentences reduced, they become officers. The character designs are influenced by 80's heavy metal and of course cyberpunk, you can easily tell that this is the work of Kawajiri, and the soundtrack is filled with rocking tunes that will get you headbanging. I'd definitely recommend this if you love Kawajiri's other work along with 80's metal and cyberpunk madness, then you should watch Cyber City Oedo 808.