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This anime is a masterpiece. In every respect, it is majestic and powerful, saturated with beauty and craftsmanship in every regard. An anime like this one is a precious treasure, one that only comes about very rarely, and one that will stay with you for the rest of your life, representing a high watermark of storytelling that will forevermore serve as an example of just what anime can achieve as a medium when everything comes together just right. As of the time of this writing, Frieren is the 200th anime I've watched, and has earned its place as one of the exceedingly few that I ... have given the prestige of a perfect 10. In short, it is a work of absolute genius, in every sense of the word. It is difficult to begin anywhere with a title such as this, when everything about it is so incredible, but I'll begin here with the story. Frieren handles its masterful storytelling in such a uniquely potent way that it lands among the absolute greats, nearly inimitable in its impact and excellence. It is immediately apparent that, this story, about an eccentric elf who has outlived her adventuring party learning more about the human condition by starting another one, feels like a strong return to form in terms of fantasy. It feels classic and timeless, mastering all the pieces that make the famous fantasy epics of the past work so well. It feels hopeful, and adventurous, and exciting, and above all offers up a refreshing take on the defeat of ultimate, objective evil. How Frieren handles the problem of demons is intelligent and all-encompassing, championing the concept of the good and proclaiming without any reservations that the destruction of evil is always righteous. It eschews the played-out modern trope of 'misunderstood demonkind' and 'grey morality', instead championing heroism, strength, and persistence in the face of deception, lies, and uncertainty. This aspect alone would be more than enough to declare the story this anime's strongest aspect, but there is still so much more to it. Beyond its flawless execution of fantasy's most important and timeless themes, it adds unique and engaging aspects that deal with the most profound aspects of the human experience. There were many moments where it moved me to tears. This story takes on so much, and yet deals with all of it with such impressive skill. Be it Frieren's reckoning with her near-immortality in the context of the human relationships which mean so much to her, or Fern's grappling with belonging and what it means to be a mage and practice the craft she loves so much, or Stark's challenges with cowardice and fear when he has so much potential and how his friends bring out the best parts of him as a person and as a warrior, this anime is emotionally intelligent on a level that I have only rarely seen before. This anime understands what it means to be a person, what it means to grow. Even beyond its epic narrative, even beyond its sense of adventure, this story captures so much of the human experience, so much of the soul of man. Even the little things, like helping villagers clean a statue, or telling a story to your friends around the bonfire, or even taking in the sights and sounds of a new place, this anime gets it, and even if this were the only great part about this anime, it would still deserve every ounce of praise that it is getting now. But, indeed, there is so, so much more to say about Frieren.

The art is every bit as impressive as the story, and stands out from its peers with a degree of aesthetic mastery that is rarely seen in a given season. It is colorful, and interesting, and vibrant, and detailed, but beyond all of this, it has vision for the world it portrays. The world of Frieren feels alive and full of history. The architectural styles, which change between regions as they head north, are so carefully imagined, depicted down to the slightest cultural detail, that it's clear this anime was given nothing short of complete and total love during the entire length of its production. On the other hand, the fight scenes are so richly executed that every hit, every blow, feels like it has weight, like it punches through to the screen so that you can feel it in your chest. This is not even to mention that Frieren has one of the richest and most indulgent color palates I've ever seen, and even some of the smoothest and most impressive animation in general. Beyond the fantastic art style, the animation itself is smooth and seamless, animating the finest details like hair physics, eye movements, and light filtering through leaves with a dedication and mastery that will give you chills.

The sound, like everything else in this anime, gets similar praise from me. The soundtrack is soaring and orchestral, with so many layers of emotion and majesty that are rare, not just in anime, but in general. It is suited to every possible moment, from the most jubilant highs, to the most melancholy lows, and even the quiet moments of peace, where nothing in particular is happening. No matter what, this soundtrack wreathes the entire anime in excellence, and is overall one of the best scores in anime. The sounds of life, too, are detailed down to the minutia, from the rustling leaves, to the squelching of mud, and even all the moving parts involved in the grand cacophony of a pitched magical battle. The sound is an honored companion to the art and story, especially when the voice work is considered, which is characteristic, unique, and emotional from start to finish. It even earns its place as one of the few anime for which I prefer the dub, given just how impressively well-cast everybody is in this regard.

