Tatakae!! Iczer-1

Is Iczer One revolutionary? Is it a highly influential classic? Is it perfectly paced, with a tight story? Is it a highly original story? The answer to all of these is probably no. However—Iczer One is fun. It's pure 80s schlock, with fluid animation impressive for the time and makes for a decent enough sci fi movie. It is a kitchen sink of tropes where at times you barely remember its supposed to kind of be a mecha anime.

The primary draws of Iczer One are its overt yuri/lesbian content and its strangely lovecraftian creatures which contrast with what otherwise looks like a standard high ... school sci fi romp. The wction is brutal and hopeless - i dont think the sky is ever not dark past like the 20 minute mark.

I cant recommend to everyone, but Iczer One is enjoyable enough to be a forgotten classic worth remembering.

"Fight! Iczer-1" is a largely unmemorable mecha OVA with gory body horror, hand-to-hand light saber battles, androids, and elements of tentacle porn.

Largely unmemorable except for its largely female cast. Who are also largely unmemorable.

Oh and the hilariously bad English dubbing, which may actually be worth the watch for fans of movies with bad dubs and above-average-for-the-time animation and soundtracks.

Watching the dub, it's clear the voice actors were just as confused by and unconvinced of the film as the people who ultimately watch the film.

It's not quite as hilariously bad as the "Urotsukidoji" English dub, but it's also (thankfully) less overtly sexual or disturbing.

Still, as a ... viewer, the most believable and relatable part of the film is Nagisa's frequent outbursts of "What?" and "Why?" and "No!"

Up until I watched Iczer 1, I thought the cliche of "tentacle rape" was a fabrication, or the realm solely of Urotsukidoji.

It really isn't. Iczer 1 has phallic tendrils in abundance, and its all-female cast getting drenched with a variety of organic fluids, tied up, and threatened with penetration. To be honest this is actually really creepy.

The plot is pretty much non-existent, with enemies invading and being fought by first human soldiers and then by the heroes with their mystical robot that involves naked girls covered in electrodes. It's got the bizarre pacing of something like Zeorymer, and a real focus on extreme gore and ... sexuality. The fights are not exactly dynamic or interesting, with the main robot having a limited range of attacks which often aren't that flashy or exciting. The on-foot stuff tends towards predictable sequences of people (mostly families) exploding messily into tentacled monsters who then shamble around and menace the female cast.

What it does have going for it is reasonable art. The style is classic 80s OVA, and handled well. However, the mech designs are nothing new if you've seen Zeorymer, Detonator Orgun or any similar OVAs, and the characters aren't massively interestingly designed either. Shiny black outfits predominate, and 80s hair styles.

The soundtrack isn't exceptional (not compared to something awesome like MD Geist's use of Merciless Soldier), either.

All told, Iczer 1 is worth watching only if you really like ecchi, bondage and guro interspersed with mecha action. Not one of Obari's finest hours, especially when compared to something hilarious and fun like Gravion or SRW The Inspectors.