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Cyber City Oedo 808

Cyber City Oedo 808 (サイバーシティ OEDO 808) is a three-part Japanese cyberpunk anime series released from 1990 to 1991. It is composed of a three-part original video animation (OVA) directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri and produced by Madhouse; a three-volume novel written by Akinori Endô and illustrated by Kawajiri and Hiroshi Hamasaki; and a PC Engine video game developed by Nippon Computer System. Set in the year 2808, the series follows three convicts who are enlisted to apprehend cybercriminals in exchange for reduced sentences. Cyber City Oedo 808 has achieved an international cult following as an influential work in the cyberpunk genre.

Synopsis

In 2808, the Japanese city of Oedo has responded to rampant crime by reviving the feudal practice of hōmen (放免), or employing convicted criminals as law enforcement officers. Heavily convicted criminals Sengoku, Gogul, and Benten are offered reduced sentences in exchange for their cooperation with the Cyber Police (CP), the cybercrime division of the Oedo police force.

The three men work under CP commanding officer Juzo Hasegawa, where they participate in various investigations and earn reductions to their sentences in exchange for each criminal they apprehend. Each is armed with a jitte and an explosive collar worn around their necks, which Hasegawa can detonate remotely in the event of insubordination or a mission failure.

Characters

Primary characters

  • Shunsuke Sengoku (千石 旬介)
  • A hot-headed young man serving a 375 year prison sentence for various armed robbery-related offenses.
  • Goggle (ゴーグル)
  • The alias of Rikiya Gabimaru (蛾眉丸力也), a computer expert and hacker serving a 310 year prison sentence.
  • Benten (ベンテン)
  • The alias of Merill Yanagawa (メリル・柳川), an androgynous bishōnen serving a 295 prison sentence.
  • Juzo Hasegawa (長谷川十蔵)
  • The stern commanding officer of the Cyber Police.
  • Kyōko Jōnouchi (城之内京子)
  • A junior CP officer tasked with assisting cybercriminals in their investigations. Also known by the nickname "Okyo" (オキョウ).
  • Varsus (ヴァーサス)
  • An armed robot who acts as a partner to the cybercriminals.

Additional characters

Media

Original video animation

Novel

Cyber City Oedo 808 Volume 1, Rebellious Lone Wolf (Beowulf) (電脳都市OEDO808〈1〉反逆の孤狼(ベオウルフ), first published in December 1990.[3]

Cyber City Oedo 808 Volume 2, Magnificent Fallen Angel (Lucifer) (電脳都市OEDO 808〈2〉華麗なる堕天使(ルシファー), first published in March 1991.[4]

Cyber City Oedo 808 Volume 3, Warrior of the Evil Eye (Hercules of the Evil Eye) (電脳都市OEDO 808〈3〉魔眼の闘士(まがんのヘラクレス), first published in July 1991.[5]

Written by Akinori Endō and illustrated by Yoshiaki Kawajiri (with the exception of Volume 1, which features illustrations by Hiroshi Hamasaki), the novels were published only in Japan and are currently out of print.

Video game

Cyber City Oedo 808: Attribute of the Beast (CYBER CITY OEDO 808 獣の属性) is a graphic adventure game released on March 15, 1991, for the PC-Engine CD-ROM² by Nippon Computer System exclusively in Japan. The storyline is completely original and not an adaptation of any episode.[6]

Soundtrack

The original British and Australian VHS release (released in 1994,[7] and televised on Channel 4 in 1995)[8] features a more rock-centric 23-track score composed by Rory McFarlane[9] not present on the US or Japanese versions. McFarlane's score combined metal, electronica and ambient styles. It has been out of print for years and, as such, is very rare to find on CD, but it is known to be available on the internet. The UK soundtrack has a considerably different tone than the original (more pop-like) Japanese score. Due to Manga Entertainment UK losing the rights to the Cyber City series this edition of the score was unavailable on western DVD releases and remained available only on the old VHS versions from the mid nineties[10] until Anime Limited released the movie on Blu-ray in the UK with the UK Dub and Soundtrack CD included in the release.[11]

Reception

Critical reception of Cyber City Oedo 808 has been generally positive, and has received a cult following over the years.

Jonathan H. Kantor of Looper.com ranked it as one of the "12 Best Cyberpunk Anime Movies", regarding it to have "elevated the genre through gripping storytelling and exceptionally well-written characters."[12] Hemanth Kissoon of Filmulation.com reviewed the series in 2007, saying that the series "was released 17 years ago, yet still stands up as a gripping take on Japan’s potential future."[13]

Stig Høgset of THEM Anime Reviews gave the series a rating of 4 out of 5 stars, with his only criticism being very little character development. He states that the series “rounds off a nicely paced trilogy of stories starring an intriguing cast of different characters and set in a gray, leaden metropolis. It goes from action-filled to conspiringly suspenseful and ends with a legendary battle ballet culminating in a beautiful and melancholy ending.”[14]

External links

References

  1. Steve Jones, Monique Thomas. This Week in Anime — What is Cyber City Oedo 808? Anime News Network, January 10, 2023, retrieved October 27, 2023^
  2. Cyber City Peso 808 (OVA) CrystalAcids, retrieved August 11, 2017^
  3. 電脳都市OEDO808〈1〉反逆の孤狼(ベオウルフ) (富士見ファンタジア文庫) Kadokawa^
  4. 電脳都市OEDO808〈2〉華麗なる堕天使(ルシファー) (富士見ファンタジア文庫) Kadokawa^
  5. 電脳都市OEDO808〈3〉魔眼の闘士(ヘラクレス) (富士見ファンタジア文庫) Kadokawa^
  6. PCE Daisakusen!! PCE 大作戦!! – Cyber City Oedo 808 retrieved March 27, 2008^
  7. Cyber City Oedo Animejin, retrieved December 11, 2023^
  8. Animejin News – 9th July 1995 Animejin, July 9, 1995, retrieved December 11, 2023^
  9. Cyber City Oedo 808 OST retrieved March 27, 2008^
  10. Cyber City Oedo 808 (1990)^
  11. Cyber City Oedo 808 – Blu-ray+CD Soundtrack Collector's Edition retrieved January 16, 2021^
  12. Jonathan H. Kantor. 12 Best Cyberpunk Anime Movies Ranked Looper, November 21, 2022, retrieved January 17, 2025^
  13. Hemanth Kissoon. Cyber City Oedo 808 Filmulation.com, Filmulation Limited, June 19, 2007, retrieved March 2, 2015^
  14. Stig Høgset. Cyber City Oedo 808 – THEM Anime Reviews 4.0 THEM Anime Reviews, retrieved December 14, 2022^