The characters, too, are incredible. They feel like they're the ones driving this story, as it is their adventure, and that feels right. I was consistently impressed by this show's characterization, as though I immediately fell in love with our main cast, I was skeptical about every new person added in, especially in the second half, but I was blown away by how this anime manages to make every character, no matter how recent or how secondary, feel complex and interesting, to the point where I found myself invested in them and their stories as well. This is a genuinely impressive feat, and one that should be celebrated by all and emulated by other anime looking to do the same. Of the cast, my favorites are the main adventuring party of Frieren, Fern, and Stark. Their relationship just feels so genuine and familial, and they way they build each other up is both inspiring and moving. Overall, Frieren is an actual masterpiece, a work of art that is on par with the absolute greats of history. I absolutely recommend it, and, going further, will say here that it is a necessary watch for anyone who calls themselves a serious enthusiast of anime. It will become a part of you, and stay with you for the rest of your life. Frieren really is that amazing.

Honobono Log is a beautiful, fleeting little tale, featuring a collection of brief snapshots into the everyday lives of people and the ones they love. It is a quiet, unique contemplation on that emotion, which expresses itself well in the OP song, "Every time I look over at you, I realize that I'm happy." As such, the story is the strongest part of this anime, as despite being nothing more than a pile of vignettes, it manages to be beautiful and impactful all the same, capturing so many emotions in the silent moments between words and the small things that people do for each other. ... It's the kind of thing people might usually forget, but when presented in such a tender and contemplative fashion, it speaks directly to the heart. Like catching snowflakes on your tongue, each story is beautiful and unique in its own way, but it doesn't stick around for long. As for the rest of the anime, we are left with precious little to say about it.

The art is pretty but fairly static, which nonetheless compliments the anime and its themes, even if the near-total lack of backgrounds can feel a little strange at times.

The sound meets all basic standards of quality, with a touching OP that's a perfect fit for this show, and voice work that is quiet and tender throughout, reflecting the nature of the anime itself.

As for characters, they're so fleeting that it doesn't make sense to choose favorites, so instead I'll choose a favorite vignette, that being the one featured in episode 9. That episode and the dynamic of the couple in it is positively adorable, and quite heartwarming. It is the perfect package to convey, in a single episode, what this show is all about. All in all, Honobono Log is delightful, and a wonderful way to spend 20 minutes, even if it is just an ad for the art book its based on.

Fushigi na Somera-chan is short, fast-paced, and very strange, which in its own way counts in its favor. Despite its unorthodox format, or perhaps because of it, this anime manages to get quite a few laughs, both at the well-timed absurd comedy, and at the jabs it takes at various other genres as well. Beginning with the story, it'd be a stretch to say this anime has one, even if by merits of its comedy this is the anime's strongest aspect. It follows a magical girl, her sister, her friend, and a girl they hired in the second episode, and follows their misadventures. These situations ... are more than just random humor, even if it has the essence of that style, which is refreshing to see for an incredibly short comedy title like this one, which can be completed in under 35 minutes. Typically, when an anime is this short, it just ends up being nonsense, but here it actually sticks the landing with its scenarios and dialogue. Be it aliens which try to repay property damage with insect dung, or a "GMO" version of one of them that terrorizes a village in the forest, or even the semi live-action credits sequences that sing a little traditional tune while drawing a picture, it all manages to be pretty consistently funny.

The art is quite strong, exceeding any expectations this genre has for its titles, complete with a fun and dynamic art style that lends itself well to physical comedy, and an animation quality that matches the energy of the anime as a whole.

The sound is also good, meeting all basic standards of quality, with a good OP and strong, fast-paced voicework that doesn't trip over itself, despite how fast it goes.

The characters are perfect fits for this type of anime, and stand out as real drivers of the comedy at hand, their interplay elevating the absurd atmosphere throughout the show. Of them, Shizuku and Somera are my favorites. On the one hand, Shizuku has some of the best comedic timing in the whole anime, mischievous, deadpan, and wry the whole time, she is a major source of this show's comedic value. On the other hand, Somera, being the protagonist of the anime, proves to be a source of such chaos that without her this anime wouldn't have the proper steam to keep it going. Be it turning a dog into a bizarre food-themed beast, or releasing a "GMO" version of her friend into the wilderness where it attacks innocent bystanders, she is the nexus for much of this show's random conflicts. Overall, Fushigi na Somera-chan is a fun, fleeting little title filled to the brim with energy and enthusiasm, and I'd recommend it on the grounds that it is indeed quite funny, and at under 40 minutes, even if you don't like it you'd have hardly wasted any time at all.

