Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Anime Review No. 12-Halloween Special (Master of Mosquiton-1996 OVA)

Hello, I'm the Eclectic Dude and I review it for the lolz.
Sorry if this review came out a bit late, I had 2 tests in the past 2 days so I was a bit busy.

 For Halloween, as promised, I am reviewing Master of Mosquiton. It is a 1996 OVA (6 episodes long)made by Nippon Columbia/Zero G-Room. Initially released by ADV Films in the States, the dvd I got is a re-release done by Media Blasters. It is the one OVA from the 90s to feature vampires. Yes, between Vampire Hunter D in '85 and Hellsing in 2001, this somehow sated fans of vampire anime. But it is crap, or a hidden gem? Lets go.

The plot concerns Inaho, a 17 year old girl who is obsessed with finding the O-Part, a device that will supposedly grant the user immortality. She is the master of Mosquiton, a quarter vampire who is the descendant of the grand vampire, Nosferatu. It chronicles their adventures in the 1920s to find the O-Part, dealing with villains and even Mosquiton's ex-wife!

So, what are the positives? Well, the animation is superb (for the time). Its got a rather solid plot and characterization going for it, with some really good themes flowing through. This is one of those shows I've come across that make me really appreciate anime. That, and the OP is kick-ass jazz instrumental.

Though, it has some flaws. First, while the show has a good blend of comedy/drama, it often has a hard time finding a consistent tone. A lot of time, one scene would contain humor, then shift to seriousness, then back. It gets a bit jarring. Second, the voice acting is well, ok. In the english dub, it is generally good (being an ADV dub) though it has moments of over-the-top acting. Though, after a few viewings, these flaws become less apparent, as I kinda realized that it was more fun to  ignore them.

Final Score is 7.5/10. Decently done OVA, with some good things going for ya. Yet, it is a bit goofy. But, the ending leaves you wanting more, and that's the mark of a very good show. I'd recommend it.

Next weekend, I'll go back to doing regular reviews. Expect the next review by next Sunday. 


 

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