Shin Kaitei Gunkan

Before I saw Blue Submarine No. 6. I remember watching a very similar anime. The basic similarity was in that both shows feature prominently an indefeatable battleship, and an equally indefatigable crew. However, Shin Kaitei Gunkan is different in that it is significantly older, and other historical themes play a more important role. For example, the titular submarine, is a symbol of Japanese nationalism during World War II, in the same way, that the antagonist's battleship, the Liberty, is an expression of perceived American imperialism. In any case, despite these strong echoes from the past, it is a highly enjoyable ... experience, although one that is short-lived, and inconclusive, leading one to wonder whether the conflict with the Mu was resolved at all.

Super Atragon is an impressive mid-90s OVA with a genuinely stunning level of production quality, but a distinct drop in quality by the second half. Beginning with the story, we are presented with a tale of bizarre, otherworldly forces, wreathed in military strategy. The first half hits the ground running, and makes one hell of an impression. It builds mystery, suspense, action, lore, and gore, balancing them all in such a way to get you immediately invested in the story. Though, this first episode isn't perfect, as it does feel like it's starting right in the middle of some other ... story with no context whatsoever. The second episode has deeper problems, however, getting bogged down in some ponderous, meandering dialogue that severely interferes with the pacing of the show. Still, that first episode is reason enough to watch the anime in the first place, and see it out to the end.

The art is quite good, and feels like an aesthetic blend of 80s and 90s artistic styles. For example, the character designs feel distinctly 80s, especially in the hair and eyes, while the ships, weapons, and action in general are firmly 90s. It really shines when it comes to the fine, non-human details, especially the highly engineered machines that are on constant display. However, the characters themselves can come off a little visually flat in comparison, though this is a minor problem. The sound is, by far, the strongest aspect of this anime.

The sounds of life and voice work are firmly good throughout, but the real star of the show is that soundtrack. Performed, for some reason, by the Poland National Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, it is consistently grand, adventurous, and rousing. The dramatic emotional range the music brings to this show is vital to its overall success, and I believe is an absolute gem, an achievement all its own.

The characters are good, meeting all basic standards of quality, but of the cast I feel like our protagonist Go and the enigmatic figure of Magane are the strongest, each for their own interpretations of what it means to be dedicated to a mission and loyal to their cause. Overall, Super Atragon is a really well-produced OVA, and while it's a great experience, it fails to maintain the same quality through to the second half, and as such, fails to stick the landing. Overall, I'd say give it a watch anyway, as when it's considered as a whole, it is still a strong title. Beyond this, it can even be enjoyed as an aesthetic work alone regardless of the story or anything else.