Pugyuru is, in a word, weird. Indeed, beyond just being a frantic little comedy anime that you can watch in under 40 minutes, it is a window into what a total outsider might think all anime is like, which was especially the case in 2004. Long before anime was so well-known in the West, back when it was considered strange and underground, and back when the general public dismissed it offhand as a medium, ignorant of the potential and artistic mastery that lay within. They thought bright colors, loud sounds, and bizarre, often sexual humor were all that anime boiled down to, if they were ... even aware of it at all. Well, Pugyuru is exactly that kind of anime that was responsible for such a reputation. It is scattered, unfocused, and could best be described as a feverish frenzy that doesn't waste a moment blazing through its vanishingly brief runtime. Then, even so, Pugyuru still executes this comedy well. All in all, it is quite funny, and for those who are used to it, all of its oddities only add to it. Beginning with the story, there really isn't any to speak of outside of the basic setup- a girl, whose name we never get to hear, is given a "maid" by her wealthy absent parents, but this maid, Cheko, from the so-called "maid country", doesn't seem to be exactly human. She is incredibly short, produces cooked rice from a compartment in her head, and has an upside down skeleton that changes shapes randomly whenever it is measured. She also attracts other bizarre entities, like a snow-woman made of shaved ice, and a giant talking squid that masquerades as a maid, wearing human masks to blend in. The comedy comes from the inherent absurdity of the situations they find themselves in, such as two yakuza guys obsessing over maid autographs, or a high school delinquent girl losing her cool about Cheko's cuteness, or Cheko running out of batteries despite otherwise appearing quite biological. This absurdity is the main draw, and as such, the "story", if it can be called that, is the strongest part of the show.

The art is nothing special, with a pretty standard art direction, and a generally subpar production quality, though given the nature of this anime it's not like its taking away from anything, and doesn't really diminish the experience overall.

The sound is pretty solid, with a very catchy OP and crisp, fast-paced voice work that matches the energy of the humor.

The characters are quite distinct, much like the show itself, and drive the anime forward via their unpredictable hijinks. Of them, the unnamed protagonist (sometimes called Magumagu outside the anime) and the tough-as-nails weirdo Kanato are my favorites. This is simply because they were the funniest to me- Magumagu serves as a humorous contrast to the insanity which surrounds her, and Kanato is a fun reimagining of the delinquent tough girl, taking the absurdities of her trope to the extreme, like her unnatural relationship to nail-bats. Overall, if you like the weird side that anime has to offer, especially as it was in the 2000s, then Pugyuru will prove to be a pretty good time for you, and even if you end up with a negative view of your experience, it's less than 40 minutes, which is such a low cost that you won't really be wasting your time either way.

Yoru no Kuni is a genuinely beautiful little experience, able to move the soul at 8 minutes per episode better than a great deal of much longer titles can manage in the first place. It knows what it wants to say to you, and wastes no time saying it, so let me get right into it, beginning with the story. Yoru no Kuni is comprised of three loosely connected vignettes which take place during different times in the night and also cover different stages of different peoples lives. In these self-contained adventures into the Night World, a magical being known as Yoru guides them, and ... through his kind and patient insight helps each individual navigate the emotional turmoil they're struggling with in one way or another. Each story is moving in its own way, and are as powerful as they are brief. Much like a dream, it drifts into your life, and then away again, as quickly as it came. It's a lovely tale, and one which has the potential to provide another perspective for whatever you might be dealing with when you watch it, which merits a good score all its own. However, the emotional intelligence and staying power of the story and its timeless message would be for naught if it weren't supported by a visionary art direction.

The art is this anime's strongest point, alive with color and detail and an otherworldly sense of peace and spirituality. It feels as though it sets the scene for personal transformation, simultaneously managing to be both serene and comforting as well as strange and awe-inspiring. The art, through all its purples and blues, has this storybook quality to it, which further elevates its status as a work of art, as it cultivates such an atmosphere with effortless grace and poise.

The sound is also quite good, oscillating between a wandering and indistinct soundscape to a hopeful and rousing musical moment. In addition, the overall voice work is excellent, nailing the child voice work in particular, which is notorious for being such a difficult thing to get right, and really goes to show how much the people behind the anime cared.

The characters are all fleeting save for Yoru, who himself is more of a mysterious, and sometimes passive, guide. Still, they all fit perfectly within their little vignettes. Overall, Yoru no Kuni is a heartwarming, moving experience, and my only real count against it lies in the fact that it is not longer, and the associated narrative pitfalls that are typically associated with such brevity. This is an easy title for me to recommend, because despite how quickly it comes and goes, this anime is not easily forgotten, like a dream whose memory survives past the dawn. It is a breathtaking little anime indeed.

