(The Vintage Tempest)
Before The Matrix, there was Megazone 23. This Japanese original video animation was the first to suggest that people are living in an illusion. This anime is renowned for being one of the earliest influencers not only to similar films made in later years, but it hailed the silver age of anime. Macross (aka Robotech) was released around the same time. Music was a major influence in making Megazone23 just as memorable. While the sound is distinctly 80’s, so was the career of Miyasato Kumi (宮里久美) at the height of her career. She was the voice of the virtual singing idol, EVE.
Sadly, older video releases of this excellent series are out of print. Finding any copy is through either paying through the nose through eBay for a complete edition or waiting for bigger news to release. It was remastered in high definition for Bluray but is only available in Japan. Thankfully, that’s all about to change:
The Megazone 23 Omega Edition is a crowdfunding project by Robert Woodhead that has exceeded expectations since launching a week ago. It will bring a subtitled edition for the masses to enjoy, and the perks are terrific. Personally, I’d love to see a stretch goal of including the soundtrack so it can be enjoyed separately.
So far, this project is available to residents in the USA because of licensing. It’s safe to assume it will open up to other regions as negotiations with the licensor reveal how well this project is quickly getting backers. To not get the art book perks will have me waiting in bated breath for it. Please stay tuned for updates.