Hi guys. Including today’s post, we’ve got 12 reviews left before this mighty beast is slain. That last phrase is quite fitting for today’s post, as it delves into the mythical past of Greece, where gods & monsters roamed the land, and heroes accomplished great deeds, earning them a spot in legend. So, slip into a comfy chair, feel all smart & fancy, and take a look at my review for Neo Heroic Fantasia Arion.
Story/Setup
Taken from the anidb webpage:
“In Thrace, Arion is taken from his mother Demeter by the god Hades. In the Underworld, Arion is trained to be a warrior. His training is driven by revenge: Arion was told that his mother's blindness was caused by Zeus and Zeus' death will remove the curse. Finally, Arion and Geedo (a huge ape-like creature who had become Arion's friend and companion) left the Underworld to find Zeus. Seneca, a small thief, makes off with Arion's sword and this leads Arion to his first encounter with the forces of Zeus, commanded by his daughter Athena. Arion is captured but is later set free by Lesfeena, Athena's mute serving girl. As Arion rejoins Geedo and Seneca (and worries about Lesfeena), the forces of Zeus and Poseidon face each other in battle. In the background sits the scheming Hades, and the calm Apollon who seems to have plans of his own.”
If Miyuki-Chan In Wonderland was a interesting twist on classic literature, then Neo Heroic Fantasia Arion is a interesting twist on Greek mythology. This movie is sorta like Dante’s Inferno the Game: it takes a iconic mythology/story, then changes it around into it’s own world, but keeping enough of the original elements around to have something familiar to relate to.
Setting
Like I said in the section above, Neo Heroic Fantasia Arion is based off of Greek mythology. Whereas Miyuki-Chan in Wonderland went for a more fantastical portrayal of Wonderland, this movie tries to portray it’s world in the style of mythical Greece. For the most part, they succeed: there’s grand palaces, the underworld, the heavens above, villages, etc. There’s a very ancient quality to many of the locales, and it works, but if there’s any weakness to this movie, it’s that sometimes things stray away from the Greco theme. This doesn’t happen often, but certain locales/shots seem to be a little more western than Grecian, and they’ll possibly take you out of the movie, but just for a second or two.
Characters
Neo Heroic Fantasia Arion has a impressive cast of characters. You’ve got humanity, monsters, and gods all over the place. The gods are placed above everybody else: there’s a heavy aura of arrogance surrounding them, and they’ve got the power & influence to back that arrogance up. Most of the monsters are either cannon fodder, or slaves for the gods. The only monster that seeps to be up higher on the superiority ladder is Geedo: he seems to be smarter, clever, and more human that most of the other critters that get killed off. Humanity (Which includes Arion. Getting into his story would take up more space than needed, but suffice it to say he plays a big part in the story) seems to get the brunt of it all, getting slain & devoured by monsters, and getting manipulated by the gods. In short, you’ll boo the bad guys, and cheer/weep for the good guys.
Animation
I’ll say that this is another OVA that’s a product of it’s time. Coming out back in 1986, this is a full-fledged cheese fest of animation quality. Having said that, this isn’t a ugly movie. In fact, it’s one of the slickest anime I’ve seen to date. The various characters & monsters move around quite smoothly, and the whole look of the movie is a combination of the mytical, surreal, and the fantastic.
Voice Acting
Since this was never released in the west, there is no dub.
Episodes & Episode Length
This is quite possibly the longest OVA movie I’ve watched to date on this blog. Neo Heroic Fantasia Arion clocks in at almost two hours long, making it a hefty movie to watch. Because of the time length, you might be squirming in your chair, especially if you don’t like long movies. If on the other hand you like longer films (And I have a feeling that most of you do), then you’ll get a kick out of this.
Availability & Pricing
Since this was never released in the west, I have no idea how available it is right now. If you’re interested in this movie, then here’s a link to download it:
http://www.garoo9.com/elevator_kart/?p=833
Extras/Other
Since I downloaded this, I don’t know what the extras are.
General Impression & Rating
It’s an honest tragedy that Neo Heroic Fantasia Arion never came out to the United States and the west beyond, because I thought it would do a decent job. You’ve got a twist on a classic theme, an interesting & intriguing story, an impressive cast of characters, and a host of other things. Granted, this has a long running time, there’s no dub, and the Grecian theme sometimes slips up, but overall this is a solid movie. If you like a twist on a classic mythology, then I highly suggest this.
Neo Heroic Fantasia Arion gets a 7.5 to 7.8 out of 10.
See you all next Monday, when we’ll look at one of the wackiest movies ever made. Until then, stay Otaku!
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