Princess Army: Wedding Combat is a largely typical shoujo OVA, complete with a bright, sparkly aesthetic and a reverse harem of dudes falling over themselves for Nonoka, the main protagonist. However, there are a few things that complicate this categorization. Namely, aside from the unique judo martial arts theme, there is a fair bit of fanservice with Nonoka as the subject, which is out of the ordinary for a title like this one, where presumably she is meant to be a self-insert for the largely female intended audience. In any case, it's an odd little thing, and has some interesting qualities that make it stand ... out from the crowd more generally. Beginning with the story, as mentioned earlier, it's a bog standard reverse harem shoujo setup, with one especially pushy suitor pressuring her into marriage while the other love interests challenge his claim through the sport of judo. It's broadly funny, if pretty silly throughout, though it does have a couple of moments that feel out of place with the rest of the show. Its conflict is also fairly contrived and makes it difficult to actually get invested in the events at hand. Beyond these aspects, there's not much else to say about the story other than it is quite short and manageably self-contained, making it a great random time-killer or quick addition to round out your anime list.

The art is this anime's strong point by a mile, with a bright, colorful palate, and character designs that are instantly striking and, therefore, memorable. It's certainly not afraid to be itself in this regard, awash with sparkles and big eyes and dudes with weirdly long fingers, which is a recurring theme for certain shoujo titles. It radiates the optimism and innocence of the 90s, with even the heaviest conflicts feeling as though they're being toned down by the neon world of pinks and blues which Nonoka and the people in her life inhabit.

The sound is similarly upbeat, with a certain dramatic streak, though overall it just meets the basic standard of quality for the time in which it was made.

The characters are fine, again meeting the basic standards of quality for the time. In general they feel as though they're pushed along by the plot to where they need to be at any given time, and given how short this OVA is there's really no time to develop them or their characters. Overall, Princess Army: Wedding Combat is a stereotypical shoujo anime from the late 90s, complete with a silly conflict, flashy art style, and a generous dose of interpersonal drama. For me personally, it's a pretty middle-of-the-road OVA, with aspects that carry it and others that fall behind, but for the right audience I think it has the potential to be an obscure gem for the shoujo fanatic.

Before I begin this review, it's worth noting that I am the first to review this title on MAL, and even the first to give it a score at all. It is my belief that every anime deserves at least one proper review, deserves to have its content engaged and reckoned with. No matter how obscure it is, and no matter how long ago it was made, an anime still represents the creative passion of its creators, the hopes and dreams of the team that made it, and as such, I will give this one a fair and honest accounting here. Otokogi is a fairly ... typical yakuza crime drama, languishing in the very furthest reaches of near-total obscurity for the last 35 years at the time of this writing. Watching and subsequently reviewing this title therefore has a kind of liminal quality to it, like being in an empty school or exploring the ruins of some once-busy locale. As for the anime itself, while its general production quality is somewhat lacking, and the confused, over-wrought story gets ahead of itself a lot of the time, I've definitely seen worse titles out there.

Beginning with the story, it's a complicated tale with many moving parts and a whole army of characters to keep track of, while simultaneously being a thoroughly average story about a high school thug-turned-yakuza tough guy that beats up his rivals in violent and over-the-top ways. This genre was definitely overrepresented in the 80s, so seeing an example in the early 90s makes sense. It's clear they're going for an almost Shakespearean quality with the tangled web of motivations and characters, but they generally lacked the execution to really make it work, and as such it ends up falling flat. Keeping track of whose mistress is whose, which clan is seeking revenge against which clan, and how an electric company CEO with a missing daughter slots into this complicated criminal underworld power struggle, makes for a messy viewing experience that, at the end of the day, is barely worth keeping track of at all, That's because the protagonist, Kyosuke, knows just what to say, who to fight, and who to shoot to save the day. He discovers this Gordian Knot of a story and just slashes right through it. Perhaps that was the point all along, but it makes you wonder why they went through all the effort to to make the story so complicated in the first place. As for everything else, there's little to say by comparison.

The art has this gritty yet colorful aesthetic that fits its theme quite well, while the overall animation quality is rather low. Indeed, the production quality on display here is more reminiscent of the 80s, or perhaps even the 70s, rather than the 90s. It feels sloppy and definitively behind its own time in this regard, with stuttery animation and a general lack of variety among character designs, which adds to the overall confusion the story offers up to the viewer.

The sound is subpar, offering grainy, melodramatic voice work and distinctly artificial sounds of life, and while the music is pretty good, it is hardly present, leaving the show with this bizarre and awkward silence for the vast majority of its runtime.

The characters are fine, fulfilling their roles within the story, even if their actions and motivations make little sense. In a story like this one they'd typically be completely controlled by the story, ordered from place-to-place as the plot demands, but since their actions don't really follow logical paths, it seems like they're completely unmoored from the story, doing as they please in a way that adds to the scattered feeling this anime gives off. Overall, Otokogi is just kind of boring at the end of the day. It's not the worst thing I've seen, but it tries to be this hype action anime and this complex Godfather-esque crime drama at the same time, and as such fails to really live up to either goal. However, if you're particularly into this specific genre and want to say you've watched something almost nobody has seen, then Otokogi could be right up your alley. I'm convinced that this anime is a good fit for the right audience, however small, that could take it up as some kind of obscure cult classic. The crazy fight scenes and corny dialogue are more than enough to make that reality. Still, I'm not a part of that audience, and as such found it to be a distinctly underwhelming experience.

Ah, Puni Puni Poemii, the disjointed, meta-referential mess that's banned in New Zealand and exists as a fictional anime within the world of another anime while directly referencing that anime. In short, this is a bizarre title, and while I recognize its ambitious attempt at scorched earth, nothing-is-sacred genre satire, I feel like it gets lost in the weeds of its own hyperactivity and self-indulgence, robbing it of its cultural relevance as anything other than an oddity. Beginning with the story, well, there's not much to speak of. It is everything and nothing all at once, reduced to a stream of consciousness which flows from ... the director himself, who features as a character in the anime, and encompasses his thoughts and feelings on the medium in which he works. The premise is that it's a total parody of your typical magical girl anime, with a nonexistent plot thinly connecting the scattered, schizoidal events that make up this title. I will say that it does deliver a pretty all-encompassing satirical analysis of the magical girl genre, nailing every trope and reducing it down to its component parts in such a way that makes them impossible to ignore, but its wreathed by so much utter nonsense that it feels like it drowns out that aspect almost completely.

The art is typical for the era, meeting all basic standards of quality, but it is notable for its depiction of the bizarre in unique and creative ways, as well as imitating other styles in the interest of pulling outside tropes into the wider satire as well.

The sound is an odd beast, as while it technically meets all the basic standards of quality for the time, the voice work is intentionally so rapid and incomprehensible that if you're watching it subbed, like I did, frequent use of the pause button is absolutely necessary if you care to understand everything that's being said.

The characters float freely and unmoored by their connection either to reality or each other, tossed around by the tumultuous story like shrimp in a roiling sea. It's not really about any of them, so it doesn't make sense to choose favorites, as they're all quite strange. Between the hyperactive and titular Poemii, the obsessive Futaba, and the lecherous alien K, you'd be hard pressed to find a cast quite like this one in other titles. Overall, Puni Puni Poemii is a real trip of an anime that zooms by at a mile a minute, completely unapologetic for its speed, disjointedness, or overall perversion. In short, it is a good way to visualize what your grandpa who's never watched anime thinks all of those Japanese cartoons. Puni Puni Poemii has some value as a powerful and cutting-edge parody of the magical girl genre, and indeed the tropes of anime as an entire medium, which is doubly impressive for doing so very early, in 2001, before such deconstruction was common. Though, it must be said that it gets lost in its own absurdity, and that alone can make it hard to watch at times. At the end of the day it's up to you just how much trouble you'd be willing to go through to experience a robust commentary on anime itself.

This is a fun little OVA that is strongly reminiscent of the era in which it was made, conjuring up nostalgic memories of the medium as it was in 2004. This largely unremarkable OVA, more an advertisement for its associated visual novel, still serves as this kind of time capsule for the cultural atmosphere anime existed in back then, as it was going through the first upheavals of a transition to digital animation, and found itself distinctly within the cultural moment known as the "moe boom". Indeed, I'd say much of this anime's value comes in the form of its capacity as an artistic and ... cultural artifact, but now that that's been addressed, Hourglass of Summer Colors must be examined on its own merits.

Beginning with the story, which is this anime's strongest point, I feel it holds some more substance than many fleeting OVAs of a similar type. It wrestles with time travel, a famously sticky and unmanageable subject, with caution and ease, settling on a system that makes a good deal of sense all things considered. With that out of the way, it goes on to tell a pretty typical school romance story in a dramatic, engaging, and touching way. I quite liked the story, though the brevity of this title really hinders its sense of continuity, with jarring jumps between certain events and explanations only made after the fact.

The art is quite nostalgic, meeting all basic standards of quality for the time, complete with the old lovable tropes in terms of character design and how it employs humor. It exudes that clean, colorful aesthetic of the 2000s, and makes heavy use of that chibi-esque, 2chan emoticon facial style for funny moments and misunderstandings, which I found both funny and very nostalgic, as I remember back when that sort of thing was completely inseparable from anime comedy as a whole.

The sound exists in a similar fashion, meeting all basic standards of quality once again, complete with the somewhat melodramatic VA work of the time period, with a very specific inflection that they applied to their work at that time. It's hard to exactly place my finger on it, but there's something in the way they speak here that definitively dates it to this time period, and many other 2000s titles, too. Perhaps it's just an unmentioned stylistic aspect, but I noticed and enjoyed it, as it brought me back to sitting in front of the TV at all hours of the night watching any anime I could find in no particular order.

The characters are good, if broadly typical for this kind of show, as they broadly serve to fulfill various archetypes, like the clingy childhood best friend who's secretly in love with the protagonist, the overpowered clutzy magic/sci-fi girl who's secretly love with the protagonist, the shy rich girl with strict parents and a kind soul who's secretly in love with the protagonist, and the protagonist who's just your every day high school guy that all these girls are inexplicably secretly in love with. Of them, Ligene and Mana Kawamura are my favorites, Ligene for being a funny, unique character that shakes up the story and honestly just makes the whole thing possible in the first place, and Mana for being a pretty well-written side character and, in comparison to the other options here, also best girl. As of the time of this writing I haven't played the visual novel, but I assume that her's is a potential route in the game. Overall, Hourglass of Summer Colors is a fun little romance OVA with a unique twist, even if it is rather formulaic by the standards of the time. At the end of the day, if you enjoy this era of anime then you'll likely enjoy this particular anime, at least to some extent. In fact, I'd say that a distinct appreciation for the era is probably required to get anything out of this title.

Eiyuu Gaiden Mozaicka is a thoroughly classic example of the standalone 90s OVA- It's a sci-fi/fantasy adventure romp that's only a few episodes long and manages to be both extremely unique and doggedly formulaic at the same time. This characteristic is omnipresent throughout the anime, and especially its setting, so as such we'll begin this analysis with the story that forms the foundation of the work. Its worldbuilding is immediately representative of this dualism, in that it feels like an extremely classic sword and sorcery type hero's journey, complete with heroic knights and warrior women in skimpy armor and ancient prophecies, while on the other ... hand it's bizarrely syncretic with science fiction, with bad guys flying spaceships around the planet, weird energy weapons, and "castles" that look like distorted air traffic control towers. So, in this way, it is both utterly formulaic and utterly unique. If I had to make a distinction as to how it can maintain both identities at the same time, I'd say it comes down to the fact that the story is formulaic but the setting is unique. That's not to say the story is bad, just predictable, and the strange, otherworldly setting certainly pulls its weight in terms of keeping the viewer on their toes.

This brings me to the art, which exhibits this same inner conflict. Once again, the setting is very weird, and this anime reminds you at every moment that there are equal parts evil sorcerers to giant automatons to be dealt with. On the other hand, the way that its executed feels very old school, almost more like an 80s or even late 70s anime than a 90s one, with plenty of background detail but a somewhat limited range of animation, which itself is guilty of clumsy stage-fight style action sequences and limited character detail, often having a particular issue with illustrating and animating faces.

The sound is more cut and dry, meeting all basic standards of quality for the time, even if some of the voice work is rather hammy and amateurish.

The characters leave little to say about them, as they're all fairly generic executions of various tropes. Of the cast, U-Taruma and Moruka are the best characters, U-Taruma for being a completely unoriginal yet nonetheless cool execution of the selfless heroic warrior archetype, and Moruka for being a boisterous, alcoholic Chewbacca stand-in. The two of them together again embody this OVA's central theme by one being completely unoriginal and the other being a unique, bizarre inclusion in the story. Overall, Eiyuu Gaiden Mozaicka is an odd little OVA, and while it's not necessarily good or bad, it's still on the whole a generally entertaining way to spend a couple hours, especially if you like old OVAs. If that era's not your style, then you definitely wouldn't enjoy this anime, as the experience essentially consists of that time's distilled cultural essence from start to finish.